50 new mysteries and thrillers have been added to the library’s collection this week. Check out the list!
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Close inspection of the book jacket reveals Tom Clancy’s latest book was co-written with Grant Blackwood. In addition to his own series, Blackwood has also written with Clive Cussler. Dead or Alive pits Jack Ryan, Jr. and his colleagues at the Campus against the most dangerous terrorist to threaten western civilization.
In Gone, Baby Gone private detective Patrick Kenzie made the difficult decision to return a missing 4-year-old to her neglectful mother. In Moonlight Mile, Amanda McCready, now 16, is gone again. Kenzie (now married to former partner Angie Gennaro) has more difficult decisions in store.
Several authors have written new culinary mysteries this year. With the weather turning cooler, it’s time to get back to the oven and some “killer” recipes. Check out the new list!
Flawed characters, sexy dames, and an often violent backdrop characterized the noir writings of James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, Patricia Highsmith, Jim Thompson, and others. Bookmarks magazine (Jul/Aug 2010) recently highlighted some new names in noir:
Charlie Huston. Caught Stealing
Washed-up baseball star Hank Thompson is an alcoholic bartender in a Manhattan dive. Hank has resigned himself to a life of unfulfilled dreams. Things change when a neighbor asks him to cat-sit. Beaten nearly to death by Russian gangsters, Hank assumes his neighbor is hiding something important. he’s right. The first in a trilogy, followed by Six Bad Things and A Dangerous Man.
Victor Gischler. Gun Monkeys
Charlie “The Hook” Swift heads south while considering a unique problem: “I turned the Chrysler onto the Florida Turnpike with Rollo Kramer’s headless body in the trukn, and all the time I’m thinking I should’ve put some plastic down.” Later, Charlie unwittingly kills four police officers in a strip club; his boss goes missing; he gets something some very bad men want; and all his friends start dying.
Jonathan Lethem. Motherless Brooklyn
Lethem cemented his reputation with this fifth novel featuring Lionel Essrog, an orphaned Tourette’s sufferer who, along with three boyhood friends, is taken under the wing of small-time mobster Frank Minna, and finds himself at loose ends when his mentor won’t reveal his killer – even as he drawns his last breath.
Denise Mina. Field of Blood
Along with Ian Rankin and Val McDermid, Mina sets her atmospheric and character-driven novels in Scotland – but turns the gender tables. Mina’s first novels featured investigative reporter Maureen O’Donnell. This title introduces Patricia “Paddy” Meehan, a single mother and staunch Catholic in predominantly Protestant Glasgow, where, as a copygirl at the Daily News, she follows the trail of two young boys accused of murdering a toddler.
This should be fun. Today’s top thriller writers (Lee Child, David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Max Allen Collins, and more) suggest their favorite thrilling reads in 100 Must Reads, edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner.
The NPR audience nominated some 600 novels to a “Killer Thrillers” poll and cast more than 17,000 ballots. Here are the results:
For the rest of the list, visit http://tinyurl.com/2e977md
Frederic Forsyth continues to rule the genre of political thrillers with The Cobra. The U.S. president, determined to take down the international cocaine market declares drug dealers to be terrorists and brings in ex-CIA director Paul Devereaux to enforce the new rules. Deveraux is smart and ruthless – with extensive power granted by the prez, this plan might actually work! Hang on – you’re in for a wild ride.
Some might say that TV’s Dexter isn’t nearly as interesting as Jeff Lindsay’s original serial-killing character. You decide. The 5th book in the series should hit our shelves soon. Place your reserve now or catch up on older titles in the series:
Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004)
Dearly Devoted Dexter (2005)
Dexter in the Dark (2007)
Dexter By Design (2009)
Dexter is Delicious (2010)
The Wall St. Journal reports that Patterson is teaming up with co-writers from Germany, Italy, England and Australia for his new “Private” series featuring Jack Morgan, a former CIA agent who runs an international investigation firm with branches and clients around the world. Read the full article here.
If you’re interested in Patterson’s co-writing arrangements (how else could he publish so many books a year?!), a recent New York Times Magazine article explained how it all works.
More than one library reader has complained about Patterson’s collaborations not matching the quality of his own writing. What do you think? Post a comment below.
LCPL Mysteries & Thrillers 