I didn't remember signing up--

I didn't remember signing up for email messages from this author (you have to email updates of your work and activities as a writer today, right?) but I appreciate this message all the same. Author Julia Spencer-Fleming has a new book coming in October All Mortal Flesh: A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery. The book is the fifth of a series of a police chief in a small upstate New York community who receives frequent assistance from a female Episcopal priest.



The series is very well-received and award winning even (the first book of the series--In the Bleak Midwinter)--won multiple awards. In fact, I remember one librarian noting how she enjoyed how the novels were evolving as a series.

And the series is taking a dramatic turn in this novel as Spencer-Fleming has on her author webpage that: Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne didn't expect any gossip in the town about his carefully contained feelings for the Reverend Clare Fergusson. So he certainly doesn't expect to be the prime suspect when his wife is found murdered in their own home.

Wow.

My book club read the first book of the series and we enjoyed the story and wondered very much about the missing Mrs. Van Alstyne in the book (she doesn't appear in the novel). And I know some have continued reading the newer Spencer-Fleming books.

Now back to the email, I like the news that the author is touring and will be coming South (maybe even the Carolinas?). I also like that the message is headed by "News From The Kill" ("Kill" is the first part of the name of the New York community), and an interview with Spencer-Fleming is mentioned on the nifty "Murderati" blog. That blog is written by 7 mystery writers "dedicated to mysteries, murder & marketing." The interview was on the August 19th posting. Here's a pix of Julia from her website.



And finally, I was surprised when I took a long look at the Spencer-Fleming website and found my name. When you look at the "Reading Group Guides" entry there are questions for two books. I'm listed in the second series of questions for In the Bleak Midwinter. Now that's a surprise to me as I submitted the questions months (and months) ago and didn't get any notice that they would be posted.

Oh well--surprise!

Like a family gathering [regional mystery writers panel--Pt. 1]

It was fun and as cozy as a family gathering to attend the noontime "Celebration of Mysteries" at Main Library yesterday. As part of the National Sisters-in-Crime 20th anniversary, a panel of regional mystery writers ("just some" we were told) assmembled to talk about writing mysteries set in the South. The participants ranged from a somewhat new kid on the block with Terry Hoover (her first book Double Dead is due in January) to the well-established writing team of Jim and Joyce Laverne (the Sharyn Howard mysteries and more). Others included multiple Shamus award nominee Richard Helms (his series are with Pat Gallegher and Eamon Gold), award-winning Gwen Hunter (with the Dr. Rhea Lynch series) and Daniel "Chipp" Bailey (novels featuring television reporter Cassie O'Connor). The panel moderator was Cathy Pickens whose first novel won a mystery writing award (she has two in print) about an attorney named Avery Andrews. Her promotional pix is included here.

Pickens guided the discussion with a few questions for writers while permitting ample time for questions from the audience. To start, officially, though, Pickens asked the authors what makes the South a unique place for mysteries. Daniel Bailey noted the region has "so many colloquies." He added further that the actions of individuals come into play too. He would hear it said "people wouldn't do that--but they do it in the South." Gwen Hunter complimented on the significance of family secrets which can carry into Southern fiction. For her, "the secrets that we hide from generation to generation" can become great plot devices so that for novels "its the little things that get revealed book to book." Richard Bailey said that customs are "part of what the Southern thing is about." He added a sense of fatalism for the region that goes back to the Civil War era. Terry Hoover said the South does "revel in exceptional characters." Consequently, the mysteries become more character-driven and the actions are more observational. Jim Leverne added a newer and very public aspect of Southern culture is NASCAR.

That led to some additional talk about having mysteries set in the South. Bailey has used the low country of South Carolina for novels and said "the locale become a character in my books." Hoover said the locales are extoric to people in other parts of the county. Hunter mentioned how she has garnered good book sales abroad with some of her titles.

[This was a fun session and I want to share more so I'll add a part 2 later when I also hope to photos from the panel discussion.]

"Sisters in Crime" anniversary celebration in Charlotte

Sisters in Crime is celebrating its 20-year anniversary this year and Charlotte is included. The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County will host a regional mystery panel discussion with several best-selling, award-winning local authors. "A Celebration of Mysteries" will be held on Monday, Aug. 21st from 12:15 to 1 p.m. at the Main Library's Movies and Music Room [704-336-2725]. The event is free.

The program participants are Daniel Bailey, Rick Helms, Terry Hoover, Gwen Hunter, Jim and Joyce Laverne with Cathy Pickens moderating. The panel will discuss their books and questions including: What are mysteries? Why do we read them? Why are Southern mysteries so popular in other parts of the country?

PLCMC has copies of books by Bailey, Helms, Hunter and Pickens including the following:






Sisters in Crime is the national support organ for writers--particularly women--in the mystery writing field which offers advice, support and networking assistance.

The book discussion on "California Girl"...

During our last book, we discussed the T. Jefferson Parker novel California Girl for our selected monthly title. And it worked well for our group as it provided a lively discussion. That said, the book seemed to rank low on the favorable list of good reads. One participant noted how she liked Parker's other books but did not like this one. She recommended reading--to another attendee who asked--the books featuring Detective Merci Rayborn (in the books The Blue Hour, Red Light and Black Water.)

Overall, the "mystery" story appeared to be a good as a murder mystery. It features the death of a troubled, yet popular and pretty young woman with attachments to various elments of her Orange County, California community. Set in the late 1960s, Janelle Vonn has ties to the drug community but also works a police informant while being involved with several men. Who killed her?

The other central characters of the novel are a flawed family of brothers and those faulty individuals just didn't ingratiate themselves to the book club readers. This family of brothers, though, become involved with Janelle through her life and death. The family was described as dysfunctional and with pampered kids. And that soured the story for many. Additionally, a few instances of foreshadowing--the crime story begins in the 60s but ends roughly in the present day--was annoying to least a couple in the group. And two twists in the novel due to fate and justice drew negative comments too.

However, two of us liked the novel overall though. I liked it--though not as much as Parker's more modestly-developed book Silent Joe. That book was also read by the book club and I remember it as a personal favorite that year.

Otherwise, the 60s referrences in the novel were fun for everyone. Including the soon-to-be president, Richard Nixon, the story had a few real life individuals and the 60s down pat. I had forgotten how the cops were often called "pigs" then.

California Girl won a the Mystery Writers of America Edgar award in 2004 for best book of the year.

I Read it in a Magazine--

Taking a few days off from work, I actually grabbed a recent U.S. News and World Report magazine (July 3-10 to be exact) with the cover story about having a "stress-free summer." I didn't get to give the magazine a thorough read but it did include a couple of nice mystery titles for the summer reader in all of us. That is if you'd like novels taking a fun spin with a mystery story involving actual writers in historical fictional stories. The first title is The Poe Shadow: a novel by Matthew Pearl.
From the PLCMC library's catalog, the summary is as follows: In 1849 Baltimore, following the death of Edgar Allan Poe, Quentin Clark discovers that Poe's final days had been marked by a series of bizarre, unanswered questions and launches his own investigation to resolve the mystery of Poe's death. The book is 370 pages. The other title is The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril by Paul Malmont. Again from the library catalog, the summary reads: Meeting regularly at a New York City tavern, rival authors Walter and Lester debate the nature of L. Ron Hubbard's fictional works and become embroiled in a pulp adventure of their own involving a madman who would create a new global empire. The novel's authors are popluar and successful in the pulp fiction genrie--Walter Gibson, creator of "The Shadow" and Lester Dent, creator of "Doc Savage." The book is 371 pages.