Blog
Kate Mattes, R.I.P.
We have lost Kate Mattes, proprietor of the legendary Kate's Mystery Books in Cambridge, co-founder (with Sara Paretsky) of Sisters in Crime, and all-around champions of writers, particularly women writers, and readers. Word is that she had a sudden cardiac event,...
Five Questions with Michelle Cameron
Michelle Cameron and I met when I interviewed her years ago. She was helping me with one of my projects, but that chat introduced me to her own wonderful historical novels. Now I'm thrilled to introduce her – and her upcoming BEYOND THE GHETTO GATES – to you. Because...
Five Questions with Sarah Smith
Sarah Smith is a time traveler! Although we New Englanders know Sarah as an indefatigable supporter of the local crime fiction scene, to readers worldwide she is the Agatha Award-winning (and New York Times notable books) author of Chasing Shakespeares (yes, plural!),...
“The Mirror and the Light” review
Hi folks - I'd love you all to support the Boston Globe, where this review ran on Sunday. If you don't pay, journalists can't do their jobs. But, I also want you to read about this stunning book. And so, a few days late. here's my review. BOOK REVIEW Hilary Mantel’s...
The Mouldwarp King
You know how Alice gets lost down the rabbit hole? Well, friends, last week, I went down my own particular rabbit hole. I had the honor and the privilege of reviewing Hilary Mantel's stunning new novel, The Mirror and the Light (more on that later). But to do that on...
Five Questions with Nancy Bilyeau
I don't know about you, but I love to escape into historical fiction. A good historical gives you a real sense of the place and the time but – being fiction – weaves a compelling story in as well. (Apologies to my historian friends, but true stories are seldom as neat...
Five Questions with Gerald Coleman
Sitting on a panel next to Gerald Coleman is kind of like sitting next to royalty. The man makes worlds, people! Entire universes! The occasion was the recent Boskone conference, where we were literally talking about world-making, and how we do it. Since I came to...
Mystery Scene loves “Incantation”!
"Otherworldly fun," says this review in Mystery Scene magazine. " I couldn’t figure out which group provided the most fun: the clueless humans or the ever-so-sly cats." Read the full review here (or below): Clea Simon’s An Incantation of Cats: A Witch Cats of...
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...