Growing Detective Genre--

Today, a co-worker slipped me a short article from the May issue of the AARP Bulletin entitled "Aging Sleuths: Turn Page on Mysteries" about the graying of the fictional detective field. That is, novels "featuring crime-solving protagonists age-70 plus, is growing in popularity."

Now, senior-age detectives have been around, of course, for years and years but "geezer lit" as some what to term it is becoming more popular. One insider may describe the genre as the new kid on the block in some regards as far as writers, titles, and public interest. Harlan Coban, Mystery Writers of America president and best-selling author, said, "It could be the next big frontier in crime fiction."

Three highlighted books in the article are available at PLCMC libraries: Mike Befeler (Retirement Homes are Murder), Parnell Hall (The Sudoku Puzzle Murders) and Rita Lakin (Getting Old Is To Die For).

Summer reading ideas--

My hometown paper has an attractive "Summer reading" section today and there is a nifty "Mysteries/thrillers" section pulling up the rear with options. There were seven titles and I'll admit I could spend time on all but I have favors that appeal to me by plot or the author's previous work.

By plot, I could go for Jane Cleland's Antiques To Die For with a mystery involving a New Hampshire antiques dealer whose good friend suddenly drowns. There's also Phillip Margolin's thriller Executive Privilege with a murder that touches high Washington offices and eventually the White House.

And I am interested to read what local writer Mark de Castrique has new with Blackman's Coffin. I've read the first book of his other series with corner Barry Clayton. This new series has U.S. military investigator Sam Blackman residing in the Asheville veteran's hospital after a stint in Iraq. There he becomes involved in a murder investigation with deep town roots.

Mystery novelist visit at PLCMC--

I had received a message in advance but still couldn't work it in my schedule to see a promising author visit. The main public library hosted mystery novelist Elizabeth Zelvin on May 14th. She came to discuss her debut mystery, Death Will Get You Sober which was published in April.

Just as bad, I forgot to mention this at my book club too. Zelvin does believe in staying within a keyboard's reach of the public though as she promotes her book at website. The book features New York City psychotherapist Bruce Kohler who's a recovering alcoholic. During his new bout with sobriety, he finds incidents of homeless alcoholics turning up death--including one he befriends--and starts his own measured investigation.

Book club hosted author in April--

The April book session was a special event as we hosted local mystery writer Terry Hoover. Ms. Hoover is the author of Double Dead (a Steve Harlan mystery). Set in the early 60's in Charlotte, North Carolina, Harlan is a young family man who's recently entered the private detective profession.

And the detective gets his big break by assisting in a big murder case involving a big-time bank executive, John Lattimore, tried for the death of his suspected mistress, Delores Green. Harlan is pumped up about the case but loses some steam as Green's 13-year-old son is heavily involved the criminal processings by Lattimore's actions. As you might expect, Lattimore is not the ideal client (although his lawyer is a genuine good guy).

This novel is based on an actual crime Hoover said but it is a fictional story not true crime. Click here to see her website and here's a pix of Terry from that night. She said she mulled developing this novel idea over when a couple of celebrity murder stories were plastered in the news. And she added Double Dead is her second novel with the character as an unpublished book--she couldn't get a publisher for this story--focused on Harlan's involvement in a racially-charged crime as a then newspaper reporter.

To no one's surprise, the questions and discussions during the evening dealt with the writing process. Hoover said she would meet with other writers to review their work and to pick it apart. Published writer Cathy Pickens is a member of the group and she said the group has harsh critics (OK, she said used the "b" word) that review and evaluate each other. As it turned out, Pickens heard about this author visit and stopped by to join in herself. Anyway, finding good critics to review your work is a huge benefit according to Hoover.

Jogging my memory, here are a few things the questions and answers covered including: * Why not have a mystery without a murder or violence? Terry mentioned one novel that fitted that bill and another mentioned that missing persons may also cover that type of story. Otherwise, murders in mysteries are the expected norm.
* Was the ending planned out in advance or did sort of evolve? The ending was scheduled and planned out.
*My mother complains that she can always figure out the criminal in the book before the story ends. Try reading more challenging mysteries (and some writers were suggested).
* The investigation seemed to follow a natural course with Harlan's interviews except during one instance--why? I went back and forth over the scene and sided with a dramatic moment.
* Is it difficult (or frustrating) to read bad material? In a word, it's "yes."

So what is next for Terry Hoover? A new mystery novel is in the works but Terry admits the writing is going slow. This summer the pace should pick up she says. And Cathy Pickens chides her that the writing group also misses her.

True crime story credited for British mysteries--

Two weeks ago, NPR's "Fresh Air" the book critic Maureen Corrigan offered up a glowing review for a book credited with inspiring British mystery fiction we know it today. More specifically, though, the book tells of one true crime story in 1860 with the murder of a once missing three-year-old boy snatched from his family. The book, The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: a shocking murder and the undoing of a great Victorian detective, is written by Kate Summerscale. Here's a pix of Summerscale from Google.

Briefly, this true crime story involved the work of the newly-formed Scotland Yard detective force with Detective Inspector Jonathan Whicher in charge of the case. Regretfully, almost all in household of the murder victim became suspects--the Kent household--which included a nursemaid. In time, a suspect is charged and tried but despite all the police's effort--found not guilty because of a weak case. Afterwards, Whicher--a revered figure before--is demoralized and suffers professionally. And years later, the actual murderer is revealed.

Although during the actual investigation, the British are spellbound by the crime and fastinated with a crime story which invites their guesses.

Summerscale appears to have mined gold in telling the true story of a crime which served as a blueprint for fiction writers interested in developing murder mysteries.