Offering analysis of the fiction of 15 authors for whom the setting greatly contributes to their overall literary style, this book focuses on the many ways that "place" figures in modern crime and mystery novels. The authors (and their settings) are: Georges Simenon (Paris), Donna Leon (Venice), Tony Hillerman (American Southwest), Walter Mosley (South Central Los Angeles), George P. Pelecanos (Washington, D.C.), Sara Paretsky (Chicago), James Lee Burke (Southern Louisiana), Carl Hiaasen (South Florida), Ian Rankin (Edinburgh), Alexander McCall Smith (Botswana), James McClure (South Africa), Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahloo (Stockholm), Paco Ignacio Taibo II (Mexico City), Leonardo Sciascia (Sicily) and Lindsey Davis (Ancient Rome).

It was an explosion that reverberated across the country—and into the very heart of early-twentieth- century America. On the morning of October 1, 1910, the walls of the Los Angeles Times Building buckled as a thunderous detonation sent men, machinery, and mortar rocketing into the night air. When at last the wreckage had been sifted and the hospital triage units consulted, twenty-one people were declared dead and dozens more injured. But as it turned out, this was just a prelude to the devastation that was to come.In American Lightning, acclaimed author Howard Blum masterfully evokes the incredible circumstances that led to the original “crime of the century”—and an aftermath more dramatic than even the crime itself. With smoke still wafting up from the charred ruins, the city’s mayor... Less

A comprehensive history, full of delightful anecdotes, of the types, uses, and abuses of poison. Illustrated with photographs. Sample contents: Poisons used by ancient and primitive races; Superstitions connected with poisonous plants; Some classical poisons and their histories; The Italian school of poisoners; The mystery of Amy Robsart's death; Poisons in fiction; and poison mysteries, which are details of 23 criminal poisonings.

Gene Grossman created the popular 15-book series of Peter Sharp Legal Mysteries, featuring an adorable little 12-year-old Chinese girl named Suzi, attorney Peter Sharp's legal ward. If you've enjoyed reading mysteries and want to try your hand at creating a series on your own, you will find this book a valuable aid, because it reveals Gene's thought processes as he created the series, and provides you with valuable information that will help you with your own writing efforts. Also included are some 'insider' tips on printing, marketing, distribution, and much, much more. The book also contains the first chapters from all fourteen of the Peter Sharp Legal Mysteries, so you can have some idea of how to 'grab' a reader's attention while they're browsing in a bookstore. Full... Less

It was an explosion that reverberated across the country—and into the very heart of early-twentieth- century America. On the morning of October 1, 1910, the walls of the Los Angeles Times Building buckled as a thunderous detonation sent men, machinery, and mortar rocketing into the night air. When at last the wreckage had been sifted and the hospital triage units consulted, twenty-one people were declared dead and dozens more injured. But as it turned out, this was just a prelude to the devastation that was to come.In American Lightning, acclaimed author Howard Blum masterfully evokes the incredible circumstances that led to the original “crime of the century”—and an aftermath more dramatic than even the crime itself. With smoke still wafting up from the charred ruins, the city’s mayor... Less

Who populates the pages of crime and mystery writing? Who are the characters we willingly follow into the mystery genre's uneasy imaginative territory? And who created those characters in the first place? What life experience and expertise informs their work? What are the sources of their themes, regional accents, and even the axes that some grind? Why do some wish to give us a good laugh, while others seem hell-bent on making us shudder? Whodunit? answers these questions and more. Here mystery expert Rosemary Herbert brings together enlightening and entertaining information on hundreds of classic and contemporary characters and authors. Some--such as P.D. James, Ian Rankin, Sherlock Holmes, and Kinsey Millhone--appear in individual entries. Still more keep company in articles about... Less

 Owners of mystery bookshops will tell you that there are several sorts of buyers: those who purchase on impulse or whim; genre addicts who buy paperbacks by the week and by the armful; and those who have caught up on canonical texts and regularly buy new novels by select authors in hardcover. Richard B. Schwartz belongs in the last group, with his own list of approximately seventy favorite writers.Nice and Noir: Contemporary American Crime Fiction explores the work of these writers, building upon a reading of almost seven hundred novels from the 1980s and 1990s. By looking at recurring themes in these mysteries, Schwartz offers readers new ways to approach the works in relation to contemporary cultural concerns.             With sensitivity to a culture consisting of frontiers and... Less

Summer's wrapping up -- and it's time for the annual creative retreat hosted by the bookstore where Molly Pink works. This year, her boss has dropped out at the last minute, dumping all the responsibility on Molly. But even with the stress of organizing, it should be an exhilarating weekend out on the Monterey Peninsula, complete with crochet classes and campfires. Unfortunately for one teacher, though, the breathtaking scenery is where she'll take her last breath . . .

Any episode of a crime or mystery series involves some or all of the following: the perpetration of a crime; its investigation; the analytical process which involves the determination of the villain; the arrest and trial of the culprit; and the handing out of the appropriate punishment. Such series involving the exploits of a wide variety of courageous heroes and heroines were very popular during the 1950s, and they featured a host of actors and actresses, including famous television detectives (i.e. Raymond Burr), those famous in other genres (i.e. Boris Karloff, Charles Bronson), and over 250 other players with recurring roles. This reference work lists every player who had a regular role in a crime or mystery series during the early era of television. All covered series offered... Less

In Blood on the Stage, 1925-1950: Milestone Plays of Crime, Mystery, and Detection: An Annotated Repertoire, author Amnon Kabatchnik continues the focus of his previous volume (1900-1925) and provides an overview of the most important and memorable theatrical works of crime and detection of this period. Addressing the development of this genre in the legitimate theatre, Kabatchnik discusses more than 150 full-length plays produced between 1925 and 1950. Arranged in chronological order, the productions cited are all works of enduring importance, pioneering contributions, singular innovations, and outstanding success. Many of the most notable playwrights of the era are represented, including Edgar Wallace, Eugene O'Neill, Ayn Rand, Jean-Paul Sartre, J.B. Priestley, and Agatha Christie. Each... Less

Max Darling hasn't been interested in crime since his brush with a seductive young woman put him in danger of losing his freedom....

Books. This evocative mystery, translated from the French, is set in the early years of the 20th century. Seraphin Monge, an orphan whose family was murdered, returns to his birthplace in Provence. There, he decides to tear down his family's home, and, as he doe

In Blood on the Stage, 1925-1950: Milestone Plays of Crime, Mystery, and Detection: An Annotated Repertoire, author Amnon Kabatchnik continues the focus of his previous volume (1900-1925) and provides an overview of the most important and memorable theatrical works of crime and detection of this period. Addressing the development of this genre in the legitimate theatre, Kabatchnik discusses more than 150 full-length plays produced between 1925 and 1950. Arranged in chronological order, the productions cited are all works of enduring importance, pioneering contributions, singular innovations, and outstanding success. Many of the most notable playwrights of the era are represented, including Edgar Wallace, Eugene O'Neill, Ayn Rand, Jean-Paul Sartre, J.B. Priestley, and Agatha Christie. Each... Less

My Publishers ask me to write a Preface for this new l'~ditionof the Quaker City. , Vhat shall I say? Shall I at this time enterinto a full explanation of the motives which imlnc€d me to writethis 'Work? Shall I tell how it has been pra.ised-how abuscdhowit has on the one hand been cited as a Vork of great mcrit,and on the other, how it has been denounced as the most immoralw9rk of the age? 1 -The reader will spare me the task. The Quaker City has passedthrough many Editions in America, as well as in I.ondon. Ithas also been translated and numerons editions of it have beenpublished in Ger.many, and a beautiful edition in four volumes,is now before me, bearing the imprint of Otto 'Wigand, Leipsic;as Publisher, and the name of Frederick Gerstaker, as the Author.Taking all these facts iuto... Less

Imagine the surprise of scam psychic, Samantha Brennan, when she encounters the real thing: an honest-to-heavens Celtic goddess, hidden beneath the steely exterior of FBI Special Agent Annabelle Haggerty. Yet Annabelle's magical powers might not be enough when America's sweet and sexy movie star, Molly Claire, is made the centerpiece of a gangland siege that brings the City of Angels to its knees. And if Annabelle and her family of deities are no match for the Demon of Darkness that she believes is masterminding LA's own Armageddon, what chance does a poor little fake like Samantha have? HIGH CRIMES ON THE MAGICAL PLANE takes the urban fantasy-mystery trend into brand new territory - beyond vampires and werewolves - to creatures that are both wacky and wonderful.

In the late 1960s, the Zodiac Killer terrorized the area near San Francisco, California, killing at least five people. The killer mailed letters to newspapers written in code, daring police to discover his identity. He taunted the police and spread fear around San Francisco and beyond. Would the police and the public, working together, find this terrifying monster?

The second witty installment in an astonishingly authentic historical mystery series featuring detective Oscar Wilde and his partner in crime, Arthur Conan Doyle It's 1892, and Wilde is the toast of London, riding high on the success of his play Lady Windemere's Fan. While celebrating with friends at a dinner party he conjures up a game called "murder" that poses the question: Who would you most like to kill? Wilde and friends -- including Arthur Conan Doyle, Bram Stoker, and poet Robert Sherard (the novel's narrator) -- write the names of their "victims" on pieces of paper and choose them one by one. After leaving the party, Wilde scoffs at the suggestion that he may have instigated a very dangerous game indeed.... The very next day, the game takes an all-too- sinister turn when... Less

The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub .com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: T.B. Peterson; Publication date: 1876; Subjects: City and town life; Crime; Philadelphia (Pa.);

In the dead of a Michigan winter, pieces of a snowmobile wash up near the crumbling, small town of Starvation Lake -- the same snowmobile that went down with Starvation's legendary hockey coach years earlier. But everybody knows Coach Blackburn's accident happened five miles away on a different lake. As rumors buzz about mysterious underground tunnels, the evidence from the snowmobile says one thing: murder. Gus Carpenter, editor of the local newspaper, has recently returned to Starvation after a failed attempt to make it big at the Detroit Times. In his youth, Gus was the goalie who let a state championship get away, crushing Coach's dreams and earning the town's enmity. Now he's investigating the murder of his former coach. But even more unsettling to Gus are the holes in the town's... Less

Agatha finalist Jane K. Cleland brings us an irresistible new blend of coziness, crime, and collectibles... T he autumn foliage is in full fiery glory on a beautiful day in the little coastal town of Rocky Point, New Hampshire. Josie Prescott arrives at the town’s renovated lighthouse to conduct an antiques appraisal and is horrified to discover the bludgeoned body of her neighbor Zoë’s beloved nephew, Frankie. The owners of the lighthouse are avid antiques collectors, and Josie soon begins to suspect that a scrimshaw tooth from their collection may be the key to solving the crime that has shaken Rocky Point, and broken her dear friend’s heart.

A sleepwalking, homicidal nursemaid; a "morally vacant" juvenile poisoner; a man driven to arson by a "lesion of the will"; an articulate and poised man on trial for assault who, while conducting his own defense, undergoes a profound personality change and becomes a wild and delusional "alter." These people are not characters from a mystery novelist's vivid imagination, but rather defendants who were tried at the Old Bailey, London's central criminal court, in the mid-nineteenth century. In Unconscious Crime, Joel Peter Eigen explores these and other cases in which defendants did not conform to any of the Victorian legal system's existing definitions of insanity yet displayed convincing evidence of mental aberration. Instead, they were—or claimed to be—"missing," "absent," or... Less

Bestselling master of suspense Jeffery Deaver is back with a brand-new Lincoln Rhyme thriller. Lincoln Rhyme and partner/paramour Amelia Sachs return to face a criminal whose ingenious staging of crimes is enabled by a terrifying access to information.... When Lincoln's estranged cousin Arthur Rhyme is arrested on murder charges, the case is perfect -- too perfect. Forensic evidence from Arthur's home is found all over the scene of the crime, and it looks like the fate of Lincoln's relative is sealed. At the behest of Arthur's wife, Judy, Lincoln grudgingly agrees to investigate the case. Soon Lincoln and Amelia uncover a string of similar murders and rapes with perpetrators claiming innocence and ignorance -- despite ironclad evidence at the scenes of the crime. Rhyme's team... Less

Voodoo Storm is a thriller set in New Orleans during the time of Hurricane Katrina. In Voodoo Storm, a cult of Devil worshipers hides among the Crescent City’s harmless voodoo practitioners and commit crimes in the name of the Devil. Unfortunate individuals succumb to devastating diseases unknown to modern medicine and little girls go missing. Dr. Mary Lou Campbell, a pretty but pugnacious psychologist with the New Orleans Police Department, and her new young partner Frankie Panacea, follow a torturous path fraught with danger in their effort to solve the crimes and apprehend the heartless perpetrators, who feel enabled by their dark beliefs. Though the end appears in sight, Hurricane Katrina provides a new twist. Levees are breached with the help of human hands and the city floods. As... Less

Books. A young Benedictine novice known as Adso narrates the events of this 14th-century tale of murder and deception, lust and greed, political intrigue and religious fervor, which unfolds over seven days and nights at a wealthy Italian abbey renowned for its l

Crime Writers: A Research Guide is an easy-to-use launch pad for learning more about crime fiction authors, including those who write traditional mystery novels, suspense novels, and thrillers with crime elements. Emphasizing the best and most popular writers, the book covers approximately 50 contemporary authors, plus a few classics like Agatha Christie. Each entry provides a brief quotation that gives some indication of writing style; a biographical sketch; lists of major works and awards; and research sources, including websites, biographies, criticism, and research guides. There are also read-alikes for selected authors. Of special note is the inclusion of websites and other online resources, such as blogs and social networking sites, which are often overlooked in author-reference... Less

When a bestselling true-crime author arrives in Eastport, Maine, to research the infamous Dodd murders for a new book, she finds herself about as welcome as a spoiled clam. But surely no one in the quaint seaside town would harm the crime writer—or would they? Suddenly the unsolved and not-quite-forgotte n slayings of the wealthy Dodd women go from cold case to hot topic, while just as quickly, onetime Wall Streeter Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree turns from probing the mysteries of old-house insulation to an investigation that’s reopened old wounds and unearthed a string of deadly secrets. Jake would have preferred to insulate herself and her family from danger, but someone with a taste for terror has already crept closer than she dares to imagine.

2008 Audie Award Winner of Audiobook of the Year.Former war crimes investigator Harold Middleton possesses a previously unknown score by Frederic Chopin. But he is unaware that, locked within its handwritten notes, lies a secret that now threatens the lives of thousands of Americans. As he races from Poland to America to uncover the mystery of the manuscript, Middleton will be accused of murder, pursued by federal agents, and targeted by assassins. But the greatest threat will come from a shadowy figure out of his past: the man known only as Faust. The Chopin Manuscript is a unique collaboration by 15 of the world's greatest thriller writers. Jeffery Deaver conceived the characters and set the plot in motion; the other authors each wrote a chapter in turn. Deaver then completed what he... Less

This book is a study of the "mothers" of the mystery genre. Traditionally the invention of crime writing has been ascribed to Poe, Wilkie Collins and Conan Doyle, but they had formidable women rivals, whose work has been until recently largely forgotten. The purpose of this book is to "cherchez les femmes," in a project of rediscovery.

the author of the yellow rose mystery series, leann sweeney, is... "A welcome new voice in mystery fiction." (Jeff Abbott, bestselling author of Collision...and her brand new series about adorable cats that just can't stay out of trouble is bound to be a hit! Jill's quiet life is shattered when her house is broken into and her Abyssinian, Syrah, goes missing. Jill's convinced her kitty's been catnapped. But when her cat-crime-solving leads her to a murdered body, suddenly all paws are pointing to Jill. Soon, Jill discovers that Syrah isn't the only purebred who's been stolen. Now she has to find these furry felines before they all become the prey of a cold-blooded killer-and she ends up nabbed for a crime...