The Hungry Detective

Oh dear...... Two weeks? Really? Ugh. Well I have been busy. Finally got a around to reading a Brian Wiprud book. Killed a graphic novel I haven meaning to read for about 6 months. And I moved on to a new book . So I have been productive..... just not with the blog. This short... and believe me temporary break... comes on the heals of two film bloggers ceasing operations. One ripped off the band-aid by saying " All things must pass...I’m outta here... " It got me to thinking that at some point in the future, this blog will stop. My world tilted slightly off axis for a moment. A conversation with a blogging buddy, Jared Case , led me to predict that this blog won't be around in five years, likely less. This bit of information depressed me to no end for a day or two, until I decided I couldn't be bothered. I wouldn't worry about updating the blog for a bit and just enjoy the spring weather.

Along with his wife, Lawrence Goldstone has written a number of highly enjoyable nonfiction works about collecting rare books . The Anatomy of Deception is Mr. Goldstone's foray into Crime Fiction writing. Not surprising given the authors PhD in Constitutional studies the period detail as it pertains to Philadelphia is the best part of this book. As a recent tourist in that city, THD found Goldstone's ability to conjure the images of 1880's Philadelphia to be wonderfully transportative prose. This is the section where should add some small recap of the plot. I generally feel that is what the inside of a dust jacket is for, but let us not break with convention. Dr. Ephraim Carroll is a young doctor under the tutelage of Dr. William Osler . Osler shepherds a number of Doctors and Philly Hospital and when one of them turns up dead young Carroll is drawn into the underbelly of Philadelphia (low & high) society. The who-done-it aspects of the book are not much to trumpet he...

I see that April 2nd marked the last time that THD filed a report on our purchasing habits. The Editorial staff was just remarking how they did not seem to miss this staple of the blog. Let's be honest I am only too aware of how boring or perhaps tedious it is to read what some other person has bought. Yet this information was included for content sake of the blog. THD does not read fast enough to include frequent reviews and salient Crime fiction news is covered ably by my brethren to the extent that including it in my blog has all to often seemed like stealing. My fall back position on this topic has been that I am bringing authors you may have not heard of to the fore. So lets 'git' to it. The Ghost - Robert Harris I have only read one of this author's previous books. It was Archangel. I was in Norway, about 45 miles or kilometers from the Polar Circle. Yeah, this was a weird time in my life. Minus his ancient Roman books he is an author I always wanted make a consi...

The Edgars got handed out last night and once again THD was not in attendance. Forgive the quick digression because it is one that I feel that I have made before. At this point in the life of the internet and the invaluable tool it has become for all things Crime Fiction, I am incredulous that that the MWA can't post video highlights of the Award Ceremony. I don't need the whole show (although I'd be cool with that too), just the winner and the little speech they may provide would be wonderful content for the MWA website. I'll take the less cynical route and write that this probably has been discussed and shot down to due certain rights and author release issues. Excuse me for a moment while I get off my high horse and take off these chaps. Ok. All better. I've listed the four the categories that I covered in depth on Sunday . Winners are in red . The Complete list of winners is here . Best Novel Christine Falls by Benjamin Black Priest by Ken Bruen The Yiddish ...

Noms are here. THD picks are here . Live blooging here . I'll be here . Good Luck to all the nominees.

Last year around this time THD was consulted by Vegas odds makers for our thoughts on the 2007 Edgar Awards. Many lost their shirt using THD's picks . Reports of valuable First Editions ripped in half and shelving destroyed by bookies who came to collect on ill formed wagers were a poorly kept secret in the Crime Fiction community. The underground betting scene for crime fiction awards is not pretty. Lot of tears... and a surprising amount of real blood Needless to say, this year, THD is free of those leeches in Sin City and we are free to offer you our odds on this year's awards. Best Novel Christine Falls by Benjamin Black 7/1 Priest by Ken Bruen 10/1 The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon 20/1 Soul Patch by Reed Farrel Coleman 3/2 Down River by John Hart 5/1 The inclusion of the Chabon book caused a significant amount of ruckus. But I don't think there will be a repeat of 2006 when Jess Walter's slightly out of genre, Citizen Vince , was a surprise ...

I really hate not finishing a book. Hate every aspect about it. Sadly for Nick Stone's Mr. Clarinet , I was forced to set the book aside. I had been mulling it over for the last week, and a few nights ago I reached my limit. I was reading a chapter in the book, one that I felt was the turning point, and I just did not care. I didn't care about the hero, Max Mingus. I didn't care about the story, the kidnapping of children in Haiti. I didn't care about the larger social drama of everyday life in Haiti . The thing did not work for me on any level. I know many have a page limit to termination, but I don't. This lead me to read almost 300 pages of a 425 page book. Seriously, I could have finished the thing if I just spent another day or two with it. It is very strange when a book crosses over from 'not your cup of tea' to 'life is too short.' Truth be told the book was in trouble almost immediately. Without delving too deeply into it there is a very ti...