Family Effects: Underpinning the Authors of Mysteries

I'm taking some time out for more reading -- this week I've read a Charlaine Harris mystery and one of her Sookie Stackhouse novels (great fun, and not at all what I imagined!), an advance copy of Dennis Lehane's next Boston mystery (omigosh, I can already visualize the film; I won't review this until closer to the release date, to spare you all the frustration of waiting too long), and am now enjoying a Janet Neel (my first). Also on my to-read list: Linda Fairstein's Lethal Legacy.

You know the paragraph in the acknowledgments or dedication where the author mentions a spouse or child or parent, without whom, etc.? I can hardly wait for this Saturday, because hot from Brazil (well, cold might be more accurate, considering it's winter there) is a guest blog post from Leighton Gage detailing the effects on his writing of his grandfather. While you wait, take a look at his most recent post on "Murder Is Everywhere" -- yes, there is snow in those photos!