Talk About A Targeted Audience–Booksellers, Please Weigh In

“My new favorite number: 17 — That’s where Sentenced to Death will hit on the NYTimes Bestsellers list for mass market paperbacks. And to make it just a little bit sweeter, it also hit #1 on Bookscan’s mass market mystery list. Yes! There’s a martini with my name on it.” This is the author Lorna … Read more

The Desert Moon Mystery. Kay Cleaver Strahan

The Desert Moon Mystery—Kay Cleaver Strahan–1928—used (several inexpensive copies available) You may have noticed, after three picks, that I tend to enjoy the Golden Age Of Mysteries. The time period of the 20’s 30’s, and for me into the 40’s. Back in the day, as they say, mysteries tended to involve puzzles, upper class victims, … Read more

Sherman Alexie's Brilliant Moving Response to Wall Street Journal Article

I give respect to The Wall Street Journal, this time, because they allowed a couple of counter voices to the smug privileged nonsense Ms. Gurdon wrote regarding the dangers of  ‘dark’ Young Adult Fiction. One of the voices is the award winning author, Sherman Alexie. His book has been lauded by adults and young adults … Read more

Author Terry Pratchett Ponders Assisted Suicide

From Quill and Quire, this article caught my eye–I was slightly shocked by the headline, and even more so by the information I’d not known before, that there are countries that sanction assisted suicide. I don’t think there’s a possibility the United States will ever follow suit. Here, we don’t want to pull the plug, … Read more

Elaine Viets Discusses the Tourist Problem in Florida–Via Her Novel, Of Course

One of my favorite traditional authors is Elaine Viets who writes two different series, one set in St. Louis, the other in Florida. Her Helen Hawthorne Florida series is witty, character laden, and downright great. I hope to have a full interview with Ms. Viets soon. But until then, here is her blog from The … Read more

Taking It With You, or Booked to Death

My husband and I took a nice afternoon outing to Laurel Hill Cemetery, in Philadelphia PA. Picnicing and taking photos are a past time of ours. Yes, really. We came across a particular monument that inspired me to ask the question, does your vision of the afterlife include books? Are there lending libraries,or personal wood … Read more

The Secret Beyond the Door. Best 100 Mysteries of All Time

  The Secret Beyond the Door-(original title: Museum Piece No.13)–Rufus King-1946–Doubleday Crime Club–OOP I chose to use the title under which I read the book , because it’s sooooo Gothic in feel, lol. It was made into a film, and one that closely sticks to the book, unusually so. Lily, a widow with money who … Read more