Vol. 2 Issue 2 I’m excited to share with you the work of three authors who have written groundbreaking, insightful and award-winning crime fiction with strong psychological themes.
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Private investigator Jackson Brodie is hired to look into three seemingly unconnected family mysteries in the city of Edinburgh. As he delves deeper into each case, however, he discovers unmistakable links among all three. Atkinson skillfully weaves the interlocking stories into a compelling novel replete with family tragedies and strong moral sensibilities. She creates fully realized characters who have depth, flaws, and qualities that secure our empathy. Case Histories is the first in the Jackson Brodie series of five novels, which includes One Good Turn; When WillThere Be Good News; Started Early, Took My Dog; and Big Sky.
When You Are Mine by Michael Robotham
The story centers on Philomena McCarthy, a young officer on the Metropolitan Police force in London. When McCarthy is called to a domestic disturbance, she is determined to help the victim, Tempe Brown, who was assaulted by her lover, a prominent London detective. McCarthy soon realizes the detective is untouchable while she becomes persona non grata among her colleagues. At the same time, Tempe Brown slowly insinuates herself into McCarthy’s life until McCarthy becomes increasingly troubled by Tempe’s intrusive behavior. Robotham keeps the suspense building as McCarthy faces the loss of a career that she’s wanted all her life, the boyfriend she is about to marry, and ultimately her own life. When You Are Mine, published this year, is the winner of the UK’s Steel Dagger Award. Robotham is a former journalist now living in Australia.
Garnethill by Denise Mina
Garnethill was honored with the British Crime Writers’ Association award for Best First Crime Novel and Mina continues to deliver first-rate crime novels. This tense psychological thriller begins when protagonist Maureen O’Donnell discovers her boyfriend’s dead body in her apartment, and she becomes the prime suspect. Mina, a brilliant writer at the top of her game, creates an intricate plot, a tangible atmosphere of gritty urban life, and characters who will remain with you after you’ve put the book down. Garnethill is the first in a trilogy featuring the feisty, smart but sometimes self-destructive O’Donnell. The two other books in the series are Exile and Resolution.
Must Read Classics
American author Dashiell Hammett wrote only five novels during his entire career, but with those novels and 80 short stories, he defined the crime fiction genre known as hard-boiled. His character Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon published in 1930 epitomizes the tough, cynical PI, possessing a code of honor all his own. Spade became the model for countless novels, television shows and movies over decades. In TheMaltese Falcon, Spade pursues the murderer of his partner Jeffrey Archer and stumbles on an international hunt for an elusive black bird. The Maltese Falcon enjoyed widespread success in print and with the 1941 film starring Humphrey Bogart as Spade, who seemed to have walked out of the pages of the book into the movie. Hammett’s four other novels include Red Harvest (1929) The Dain Curse (1929), The Glass Key (1931), and The Thin Man (1934).
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 May.
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