[bksvol-discuss] Fw: Mystery January 2008
- From: "Amber Wallenstein" <amber.wallens@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:31:14 -0500
New and Recently Released!
Big Boned: A Heather Wells Mystery - by Meg Cabot
Publisher: Avon
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 12/1/2007
ISBN: 9780060525132
ISBN-10: 0060525134
Mystery. Ex-teen pop star, current college student, and occasional amateur
sleuth Heather Wells is paying for school (her mom stole her teenage earnings)
by working as the assistant director at Fischer Hall (aka "death dorm") at a
New York City university. Her studies are interrupted when she finds the dead
body of her less-than-popular boss. Suspects are plentiful--and include
Heather--so, of course, she must investigate. Heather also continues her secret
relationship with her math professor while hankering for the PI next door. This
3rd installment in the fun-filled mystery series (after Size 12 Is Not
Fat and Size 14 Is Not Fat Either) will please readers who want a lighthearted
read.
Deadly Shoals - by Joan Druett
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 12/10/2007
ISBN: 9780312353377
ISBN-10: 0312353375
Historical Mystery. If you like naval stories like those by Patrick O'Brian as
well as a good whodunit, you should check out the Wiki Coffin series written
by maritime historian Joan Druett. Wiki, who is half-Maori, is a linguist with
the U.S. Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842--and he's also the agent of law
and order aboard ship, which puts him into some interesting situations. In his
4th outing, set in January, 1839, Wiki is off the coast of Patagonia when
he is called upon to help out a New England whaler who's been had: a trader has
taken his money and the schooner he was purchasing. Wiki searches for the
unscrupulous man and quickly finds another victim, a vulture-picked corpse.
The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam - by Chris Ewan
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 11/13/2007
ISBN: 9780312376338
ISBN-10: 0312376332
Crime Caper. In Chris Ewan's debut novel, mystery novelist Charlie Howard is in
Amsterdam doing research for his latest crime novel (which features a burglar
hero) when he's contacted by an American who wants him to steal two seemingly
innocuous monkey figurines. Charlie reluctantly agrees and finds himself
in a world of trouble when everyone wants the figurines and the Dutch police
want Charlie for murder. If you enjoy The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam,
keep an eye out for Charlie's next adventure--rumor has it that he'll be in
Paris.
Chat - by Archer Mayor
Publisher: Grand Central
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 10/25/2007
ISBN: 9780446582582
ISBN-10: 0446582581
Mystery. Vermont may seem like a peaceable locale, but it has its share of
crime. Just ask Joe Gunther, a longtime Vermont cop. In Joe's 18th outing, the
bad guys hit a bit too close for comfort when his brother and mother are in a
serious car accident that might not have been an accident after all. While
struggling with this personal crisis as well as some romantic troubles, Joe
also must deal with two strange murders, where both victims may have made the
same mistake of chatting to the wrong person on the Internet. Library Journal
says that Chat has "fast pacing, a believable plot, a plausible solution,
and characters so real they walk off the pages."
Person of Interest - by Theresa Schwegel
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 11/27/2007
ISBN: 9780312364267
ISBN-10: 0312364261
Noir Fiction. Chicago cop Craig McHugh is in deep trouble...as is everyone in
his family. He is working undercover at a gambling and drug operation in
Chinatown--but
he can't tell his wife what's going on, the stress is getting to him, and he's
using some of his own money to bankroll the investigation. Meanwhile, Ivy,
his 17-year-old daughter, is taking drugs and hanging out with a bad crowd. And
then there's his wife, Leslie, who thinks Craig is cheating on her. She's
also upset about Ivy's behavior and is attracted to Ivy's boyfriend--who also
seems interested in her. If you enjoy delving into the life of the characters,
this "pitch-perfect portrait of a family in crisis" (Publishers Weekly) has you
covered.
Cries & Whiskers: A Theda Krakow Mystery - by Clea Simon
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 12/15/2007
ISBN: 9781590584644
ISBN-10: 1590584643
Mystery. If you're looking for a mystery featuring a cat detective living in a
cozy village, this isn't the book for you. If you want a gritty tale starring
a Boston freelance journalist who dotes on her darling cat and ends up involved
in murder cases, you should check out Cries & Whiskers. In her 3rd outing,
Theda Krakow investigates the hit-and-run death of an animal rights activist
who'd been rescuing feral cats before a winter storm, checks out rumors of
a nasty new drug, nurses her homicide-detective boyfriend who's broken his leg,
writes stories about Beantown's music scene, and lavishes attention on
her kitty, Musetta. If you're a fan of Boston or live music, this series offers
an intriguing look at both.
Focus on: Troubled Love
Pride and Prescience, or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged: A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy
Mystery - by Carrie Bebris
Publisher: Tor
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 1/1/2005
ISBN: 9780765350718
ISBN-10: 0765350718
Historical Mystery. Ever wondered what happened to Elizabeth Bennett and
Fitzwilliam Darcy? This 1st in a series has an answer. On their wedding day, the
Darcys are somewhat upstaged by Elizabeth's former rival for Mr. Darcy's
affections, Caroline Bingley, who announces her surprising engagement to an
American.
The newlyweds are soon shocked by Caroline's strange behavior (wandering alone
in an unsavory part of town) and sudden injuries (are they self-inflicted?)
and end up investigating matters. Austenophiles who enjoy a bit of the
supernatural will delight in this visit with old friends, written by a member of
the Jane Austen Society. Pour a cup of Earl Grey and enjoy.
First Chapter
See Isabelle Run - by Elizabeth Bloom
Publisher: Warner
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 3/1/2006
ISBN: 9780446617185
ISBN-10: 0446617180
Mystery. Isabelle Leonard knows how to make the best of a bad situation--after
she's dumped at the alter by her fiancé, she dances on the table at the
reception
and makes headlines for her scandalous behavior. Impressed with her attitude, a
magazine publisher and media mogul (a cross between Oprah and Martha Stewart),
hires Isabelle. But the bumpy ride isn't over for Isabelle when she learns that
her predecessor and numerous fellow employees have been murdered in seemingly
random attacks...and that she could be next. Author Elizabeth Bloom also writes
the Alex Bernier mysteries under the name Beth Saulnier.
First Chapter
The Postman Always Rings Twice - by James M. Cain
Publisher: Vintage Books
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 8/1/1992
ISBN: 9780679723257
ISBN-10: 0679723250
Classic Noir Fiction. Thanks to the 1946 and 1981 films starring Lana Turner
and Jessica Lange respectively, lots of people have heard of this 1934 book--but
how many have actually read it? If you haven't but enjoy chilling tales of love
gone wrong, pick it up without thinking twice. Twenty-four-year-old drifter
Frank Chambers walks into a rural diner/gas station and changes the lives of
the diner owner and his sultry--and younger--wife, Cora. At a little more
than 100 pages, this groundbreaking novel is a quick--if dark--read for those
short on time.
First Chapter
Skinny Dip: A Novel - by Carl Hiaasen
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 7/1/2004
ISBN: 9780375411083
ISBN-10: 0375411089
Humorous Mystery. Lovers of quirky mysteries relish Carl Hiaasen's hilarious
novels featuring some of the strangest, yet oddly true-to-life, characters
in crime fiction. In Skinny Dip, Hiaasen relates the adventures of a motley
group: Joey Perrone, who's pushed overboard by her husband while on an
anniversary
cruise; Chaz Perrone, Joey's husband, who shoves her into the ocean because he
thinks she's discovered that he's covering up pollution in the Everglades;
and Mick Stranahan (fans will remember him from Skin Tight), the ex-cop who
fishes Joey out of the water and helps her figure out why her husband tried
to kill her. Library Journal calls this book "one of Hiassen's best."
First Chapter
Strong Poison - by Dorothy L. Sayers
Publisher: HarperPaperbacks
Check Library Catalog
Pub Date: 4/1/1995
ISBN: 9780061043505
ISBN-10: 0061043508
Classic Mystery. When Peter met Harriet, an already delightful mystery series
grew even better. In Strong Poison, the 5th in the Lord Peter series, mystery
novelist Harriet Vane (who becomes a recurring character) is on trial for the
poisoning death of her live-in lover. At her trial, Lord Peter Wimsey falls
for Harriet; he later visits her in prison, vows to clear her name...and asks
her to marry him. Dorothy L. Sayers' mysteries feature stylish prose, complex
characters, and the devilishly clever plots that golden age mystery writers are
so well-known for. It is fine to start with this book, first published
in 1930, or readers can pick up the 1st in the series, 1923's Whose Body?
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