So a week ago I caught Ocean's Eleven, the Steven Soderbergh version, on TV. I never thought that version or the original were particularly good, but it got me thinking about the whole genre of heist movies. First, I should set out my own definition of what a heist movie is. A heist movie should be about one particular robbery, not a story about a string of robberies. Second, the theft is the work of a team rather than an individual. Third, the item being stolen has to be elaborately…

W hen a homeless boy living at the youth shelter run by a Buddhist monastery turns up dead, the abbot recruits Father Ananda, a monk and former police officer, to find out why. He discovers that all is not well at this urban monastery in the heart of Bangkok. Together with his dogged assistant, an orphaned boy…

Book Title:   TREACHERY IN BORDEAUX

Author: Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen

ISBN:  B008UEHFR4

Location:  France, Bordeaux

Series:  Benjamin Cooker

Publisher:  Le French Book

Year of Publication:  2012



Strange things are happening at the Moniales Haut-Brion wine cellars in Bordeaux. Who would want to target this esteemed vintner? World-renowned wine specialist turned gentleman detective Benjamin Cooker and his sidekick Virgile Lanssien search the city and the…

Legalized Crime by Roger C. Bull

This provocative, scandalous and controversial book is not available at:

 …

Book Title:   SLASH AND BURN

Author:  Colin Cotterill

ISBN:  9780857381972

Location:  Laos

Series:  Siri Paiboun

Publisher:  Quercus

Year of Publication:  2011



Dr. Siri was 72 years old in 1974 when he was forced out of retirement and grudgingly became Laos's national coroner. Now he might finally be allowed to retire (again). Although he loves his two morgue assistants, he's never loved the job, and he wants to spend some time with his wife before his…

Book Title:   A DARK AND BROKEN HEART

Author:  R.J. Ellory

ISBN:   9781409124146

Location:   USA

Publisher:   Orion

Year of Publication:   2012



It should have all been so easy for Vincent Madigan. Take four hundred grand from the thieves who stole it in the first place and who could they turn to for help?



Madigan is charming, resourceful, and knows how to look after himself. The only problem is that he's up to his neck in debt to Sandià - the drug king…

Harri Nykanen, is a Finnish author who has written nearly 30 books and is best known for his Raid series. While Nykanen's work has been translated into many languages, Raid and the Blackest Sheep is one of his only two novels published in English. Raid character in Finland, however is very popular and a TV series was developed based on Raid stories which has…

Book Title:   PARTNERS AND CRIME

Author:  Rochelle Jackson

ISBN:  9781742372556

Publisher:   Allen & Unwin

Year of Publication:   2012



What attracts women to dangerous men? For Georgina Freeman (married to illegal casino king George Freeman), Ann-Marie Presland (girlfriend of organised crime figure Bob Trimbole), Fran Stratford (partner of murderer Billy 'The Texan' Longley), Jeannie Cako (wife of armed robber Fred Cako) and Coral Watson (ex-wife of NZ murderer…

http://mitziszereto.com/blog/mitzi-teddy-and-kevin-spacey-in-the-garden-of-good-and-evil/

Book Title:   TOOTH AND CLAW

Author:  Nigel McCrery

ISBN:  9781849160186

Location:   United Kingdom

Series:   Mark Lapslie

Publisher: Quercus

Year of Publication:  2009



Carl Whittley is at home.  He's twenty-two and charged with caring for his crippled father.  It's not much of a life but he has plenty of distractions.  He's just tortured a sexy, young TV presenter to death and he's planning to blow an anonymous commuter to pieces.



DCI Mark Lapslie…

Book Title:   DEATH AND THE SPANISH LADY

Author:  Carolyn Morwood

ISBN:   9780975112939

Location:   Melbourne

Series:   Eleanor Jones

Publisher:   Pulp Fiction Press

Year of Publication:   2011



Death and the Spanish Lady is the first novel in a trilogy featuring Sister Eleanor Jones.  



The year is 1919 and Eleanor has returned to Melbourne after nursing in France.   Her intention to knit herself up after war is played out against a richly realised…

Book Title:   MURDER AND REDEMPTION

Author:  Noel Mealey

ISBN:   978073229366

Location:   Western Australia

Series:   Syd Fielding

Publisher:   Harper Collins

Year of Publication:   2012



Syd Fielding is on a fishing trip when he hears a horrifying scream.... What he doesn't yet know is that a young man is being fed to a saltwater crocodile.



So begins Murder & Redemption, an absorbing crime novel which follows in the traditions of both Peter…

When my first book came out, some years ago, it was like someone dropped a pebble in Lake Michigan. My friends and acquaintances were thrilled, so locally, there were ripples. The larger world barely noticed.

My second book, the first Simon & Elizabeth mystery, got more attention: good reviews from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, LIBRARY JOURNAL, BOOKLIST, etc.

The third book also got good reviews, and people (very few, but still) started saying, "I've heard of you" when I went to book…

The following blog is "now appearing" at The Vincent Zandri Vox:

The way we used to buy books....

"You'll never get a major deal again!"

Sounds harsh doesn't it. Even cruel, especially when it comes from the mouth of a respected independent bookstore…

Two authors and a teddy bear go for a night out in South Florida, encountering beat poets, bubble tea, belly dancers and kava - along with a few margaritas along the way!

Check out the blog post at:

http://mitziszereto.com/blog/a-night-out-with-the-homies-on-hollywood-boulevard/