Crime Fiction Dossier

Book of the Week: Garth Stein's "The Art of Racing in the Rain"

Although my reading schedule is always overstuffed with crime novels, I occasionally read books outside the genre, the latest of which is Garth Stein's excellent The Art of Racing in the Rain. It's the heartbreaking story of how a family comes apart, told from the perspective of the family dog. A book like this could have been silly if not downright ridiculous -- but Stein pulls it off in impressive fashion, crafting a very human story of love and loss, filled with emotion and inspiration. One of my favorite books of the year so far -- it blew me away.

Book of the Week: Miles Corwin's "Homicide Special"

I'd never heard of this book, which was first published in 2003, so when a friend recommended it I picked it up right away. Journalist Miles Corwin spent a year with the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division, riding with the detectives, sitting in the squad room and observing their investigations. Homicide Special is the fascinating result of that work, a non-fiction study that reads like a Michael Connelly novel. Corwin is a sharp observer and a fine writer. For anyone interested in learning what a homicide investigation is really like, this is indispensable.

Book of the Week: Tom Rob Smith's "Child 44"

One of the few books I've read in recent memory that actually deserves the hype it's getting (most of it, anyway), Tom Rob Smith's Child 44 is a fascinating, haunting, depressing thriller set in the Soviet Union during the tail end of Stalin's reign. A serial killer is preying on children throughout the country, but since there is no crime in the Soviet Union -- crime is a problem of the decadent West, not the worker's paradise -- there can be no serial killers. A disgraced former State Security officer risks his life to prove the killer exists and to stop him. There are some wildly improbable coincidences and other flaws with Smith's story, but the way he makes Stalinist Russia come alive is breathtaking in its imagination and despair. Child 44 is a powerful and compelling first novel.

Book of the Week: "The Blue Religion" (ed. Michael Connelly)

The Mystery Writers of America have put together a new anthology of short fiction, featuring stories about police officers and their lives on and off the job. I know what you're thinking -- Do we really need another anthology? -- but this one has enough good stories to recommend it. Stand-out efforts come from Michael Connelly, Paul Guyot, Alafair Burke, Jack Frederickson and Edward D. Hoch. (There are some other good ones as well, and only a couple of stinkers.) The world of short crime fiction is the strongest it’s been in years, and anthologies like The Blue Religion are a large part of the reason why.

Book of the Week: Richard Price's "Lush Life"

Richard Price is one of the rare authors who has achieved fame and accolades as a literary writer, while working solidly within the crime tradition. Like George Pelecanos (his fellow alumnus of The Wire), Price brings incandescent prose, razor-sharp dialogue and depth of characterization to bear in a crackling crime story -- and the results are pure genius. Set almost entirely within a few square blocks on Manhattan's Lower East Side, Lush Life is the story of a young man's murder and its aftermath. As the police investigate the case, Price probes deeper and deeper into his characters -- cops, cons and victims alike -- laying bare their souls on the page. Few writers have the imagination, understanding and skill to bring such diverse characters to life as Price does. The plot is a simple one, but the way Price utilizes his amazing cast gives such depth and nuance to the story that the reader can't help but be riveted. Easily one of the best literary achievements of the year.

Book of the Week: Joseph Wambaugh's "Hollywood Crows"

Joseph Wambaugh's darkly comic cops of the LAPD return to action in Hollywood Crows, a sequel to 2006's outstanding Hollywood Station. Even though he's been off the job for years, Wambaugh still has strong contacts in law enforcement, and his works maintains the air of authenticity that has always made it so good. This time his featured officers are working for the Community Relations Office (thus CROws) and get involved in a wife's conspiracy to rid herself of an unwanted husband. Hollywood Station was a great book; Hollywood Crows is less so. The characters don't seem as vibrant this time out and there's even less story to hold onto. But most Wambaugh is still worth recommending, and this one is, too. It's great to have him writing fiction again, even when the work is less than his best.

Book of the Week: Libby Fischer Hellmann's "Easy Innocence"

Libby Fischer Hellmann, author of the Ellie Foreman series (which I reviewed positively in years past), launches a new lead character in her latest mystery. Georgia Davis is a Chicago PI hired to prove the innocence of a mentally challenged man who has been accused of murdering a teenage girl. Easy Innocence is not as suspenseful as it could be (mostly because it reveals a key plot twist before the story even starts) and the motivation of its villains is questionable. But Davis is an engaging character, and Hellmann does a nice job with the book's clique of teenage girls, so the book rises above those limitations. Easy Innocence shows promise for Georgia Davis. Hopefully we'll see her again soon.

Book of the Week: John Lange's "Zero Cool"

The pseudonymous John Lange (better known to readers as Michael Crichton) returns with his second Hard Case Crime reprint and it's another winner. An American doctor heads for Spain for a little R&R -- and instead finds himself caught up in a Maltese Falcon-inspired intrigue involving mysterious fat men, leggy dames and a whole host of bad guys trying to knock him off. Zero Cool isn't exactly a serious story, but it is a fun, fast and highly entertaining read. (I used to have scour used bookstores to find the old Lange paperbacks -- so much easier to get them now. Thanks Hard Case Crime!)

Book of the Week: Laura Lippman's "Another Thing to Fall"

The publication of a new book by Laura Lippman, one of the genre's most talented writers, is always a cause for celebration. In recent years she has alternated between standalone novels and books in her series featuring Baltimore PI Tess Monaghan. This year it's time for Tess to make an appearance, and although I prefer her non-series books, Another Thing to Fall is a fun (and occasionally funny), entertaining mystery. Drawing on her knowledge of the television industry, Lippman has Monaghan working as a bodyguard for a spoiled young Hollywood diva who's in town to film a TV show. The mystery plot is fine, the Hollywood satire is excellent, and Tess is a joy as always.

Book of the Week: Ken Bruen's "Cross"

Ken Bruen, the poet laureate of Irish crime fiction, returns with his sixth novel featuring PI Jack Taylor. Jack's off the sauce, but all the drinking has taken a toll, leaving his body and soul in sad repair and his life in a shambles. He can still rouse himself to investigate a brutal murder, but even then his heart is hardly in it. Cross is not a traditional detective novel -- the case really doesn't matter very much -- but the aching poetry of Bruen's language, and his gift for character and setting, elevate this to very high ground.

Book of the Week: Steve Hockensmith's "The Black Dove"

Steve Hockensmith returns to the rambunctious frontier world of the late-19th century American West, with his deducifying detective duo of Old Red and Big Red Amlingmeyer. The Amlingmeyers are between jobs, having been fired by the Southern Pacific Railroad, and at loose ends in San Francisco. When their friend Dr. Chan is murdered, the brothers head for Chinatown to track down his killer. The Black Dove is an amusing homage to the great Sherlock Holmes (the Amlingmeyers' hero) and an entertaining period mystery.

Book of the Week: Sean Chercover's "Big City, Bad Blood"

I reviewed this book when it was released in hardcover last year, but now that it's being published in mass market paperback, I wanted to give it another plug. I just read it again last week and I liked it even more than the first time. Chercover makes a standard hard-boiled PI story come alive with crisp writing and a winning protagonist. If you missed Big City, Bad Blood last year, don't make that mistake again. Chercover is one of the rising stars of the mystery genre, and PI Ray Dudgeon is one of my favorite new characters.

Book of the Week: Alex Berenson's "The Ghost War"

I didn't read Alex Berenson's The Faithful Spy, which won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel last year, but I wish I had. The Ghost War, that book's sequel, has just been released and it's one of the best spy thrillers I've read in a long time. CIA agent John Wells is a fine character, and The Ghost War leads him on a series of thrilling adventures, stretching from DC to Afghanistan to Beijing. Readers who like Barry Eisler or David Ignatius, in particular, should pick this one up right away.

Book of the Week: Christa Faust's "Money Shot"

Hard Case Crime has published their first book by a female author -- How tired must Christa Faust be of hearing that? -- and it's a dark, violent, action-packed ride. Angel Dare, a former porn star-turned-businesswoman, wakes up in the truck of a car, having been beaten up and shot -- and things just get worse from there. The plot of Money Shot -- an innocent person on-the-run revenge fantasy -- isn't anything we haven't seen before, but the pacing is swift and the prose is crisp. The content is dark, so this book won't be for everyone. But for those who enjoy their noir on the noir-side, Money Shot is one of the best of Hard Case Crime's originals.

Book of the Week: Richard Stark's "The Jugger"

Richard Stark has a new Parker novel coming out in April -- always something to get excited about. I received a galley of it a while back, but before I read it I realized that I had one of the Stark reprints that Mysterious Press did a couple years ago that I still hadn't read. The Jugger is a different kind of story for Parker, in that it's not a heist novel -- Parker isn't planning a job at all. He's spending time in a small town in Nebraska where an old friend has just died, leading to several complications. I could read Stark all day long. There is such an elegance about his lean & mean prose. The Jugger isn't up there with the best of the series, but they're all good. (While preparing this post, I learned that this book is once again out-of-print. That is a damn shame. If you're looking for a great read, pick up one of his other books instead.)

Book of the Week: James Grippando's "Last Call"

I don't know why I don't read James Grippando more often. I think I've only read two of his books -- with Last Call being the second -- but I enjoyed both of them a lot. Maybe it's the Florida thing -- do I really want to read another book set in Miami? Or maybe it's the bestseller thing -- could he actually be any good if he's that popular? Whatever the reason, I need to make a note for next time that Grippando is worth giving a try. Last Call features attorney Jack Swyteck helping his old friend Theo Knight, who's in trouble with an escaped con who claims to know the truth about the murder of Knight's mother. Good characters, good story, good thriller.

Book of the Week: Matthew Reilly's "The 6 Sacred Stones"

If you're looking for fine writing and character development and all that fancy stuff, look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you're looking for the literary equivalent of an Indiana Jones movie, this is the book for you. Matthew Reilly's prose is only serviceable at best, but his imagination -- and his sheer audacity -- runs circles around most writers. The 6 Sacred Stones is never remotely believable, but, damn, it's a lot of fun to read. (One thing to note: this book ends in a huge cliffhanger that isn't going to be resolved until the book's sequel. Drove me up the wall!)

Book of the Week: Charlie Huston's "Half the Blood of Brooklyn"

I'll confess first off: I didn't love this book. But I did like it and enjoy it, which is why I'm recommending it as a Book of the Week. I think Huston is a real talent, even if this book did disappoint a little. (It's not as good as the first two entries in the series, both of which verge on brilliance.) Joe Pitt, a hard-boiled vampire living in modern-day New York City, is one of the most interesting characters in crime fiction today. So it was a pleasure reading about his latest exploits...even if the book is too damn talky and slow-moving. When a writer is as good as Huston, I expect awesomeness every time out. Half the Blood of Brooklyn doesn't manage to deliver that, but I recommend it anyway. If you haven't already read Huston, you should. He's good enough that even his misfires are still worth reading.

Book of the Week: James Sallis' "Salt River"

John Turner, ex-con-turned-cop, returns in James Sallis' latest character-driven mystery. A friend of Turner's has been accused of murder and he's determined to discover the truth. Not a lot happens in this book, which is more novella than novel, but Sallis writes some of the most beautiful prose in the genre.

Book of the Week: Your pick?

I've only read one book so far this month that I thought merited selection as the Book of the Week, and that was Sue Grafton's T is for Trespass, which I chose last week.

So I'm fresh out of picks! What do you think should be the Book of the Week? Have you read anything that's coming out around now that you really liked?

Book of the Week: Sue Grafton's "T is for Trespass"

Several years ago, I read the first couple books in Sue Grafton's "Alphabet" series. I thought they were okay, but I wasn't impressed enough to want to read through a series of (at the time) fourteen or so books. Now she's up to twenty and I'm wondering if I made a mistake. T is for Trespass was a wonderful surprise, a gripping, entertaining mystery when frankly I was expecting less. Kinsey Millhone is a compelling character in this story and the villain -- a healthcare worker who preys on the elderly -- is evil and creepy. I've read in at least one review that this is Grafton's best book. If that's the case, I doubt I'll go back and fill in the gap by reading the rest of the alphabet. But I'm looking forward to letter U.

Book of the Week: Henry Kisor's "Cache of Corpses"

Henry Kisor, former Books Editor for the Chicago Sun-Times, impresses with his third novel, an excellent mystery featuring Sheriff's Deputy Steve Martinez. Michigan's Upper Peninsula is being littered with corpses, hidden in obscure places as part of a twisted game of geocaching, and it's up to Martinez to track down the culprits. Well developed characters and an interesting plot combine to make Cache of Corpses a very pleasing read.

(Note: Henry gave me my start at the Sun-Times. But he hasn't done anything for me lately, so I'm telling the truth about his book.)

(Second note: Ignore that horrible cover. Cache of Corpses is not a light-hearted romp involving forest fauna.)

Book of the Week: Kevin Wignall's "Who Is Conrad Hirst?"

One of my favorite reads of the past few months, Kevin Wignall's Who Is Conrad Hirst? is an excellent thriller about an assassin suffering from a major identity crisis. When his world is turned upside down, Conrad Hirst goes on a violent and bloody existential journey, searching for answers to impossible questions. More le Carré than Ludlum, Who Is Conrad Hirst? is a surprising, smart and very satisfying book. (Check back soon for my full-length review.)

Book of the Week: Gordon Campbell's "Missing Witness"

Although I already reviewed this book, I wanted to single it out again, as it's one of the best things I've read this year. Missing Witness is the story of a young lawyer who gets assigned the case of a lifetime, serving as second chair to a legendary defense attorney whose client is on trial for murder. The plot is nicely twisted and complex, the characters are fresh and the prose is good enough to keep you interested. Campbell spent nearly three decades writing this book, so who knows if he'll ever write another. In the meantime, enjoy Missing Witness, one of the best debuts of the year.

Book of the Week: Karen E. Olson's "Dead of the Day"

Dead of the Day is the third book in Olson's excellent series featuring Annie Seymour, a salty police reporter in New Haven, Conn. Once again, Annie is in over her head investigating a story that’ll either win her a Pulitzer Prize or get her killed. Olson writers fun mysteries with just enough edge to make them sparkle. Now that the series has moved from hardcover to paperback (and from Mysterious Press to Signet), hopefully it will start finding the larger audience it deserves.

Book of the Week: Joyce Carol Oates' "The Museum of Dr. Moses"

Just in time for Halloween, an excellent collection of mystery stories from one of the most prolific and talented literary writers. (At least, people say she's talented. This is actually the first thing of hers that I read...but I really enjoyed it.) The Museum of Dr. Moses is a short collection of short stories, most of them suspenseful, mysterious or creepy in one way or another. Oates mines the horrors of everyday life -- always the best place to look -- for her material, crafting a satisfying and scary little book. (To read more about the collection, see my review in the Washington Post.)

Book of the Week: Steve Brewer's "Cutthroat"

Solomon Gage is a fixer for a wealthy industrialist, solving all the problems the big man and his family get involved in. When Gage discovers that the industrialist's sons are involved in a dangerous and harebrained scheme to make a fortune, he's faced with his toughest problem yet. Cutthroat is darker and more serious than most of Brewer's books, which is something of a mixed blessing. Although it's a fine and engaging story, I found myself missing the comedic overtones of most of his work. (A lot of authors can write books like this one, but Brewer is one of the few who mixes comedy with suspense and makes it work.) For readers interested in an entertaining, straight-ahead thriller, however, this is recommended.

Book of the Week: Libby Fischer Hellmann's "Chicago Blues"

Editor Libby Fischer Hellmann presents a solid anthology of crime stories, all set in the city of Chicago. Most of them are originals, although a handful, including a couple of the better ones, are reprints. As is the case with all such collections, there are several misses mixed in with the hits, but the batting average of Chicago Blues is definitely higher than most. Stand-out contributions from Hellmann, Stuart Kaminsky, Jack Fredrickson, David J. Walker, Michael Allen Dymmoh and Barbara D'Amato in particular recommend it.

Bonus Book of the Week: Michael A. Black's "A Killing Frost"

Michael A. Black is one of the lesser-known private eye writers, but he shouldn't be. Black writes with authenticity and skill, and the Ron Shade series is definitely worthy of attention. Dorchester has reissued A Killing Frost (2002), the first book in the series, as a mass market paperback, thus its selection as a Bonus Book of the Week. Shade is hired to find a woman's missing fiancé, but when he turns up dead, the case takes on dangerous new dimensions. With action, suspense and even a little romance, A Killing Frost has it all.

Book of the Week: I.J. Parker's "Island of Exiles"

Island of Exiles is another stellar mystery from I.J. Parker featuring Sugawara Akitada, a nobleman in medieval Japan with a nose for detection. Akitada goes undercover as a convict on a penal colony in order to investigate the suspicious death of the Emperor's rebellious brother. He finds more than he bargained for, though, and ends up with his own life on the line. Parker makes the setting sparkle in lush, vibrant hues, with an interesting plot and wonderfully rich characters.

Book of the Week: A.J. Jacobs' "The Year of Living Biblically"

A.J. Jacobs follows his bestselling book, The Know It All, with The Year of Living Biblically, an entertaining, thought-provoking and reverential memoir of the year he spent attempting to obey all the teachings of the Bible. While initially he finds the Bible's teachings to be strange and constricting, he gradually comes to feel a certain sense of liberation in the restrictions. He also gains a greater appreciation of the role that God can play in one's life, and a greater appreciation for life itself. Whether or not you agree with his conclusions, reading The Year of Living Biblically will likely make you think, and entertain you at the same time.

Book of the Week: Dave White's "When One Man Dies"

Dave White, my favorite writer of short crime fiction, has finally published his first novel and the results are just as good. When One Man Dies introduces New Jersey private eye Jackson Donne, a decent detective who wants nothing more than to get out of the business. Unfortunately, things keep happening that make it impossible for him to quit. (I won’t spoil the plot for you – read the book yourself.) White has accomplished quite a feat, writing a PI novel that is both traditional and fresh. He’s one of the best new talents to join this much-beleaguered area of the genre in some time.

Book of the Week: F. Paul Wilson's "Bloodline"

The eleventh book in the Repairman Jack series is another excellent, haunting thriller that will doubtless impress this cult favorite's many fans. Jack, the ultimate urban fix-it man, uncovers a plot to "rehabilitate" violent criminals by tinkering with their DNA. At the same time, he runs into the followers of a shady self-help guru with plans for world domination. Could these two plot threads be related? (Ya think?) This is not the easiest series to pick up if you haven't read the earlier books. But if you haven't, you should, because Wilson is one of the best.

Book of the Week: Joseph Finder's "Power Play"

Joseph Finder unleashes another white-knuckle tale of suspense with Power Play. This time Finder's focus is on the aviation industry, telling the story of Jake Landry, a lowlevel executive at Hammond Aerospace. When Landry's boss is called away, he is invited to attend the company's team-building retreat at a remote lodge in the Canadian wilderness. What is supposed to be a fun weekend turns deadly when a gang of woodsmen take over the lodge and hold the executives hostage. Finder has proven over his past few novels that he writes some of the best thrillers in the business. Power Play is another winner in the same mold. (Read the full-length review.)

Book of the Week: D.P. Lyle's "Forensics and Fiction"

Nothing ruins a good crime novel faster than factual errors or logical mistakes. That's why so many writers turn to Dr. D.P. Lyle for help. A practicing physician, Lyle is a writer himself, and he helps his colleagues figure out inventive (and accurate) ways of doing mayhem to the human body. Forensics and Fiction collects some of the most interesting questions Lyle has answered. Want to know how long a human head immersed in the North Sea would remain recognizable? This is the place to look. Not only is the book valuable for all the useful, obscure information it contains, it's also fascinating to see what kinds of questions writers ask. (Some of them, as you might expect, are rather strange.) Forensics and Fiction is an excellent resource for writers and an entertaining, informative read for fans.

Book of the Week: Charlie Huston's "The Shotgun Rule"

One of the strongest crime writers to emerge in recent years, Charlie Huston changes pace with this pitch-perfect story of four teenage boys and how they spent their summer vacation. They entertain themselves by smoking and swearing and dreaming about sex, but when they break into the house of the town's biggest meth cookers, their adventure turns into a nightmare. Huston has the characters down pat in The Shotgun Rule, capturing their attitudes, ideas and speech like few writers could. Most thrillers aim to entertain by being larger-than-life. The Shotgun Rule, however, is an intimate, realistic and contained story, and one of the summer's most impressive.

Book of the Week: Nick Stone's "Mr. Clarinet"

One of the best debuts of the year (or last year, if you're in the UK), Nick Stone's Mr. Clarinet is a dark, atmospheric story of an ex-PI sent to Haiti to find a missing boy that he suspects is already dead. There unfolds a suspenseful story of secrets and lies, flavored with dark magic, depravity and deceit. Max Mingus is a tortured but compelling protagonist and he leads a stellar cast of characters who make the story come alive. Stone's work is not for everyone -- the subject matter can be challenging -- but he's a true talent worth watching.

Book of the Week: Jonathon King's "Acts of Nature"

Acts of Nature is another fine, atmospheric novel from Jonathon King featuring PI Max Freeman. This time out Freeman isn't working a case; he's just trying to take a vacation with his girlfriend. But a peaceful trip into the Everglades turns nightmarish when the couple find themselves trapped in the middle of a hurricane. At the same time, King weaves in two other plot lines, one involving a pair of oil company bad guys, the other a trio of criminals looting their way through the hurricane's wake. The way King brings the three divergent plot lines together into one suspenseful whole is as clever as it is thrilling.

Book of the Week: Harley Jane Kozak's "Dead Ex"

Greeting card designer and serial dater Wollie Shelley returns in Harley Jane Kozak's delightful third novel Dead Ex. When Wollie's ex-boyfriend, a terminally-ill soap opera producer, is murdered, her best friend (who also dated him) is the prime suspect. Wollie must jump headfirst into the shark-infested waters of Hollywood to find out what really happened and clear her friend's name. Dead Ex is a charming book with a well-done mystery and plenty of fun characters.

Book of the Week: David Ellis' "Eye of the Beholder"

David Ellis follows up last year's intriguing In the Company of Liars with a powerful legal thriller about sex, murder and a quest for the truth. Attorney Paul Riley gained fame by convicting a serial killer for the murders of six women, crimes for which the man was executed. Now, years later, the killings have resumed, forcing a desperate Riley to question whether he convicted the right man. Winning characters and a wonderfully serpentine plot make this a stand-out summer thriller.

Book of the Week: Daniel Silva's "The Secret Servant"

With his latest breathtaking novel, Daniel Silva confirms his position as one of the finest thriller writers of our time. Silva brings the whole package to his books: superior writing, complex and engaging plots, well-drawn characters and thought-provoking issues. A worthy successor to Frederick Forsyth and John le Carré, The Secret Servant proves that Silva writes this kind of book as well as, if not better than, anyone.

Book of the Week: Gregg Hurwitz' "The Crime Writer"

Hurwitz has written one of the stand-out books of the summer, combining great writing, memorable characters and white-knuckle suspense. He’s also crafted a story that uses the city of Los Angeles to beautiful effect. The Crime Writer is not just the best novel this author has written; it would take top rank on many writers' resumes.

Book of the Week: Janet Evanovich's "Lean Mean Thirteen"

Hapless but lovable bounty hunter Stephanie Plum returns in the latest humorous mystery from author Janet Evanovich. Evanovich is so good at writing books like this that she makes it look easy, but it’s not. Balancing the mystery elements with the comedy, and maintaining such sharp interactions among her hilarious stable of characters, requires a lot of skill, and Evanovich has it.

Book of the Week: Thomas Perry's "Silence"

Thomas Perry, one of the genre’s finest writers, returns with Silence, his latest cat-and-mouse thriller that’ll keep readers up all night better than a pot of coffee. Nobody writes this kind of book as well as Perry, and even if this isn’t his best, his B-game still blows away most of the competition.

Book of the Week: "Los Angeles Noir" (ed. Denise Hamilton)

The latest entry in Akashic Books' globe-spanning "city noir" series finally reaches L.A., the home of the genre. The marquee story is by Michael Connelly (and it's a good one), but readers will also find excellent stories from Robert Ferrigno, Naomi Hirahara, Gary Phillips, Christopher Rice and editor Denise Hamilton. Next to the top-notch Baltimore Noir, this is probably the best book in the series.

Book of the Week: Brett Battles' "The Cleaner"

Brett Battles’ first novel introduces one of the most interesting new protagonists in the thriller genre. Quinn, a covert operative who specializes in making problems go away, has the potential to make this series a long and successful one. With a blazing first half, interesting characters and solid prose, The Cleaner is an entertaining and effective spy novel that heralds good things for Battles' career.

Book of the Week: Brent Ghelfi's "Volk's Game"

This entertaining debut from Ghelfi will remind many readers of the work of Lee Child and Barry Eisler. It's a tense, violent book with an interesting, amoral protagonist, a suspenseful plot and action a-plenty. Volk's Game is likely to be the first book in a long-running and popular series.

New Feature: Book of the Week

I'm starting a new feature here on Crime Fiction Dossier. I'm going to select one Book of the Week that I recommend to readers. These won't be full reviews; rather they're books that I enjoyed and thought you might as well.

Some of the books might be ones that I'm reviewing elsewhere, but others will be recommendations for books that I'm not able to review. Some of them will be by popular writers, and some will be by unknowns. All of them will be good. I promise!