Murder by the Book

Murder By The Book's E-mail Newsletter
(02/16/08)

This is the e-mail newsletter of Houston’s Murder By The Book, one of the nation’s oldest and largest mystery bookstores. To unsubcribe, please scroll to the bottom of this e-mail.

Thank you for buying books recommended in this newsletter from an independent bookstore!
Want to find a BookSense indie near you? Go here.
Or how about another independent mystery bookstore? Go here.

Tonight's T. Jefferson Parker signing will be rescheduled for sometime in March. As soon as we know the exact date, we'll post it here.

We apologize for this inconvenience, but with luck, we'll have better weather! :-)

We've now scheduled signings for...

Bill Crider (March 8), Charlie Stella (March 22), Nevada Barr (April 3), Elaine Viets (May 13), Meg Gardiner (June 19), Don Winslow (June 23), 2008 Edgar Award nominee Tana French (July 31), and more! Go here for a complete listing.

Need a part-time job?

MBTB assistant manager David Thompson is looking for someone to help him for a few hours on Mondays, at his Busted Flush Press office. The person needs to be able-bodied (the job would require handling large, heavy packages), computer literate, friendly phone skills, and love books. Please e-mail David here if you might be interested.

Meet our new neighbors!

Impromptu, a new, eclectic gift shop, is opening down the center from us at the end of the month. Visit their website here.

For Jacqueline Winspear's signing...

New York Times best-selling novelist Jacqueline Winspear will launch her national book tour here at Murder By The Book, this Monday, February 18, 6:30 p.m., the day the book goes on sale! She will sign & discuss the 5th Maisie Dobbs novel, An Incomplete Revenge (Henry Holt; $24).

In addition to stocking all of the earlier Maisie Dobbs paperbacks ($14 each), we also have a limited number of 1st editions for collectors...

Maisie Dobbs (Soho, 2003), 1st printing, signed, NF/NF, $100, 3 copies in this condition
Birds of a Feather (Soho, 2004), 1st printing, signed, NF/NF, $30, 4 copies in this condition
Birds of a Feather (Soho, 2004), 1st printing, VG+/NF, previous owner's name written in ink on front free endpapers, $15, 1 copy in this condition
Pardonable Lies (Henry Holt, 2005), 1st printing, VG/VG, $11.50, 1 copy in this condition
Messenger of Truth (Henry Holt, 2006), 1st printing, VG/VG, $12, 1 copy in this condition

To order or reserve any of these books or anything else, please call or e-mail Murder By The Book.

David recommends...

Jumper (by Steven Gould; Forge; $7.99) The basis for the new Doug Liman film. Davy Rice has a unique genetic trait: he can teleport. To survive, Davy must learn to use and control his power. Replay (by Ken Grimwood; Harper; $13.95) In 1988 43-year-old Jeff Winston died of a heart attack. But then he awoke, and it was 1963; Jeff was 18 all over again, his memory of the next two decades intact. This time around Jeff would gain all the power and wealth he never had before. This time around he'd know how to do it right... until next time. Both are highly recommended for sci-fi fans!

The Faithful Spy (by Alex Berenson; Berkley; $9.99) Now in paperback, the 2007 Edgar Award winner for Best First Novel. CIA operative John Wells goes so deep undercover with al Queda that when he returns to America, his CIA handlers aren't sure whether he's working for us... or them. Definitely for fans of Daniel Silva, Barry Eisler, and other excellent espionage novelists.

Tilt a Whirl (by Chris Grabenstein; Carroll & Graf; $14.95) The cover is bright, Pepto-Bismol pink, which might have a tendancy to turn off some customers... but this is not a time to judge a book by its cover. Introducing a crime-solving duo with the appeal of a Holmes & Waston or Nero & Archie, but with the action that a modern, American audience now expects. Part-time summer cop Danny Boyle narrates the detecting exploits of Iraq War veteran John Ceepak, who now works as a police officer on the New Jersey shore. Tilt a Whirl won the Anthony Award for Best First Novel.

To order or reserve any of these books or anything else, please call or e-mail Murder By The Book.

Thank you for purchasing books mentioned in our e-mail newsletters from an independent bookstore!

Dean's new class at Rice!

Award-winning mystery novelist & expert (and Murder By The Book employee!) Dr. Dean James (By a Woman's Hand; Killer Books) will teach "Murder, American Style" -- an overview of American crime & mystery fiction, from Poe to the present -- at Rice University's School of Continuing Studies, Seven Mondays, February 25-April 7, 2008, 6:45-8:15 p.m. Go here for more information on the course and to register.

Reading lists available at the store, and we have all the books for the class in stock on a special display.

And drop by Murder By The book for signed copies of Dean's latest mystery, Bring Your Own Poison (writing as Jimmie Ruth Evans; Berkley Prime Crime; $6.99).

SIGNING NEXT AT MURDER BY THE BOOK!

[About our signing events: The talks are absolutely free! However, if you want to get any books signed, the latest novel must be purchased from Murder By The Book. You can also order signed/inscribed copies, if you can’t make it to the events. Please don't hesitate to call or e-mail if you have any questions at all about how our signing events work. Thanks!]

New York Times best-seller
Jacqueline Winspear
-- this Monday, February 18, 6:30 p.m.

New York Times best-seller Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs) launches the national book tour for her 5th Maisie Dobbs novel, An Incomplete Revenge (Henry Holt; $24), at Murder By The Book, the day the book goes on sale!

In her fifth outing, Maisie Dobbs, the extraordinary Psychologist and Investigator, delves into a strange series of crimes in a small rural community. With the country in the grip of economic malaise, and worried about her business, Maisie Dobbs is relieved to accept an apparently straightforward assignment from an old friend to investigate certain matters concerning a potential land purchase. Her inquiries take her to a picturesque village in Kent during the hop-picking season, but beneath its pastoral surface she finds evidence that something is amiss. Mysterious fires erupt in the village with alarming regularity, and a series of petty crimes suggests a darker criminal element at work. As Maisie discovers, the villagers are bitterly prejudiced against outsiders who flock to Kent at harvest time—even more troubling, they seem possessed by the legacy of a wartime Zeppelin raid. Maisie grows increasingly suspicious of a peculiar secrecy that shrouds the village, and ultimately she must draw on all her finely honed skills of detection to solve one of her most intriguing cases. Rich with Jacqueline Winspear’s trademark period detail, this latest installment of the bestselling series is gripping, atmospheric, and utterly enthralling.

Highly recommended by McKenna!

ALSO AVAILABLE, the first 4 Maisie Dobbs novels:
Maisie Dobbs (Penguin; $14)
Birds of a Feather (Penguin; $14)
Pardonable Lies (Picador; $14)
Messenger of Truth (Picador; $14)

Best-selling crime novelist
G. M. Ford
-- this Tuesday, February 19, 6:30 p.m.

Acclaimed crime novelist G. M. Ford (Who in Hell Is Wanda Fuca?) will sign & discuss his new, stand-alone thriller, Nameless Night (Morrow; $23.95).

Highly recommended by David!

He wowed critics with his Frank Corso and Leo Waterman series, catapulting to the upper ranks of contemporary crime writers with each riveting new thriller. Now, G. M. Ford is back with a brand-new book, his first stand-alone novel, featuring a man with no name, no past—and at the center of a conspiracy so pervasive he's forced to run from the only home he's ever known—straight into the abyss—in his search for truth....

Discovered lying near death in a railroad car, his body broken, his mind destroyed, Paul Hardy has spent the past seven years living in a group home for disabled adults, his identity and his past lost—seemingly forever. Then, after a horrific car accident, he awakens a new man, his face reconstructed, and his mind shadowy with memory. With only a name and a vaguely remembered scene to guide him, he goes on a cross-country quest to find out who he really is. But his search for the truth makes a lot of people uncomfortable—from the DA's office to the highest levels of government. Soon Paul is being tailed by an army of pursuers as he finds himself at the center of a government cover-up that has already claimed too many innocent lives—and the numbers are mounting. It's the kind of thing that could make even a man on the outskirts of society feel the pull of justice. A justice that might be worth killing for. Or dying for.

A special memorial event for late Houston mystery author
Rick Nelson
-- this Wednesday, February 20, 6:30 p.m.
This is NOT a book signing. It is a celebration of a local writer's life cut short.

We regret to announce that shortly after we'd scheduled a signing event, Mr. Nelson passed away in December. Rick Nelson was born in Tyler, Texas and spent his childhood years and adult life living in Houston. He passed away at M. D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, TX on December 20, 2007. He was 57 years old.

Rick truly lived life to the fullest and did not let a cancer diagnosis bring him down. He continued to enjoy life by spending time with his family and friends, traveling and enjoying a good glass of wine now and then. In 2006, his true passion for writing was recognized when he received news that his first novel, Bound by Blood, was set to be published.

It is for this reason that we invite you to join us as we honor Rick Nelson in celebration of this great accomplishment, as friends and family speak about Rick and how his first book came to be published.

Bound by Blood (St. Martin's Minotaur; $24.95): The first in a series, Bound by Blood is set amongst the bayous, great houses, and old ghosts of Louisiana and features a Jewish homicide cop as driven by the chase as he is by duty.

Jack Brenner, New Orleans homicide detective, hopes to repair his faltering marriage while his daughters are away at summer camp. Then he receives word that Emmett Floyd Graves, a man on death row, has some information about his cousin David's unsolved murder. Like a brother to Jack during his troubled childhood, David was one of two civil rights workers killed the summer of 1972.

Before he can figure out whether Graves is conning him, Jack's Lieutenant puts him on another murder case; the victim, Steven Bowen, broke David's high school record in the mile before being shot to death at a payphone. With the encouragement of his partner, Keisha Lundy, Jack juggles the Bowen case with his own secret investigation of Graves's claim. Willow Ashe, a television reporter and old flame, complicates matters by breaking the story on national news. Jack is upset at first, but the publicity gets him what he wants, a chance to solve his cousin's murder.

The mystery is a fine balance of humor, violence, and sorrow. Integrated into this police procedural are Jack's problems with family, his struggles between logic and emotion, and his unorthodox Judaism. The novel also features strong female characters. Readers of Michael Connelly, James Lee Burke, and Faye Kellerman should enjoy this series. Jack Brenner is less visceral and more analytical than Harry Bosch or Dave Robicheaux, but equally vulnerable to rumination and self-doubt. While Jack is more cynical than Peter Decker, at least on the surface, they share the same religious faith, stubbornness, and passion for justice.

Two of today's finest noir novelists
Megan Abbott and Christa Faust
-- Saturday, February 23, 4:30 p.m.

2008 Edgar Award nominee Megan Abbott (Queenpin, The Song Is You, Die a Little) and Christa Faust (Hoodtown, Money Shot) will sign & discuss their latest novels.

McKenna & Michelle both HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Megan & Christa!!

There's so much to say about Megan Abbott... in a short period of time she's developed a sterling reputation as being among the finest of this generation's crop of crime novelists. Her first novel, Die a Little (Simon & Schuster; first editions available; $23), was nominated for the 2006 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Her second, The Song Is You (Simon & Schuster; paperback; $14), was MBTB manager McKenna Jordan's favorite book of 2008. Megan contributed a "geezer noir" story ("Policy") to Busted Flush Press's Damn Near Dead (trade paperback original; $18)... the story went on the earn an Anthony Award nomination. Then, inspired by "Policy," Megan expanded that story into a novella, Queenpin (Simon & Schuster; trade paperback original; 1st printings; $13), which has just been nominated for the 2008 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original. Lastly, she edited Busted Flush Press's female noir anthology, A Hell of a Woman (hardback, $26; paperback, $18), and a story from that collection also earned an '08 Edgar nod -- for Daniel Woodrell's disturbing tale "Uncle."

"Megan Abbott: Superb storyteller, film noir scholar, deconstructionist suffused with a true artist's passion. Poised to ascend to the top rung of crime writing and quite possibly something beyond."—James Ellroy

About Edgar Award nominee Queenpin: A young woman, hired to keep the books at a down-at-the-heels nightclub, is taken under the wing of the infamous Gloria Denton, a mob luminary who reigned during the Golden Era of Bugsy Siegel and Lucky Luciano. Before she knows it, she's ushered into a glittering demimonde of late-night casinos, racetracks, betting parlors, inside heists, and big, big money.

About McKenna's favorite, The Song Is You: On October 7, 1949, dark-haired starlet Jean Spangler kissed her five-year-old daughter good-bye and left for a night shoot at a Hollywood studio. "Wish me luck," she said as she crossed her fingers, winked, and walked away. She was never seen again. The only clues left behind: a purse with a broken strap found in a nearby park, a cryptic note, and rumors about mobster boyfriends and ill-fated romances with movie stars.

Drawing on this true-life missing person case, Megan Abbott's The Song Is You tells the story of Gil "Hop" Hopkins, a smooth-talking Hollywood publicist whose career, despite his complicated personal life, is on the rise. It is 1951, two years after Jean Spangler's disappearance, and Hop finds himself unwillingly drawn into the still unsolved mystery by a friend of Jean who blames Hop for concealing details about Jean's whereabouts the night she vanished. Driven by guilt and fear of blackmail, Hop delves into the case himself, feverishly trying to stay one step ahead of an intrepid female reporter also chasing the story. Hop thought he'd seen it all, but what he uncovers both tantalizes and horrifies him as he plunges deeper and deeper into Hollywood's substratum in his attempt to uncover the truth.

In the tradition of James Ellroy's The Black Dahlia and Joyce Carol Oates's Blonde, The Song Is You conjures a heady brew of truth and speculation, of fact and pulp fiction, taking the reader on a dark tour of Tinseltown, from movie studios, gala premieres, and posh nightclubs to gangsters, blackmailing B-girls, and the darkest secrets that lie behind Hollywood's luminous façade. At the center of it all is Hop, a man torn betweencutthroat ambition and his own best intentions.

Christa Faust will sign & discuss her new crime novel, Money Shot (Hard Case Crime; paperback original; $6.99).

They thought she'd be easy... They thought wrong... It all began with the phone call asking former porn star Angel Dare to do one more movie. Before she knew it, she’d been shot and left for dead in the trunk of a car. But Angel is a survivor. And that means she’ll get to the bottom of what’s been done to her even if she has to leave a trail of bodies along the way.

ALSO AVAILABLE BY CHRISTA:
Hoodtown (trade paperback; $16.95) A hardboiled tale set in the tough streets of an all-masked wrestler ghetto.

New York Times best-selling author
Nancy Atherton
-- Monday, February 25, 6:30 p.m.

Best-selling mystery writer Nancy Atherton will sign & discuss her latest Aunt Dimity novel, Aunt Dimity: Vampire Hunter (Viking; $22.95). Lori Shepherd's life in England couldn't be more tranquil or more satisfying—except for one thing. Her five-year-old twins have started school, and Lori fears they'll catch everything from the flu to fleas. What they do come home with, however, is worse: a report of a pale, cloaked figure with bloodstained lips lurking in the woods.

Lori is skeptical at first but soon grows concerned enough to consult with her late (but not entirely departed) Aunt Dimity and her dear friend Kit Smith. The vampire-hunting trail leads to Leo, a charismatic vagabond who just returned to England after a self-imposed exile, a bitter old crone named Lizzie Black, and finally to Aldercot Hall, where a mysterious murder took place forty years ago. With Kit and Aunt Dimity's help, Lori uncovers the secret that will shock everyone—including herself—about the true identity of the twins' vampire.

With its placid English countryside setting, eccentric characters, and lighthearted charm, Atherton's newest novel will enchant cozy mystery aficionados and the many loyal readers of the Aunt Dimity series.

Attention, collectors: Whenever Nancy signs books, she has a pink bunny-head stamp for the title page. However, as a special bonus to those fans who ATTEND THE SIGNING, she'll also stamp the last page with a pink bunny butt. You can ONLY get the bunny-butt stamp if you attend the event. (As always, the new book must be purchased from Murder By The Book to be signed. Details at store.)

Signing after that:
Lillian Stewart Carl, Peter May, Reed Farrel Coleman, Cara Black, John Banville / Benjamin Black, Louise Penny, Barbara Colley, Mark Schweizer, Lisa Lutz, Andrew Gross, Charlie Stella, Randy Wayne White, James O. Born, Ridley Pearson (tentative), Jim Butcher, Ace Atkins, Jesse Kellerman, Anne Perry, Jane Cleland, Jordan Dane, Jennifer Chiaverini, Harlan Coben, Susan Wittig Albert, Dan Fesperman, Peter Lovesey, Charlaine Harris, Raymond Benson, Ben Rehder, C. J. Box, Craig Johnson, Robert B. Parker, Jeff Abbott, Meg Gardiner, Don Winslow, Victor Gischler, Anthony Neil Smith, Jonathan Santlofer, Tana French. And many more to come!

If you can’t make it to the signing, you can order signed/inscribed copies at the store, or by phone or e-mail.

For a complete list of upcoming signings, along with a description of the books the authors will be signing/discussing, please visit our Signings Page here.

Have you missed any of our events, but still need signed copies? Please e-mail or visit our Signed Books page here.

Thank you for supporting Murder By The Book signing events!
Murder By The Book is proud to have more mystery/suspense/thriller signings than any other store in Texas.

Murder By The Book also offers...

Used books -- Is there anything you're looking for that may be out-of-print, or maybe cheap, used paperbacks, or even first edition collectible books? We have thousands of previously-read paperbacks & hardbacks. Feel free to e-mail want lists!

Monthly book discussion group -- Join us on Wednesday, February 27, 7:00 p.m., as we discuss two mysteries set in the 1930s: Pardonable Lies (by Jaqueline Winspear) and Cocaine Blues (by Kerry Greenwood). Go here to find out more about our book group, including forthcoming selections.

Order any book! -- Yes, our focus is on mystery, detective, and thriller fiction -- and we offer the best selection in Houston! -- however, we can also special-order any book that's in print and have it in within a week or so (in most cases). Prepayment may be required for non-mystery items. Please inquire at the store for more information.

To all of our wonderful customers, a big, BIG thank you for supporting our store!!

Mystery conventions...
Left Coast Crime -- March 6-9 (Denver, CO) Stephen White, Elaine Viets, Parnell Hall, Joanne Pence, and more!
NoirCon -- April 3-6 (Philadelphia, PA) 2008 Edgar Award nominees Ken Bruen, Megan Abbott, Reed Farrel Coleman, Vicki Hendricks, and more!
Malice Domestic -- April 25-27 (Washington, DC) Lindsey Davis, Charlaine Harris, Peter Lovesey, and more!
Crimefest -- June 5-8 (Bristol, UK) Lee Child, Karin Fossum, Ian Rankin, Natasha Cooper, and more!
Bouchercon -- Oct. 9-12 (Baltimore, MD) Laura Lippman, Lawrence Block, John Harvey, Mark Billingham, and more!

Other helpful links...
2008 Edgar Award nominations
Murder By The Book's best-sellers
Busted Flush Press

Thank you for supporting local businesses and your favorite mystery booksellers!

David Thompson, publicity manager
Murder By The Book
Winner of the 2004 Raven Award from the Mystery Writers of America!
Winner of Houston Press’s 2006 Best of Houston, Best Bookstore!
Nominated for Publishers Weekly's Bookseller of the Year, 2007 & 2008!
2342 Bissonnet St., Houston, TX 77005
(713) 524-8597 / (888) 4-AGATHA
www.murderbooks.com
order@murderbooks.com

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Our address: 2342 Bissonnet
Houston, Texas 77005

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Murder By The Book's e-mail newsletter (02/16/08)