When Thrillers Go "YA": THE HUNGER GAMES

Genre talk: "Mysteries and crime fiction" includes subgenres like thrillers and espionage, as well as the classic detection, investigation, police procedurals, and of course historical mysteries and village or traditional mysteries, a.k.a. "cozies." The Nancy Drew series is the classic example of what happens when these percolate to the "young adult" (YA) level (yes, I know these are "children's" fiction now, but they used to work for teens in earlier years).

This year's prime example of a thriller series aimed at young adults is, of course, THE HUNGER GAMES -- publication of the trilogy began in 2008. I'm a shameless fan (have read the series three times, am likely to do it again soon), and I couldn't resist heading to the box-office hit film of the first book, this weekend. Please note the "Team Katniss" sweatshirt, purchases well in advance. Being a committed reader has its quirky side at such moments, I confess! Dressing for the occasion ... oh well. It was a good film, skillfully crafted from the much longer novel.

South African Crime Fiction: James McClure, via Soho Crime

Excellent news: Soho Crime is just a few weeks away from releasing number seven of the eight James McClure "Kramer and Zondi" investigations, originally published from 1971 to 1991. Embedded in the years of apartheid, the series features the Afrikaans officer Lieutenant Tromp Kramer and his partner in detection, Bantu Detective Sergeant Mickey Zondi. While the restrictions of color line and racism fence the pair's actions on a daily basis, their clever and accepting working relationship and mutual respect (as close to friendship as such a pair can come, considering the one-way direction of their social structure) allows McClure's neatly plotted crime fiction to include warmth and affection.

THE BLOOD OF AN ENGLISHMAN contrasts the poverty and filth of bottom-tier criminals with the hard-working poverty of the Bantu detective and his family. At the same time, it pits Lieutenant Kramer's genial womanizing against the cruelties that many of the wealthy exert. Opening with the shooting of one former RAF pilot and the killing of another, with the same weapon, the novel also portrays the women in the detectives' lives as insightful and supportive. That's quite a contrast to, say, Mrs. Digby-Smith, whose car "boot" turns out to have her own brother's body in it. Or Mrs. Bradshaw, carefully ignoring the criminal bent of her husband and grown son.

McClure's best skill is adding small details that bring scenes into perspective, painting both the South African social structure and the stresses of human life that can lead to crime. I especially like this revealing bit from the end of an interview Lieutenant Kramer's been holding with "Jonty," English owner of a beauty salon, about the life of Mrs. Digby-Smith's brother, affectionately nicknamed "Bonzo":

"If your lads are staying on, I don't mind," agreed Jonty. "But I think in return you might let me in on a few of the details, pal. What was Bonzo robbed of, for instance?"

"His life," said Kramer.

The beer can crumpled in the Englishman's hand like a plastic cup. "You're pulling my leg," he said slowly.

"Not really. He was found shot through the head about an hour ago, trussed up like a fowl in the boot of his sister's car."

Jonty dropped the crumpled can into his waste-paper bin. Then he opened a desk drawer, took out a perfume atomiser, gave a puff into his mouth, making himself cough, and sprayed a lot more of the stuff over his chest and shoulders, smothering the smell of hops. "I must be getting back," he said, holding open the door. "You really are a right bastard, aren't you?"

"Tip of the iceberg," said Kramer, and winked at the red-head on his way out.

This is the second James McClure re-publication from Soho Crime this year -- the earlier one, in February, was The Sunday Hangman -- and this one releases April 17. So there's time to pre-order a copy and catch up on at least one of the earlier titles in the meantime; McClure's Wikipedia listing puts them nicely into perspective.  We're glad to have a growing collection of McClure here at Kingdom Books (click here to see the listings and order). What a pity that McClure died in 2006 -- so we'll never have more than the eight Kramer and Zondi investigations to enjoy.

Collector's Corner: Louise Penny Ephemera

A Louise Penny Novella That Was Only Published In Canada

 

 

When The Hangman was published we were able to purchase about 14 copies of this novella and all the copies had been  signed in Canada by crime fiction author Louise Penny. If you are a Louise Penny collector and a Louise Penny "completist" this is a must for your collection. We only have two copies left in the shop, and generally few copies have been available in the United States.

 

Louise Penny's earliest titles have been escalating in value, and first edition, first printing hardcover editions of Still Life, the first book in the Chief Inspector Arman Gamache (Three Pines) series, are difficult to find. The British editions are beyond scarce here and have been priced at  about $600.00.

 

Here is description of The Hangman:

Signed by the author Louise Penny on the half title page. Soft Cover, first edition, first printing of this issue in fine & unread condition. A paperback original. 87 pages. A Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novella with a setting in Three Pines, Quebec. Louise Penny wrote this novella for Good Reads Canada and it takes place between her books The Brutal Telling and Bury Your Dead. A jogger finds a dead man hanging from a tree and Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is brought in to determine whether there was a suicide or a murder. A must for all of the readers and collectors of Louise Penny's books. Signed in Canada by Louise Penny. Scarce signed.

For our listings of Louise Penny's books, click here.

Olen Steinhauer: The TOURIST Trilogy, Completed ... And Next?

Good things often do come in threes. There are the three classics of The Lord of the Rings. Three books in the Hunger Games series. And now there are three books in Olen Steinhauer's "Tourist" series: The Tourist (2009), The Nearest Exit (2010), and An American Spy (2012).

Three turns out to be just perfect to create a time gap of an entire week of a reader's life. Yes, I decided I needed to go back and re-read the first two books before opening my just-arrived copy of the third one. It was worth it -- the details do build. For maximum impact and enjoyment, I strongly recommend reading these in sequence. It's not just the details of espionage and the recurring characters that add up. What matters most is the sequence of changes in Milo Weaver, heavily burdened black-ops spy working for the American government -- or at least, for what the Central Intelligence Agency thinks that means.

At the opening of the first book (whose film rights now belong to George Clooney), Milo's been on desk duty for a while, as a safety move for his unexpected and wonderful family: a wife and stepdaughter with whom he bonded permanently during one of his "Tourist" assignments. The "Department of Tourism" is the cover name for the black ops group, and Milo's work has included many a morally challenging assignment, ranging from theft and bribery to deliberate deaths. Not to mention a lot of "frequent flyer" miles ... heavily affected by stimulant drugs to keep going. That's not exactly the ideal framework for the husband and stepfather that Milo's ready to be.

The trouble is, Milo Weaver, like George Smiley, is one of those people who feels "responsible." In spite of having done some terrible things, he's mostly done them when directly ordered to do so, and he's the sort of spy who'd somehow try to make things right for people he's hurt by accident. So when people he cares about are threatened, and he's the only one who can take action, he's got little choice in his moral calculus: He's got to go back undercover.

What his family expects of him, what his secret extended family need (and what they want to give him!), and what the valued mentors of his life desire from and for him drag Milo to Europe. Even as he struggles with tangled assignment goals, he mentors other "Tourists," even to the extent of creating a sort of Bible of survival and morality for other screwed-up paid killers to lean on: "To the Tourist, success and failure are handed out in equal measure. To the Tourist, success and failure are the same things -- job completed." It's a boot that will make "the life" easier to take. But not, unfortunately, for Milo.

By the opening of The Nearest Exit, Milo's actions from the first book, balanced through his complex set of moral equations, have capsized the more direct calculus of morality that his six-year-old stepdaughter deserves to have him act from. He's on the run, and trying to convince the Department of Tourism to give him back the privileges of direct action and collaboration. But from Germany to Russia to the United Nations, people who know Milo's past aren't just setting up expectations around him -- they are trying their hardest to use him within their own plans for control and information. More to the point, they treat him as a spy and demand that he behave accordingly.

Each time that Milo straightens out a pocket of his life, people return to drag him back into danger and cruel choices. In An American Spy, Steinhauer offers a bold change in narrative: the first 89 pages are spent on in China, from the viewpoints of spies and manipulative bureaucrats there. That's right, Milo's voice doesn't speak until page 93 -- and when it's finally his turn to speak, he's clearly not recovered in most ways from the losses, complications, and violence that have dogged his past. But he's trying. Heck, he's drinking tonic water and paying more attention to his marriage -- and the forms of honesty it's demanding from him -- than to the machinations of his former comrades and bosses.

But when you've carried as many secrets as Milo, and when your extended family (of birth and of choice) is still entangled with global political information gathering in the shady sense, that "nearest exit" has really only led off one airplane and onto another. But this time, Milo has no well-funded organization behind him; has few colleagues left; and has to function without any real assurance that his wife and stepdaughter are safe. If they've been taken hostage for his actions, where are they, who's holding them, and will Milo's assignments, even if completed, ever add up to enough to get his family back? He's agonizingly aware that no "Tourist" should have a family he cares about -- it turns his morality into an adversary for his necessities.

Steinhauer's series is already a classic, a suspenseful set of page-turners in which nearly every choice facing Milo requires sacrifice and complex thinking. I'd love to say something about why I felt so exultant at the end of the third book, but ... some things should be saved for rewards for readers.

What are you waiting for? If you don't get started on the first two books, you won't earn your way to the satisfactions of the third!

A quick bit of background: Steinhauer is NOT a retired spy or spook or "Tourist." But he knows how to do good research and how to extend his imagination. Most important of all, he knows what espionage can do to the soul. And how it might be redeemed ... if things don't go too far off plan. There are some earlier Steinhauer books, but they're not connected to this series, and in the best of ways, can be considered the warm-up, the training ground, for what this American-born author has now achieved. He has a website, but it's a hodgepodge of material without a good way to sort it just now -- hmm, reminds me a bit of Milo at his most lost. Right, there's no time now to mess with the website if you haven't yet read the books. Priorities! Even Milo couldn't be conflicted about this one.

Collector's Corner: Ephemera in Mystery Collecting -- Elmore Leonard

Dave is providing a series on items of "ephemera" -- meant to last a short time and vanish -- that may appeal to mystery collectors. Today's selection isn't the common single sheet of paper; instead, it's a "vintage" paperback.

Elmore Leonard's First Book Was ...

Clients of Kingdom Books are always on the prowl for their favorite author's first appearance in print. Recently a customer asked me to find her a copy of Elmore Leonard's first book, and she was curious about the title of the book, The Bounty Hunters, which was printed in paperback in 1954. The customer was surprised that Elmore Leonard early in his career wrote a number of Westerns. Now, 58 years after this was published, Elmore Leonard is still writing and producing some of the best crime fiction, and he will reach the age of 87 in October.

[PS from Beth: Collecting Elmore Leonard? Check out this oddball item that includes a recipe of his!]

Coming Soon: Olen Steinhauer Three-Books Survey, and Collecting Ephemera

Olen Steinhauer (photo by Nancy Crampton)

What we've been up to this week: Dave's preparing a blog series on collecting ephemera -- those "transitory" scraps of paper, photos, maps, etc. -- connected with mystery authors (say, Robert B. Parker, Laurie King, George Pelecanos, and some much earlier authors). He'll start showing photos and commenting, probably tomorrow (Sunday).

And me, I'm re-reading the entire "Tourist" series by Olen Steinhauer, to get the most out of his new release. The sequence is The Tourist, The Nearest Exit, and, released last week, An American Spy. Like David Downing's Berlin series, this is espionage blended skillfully with human desire and the struggle for survival -- although it's set "today." And like John LeCarré's George Smiley sequence, the books probe an increasing visceral distaste for the necessities of global politics.

I'll start the commentary on Monday.

Last but not least, it's almost spring here in Vermont: Most of the snow around us has melted, although the ground is still frozen for at least a foot of depth, maybe more; caretakers for the nearby Moore Reservoir (part of the story in my own novel The Darkness Under the Water) have dropped its water level by at least a foot, to prepare for the meltwater runoff from the most northern mountains; and I'm taking down the back-deck birdfeeder, so we don't accidentally lure winter-starved bears into close proximity as they emerge from their dens. Another sign of the season: Polly's Pancake Parlor, high on the ridge in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire, opened for 2012 today, and we drove the 28 miles over, to savor a classic breakfast. I photographed mine, which includes amazing smoky bacon, as well as a stack of gingerbread pancakes and a couple of eggs. You can spot maple sugaring operations along the forested slopes, by the roiling clouds of steam rising from them; here's to a long and sweet season, with spring's first farm product of the north.

Howard Frank Mosher's New Classic: THE GREAT NORTHERN EXPRESS

HFM's map of his "Great American Bookshop Tour," eastern half - including Kingdom Books, in small green letters.

In the spirit of Vermont author Howard Frank Mosher's newest book, both a road trip and a beacon of appreciation for "independent" bookstores, we traveled to Montpelier yesterday -- to visit Bear Pond Books, one of the most welcoming and well-filled bookshops we know. Owned by Claire Benedict (and her husband Rob), it's resolutely independent and avidly reader-oriented.

And it was a wonderful place to settle into our seats and enjoy the annual slide show that Howard offers to accompany his book touring. I was glad to see that he's still including among the slides the noted one that shows him firing a shotgun at a "negative review" pinned to his garage wall. At least, he's still showing it in Vermont -- he says his wife Phillis advised him not to show it in places that don't understand that there can be such a thing as firearms-related humor. (Come on, if he'd really shot the sheet of paper in the way the slide illustrates, he'd have a huge hole in his garage wall. Vermonters understand that. They know it's all in fun. Apparently one viewer in San Francisco, at City Lights Books, didn't catch on.)

The book introduced this way, THE GREAT NORTHERN EXPRESS, is a warm and entertaining travel memoir. Mosher took off cross-country by car on the day after his 65th birthday -- also the day after his final treatment for prostate cancer -- and focused on visits to many of the surviving independent bookstores. Are they dwindling? Sure! In a culture where lack of time is celebrated, it's only natural that a lot of readers turn to online sources for their books, and rarely visit the comfortable shops that used to be their regular spots for examining trends, reading first pages, discovering new treats and rediscovering old ones, and so on.

But we're still here, those of us too stubborn or too much in love with the book trade to close the doors. Yay! Kingdom Books is having a great time marketing (mostly) mysteries, and we continue to dedicate a shelf to Howard Frank Mosher's classic Vermont novels and occasional memoirs (this is his second). And to make it easy for you to find them, even without driving to Vermont, here's a link to the Mosher books we have today; we'll add a few more from time to time (I know Dave's adding another one later today). It's a great way to honor Mosher for his generous, gifted, and gently haunted storytelling.

I bet you can tell we're fans.

Jess Lourey, NOVEMBER HUNT: Quirky and Humorous Crime Fiction

Reading Jess Lourey's Battle Lakes, Minnesota, mysteries -- "by the month," starting in May, so this is her seventh -- is a lot like going to a movie theater after mostly watching videos at home. There's all that wide-screen drama ahead, with full sound and bright color and two hours of not being interrupted by the phone or work. But even before you get into the screening room, there's the candy counter: stocked with those old familiar chewy, brightly colored, funky old candies that say childhood and vacation, and you buy a packet even though you know they're way more fake than the high-cocoa dark chocolate that everyone now says is actually good for you ... and you bite down, on one of the orange or red ones, and it's just plain fun.

And that's a Jess Lourey book in a mouthful: fun. NOVEMBER HUNT opens with a snowy, bitter-cold scene set during "muzzleloader" hunting season, as two old friends anticipate the chance to shoot a deer. But when the scene turns deadly, there are no antlers involved. In some ways, the "killer" and "victim" are nearly spelled out right here, in the first few pages.

But is the shooting intentional? If so, why? What's at stake? Soon the victim's daughter Hallie asks for help -- via the notorious Mrs. Berns -- from substitute librarian and private-eye-in-training Mira, hinting that the death is definitely murder, not accident. Mira's reluctant at first. After all, she hasn't exactly finished reading Private Investigating for Morons. She doesn't have a PI license or even a gun. She does, at last, have a boyfriend, although the side effects of a hair growth supplement she's taking may put that into doubt. Most important, she's got curiosity, kindness, and a Minnesota giant helping of spunk.

Besides, Mrs. Berns -- one of Mira's deliciously outrageous older women friends -- won't let her off the hook:

"Now, now. You're a real dick deep down, even if you don't yet have your license." Mrs. Berns' eyes glistened. "Take your future by the reins." 

Plus, a collection letter for Mira's student loans arrives like a sign demanding that she tackle the work. Last but not least, someone leaves a threatening message on her phone. The only way out of the situation is to get through it, find the motives, the murders ... and survive.

If you enjoy Janet Evanovich, or a good Donald Westlake caper, you're in for a treat at Lourey's hand, giggling in recognition and groaning with Mira at life's bizarre twists. You might even want to go get a package of Chuckles or Jujubes to chew on as you read. After all, Mira's munching those Minnesota junnk-food masterpieces called Nut Goodies.

Needing to self-medicate, I stopped at the Apothecary to purchase a fistful of Nut Goodies and a Chia pet herb pig. Sugar and gardening, I though. I'll get through this with sugar and gardening.  I went home and got ugly.

Monday found me three pounds heavier and no wiser.

In the long run, Mira and her friends figure things out, almost in time to prevent more mayhem. But it's going to take a pair of high heels, a few misleading actions, and a lot of risk to get there. No matter how many goofy slips happen along the way, Lourey still delivers motive, means, opportunity, and a plot that -- despite the snowy sidetracks -- leads to an "aha!" solution.

The Battle Lakes, Minnesota, mysteries so far:

May Day
June Bug
Knee High by the Fourth of July
August Moon
September Fair
October Fest

Coming next: December Dread, later this year.

Sisters in Crime, Vermont -- March 11, 2012

Jim DeFilippi read from his "work in progress," a new "Speedo" crime novel, this afternoon in Montpelier, VT, at the first (annual) gathering of Vermont mystery writers via Sisters in Crime, New England. Great reading, Jim! Seven other authors also read new work -- fabulous gathering! 28 people on hand. Major thanks to Nancy Means Wright for taking the initiative to pull this together.

In fact, as you can see here, Nancy (left) and I had a great time -- Nancy read from her new Mary Wollstonecraft novel, and I aired the second chapter of the adventures of Montpelier, Vermont's, own Nancy Drew: Felicity "Lucky" Franklin. 

New Releases: From Berlin to Japan to Paris to South Africa, and More

Time to catch up and look a few weeks ahead, for new books of crime fiction and detection.

I'm delighted that Soho Crime has brought out David Downing's Potsdam Station in softcover, just in time for readers to catch up with this crossover series that merges espionage and suspense in Berlin during and immediately after World War II. Postdam Station covers the risks and dangers for British journalist John Russell as he negotiates for safety for his family members -- and maybe himself -- during the final brutal days of the war. Gripping in the portrayal of the human costs of loyalty, betrayal, and starvation, it includes segments from the point of view of Russell's fiercely surviving German actress girlfriend Effie. And it's the perfect intro for Downing's next book, Lehrter Station, due out in June.

Now is also the time to catch up with the Jade De Jong investigations written by South African Jassy Mackenzie. Random Violence, My Brother's Keeper (audiobook; print book coming later), and Stolen Lives (audiobook; print book coming later) propel Henning Mankell's African landscape toward modern urban crime fiction, gritty, dark, and rewarding to read. Mackenzie's new title, The Fallen (titled Worst Case in Europe), comes out in the United States in April.

Another April release will be Viral by James Lilliefors, an award-winning journalist who lives in Florida. The action in Viral develops simultaneously in Uganda and in Washington, DC, building a political thriller with a medical subplot that's all too believable. Consider me already a fan of this series-in-the-making.

Last for today, I'm excited that the next novel from Alan Furst, Mission to Paris, is coming in mid June. It's been too long since I've mentally roamed the cities and mountains of Eastern Europe with this master of between-the-wars espionage and manipulation. I can hardly wait.

Reminder: Today is the release date for The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura, and for the new Cara Black adventure featuring Aimée Leduc, Murder at the Lanterne Rouge. Aren't we lucky?

Leighton Gage, Chief Inspector Silva Series: Wall Street Journal Review

It's great to see a crime fiction series getting significant national publicity, without bribing anyone! Leighton Gage is sharing his happiness this weekend with Friday's series-length review from the Wall Street Journal, where ace reviewer Tom Nolan started writing about the newest Chief Inspector Mario Silva book, A Vine in the Blood -- and then praised the entire set of contemporary Brazilian police novels, right back to book number one, Blood of the Wicked. Congratulations, Leighton! And here's to more of your books.

Dave asked me to remind collectors: We still have some signed first edition copies of Blood of the Wicked available.

Jodi Picoult, LONE WOLF: Book Tour Started This Morning

Jodi Picoult arrives to launch LONE WOLF

What happens to the family of a person who loves his work so much that he can't be there for his wife and children? Could someone bond so strongly with a pack of wolves -- for which everything comes down to family -- that he loses his own?

And when that person, Luke Warren, is incapacitated with a traumatic brain injury, with no likely recovery, how can the people responsible for his life support regain enough of their own souls' ease, to make the right decision?

That's where Jodi Picoult's new novel LONE WOLF begins. As she pries open the Warren family, she also brings the reader through Luke's eyes into the lives of wolves, which she herself researched while preparing to write this.

At this morning's launch for the book, sponsored by the Norwich (VT) Bookstore and held a few miles from Picoult's New Hampshire home, Picoult told of wolf pack structure and personalities; habits of wolves, including how they feed, communicate, and nurture; and drawing three women from the audience, taught them to give three different kinds of wolf calls, creating the sound of a hunting pack.

It was, as always, a fabulous launch to the annual Picoult tour. This year, there will actually be TWO books coming out for this author -- the second is co-written with her daughter Samantha Van Leer and is a "young adult" novel called Between the Lines  (releasing in June). Picoult noted that she often writes as if she were watching a movie and describing it -- and because she and her daughter found themselves writing in the same way, the book grew as if the two shared a single dream.

And for a look even further in the future, Picoult commented briefly on her 2013 title, The Storyteller, which wrestles with the unexpected encounter of a dying Nazi SS guard and the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor.

Picoult's tour continues this evening and tomorrow in Massachusetts, goes down the East Coast, then flies to the West, then point in between. Her schedule is at her website. Don't miss the chance to meet and listen to this author, whose novels so often probe the vulnerable cross sections of medicine, law, and love.

PS - We brought back to Kingdom Books two lovely signed copies of LONE WOLF today.

Jeffery Deaver, EDGE: And Thoughts on Thrillers

Jeffery Deaver's 2010 stand-alone thriller EDGE recently became available in paperback -- a handy enough reason to take another look at this psychologically intense novel of "catch the hired killer before he gets to his target." Actually the plot is more subtle than that, because the ruthless killer, Henry Loving (ouch!), is only slicing throats and spraying with bullets as side effects to his actual goal: "lifting" information from someone, on behalf of a client who can afford to pay millions in expenses.

For protection officer Corte, working within a highly specialized team, Loving is the Moby-Dick of his career, and while protecting the threatened hero-detective Ryan Kessler and family is Corte's primary mission as a "shepherd," he's also aware of another side of himself, more akin to the fierce nature of a guard dog: He wants to get hold of Loving, end the hired hit man's career, possibly even his life.

Corte's mixed motives add to the tension that Deaver ramps up so well. If a move goes wrong, is it because Corte didn't focus properly? If casualties mount, is it a message from Henry Loving to Corte, taunting him? And how critically maimed is Corte emotionally, from his own life's experiences -- is his deformed emotional landscape lowering the chance that he'll be able to protect the Kessler family?

Reviews have called EDGE a fast-paced thriller, and Deaver is known for his psychological twists and intensity. I particularly savored EDGE because each page is tight, each action believable (within the given world of corporate and political espionage), each action impeccably choreographed. It's a pleasure to enter a book written by a master who never lets down his drive for emotional resonance and pitched movement.

It's also a good moment to reflect on what the "thriller" is, and is supposed to be. I like this recent version from modern noir author Dave Zeltserman:

It’s not necessarily the page-turning aspect that makes a novel a thriller—every piece of fiction no matter the genre needs to get the reader involved and interested enough to want to keep turning pages. What defines a thriller is that it needs to be thrilling—from the first page to the end it needs to keep generating thrills. There are other elements that are common among thrillers, such as the hero being in constant danger and a very loud ticking clock that’s ever present, but the most important aspect is having thrills and plenty of them. 

(For more, check out Zelterserman's full review of Godchild by Vincent Zandri.)

Not only has Zeltserman defined the thriller -- he's also set the bar high for good fiction. That is, the term "page turner" should be a compliment. And in that sense, Deaver's got the bar well jumped.

P.S.: Mark your calendar for the June release of Deaver's next novel, XO, featuring Kathryn Dance.

New Englanders Who Commit (Fictional) Murder ...

I got quite a kick out of this line from a recent AAA New England article that features Gerry Boyle, Archer Mayor, and other New England mystery/crime fiction authors:

Boyle commits fictional murder easily and relies upon Jack McMorrow and Brandon Blake for happy endings.

OMG. The more Jack McMorrow and Brandon Blake I read, the more I realize the happy endings are always going to be mixed ones, with losses to reckon. But still, it's a great line, and I had fun reading the article. Thanks, Gerry, for passing it along!

Maine crime fiction writer Gerry Boyle

For more about the cover image (which really is Boyle in Maine!), check out Gerry's website blog, http://www.gerryboyle.com. Fun reading, and good to know the next Jack McMorrow, Once Burned, is near the finish line.

Fuminori Nakamura, THE THIEF: Dark, Powerful, Japanese

Reading the local newspaper made me sad this week: people hurting other people in so many ways. There are heroic stories, too -- our community comes together in powerful ways when families and small children are injured, whether by fire, car accident, or birth -- and I usually notice those and let the other stuff slide by. But sometimes the reality is: Those dark, "noir" works of crime fiction are telling some of the truths of our time. And they're not pretty.

Fuminori Nakamura is one of Japan's most honored young writers. He turns 35 this year and has racked up a number of awards, including the Oe Prize, Japan's largest literary award. Named for, and selected by, Kenzaburo Oe -- whose books often embrace the life of the handicapped with deep emotion -- the prize went to Nakamura for THE THIEF. And now, thanks to a translation by Satoko Izumo and Stephen Coates, the book is arriving in the US, scheduled for release by Soho Crime on March 20.

I didn't always like it, but I couldn't put the book down. Brutal at times, always gritty, it's narrated by "The Thief" himself -- a professional pickpocket, not only an artist of his trade but schooled in an alternate reality by his original mentor, Ishikawa, who told him, "If you steal a hundred thousand from someone who's worth a billion, it's almost like you've taken nothing." The apprentice thief had countered with, "But it's still wrong," and his mentor agreed but responded, "As long as there is one starving child in the world, all property is theft."

It's not an excuse, but it's a way to stand up against others who feel they're "saints" compared to the pickpockets. And they, in turn, are among the gentlest in the world of crime, especially organized crime. The Thief, it turns out, has failed to protect himself against such violent and abusive enemies. And since he is human enough to care about some of the people he meets, especially a boy who clings to him, the most criminal planners have a lever to use against him, forcing him to use his skills in deadly ways.

Crime, crime fiction -- the inner and outer life of a pickpocket must fit within such a description. Yet this is also written as "post-modern" Japanese literature, with the choppy language, moody imagery, and painful consequences that readers may have already experienced in, say, The Devotion of Suspect X. So fix a cup of (green) tea, dim the lights, let the room grow quiet, and walk into the book with The Thief and his allies and enemies. It's unforgettable. And it's a part of today's Japan that's worth getting to know.

The guy in the suit went on sleeping, and the bartender hadn't moved a muscle. If I could, I planned to watch them until I fell asleep myself. (Nakamura, THE THIEF)

PS: Looking for more mystery reviews, from cozy to very dark? Browse the Kingdom Books mysteries review blog here.

Collector's Corner: Richard Stark (Donald Westlake), THE OUTFIT: Visuals

Yes, there's plenty of snow here for skiiers, if you head to the tallest peaks. Here on the ridge, the season's been gentler than usual, and tracks this morning revealed a newly active skunk determinedly searching the yard -- especially near where the trash is kept. Thank goodness it's a secure storage place!

To go with the weather, I've been reading "spring releases" both foreign and domestic, both dark and cozy (I'll start writing about them tomorrow), while Dave's been rediscovering some great Richard Stark (Donald Westlake) items. Here they are:

RICHARD STARK AT THE MOVIES, 1973: EPHEMERA

This is the MGM Pressbook for the movie The Outfit. The pressbook is 8 1/2 inches wide by 13 1/2 inches tall. From Richard Stark's (Donald E. Westlake) novel The Outfit. 16 pages. 1973.

Directed by John Flynn and the screenplay was by John Flynn. The stars of the film were Robert Duvall, Karen Black, Joe Don Baker, Robert Ryan, & Joanna Cassidy. Interesting twist: For the movie they changed the name of the main character in the Richard Stark novels from Parker to Macklin.

BOOK JACKETS: The Outfit

 

We have two copies of this Richard Stark (Donald E. Westlake) novel in stock. On the left is a British hardcover published in 1988 by Allison & Busby. This was the first time The Outfit was printed in hardcover. Note the image of Lee Marvin on the cover. The other is the paperback (right), which was published by Avon in 1984.

Picturebook Special: Jan Brett

Many, many years ago (or so it seems), Kingdom Books built a very special collection of signed children's picturebooks. This had nothing to do with mysteries or even poetry -- we just were charmed by these gems from New England authors. Now it's time to let them go. Every few days, I'll add another cluster here. Today's special is a threesome of signed picturebooks from Massachusetts author/illustrator Jan Brett, described as follows, all in near-fine condition:

Jan Brett, The Wild Christmas Reindeer 1st ed, special signed Brett-designed bookplate laid in.

Jan Brett, Hedgie Blasts Off, 1st ed, signed w/ small drawing.

Jan Brett, Berlioz the Bear, 1st ed, special signed Brett-designed bookplate laid in.

If you're a Brett collector or just want something very special for the grandkids, now's your chance: the three books together, for $25, with free shipping via Media Mail in the US; first e-mail to reach us at KingdomBks@gmail.com asking for these captures the threesome.

Diversion: A New Low-Residency MFA Program for Writers

Poet Brian Turner, author of Here, Bullet and Phantom Noise, dropped us a note last week -- he's now heading a new low-residency MFA program on the shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada. Here's his invitation, just in time for planning a commitment to creativity:

Sierra Nevada College is pleased to announce its new low-residency MFA program in Creative Writing. Classes begin in January 2012.

Low-Residency MFA:
The Inspiration You Want. The Flexibility You Need.
Pursue your artistic and professional development on your own terms. Over the course of the 2 year program at Sierra Nevada College, you will attend 4 eight-day residencies in Lake Tahoe and one abroad, followed by 4 semesters of instructor-supported learning at home. This low-residency design provides opportunities for both engagement and retreat. Become part of a nurturing community of writers without disrupting your current lifestyle.

Residencies develop your individual voice through intense, creative dialogue with internationally known writers. You will focus on your chosen genre while pushing the boundaries of your art through exploration of other forms. Full of inspiration, you will transition from these high-engagement residencies to working one-on-one with your mentor during the semester. The semester is a period for contemplation, productivity and individual application of new knowledge. At the end of the program, you will emerge with publication-quality manuscript created through solitary discipline but shaped by interaction with some of the best writers in the world.

Sierra Nevada College is located in Incline Village, Nevada, on the beautiful shores of north Lake Tahoe. From moonlit snow shoe walks to kayaking the deep, clear blue waters of the lake to simply sitting under a canopy of pines to enjoy a good book, Lake Tahoe offers many opportunities for artistic inspiration. In this beautiful setting, we will gather together to create a community of writers and nurture a lifetime engagement with the art of writing.

Meeting Artists, Making Art
Each residency is an eight-day intensive series of workshops, seminars, readings, and more that will expand a writer’s sense of possibility within the written and spoken arts. From down to earth tricks-of-the-trade to the elevated heights of conceptual nuances, residencies will explore the wide landscape of the writing life. For eight days each January and July, you will find yourself building valuable lifelong connections with star writers within the literary world. Spend time in one of the most inspiring locations on earth, with artists who can help you channel that inspiration into your own work.

Faculty mentors will meet with you during each residency to identify your goals for the upcoming semester. You will receive personalized attention that is focused on your individual creative and critical work. Our faculty members are gifted, worldclass writers and artists in their field. They are also incredible teachers of their art. Faculty work one-on-one with you extensively during the semester, providing written critiques and feedback of your work.

Creating A Community, Building A Career
While spending time on the shores of Lake Tahoe, you will develop close, professional relationships with some of the best writers in the world.  These writers will inspire you to greater heights in your own work and will form the professional network that will allow you to take the next step in your career. You will leave our program prepared for a lifelong engagement with literature.  Become the newest voice in a larger literary conversation.

World Class Writers and Professors

Brian Turner  
Patricia Smith 
Kelle Groom 
Nathalie Handal

Contact
If you are interested in adding your voice to the discussion, and if you are intrigued by the possibility of working with teachers and peers who are passionate about the art they love, then please contact us—we look forward to meeting you.

MFAinfo@sierranevada.edu
866-412-4636
www.sierranevada.edu/mfa

Donald Westlake: New Material from an Old Taped Interview

Donald and Abby Westlake at Kingdom Books

If you're a Westlake fan, as we are at Kingdom Books, check out this piece by Vince Cosgrove, exhuming part of an interview he did with Donald Westlake in 1973.

By the way, there's a nice list of Westlake's pen names at his Wikipedia site now -- reaching a total of 17. When he was here at Kingdom Books, though, we came up with 22 (and the Grand Master admitted there might be another one or two).

Our faves are books authored by "Richard Stark" and the short but emotionally compelling series by "Tucker Coe."

Cara Black, MURDER AT THE LANTERNE ROUGE -- 12th Aimée Leduc Investigation

The twelfth Aimée Leduc investigation from Cara Black, MURDER AT THE LANTERNE ROUGE, is scheduled for March 6 release -- so it's a good time to pre-order a copy if you're a series fan. This one's a must: Black takes us back to the Marais, and to the Chinatowns of Paris, as Aimée searches for the missing girlfriend of her partner René. It's clear very quickly that the pretty young Meizi must be one of Paris's many illegal immigrants. But that's not enough justification for the violence surrounding Aimée's investigation.

Aimée bit her lip, adrift on a sea of conflicting emotions. She was not eager to voice more suspicions of Meizi, fracture her crumbling image, or hurt René. Every part of her wanted to protect him.

And as the young private eye races through ancient streets and buildings, in leopard-skin coat and high-heeled boots, her past and future are both racing toward her. Everyone's got eyes on her this time: partner, boyfriend, the flics, the secret service, and ... but of course, at least two groups of criminals. It's hard to tell where her godfather Morbier fits into all this, too.

Narrated in Black's staccato, caffeine-propelled style, MURDER AT THE LANTERNE ROUGE is one of the most complex investigations yet for Leduc. You can read it without knowing any of the other volumes, but it's richer, and even more suspenseful, if you've been reading along with the series.