Favourite Posts from the Alphabet in Crime Fiction

Yesterday I discussed the types of posts I made from “H” to “Z” in the Alphabet in Crime Fiction meme of Kerrie Smith from Mysteries in Paradise. Today I am discussing my top five posts from the 21 I posted.

First is my post “Who is Inger Ash Wolfe?” for the letter “W”. The Canadian author has had a pair of very successful mysteries set in rural Ontario that feature 61 year old detective inspector Hazel Micallef. The post delved into the identity of the author. I got to write about a real life mystery. Several names have been put forward for the actual identity of Wolfe but there is no positive identification. I invited readers to add information but no one came forward to solve the mystery.

Second is my profile of the Australian author, Arthur Upfield, for “U”. Until early this year I had never heard of Upfield and his character Napoleon “Bony” Bonaparte. During my research I came across a doctoral thesis that was a biography of Upfield. The author spent several years in the wild country of Australia included a period patrolling the longest fence in the world. I have now read two in the series and expect to read more as I find them in used bookstores.

Third is my review of The Joining of Dingo Radish by Rob Harasmychuk for “H”. I appreciated the chance to introduce a Saskatchewan mystery to the followers of the meme. It is an interesting book that is well connected with rural Saskatchewan.

Fourth is my review of The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly for “L”. I had the chance to post my review of the debut of an outstanding legal mystery character in Mickey Haller. Connelly was already one of my favourite authors and when he started a new series with a criminal defence lawyer he is near or at the top. It was a very clever concept to have a lawyer practising law out of his Lincoln cars. Haller reflects the reality of criminal law with defence lawyers continually struggling to get paid from clients for whom there is no possibility of collecting accounts whether the trial is lost or won.

Fifth is my profile of Qui Xiaolong for “X”. The Chinese born author is a poet as much as a mystery author. He has had an interesting life. He translated T.S. Eliot while in China. He stayed in America because of fears for his safety after Tiananmen Square. I was intrigued by his ability to work quotations of Chinese poetry into his mysteries. The use of poetry creates a unique atmosphere in the books. At the same time his plots reflect the extremely complex web of personal relationships in Chinese society.

I hope there will be another Alphabet in Crime Fiction. I learned a lot from fellow bloggers.

Reviewing Posts for the Alphabet in Crime Fiction Meme

For the past 19 weeks I have participated in the Alphabet in Crime Fiction meme hosted by Kerrie Smith at Mysteries in Paradise putting up 21 posts.

For almost 5 months it became a part of my weekend to reflect on what post I would make with regard to the letter of the week. I looked forward to making my alphabet post on Sunday or Monday.

When I started I concentrated on books I had read. Out of the 21 posts 14 were reviews of specific books. Of the remaining 7 posts there were 6 posts of author profiles. The other post was an entry on “Who is Inger Wolfe?” delving into the mystery on the actual identity of the Canadian writer.

I had not realized how North American dominant my reading is until I examined the posts. Fully 2/3 of my posts related to North American books and authors. The U.S. led the way with 9 posts. (If I had counted Qui Xiaolong as American, instead of Chinese, because he moved to the U.S. and wrote his books there it would have almost been 2/3 for the U.S. alone.) I did have 5 posts concerning Canadian books and writers.

I had 2 posts from Saskatchewan which is at the core of my blog. They were “H” is for TheJoining of Dingo Radish by Rob Harasymchuk and “M” is for SilenceInvites the Dead by Scott Gregory Miller.

I had hoped to highlight a trio of Saskatchewan mystery authors but their names all began with “B” and I joined the meme at “H”! Even their titles did not usually fit the last 19 letters of the alphabet. They are Anthony Bidulka, Gail Bowen and Nelson Brunanski. I am well prepared for “B” in a future alphabet meme.

I never exactly knew which posts were most likely to draw comments. I did quickly realize that if I posted a profile of an author it would usually draw more attention than a book review. The post which drew the most comments was “J” is for White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones. It was read during the course of the alphabet by Kerrie.

The only time I posted more than once for a week was for “X”. After posting a profile of Qui Xiaolong, at the invitation of Kerrie, I posted a pair of book reviews from his series on Inspector Chen. They were Death of a Red Heroine and ACase of Two Cities.

I enjoyed my trip through most of the alphabet and will discuss tomorrow my favourite posts from the 21 I put up on the blog.

 

"Z" is for Mark Zuehlke

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction has run out of letters arriving at “Z” this week. I have appreciated Kerrie Smith at her blog, Mysteries in Paradise, hosting the community meme. It has been a fun journey through the alphabet from “H” to “Z” for me. I encourage all readers to take a trip to see the contributions this week and the past 25 weeks. There is an amazing collection of authors and book reviews and articles on the letter of the week. For my “Z” contribution I have chosen to post about author Mark Zuehlke from Canada.

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Mark is a prolific Canadian author resident in Victoria, in British Columbia. His writing career combines an unusual combination of books. His primary area has been writing Canadian military histories focused on World War II. At the same time he has published a series of three mysteries featuring coroner Elias McCann who resides in Tofino on the West coast of Vancouver Island. It is a beautiful isolated area at the edge of Canada.

I read the first mystery in the series, Hands Like Clouds, in which McCann works to solve the death of an ecological protester during the controversy of logging in the Clayoquot Sound area. In real life there have been major issues over how much more logging should be done in the relatively few areas of British Columbia not heavily logged already. I found Mark had vivid characterizations and created a decent plot. I would buy him again.

For anyone interested in military histories I can certainly recommend his non-fiction works. He writes in an engaging populist style covering battles and campaigns of the Canadian military.

He has a website located at http://www.zuehlke.ca/.

I met Mark at an author event in Melfort when we still had a bookstore. He has an engaging personality and is well worth going to see if he is at an event in your area. He readily answered all questions and was willing to discuss issues raised by his books. Because of the concentration of books in military history his author appearances are likely to be publicized as military history events.

His website indicates a 4^th book in the McCann series is being written.

A reader looking for a contemporary mystery set in rugged country will enjoy Mark.

The Joining of Dingo Radish by Rob Harasymchuk

Kerrie Smith at the Mysteries in Paradise blog has launched the Alphabet in Crime Fiction - a Community Meme in which paricipants post a blog each week on a letter of the alphabet. I have started late on the alphabet with G. This week I am posting a Saskatchewan mystery for H. 

32. - 347.)  The Joining of Dingo Radish by Rob Harasymchuk – A Saskatchewan mystery thriller featuring Dingonaslav Marion Radashonovich. Dingo, his mentally challenged brother Pitch and promiscuous sister Marty live in Bennington Falls. They are far on the wrong side of the tracks in the small town of about 1,000. With parents gone Marty works at the local hotel and Dingo supports the family from his labouring job at the local private farm supply centre. To supplement his income Dingo has been a thief from other supply centres. Dingo is too hard to be a likeable rogue but he is charming. To finish financing their escape from town Dingo hatches a major scheme involving Steigman Biotechnologies, a major pesticide / herbicide company in Saskatoon. As he plots he encounters Emily Todd, a radical environmentalist. The action heats up and the body count is huge. I found the characterization of the small town excessively negative. As the killings pile up I found myself thinking this is not credible in Saskatchewan. Really the issue was any thriller filled with bodies is probably not credible to the people who live in the area. The plot is well done and would have been plausible to me had there been fewer deaths. The voices of the characters are Saskatchewan voices. Harasymchuk has actually created a Hollywood thriller set in Saskatchewan. I would not have thought it possible to find such believable villains in our province. Great Saskatchewan cover. Paperback because it was too incredible. (July 10/06)

Silence Invites the Dead by Scott Gregory Miller

Kerrie Smith at her blog, Mysteries in Paradise, is hosting a meme, the Alphabet in Crime Fiction. This week mysteries involving the letter "M" are being posted. I have chosen a Saskatchewan mystery. Set in the late winter of Sakatchewan it seemed particularly appropriate when spring is coming slow to Saskatchewan in 2011. There is still half a meter of snow in my backyard. The book provides excellent descriptions of rural Saskatchewan.

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35. - 445.) Silence Invites the Dead by Scott Gregory Miller – What an opening! A veteran journalist, Myles Sterling, and two Canadian soldiers, Colonel John McTaggart (think of Romeo D’Allaire) and Captain Ed Braun, struggle to hold their sanity in the carnage of Rwanda. All 3 return to Saskatchewan and 7 years later are in Candle Lake when the body of the Colonel is found in the lake near his ice fishing hut. Despite an official finding of accidental death Sterling is convinced it was murder. As he searches for the truth he becomes involved with the beautiful Bonnie Matheson and her artistic brother, Brendan. The investigation is hampered by the miseries of the late Saskatchewan winter. The overall plot is excellent. I found the ending alittle contrived. The characters do not always seem like they are from Saskatchewan. The physical descriptions of the province are completely convincing. It was a good book. I expect the next will be better. In the pantheon of Saskatchewan fictional investigators Sterling is a considerable distance behind Joanna Kilbourn and Russell Quant. (Aug. 24/08)

A Case of Two Cities by Qiu Xiaolong

For the letter "X" in the Alphabet in Crime Fiction hosted at Mysteries in Paradise I have featured Qiu Xiaolong with a short biography, a review of Death of a Red Heroine last night and a review tonight of a later book in the series.

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23. - 582) A Case of Two Cities by Qiu Xiaolong – In the mid-1990’s Chief Inspector Chen Cao is given the challenge of investigating the highest profile anti-corruption case in China. The exploding economy has provided has provided irresistible opportunities to officials up and down China’s huge bureaucracy. Xing has intertwining connections that reach upward as far as high comrade cadre children and possibly higher. Comrade Zhou from the Party Discipline Committee reaches out to Chen to lead the investigation. He is appointed the Emperor’s Special Envoy with an Imperial Sword. He has the right, in an emergency, to search and arrest without warrant.

            Knowing he must proceed carefully Chen begins to probe the relationships of Xing. While he believes he is proceeding delicately there is an immediate reaction. In his first interview he is skillfully offered a bribe and has his mother’s safety threatened. Moving with greater subtlety and sometimes using non-official sources Chen starts to make progress.

            Abruptly he is pulled from the investigation to lead a Writers Delegation to the U.S. Chen suspects he has been getting too close to the top.

            In America the poetry loving and writing Chen does his best in his new role. At the same time he continues to find ways to lead the anti-corruption investigation.

            While an honest men there are some uncomfortable personal connections. Chen receives benefits, modest but useful, from businessmen to help him with the investigation. When does money to assist an investigator to do his job become a corrupt payment?

            The descriptions of meals are amazing. Chinese chefs create special dishes from every part of fish, fowl and animal.

            In America Chen renews his fragile relationship with Catherine Rohm from the U.S. Marshals Service.

            Bzyantine is an inadequate phrase to describe the complex relationships that dominate modern China.

            Exquisite Chinese poetry enhances the plot and produces a reflective detective. It is a powerful contrast to the crude language of many modern detectives. You will not find the following in hard boiled fiction talking about a couple apart:

                        So many days, where have you been –
                        like a traveling cloud
                        that forgets to come back
                        unaware of the spring drawing to an end ….
            It is an engaging book giving insight into China while being an excellent mystery. (May 5/11)      

Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong

On Sunday I posted a short biography of Qui Xiaolong. Tonight is a review of the first book in the series featuring Inspector Chen. I am linking this review to the Alphabet in Crime Fiction at Mysteries in Paradise where it is a week for the letter "X".

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26. - 489.) Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong – It is a great experience when a mystery illustrates a culture, has vivid interesting characters, delves into the personal lives of the characters and includes a convincing narrative. In 1990 the body of a young woman is found in a little used canal. The victim, Guang Hongying, turns out to be a model worker. In Communist China, early into its economic revolution, the Party is supreme. Work and housing are determined by the Party. Status in society is set by rank within the party. All aspects of life are political. Chief Inspector, Chen Cao, of the Shanghai police leads the investigation of this high profile victim. Chen reminds me of Adam Dagleish in that he is a published poet. Chen is constantly referring to classical Chinese poetry. As the investigation leads to a high cadre child (HCC) the investigation becomes even more political. The Party’s need to solve the murder confronts the Party’s need to protect the children of ranking members from scandal. Which political imperative will take precedence? Chen and his dutiful stubborn aide, Comrade Yu, seek the truth. The classic lone lawman pursuing justice despite or against the establishment takes place in a new setting and culture. The conflicting imperatives are subtly drawn. The result is never certain. The solution is suitably political. Lisa See’s mystery looked inside contemporary Communist China but was half American / half Chinese. Xiaolong’s book is all Chinese. I look forward to the next in the series. Chen is a wonderful character. Hardcover or paperback. (July 4/09) (Second Best of 2009 fiction)

“X” is for Qiu Xiaolong

Kerrie Smith’s Alphabet in Crime Fiction at her blog, Mysteries in Paradise, is close to the end of the alphabet. I encourage readers to look up all the terrific books and authors that have been profiled on her blog for the past 23 weeks. For “X” I have chosen Qiu Xiaolong.

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Qiu Xiaolong is a Chinese born mystery author and poet. He has created a wonderful mystery character in Inspector Chen. I have enjoyed two books in the series – Death of a Red Heroine and A Case of Two Cities. On Tuesday I will post my review of Death of a Red Heroine. Wednesday I will be posting my review of A Case of Two Cities.

Qui was born in Shanghai and grew up in China. While studying poetry in Bejing he translated the complete works of T.S. Eliot. He came to the United States in 1988 to write a book on Eliot. After the Tianmen Square Protests in 1989 it became public knowledge he had raised money for Chinese students. Fearing prosecution in China he stayed in America. He earned a doctorate in English and teaches at Washington University. He is currently a resident of St. Louis, Missouri.

Qui is both a poet and a translator of poetry. His mysteries have a unique feel to them because of the frequent quotations from Chinese poetry. The quotes do not make the books pretentious. They add to the setting, the plots and the personalities of the characters.

In Cara Black’s excellent interview she asks Qui if living in St. Louis gives him a “needed distance” to write about China. He agrees completely with her and provides a quotation in confirmation. He quotes  Song dynasty poet Su Dongpo, "You cannot see the true face of Mount Lu, / Because you are in the mountains."

While I like the plots of the book I love the vivid portrayals of life in China during the 1990’s as the country undergoes a massive economic transformation while maintaining a Communist government. Qui’s books show how the leadership of the Communist Party had developed an elite status for themselves and their families in the 1990’s. What has happened to the socialist ideals that were at the core of the Party? His books delve into the values of a society in transition.

If you are interested in reading about Qui and the translation of Chinese poetry to English there is an interesting article at http://thebrowser.com/interviews/qiu-xiaolong-on-classical-chinese-poetry. Qui starts by explaining the challenges of translation “because classical Chinese poetry is rhymed and each line consists of five or seven Chinese characters, not to mention a specific tone pattern involving each character in the line”.

Sources for this post include his website is www.qiuxiaolong.com/, the biography in Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qiu_Xiaolong and the interview of Black at http://www.mysteryreaders.org/athomeqiu.html.

"W" is for Who is Inger Ash Wolfe?

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction hosted by Kerrie at Mysteries in Paradise has reached “W”. I have chosen a post to challenge fellow bloggers and readers. Who is Inger Ash Wolfe?

Wolfe has written two mysteries set in rural Ontario. Each features 61 year old detective inspector, Hazel Micallef, in the fictional town of Port Dundas. The Calling and The Return have been critical and popular successes. I have read The Calling and thoroughly enjoyed the book. On Tuesday I will publish my review.

The mystery within the mystery is the identity of Inger Ash Wolfe. The publisher, McClelland & Stewart, describes the author:

“Inger Ash Wolfe is the pseudonym of a well-known and well-regarded North American literary writer.”

When The Calling was published in 2008 there was a flurry of attention on the origins of the name and the actual identity of Wolfe.

The book was about to be published with the author’s name as Inger Wolfe. There arose a minor controversy because of the real life Danish author, Inger Wolf. At the last moment Ash was inserted into the name to make it more distinct. A questionable defence for the process of the Canadian name was offered that it was not realized that Inger Wolf had written mystery fiction when the name was checked.

The major issue has been Wolfe’s real identity. There was considerable speculation early on involving well known Canadian authors.

Jane Urquart was proposed until Wolfe’s agent, Ellen Levine, denied it was Urquart.

When it was asserted to be Linda Spalding she said that she wished she had written the book.

Michael Redhill coyly said that he had hired a lawyer and was told not to talk about the issue.

Other reports have claimed it is Margaret Atwood. I have not come across any statements from her or on her behalf with regard to the speculation.

Nicola Manning, a Canadian blogger, said Wolfe is Canadian author, Russell Smith, in her review of The Calling which can be found at http://back-to-books.blogspot.com/2009/11/207-calling-by-inger-ash-wolfe.html. Her source of information was audiofilemagazine in its review at http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/dbsearch/showreview.cfm?Num=35504. I have not found anyone who knows audofile’s source. It appears Amazon briefly picked up on the audiofile story.

I have not been able to find any source in which Smith confirms or denies he is Wolfe. His website at http://www.russellsmith.ca/ does not contain any information on the issue.

He has previously used a pseudonym. Amongst his works of fiction is Diana – A Diary in the Second Person which he wrote under the pseudonym, Diana Savage. Depending on the reviewer the book is either erotica or pornography. I do not know if Smith writing a book imagining a woman in sexual passion leads to him imagining a strong willed 61 woman police inspector but it is intriguing.

January magazine did an interview with the author which can be found at http://januarymagazine.com/profiles/wolfe.html. There is also a Facebook interview at http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=141697892508677&topic=164. In each Wolfe explains the choice of a pseudonym.

I would be very interested if anyone out there has cracked the mystery of who is Inger Ash Wolfe?

Voodoo River by Robert Crais

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction meme at Mysteries in Paradise hosted by Kerrie Smith moves to the letter "V" this week. I have chosen Voodoo River by Robert Crais. I usually am not fond of mysteries that take their character far from home to deal with a mystery but Elvis Cole's trip to Louisana is a very good story.

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20. - 275.) Voodoo River by Robert Crais – Elvis Cole is asked by adopted T.V. star, Jodi Taylor, to find her birth parents in rural Louisiana. Cole meets attorney, Lucy Chenier, who advises him on how to pursue a 36 year old adoption trail. There is an immediate personal attraction that Cole is eager to advance. A surprising father to Taylor is identified whose identity has been used to blackmail both mother and daughter. The action heats up when Taylor has Cole and Joe Pike take on the blackmailers who also run illegal immigrants. The ending is clever and violent. A century old turtle, Luther, is as spine chilling a threat in interrogation as I have read. Excellent. (Apr. 23/05)

"U" is for Arthur Upfield

The end of the alphabet is approaching on the Alphabet in Crime meme hosted by Kerrie Smith at her blog, Mysteries in Paradise. I am going to Australia for “U” is for Arthur Upfield.

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I had never heard of Arthur Upfield until I was looking in Australian bookstores last year for Australian mysteries and came across Cake in the Hat Box in Tasmania. (I was not yet a blogger at that time. If only I had started blogging a year ago I would have been able to find Australian mysteries easily with the aid of Kerrie and Bernadette.)

(I note many photos of Upfield including those on his books, as with the photo to the right, feature him smoking a cigarette. In our era condemning smoking I have not seen an author photo in many years featuring a cigarette.)

Upfield (1 September 1890 – 13 February 1964) spent his adult life in Australia. The Unofficial Arthur W. Upfield homepage http://homepage.mac.com/klock/upfield/upfield.html) states his father sent him from England “so he could make something of himself.”

 

Kees de Hoog at http://www.collectinghttp://www.collectingbooksandmagazines.com/upfield.htmlbooksandmagazines.com/upfield.html said about the young Upfield:

“Upfield was born into a family of drapers on 1 September 1890 in Gosport on Portsmouth Bay, Hampshire, England. An avid reader of boys' adventure magazines that were popular at the time, he did not do well at school. Apprenticed aged 16 to a real estate agent and surveyor, he was more interested in writing novels and other, more daring, escapades. He once claimed his father sent him to Australia in despair, saying: “It is so far away that you will never save enough money to return", but it is more likely he wanted to go.”

The Unofficial Homepage further states:

“Upfield took immediately to Australia and adopted it as his homeland. He travelled throughout the country and tried his hand at many trades, including kitchen assistant in an urban hotel, boundary rider, station hand, and station cook.”

It describes his early writing locations as:

“His first novel was written while working as a station outpost cook along the Darling River. He wrote others from a drop-leaf desk attached to the side of the camel-drawn drey in which he later patrolled the world's longest fence.”

It is far removed from the computers on which we write in the 21^st Century.

Over 33 years (1929-1962) Upfield wrote 29 mysteries featuring Napoleon “Boney” Bonaparte, a part aborigine police inspector. Kees de Hoog, referred to above, wrote a biography of Upfield. He further indicated Upfield “spent several months each year wandering around the outback until poor health prevented it”.

At the official website, http://arthurupfield.com/main/page_home.html, there is a biography of Upfield in a doctoral thesis by Travis B. Lindsey. In the thesis Lindsey discusses how Upfield wrote:

“Generally speaking, it took Arthur about seven months to complete a book. On a board he would paste paper listing the characters and outlining the plot, but initially he would have only a hazy idea of the ending. Typing away with two fingers and ignoring spelling – to look up words in a dictionary meant for him a break in this thought pattern – he would complete the first draft. This would be put in a drawer for a month. The manuscript would then be closely read for ‘impressions, timings and what-not’ before the rewrite commenced. This period was critical, as Arthur pointed out:

My greatest problem then is to keep friends and others at bay, because interruption will snap the thread, when I have to struggle and flounder about repairing it. All I ask is five hours – from one o’clock to six – every day for from five to six weeks. And that seems impossible to secure, despite my Jessica’s cooperation.

When a major work was completed Upfield would try to avoid the typewriter for two or three months, but always letters had to be answered.”

I have read Cake in a Hat Box and the Widows of Broome. (Click on the titles for links to my reviews.) I enjoyed both of them. Boney is an interesting character. I found a couple more I will be reading and expect to continue looking for Boney books.

De Hoog provides a provocative paragraph on Upfield’s position in the Australian literary world when Upfield was writing:

“Upfield is now recognised as the first Australian writer of mystery stories. But his books were never critically acclaimed here during his lifetime, despite their popularity in the UK and the US where the mystery novel had become an established form of literature. His response was to write An Author Bites the Dust, published in 1948, an attack on the Australian literary establishment.”

The official website advises the Boney television series is being re-mastered and the episodes will be issued as DVDs.

I do not know how accurate the books are in their portrayal of Australia from the 1930’s into the 1960’s. They are vivid.

“T” is for Scott Turow

The community meme, the Alphabet in Crime Fiction, hosted by Kerrie on her blog, Mysteries in Paradise, is getting toward the end of the alphabet with the letter "T". My post for "T" is about the author, Scott Turow.

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Turow was one of the first practising lawyer authors I read who wrote excellent legal mysteries. Since reading Presumed Innocent I have read several of his books.

He has a talent of creating complex fictional lawyers. They are both interesting as people and as lawyers. His most famous character, Rusty Sabich, is a flawed man especially with regard to his marriage. At the same time he is a principled judge seeking justice in his decisions.

Sandy Stern, the defence counsel for Sabich, is a clever subtle lawyer. He speaks eloquently, prepares extensively for court and remains objective about the fallibilities of clients.

As in real life Turow’s trials never actually proceed exactly as carefully planned. The twists confronting his lawyers are often striking but always credible. The need for a trial lawyer to react instantly to an unexpected answer or to change direction because of a ruling by the judge or to revise a position when a witness does not give expected evidence all happen in the courtroom.

His legal mysteries are set in Kindle County, a lot like Chicago where he was born and has spent his legal career.

I like Turow’s legal mysteries best. I did not find his book on the wartime, Ordinary Heroes, was not of the same calibre.

I expect I am somewhat biased as Turow is from my legal generation. He started law school in 1975 which was the year I graduated.

His non-fiction book, One L, about his first year in Harvard Law School, is the best known work on the experience of first year law. I regret to admit that I have not read the book so I cannot directly compare his first year at Harvard with my first year at the University of Saskatchewan.

Turow must be a remarkably disciplined man. He has practised law for 30 years mainly in white collar criminal defence while writing wonderful legal mysteries.

I read his latest legal mystery, Innocent, earlier this year. (Click on the title if you would like a link to the review.) It is a superb mature legal mystery.

Turow has a personal website which is http://www.scottturow.com/. Here is a link to a video of Turow talking with Michael Enright of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on Innocent, in Toronto last year - http://wn.com/Scott_Turow_with_Michael_Enright__Part_2__Toronto_Reference_Library

He is justly recognized as a master of the legal mystery.

"R" is for Keith Raffel

Kerrie Smith has been hosting the Alphabet in Crime Fiction community meme at her blog, Mysteries in Paradise. Each week bloggers make a post that relates to the letter of the week through the name of the author or the book. This week’s letter is “R”.

            This week “R” is for Keith Raffel a mystery author residing in California’s Silicon Valley at Palo Alto.

            He has written a pair of mysteries featuring Ian Michaels. I have read dot.dead which is the first in the series. It was a good mystery set in the high technology of Silicon Valley. It is the first mystery I have read which relates to the computer industry of northern California. I found it a book combining his personal relationships, a tech story and the murder investigation. It fitted well with the area being a precise, logical book with a scientific process to solution.

            The second in the series is Smasher. I am looking forward to reading it.

            Keith became a mystery writer after a pair of successful careers. He was counsel to the United States Senate Intelligence Committee dealing with America’s varied intelligence agencies. He moved back to California and into the computer industry eventually setting up his own business. He describes the venture on his website:

“UpShot Corporation was a pioneer in “cloud computing,” providing software that lives in cyberspace rather than on the user’s PC. I even hold a patent for our graphic user interface. (Not bad for a history major!) In 2003 we sold the company to Siebel Corporation which, in the way of the Valley, was swallowed up itself by Oracle a year later.”

            Two years I met Keith at the “M” is for Mystery bookstore in San Mateo. He had come to listen to a trio of mystery authors talk about their books. My wife, Sharon, and our son, Jonathan, and myself had the chance to talk to Keith after the event across the street from the store in a nice little restaurant with a group of mystery lovers and authors.

            Keith is an engaging man, easy to talk to on almost any topic. We enjoyed talking to him about writing, new technology and mysteries.

            He had a personal method of promoting his book. He handed us a business card containing particulars of the book and a picture of its cover. It helped remind me to buy the book when I returned to the bookstore a few days later.

            Keith has an interesting website. It can be found at http://www.keithraffel.com/. In his blog he is discussing the challenges of epublishing and promoting an ebook. I hope he finds a way to publish a paper copy of his third book.

            I recommend reading Keith’s books. For readers it is too bad he spent so long in earlier careers.

           

"P" is for Louise Penny

This week Kerrie Smith is hosting books related to “P” on her blog, Mysteries in Paradise for the ongoing meme of the Alphabet in Crime Fiction. My post is “P” is for Louise Penny, a Canadian author residing in Quebec.

She spent a significant number of years working for the national public broadcasting system, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, as a journalist, producer and host of radio programs.

After getting married in her late 30’s she gave up her broadcasting career and turned to writing.

Penny’s series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Quebec Surete has become the most famous current mysteries by a Canadian author.

She has won an impressive list of awards for her books four Agatha award and Canada’s Arthur Ellis award. She is likely to win another Arthur Ellis this year. I have personally found two of her books among the best books of the year. I expect her current book Bury Your Dead will make my Best of 2011. Kerrie and Bernadette have both enjoyed her books this year.

I have read all 6 books in the series and enjoyed every one of them.

The setting for most of the mysteries, Three Pines, is a beautiful Quebec village that readers dearly wish existed in real life.

In addition to fine characterization and interesting plots the early mysteries were remarkable for the distinctive means of murder. One victim was killed by an arrow while another was electrocuted during a curling game.

While her books are excellent mysteries I most appreciate that the people, communities and plots are clearly a part of Quebec.

As the series has matured her hero, Gamache, has become a fascinating complex man blessed with a loving marriage to Reine Marie. I heard Louise say during a radio interview that Gamache is her dream husband. She said that if she had to live with a fictional character because she spent so much time with him while writing she wanted someone she would marry.

In Bury Your Dead Gamache is the rare mystery hero challenged by past mistakes who perseveres amidst his doubts and regrets.

It is a wonderful series.

Here is a link to my review of Bury Your Dead.

Bone Valley by Claire Matturro

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction hosted by Kerrie Smith at Mysteries in Paradise is virtually at the end of the alphabet with “Y”. There are not many “Y’s” in my reading history. I have chosen Bone Valley by Claire Matturo. I have not found a lot of successful writers using humour in crime fiction. Even fewer feature funny lawyers. Rarer yet is the author an actual lawyer. Claire and Paul Levine are the only writers I know who meet the triple challenge.

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28. - 491.) Bone Valley by Claire Matturro – Lily Belle Cleary is dragged into defending an orange defamation suit by Olivia, the wife of a senior partner in her law firm. Who knew you could not insult oranges in Florida? Her clients, Angus and the beautiful Miguel, are crusading environmentalists. With little difficulty they draw Lily into their efforts to protect the Sarasota area from further mining for gypsum phosphate. The mining industry has already created bone valley. M. David Moody, unscrupulous businessman and former lover of Lily, is discovered dead in a gyp stack – a gruesomely appropriate site for his murder. As Lily delves into the mystery she acquires a senior citizen assistant, Jimmie Rogers, who is also her handy man and her yard man. The action is non-stop as Lily whirls about always maintaining her cleaning fetish. It is an entertaining book. I did miss Lily in her office and in court. Her mysteries are better when they feature Lily, the hyper-aggressive trial lawyer. I regret the plainness of the paperback cover after the stylish eye catching designs on the first two mysteries. The characters are fascinating and a part of the locale rather than generic anywhere people. I hope to find Lily Belle back in the courtroom in her next adventure. Paperback. (July 31/09)

Solomon v. Lord by Paul Levine

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction meme hosted by Kerrie Smith at her Mysteries in Paradise blog has arrived at the letter "S". I have chosen a legal mystery, Solomon v. Lord. It is the first in Levine's series. The books feature wonderfully funny legal scenes while being good mysteries. Real life trials often feature humour amidst the tension.

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20. - 335.) Solomon v. Lord by Paul Levine – The funniest courtroom mystery I have read. Steve Solomon is a wise cracking / university baseball semi-star / trial lawyer who shoots from the lip while following Solomon’s Laws (No. 2 – In law and in life, sometimes you have to wing it.) Victoria Lord is the rule abiding / club tennis star / assistant D.A. In a hilarious trial over illegally importing birds both end up in jail for civil contempt because of their biting comments to each other. After Victoria is fired Steve unethically, but cleverly, creates a partnership with Victoria so they can represent Katrina Barksdale who has been charged with murdering her husband during some very kinky sex. To his dismay Steve discovers Victoria is engaged to a vegan avocado magnate, Bruce Bixby. Complicating life is a State custody hearing over Steve’s ward and nephew, 11 year old Bobby, still recovering from a maternally abusive life. Bobby’s brilliant mind ricochets around including the ability to instantly form anagrams from people’s names. Steve reminded me of deceased Melfort lawyer, Stuart Eisner. The duo could be the 21^st Century Tracy and Hepburn. Brilliant. Hardcover or paperback. (May 8/06)

White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones

Kerrie Smith's Crime Fiction Alphabet community meme on her website Mysteries in Paradise has reached the letter "J". I am posting an outstanding Alaskan mystery by Stan Jones. Bernadette from Reactions to Reading had mentioned it was waiting for her on her eReader last week in her post for "I". Having enjoyed reading White Sky,Black Ice I decided to make it my post for "J". I thought the second in the series, Shaman Pass, was even better. The author has a fine website and has been prompt in replying to emails.

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7. - 470.) White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones – It is always exciting to find a new character in a setting outside a major city with a mystery unique to the area. Nathan Active is an Alaskan in the same way the Joanna Kilborn of Gail Bowen and the Russell Quant of Anthony Bidulka are Saskatchewanians. Active is an Alaskan state trooper stationed in his home village, Chukchi, on the northwest slope of Alaska. With the ocean to the west and tundra to the east there are few more remote areas. The indigeneous population is the Inupiaq (the people). Eskimo is a pejorative term. Active was born to an Inupiaq mother who put him up for adoption. He is dutifully putting in time at Chukchi but eagerly looking forward to getting transferred to Anchorage. He has doubts about the suicide of Charley Clinton. Most in the community believe that Charley was driven to suicide because of a curse put on his father’s family by a shaman. Active has doubts about someone shooting themselves in the Adam’s apple with a rifle. Active is asked by his birth mother to help find a missing husband, Aaron Stone. With the aid of local pilot, Cowboy Decker, he finds Aaron, also an apparent suicide by shooting himself in the Adam’s apple. With no curse, a happy family life and a good job at the Grey Wolf copper mine there is no reason for Aaron to kill himself. Local leader, Tom Werner, is advocating the residents vote to ban alcohol. Drunkeness is devastating the community. As Active pursues the investigation he finds romance with Lucy Generous (her grandmother sets them up). The characters are real people. The author captures the Inupiaq contraction of English verbs vividly. The descriptions of the vast Arctic are powerful. Jones must have lived in the winter of northern North America. It is interesting how English has its regional variations. A snowmobile is a snowgo. I look forward to the next book in the same way Maisie Dobbs captivated me last year. Hardcover. (Feb. 2/09) (Tied for third most interesting of 2009)