Blog
Five Questions with Jeri Westerson
Jeri Westerson's imagination spans worlds – literally, in that this mistress of mystery writes everything from "Medieval Noir" to paranormal werewolves. Of course, in Jeri's worlds, these wild imaginings make sense, whether she's got series hero Crispin Guest on the...
How It Happened
The International Thriller Writers association runs a great series, called "How It Happened," in its The Big Thrill, letting established authors share their pathway to publication. These are usually great fun, if for no other reason than to learn about all the...
A dark thriller…
No, not a crime novel, but thrilling nonetheless! I absolutely loved Daniel Kehlmann's "Tyll." Here's my review, which ran in Sunday's Boston Globe. BOOK REVIEW In Daniel Kehlmann’s darkly brilliant ‘Tyll,’ a fool worth following By Clea Simon Globe...
Five Questions with L.J. Sellers
When a best-selling author like L.J. Sellers comes out with a new book with established series characters, readers know to expect a good time. But as her her 15th Jackson & Dallas thriller – The Black Pill – is about to be released, they should also know that...
Five Questions with Michael Stanley
I'd like to say I met the writing team of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip on safari. In truth, we were driving around Pittsburgh, looking for a wonderful (now defunct) author event sponsored by the (still there!) Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont, PA. I had long...
That “American Dirt” essay
Before I post, let me explain. My editor had agreed to let me substitute another review for the one (on "AD") originally assigned. But then "AD" became news and I gather his bosses asked why the Globe hadn't covered it, and so I was asked to write about it. Yes, I had...
Read “Remembrance”
When I first (tried to) duck out of reviewing "American Dirt," I asked if I could try Rita Woods' debut instead. My editor and I had talked about the two books before settling on "AD," so it wasn't a leap, and I was so glad to be able to review this. It's a magical...
Five Questions with Shawn Cosby
I first heard of Shawn Cosby when he won an Anthony for his short story "The Grass Beneath My Feet," at last year's Bouchercon. I mean, the first line alone slayed me: "Anyone who tell you that they don’t mind going to jail is a goddamned liar." That led me to his...
“Gentle humor permeates this novel…”
"Clea Simon stays very true to cat psychology throughout these books despite their fantastic premise. In fact, a large part of the series’ charm comes from the cats and their idiosyncratic view of Becca’s doings. Humans are portrayed with no less affection: it’s...
Five Questions with Jeannnette de Beauvoir
Provincetown, on the very tip of Cape Cod, is a magical place. Part summer resort, part arts colony, this diverse and very LGBTQIA+ friendly village still shows its roots in the Portuguese- American fishing community too. And while I'm one of the thousands who fill...