Edgar Award Nominees 2011

Below are highlights from The Mystery Writers of America list of nominees for the 2011 Edgar Awards.  For the complete list, click here.

BEST NOVEL
"Caught" by Harlan Coben (Penguin Group USA - Dutton)
"Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" by Tom Franklin (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
"Faithful Place" by Tana French (Penguin Group USA - Viking)
"The Queen of Patpong" by Timothy Hallinan (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
"The Lock Artist" by Steve Hamilton (Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books)
"I'd Know You Anywhere" by Laura Lippman (HarperCollins – William Morrow)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
"Rogue Island" by Bruce DeSilva (Tom Doherty Associates – Forge Books)
"The Poacher's Son" by Paul Doiron (Minotaur Books)
"The Serialist: A Novel" by David Gordon (Simon & Schuster)
"Galveston" by Nic Pizzolatto (Simon & Schuster - Scribner)
"Snow Angels" by James Thompson (Penguin Group USA – G.P. Putnam's Sons)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
"Long Time Coming" by Robert Goddard (Random House - Bantam)
"The News Where You Are" by Catherine O'Flynn (Henry Holt)
"Expiration Date" by Duane Swierczynski (Minotaur Books)
"Vienna Secrets" by Frank Tallis (Random House Trade Paperbacks)
"Ten Little Herrings" by L.C. Tyler (Felony & Mayhem Press)

What to Read Next: "The Dark Vineyard" by Martin Walker.

Last summer I read Martin Walker's book, Bruno, Chief of Police.  A "gentle" mystery set in a small village in rural France and featuring Police Chief Benoit Courréges, or Bruno as he is know, it was a fine book.  Now it's January and, battling a winter cold, I've spent the evenings reading Walker's second book featuring Bruno, The Dark Vineyard, and what a nice book it is.

In The Dark Vineyard, the village way-of-life is threatened by arson at a secret research station and efforts by outsiders to purchase local vineyards and consolidate the holdings for mass production of wine.  Murder happens along the way and Bruno is on the case, working to solve the crimes and preserve his beloved home town.  The Dark Vineyard is one of those "happy" mysteries that have a good puzzle to provide tension, but also entertains and engages.  It's recommended reading.    

Book Lookout: A New Book from T.C. Boyle Available in February.

Up-dated 1/5/2011:  Here is a link to a review of When the Killing's Done from Kirkus Reviews.
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A new book from T. C. Boyle is available this February.  Called When the Killing's Done, it is described as "an action-packed adventure about endangered animals and those who protect them."  That sounds good.

T. Coraghessan Boyle has written 12 previous novels, the most recent being The Women.  While we wait for number 13 to arrive, consider going back to the beginning and reading the book that started it all, Boyle's first novel Water Music.

Books into Movies: "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Jonathan Safran Foer's wildly successful book, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, is being made into a movie and we will thus be left again to ponder the age old question:  Which was better, the movie or the book?

The cast for the film adaptation reportedly includes John Goodman, Sandra Bullock, and Tom Hanks.  Check out more movie details here.   And while you're waiting for the movie, take time to read (or re-read) this very interesting novel about a boy whose father died in the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Some Kindle Titles May Be Loaned for 14 Days.

One of the big gripes about the Amazon's Kindle e-reader has been that it doesn't permit people to share the books they have bought.  That's starting to change; now, Kindle owners may start lending certain books to other readers.

Eligible Kindle books may be loaned for a period of 14 days to anyone with either a Kindle, PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android device.  According to Amazon's web site, whether or not a book can be loaned is decided by the book's publisher or rights holder.  Check this link for more details.