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Death of a Green-Eyed Monster (A Hamish Macbeth Mystery #34)
By M. C. Beaton. 2022
Sergeant Hamish Macbeth—Scotland's most quick-witted but unambitious policeman—is back and may have finally met the woman of his dreams in…
this new mystery in M.C. Beaton's beloved, New York Times bestselling series.Hamish's new constable, Dorothy McIver, may be the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. Completely bewitched by her sparkling blue eyes, Hamish spends the summer traveling with her up and down Sutherland until finally, he can take it no longer. He gets down on one knee beside the Land Rover and begs her to marry him—and to his amazement and delight, she says yes.But just as the town of Lochdubh gets ready to celebrate, Hamish finds himself with a new murder on his hands. If he doesn't find the killer fast, Hamish's dream wedding could become a nightmare.The Fourth Rule
By Jeff Lindsay. 2023
The biggest heist. The most dangerous adversary. By the master of the genre. Oh, and explosions.The Cobra is a shadowy…
figure of international crime. And only one man can stop what's about to happen: Sly and sharp-witted Riley Wolfe, the ultimate thief, fresh off the toughest escape of his life and looking for something new.Lost Hours: A Mystery (Alaska Wild #5)
By Paige Shelton. 2023
Lost Hours is the fifth instalment in Paige Shelton's gripping, atmospheric Alaska Wild series.A year after arriving in Benedict, Beth…
Rivers is feeling very at home in Alaska, even as outsiders are starting to return to enjoy the brief summer perfection. Beth feels like she’s finally let go of most of her demons. She’s even found her father, Eddy Rivers—or, rather, he found her—and she's trying to find the middle ground between anger and forgiveness.One sunny July day, Beth boards a tourist ship to see the glaciers, the main reason visitors venture to the area, and something Beth hasn’t attempted until now. But when the captain has to navigate to an island, a bloodied woman is found standing on the shore, waving for help. When she’s brought aboard, she claims she was kidnapped from her home in Juneau three days earlier, and that a bear on the island killed her captor. She, however, is unharmed.The woman, Sadie, finds a sympathetic ear in Beth. She tells her that she’s been in Juneau under witness protection, and that the Juneau police don’t like her. When another kidnapping occurs, Beth and police chief Gril can’t help but think the two cases are interwoven, though the clues to solving them will be harder to unravel.A Willing Murder: A Medlar Mystery (A Medlar Mystery #1)
By Jude Deveraux. 2018
A story of old secrets, deadly grudges and an improbable group of friends who are determined to uncover the truth…
regardless of the consequences…Sara Medlar is a household name in romance, with millions of books sold. But lately, retirement has been boring her and she&’s found herself back in her hometown of Lachlan, Florida, remodeling the grand old mansion she admired as a child. It&’s much too big for her alone, but she&’d die before letting anyone in town know that.Then Sara&’s niece, Kate, is offered a job in Lachlan—a start in what could be a very successful career in real estate. She accepts immediately, but with so little saved up, she&’ll have to approach her estranged yet incredibly famous aunt for a place to stay while she gets herself settled. When she arrives at Sara&’s home, she finds she&’s not the only long-term houseguest. Jackson Wyatt already has his own room, and though it&’s impossible to deny his good looks and charm—he&’s clearly got her aunt wrapped around his finger—she&’s also never met anyone who irritates her quite like Jack does.However, when two skeletons are accidentally uncovered in the quiet town, this unlikely trio is suddenly thrust together by a common goal: solve a mystery everyone else seems eager to keep under wraps. United by a sense of justice and the desire to right old wrongs, Sara, Kate and Jack will have to dig into Lachlan&’s murky past to unravel the small town&’s dark secrets and work to bring the awful truth to light.A Medlar MysteryBook 1: A Willing MurderBook 2: A Justified MurderBook 3: A Forgotten MurderBook 4: A Relative MurderDon't miss New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux's next exciting new release, MY HEART WILL FIND YOU!J.R. Silver Writes Her World
By Melissa Dassori. 2022
J.R.&’s struggles to navigate the torments of middle school and her secret power to write wishes into existence in this magical…
story about finding your voice, perfect for fans of From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Sixth grade is off to a difficult start for Josephine Rose Silver. Her best friend, Violet, returns from camp with a new best friend; her parents refuse to grant her more independence; and her homeroom teacher, Ms. Kline, is full of secrets. When Ms. Kline unveils a collection of old Gothamite magazines and tells her students to build their writing skills by crafting short stories inspired by the iconic covers, J.R. discovers a peculiar power: The stories she writes come true. Soon J.R. is getting a cell phone, scoring game-winning goals, and triggering school cancellations. But it's not long before she realizes that each new story creates as many conflicts as it does solutions. And when J.R. tries to write about her fallout with Violet, all of her problems converge. With a pinch of magic, mystery, art history, and language arts woven into a journey of growth and self-confidence, this promising debut is a heartfelt and satisfying tribute to the power of words.Minerva Keen's Detective Club
By James Patterson, Keir Graff. 2023
Mystery, danger, intrigue—all in a day's work for MK's Detective Club! Don't miss the first book in this funny, smart,…
and action-packed new series from beloved #1 bestselling author James Patterson. Living in the luxurious Arcanum building—with its interior balconies perfect for playing tag, an elevator like an iron birdcage, and quirky neighbors behind every apartment door—has always been fun and games for twelve-year-old Minerva Keen … until her neighbors start getting poisoned. Anyone could be next, and everyone is a suspect, including Minerva herself. To clear her name and help the police crack the case, Minerva starts her own detective club. So what if it has only two other members, one being Minerva&’s accident-prone daredevil brother and the other being the biggest and quietest kid in school, who happens to be afraid of his own shadow? Minerva knows that with her brainpower, the club&’s sleuthing skills, and case files full of suspects, they can unmask the poisoner … hopefully before it&’s too late. This page-turning new mystery series is packed with thrills, chills, laughs, and unforgettable characters and will leave kids eager to join the best club around. Published in hardcover as Minerva Keen&’s Detective ClubLincoln Rhyme: A Mysterious Profile (Mysterious Profiles)
By Jeffery Deaver. 2009
The New York Times–bestselling author reflects on the life and career of his character, NYPD forensic scientist Lincoln Rhyme, in…
this short story.The line between the disabled and the non-disabled is shrinking. Computers, video cameras, high-definition monitors, biometric devices and voice recognition software have moved my life closer to that of somebody who’s fully able bodied, while the same technology is creating a more sedentary, house-bound life for those who have no disability whatsoever. From what I’ve read, I lead a more active life than a lot of people nowadays.Winner of multiple awards including the Edgar Grand Master, Jeffery Deaver presents a tale and a brief biography of the quadriplegic crime-scene expert who provides his services to the New York Police Department—as well as federal and international law enforcement—from his well-equipped home lab on Central Park West . . .“The master of ticking-bomb suspense.” —People“Rhyme is a great character.” —San Francisco Chronicle“The Lincoln Rhyme series is simply outstanding.” —San Jose Mercury News “[Rhyme] is among the most brilliant and vulnerable of crime fiction’s heroes.” —New York PostCharlie Parker: A Mysterious Profile (Mysterious Profiles #7)
By John Connolly. 2015
The New York Times–bestselling author tells the story behind private detective Charlie Parker, the haunted hero of John Connolly’s eerie…
supernatural crime thrillers.Recounting his days as a journalist for the Irish Times and the Dublin murder that led him to question the ways we think about perpetrators and victims; discussing his crime-fiction idols; and reflecting on empathy and evil, John Connolly offers a short work that lets us learn more about his character Charlie Parker—a former NYPD detective who loses everything and struggles to remain human in the aftermath—and about the writer himself.Acclaim for John Connolly and the Charlie Parker novels“One of the most darkly intriguing books this reviewer has encountered in more than three decades of reading crime fiction.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)“A supremely talented storyteller.” —Booklist“Mr. Connolly’s slam-bang thriller is studded with memorable characters and boasts cliffhangers within cliffhangers.” —The Wall Street Journal4 Bodies and a Funeral (Body Movers #4)
By Stephanie Bond. 2009
“Combines fast paced mystery with spicy romance . . . a captivating tale” from the author of 3 Men and a Body (A…
Romance Review).One cadaver, two cadaver, three cadaver, four . . . Ever had one of those days? A surprise visit from her father—who’s on the run from the law—has given Carlotta Wren a lot to think about. Should she join her former fiancé, Peter, in proving her father is innocent? If she does, are her body-moving days over?And then . . . A close friend’s behavior begins to spin out of control . . . The cops turn up the heat on her father’s case . . . Carlotta discovers that her brother Wesley’s gambling debts are child’s play compared to his new vice . . . And the Charmed Killer, a serial murderer, unleashes his wrath on Atlanta. Now the bodies are piling up—and Carlotta’s father is the number one suspect!“Nonstop action from the first page.” —Fresh Fiction“As funny and charming as its predecessors in the Body Movers series, this is a quickly paced, impeccably plotted story that’s guaranteed to please.” —Romantic TimesLook for all the books in Stephanie Bond’s Body Movers series:Party Crashers (prequel)Body Movers2 Bodies for the Price of 13 Men and a Body4 Bodies and a Funeral5 Bodies to Die For6 Killer Bodies6 1/2 Body Parts (novella)7 Brides for 7 Bodies8 Bodies Is Enough9 Bodies Rolling 10 Bodies Lying11 Bodies Moving On 12 Bodies and a WeddingBoneyard Ridge (The Gates #3)
By Paula Graves. 2014
Completing his latest assignment could impact investigator Hunter Bragg's future. But only if he can keep Susannah Marsh alive. All Hunter…
Bragg wanted in Purgatory, Tennessee, was a little peace of mind. A private investigator plagued by his own guilt, he never imagined his next job would resurrect old demons. Targeted by an anarchistic militia group, events planner Susannah Marsh is his next mission: keep her close keep her alive. But Susannah has a secret. A secret that will reveal the true motive of her potential assailants. For Hunter, being Susannah's protector soon becomes more than just a job. And in order to succeed, there can be no half measures. With undeniable attraction simmering between them, he's determined not to let the promise of a better future fall into the hands of ruthless predators.6 Killer Bodies (Body Movers #6)
By Stephanie Bond. 2009
The romantic mystery series continues as a debutante-turned-department store clerk investigates when a friend is accused of being a notorious…
killer.Carlotta Wren’s world is crumbling beneath her well-shod feet. One of her closest friends has been arrested as the Charmed Killer, but Carlotta refuses to believe it. And to prove her friend’s innocence, Carlotta goes against her boyfriend Peter’s wishes and resumes her after-hours body-moving duties.And then . . .Peter pressures her for an answer to his proposal . . .Her troubled brother Wesley goes missing . . .And the madman stalking the city strikes again, this time a little too close to home.But when Carlotta finds herself in the clutches of the Charmed Killer, is she destined for her own body bag?Praise for the Body Movers series“Charming . . . has all the ingredients for a chic sleuth-a-thon. . . . Bond keeps the pace frantic, the plot tight and the laughs light, and supplies a cliffhanger ending that’s a bargain at twice the price.” —Publishers Weekly on 2 Bodies for the Price of 1, Starred Review“Bond’s latest mystery brims with suspense while also offering a liberal peppering of wickedly funny dialogue and situations. . . . This standout is part of a terrific series librarians will want to have in full.” —Booklist on 5 Bodies to Die For, Starred ReviewAPB: Baby (The Precinct: Bachelors in Blue #1)
By Julie Miller. 2016
USA TODAY bestselling author Julie Miller's new series launches with a lawman and social worker who team up to safeguard…
a baby After a near-fatal shootout at his sister's wedding, third-generation lawman Niall Watson comes home to a baby in distress. The abandoned newborn in his neighbor's apartment sends the Kansas City PD criminologist into rescue mode once again. Social worker Lucy McKane will do whatever it takes to protect the infant boy entrusted to her care. The tall, sexy ME next door may be clueless about her feelings for him, but Niall's the only one who can keep them safe. As a vengeful killer targets them, desire draws Lucy and Niall dangerously closer. Together, can they find justice and safeguard their newly created family?Arrowood: Sherlock Holmes Has Met His Match (The Arrowood Mysteries #1)
By Mick Finlay. 2017
A detective tracks a vicious killer through the slums of Victorian London in this “fiercely edgy” mystery that adds grit…
to the world of Sherlock Holmes (Booklist).London, 1865. The city is terrified. A killer haunts the streets, crime bosses are taking control, and the police force is stretched to the breaking point. Those who have means turn to Sherlock Holmes, but the celebrated private detective rarely visits the streets of South London, where the crimes are sleazier and the people are poorer.In these precincts, victims turn to a man who despises Holmes and everything he represents: his wealthy clientele and his showy forensic approach to crime. Arrowood is a self-taught psychologist, occasional drunkard, and private investigator.When a man mysteriously disappears and Arrowood’s best lead is viciously stabbed before his eyes, he and his sidekick Barnett face their toughest quest yet: to capture the head of the most notorious gang in London . . .Miami Noir: The Classics (Akashic Noir #0)
By Les Standiford. 2020
The long-awaited sequel to 2006's best-selling Miami Noir highlights an outstanding tradition of legendary writers exploring the dark side of…
paradise. "The 19 stories featured in the superb Miami Noir: The Classics are solidly eUSA Noir: Best of the Akashic Noir Series (Akashic Noir #0)
By Megan Abbott, Lawrence Block, Tim Broderick, Joseph Bruchac, Jerome Charyn, Lee Child, Reed Farrel Coleman, Michael Connelly, Jeffery Deaver, Barbara DeMarco-Barret, Elyssa East, Maggie Estep, Jonathan Safran Foer, J. Malcolm Garcia, James W. Hall, Pete Hamill, Terrance Hayes, Karen Karbo, Bharti Kirchner, William Kent Krueger, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, Tim McLoughlin, Joyce Carol Oates, John O’Brien, Bayo Ojikutu, T. Jefferson Parker, George Pelecanos, Pir Rothenberg, S. J. Rozan, Lisa Sandlin, Julie Smith, Asali Solomon, Domenic Stansberry, Susan Straight, Luis Alberto Urrea, Don Winslow. 2013
"All the heavy hitters...came out for USA Noir...an important anthology of stories shrewdly culled by Johnny Temple."--New York Times Book…
Review (Editors' Choice)One of Zoom Street Magazine's Favorite Books of 2014Indie Books Roundup #1 Pick, Barnes & Noble Book BlogIncluded in Zoom Street Magazine's Summer Reading (Mysteries/Noir) RoundupOne of "100 Best Books for Readers Young and Old," HispanicBusiness.com"Readers will be hard put to find a better collection of short stories in any genre."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)"A must read for mystery fans, not just devotees of Akashic's 'Noir' series, this anthology serves as both an introduction for newcomers and a greatest-hits package for regular readers of the series... There isn’t a weak story in the collection...Strongly recommended for readers who enjoy mysteries published by Hard Case Crime, as well as for fans of police procedurals."--Library Journal (starred review)"The 37 stories in this collection represent the best of the U.S.-based anthologies, and the list of contributors include virtually anyone who’s made the best-seller list with a work of crime fiction in the last decade...a must-have anthology."--Booklist (starred review)"It's hard to imagine how the present anthology could be topped for sheer marquee appeal...Perhaps the single most impressive feature of the collection is its range of voices, from Joyce Carol Oates' faux innocent young family to Megan Abbott's impressionable high school kids to the chorus of peremptory voices S.J. Rozan plants in a haunted thief's head. Eat your heart out, Walt Whitman: These are the folks who hear America singing, and moaning and screaming."--Kirkus Reviews"A less enlightened Temple cover collection of crime and mystery stories could easily reduce itself to stereotypical cartoons about white detectives with a whiskey bottle and a gun in the drawer but Akashic's series takes itself very seriously in its mission to represent all aspects of a city’s dark side."--Kirkus Reviews, Feature Story/Interview with Johnny Temple"For those who prefer their crime closer to home, there is USA Noir, a veritable greatest hits of Akashic's long-running, acclaimed noir anthology series, rounding up solid gold blackness of the bleakest and darkest kind...Like Chuck Berry sang, 'Anything you want, we got right here in the USA.'"--Mystery Scene MagazineLaunched with the summer 2004 award-winning bestseller Brooklyn Noir, the groundbreaking Akashic Noir series now includes over sixty volumes and counting. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct location within the city of the book.Featuring stories by: Dennis Lehane, Don Winslow, Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, Susan Straight, Jonathan Safran Foer, Laura Lippman, Pete Hamill, Joyce Carol Oates, Lee Child, T. Jefferson Parker, Lawrence Block, Terrance Hayes, Jerome Charyn, Jeffery Deaver, Maggie Estep, Bayo Ojikutu, Tim McLoughlin, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Reed Farrel Coleman, Megan Abbott, Elyssa East, James W. Hall, J. Malcolm Garcia, Julie Smith, Joseph Bruchac, Pir Rothenberg, Luis Alberto Urrea, Domenic Stansberry, John O'Brien, S.J. Rozan, Asali Solomon, William Kent Krueger, Tim Broderick, Bharti Kirchner, Karen Karbo, and Lisa Sandlin.From the introduction by Johnny Temple:"From the start, the heart and soul of Akashic Books has been dark, provocative, well-crafted tales from the disenfranchised. I learned early on that writings from outside the mainstream almost necessarily coincide with a mood and spirit of noir, and are composed by authors whose life circumstances often place them in environs exposed to crime...This volume serves up a top-shelf selection of stories from the series set in the United States. USA Noir only scratches the surface, however, and every single volume has gems on offer."Palm Springs Noir (Akashic Noir #0)
By Barbara DeMarco-Barrett. 2021
Palm Springs now joins Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley in California’s Noir Series arena.…
"Contrary to popular belief, noir doesn’t require a bleak city street for its setting. NoCopenhagen Noir (Akashic Noir #0)
By Bo Tao Michaëlis. 2011
Scandinavian writing has been dominating the global crime fiction landscape, and this volume offers a delicious, devious sampling. "The latest…
entry in the publisher's series (41 and counting) proves the resilience of, and market for, these locale noirs. Editor Michaëlis, a Danish book critic, is both scholarly and insightful in the introduction and outlines how the stories reflect the greed and ennui of modern Denmark in contrast to the Danish idyll depicted in tourist brochures . . . Although some stories veer from noir orthodoxy, there are fine examples of lyrical writing, noir sensibilities, and insight into the current Danish psyche. Overall, a very impressive anthology." --Library Journal "The indefatigable noir series of anthologies (Orange County Noir, Trinidad Noir, Brooklyn Noir 3, etc.) focuses in its 43rd volume on the home of Hans Christian Andersen . . . Based on this collection, Copenhagen may be a great place to visit, but nobody seems to live there, at least not well or long." --Kirkus Reviews "Fans used to the watered-down noir now prevalent in America will notice immediately the much harder edge of these stories, which are much closer to the noir of the 1940s and '50s." --Booklist "[This] volume has grim, uncomfortable power." --Publishers Weekly Joining Rome, Paris, Istanbul, London, and Dublin as European hosts for the Akashic Noir series, Copenhagen Noir features brand-new stories from a top-notch crew of Danish writers, with several Swedish and Norwegian writers thrown into the mix. This volume definitively reveals why Scandinavian crime fiction has come to be so popular across the world. Includes brand-new stories by: Naja Marie Aidt, Jonas T. Bengtsson, Helle Helle, Christian Dorph and Simon Pasternak, Susanne Staun, Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis, Klaus Rifbjerg, Gretelise Holm, Georg Ursin, Kristian Lundberg, Kristina Stoltz, Seyit Öztürk, Benn Q. Holm, and Gunnar Staalesen. Bo Tao Michaëlis is a book critic and editor living in CopenhagenParis Noir: Akashic Noir Series (Akashic Noir #0)
By Cloé Mehdi, Karim Madani, Insa Sané, Christian Roux, Marc Villard, Jean-Pierre Rumeau, Timothée Demeillers, Rachid Santaki, Marc Fernandez, Guillaume Balsamo, Anne Secret, Anne-Sylvie Salzman, Patrick Pécherot. 2022
Following the success of Paris Noir, the Akashic Noir Series has expanded to include the famously diverse and sometimes controversial suburbs…
of this legendary city."A treasure chest of resources for any noir author seeking a more gruesome approach or a more relentless destruction of the soul. One might hope the real Paris suburbs are not so dark and blood drenched. But by the end of the collection, that hope seems almost foolish, and the body found on the quay seems to be the lucky guy in the story."—New York Journal of Books"The short stories center on the suburbs of Paris, fertile soil for all sorts of resentment and violence. . . .For lovers of crime noir short fiction, these are 12 stories of life lived in the raw."—Library Journal"Dark tales shine a bright light on some little-seen parts of greater Paris." —Kirkus Reviews"Paris’s suburbs—a mix of slums, posh neighborhoods, fading industrial centers, and the city’s notorious housing projects that lie out of the sight of most tourists—provide the setting for [these] 13 tales."—Publishers WeeklyFeaturing brand-new stories by: Cloé Mehdi, Karim Madani, Insa Sané, Christian Roux, Marc Villard, Jean-Pierre Rumeau, Timothée Demeillers, Rachid Santaki, Marc Fernandez, Guillaume Balsamo, Anne Secret, Anne-Sylvie Salzman, and Patrick Pécherot. (All stories were written in French and translated into English by Katie Shireen Assef, David Ball, Nicole Ball, and Paul Curtis Daw.)From the introduction by Hervé Delouche:The term Greater Paris is in vogue today, for it has an administrative cachet and seems to denote a simple extension of the capital—as if a ravenous Paris need only extend her web. However, it was not our goal to embrace the tenets of the metro area’s comprehensive plan, aka the Grand Projet, envisioned as a future El Dorado by the planners and developers. Rather, our aim was to depict the Parisian suburbs in all their plurality and diversity. Without pretending to encompass every spot on the map, we instead opted to give voice and exposure to the localities chosen by the writers who have been part of this adventure. Thus, we decided to adopt the word “suburbs”— in the plural, obviously, for the periphery of the capital is not a homogeneous bloc, nor is it reducible to a cliché like “the suburban ring” . . . Here are thirteen stories, decidedly noir, to be savored without sugar or sweetener.Montana Noir (Akashic Noir)
By David Abrams, Caroline Patterson, Eric Heidle, Janet Skeslien Charles, Sidner Larson, Yvonne Seng, James Grady, Jamie Ford, Carrie La Seur, Walter Kirn, Thomas McGuane, Gwen Florio, Debra Magpie Earling, Keir Graff. 2017
Eric Heidle's "Ace in the Hole" nominated for a 2018 Edgar Award for Best Short Story!A Parade magazine pick, included…
in "Books We Love" section"What could be a more unlikely breeding ground for noir fiction than Montana, whose wide-open landscapes seem the polar opposite of the mean streets of Los Angeles? Yet certain noir standbys prove both malleable and fertile in these 14 new stories...If Montana has a dark side, is anywhere safe from noir?"--Kirkus Reviews"Terrific...Montana Noir is one of the high points in Akashic's long-running and justly celebrated Noir series...Editors Grady and Graff's selections...are all sharply attuned to their settings and to the ways those varying landscapes reflect the darkness within the people who walk the streets or drive the country roads."--Booklist"14 stories set in Big Sky Country. Much like a travel map that divides Montana into regions, this volume is partitioned into four sections that reflect the geography of the state: Copper Power, The Hi-Line, Custer Country, and Rivers Run...Montana, and others live in the state; all the authors have strong emotional ties to the area's particular lifestyle. The editors tout this book as the first-ever anthology of Montana-set noir short stories. Fans of the genre and regional fiction will be intrigued."--Library Journal XPress Reviews"There's no shortage of misbehavior in this book. But there's also no shortage of excellent writing by some of Montana's finest authors. The book included work by Thomas McGuane, Jamie Ford, Walter Kirn, Debra Magpie earling and eight others. Thwey're all Montanans, every one, and their subjects are as varied and unique as the state itself."--Montana Quarterly"Even though Montana's beauty makes the idea of dark alleys and neon lights seem incongruous, noir also represents struggle, and doing the wrong thing for the right reasons...There can never be a happy ending in noir but there can be the possibility of redemption. It's the little guy against big forces and as Montanans, we can all appreciate that fight."--Billings GazetteAkashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct location within the geographic area of the book. Grady and Graff, both Montana natives, masterfully curate this collection of hard-edged Western tales.Brand-new stories by: David Abrams, Caroline Patterson, Eric Heidle, Thomas McGuane, Janet Skeslien Charles, Sidner Larson, Yvonne Seng, James Grady, Jamie Ford, Carrie La Seur, Walter Kirn, Gwen Florio, Debra Magpie Earling, and Keir Graff.From the introduction by James Grady and Keir Graff:This anthology is a road trip through the dreams and disasters of the true Montana, stories written by authors with Montana in their blood, tales that circle you around the state through its cities and small towns. These are twenty-first century authors writing timeless sagas of choice, crime, and consequences...You'll meet students and strippers, cops and cons, druggies and dreamers, cold-eyed killers and caught-in-their-gunsights screwed-up souls.But mostly, through all our fiction here, you'll meet quiet heroes and see the noir side of life that makes our Montana as real as it is mythic. No doubt the state's beauty will still make the very idea of Montana Noir seem incongruous to some. Noir is black-and-white. Streets and alleys. Flashing neon lighting a rain-streaked window. But while noir was definitely an urban invention, it knows no boundaries. Noir is struggle. It's doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. It's being trapped. It's hubris. It's being defeated yet going on. Sometimes it's being defeated and not going on.That's life everywhere. This is our Montana.Death of a Rainmaker: A Dust Bowl Mystery
By Laurie Loewenstein. 2018
Finalist for the 2019 Oklahoma Book Awards, Fiction"The murder investigation allows Loewenstein to probe into the lives of proud people…
who would never expose their troubles to strangers. People like John Hodge, the town's most respected lawyer, who knocks his wife around, and kindhearted Etha Jennings, who surreptitiously delivers home-cooked meals to the hobo camp outside town because one of the young Civilian Conservation Corps workers reminds her of her dead son. Loewenstein's sensitive treatment of these dark days in the Dust Bowl era offers little humor but a whole lot of compassion."--New York Times Book Review"This striking historical mystery...is brooding and gritty and graced with authenticity."--NPR, A Best Book of 2018"The Depression and a 240-day-long dry spell drive the desperate townspeople of Vermillion, OK, to hire a rainmaker, but he's murdered, leaving sheriff Temple Jennings to investigate. Loewenstein's terrific historical mystery wears its history lightly and its humanity beautifully. The first in a series, it's a realistic, expertly drawn novel with characters you'll come to love."--Library Journal, A Best Book of 2018"The plot is compelling, the character development effective and the setting carefully and accurately designed...I have lived in the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma; I know about wind and dust...Combining a well created plot with an accurate, albeit imagined, setting and characters that 'speak' clearly off of the page make Death of a Rainmaker a pleasant adventure in reading."--The Oklahoman"Set in an Oklahoma small town during the Great Depression, this launch of a promising new series is as vivid as the stark photographs of Dorothea Lange."--South Florida, One of Oline Cogdill's Best Mystery Novels of 2018"After a visiting con artist is murdered during a dust storm, a small-town sheriff and his wife pursue justice in 1930s Oklahoma. A vivid evocation of life during the Dust Bowl; you might need a glass of water at hand while reading Loewenstein's novel."--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Editor's Pick"Laurie Loewenstein's new mystery novel...expertly evokes the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression...Loewenstein's novel sometimes reads like a combination of a Western and a mystery. But that genre mishmash works."--Washington City Paper"The plot is solid in Death of a Rainmaker, but what makes Loewenstein's novel so outstanding is the cast of characters she has assembled...Death of a Rainmaker is a suburb book, one that sets the reader right down amid some of the hardest times our country has faced, and lets us feel those hopeful farmers' despair as they witness their dreams turning to dust."--Mystery Scene MagazineWhen a rainmaker is bludgeoned to death in the pitch-blackness of a colossal dust storm, small-town sheriff Temple Jennings shoulders yet another burden in the hard times of the 1930s Dust Bowl. The killing only magnifies Temple's ongoing troubles: a formidable opponent in the upcoming election, the repugnant burden of enforcing farm foreclosures, and his wife's lingering grief over the loss of their eight-year-old son.As the sheriff and his young deputy investigate the murder, their suspicions focus on a teenager, Carmine, serving with the Civilian Conservation Corps. The deputy, himself a former CCCer, struggles with remaining loyal to the corps while pursuing his own aspirations as a lawman.When the investigation closes in on Carmine, Temple's wife, Etha, quickly becomes convinced of his innocence and sets out to prove it. But Etha's own probe soon reveals a darker web of secrets, which imperil Temple's chances of reelection and cause the husband and wife to confront their long-standing differences about the nature of grief.