The Three Evangelists Books by Fred Vargas

French author Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau, who uses the pen name Fred Vargas, has been writing novels since the 1990s, but her work is new to me. During the many, many, many rainy days of April, I worked my way through a series of her books: The Three Evangelists, Dog Will Have His Day, and The Accordionist. I began with The Accordionist, the third book of this particular series, because it was shorted listed for the 2018 CWA International Dagger Award. That recognition from the Crime Writers Association was warranted as The Accordionist was a highly entertaining read.

Like all the books in this series, The Accordionist is set in Paris. Two women are murdered. The police suspect a young man, an accordionist named Clément, who was seen outside their respective apartments prior to the killings. Clément flees to the only person he knows in Paris, old Marthe, who for a time was a mother figure in his turbulent childhood. Marthe, a former prostitute, in turn calls upon her friend for help, ex-special investigator Louis Kehlweiler. And so the investigation begins.

Kehlweiler seeks assistance on the case from three friends, history scholars who share a home. These three are the evangelists first introduced in book one, The Three Evangelists (and which won the 2006 CWA International Dagger Award). Reading these books in order is not absolutely necessary, but it will help make more sense out of The Accordionist  and the relationship between all the characters.

This is an interesting series of mysteries, with The Accordionist being the best of the bunch, in my opinion. The books have somewhat of a gritty atmosphere, the characters are unique and the stories are engaging with unforeseen twists and turns. Perfect reading for rainy days.

The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley (The Flavia de Luce Mysteries)

Are you a fan of the Flavia de Luce books by Alan Bradley? The series started out with a bang with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (2009). Since then it's been a mixed bag for me, some enjoyable and some not as much. Despite this inconsistency, I persist with this series.

These books are set in 1950s England.  Flavia, the pre-teen protagonist, is a budding scientist living in a crumbling family estate with her two older sisters and widowed father. Flavia's mad chemistry skills and flare for detection get her involved in solving the various murders that occur in her village of Bishop's Lacey. The vibe in the books is, on the one hand, familiar for fans of Agatha Christie and Martha Grimes and, on the other hand, fresh with these characters and their interest in science, literature and music.

The most recent addition to the series is The Golden Tresses of the Dead, and it is an entertaining book. In this outing, the game is afoot when a finger is found in a wedding cake - much to the bride's horror. With good atmosphere and lots of twists and turns, this is a fun read. Fans of Flavia should greatly enjoy it.

Because so much has changed in Flavia's life over the course of this series, readers new to it would, I think, be wise to start from the beginning. Have a book-reading binge! As Ben Dolnick wrote in the NYT recently:

[T]he mind — for all its endless rationalizations and solemn prohibitions — is in fact a ceaseless pleasure hound. Once I’m actually enjoying a book, it really does feel as if the pages are turning themselves; I find myself reading in all the little pockets of time that were once reserved for the serious business of checking to see if my dishwasher pods have shipped.

And pleasure is, after all — once I scrape away the layers of self-image and pretentiousness — the reason that I read. When I’ve found the right book, and I’m reading it the right way, reading is fun — head-tingling, goosebump-raising fun. It’s a vivid and continuous dream that is somehow both directed from without and cast from within, and I get to be awake for it. Netflix can wait.

Ben Dolnick, The New York Times, May 4, 2019

Check out Flavia. Binge on some books and enjoy!

Weekend Read July 28-29

This weekend I'm digging into Persons Unknown by Susie Steiner. The novel is a man-stabbed-and-murdered who-done-it mystery featuring Detective Manon Bradshaw. Put the tea on; this police procedural is set in the town of Huntingdon in England.

Highly Recommended Reading: Force of Nature by Jane Harper

Jane Harper knocks it out of the park again with her new book, Force of Nature. In Force of Nature, Federal Agent Aaron Falk, whom we met in The Dry, is under pressure from his superiors to obtain key documents that will support charges of money laundering against members of a family-run accounting firm.

To obtain the documents, Falk and his partner recruit/coerce (as law enforcement does) one of the top management employees at the firm who is not a member of the family, Alice Russell. This setup runs smoothly until Alice disappears while on a weekend corporate retreat, hiking and camping with her co-workers in the wilderness.

Told in chapters which alternate between events occurring during the retreat and the investigation into Alice's disappearance, Force of Nature quickly turns into a suspenseful page turner. Did Alice disappear by choice or was she murdered? If she was murdered, was that related to her work with Agent Falk or was it related to heinous crimes which took place in that same wilderness, decades ago? Chilling!

An entertaining read with lots of contemporary florishes, Force of Nature is highly recommended. 

Adrian McKinty on Why You Should Read Widely and Freely

Check out Irish author Adrian McKinty's lively and interesting essay, "Class, Race and the Case for Genre Fiction in the Canon." McKinty addresses the topic of books that people are supposed to read, such as winners of the Booker Prize, as opposed to "books that people actually want to read" such as genre fiction - science fiction, romance, and so on. McKinty also offers an explanation as to why "high falutin' American literary fiction" is often dull, reminds us of the joy in reading books we connect with, and emphasizes why we must read widely. It's a very good piece, which is no surprise as McKinty is an exciting author.

In fact, if you enjoy good writing and good fiction, try McKinty's series featuring Detective Inspector Sean Duffy, which is set in Northern Ireland in the early 1980s. It's a terrific series.

The first book in the DI Sean Duffy series.

Highly Recommended Reading: Ann Cleeves's Shetland Island Mysteries

I'm totally hooked on reading the Shetland Island mysteries by Ann Cleeves. I've churned through the first three in the series and have been highly entertained, and completely surprised, by each book. The protagonist in the books is Inspector Jimmy Perez. Perez is a native of the islands, which are part of the U.K. and celebrate cultural influences from both Scotland and Scandinavia. Cleeves neatly shows us the uniqueness of the Shetland Islands without letting that background dominate the story; and the story here is murder.

The three books in the series that I've read thus far are Raven Black, White Nights, and Red Bones. All three have great atmosphere, the right balance of suspense and character development, and characters to care about. If you like books by Louise Penny or Martha Grimes, I suspect you'll like these books, too. If you've never heard of Penny or Grimes, but enjoy reading a cozy-style mystery where the featured police detective uses his unique skills to puzzle through a murder, then you will likely enjoy these books as well. Great winter reading. Check 'em out!

Manitou Canyon by William Kent Krueger

Although it conjures up thoughts of Agatha Christie, "cozy mystery" is the term that comes to mind when trying to sum up Manitou Canyon, William Kent Krueger's 15th novel featuring Cork O'Connor. Perhaps that is because even though there is death, kidnapping, and more in the story, the crimes are packed between ample passages about family, love, spirit, and the beauty of nature.

And the setting of the book is beautiful: Tamarack County in Minnesota's North Country. The mystery kicks off with Cork being hired to search for a man who when missing in the Boundary Waters. Although an official investigation for the man, John Harris, had already concluded without success, his grandchildren ask Cork to go to Raspberry Lake for one more look. It is November, the darkest month of the year for Cork, and winter will soon sweep into the area; it is now or never to find Harris. Further, Cork, who took part in the official search and knew the missing man when they were both young, is puzzled by the mystery. "How can a man just disappear and leave no trace, not even his scent for a dog to find," he wonders.

Cork and one of the Harris grandchildren, Lindsay, head out into the Boundary Waters, where they encounter trouble that could not be anticipated. And when the O'Connor clan fails to hear from him, they kick into action to find out what has happened.

With many feats of daring-do, the love of family, and attention to the spirit, the plot of Manitou Canyon unfolds. It is an entertaining story with many twists and turns; a fast-paced, yet cozy, read.

2016 Crime Writers Association Dagger Award Winners

Do you enjoy reading crime writing? Then check out the Crime Writers Association (CWA) 2016 award winners list at this link.

Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker (A Bruno, Chief of Police Novel)

In Fatal Pursuit, Martin Walker continues his series of cozy mysteries set in rural France and featuring Bruno, the police chief of St. Denis. In this outing, Bruno is called to the home of an elderly couple. It appears that while the woman was out of town, her husband died of a heart attack. Bruno, however, finds the scene suspicious and sets an investigation into motion.

Now in most mysteries, having identified the potential crime, solving the crime would completely consume the main character's time and attention. This is not Martin Walker's style. Yes, Bruno attends to his job, but that attention includes assignments outside of the dead gentleman. And the reader is also treated to an immersion in life in the French countryside; to the enjoyment of carefully prepared food, good wine, and good times with friends. And in Bruno's case, his group of friends include his horse, dog, and a new romantic relationship with a beautiful woman.

On top of all this, Bruno also spends time participating in an auto rally. And this rally, and the crowd of people it attracts to his community, shapes the resolution of the novel. But really, Fatal Pursuit is more about joie de vivre than crime busting. And for this reader, entering such a world is a welcome relief from current events.

Highly Recommended Reading: A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny is a terrific book. The plot is twisty and engaging, the story is full of interesting characters, and there are layers of ideas and philosophy that make this a tasty novel, not a thin-soup murder mystery (we've all dashed through those, haven't we?). But while the book provides lots of interesting things to think about, there nonetheless is a murder to solve.

Beauvoir looked down at the body
"Suicide?"
"Maybe," said Gamache. "Does something strike you as strange?"
Beauvoir examined the scene more closely.
"Oui. The gun. It's on the wrong side. If he'd killed himself, it'd be on the same side as the entrance wound."
Gamache nodded, lost in thought.

Former Chief of Homicide for the Surete du Quebec Armand Gamache is now in charge of the police academy. The school has been riddled with corruption and Gamache is taking bold steps to right the ship. But the changes he sets in place create more pressure in an already tense institution. And when a murder takes place at the school, the faculty, students, even Gamache himself come under suspicion.

Tied to the murder at the academy is the mysterious map found inside a wall of the bistro in Three Pines, Gamache's home town. Gamache had given copies of the map to four cadets with the assignment of solving its riddle. When one of those copies is found with the murder victim, the residents of Three Pines get pulled into both mysteries.

A Great Reckoning is highly recommended reading.

Highly Recommended Reading: Back Lash by Chris Knopf

If you are looking for a good mystery to read on vacation this summer, then check out Back Lash by Chris Knopf. Back Lash is the seventh book in Knopf's mystery series featuring Sam Acquillo. Even if you haven't read the previous books, you will enjoy this one (but read the others, too, because they're great). In this outing, Sam heads out from his cottage home near Southampton, overlooking Little Peconic Bay, to the Bronx to investigate a cold case: the murder of his father.

Sam's father was murdered forty years ago, beaten to death in a bar in the Bronx. A conversation with the now-elderly bartender who had been on duty on the night of the murder spurs Sam into looking into what happened, and why. Sam quickly finds out that although the crime occurred long ago, there is plenty of present-day interest in keeping a lid on it. He uncovers connections to organized crime, police irregularities and a whole lot of danger.

There is lots of action and suspense in Back Lash. and I found the ending to be a complete surprise. Add to that Sam Acquillo's dry wit and a compelling supporting cast of characters and Back Lash totals up to a great read. Check it out!

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2016 Edgar Awards

Here is a partial list of winners:

BEST NOVEL

Let Me Die in His Footsteps by Lori Roy (Penguin Random House – Dutton)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen (Grove Atlantic – Grove Press)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL The Long and Faraway Gone by Lou Berney (HarperCollin Publishers – William Morrow)

BEST FACT CRIME

Whipping Boy: The Forty-Year Search for My Twelve-Year-Old Bully

by Allen Kurzweil (HarperCollins Publishers – Harper)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL  

The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards (HarperCollins Publishers-HarperCollins)

BEST SHORT STORY

“Obits” – Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King (Simon & Schuster – Scribner)

BEST JUVENILE

Footer Davis Probably is Crazy by Susan Vaught (Simon & Schuster – Paula Wiseman Books)

BEST YOUNG ADULT

A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis (HarperCollins Publishers – Katherine Tegen Books)

Highly Recommended Reading: The Passenger by Lisa Lutz

Are you a fan of Gone Girl, Girl on a Train or Luckiest Girl Alive? Then you'll like The Passenger by Lisa Lutz.

The novel begins with Tanya Dubois' husband dead at the bottom of the stairs. She didn't kill him, but must nonetheless take off because her identity can't withstand close scrutiny by the cops. The rest of the exciting book is about her life on the run, and the slow reveal of the reason she initially had to hide her identity.

The Passenger is an exciting and entertaining read. Check it out!

Clever Plot in The Promise by Robert Crais

In The Promise, private detective Elvis Cole is hired to find a missing woman who allegedly embezzled money from her employer. As he delves into the job, he finds that the missing woman is involved with bad guys and may be selling plastic explosives to terrorists. Cole also finds that nothing is what it seems to be, except for his regular crew: Joe Pike and Jon Stone.

Is this the greatest Robert Crais book ever? No. It's fun to read, but a little thin. A number of chapters are told from the perspective of a police dog, who is a key character in the story along with her human partner. Additionally, lots of information about what makes dogs so effective in military and police work is woven into the book. This is an entertaining plot element, but it is not one rich in story, language or humor. Still, I enjoyed The Promise. The plot has many intriguing twists and turns. If you are putting together books for a vacation read, add this to the stack.

Slow Horses and Dead Lions: Two Entertaining Spy Novels from Mick Herron

Check out Mick Herron's spy novels Slow Horses and Dead Lions for a good read.  The spies here are washouts from British intelligence; agents who've bungled badly and, in true bureaucratic fashion, rather than being fired for their mess, are exiled to London's Slough House to work on tedious, meaningless tasks in the hopes that they will simply quit the job.

But these spies - ambitious, well trained and highly skilled - seek action, redemption, and to return to the big show. In Slow Horses, the Slough House agents get involved when extremists kidnap a Muslim teen and threaten to execute him live on the web. And an intriguing and clever hunt begins.

In the second book, Dead Lions, an old Cold War-era spy is found dead on a bus. Slough House's chief, Jackson Lamb, knew the agent from back in the day. Lamb finds the death suspicious and sends his agents into action to investigate.

The plot is clever in both books and the development of the characters at Slough House is entertaining. Slow Horses and Dead Lions are well recommended reading.

      

Recommended Reading: The Secret Place by Tana French

Looking for a good book for the weekend? Check out The Secret Place, another tale of the Dublin Murder Squad from Tana French.

In this outing, a new clue to an old murder falls into the hands of Dublin Detective Stephen Moran. The murder in question occurred on the grounds of St. Kilda's, an elite boarding school for girls; the victim was a 16-year old boy from a neighboring elite school for boys. Moran, who feels his career is stuck in the Cold Case squad, sees the clue as an opportunity to showcase his skills and possibly join the Murder Squad. The lead Murder Squad detective on the case, Antoinette Conway, sees the clue as an opportunity to solve the high profile case that is haunting her career. The pair have one day at St. Kilda's to effectively use the new information and crack the case open. Are the two detectives as wily as the teenagers they have to question?

The Secret Place is an entertaining read and my favorite Tana French book to date.  

Suspenseful Reading: A Billion Ways to Die by Chris Knopf.

In A Billion Ways to Die, author Chris Knopf brings us the third installment of his series featuring Arthur Cathcart. Cathcart's tale began in the thriller Dead Anyway, in which his wife is murdered and he is shot in the head in the couples' Connecticut home. Cathcart's recovery is partial - he suffers from brain damage - but with the help of his sister, a physician, this computer wizard manages to get declared dead so that he can anonymously investigate why his ordinary life has been shattered. What did the murderer want from his wife, the owner of an insurance-brokerage firm?

Although there is some resolution to the crime in Dead Anyway, Cathcart wants more answers. He goes digging for them in the second installment, Cries of the Lost. There is money involved here and thus his probing triggers a lethal response; Cathcart must move fast and be smart to stay ahead of the game.

 

Now in part three, Cathcart and his partner Natsumi Fitzgerald are in the Caribbean, looking for peace and safety. It's illusive, however. The couple are kidnapped, questioned and almost killed. Cathcart must find out who is behind this action and how he can identify and stop these bad guys who apparently know all of his secrets.

A Billion Ways to Die is a globe-trotting, action-packed thriller with plenty of high-tech twists. What's lovely about Chris Knopf's work is that his writing is smart, with welcome touches of wry humor. And while this is an enjoyable book all on its own, reading the books in order is great fun, in my opinion.

Check out Chris Knopf's Arthur Cathcart series for an exciting read from an author who knows what he is doing.

Highly Recommended Reading: "Any Other Name: A Longmire Mystery" by Craig Johnson.

This horse in southern Arizona is a long way from Sheriff Walt Longmire's Wyoming home.

But the vibe is similar!

Any Other Name: One of the best Longmire mysteries yet
 in this excellent series.

I greatly enjoy the Sheriff Walt Longmire mystery series by Craig Johnson. In Johnson's latest book, Any Other Name, Longmire is outside his jurisdiction, investigating the suicide of a law enforcement officer as a favor for his friend and former boss, Lucian Connally. I found it to be an exciting and highly entertaining read.

Any Other Name has all the classic characters and elements we now associate with a Longmire mystery: Walt unwaveringly pursues the truth, with a touch of humor and against all the odds (and the elements). And he is aided in the investigation by Lucian, his great friend Henry Standing Bear, and his colleague Victoria Moretti. In Any Other Name, Longmire is also under the pressure of time to both solve the mystery and keep an important commitment to his daughter.

If you are already a fan of these books, just dive right into this one. It is terrific. If you are new to the series, start with the first book and build your way up to this one; it's a great ride!

Longmire newbies: Get volumes one through four in this set.

Highly Recommended: Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin

Inspector John Rebus is out of retirement and back on the Edinburgh police force in Saints of the Shadow Bible.  Returning to the job isn't easy.  On the one hand, the force has changed and finding a place for Rebus in the new order is difficult.  For example, he is now operating at a lower rank than when he retired, and people he used to supervise are now his superiors.

On the other hand, things one might have considered to be ancient history are getting dug up.  The police department's internal affairs investigators have begun looking into whether or not officers Rebus served with when he started on the job cut to many corners, or even committed murder.  Was Rebus involved? What does he know about possible police corruption?

What hasn't changed is that Rebus knows how to solve a case.  In between the internal affairs investigation and office politics, Rebus unravels an intriguing mystery that starts with a simple car crash and leads to bigger crimes with wider implications . . . and death.

This is a highly entertaining and absorbing police procedural.  It also weaves in interesting plot points concerning the upcoming vote in Scotland on whether or not Scotland should become independent and leave the United Kingdom.

Check out Saints of the Shadow Bible if you are looking for a great weekend read.

The Good Cop is a Good Book

I wrapped up reading Brad Parks' A Good Cop.  It was the type of mystery book that I enjoy: engaging, humorous at times, and simply entertaining to read.  A Good Cop is one of a series of books by Parks that features a character named Carter Ross.  Ross is an investigative reporter for the Newark Eagle-Examiner. In this outing, Ross looks into the apparent suicide of a police officer.  Of course, things are not as they seem and Ross sets out to break open the story.

Check out The Good Cop: A Mystery (Carter Ross Mysteries) if you need a book to cozy up with during this spell of cold winter.