Vol. 2. Issue 1
Female Protagonist If you like crime novels with strong female protagonists, check out a new series by Kathleen Kent featuring Detective Betty Rhyzyk, a narcotics detective who relocates to Dallas from Brooklyn, NY. In the first of the series, The Dime, Betty goes up against fierce, savagely violent drug dealers. Tough, athletic, and resourceful, she is tested to her limits, both physical and psychological as she relentlessly pursues formidable opponents. The story is intricately crafted, character-driven, gritty, and action-packed. While the violence is graphic, it stops short of stomach-churning. Kent treats us to the humorous takes Betty has about life in the Big D from her viewpoint as a transplanted Polish American New Yorker. Readers also get deeper insights into Betty’s character as she shares what life lessons she learned from her Uncle Benny, a longtime Brooklyn cop. The series continues with The Burn and The Pledge, each released in 2021. Both are on my list to read.
Crime in India during the Raj
A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee is set in Calcutta in the 1920s as India’s fight for independence from Britain intensifies. Captain Sam Wyndham, formerly of Scotland Yard, arrives in India seeking a fresh start after serving in WWI and losing his young wife in the flu epidemic. He is paired with a young Indian officer, Sergeant Banerjee, to solve the murder of a senior British official found lying in the street outside a brothel. As we follow the pair in their investigation, we learn the realities of colonial rule for the local population, which the British consider inferior and troublesome. Mukherjee also creates vivid images and rich details of Calcutta so that the city itself becomes a character in the novel. Mukherjee has written five novels in the series so far. Sequels to A Rising Man include A Necessary Evil, Smoke and Ashes, Death in the East, and The Shadow of Men, which was released in November. I’ve read four of the novels in the series. All are top notch crime fiction that are a treat to read while at the same time providing an understanding of India under the British Raj. With the growing popularity of the series, I expect more novels to come. If you plan to read the series, I suggest reading them in sequence to avoid spoilers and to witness the growth in the characters of the two detectives and the change in their relationship over time.
Must Read Crime Classics
I love sharing with you contemporary novels that I’ve read. I’m also, however, a fan of crime novels written in the past that are now classics and must reads for fans of the genre. In this and subsequent issues, I’ll share with you novels I consider among my all-time favorites. The Woman in White, a Victorian gothic mystery, by Wilkie Collins, stands out for its intricately woven plot, the insidious entrapment of beautiful, wealthy Laura Fairlie, and its arch villain Count Fosco. Collins wrote in the 1860s, a contemporary of Dickens. He is credited with writing the first full length detective novel, The Moonstone, which was originally serialized in a monthly journal where Dickens was editor. In this novel, Collins introduces us to the role of the amateur detective, a young man determined to find the culprit who stole a valuable gem from his fiancé. It, too, is worth reading as a pioneer in crime fiction, but in my opinion The Woman in White is a more imaginative work that stands the test of time.
Free Short Story Download I’ve just released my latest short story, Brotherly Hate, featuring Philadelphia PI Andrea Fabiano. It is available free from Amazon Kindle from Jan. 12 to 16. You don’t need to own a Kindle Reader. The app can be downloaded free to your computer, tablet, or mobile phone.
Patronize Independent Book Stores Whenever you buy books, please consider purchasing from independent booksellers who remain passionate about books, love to share their knowledge, and provide a vital link between readers and authors.
You can reach out to me via my email, chrisquarembo@gmail.com, and share your comments about the newsletter, books you’re reading, and books you’d like to recommend to readers of this newsletter
Watch for my next newsletter in March.
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