The Hungry Detective

Mr. Burke talks about his latest book, FEAST DAY OF FOOLS. I have not read Mr. Burke in a couple years. Time to get back in the saddle and catch up with the finest writer of American fiction, crime or otherwise.

The sheer number of books I have bought because the dust jacket was awesome is.... numerous. Anyway, the jacket for FEAST DAY OF FOOLS is incredible. The quote on the jacket states 'America's Best Novelist.' Mark it people, the first dust jacket quote to not be hyperbolic in anyway. Book releases September 27th.

Shamus nominations poked their head out last week. While I can't claim to have read many... or nearly any of the nominated. I do recognize many of the authors and the books. The Best Hardcover category is pretty strong. Tough choices will be made at the St. Louis B'Con. So keep an eye out for The Hungry Detective Awards Prediction Spectacular in about three weeks. Congratulations to the nominated. Best Hardcover P.I. Novel: NO MERCY -  Lori Armstrong - Touchstone THE FIRST RULE -  Robert Crais - Putnam VOYEUR - Daniel Judson - Minotaur IF THE DEAD RISE NOT - Philip Kerr - Putnam NAKED MOON - Domenic Stansberry - Minotaur Best First P.I. Novel: IN SEARCH OF MERCY - Michael Ayoob - Minotaur ONE MAN'S PARADISE -  Douglas Corleone - Minotaur ROGUE ISLAND - Bruce DeSilva -Forge RANDOM VIOLENCE - Jassy MacKenzie - Soho CITY OF DRAGONS -  Kelli Stanley - Minotaur Best Paperback Original P.I. Novel: HOSTAGE ZERO - John Gi...

Sean Doolittle has a new book . LAKE COUNTRY. Yay! It releases next July. Boo! Everyone knows I love this guy, right? Well, you should. The guy has never missed. You have a whole year to read this guys back catalog. 

So I bought The Hungry Detective domain name. Woo!

At the very beginning of The Hungry Detective I had two goals. Crime Fiction and food. The food part fell away very quickly. About a half dozen posts that never got published, much less finished. Evidently I had a lot less to say about food than I did Crime Fiction. But I love food. I love to cook the very simple things I occasionally attempt. And on rare occasions I sit down in some very nice restaurants . Long story short I am going to reintroduce the food component to THD. To that end, I'm adding Food related posts... mostly cookbook reviews... into the mix. First up Mission Street Food .

It is the journey, not the destination. Megan Abbott's latest, BURY ME DEEP, challenges that very idea, particularly when the destination is the very blackest part of your soul. Marion Seely finds herself alone, abandoned by her husband, to make her way in the desert city of Phoenix. She falls in with a couple of women who are not opposed to accepting 'favors' from men, and soon a grand time is being had by all. Louise and Ginny give Marion a sense of home and belonging that she craves. But then she meets Louise and Ginny's most particular friend, Joe Lanigan.  A slight flirtation develops into obsession and soon her desire overwhelms her. There is something spectacular about BURY ME DEEP.  I ruminated on the subject after I had read page after page of achingly graceful prose. Marion's descent is a simple one born out of a human desire for connection. The desire for the beating heart of another will drive down the road to your own ruin. You will forget yourself...

The return of Dave White is a pretty big deal around The Hungry Detective offices. It has been a few years since the release of THE EVIL THAT MEN DO.  That book was one of the best books I read that year. We are excited to see the release of WITNESS TO DEATH. Market forces change and so WITNESS TO DEATH has been released as an e-book exclusive. Over the last dozen years or so I have lost too many good authors while the James Patterson's of the world infect us with their brand of story telling. If you enjoy Mr. Patterson's work, then great. I don't mean that sarcastically in the least little bit. But make no mistake the success of Mr. Patterson is screwing the mid-list author. Okay, so rant over. On to the book. WITNESS TO DEATH comes as I have sworn off the thriller. No longer could I take the pulse pounding excitement of flaccid writing, confused plotting, or shades masquerading as characters. Dull upon, dull. Fortunately, Mr. White has never had that problem. He has alw...

The St. Louis B'Con panels have been announced. Amazingly the Con is only 37 days away. Gotta imagine that St. Louis in September could still be hotter than balls.  When September rolls around I'll post my selections for the most intriguing panels for every session for the entire run of the Con. Anyway, here is the link . If you have the means... go!

It is the good fortune of The Hungry Detective to now and again receive books from authors, publishers or their associated marketing agencies. These books were received in the month of July 2011 RINGER - Brian M. Wiprud - Minotaur Books THE MAN WITH THE BALTIC STARE - James Church - Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books CUT, PASTE, KILL - Marshall Karp - Minotaur Books THE DOG PARK CLUB - Cynthia Robinson - Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books A MURDER IN TUSCANY - Christobel Kent - Minotaur Books LOW TOWN - Daniel Polansky - Doubleday 13 MILLION DOLLAR POP - David Levien - Doubleday DEAD LINE - Stella Remington - Vintage LAYOVER IN DUBAI - Dan Fesperman - Vintage THE GARDEN OF BETRAYAL - Lee Vance - Vintage BLIND MAN'S ALLEY - Justine Peacock - Vintage