The Hungry Detective

As THD prepares for the coming Bouchercon in October, the current website for the Conference has posted the submissions for 2010. There is the submission from S an Francisco, Cauleefornah and a submission from Tempe, Arizona . There was also one sumbission for 2011 . I imagine that will turn up on the B'Con website in a day or two. We have some thoughts. First I think this is a great idea. Posting the whys and what-fors before the sites are voted on has the enticement of encouraging as many conference goers as possible to attend the vote in Baltimore. I think these posts insure that this will occur. I know a representative from THD will be in attendance. I will have to speak with a lawyer to cede voting authority to this yet unnamed person. San Francisco - This is a tough one, primarily because of the hotel costs. However, what you trade in higher hotel costs you could possibly save in some flexible travel options. Flying to Oakland has the luxury of being a bit closer than SF...

You know the drill by this point. I buy more books than I can read to the extent that I worry I will die before reading them all. Lets get on with the depression... L.A. Outlaws - T. Jefferson Parker Oh dear. Not another T. Jefferson Parker book? Perhaps one of these days THD will carve out some time to read some of this author's work. We'll break down and make one of his books next. Not this one. Probably one of the Edgar winners, Silent Joe or California Girl . Slip of the Knife - Denise Mina Third in the Paddy Meehan series, and retitled for the US. UK readers know the book as The Last Breath. THD has had the second 'Paddy' book near the top of the to be read pile for some time now. And this is not likely to change for at least for one more book. Stuart MacBride, our current read, is a fellow Scot and... well... you can't follow up a Scot with another Scot. It is just not done. I'm sure you understand. Sins of the Assassin - Robert Ferringo This books fa...

Announcement of the 2008 Crime Writers Association Awards was made last week. THD's delay in highlighting these awards has everything to do with the 8 trillion degree heat that has made its way through Western New York. In an effort to go green this year the THD offices are not air conditioned. Spending time in front of the computer was more than we could manage. That and the fact that THD has been watching the third season of Lost in and effort to catch up with the season 5 premiere in January. We posted a few of our picks for the CWA awards about a month ago. We've linked to each of the awards and what we love about this is the inclusion of Judge's notes. Short of publishing the actual tally of votes this is fascinating insight into why the book won. Duncan Lawrie Dagger Blood From Stone - Frances Fyfield The Tin Roof Blowdown - James Lee Burke Coroner's Lunch - Colin Cotterill Night Work - Steve Hamilton What the Dead Know - Laura Lippman A Vengeful Longing - RN Mor...

Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith Where to start with this book? The reviews for it have been hysterically positive. And I am not going to be the lone voice of dissent. It is a very good book that is less about the crime than the people who inhabit Soviet Russia circa 1953. And I guess this is true of great crime fiction. Great characters bring you back for more. However, my overall feeling is that the 'crime' of this fiction is just a subterfuge for Smith to delve into the grotesqueness of every day Soviet life. The who, how, and why-done-it are never nearly as important as the day in the life aspects of Soviet citizens. Child 44 is billed as serial killer novel, now that is probably too reductive, but the book is called Child 44. I don't think there are any illusions what those 44 children refer too. And while I am sure a substantial portion of the book is devoted to the 'serial killer' it certainly is not the best part of the book or at least the most memorable. The craft...

The Hungry Detective (THD) has spent the last few days picking away at a post that would encompass a few books that we have read in the past couple weeks. Unfortunately it was taking forever to write. THD read a couple of James Lee Burke novels and writing the notes for both books has been problematic. I loved both books. Heck we read them back to back. In the Moon of the Red Ponies and Crusaders Cross reminded me why James Lee Burke is the best that Crime Fiction has to offer..... bar none. It made us excited to read James Lee Burke again. But that is not the purpose of this post. The Evil That Men Do - Dave White THD thinks the casting of Charles Bronson as Jackson Donne is inspired! With CGI I am sure they can shed a few years from the Bronson's craggy mug. Rarely does Hollywood get 'it' right, but Hollywood got it right. I must have missed this in the theaters, but this will.... hmmmm... what now? Sorry, the Film Desk is in the office trying tell me that this has nothin...

As THD alluded to in our Summer Preview there are a bevy books soon to be a available for purchase. Recently, we chose two. See below. The King of Lies - John Hart Nominated for an Edgar for Best First Novel last year, this is a nice pick up for THD. Mr. Hart's second, the 2008 Edgar winning Down River, was purchased about a month ago. THD is excited for both books. Note the UK jacket at left. The Evil that Men Do - Dave White One of the young guns of the crime fiction world drops his second book. Trade paperback on this release got us thinking that that the trade paperback format will eventually become the standard for a lot, if not most, of crime fiction releases. Need to purchase some poly bags to keep this books safe from the ravages of time.

Well it is time for the Summer Preview. Not surprisingly there are bunch of books releasing between now and September. This list is a little different from past lists. THD has included a few books that while very interesting it is doubtful that we will purchase, let alone read. These books mainly fall under the heading of 'wish we had the time.' The Evil that Men Do - Dave White - June 17 Second of the Jackson Dunne books. I liked the first book to the extent that while I felt I had read it before it was still highly enjoyable. Ok, so technically this is a late Spring release. Chasing Darkness - Robert Crais - July 1 Back to Elvis. I think the 9th or 10th book for Elvis Cole. I have read most of this author's canon, I think The Watchman is the only book I am missing. Mr. Crais is a good to great author who's early work we find a tad more enjoyable than his later. But 'good' Crais is like 'great' most everyone else. Fuzzy Navel - JA Konrath - July 8...