B.V. Lawson's Blog, page 84

FFB: Murderous Schemes

Murderous Schemes was edited by J. Madison Davis and the late, great Donald Westlake and published in 1998 by Oxford University Press. As Westlake notes in his introduction, "The major flaw with the genre under consideration is that no one knows quite what to call it." He himself prefers "detective story," and sets out to show why so many people fall under the spell of the genre, or as he adds, "What are these detective stories, that so enthrall people who should be spending their time on more worthy pursuits? What is this drug anyway?" The "worthy pursuits" quip follows after Westlake pokes fun at people who think worthwhile fiction can't be entertaining.



The anthology is organized into eight themes, including The Locked Room; Only One Among You; The Caper; The Armchair Detective; Come Into My Parlor; I Confess!; Hoist On Their Own Petards; and Over the Edge. Each section includes four short stories from many masters of the crime fiction genre, spanning the 150 years between Edgar Allan Poe and Lawrence Block. But there are some authors making an appearance who one doesn't always see in such anthologies, like Roald Dahl, Isak Dinesen, Jack London, and Damon Runyon.



The offerings include almost every style imaginable, from the hard-boiled detective story to the cozy armchair mystery to hints of horror. American and British authors are included, along with short biographies. As with most such works, there are hits and misses, but the clever idea of grouping the stories into the themes provides a fun  and—yes, entertaining—introduction to some of the common conventions in crime fiction.

          

Author R&R with James McGrath Morris

James McGrath Morris is a biographer and award-winning writer of narrative non-fiction. His works include The Rose Man of Sing Sing: A True Tale of Life, Murder, and Redemption in the Age of Yellow Journalism, which was a Washington Post Best Book of the Year; and, Jailhouse Journalism: The Four Estate Behind Bars. He is also the author of the Kindle Singles Revolution by Murder: Emma Goldman, Alexander Berkman, and the Plot to Kill Henry Clay Frick. In 2019 he received the BIO Award, which is given to a writer who has made a major contribution to the advancement of the art and craft of biography. 

His newest book is Tony Hillerman: A Life, which offers a balanced portrait of Hillerman’s personal and professional life and provides a timely appreciation of his work, including the almost accidental invention of Hillerman’s iconic detective Joe Leaphorn and the circumstances that led to the addition of Jim Chee as his partner. Hillerman’s novels were not without controversy, and Morris examines the charges of cultural appropriation leveled at the author toward the end of his life. Yet, for many readers, including many Native Americans, Hillerman deserves critical acclaim for his knowledgeable and sensitive portrayal of Diné (Navajo) history, culture, and identity.

James stops by In Reference to Murder to take some Author R&R about "How Hillerman Taught Me To Accept My Mistakes":

 

In 1979, I wrote Tony Hillerman a fan letter. I was then working as a reporter in Jefferson City, MO, and I was curious to find out if the state’s capitol had been the model for his book The Fly on the Wall.

Apparently I wasn’t the only person to ask this question. “I run into reporters all over who say, ‘I know which State Capitol you are using. You use Jefferson City, Missouri or . . . ,’” said Hillerman. “You know they tend to be alike. It was actually based on the Capitol at Oklahoma City, where I had worked.”

I had briefly meet Hillerman the previous year or two when I was working as a journalist in Albuquerque, NM, where he lived. In my letter I reminded him of our passing acquaintance and asked about the possible connection between his book and Missouri’s capitol.

He replied. This was several years before his Navajo mystery novels became best-sellers generating such extensive fan mail that he ceased being able to write back. In his letter to me, Hillerman, unfailingly polite, said his fictitious capitol building might include some similarities with Missouri’s but was based on Oklahoma’s.

Then Hillerman asked if I had spotted the mistake in the book? I had not. So as not to give it away instantly, the author had taken the sheet of stationery out of his typewriter and put it back in upside down. That way the answer appeared upside down so I could not read it immediately.

When I flipped the page, I learned that the protagonist John Cotton had removed his shoes in a nighttime visit to the capitol, so that the men chasing him would not hear his steps on the marble floor, but he never put them back on. He then walked through streets wet with sleet, took a cab ride, and arrived at the final scene in the house of the Democratic Party state chairman, all in stocking feet.

“Readers do pay close attention. I get letters from ones who just read to find errors,” Hillerman said. “The best one I’ve ever had,” Hillerman commented with regard to reader complaints, “was when I got a call at 10 p.m. one night. The fellow said, ‘I used to have a lot of respect for you until I’ve just been reading Dance Hall of the Dead. Don’t you know deer don’t have gall bladders?’”

Over the course of eighteen Navajo novels, Hillerman would err no more than most writers but his immense readership included many eagle-eyed fans who eagerly pointed out mistakes. Re-reading Hillerman’s books and studying his papers in the course of preparing  a biography of his life, I found the author had a healthy attitude about the small errors he made. He accepted the fact that they were inevitable and unless they were major, errors could make for a good story. And, Tony Hillerman loved a story.

I’ve come to adopt his approach and often think about how, usually with a laugh, he recounted to audiences some of the mistakes he had made in his books. Over time, he grew fond of the one involving John Cotton’s shoeless night trek through bad weather, frequently sharing it with readers, like with the fan who wrote him in 1979.

 

You can learn more about Morris and his work via his website, and also follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. Tony Hillerman: A Life is available today from the University of Oklahoma Press via all major booksellers.

         Related StoriesAuthor R&R with Robbie BachAuthor R&R with Lorie Lewis HamAuthor R&R with Larry (and Rosemary) Mild 

Mystery Melange

Sisters in Crime Australia announced that 26 stories by 23 authors have been shortlisted for its 28th Scarlet Stiletto Awards for best short stories written by Australian women. This year 241 stories – equal to last year’s record – are competing for a record $11,910 in prize money. Awards are presented in the following categories: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Young Writer (under 19), and Emerging Writer (19-25); Art and Crime; Best Environmental Mystery "Body in The Library" (including runner-up); Most Satisfying Retribution; Mystery with History; Malice Domestic; Cross-Genre; Thriller; Great Film Idea; and Best Disabled Protagonist. The winners will be revealed in an online ceremony, Saturday, November 27, on YouTube and on Facebook.

In more news from Australia, the Aussie publishing news website Books + Publishing (and The Society of Women Writers NSW) reported that the Australian Crime Writers Association (ACWA) is sponsoring a new flash fiction crime writing prize, the Louie Award. Sponsored by ACT president of the Australian Medical Association Antonio Di Dio, the annual award celebrates his late father Luigi who was an avid crime fiction reader. The award is open to Australian crime writers and will seek short story submissions of up to 500 words. The winner will receive $750. Entries for the inaugural award is expected to open this month on the ACWA website, although there is no information listed there just yet.

Tomorrow, October 14, the Atwater Library in Montreal will host an Online Panel Discussion with Delvin Chatterson and other Montreal-area members of Crime Writers of Canada discussing the pleasures of reading and writing crime fiction.To register and get the Zoom link, click on over here.

On October 27, you can book your free ticket for an evening with Danish crime authors Heidi Amsinck and Katrine Engberg in conversation with broadcaster, journalist, and writer, Lone Theils. The event is sponsored by Barnet Libraries and will also be offered online.

Looking ahead to November 8th, pencil in the date for the online Murder One 21: Murder in the Library. The event is offered in conjunction with the Dublin Book Festival and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature and is also free (with required registration). Adele Parks and Jane Casey will be in conversation with Vaseem Khan. But wait, there's more! Check out the registration link for additional Murder One free online events scheduled throughout November,

Liverpool’s First Ever Crime Fiction Day, Perfect Crime UK, is slated for November 13. Featured authors include Ann Cleves, Elly Griffiths, Sophie Hannah, Mel Sherratt, Martin Edwards, M.W. Craven, and more, participating in a variety of panels. Note that this is an in-person event only. For tickets, head on over to this link.

The latest issue of Clues: A Journal of Detection has been published. The new executive editor, Caroline Reitz, has included essays profling authors such as Lois Austen-Leigh, Raymond Chandler, Agatha Christie, Didier Daeninckx, Fergus Hume, Philip Kerr, Peter Robinson, and Arthur Upfield.

In a couple of posts last week, I highlighted several newish anthologies (some for charity, others more general), and I don't want to just repeat the work Richie Naravez had already done with his list of "Latinx Crime Fiction Anthologies" for CrimeReads, but do head over there and check them out.

Washington Post book critic, Ron Charles, reviewed State of Terror, the political thriller written by Hillary Clinton with Louise Penny, calling it "a thinly veiled jab at a Very Stable Genius."

Meanwhile, The Guardian's Anthony Cummins reviewed John le Carré's posthumous and final full-length book, "a precision-tooled cat and mouse chase from a bookshop in East Anglia to the old eastern bloc." As Cummins notes, however, "If we’re left dangling by the end, there’s an added tease of sorts in the novel’s billing as le Carré’s 'last complete masterwork' – on the strong side, no doubt, but a tag that nonetheless holds out the prospect of rougher treasures still awaiting the light."

Writing for The Economist, C.T. Scott profiled the story of Sherlock Holmes's "real-life secretary." Chris Bazlinton had a shock when he was offered a public relations job at Abbey National, a British building society, and learned that as part of his duties, he would "also have to act as secretary to Sherlock Holmes, answering the mail that comes in for him." It all started in 1932, when Abbey opened its grand, white-marbled headquarters on Baker Street. The art-deco building was so large that it had been assigned ten street numbers, from 219 to 229. Overnight, one of the most famous literary addresses in history – 221b Baker Street, home of Holmes and his partner, John H. Watson – became a real place for the first time. Bazlinton, was the seventh secretary to Holmes, serving until 1982, and during his tenure, he estimated he received nearly 6,000 pieces of mail and replied to each one.

It seems like every single celebrity on the planet these days (from TV actors and presenters to astronauts to politicans) is dipping their pinkie into the crime fiction well to add a check mark to their resumes. It appears the latest will be Britney Spears.

How much time should you give a devastatingly boring book? Crime novelist, Mark Billingham, advises readers to angrily launch a book across the room after 20 non-gripping pages, but studies show that almost 40% of people will keep going right to the end.

This week's crime poem at the 5-2 is "Nocturne" by J.M. Jordan.

In the Q&A roundup, Indie Crime Scene interviewed Harry Navinski, author of The Duty: A not so Scottish Murder, which is the second novel in the DCI Suzanna McLeod series; Deborah Kalb chatted with Ashley Elliott, the co-author (with Michael J. Coffino), of the new true crime book The Demon in Disguise: Murder, Kidnapping, and the Banty Rooster, which focuses on the murder of Elliott's father in 2002; Nowegian author Jo Nesbo (creator of the Harry Hole series), spoke with The O.C. Register about his new work, The Jealousy Man, a collection of dark short stories and novellas that reveal the worst in human nature; Lori Rader-Day sat down The Nerd Daily about her latest book release, Death At Greenway, which she calls "Agatha Christie noir"; and the Vancouver publication, George Straight, had a Q&A with Linwood Barclay about being influenced by Ross Macdonald, inspired by Stephen King, and shaped by deadlines.

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Author R&R with Robbie Bach

Robbie Bach is best known for founding and leading the team that created the Xbox. Today he is an entertaining storyteller and catalyzing voice who writes books and speaks to audiences on leadership, creativity, strategy, and civic issues. He also serves on the national board of governors for Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Magic Leap, an augmented reality company, and is the co-owner of Manini’s, Inc., a gluten-free pasta and baking company. In 2015, he published his first book, Xbox Revisited: A Game Plan for Corporate and Civic Renewal. His first thriller novel, The Wilkes Insurrection, debuts today.

In the novel, the relative calm at Offutt Air Force Base is shattered when commercial Flight 209 crashes down onto its runway. From the flaming wreckage, Major Tamika Smith must try to rescue survivors and make sense of the tragedy. But this isn't just an isolated incident. In a time of national unrest and division, a cunning shadowy mastermind is tearing down the United States from the inside out, playing law enforcement like puppets. Soon, thousands are dying and there are precious few leads. Can Tamika and an unlikely collection of committed Americans stop the destruction in time to rescue a nation descending into chaos?

Robbie stops by In Reference to Murder to take some Author R&R about writing the book:

 

People, Places and Things

By nature, I’m a detail oriented person, so when I set out to write my debut novel, The Wilkes Insurrection, I made an early commitment to getting things “right.”  For fiction to be believable, it has to have a level of accuracy that commands the reader’s respect and attention.  Since my storyline involves avionics, virtual reality, the military, politics, the dark web, and more, it required substantial research to augment whatever knowledge I already possessed in those areas.  And I used the full range of techniques to gather the data I needed.  Think of this as the “People, Places, and Things” of an authentic story.

My writing actually began with a number of short chapters for four or five characters that were running around in my head.  At the time, I had no clue how they might fit together or how a plot would develop.  But each of them had a profession, a personal background, and a life history that needed to be genuine.  Some of that I could create out of thin air – but I quickly ran into the constraints of facts and reality.  As an example, my main protagonist, Major Tamika Smith, is a reservist in the Air Force.  Since I’ve never served in the military, I did plenty of web-based research on ranks, functions, and base locations.  I also interviewed or received written feedback from two Generals, a Lieutenant Colonel, and two Captains in the Air Force with particular focus on military etiquette, communications, and procedure.  Making the People believable – likeable in some cases and despicable in others – was foundational for the plot.

The Wilkes Insurrection takes place all over the United States – and also has a scene in Afghanistan.  Strong fiction requires putting the reader “on location” by describing the scene well and creating a sensory image for them.  While I had been to some of my plot locations, many others were new for me.  In some cases, like Kandahar, Afghanistan, I relied on internet imagery, location descriptions, maps, and other forms of research to create a picture in my own mind.  But as often as possible, I visited my sites personally.  I went to Washington, DC for a Boys and Girls Club Board of Governors meeting.  I spent hours during breaks Ubering between Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Pentagon (in a suit in August, no less!) taking pictures and notes on various locations.  The next morning, I got up early and took a 7 AM Amtrak train to Baltimore, again to familiarize myself with the train (spoiler alert:  and it’s bathrooms).  Making the Place real – sometimes glorious and sometimes in destruction – is essential for a thriller.

Beyond the characters and locations, I was very focused on various technical details.  For a reader, there is nothing worse than going through a story and thinking, “Oh, I know that’s not right.”  I worked for Microsoft for 22 years, including being a founding leader and Chief Xbox Officer for that business, so people assume I understand technology deeply.  In fact, I have no formal technical training and don’t play video games(!).  So when I delved into the dark web, cybersecurity, and virtual reality in my novel, I had more exploration to do.  As an example, I met with over a dozen startup CEOs in the Seattle area who were building virtual reality products to understand the business and technical challenges they were facing.  From these interviews, I created a series of business issues for a mythical company, Cybernoptics, that framed an important portion of The Wilkes Insurrection plot.  Because of my background, I know that plenty of people with technical skills will read my book – and I want them to know that getting the Things accurate mattered to me.

Not all research and reference work requires extensive effort.  The internet, if used carefully, has a wealth of information that can fill in small gaps.  This was immensely helpful as I worked to get some very specific details correct.  So how many passengers can fly on a 757? How fast can world class female sprinters run the 400?  Or, how tall is the Oroville Dam?  There are also some areas where being less specific is helpful.  A successful author once told me that you either have to say “they made love,” or take the risk of getting very, very specific.  I choose the latter!!

Finally, I will point out, that despite my search for accuracy, I believe in literary license.  As an author, I had to gauge the fine line between authenticity and a reader’s willingness to suspend disbelief in the rush of a great plot.  That is an essential part of the art of writing great fiction.

 

You can find out more about the author and the book via this website, and also follow the author on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The Wilkes Insurrection is currently available in hardcover for in-store pick-up or shipping from all major booksellers. The ebook version will be available November 2.

         Related StoriesAuthor R&R with Lorie Lewis HamAuthor R&R with Larry (and Rosemary) MildAuthor R&R with Melissa Larsen 

Media Murder for Monday

It's the start of a new week and that means it's time for a brand-new roundup of crime drama news:

THE BIG SCREEN/MOVIES

Keira Knightley is set to star as the lead in the 20th Century Studios film, Boston Strangler, that recounts the real-life Boston Strangler murders in the 1960s. Knightley will portray Loretta McLaughlin, who was the first reporter to connect the murders and break the story of the Strangler. She and fellow reporter, Jean Cole, challenged the sexism of the early ’60s to report on the city’s most notorious serial killer and worked tirelessly to keep women informed. McLaughlin pursued the story at great personal risk and uncovered corruption that cast doubt on the true identity of the killer. Matt Ruskin (Crown Heights) will write the original screenplay and direct the film.

Mischa Barton has been tapped to lead the crime thriller, Invitation To A Murder, which is being directed by Stephen Shimek (The Adventure of A.R.I.: My Robot Friend). Brian O’Donnell penned the script, which is based on an original story by Gérard Miller. When a reclusive billionaire invites six seemingly random strangers to his island estate, intrepid, aspiring detective Miranda Green (Barton) finds the mysterious invitation too alluring to pass up. When another guest turns up dead, Miranda must get to the bottom of the malicious plot behind the gathering to prove herself and maybe save her life.

Actress Louise Linton has found her next film role, a murder-mystery movie called, Out of Hand. Linton will star alongside Pierson Fodé and William Baldwin, with Brian Skiba directing the project for Toric Films. Described as being in the vein of "Basic Instinct meets Cape Fear," the project tells the story of a professor of literature and psychology at Berkeley, Dr. Valerie Cross (Linton), and her oppressive lover, David (Fodé), who become suspects in the vicious murder of one of her female students.

Focus Features has set a release date of February 25, 2022 for the gritty drama, The Outfit. The pic marks Graham Moore’s directorial debut, and follows Leonard, played by Mark Rylance, an English tailor who used to craft suits on London’s world-famous Savile Row. But after a personal tragedy, he’s ended up in Chicago, operating a small tailor shop in a rough part of town where he makes beautiful clothes for the only people around who can afford them: A family of vicious gangsters. Moore, who won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for The Imitation Game, co-wrote the screenplay with actor/writer Johnathan McClain (Mad Men). The cast also includes Dylan O’Brien, Zoey Deutch, Johnny Flynn, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Simon Russell Beale.

TELEVISION/STREAMING SERVICES

In a competitive situation with multiple bidders, A+E Studios has landed exclusive rights to the late bestselling author Sue Grafton’s alphabet book series featuring private investigator protagonist Kinsey Millhone. Under the pact, the studio can develop and produce the entire library of Grafton’s wildly popular alphabet mysteries for television. This marks the first time the screen rights to the book series has been made available, with Steve Humphrey, Grafton’s husband for more than 40 years, serving as executive producer on the adaptations. As Grafton fans may recall, however, and as this Deadline article notes, Grafton famously stated she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows. "I will never sell [Kinsey] to Hollywood...I have made my children promise not to sell her. We’ve taken a blood oath, and if they do so I will come back from the grave."

L.A. Law has taken a major step in its TV comeback, with ABC handing out a pilot green light to a new incarnation of the iconic Steven Bochco legal drama. The project, which had been in the works at the network since December, is headlined by Blair Underwood, reprising his role as attorney Jonathan Rollins in addition to executive producing. In the new series, the law firm of McKenzie Brackman reinvents itself as a litigation firm specializing in only the most high profile, boundary-pushing, and incendiary cases. Underwood’s Jonathan Rollins has gone from idealistic to more conservative as he clashes with millennial JJ Freeman to decide the best path forward for the firm to effect political and legal change.

Poldark star, Aidan Turner, is set to play a doctor with a dark side in a new ITV drama from Bodyguard and The Pembrokeshire Murders producer, World Productions. The five-part adaptation of Michael Robotham’s novel, The Suspect, will also star Shaun Parkes, Sian Clifford, Camilla Beeput, Adam James, and Anjli Mohindra, and is being written by Gangs of London writer Peter Berry. It follows Doctor Joe O’Loughlin (Turner) who appears to have the perfect life – a devoted wife, a loving daughter, successful practice as a clinical psychologist, media profile and a publishing deal. But when a young woman is found in a shallow grave in a West London cemetery, investigators begin to question whether Joe's work as a clinical psychologist has allowed him to develop a criminal mindset or worse.

USA Network’s two-hour film, Nash Bridges, has been given a Thanksgiving weekend premiere date, Saturday, Nov. 27. The movie brings back original cast members Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as elite investigators for the San Francisco Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit. If the movie does well, it could launch a Nash Bridges series revival. In addition to Johnson and Marin, the film brings back original cast member, Jeff Perry. They are joined in the cast by new additions Joe Dinicol, Diarra Kilpatrick, Angela Ko, Paul James, Alexia Garcia, and Bonnie Sommerville.

ITV has commissioned the four-part psychological thriller, Without Sin, starring Vicky McClure and written by screenwriting newcomer, Frances Poletti. The story explores the relationship which develops between a grieving mother (McClure) and the man she believes murdered her daughter (Johnny Harris).

Netflix’s Painkiller has added Taylor Kitsch, Ana Cruz Kayne, Tyler Ritter, John Ales, Sam Anderson, Carolina Bartczak, Jack Mulhern, and Ron Lea to its cast. (Previously announced cast members include Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, West Duchovny, Dina Shihabi, and John Rothman.) The limited drama series chronicles the origins of the opioid crisis and the role of Purdue Pharma.

Jessica Biel has replaced Elisabeth Moss (who had to depart the series over scheduling conflicts) in Hulu’s upcoming scripted series about Candy Montgomery. The project, which is titled Candy, centers on Montgomery, the infamous Texas murderer, and her victim, Betty Gore. Here is the logline for the series: "In 1980 Texas, Candy Montgomery (Biel) seemingly had it all – loving husband with a good job, a daughter and a son, a nice house in the brand new suburbs – so why did she kill her friend from church with an ax?"

CBS Studios has partnered with Syrreal Entertainment and ARD Degeto on an "elevated genre-drama" to be broadcast via the latter’s online platform ARD Mediathek. Titled Oderbruch, the series begins with the discovery of numerous murder victims in the eponymous region in Germany. Ex-cop Maggie Kring (Karoline Schuch) and detective Roland Voit (Felix Kramer) will be brought together after more than 20 years of separation to examine the case, which becomes a personal one for Maggie as it is connected to the mysterious death of her brother many years before.

NBC has opted not to proceed with its drama pilot, Getaway. Written and executive produced by JJ Bailey and Moira Kirland, Getaway centered on a destination wedding at an isolated luxury resort that quickly descends into chaos after a group of dangerous criminals takes the island hostage. The small group of guests, led by a fearless female Army vet (Annie Ilonzeh), will do everything they can to stay alive. As Deadline reports, two other leads in the now-abandoned project, Manifest's Matt Long and All Rise's Marg Helgenberger, are now potentially free to return to their other shows, although there's been no official word from either of those productions.

The first back orders for new fall 2021 series have gone to CBS's NCIS: Hawai’i and FBI: International. Both NCIS: Hawai’i and FBI: International are supported by strong lead-ins as they follow the mothership series of their franchises, NCIS, and FBI, respectively

PODCASTS/VIDEO/RADIO/AUDIO

A new Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast is up, featuring the mystery short story, "The Last Customer," written by John Gaspard and read by actor Parker Forrest Lewis. It is set in a magic store, perfect for Halloween season.

Robert Justice interviewed Patricia Raybon for the Crime Writers of Color podcast. Raybon is an award-winning author who has written memoirs and articles set at the daring intersection of faith and race, who is releasing her debut crime novel, All That is Secret, a 1920s murder mystery series about a young Black theologian—a fan of Sherlock Holmes—solving crime and murder in Colorado’s dangerous era of the Ku Klux Klan.

Eric Rickstad (I Am Not Who You Think I Am) joined Eric Beetner as co-host of Writer Types and interviewed fellow authors John Copenhaver (The Savage Kind); Dennis Palumbo (Panic Attack); and Alverne Ball (Blue Religion).

Book Riot's Read or Dead podcast chatted about mystery releases you may have missed in 2020 and 2021.

Speaking of Mysteries welcomed David McCloskey to discuss Damascus Station, his debut thriller set against the ongoing conflict in Syria. The novel introduces CIA officer, Sam Joseph, who has fallen for a source, which is strictly forbidden, and the deadly double crossing that ensues.

Meet the Thriller Author spoke with author and physician, Ian K. Smith. He's best-known for his expert health and fitness advice on national broadcasts and in his bestselling nonfiction books, but his crime novels have taken critics and fans alike by storm.

Wrong Place, Write Crime welcomed Rebecca Rosenberg to discuss her true crime book, At Any Cost.

My Favorite Detective Stories chatted with David Swinson, who grew up in Washington, DC, Beirut, Mexico City, and Stockholm as the son of a foreign service officer. He is a retired police detective from the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC, having been assigned to Major Crimes. Swinson is the author of The Second Girl, Crime Song, Trigger, and City on the Edge.

Clay Small's The Forger's Forgery was on the book menu at the Dark and Stormy Book Club podcast. The book follows a visiting professor to Amsterdam, Henry Lindon, who discovers that notorious Dutch art forger, Han van Meegeren, and secrets of the art world may hold the key to settling old scores and putting a predator away for good.

Crime Time FM aired its monthly magazine show, Heads Togther, with a discussion of upcoming TV shows; NDAs; Bloody Scotland; and the latest podcasts. The special guest was Craig Sisterson, a crime fiction critic who writes for a number of publications and is the founder of the Ngaio Marsh Awards in his native New Zealand

Cozy Ink Podcast host, Leah Bailey, focused on the first installment of a multi-part discussion of "Cozy Mysteries in the Midwest."

THEATRE

The Broadway revival of David Mamet’s American Buffalo starring Laurence Fishburne, Sam Rockwell, and Darren Criss – postponed from 2020 due to the Covid shutdown – will open at Circle in the Square Theatre on Wednesday, April 14, 2022, two years to the day after its original target. American Buffalo, which concerns three small-time hustlers who want a bigger cut of the American dream, premiered on Broadway in 1977, receiving the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play.

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FFB: Anne Perry Presents Malice Domestic 6

Since I've been featuring anthologies this week, it seemed appropriate for Friday's "Forgotten" Books to mention one of the many story anthologies that have arisen from the Malice Domestic Conference: namely, Anne Perry Presents Malice Domestic 6 - An Anthology of Original Traditional Mystery Stories. As you might suspect, the stories featured in this anthology from 1997 are of the "cozy" and traditional variety by authors from Australia, Britain, and the U.S. The Mystery Lovers Bookshop calls this (and its companion books in the series), "the quintessential cozy anthology." The Chicago Sun Times added that "You will relish all these stories like tasty morsels," and it's easy to see why with the all-star lineup:

Contents:

* A Dance with Life, Death... and Laughter by Anne Perry

* The Corbett Correspondence by Edward Marston & Peter Lovesey

* Like to Die by Catherine Aird

* Immortality [Sebastian Grady] by Jon L. Breen

* Ways to Kill a Cat by Simon Brett

* Mea Culpa by Jan Burke

* The Gentleman’s Gentleman by Dorothy Cannell

* Malice Among Friends by Sarah Caudwell

* True Confessions by Kate Charles

* Abstain from Beans by Lindsey Davis

* Time’s Wingèd Chariot by Marjorie Eccles

* Alternative Reality by Anthea Fraser

* Come Sable Night by Kerry Greenwood

* Murder Mid-Atlantic by Edward Marston

* City Boy by Susan Moody

* One in Every Family by Betty Nathan

* The Two Ladies of Rose Cottage by Peter Robinson

* Sweet Fruition by David Williams



Lest you think traditional mysteries are only the realm of the female gender, two of the standout stories are actually by male authors. "Two Ladies of Rose Cottage" by Peter Robinson" won the Macavity Award for Best Short Story, and both that tale and the "Corbett Correspondence" by Edward Marston and Peter Lovesey were nominated for Agatha Awards the same year.

          

Mystery Melange

Debut author Clare Whitfield has been awarded the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2021 for People of Abandoned Character, a thrilling and atmospheric take on the Jack the Ripper story (published by Head of Zeus). It follows the perspective of the newly married Susannah, who begins to wonder whether her abusive and volatile husband might be responsible for the Whitechapel Murders. Whitfield won praise from the judging team, calling her story "a thoughtful and compelling exploration of the endless violence faced by women of all walks of life."

During an online live event this week, The Strand Magazine announced the winners of the 2021 Strand Critics Awards, recognizing excellence in the field of mystery fiction and publishing. The winners include Best Mystery Novel: Snow, by John Banville; Best Debut Novel: When No One Is Watching, by Alyssa Cole; and Lifetime Achievement Awards: Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, and Alexander McCall Smith. Josh Stanton of Blackstone Publishing was chosen to receive the 2021 Publisher of the Year Award.

The Bloody Scotland hybrid festival, which ran from September 17-30, had a record-breaking attendance this year, with 16,000 visitors (both in person and online) from over 30 countries. Organizers are so encouraged by this, they are already making plans for Bloody Scotland 2022, the event's 10th anniversary, increasing the in-person event to run for four consecutive days. Founding chair, Jenny Brown, is stepping down and handing over the reins to publisher and TV presenter, James Crawford, who added "This is a festival that has a very strong identity and a clear and ambitious vision for the future, and I am very much looking forward to helping shape the plans for its 10th anniversary in 2022." There's no word yet on whether next year's event will be once again a hybrid affair, but I'm assuming more word on that will be forthcoming, depending upon the state of the pandemic at that time.

New England Crime Bake is scheduled to take place live at the Hilton in Dedham, Massachusetts from November 12-14. The planning committee is weighing many considerations right now, but the good news is that Crime Bake 2021 will happen no matter what. A subcommittee has planned a virtual event, Crime Bake: Online, Plugged-In and Exclusive, that will take place from November 14 – 19, even if the live event does not happen as planned. Registration is separate from the in-person event, and folks from far-flung locations will be able to join in from the comfort of home. It will offer different programming from the in-person Crime Bake, which is currently still on. (HT to Brenda Buchanan)

The latest issue of Mystery Readers Journal, with a theme of Lone Star Mysteries, is out and available in print. You can catch some sneak previews online with the essays, "The Basis for The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale"; "My Grandfather and Samuel Craddock" by Terry Shames; and "Just the Facts: A Ranger Hall of Fame" by Jim Doherty.

The American Comparative Literature Association has issued a call for papers for their upcoming meeting in June of 2022. The symposium is titled "Global Histories of Crime Fiction: Redefining a Popular Genre," and organizers would like to see papers dealing with any aspects of world crime fiction and the historiographical challenges it presents. Abstracts must be received by Sunday, October 31.

The Melville House blog reminded us that a recent study at Yale University, which was reported on in a Washington Post article, showed "book readers experienced a 20 percent reduction in risk of mortality over the 12 years of follow-up compared to non-book readers." The data was obtained from a longitudinal Health and Retirement Study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. The study looked at 3,635 subjects, all older than 50, whom the researchers divided into three groups: those who didn’t read books, those who read up to 3.5 hours a week and those who read more than 3.5 hours a week. The findings were remarkable: Book readers survived almost two years longer than those who didn’t crack open a book.

A team of more than 40 retired and amateur investigators claim they have identified the Zodiac Killer, up to this point an unnamed serial killer that operated in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1960s. The team, calling themselves The Case Breakers, which consists of former law enforcement officials, DNA experts, and journalists, believe they have identified the Zodiac Killer as Gary Francis Poste, who died in 2018. But the FBI and police in California say, "Not so fast."

This week's crime poem at the 5-2 is "Private Enterprise" by Harris Coverley.

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An Avalanche of (Non-Charity) Anthologies

Yesterday, I took note of some recent anthologies for charity, but there are many more anthologies based on other themes and events that have come through the publishing pipeline recently. Here are some of those titles:

Under the auspices of New York City’s The Mysterious Bookshop and its affiliated Mysterious Press, Lee Child has selected twenty short crime tales as the Best Mystery Stories of the Year. The award-winning Mysterious Press senior editor, Otto Penzler, brings his decades of anthologist experience to this new annual publication, each of which will feature a different bestselling author to serve as guest editor. The inaugural edition includes tales by Stephen King, Sara Paretsky, Doug Allyn, Jim Allyn, Michael Bracken, James Lee Burke, Martin Edwards, John Floyd, Jacqueline Freimor, Alison Gaylin, Sue Grafton, Paul Kemprecos, Janice Law, Dennis McFadden, David Marcum, Tom Mead, David Morrell, Joyce Carol Oates, Joseph S. Walker, and Andrew Welsh-Huggins.

Meanwhile, Steph Cha is taking the helm of the Best American Mystery and Suspense series (formerly edited by Penzler), with best-selling crime novelist Alafair Burke joining her as the first guest editor. Spanning from a mediocre spa in Florida, to New York’s gritty East Village, to death row in Alabama, this collection reveals boundless suspense in small, quiet moments, offering startling twists in the least likely of places. The lineup of featured authors includes Jenny Bhatt, Christopher Bollen, Nikki Dolson, E. Gabriel Flores, Alison Gaylin, Gar Anthony Haywood, Ravi Howard, Gabino Iglesias, Charin Jones, Aya de Leon, Preston Lang, Laura Lippman, Kristen Lepionka, Joanna Pearson, Delia C. Pitts, Eliot Schrefer, Alex Segura, Brian Silverman, Faye Snowden, and Lisa Unger.

This Time For Sure is the latest Bouchercon Anthology, edited by Hank Phillippi Ryan and available from Down & Out Books. What would you do if you had a second chance? A do-over? How far would you go to get back at the one who got away, the one who did you wrong, the one who tricked you, manipulated you, ignored you? Twenty-two brilliant skilled authors now offer their journeys into revenge, revealing how they would even the score, turn the tables, make things right. One used a map. One a tape recorder. A decoy. A disguise. A lie. One even used a banana. Featured authors include Craig Johnson, Gabriel Valjan, Kristen Lepionka, Andrew Welsh-Huggins, Karen Dionne, Clark Boyd, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Elizabeth Elwood, Damyanti Biswas, Martha Reed, Lucy Burdette, Sharon Bader, Alexia Gordon, Alex Segura, Edwin Hill, Steve Shrott, Elisabeth Elo, Alan Orloff, G. Miki Hayden, Charles Todd, Heather Graham, and Ellen Clair Lamb.

 

Midnight Hour, edited by Abby L. Vandiver and published by Crooked Lane, showcases 20 mystery and suspense stories written by people of color, each with a pivotal moment set at midnight. Highlights include Callie Browning’s twisty "Dead Men Tell No Tales, which centers on the murder of the prime minister of Barbados; Christopher Chambers’s clever "In the Matter of Mabel and Bobby Jefferson," in which Shane, an English major now working the night shift at an insurance company call center, wearily concludes, "It’s going to get funny tonight," but he doesn’t know the half of it; Tina Kashian’s unsettling "Cape May Murders," Sona and Priya, both mothers of young daughters, go away for a relaxing weekend at the Jersey Shore and wind up sharing their B&B with a murderer; and Sanjay, the Hindi Houdini, finds his séance spinning out of control in Gigi Pandian’s droll, "The Diamond Vanishes."

 

Untreed Reads recently released Monkey Business, featuring a Who's Who of award-winning crime writers paying homage to the Marx Brothers in fourteen short stories, each inspired by one of the brothers' studio films. Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races, Duck Soup, Animal Crackers...over the two decades between 1929's The Cocoanuts and 1949's Love Happy, the Marx Brothers-Groucho, Harpo, Chico (and sometimes Zeppo) entertained movie-goers around the world with their madcap antics, rapid-fire dialogue, and prowess on the piano, the harp, and in song. Authors with stories here include Donna Andrews, Frankie Y. Bailey, Jeff Cohen, Lesley A. Diehl, Brendan DuBois, Terence Faherty, Barb Goffman, Joseph Goodrich, Robert Lopresti, Sandra Murphy, Robert J. Randisi, Marilyn Todd, Joseph S. Walker, and editor Josh Pachter.

The stories in Murder by the Glass: Cocktail Mysteries, also from Untreed Reads, infuse this collection of deadly deeds with a variety of potent potables from light-bodied puzzles to edgier tales with bitter consequences. This anthology includes works by Allie Marie, Betsy Ashton, Frances Aylor, Mary Dutta, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Diane Fanning, Debra H. Goldstein, Libby Hall, Maria Hudgins, Teresa Inge, Maggie King, Kristin Kisska, Allie Marie, K. L. Murphy, Alan Orloff, Josh Pachter, Shawn Reilly Simmons and Heather Weidner.

 

So West: Love Kills is the latest anthology from Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter. From the wilds of Arizona’s Rim country to its dusty lowland deserts, you’ll find it all within the pages of So West: Love Kills. Bonds forged and broken. Covenants kept and cast aside. Love nurtured and left to rot. Not everything is as it seems. Not everyone can be trusted. But one thing is for certain—love hurts. Sometimes it even kills! Contributing authors include Shannon Baker, Mysti Berry, Meredith Blevins, Patricia Bonn, Lauren Buckingham, Susan Budavari, William Butler, Patricia Curren, Meg E. Dobson, Beverly Forsyth, Denise Ganley, Roberta Gibson, Katherine Atwell Herbert, Tom Leveen, Susan Cummins Miller, Charlotte Morganti, Julie Morrison, Claire A. Murray, Kris Neri, Karen Odden, R K Olson, D.R. Ransdell, Kim Rivery, Elena E. Smith. 

Stores in the Capitol Crimes 2021 Anthology, Cemetery Plots of Northern California (with a foreword by best-selling author Catriona McPherson), delve into the creative minds of Capitol Crimes members. The setting: Northern California. The theme: that place we all finally must visit, the cemetery. The plots and characters are as diverse as the authors. And their stories will touch your spirit where adventure and fear intersect. The featured stories are from Donna Benedict, Melissa H. Blaine, Jenny Carless, Chris Dreith, Eve Elliot, Elaine Faber, Kenneth Gwin, Kim Keeline, Virginia Kidd, Nan Mahon, Jennifer Morita, Karen Phillips, Richard Schneider, Terry Shepherd, and Joseph S. Walker.

Another Sisters in Crime chapter, SinC NY-TriState, has published the anthology, Justice for All: Murder New York Style 5. Injustice may lurk inside a swanky Manhattan apartment, a high school classroom, a Soho art gallery, a Madison Avenue church, the waters traversed by the Staten Island ferry, turn-of-the-century Lower East Side, or the Brooklyn suburbs. The crime committed may involve homophobia, xenophobia, child abandonment, sexual abuse, white privilege, ageism, or literary snobbery. Regardless, these tales are designed to both enlighten and delight readers of suspense who seek out a bit of fairness and integrity in the city that may never sleep but does often rectify its wrongs. Participating authors include Lori Robbins, Catherine Siemann, Cathi Stoler, Anne-Marie Sutton, D.M. Barr, Roz Siegel, Kathleen Marple Kalb, Ellen Quint, Mary Jo Robertiello, Catherine Maiorisi, Nancy Good, Nina Mansfield, Susie Case, Stephanie Wilson-Flaherty, Nina Wachsman, and Elle Hartford.

There's also Death by Cupcake, edited by Jess Faraday. A cupcake sounds so innocent, but these cupcakes aren’t always sweet. In fact, many lead to a sticky end. But only for those who truly deserve it. Featured stories include "The House Next Door" by Lee Mullins;" Sweet Anaphylactic Revenge" by Meg Candelria; "Tea & Misery" by Tracy Falenwolf; "Hello Goodbye Cupcake" by Mark Hague; "Cupcakes and Emeralds" by Maggie King; "The Third Act" by Gay Toltl Kinman; "Up a Pole Without a Paddle" by JoAnne Lucas; and "Little Miss Cupcake" by Korina Moss.

 

Bristol Noir has published two new anthologies: Tainted Hearts & Dirty Hellhounds, featuring Alpheus Williams, Andrew Davie, Anthony Neil Smith, B.F. Jones, Ben Newell, Blake Johnson, Bobby Mathews, C.W. Blackwell, Curtis Ippolito, David Tromblay, Don Stoll, F.J. Romano, Gabriel Hart, Graham Wynd, Ian Ayris, Jason Butkowski, J.B. Stevens, and John Bowie; and Savage Minds & Raging Bulls, with stories from John Bowie, M.E. Proctor, Mark Atley, Mark McConville, Max Thrax, M.Jack Hall, MJ Newman, Nathan Pettigrew, Paul D. Brazill, Phil Hurst, Richard Barr, Russell Day, Scott Cumming, Stephen J. Golds, Tom Leins, William R. Soldan, Wilson Koewing, and Zakariah Johnson.

 

Murderous Ink Press has just published Crimeucopia - Careless Love. Is love ever perfect? Or is it an obsession that remains rather than just a passing phase? And who’s to say that Revenge isn’t, in fact, a dish best served hot from the flames of passion? Fifteen writers tell us about affairs of the heart – some with humor, some with a darker intent, and others that are never quite exactly what they seem. There are stories from Steve Sneyd, Ange Morrissey, James Roth, Michael Wiley, Gustavo Bondoni, Matthew Wilson, Peter W. J. Hayes, Wil A. Emerson, Brandon Barrows, Bern Sy Moss, Michael Anthony Dioguardi, Russell Richardson, Robert Petyo, Sam Westcott, Bryn Fortey, and Vicky LaPerso – all of whom take us on roller coaster rides through a fictional Tunnel of Love. 

 

One of Down & Out Books' latest anthologies (with a release date of October 11) is Trouble No More. Turn on any classic rock station, and you’ll hear Southern Rock tunes that will make you stomp your foot and sing along to. The hard-rocking pioneers of the genre left behind a legacy of hard living that endures today. The stories in Trouble No More celebrate those pioneers. Find ramblers, gamblers, swindlers, and double-dealers within these pages, all striving to survive more than the Southern humidity. There are twenty-one stories of heartbreak, murder, robbery, and barnyard brawls from Bill Baber, C.W. Blackwell, Jerry Bloomfield, S.A. Cosby, Nikki Dolson, Michel Lee Garrett, James D.F. Hannah, Curtis Ippolito, Jessica Laine, Brodie Lowe, Bobby Mathews, Brian Panowich, Rob Pierce, Joey R. Poole, Raquel V. Reyes, Michael Farris Smith, J.B. Stevens, Chris Swann, Art Taylor, N.B. Turner, and Joseph S. Walker.

Back in February, Down & Out also released The Great Filling Station Holdup, edited by Josh Pachter, featuring crime stories inspired by the music of Jimmy Buffett, famous for his iconic "Margaritaville." Here, you can enjoy stories from Leigh Lundin, Josh Pachter, Rick Ollerman, Michael Bracken, Don Bruns, Alison McMahan, Bruce Robert Coffin, Lissa Marie Redmond, Elaine Viets, Robert J. Randisi, Laura Oles, Isabella Maldonado, Jeffery Hess, Neil Plakcy, John M. Floyd, and M.E. Browning.

         Related StoriesAnthologies for Charity 

Anthologies for Charity

Some recent anthologies that are raising money for various charities have popped up in my various newsfeeds lately. Here are some of the more recent ones that are helping to provide money and awareness for Covid relief, cancer, and violence against women:

This Halloween, a group of crime writers including Peter James, M W Craven, T M Logan, and Trevor Wood are publishing a spooky crime anthology to help raise funds for the Barnardos Children in Crisis Appeal, set up in the wake of the "shadow pandemic" created by Covid-19. The collection, Afraid of the Shadows, features 20 short stories edited by Miranda Jewess, editorial director at Viper. It is the third volume in the bestselling Afraid of the Light series, launched during the March 2020 lockdown, which has raised thousands of pounds for its chosen charities. It includes contributions from CWA Short Story Dagger shortlistees Victoria Selman, Elle Croft, Robert Scragg, James Delargy, and Dominic Nolan, as well as stories by Phoebe Morgan, S R Masters, Clare Empson, Matt Wesolowski, N J Mackay, Kate Simants, Jo Furniss, Heather Critchlow, Adam Southward and Rachael Blok.

Telos Publishing has picked up a new crime anthology edited by USA Today bestselling author, Samantha Lee Howe. The book, titled Criminal Pursuits: Crimes Through Time, has been put together by Howe to raise money for the charity POhWER which works to give a voice to those struggling with Human Rights issues in the UK. The authors taking part are: A A Chaudhuri, Raven Dane, Caroline England, Paul Finch, Samantha Lee Howe, Rhys Hughes, Maxim Jakubowski, Awais Khan, Paul Magrs, Sandra Murphy, Amy Myers, Bryony Pearce, Christine Poulson, and Sally Spedding.

The Pixel Project, established to end violence against women, has launched its first charity anthology, Giving the Devil His Due, published in partnership with Running Wild Press. Best described as "The Twilight Zone meets Promising Young Woman," the anthology will feature sixteen stories in homage to the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, one of the largest annual anti-violence against women events in the world. Edited by Rebecca Brewer, formerly of Ace (Penguin Random House), the anthology includes sixteen major names and rising stars in Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror today including Angela Yuriko Smith, Christina Henry, Dana Cameron, Errick Nunnally, Hillary Monahan, Jason Sanford, Kaaron Warren, Kelley Armstrong, Kenesha Williams, Leanna Renee Hieber, Lee Murray, Linda D. Addison, Nicholas Kaufmann, Nisi Shawl, Peter Tieryas, and Stephen Graham Jones.

The C Word: For some lockdown has been murder is a collection of short stories collated during the COVID-19 pandemic to raise money for NHS Charities Together. Described as "a plethora of wonderful stories created by a wide variety of writers, each with their own unique style," the anthology includes contributions from Steve Mosby, Sophie Hannah, Elly Griffiths, Sarah Hilary, and twenty other crime fiction authors.

The fourth installment in Gutter Books’ Rock Anthology Series, Coming Through in Waves, pays tribute to Pink Floyd and is edited by horror author and cancer survivor T. Fox Dunham. Coming Through in Waves weaves together a plethora of dark, strange, and intriguing images that only Pink Floyd could inspire, with stories by Dunham, K. A. Laity, Paul Brazill, Allan Rozinski, A. Patterson, Morgan Sylvia, S. Lauden, Andy Rausch, Tom Leins, and Kimberly Godwin. A portion of the proceeds from this project will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, to which T. Fox Dunham, a survivor of a rare form of lymphoma, is indebted.

          

Media Murder for Monday

It's the start of a new week and that means it's time for a brand new roundup of crime drama news:

THE BIG SCREEN/MOVIES

Netflix and the Russo Brothers’ AGBO production company are reuniting to make an untitled heist thriller from Emmy-winning Fargo creator, Noah Hawley. Plot details are being kept under wraps on the project, which is based on an original idea by Hawley, but the producers have already signed Bridgerton's breakout, Regé-Jean Page, to star in the lead role.

In a pre-emptive purchase, 20th Century Studios has acquired the rights to an untitled thriller to be written by Shawn Simmons and produced by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool). The project is described as "an irreverent high-speed thriller" that follows a former teenage getaway driver who gets dragged back into her unsavory past when a previous employer offers her the chance to save the life of her chronically unreliable ex-boyfriend.

The final James Bond outing for Daniel Craig, No Time to Die, was delayed several times due to Covid-related scheduling problems, but the film is finally getting its theatrical release. Apparently, all that pent-up demand is having an effect at the box office, as the film is set for a record $119 million overseas opening in 54 foreign markets ahead of its debut in North America on October 8.

TELEVISION/STREAMING SERVICE

Eleven and a half years after NBC abruptly canceled Law & Order, denying its shot at making TV history, the network is bringing back Dick Wolf’s Emmy-winning series for a new season, its 21st. NBC has greenlit a new installment of Law & Order, from Wolf and writer-showrunner Rick Eid, which will continue the classic bifurcated format and will once again examine "the police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders." There is no cast announced yet, but the new season is expected to feature beloved characters from the original series, with Sam Waterston’s Jack McCoy believed to be at the top of the wish list.

Yellow Bird UK has optioned the rights to Alison Gaylin’s forthcoming novel, The Collective, and is planning to develop it into a major TV series. The story centers on Camille Gardener, a grieving and angry mother who is obsessed with the privileged young man she believes to be responsible for her daughter's death. When her rash actions draw the attention of a secret group of women—The Collective—Camille is drawn into a dark web where these mothers share their stories of loss and desire for justice in a world where privilege denies accountability. Fueled by mutual rage, the Collective members devise and act out retribution fantasies via precise, anonymous, and highly coordinated revenge killings. But is it merely a role-playing exercise or terrifying reality?

David Tennant is set to play Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian Federal Security Services and KGB officer who was poisoned to death, in a drama series for ITV and Nordic Entertainment Group. The four-part series centers around the determined Scotland Yard Officers who worked for ten years to prove who was responsible, in one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of the Metropolitan Police. Margarita Levieva also stars as Marina, Alexander’s fearless, dignified widow who fought tirelessly to persuade the British Government to publicly name her husband’s killers and acknowledge the role of the Russian State in his murder. Mark Bonnar and Neil Maskell round out the leads, playing former Scotland Yard officers, Clive Timmons and Brent Hyatt.

British broadcaster ITV has commissioned DI Ray, a four-part series centered around Rachita Ray, a police officer who takes on a case that forces her to confront a lifelong personal conflict between her British identity and her South Asian heritage. The series will track a murder investigation while exploring the realties of racism in the workplace. It asks difficult questions about what it’s like to be British but feel like an outsider, while taking viewers through the murky underworld of Birmingham. The series is being written by Maya Sondhi, who stars on the hit BBC police drama series, Line of Duty, and has penned episodes of Eastenders and Ackley Bridge.

The Studio Lambert production team has optioned Nicola Williams’s legal thriller, Without Prejudice, which was republished in 2021 as part of Bernardine Evaristo’s Black Britain: Writing Back series. The novel follows the brilliant Lee Mitchell, a 30-year-old barrister from a working-class Caribbean background, as she takes on the biggest case of her career.

Amblin Television has acquired the rights to Kimberly McCreight's thriller novel, Friends Like These. The story follows five friends who gather at a picture perfect country house in the Catskills for a co-ed bachelor weekend. It’s been a decade since graduation, but they have remained devoted to one another, forever bound by the mysterious and tragic death of Alice, their sixth member, during senior year. But the "bachelor weekend" is just a front—they’re actually gathering for a staged intervention for Keith, Alice’s college boyfriend, now a successful art dealer caught in a downward spiral of opioid addiction. But Keith has brought an unexpected guest along for the weekend, a charismatic bad boy named Finch, who senses the fault lines within the group and wastes no time exploiting them to his own benefit.

Masterpiece on PBS has just revealed photos from its new mystery arriving next year, Magpie Murders, an adaptation of the popular novel of the same name by Anthony Horowitz. It stars Lesley Manville as book editor Susan Ryeland, who is given an unfinished manuscript by best-selling mystery writer Alan Conway (Conleth Hill, Game of Thrones) featuring Conway’s longtime main character, detective Atticus Pünd. When she attempts to attain the final chapters from Conway, she finds herself in the middle of a shocking mystery case of her own that will change her life in ways she never expected.

Netflix’s Enola Holmes sequel, based on The Enola Holmes Mysteries by author Nancy Springer, is bringing back fan favorite, Helena Bonham Carter, to reprise her role as Enola’s mother and mentor, Eudoria Holmes. She'll join Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill, who were previously reported to be returning for the sequel to lead the cast. The films tell the story of Enola (Brown), the rebellious teen sister of Sherlock Holmes (Cavill), who is a gifted super-sleuth in her own right and often outsmarts her famous siblings.

Ginger Gonzaga will join Steve Howey as the leads for the CBS drama pilot, True Lies, based on James Cameron’s 1994 action comedy film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis. The series hails from Burn Notice creator Matt Nix, McG, and Cameron. Written by Nix and to be directed by Anthony Hemingway, the pilot’s plot is true to its movie roots: Shocked to discover that her bland and unremarkable computer consultant husband (Howey) is a skilled international spy, an unfulfilled suburban housewife (Gonzaga) is propelled into a life of danger and adventure when she’s recruited to work alongside him to save the world as they try to revitalize their passionless marriage.

Tyrone Marshall Brown is set as a series regular opposite Sydney Chandler in Showtime's drama pilot, Coercion. Written and to be directed by Susannah Grant (Unbelievable; Erin Brockovich), Coercion is inspired by the life of Rebecca Bender (Chandler) and depicts Bender’s escape from six years in the world of sex trafficking in Las Vegas; her struggles to return to a "normal" life; and her emergence as a confident, funny and impassioned advocate for justice. Brown will play Dawson, a young special agent with the FBI who is tasked with doing something about the prostitution problem in Vegas.

PODCASTS/VIDEO/RADIO/AUDIO

Meet the Thriller Author welcomed Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, bestselling author of five novels including her latest, the psychological thriller, Fierce Little Thing.

Debbi Mack interviewed crime writer, Rea Frey, on the Crime Cafe podcast. Frey is the author domestic thrillers and also CEO and Founder of Writeway, a company that helps authors get published.





A new Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast is up featuring an excerpt from the first chapter of Department of Death by Lev Raphael, as read by actor Kelly Ventura.

Sheila Lowe stopped by Wrong Place, Write Crime to chat about her Claudia Rose series and more.

In the latest Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine podcast, John F. Dobbyn, author of the Devlin and Knight legal thrillers, read "A Little Help From My Friend," a compelling tale from the magazine's March/April 2020 issue.

The latest episode of The Red Hot Chli Writers featured an interview with author and journalist, Tim Marshall; a discussion of how geography influences modern politics; and a look at some of the best ever literary novels set in Scotland, as well as a round-up from the recent Bloody Scotland festival.

The latest Cozy Ink Podcast examined "Cozy Mysteries with Crafts."

THEATRE

Now that Daniel Craig has bid farewell to James Bond, he's joining a production of Shakespeare's Macbeth on Broadway, starring alongside Ruth Negga as Lady Macbeth, in an all-new, 15-week production to be directed by Tony Award winner, Sam Gold. Macbeth will begin performances on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre, with an official opening on Thursday, April 28, 2022. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

         Related StoriesMedia Murder for Monday