Forthcoming Books from Penguin Random House (Incl Century)

January 

The Woman on the Ledge is by Ruth Mancini. A woman falls to her death from a London bank's twenty-fifth-floor roof terrace. You're arrested for her murder. You tell the police that you only met the victim the previous night at your office party. She was threatening to jump from the roof, but you talked her down. You've got nothing to do with tragedy. You're clearly being framed. So why do the police keep picking holes in your story? Even your lawyer doesn't seem to believe you. It soon becomes obvious that you're keeping secrets. But who are you trying to protect? And why?

One happy couple. Two divided families. A wedding party to die for. On the private island of Castle Fiore - surrounded by the glittering waters of Lake Garda - the illustrious Heywood family gathers begrudgingly for their son Laurence's wedding to Italian influencer Eva Bianchi. But as the ceremony begins, a blood-curdling scream brings the proceedings to a devastating halt. With the wedding guests trapped as they await the police, old secrets come to light and family rivalries threaten to bubble over. Everyone is desperate to know...Who is the killer? Murder on Lake Garda is by Tom Hindle.

Holmes, Marple and Poe is by James Patterson & Brian Sitts. Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple and Auguste Poe run the most in-demand private investigation agency in New York City. The three detectives make a formidable team, solving a series of seemingly impossible crimes - from a priceless art theft and a decades-old unsolved murder, to mysterious disappearances that expose corruption and bribery at the highest levels of power. But it's not long before their headline-grabbing breakthroughs, unconventional methods - and untraceable pasts - attract the attention of the NYPD and the FBI. After all, it's no surprise that there's a mystery or two to unravel in the city that never sleeps . . . not least, who really are Holmes, Margaret and Poe?

February 2024

The List of Suspicious Things is by Jennie Godfrey. Yorkshire, 1979. Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family down South. Because of the murders. Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn't an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv's mum stopped talking. Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all? So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don't. But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families - and between each other - than they ever thought possible. What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?

The 24th Hour is by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. Trouble is never far away . . . The Women’s Murder Club is out celebrating an engagement at San Francisco’s finest restaurant when a blood-curdling scream interrupts the festivities. They soon discover a young woman who has been the victim of a violent assault. Sergeant Lindsay Boxer makes an arrest. Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano takes the case. But assigning blame is made impossible due to the victim’s chaotic version of events – and the shocking reason behind her ever-changing memory. As Yuki argues the toughest case of her career, Lindsay must chase down a high-society killer whose target practice may leave the Women’s Murder Club short a bridesmaid . . . or two.

Nicole Oruwari has the perfect life: a handsome husband, a palatial house in the heart of Lagos and a glamorous group of friends. She left London and a troubled family past behind to become part of a community of expat wives. But when Nicole disappears without a trace after a boat trip, the cracks in her so-called perfect life start to show. As the investigation turns up nothing but dead ends, her aunt Claudine flies to Nigeria to take matters into her own hands. As she digs into her niece's life, she uncovers a hidden truth. But the more she finds out about Nicole, the more Claudine's own buried history threatens to come to light. The Lagos Wife is by Vanessa Walters.

The Ghost Orchid is by Jonathan Kellerman. Some secrets are worth killing for. In an upscale Bel Air property, two lovers are found dead in a swimming pool. The man is the playboy heir to a business empire, and the woman is his even wealthier married neighbour. An illicit affair is the perfect motive. But the house is untouched - no forced entry, no forensic evidence - and so LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis and asks psychologist Alex Delaware to help unpick the case. It quickly becomes clear that both victims had troubled pasts. Now Alex and Milo must confront LA's darkest side as they unravel a trail of deadly secrets . . .

How do you catch a killer who leaves no trace? In New York City, a sniper dubbed 'The Longshot Killer' is taking out impossible targets. Nothing links the victims - except the brutal circumstances of their deaths. Detective Michael Bennett quickly develops a profile of the killer. Great with a gun. Probably ex-military. A profile that his new partner, Rob Trilling, fits to a terrifying degree. With Trilling taking ever more suspicious absences from duty, Bennett must find out the truth - before the Longshot Killer strikes again. Crosshairs is by James Patterson and James O Born.

March 2024

Prima Facie is by Suzie Miller. ‘This is not life. This is law.’ Tessa Ensler is a brilliant barrister who's forged her career in criminal defence through sheer determination. Since her days at Cambridge, she’s carefully disguised her working class roots in a male-dominated world where who you know is just as important as what you know. Driven by her belief in the right to a fair trial and a taste for victory, there’s nothing Tessa loves more than the thrill of getting her clients acquitted. It seems like Tessa has it made when she is approached for a new job and nominated for the most prestigious award in her field. But when a date with a charismatic colleague goes horribly wrong, Tessa finds that the rules she’s always played by might not protect her, forcing her to question everything she's ever believed in.

A remote tropical island. Countless dangerous secrets. No way to call help. Missing persons specialist Frankie Elkin is on an isolated island off the coast of Hawaii. Her mission: to find Lani, the missing sister of a Death Row serial killer known as the Beautiful Butcher who is awaiting execution in just three weeks’ time. According to the Beautiful Butcher’s sources, Lani is being held captive by her millionaire ex-boyfriend on the island. The only way to gain access is for Frankie to go undercover. But can Frankie really trust the word of a serial killer? Plus, this island is no paradise with deadly creatures and suspicious co-workers at every turn, and an incoming tropical storm about to cut her off from the outside world. Could this be Frankie Elkin’s most dangerous case yet? Still See You Everywhere is by Lisa Gardner.

No1 Lawyer is by James Patterson and Nancy Allen. Stafford Lee Penney is the best defence lawyer in Mississippi - he's never lost a case. Until now. Hot on the heels of his latest courtroom victory, his wife is brutally murdered. Devastated, Stafford Lee spirals into a losing streak that forces him to abandon his once brilliant career. But his wife's killer is still on the loose and they seem determined to frame Stafford Lee for their crimes. Rising from rock bottom, he makes a bold return to court - to defend himself in the biggest murder trial this town has ever seen. Stafford Lee must crack the toughest case of his career. And this time, it's personal.

April 2024

A Beginner's Fuide to Breaking and Entering is by Andrew Hunter-Murray. Property might be theft. But the housing market is murder. My name is Al. I live in wealthy people's second homes while their real owners are away. I don't rob them, I don't damage anything... I'm more an unofficial house-sitter than an actual criminal. Life is good. Or it was - until last night, when my friends and I broke into the wrong place, on the wrong day, and someone wound up dead. And now... now we’re in a great deal of trouble. Featuring crooked houses, dodgy coppers and a lot of lockpicking, A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering is a gripping thriller about what it's like to be young, skilled, unemployed - and on the run.

Richmond, London. Six attractive houses are tucked away in an exclusive and very upmarket gated community: Riverside Close. Surrounded by flowers and shrubbery, they're sealed off from the busy main road and the realities of urban life. At weekends, with the gate locked, the residents enjoy the sound of birdsong, the whirr of mowers, the occasional snatch of opera through an open window. Everyone knows each other. Everyone gets on. That is, until the Kenworthies arrive. With their four big gas-guzzling cars, their noisy children and their plans to build a swimming pool in their garden, they quickly offend every one of their neighbours. When Charles Kenworthy is found dead on his porch, the bolt of a crossbow through his chest, Daniel Hawthorne is called in. But how do you solve a murder when everyone has the same motive? Close to Death is by Anthony Horowitz.

Private Monaco is by James Patterson and Adam Hamdy. The clock is ticking. To save her life you must take another. When Jack Morgan is invited to the luxurious Monaco coast to set up a new Private office, it seems like the perfect opportunity to relax in an iconic destination. But the vacation is quickly cut short when Jack's partner Justine is abducted. The kidnappers send Jack clear instructions - and a gun. If he wants to see the woman he loves again, he must take a life in exchange for hers. Jack soon becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy that will come to a head at the Monaco Grand Prix. Hours from disaster, Jack must find Justine and her kidnappers - and put a stop to whatever they have planned next.

May 2024

London, 1833. Doctress Hester Reeves has been offered a life-changing commission. But it comes at a price. She must leave behind her husband and their canal-side home in Kings Cross and move to Tall Trees – a dark and foreboding house in Fitzrovia. If Hester can cure the ailing health of its owner, Gervaise Cherville, she will receive payment that will bring her everything she could dream of. But on arriving at Tall Trees, Hester quickly discovers that an even bigger task awaits her. Now she must unearth secrets that have lain hidden for decades – including one that will leave Hester’s own life forever changed…House of Shades is by Lianne Dillsworth.

'Where is Greg Downing?' Sports Agent Myron Bolitar is in his new office on the top of a skyscraper in New York when two FBI agents ask him this very question. The man they refer to is a top basketball player and Myron's former client and old rival. Greg's DNA, they tell him, has been found at the scene of a high-profile double-murder, and he is now their main suspect. It can't be Greg, Myron tells the two agents: the reason he is Myron's 'former' client is because Greg is dead. He died three years ago of a heart attack. Myron went to his funeral and gave the eulogy. So how can a man who's already dead be wanted for murder? But the closer Myron and his sidekick Win get to the truth about Greg Downing, the more dangerous their world becomes. Secrets, lies, and a murderous conspiracy lie at the heart of Think Twice by Harlan Coben.

June 2024

The Switch is by Lily Samson. Two couples. Elena and Adam are housesitting in Wimbledon and are instantly seduced by their new upscale surroundings. Sophia and Finn are their beautiful, enigmatic neighbours who invite them into their world. One twisted game. When Sophia proposes a wicked game to Elena whereby they will swap partners in secret, it's not long before Elena starts to experience a sexual awakening that blossoms into an illicit love affair. But Sophia's plans are far more complex and dangerous than Elena could ever have imagined.. Who will survive.

When coroner-turned-private investigator Clay Edison is approached to work on a fraud case, he uncovers more than he bargained before: a decades-old scheme targeting the vulnerable. His investigation leads him to a strange town in the remote California wilderness where the residents don't care much for outsiders. They certainly don't like Clay asking questions. And they'll do just about anything to keep him quiet. . .The Lost Coast is by Jonathan and Jessie Kellerman.

The Suspect is b Rob Rinder. When the UK's favourite breakfast TV presenter dies live on air in front of millions of viewers, the nation is left devastated.  More devastated still when it becomes clear that her death was not an accident. The evidence points to one culprit: celebrity chef Sebastian Brooks. But junior barrister Adam Green is about to discover that the case is not as open-and-shut as it first seemed. And although her angelic persona would suggest otherwise, she was not short of enemies in the glittery TV world . . . Can Adam uncover the truth?

Striving for Verisimilitude by James Woolf

Achieving verisimilitude in your work is the Holy Grail for Crime and Thriller writers, because as soon as the reader gets a whiff that something doesn’t stack up, doubt will begin spreading like Covid 19 on a cruise ship. 

I first became aware of the effort that some writers put in behind the scenes to achieve verisimilitude when studying Wuthering Heights for A Level. I came across a small book which told me that almost every event in the novel’s thirty-one-year timeline could be precisely dated, or at least placed within a small window of time, even though relatively few dates are mentioned. The book printed a chronology, not dissimilar to the one shown here. I was fascinated by the idea of Emily Bronte working obsessively on these details, perhaps before she even began drafting the story in her tiny handwriting. It also intrigued me that she set her book some half a century before she was born. Was she seeking greater clarity or objectivity by doing so?

When writing my debut novel, Indefensible, I also used a table document, which in this case ran to forty-five pages. My chronology sets out (in columns headed with character names) the key points in their lives, and which chapter, if any, these events appear in. My novel is also set in the past, and my chronology contains a column for news events that were talking points at the time, such as the collapse of Barings bank or the declaration by Jonathan Aitken that he will “fight the cancer of twisted journalism with the simple sword of truth”. In Indefensible, every news event referred to is precisely dated within the narrative.

I went a good deal further than chronology, however. Indefensible follows a barrister, Daniel, who defends a man charged with a grisly murder at the Old Bailey and then becomes too close to his ex-client afterwards. With their permission, I included two clerks as characters in the novel, both with their real names and acting as they would have done in their professional lives almost thirty years ago. Bill Conner was the right-hand man to the legendary barrister, George Carman QC, who successfully defended Jeremy Thorpe in his attempted murder trial. Carman is also a minor character in my book. Bill was able to provide many details about his former head of chambers, such as his close attention to the earnings of other barristers in the same set, as each barrister paid a percentage of these towards running costs. As the highest earner of them all, Carman was naturally hit with the biggest deduction – something he was never happy about.

As well as people, I tried to ensure the authenticity of all locations in the book. I even included a flat I once shared with my brother in Hackney as the site of a murder. The property is arguably identifiable, so someone may get a surprise when reading! I was very keen not to trip up on forensic matters too. My novel opens with a report that a man’s head was seen being thrown into the River Thames. Eventually, when the head surfaces, a murder investigation begins. When researching the book, I spoke to David Tadd, a forensic expert whose team worked on many high-profile cases, including identifying the Grand Hotel bomber of 1984. David offered great advice about the state of decapitated heads that have been floating in rivers for rather too long. 

Moving on to objects and day-to-day clutter, I am not gifted with a great visual memory, but wanted to ensure that the things my characters use are not described generically or seem anachronistic. My favourite example of my over-the-top attention to detail was when I researched a 1990’s handbag which is used by a court reporter who becomes involved with my protagonist. I found the perfect one on eBay and bought it for my partner. I’ve been trying to persuade her to use it at the book launch in February.

My final thought on achieving verisimilitude concerns theme. Having worked in the legal sector for over twenty years, including running the ethical hotline for barristers, you might say I turned my day job into a novel. As well as being a legal thriller, Indefensible is also a discussion about professional boundaries and what can happen when they break down. My main character, Daniel, recommends to another barrister that he should phone the Bar Council but at times in the story he should have done so himself. I like to think that had he spoken to me when I was working on the hotline, he would have received sound advice.

Indefensible by James Woolf (Bloodhound Books) Out Now.

A lawyer crosses a dangerous line with a former client and discovers that some decisions are indefensible…Daniel, a criminal barrister, is working all hours on a sensational trial, defending a client he believes is wrongfully accused of a grisly murder. Determined to keep Rod out of prison, he begins to neglect his wife—and soon suspects she’s having an affair. After Daniel triumphs in court, the bond with his newly acquitted client grows even stronger. And when Rod offers Daniel a favour that he really shouldn’t accept, things take a catastrophic turn. Daniel realises the lethal consequence of his actions and now his dream case threatens to become his worst nightmare…

James Woolf can be found on X @WoolfJames

CWA Announce Double Diamond Dagger Winners

 

Lynda La Plante and James Lee Burke honoured 

with highest accolade in crime writing

For the first time in its 70-year history, the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) is awarding two authors its annual Diamond Dagger.

Lynda La Plante and James Lee Burke are 2024’s recipients of the Diamond Dagger- the highest accolade in the genre.

The award recognises authors whose crime writing careers have been marked by sustained excellence, and who have made a significant contribution to the genre.

Vaseem Khan, Chair of the CWA, said: “The Diamond Dagger judges almost came to blows this year and for good reason. Ultimately, they have chosen to recognise two incredible bodies of work that have each, in their own way, made their mark.”

Lynda La Plante CBE began her career as an actor in TV and theatre. She graduated from RADA, where her fellow students included Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt.

La Plante wrote her first treatment for TV, Widows, which went on to become one of the highest rating series in the 1980s. She became a sought-after crime writer, with her debut novel, The Legacy, published in 1987.

In 1990, La Plante began work on Prime Suspect, which was released in 1991, starring Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison. In 1993, she received the Dennis Potter Award from BAFTA and was made a fellow of the British Film Institute. The success led to her forming her own television production company, La Plante Productions.

She also wrote and produced multiple shows in the US, with actors including Vanessa Redgrave, Sam Neill, and Rob Lowe. In 2014, she formed a new global rights and production company – La Plante Global. Her current book series features Detective Jack Warr. She received a CBE for services to Literature, Drama and Charity in 2008.

Vaseem Khan said: “Lynda La Plante's Prime Suspect redefined the role of women in police procedurals and made a star of Helen Mirren, while Widows remains a talismanic - and wickedly entertaining - female-led heist caper.”

Lynda La Plante said: “In 2024 I will publish both the final book in the young Tennison series, and a memoir detailing my long career as an actress, television producer and crime writer. To also be awarded the Diamond Dagger from the CWA makes 2024 even more special, and I look forward to thanking all those involved in person at the awards ceremony on July 4th.”

Born in Houston in 1936, James Lee Burke’s first novel was compared to the work of Faulkner and Sartre by the New York Times. Despite this, he was out of hardback print for 13 years until his third novel, The Lost Get-Back Boogie was published and submitted for a Pulitzer Prize, after being rejected over 111 times. Over the years, he’s taught at universities, worked as a case worker with former felons, as a pipeliner for an oil company, a long-distance truck driver, and a newspaper reporter.

James Lee Burke has two Edgar Awards, a Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America, and has been a Guggenheim Fellow. 

Vaseem Khan said: “James Lee Burke's lyrical depiction of the American South transcends crime fiction - his prose is often considered among the best to have graced the genre. For many, Dave Robicheaux is the very embodiment of the dogged, morally incorruptible detective beset by personal demons - a beautifully rendered character.”

James Lee Burke said: “I wish to thank the judges of the Diamond Dagger committee for honouring me with such a prestigious award. I'm honoured and humbled to receive it. It is also an honour to have my name among the best mystery and crime writers in the world. I cannot thank you enough.”

Nominations for the CWA Diamond Dagger are recommended by CWA members. Industry experts then narrow these down to a shortlist.  

The winner is then voted for by a panel of past Diamond Dagger winners comprising of Peter James, Walter Mosley, Lee Child, Lawrence Block, Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly, Lindsey Davis, Andrew Taylor, Martina Cole, Ann Cleeves, Val McDermid, Robert Goddard, Martin Edwards, Catherine Aird and Simon Brett.

Lynda La Plante and James Lee Burke join icons of the genre who have been recognised with the accolade, including Ruth Rendell, PD James, Colin Dexter, Reginald Hill, and John Le Carré.

Maxim Jakubowski, Chair of the CWA Daggers’ committee, said: “By an extraordinary quirk of fate, due to our new voting process, this year's Diamond Dagger is, for the first time in seven decades, being awarded to two authors. If the Booker Prize can do it, so can we! Both such wonderful and deserving writers who, between them, demonstrate the marvellous diversity of crime writing.”

One of the UK’s most prominent societies, the CWA was founded in 1953 by John Creasey; the awards started in 1955 with its first award going to Winston Graham, best known for Poldark.

The CWA Daggers are now regarded by the publishing world as the foremost British awards for crime-writing. As the oldest awards in the genre, they have been synonymous with quality crime writing for over half a century.

The Diamond Dagger is presented at the annual CWA Dagger Awards, dubbed the ‘Oscars of the crime genre,’ which take place this year on July 4.

 

2024 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominations

 

Mystery Writers of America have announced the nominees for the 2024 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, nonfiction and television published or produced in 2023. The 78th Annual Edgar® Awards will be presented on May 1, 2024, at the New York Marriott Marquis Times Square.

BEST NOVEL

Flags on the Bayou by James Lee Burke (Grove Atlantic – Atlantic Monthly Press)

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby (Flatiron Books)

The Madwomen of Paris by Jennifer Cody Epstein (Penguin Random House – Ballantine Books)

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll (Simon & Schuster – Simon Element – Marysue Rucci Books)

An Honest Man by Michael Koryta (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company – Mulholland Books)

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger (Simon & Schuster – Atria Books)

Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead (Penguin Random House – Doubleday)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR

The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry (Simon & Schuster – Atria Books)

The Golden Gate by Amy Chua (Macmillan Publishing – Minotaur Books)

Small Town Sins by Ken Jaworowski (Macmillan Publishing – Henry Holt and Co.)

The Last Russian Doll by Kristen Loesch (Penguin Random House – Berkley)

Murder by Degrees by Ritu Mukerji (Simon & Schuster)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL

Boomtown by A.F. Carter (Penzler Publishers - Mysterious Press)

Hide by Tracy Clark (Amazon Publishing – Thomas & Mercer)

The Taken Ones by Jess Lourey (Amazon Publishing – Thomas & Mercer)

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto (Penguin Random House - Berkley)

Lowdown Road by Scott Von Doviak (Hard Case Crime)

BEST FACT CRIME

In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child by Kim Cross (Hachette Book Group – Grand Central Publishing)

Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall by Zeke Faux (Penguin Random House – Crown Currency)

Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders by John Glatt (Macmillan Publishers – St. Martin’s Press)

Crooked: The Roaring '20s Tale of a Corrupt Attorney General, a Crusading Senator, and the Birth of the American Political Scandal by Nathan Masters (Hachette Book Group Hachette Books)

I Know Who You Are: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever by Barbara Rae-Venter (Penguin Random House Ballantine Books)

The Lost Sons of Omaha: Two Young Men in an American Tragedy by Joe Sexton (Simon & Schuster – Scribner)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL

Perplexing Plots: Popular Storytelling and the Poetics of Murder by David Bordwell (Columbia University Press)

Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction by Max Allan Collins & James L. Traylor (Penzler Publishers – Mysterious Press)

A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak (Macmillan Publishing - St. Martin's Press)

Fallen Angel: The Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Robert Morgan (LSU Press)

Love Me Fierce in Danger - The Life of James Ellroy by Steven Powell (Bloomsbury Publishing - Bloomsbury Academic)

BEST SHORT STORY

"Hallowed Ground," by Linda Castillo (Macmillan Publishers – Minotaur Books)

"Thriller," Thriller by Heather Graham (Blackstone Publishing)

"Miss Direction," Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September-October 2023 by Rob Osler (Dell Magazines)

“The Rise," Amazon Original Stories by Ian Rankin (Amazon Publishing)

“Pigeon Tony’s Last Stand," Amazon Original Stories by Lisa Scottoline (Amazon Publishing)

BEST JUVENILE

Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Hachette Book Group – Workman Publishing – Algonquin Young Readers)

The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto by Adrianna Cuevas (Macmillan Publishers – Farrar, Straus and Giroux BFYR)

Epic Ellisons: Cosmos Camp by Lamar Giles (HarperCollins Publishers – Versify)

The Jules Verne Prophecy by Larry Schwarz & Iva-Marie Palmer (Hachette Book Group Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski (HarperCollins Publishers – Quill Tree Books)

BEST YOUNG ADULT

Girl Forgotten by April Henry (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

Star Splitter by Matthew J. Kirby (Penguin Young Readers – Dutton Books for Young Readers)

The Sharp Edge of Silence by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum (HarperCollins Publishers – Quill Tree Books)

My Flawless Life by Yvonne Woon (HarperCollins Publishers – Katherine Tegen Books)

Just Do This One Thing for Me by Laura Zimmerman (Penguin Young Readers – Dutton Books for Young Readers)

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY

“Time of the Monkey" – Poker Face, Written by Wyatt Cain & Charlie Peppers (Peacock)

“I’m a Pretty Observant Guy” – Will Trent, Written by Liz Heldens (ABC)

“Dead Man’s Hand" – Poker Face, Written by Rian Johnson (Peacock)

“Hózhó Náhásdlii (Beauty is Restore)" – Dark Winds, Written by Graham Roland & John Wirth (AMC)

“Escape from Shit Mountain" – Poker Face, Written by Nora Zuckerman & Lilla Zuckerman (Peacock)

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD – Endowed by the family of Robert L. Fish.

"Errand for a Neighbor," Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, January-February 2023 by Bill Bassman (Dell Magazines)

"The Body in Cell Two,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May-June 2023 by Kate Hohl (Dell Magazines)

“The Soiled Dove of Shallow Hollow,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, January-February 2023 by Sean McCluskey (Dell Magazines)

“It’s Half Your Fault,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, July-August 2023 by Meghan Leigh Paulk (Dell Magazines)

“Two Hours West of Nothing,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September-October 2023 by Gabriela Stiteler (Dell Magazines) 

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD Presented on behalf of Simon & Schuster.

Play the Fool by Lina Chern (Penguin Random House – Bantam)

The Bones of the Story by Carol Goodman (HarperCollins Publishers – William Morrow)

Of Manners and Murder by Anastasia Hastings (Macmillan Publishers – Minotaur Books)

The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard by Kate Robards (Crooked Lane Books)

Murder in Postscript by Mary Winters (Penguin Random House – Berkley)

THE G.P. PUTNAM’S SONS SUE GRAFTON MEMORIAL AWARD Presented on behalf of G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Hard Rain by Samantha Jayne Allen (Macmillan Publishers – Minotaur Books)

An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo (Macmillan Publishers – Minotaur Books)

Bad, Bad Seymour Brown by Susan Isaacs (Grove Atlantic – Atlantic Monthly Press)

Past Lying by Val McDermid (Grove Atlantic – Atlantic Monthly Press)

A Stolen Child by Sarah Stewart Taylor (Macmillan Publishers – Minotaur Books)

THE LILIAN JACKSON BRAUN MEMORIAL AWARD Endowed by the estate of Lilian Jackson Braun.

Glory Be by Danielle Arceneaux (Pegasus Books – Pegasus Crime)

Misfortune Cookie by Vivien Chien (Macmillan – St. Martin’s Paperbacks)

Hot Pot Murder by Jennifer J. Chow (Penguin Random House – Berkley)

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom by Patricia Johns (Crooked Lane Books)

The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell (Crooked Lane Books)

Left Coast Crime "Lefty Award 2024" Award Nominations

 

Left Coast Crime 2024 will be presenting four Lefty Awards at our 34th annual convention, to be held this April in Bellevue, Washington: Humorous, Historical, Debut, and Best. The awards will be voted on at the convention and presented at a banquet on Saturday, April 13, at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue. 

The Lefty nominees have been selected by convention registrants, and LCC is delighted to announce the 2024 Lefty Award nominees for books published in 2023:

Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel. The nominees are:

Hot Pot Murder by Jennifer J. Chow (Berkley Prime Crime)

The Great Gimmelmans by Lee Matthew Goldberg (Level Best Books)

A Sense for Murder by Leslie Karst (Severn House)

Hop Scot by Catriona McPherson  (Severn House)

Dying for a Decoration by Cindy Sample (Cindy Sample Books)

Cheap Trills by Wendall Thomas (‎Beyond the Page Books)

Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel for books set before 1970 (The Bill Gottfried Memorial). The nominees are:

Night Flight to Paris by Cara Black (Soho Crime)

The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos (Minotaur Books)

Death Among the Ruins by Susanna Calkins (Severn House)

A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder by Dianne Freeman (Kensington)

Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head (Dutton)

Evergreen by Naomi Hirahara (Soho Crime)

Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel. The nominees are:

Play the Fool by Lina Chern (Bantam)

Scorched Grace  by Margot Douaihy (Gillian Flynn Books)

Dutch Threat by Josh Pachter (Genius Book Publishing)

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes  (Dutton)

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon (William Morrow)

Lefty for Best Mystery Novel (not in other categories). The nominees are:

Hide by Tracy Clark, (Thomas & Mercer)

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby (Flatiron Books)

Odyssey’s End by Matt Coyle (Oceanview Publishing)

Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper (Mulholland Books)

Face of Greed by James L’Etoile (Oceanview Publishing)

The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian (Minotaur Books)

The Left Coast Crime Convention is an annual event sponsored by mystery fans, both readers and authors. Held in the western half of North America, LCC’s intent is to host an event where readers, authors, critics, librarians, publishers, and other fans can gather in convivial surroundings to pursue their mutual interests. Lefty Awards have been given since 1996.

In 2020, Left Coast Crime received the Raven Award from Mystery Writers of America, for “outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing.”

The 34th annual Left Coast Crime Convention will take place in Bellevue, Washington, April 11-14, 2024. This year’s Guests of Honor are authors Megan Abbott and Robert Dugoni. Fran Fuller is the Fan Guest of Honor, and author Wanda Morris will serve as Toastmaster.

The Spy Coast Q & A with Tess Gerritsen

Introduction

Tess Gerritsen is a best selling international author of over 30 novels. Her series of novels featuring the homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the hit TNT television series "Rizzoli & Isles,". The Martini Club series has been optoned for a television series by Amazon Studio. Tess Gerristen has won the Nero Wolfe Award for her novel Vanish and the Rita Award for The Surgeon. 

Ayo:- The Spy Coast sees you venturing out from a traditional mystery into the world of spy thrillers.  What made you want to want to change tack and venture into the world of spies?

Tess:- I was inspired by a peculiar feature of the small Maine town where I live. Soon after moving here, 33 years ago, I discovered this town seems to be a haven for retired CIA agents. My husband, who was starting a medical practice, had a number of patients who "used to work for the government" but couldn't talk about it. A real estate agent later told us, "oh, they're all retired spies." I wondered what, exactly, spies do in their retirement. After interesting lives abroad, do they have book groups? Cocktail parties? Do they get bored? And that's how the character of Maggie Bird, the heroine of Spy Coast, popped into my head. She's in her 60s, and she left the CIA after her last operation went terribly wrong. Now she's trying to remake herself as a chicken farmer, but that last operation has come back to haunt her. And she has to call on her friends -- also retired spies -- to help her

Ayo:- What are the most important thing readers should know about Spy Coast?

Tess:- It's also about how older people become invisible and undervalued. Maggie and her gang still have their skills, but because of their gray hair, they're overlooked by younger people. I've found that myself as I get older. As Maggie says, "There's no better disguise than gray hair," because you can move through the world unnoticed. We see that conflict between young and old in Spy Coast, in the way Maggie spars with Jo Thibodeau, the young policewoman in town, who's baffled by these older people and their ability to outthink her at every step of the way. 

Ayo:- How important is setting and place in your books? What made you decide on Maine?

Tess:- The Maine setting is key to this story because this state truly is a haven for ex-spies. It's also where I live, so I'm writing about my own backyard. It's a place of harsh weather and beautiful scenery and small towns, and the setting adds to the atmosphere of isolation.

Ayo:- Diana Ward and Maggie Bird are both spies, but they are also two different people. Can you explain the differences between the two of them?

Tess:- Maggie Bird is a woman with a conscience, a woman for whom there are ethical lines she won't cross. Yes, she's good at her job and she wants to accomplish the mission, but she sometimes has moral qualms about what that mission requires. Diana Ward is coldly efficient and good at what she does -- but she suffers no attacks of conscience about the harm she causes in achieving her goals. They both have the same goals -- Diana's just willing to do whatever it takes to get there. And, frankly, she's also a bit of a sociopath.

Ayo:- The Martini Club sounds fascinating a group of retired spies.  How important are they to the overall storyline?

Tess:- These are Maggie's friends, her tribe. She's known them for decades, since CIA training, and she trusts them. In the shadowy world of espionage, I wanted Maggie to have people she can depend on, and that's exactly what she does when her own life is in danger. They bring their special skills to the problem, and each contributes in his or her own way. And most important, I found them fun! They'd make great dining companions, and certainly great drinking companions.

Ayo:- In reading Spy Coast there is a certain element of antagonism between the Martini Club and Police Chief Jo Thibodeau. How would you describe the relationship between them?

Tess:- Wary, but eventually respectful. When Jo first meets Maggie, she sees a gray-haired woman in her 60s, and she makes assumptions. Just a granny, a chicken farmer, no one of particular consequence. But she soon discovers that secretive Maggie has a high-tech security system in her home, that she's strangely calm about the murdered body on her property, and that she has friends, also retirees, who seem to know their way around a crime scene. These "old" folks have skills that surprise Jo -- and make her wonder who they really are.

Maggie looks at Jo as an annoyance. She's dealing with deadly repercussions from her past as a spy, and this local policewoman keeps nosing around, probing into areas that Maggie needs to keep secret. So yes, there's antagonism at first -- until the two women learn they can trust each other.

Ayo:- How would you describe the two girls Callie and Bella?

Tess:- Callie is Maggie's neighbor, a 14-year-old home-schooled farm girl who lives with her grandfather, Luther. Against her will, Maggie has come to love this girl for her sweetness, her kindness, and her craving for a maternal figure. Maggie wants to protect her -- and in the end, is ready to sacrifice her own life for Callie's.

Bella, like Callie, is also a teenager, and a girl that Maggie comes to care about, but Bella comes with a dangerous complication. She's the daughter of Phillip Hardwicke, who is Maggie's target for investigation. In order to insinuate herself into Hardwicke's circle, Maggie has to befriend Bella, a move that leads to moral qualms for Maggie.

Ayo:- There is a lot of food in Spy Coast was this deliberate and are you a foodie?

Tess:- I'm definitely a foodie! My father owned a restaurant in San Diego, and I'm of Chinese heritage, so of course food is something I think about a lot! Also, my fictional Martini Club all worked abroad, so they have adventurous palates, something that's reflected in the dishes they bring to their book group potluck dinners.

Ayo:- How has the book been received locally? 

Tess:- People in Maine really embraced it, because they know it's about our state, and about some of their neighbors. It was a #1 bestseller here for several weeks. There's also a lot of wink-wink, nod-nod about the subject matter, because we know some of our neighbors are spies, and I've had a number of people come up and whisper stories about who did what, in which country. I recently saw one letter to the editor in our local paper, in reaction to my book, with the information that "the least accomplished spies retired to Bethesda, the middling spies retired to Florida, and the cream of the crop settled in Maine." 

Ayo:- Over the last couple of years there has been an increase in the number of books that feature older protagonists. These books have certainly been well received. Why do you think there have been an increase in these books? 

Tess:- Maybe because publishers have finally recognized there's a readership? I know that for decades, no one in Hollywood wanted to adapt any books with old characters for TV or film. I wrote a book years ago called Life Support, that featured several older characters, and one film agent told me, "there are too many old people in this." I think the hunger for these books has always been there, but the industry wasn't ready to embrace it. Hollywood has made us think that only the young and beautiful are interesting.

Ayo:- What next for the Martini Club and Police Chief Jo Thibodeau?

Tess:- I'm writing the sequel, called The Summer Guests. Jo and Maggie and her gang will be back, but this time the mystery is much closer to home, about events in Purity, Maine.

Ayo:- When you started writing Spy Coast did you already know which way it was going to go?

Tess:- No, I never do. I'm a seat-of-the-pants writer, and all I knew was that Maggie's a haunted woman, that something awful happened during her career and she's trying to forget it. And then a dead body ends up in her driveway, and she has to figure out what it means. That's all I knew!

Ayo:- How much research did you have to do for Spy Coast?

Tess:- I needed to know at least a minimum about the CIA and covert operations, and I approached it by reading memoirs of retired agents. I wanted to focus not so much on the tradecraft, but on the psychological and emotional challenges of being covert. We're so used to seeing spies as James Bond-type superheroes, but I wanted to look at them as human beings. How stressful is it to live a life when you can't tell the truth? What does it do to your friendships and your marriage? What if you have to do something you're morally opposed to? I also did research on the London laundromat, on Russian infiltration into the UK, etc.

Ayo:- Whilst you were writing Spy Coast and doing your research did you find out anything that you thought that if you included some of this in the story it would not be believed?

Tess:- I myself found it hard to believe how thoroughly Russian money has corrupted British society, and how many bankers have mysteriously "fallen" out of windows or "accidentally" ended up dead in suitcases. But this is straight from the news, so it would not be unfamiliar to readers. 

Ayo:- What is the best thing that you found whilst doing research?

Tess:- That so many spies do their job with dedication and true patriotism. They go unnoticed and unpraised, and they fade into retirement without others ever knowing the sacrifices they made. I came away from my research with new respect for them, and for their service.

Ayo:- Do you think you would have been able to be a spy?

Tess:- No. I'd be a terrible spy. I wouldn't be able to lie convincingly.

Ayo:- Have we seen the last of Rizzoli and Isles?

Tess:- I'm not sure. I do have a story in mind for them, but right now I'm having a great time writing about Maggie and her friends. 

Ayo:- You have also written standalone novels. If a suitable storyline come up, would you write more standalones?

Tess:- Absolutely. If an idea excites me, then that's what I want to write about. 

Ayo:- Do you have a fun part when it comes to writing?

Tess:- Writing is sometimes such hard work, and often so frustrating, that the fun part is writing "the end," hitting "send," and mixing myself a martini. But the most fun part, during the actual writing, is coming up with the premise. That's when I get to play with the story, before I actually have to sit down and struggle with the words.

Ayo:- You have written several different types of books. Is there any type of book that you haven’t written that you would like to?

Tess:- I think it would be fun to write a fantasy novel, but I don't think I'm clever enough!

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerristen (Transworld Publishers)

Maggie Bird is many things. A chicken farmer. A good neighbour. A seemingly average retiree living in the seaside town of Purity. She's also a darned good rifle shot. And she never talks about her past.But when an unidentified body is left on Maggie's driveway, she knows it's a calling card from old times. It's been fifteen years since the failed mission that ended her career as a spy, and cost her far more than her job. Step forward the 'Martini Club' - Maggie's silver-haired book group (to anyone who asks), and a cohort of former spies behind closed doors. With the help of her old friends - and always one step ahead of the persistent local cop - Maggie might still be able to save the life she's built.

More information about her work can be found on her website.

Mari Hannah on the importance of Libraries

My journey to publication is somewhat unusual. I have no degree. No MA in creative writing. No background in journalism as many writers do. In fact, the opposite is true. I’m from an army family. We were transient. My education suffered as a result. I had minimal access to books as a child.

Packing up and moving on every couple of years or so meant that books were low down the priority list for my parents who, every couple of years, had to box up our lives for pastures new. They were seen as luxuries, rather than staples, in our house. Dragged from location to location, I spent a lot of time on my own, lonely, and yet trying to make new friends. I had good teachers, but encouragement without consistency can only go so far.

If I was lucky enough to get hold of a book from the library, I used to devour it, losing myself in its pages. Later, I used my imagination to make up stories of my own. Books, whether borrowed or self-written, became my friends. My passion for writing grew from that feeling of isolation.

Several decades on, I’m still striving to improve the vocabulary that should have been there when I left school. It’s why I visit libraries often to share my work and engage with readers. One of the greatest compliments I was ever paid was from a man who’d never read a book until he was given one of mine. He’s now an avid reader.

During the last twelve years, I have met thousands of library users. Next month, I’ll celebrate the publication of my fifteenth title, The Longest Goodbye. This milestone would never have been possible without their support.

The Longest Goodbye by Mari Hannah (Orion Publishing) Out Now

Lies Cost Lives. Three years ago, police officer Georgina Ioannau was murdered, her killers never brought to justice. Now the prime suspects have been shot dead within hours of their return to the UK. Has someone finally taken the law into their own hands? Seeking out the truth will force Kate Daniels to confront her own past mistakes, and put her career, and her team's lives, on the line.

More information about Mari Hannah and her books can be found on her website. You can also find her on X @Mariwriter