I finished a book last night that was one of those "I can't wait to find out what happens" stories. The author had me caring desperately for the characters, hoping against hope that they could defeat the almost certain doom that swept toward them. I read and read and read...and then they died. Greek tragedy and ANNA KARENINA aside, that's not what I read for. I read to be entertained, at least when I read genre fiction. I contend that an "entertaining" author who gives the reader false hopes…

The New Year and 2012 promises to be an exciting year with lots already lined up. It begins with the publication in the UK on 26 January of the NEW DI Andy Horton marine mystery crime novel, the seventh in the DI Horton series, A Killing Coast. Publication in the USA follows on 1 May 2012.…

Pat Nolan is summoned to Paris to claim his estranged daughter's body.

When he sees the body, it's not his daughter, Megan. He realizes that she has staged her death and must be in trouble and need him.

Catherine Laurence is a police detective in Paris. She's told that Saudi government officials are looking for Megan for suspected terrorist activity. They are suspicious when Pat has his daughter's body cremated. They want Catherine to befriend him and learn…

Luther Longlow is talking about his stubborn daughter, her beau, Sheriff Sylvester Tilghman, and events in Fallen From Grace at http://franorenstein.weebly.com/1/post/2011/12/final-character-interview-fallen-from-grace-by-john-lindermuth.html?

Whence a threat really comes

The financial crisis has taught a lesson which is not new: politicians and the public are easily aroused by fear, particularly of crime. Fear creates an incantation market for policy makers and researchers, invariably confirming these fears. One of these marketed fears concerns the dreaded tsunami of crime-money and the laundering thereof. This is most successfully marketed crime fear products of the past two…

The last issue of Kings River Life in 2011 is up and filled with mystery fun. We have an article on some of the Sherlock Holmes books that have come out in 2011 http://kingsriverlife.com/12/31/sherlock-holmes-in-books/

And a whole big group of mystery book reviews for your 2012 reading list including Ian Rankin's latest…

Thank you to everyone who voted for Maynard Soloman Proves Santa Claus is Real for Best Short Story of 2011 in the Preditors & Editors Poll. As of this writing, here are the standings:

Yup, Maynard Soloman is numero uno. Thank you!

Voting is still open through Jan. 10. If you haven't…

One of the first teaching aides I learned as a trainee instructor was the list of class management skills. I had to memorize all ten and demonstrate them in a classroom situation. During each of my recertification seminars, these skills were reinforced and practiced. These skills show how well the instructor is conducting the class and how much he/she cares about the…

Maynard Soloman fans, I need your help. Maynard Soloman Proves Santa Claus is Real was nominated for best short story in the 2011 Preditor & Editors poll. Many of the nominees are authors I look up to, so winning this would mean a lot to me. Please swing by and…

Click here to read the original review.

Maynard Soloman and the Job-Nabbin’ Illegal Immigrants

by Benjamin Sobieck

Format: Kindle (AZW)

Price: $0.99

Today we must recomend some sweet Kindle shorts for…

Happy and Healthy New Year to all.

http://bookread-mumswritings.blogspot.com

With the New Year almost upon us it's that time of year to take a look back over the events of 2011, and for me it's been a busy and productive year. 



Here are some of the highlights of 2011.



January saw the launch of the second Crime Writers’ Association Young Crime Writers Competition 2011. I was the judge of the South Coast entries with the winner going forward for the National prize which was announced during National Crime Writing Week 13 - 19 June. …

Vanessa Michael Munroe is an assassin who has nightmares about her past.  He understands her killing capability and when her best friend, Logan, asks for help, she can't refuse.

Logan explains that eight years ago, his friend, Charity's daughter, Hannah, was abducted from her school and carried over the border to Mexico to a religious cult known as The…

The Shadow of al-Khayal

I know – the heading makes it sound like a Lovecraftian pastiche, but bear with me – there’s a point here somewhere.

My wife asked me when I started writing. After some serious thought I answered that I probably started in earnest sometime around 2004 but I’d been writing off and on since late 2001. Although September 11^th wasn’t a source of inspiration for my urge to write I would have to admit that it provided a form…

I'm primarily known (where I'm known at all) as a novelist and as a comic book/graphic novel writer. I haven't published a whole lot of short fiction, partly because I haven't pursued that area, and partly because when I do get story ideas, they tend to be big, sprawling ones. Novels, in other words.

But lately I've been the recipient of various bits of happy news on different short stories.

At the invitation of a producer for Tucson's NPR radio station, KUAZ, I wrote a…

This Christmas Eve morning Kings River Life has some more mystery fun. We have an article on Hawaii 5-0 then and now http://kingsriverlife.com/12/24/hawaii-five-o-review/

And a mystery short story by author Dennis Palumbo http://kingsriverlife.com/12/24/players-an-original-mystery-short-story/

You can also find the great Christmas…

In my post today at Criminal Minds, I make the case for declaring Raymond Chandler's birthday a national holiday.  http://7criminalminds.blogspot.com/

The Julian Clegg Christmas Party on BBC Radio Solent Friday 23 December was a big hit. Here are some photographs from the event.

Having a laugh and getting ready to go on air with Julian Clegg and his wonderful production team…