Now that I have your attention, let me state for the record: I would never shoot a cat in one of my books (and certainly never in real life). I may have multiple human victims in my mysteries, but all my cats have happy endings (and if I ruin some of the suspense for readers by saying that, so be it. I don't like reading books in which animals are harmed, and as a reader, I'd want to know that.)



But there's a case in Texas that has been on my mind, and those of animal lovers… Continue

Is Patricia Cornwell's forensic protagonist Kay Scarpetta too far gone? Has she been hounded, wounded, pushed beyond sympathy? That's a question I was mulling as I wrote this review of the new "Book of the Dead" for the Boston Globe.



I was a huge fan of Cornwell when she started, and I still think few do the forensics – the sheer science – of murder better. But, is it… Continue

Got this right after I dropped Deb Grabien off at the T. Deb was our guest while in town to promote two (count'em!) new books, New-Slain Knight and… Continue

A big THANK YOU to the Cheshire Cat Club of Edgewater, NJ. The friendly folks there had me speak at their cat show yesterday, and it was a blast. Despite getting lost in Fort Lee, we managed to make it to the show in time for the cat fashion show, which was frankly hilarious. None of the cats seemed to mind, maybe they… Continue

Doesn't that sound like a Ross MacDonald title? In reality, the lovely and brilliant folks at Worldwide Mystery (a branch of Harlequin) have decided to publish a mass market (i.e., less than $5) version of my very first mystery, "Mew is for Murder" in November. Worldwide only sells online (how do you think they keep their prices so low?) and they only print a limited number of books, so this is a limited-time offer.… Continue

Congratulations and a big "thank you" to Jacqueline and Graig Fantuzzi, who won the right to name a cat in my next mystery. Their donation to Boston's Animal Rescue League will help pay for adoptions, spay and neuters, and tons of other great services to animals and animal lovers.



As a small thank you, their… Continue

Cats AND Crime AND Rock & Roll! Plus, if you listen to the end, a little lesson in cat care (keep that kitty amused).



Thanks to the crime writers over at First Offenders for turning me onto this, "The Mean Kitty Song." (Have I mentioned? Musetta is also a foot… Continue

At least, that's more or less the premise of Jeff Lindsay's wonderful new Dexter in the Dark, which I reviewed in today's Boston Globe. Is it a departure from the previous Dexter books? Well, yes, but what would you expect in the third of a series?



There's been much talk about serial killers as super heroes, but I think that Lindsay's jovial protagonist… Continue

I'm in an odd space and I'm wondering if anyone out there has been in here, too. I love Jeff Lindsay's "Dexter" novels and am reading the new "Dexter in the Dark" for review. A friend has been raving to me about the "Dexter" Showtime adaptations and since Showtime was offering a free weekend preview, I figured I'd check it ou. So last night I flopped on the sofa and watched several episodes back to back. Now, I adore Michael C. Hall, just loved him in "Six Feet Under." And I think everyone has… Continue

I promise, I'm not going to flood anyone's lists with this or bring it up too often in conversation. I'm just posting this here and at my home blog ("cats & crime & rock & roll") because, damn it, you write a book alone, you sit around for months wondering about it, and it's just nice to get something like this.







From the Oct. 1 Booklist:







Freelance journalist Theda Krakow is back… Continue

Okay, so once again this doesn't immediately relate to crime fiction. But there is a tie-in with my books, both with a book giveaway and a character naming. And besides, I write mysteries with cats in them, so here you go:







One of our great local shelters here in Boston, Animal Rescue League, has launched a mobile pet… Continue

although there are several murders in this collection of short stories. (In case you can't tell from this Boston Globe review, I preferred Faber's novel, "The Crimson Petal and the White." But as I read more of his work, I have begun to think this fat, fun novel was an anomaly.

While not a crime writer per se, Madeleine L'Engle did write about the search for justice, for balance, for some kind of peace. First and foremost, she believed that even young readers could think, could reason, and wanted to explore. She'll be missed, and I know not just by me!



From the New York Times:…

Continue

Thanks to Oline Cogdill, who used her great books blog to alert us to World Literary Day – Today! Oline is the crime fiction critic for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, and she shares the blog with fellow critic Chauncey Mabe, chatting on a variety of topics about books, the literary life, publishing and more.





So how to celebrate? Read a book, today! (Though if you're here, you probably read at least a… Continue

When I was asked to review "Anarchy and Old Dogs," the latest Dr. Siri Investigates mystery from Colin Cotterill, I was thrilled. That glow faded a bit once I read the book; it doesn't seem quite as much fun as its three predecessors. That said, it's still better than much out there. And I hope my… Continue

Thoughtful blog by Carmel, Indiana bookstore owner (The Mystery Company) and small publisher Jim Huang in which he discusses the current state of mystery publishing (and bookselling), the ridiculous pressure from NY publishers to break out big from the start with a new novel, and why I have a "Booksense" link on my home page.





Buy your books from an… Continue

Hi folks,

It's a gorgeous, sunny, not-too-hot day here. But I'm listening to the New Orleans community radio station WWOZ online, and with the wonderful music they are playing, they are commemorating the hurricane and subsequent flood of two years ago. As a New Englander, I can only imagine what they're all still going through, but as a frequent visitor I know that the city is vibrant, strong spirited -- and still struggling. New Orleans needs our help more… Continue

Hi everyone,



Just back from a week on Cape Cod and already the weather seems cooler. I'm not ready for this season to be over yet, I have more summer books to read. But as Labor Day nears and I finish up David Fulmer's very enjoyable "Rampart Street" and re-read Colin Cotterill's "Anarchy and Old Dogs" (my review is due soon), I thought I'd re-post two reviews from my main blog, cats & crime & rock & roll.

I'll try to post… Continue