New Literary Fiction Signed from Boston Teran

From Patrick

Teran, Boston. Creed of Violence ($27)

"After a long silence, the author of the cult favorite God is a Bullet is back with a remarkable novel blending literary fiction, historical intrigue and the mythic west. Set in 1910 along the Mexican border, the book features a young ne'er do well and fortune seeker named Rawbone. As revolution brews south of the border, Rawbone plans to unload a truckload of weapons to the dissidents in the oil fields but is foiled by a special agent, who offers to protect him, but only if he'll go through with the plan. Set against the stark and beautiful frontera, Teran's gritty and very timely yarn that will remind readers of Upton Sinclair mixed with James Carlos Blake and Richard Slotkin. As he suggests between the lines, the current conflict in the middle east over US oil interests certainly has it historical precedents. I am please to make this novel my final hardboiled pick of the year."

Mysteries with a Southwest Flavor

Gunn, Elizabeth. The Ten-Mile Trials ($28 Signed)

The latest in the acclaimed Jake Hines detective series - A dead man is discovered in a suburban house that is being used as a drugs lab, and Captain Jake Hines pulls in all his detectives to investigate. The victim carried no identification but the discovery of a small Mass card written in the Cyrillic alphabet hidden in his jacket gives Jake an important lead – could this be connected to a ruthless Eastern European gang that has started operating in Minnesota?



Jance, J.A. Trial By Fire ($26 Signed)

In the heat of the Arizona desert, a raging fire pushes temperatures to a deadly degree, and one woman is left to burn. Pulled naked and barely breathing from the fire, the victim has no idea who she is, let alone who would do this to her -- or why. In her hospital bed she drifts in and out of consciousness, her only means of communicating a blink of the eye. And then an angel appears. Misguidedly known around town as the "Angel of Death," Sister Anselm has devoted her life to working as an advocate for unidentified patients. To her burn patient, she is a savior. But to this Jane Doe's would-be killer, Sister Anselm's efforts pose a serious threat. Ali Reynolds is on the scene as the new media relations consultant for the Yavapai County Police Department, keeping reporters at bay and circumventing questions about arson and a link to a domestic terrorist group called Earth Liberation Front. But her job quickly becomes much more. As Ali struggles to help Sister Anselm uncover the helpless woman's identity, they realize that by locating the missing relatives they may be exposing the victim once more to a remorseless killer determined to finish the job. Faced with the possibility of putting all three of their lives in jeopardy, Ali fearlessly pursues justice -- and what she discovers is a secret even darker and more twisted than she ever could have imagined.

New Signed Books at The Poisoned Pen

Doherty, Paul. The Templar Magician ($45 Signed)


Murder and mayhem set at the time of the secretive Templar Order.

The year is 1152, and Jerusalem is still in the hands of the Crusaders, although the lofty ideals of before have now been replaced by subtle power-play. Meanwhile, in England, King Stephen is waging bloody war against Henry Fitzempress. The Templar Order, now fifty years old, is a wealthy power, glittering with tempting riches. Against this background of bloodshed, Robert de Payens, grandson of Eleanor, one of the co-founders of the Temple, finds himself caught up in a murder mystery when Raymond, Count of Tripoli, is brutally assassinated. Who would have wanted to murder Raymond, and is it possible that the answer may lie within the hallowed ranks of the Templar Order itself?

Hall, M.R. The Disappeared ($34 Signed)

Two young British students, Nazim Jamal and Rafi Hassan vanish without a trace. The police tell their parents that the boys had been under surveillance, that it was likely they left the country to pursue their dangerous new ideals. Seven years later, Nazim’s grief-stricken mother is still unconvinced. Jenny Cooper is her last hope.

Jenny is finally beginning to settle into her role as Coroner for the Severn Valley; the ghosts of her past that threatened to topple her, banished to the sidelines once more. But as the inquest into Nazim's disappearance gets underway, the stink of corruption and conspiracy becomes clear . . .

As the pressure from above increases, a code of silence is imposed on the inquest and events begin to spiral out of all control, pushing Jenny to breaking point. For how could she have known that by unravelling the mysteries of the disappeared, she would begin to unearth her own buried secrets?

McPherson, Catriona. Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains ($45 Signed)

1st May 1926 - Dear Alec,
Just when those who should be working are all downing tools for this wretched strike (and I still can’t believe it – I mean to say: riots, Alec – in Edinburgh of all places) guess who is setting her virgin shoulder to its very first wheel?
I am dressed in serge and sensible footwear, sleeping in an iron bed and dining off pickled tongue at six o’clock each day. I am, in short, that nice young Mrs Balfour's new maid. But don’t worry, Alec dear: things haven’t got as bad as all that. It’s just that that nice young Mr Balfour is going to kill his wife. At least, she thinks so, and the more I hear about him from butler, cook and bootboy the more I’m inclined to agree.
So I’m undercover, in disguise, bent upon foiling. And jolly hard work it is too – tomorrow is my half-day free if you’d care take me out for a restorative bun. (Every maid needs a beau to buy buns for her.)
Yours,
Dandy xx
p.s. Ask for Miss Rossiter: below stairs I am she.

Monroe, Aly. Washington Shadow ($39 Signed)

September 1945. Bankrupt and desperate, Britain sends John Maynard Keynes to boom town Washington to beg for a loan. Under cover of the backup team, agent Peter Cotton is sent to investigate the break-up of America’s wartime intelligence agency.Cotton finds himself caught up in a world of shadows involving an extraordinarily attractive girl from the US State Department, a Soviet ex-tank commander claiming to be his opposite number, a contrarian African academic, an ambitious, quick-tempered boss from the world of misinformation . . . and an Anglo-American conspiracy that will change the world of post-war intelligence for ever.

Pearce, Michael. A Dead Man in Naples ($43 Signed)

Naples, 1913. Sun-baked, blue-skied, and with its amazing bay. One of the most beautiful spots in Italy – but also, one of the most backward. Into that world is sent a minor British consular official, Scampion, banished from Florence because he has allowed himself to be caught up in the mad social whirl surrounding D’Annunzio, the famous Italian poet, Nationalist and revolutionary. Scampion brings with him from Florence the new craze that is sweeping Italy: bicycling. And one day as he walks home after a road race that he has been organizing, he is stabbed to death. Nothing extraordinary about that in Naples – it happens all the time – but his wallet was not taken, a fact that is remarkable. Could Scampion’s murder have something to do with the racing? Bicycling may seem like a harmless pursuit but in Italy passions run high and Neopolitans, too, are great gamblers; they gamble on anything, including bicycle races. And where there is gambling, in Naples there is usually the Camorra, the powerful Neopolitan secret society. But then the Foreign Office receives a tip off that the murder may be more complicated. It might be linked to high politics in Rome. And that’s when Seymour, the foreigner from the F.O, is sent South to investigate… Praise for Michael Pearce’s A Dead Man in… series .

‘The steady pace, atmospheric design, and detailed description re-create a complicated city. A recommended historical series.’ Library Journal

‘Sheer fun.’ The Times

Reading For the Holidays

We continue with our Reading For the Holidays.
Here is a list a festive mysteries:

Allan, Barbara. Antiques Flee Market ($7)
A Trash N Treasures mystery

PW "At the start of Allan's lively third antiques mystery (after 2007's Antiques Maul), divorcée Brandy Borne and her eternally glamorous if somewhat annoying mother, Vivian, are busy preparing for the Christmas rush in the small Midwestern town of Serenity. Then Walter Yeager, a fellow antiques dealer, dies of cyanide poisoning soon after it becomes public knowledge that the WWII veteran owned a valuable first edition of Tarzan of the Apes, which disappears from the crime scene. Walter's 20-year-old British goth granddaughter, Chaz, becomes the top suspect due to her prison record, but Brandy and Vivian believe she's innocent. Told primarily from Brandy's viewpoint with Vivian sneaking in quips for extra pizzazz, this bubbly tongue-in-cheek cozy also includes flea market shopping tips and a recipe. Allan is the pseudonym of the husband-wife writing team of Barbara and Max Allan Collins.

Andrews, Donna. Six Geese A-Slaying ($7)
A Meg Langslow Mystery

Meg and Michael’s house is serving as the marshaling point for the annual Caerphilly holiday parade. The theme is “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” and it features twelve drummers from the school marching band, eleven bagpipers, ten leaping lords costumed in medieval finery from the college drama department, and so on. There are also assorted floats, a live nativity scene on a flatbed truck, the Three Wise Men on Caerphilly zoo camels, and Santa in a bright red horse-drawn sleigh. As organizer, Meg’s job is already hard enough. But when her nephew Eric, wide-eyed and ashen-faced, whispers, “something’s wrong with Santa,” things take a tragic turn. Turns out the local curmudgeon, whose beard and belly made him a natural for the role, has been murdered. Now it’s up to Meg and Chief Burke, who is playing one of the wise men, to tackle a two-fold mission: Solving the murder and saving Christmas…

Andrews, Mary Kay. Blue Christmas ($8)

Deck the halls with romance, intrigue, and great antiques!

It's the week before Christmas, and antiques dealer Weezie Foley is in a frenzy to garnish her shop for the Savannah historical district contest. She's ready to shoot herself with her glue gun by the time she's done, but the results are stunning. She's certainly one-upped the owners of the trendy boutique around the corner, but suddenly things start to go missing from her display, and there seems to be a mysterious midnight visitor to her shop.

Still, Weezie has high hopes—perhaps in the form of an engagement ring from her chef boyfriend, though Daniel, always moody at the holidays, seems more distant than usual. But throw in Weezie's decidedly odd family, a 1950s Christmas tree pin, and even a little help from the King himself (Elvis, that is), and maybe there will be a pocketful of miracles for Weezie this Christmas Eve.

Ash, Maureen. Murder for Christ's Mass ($8)

The town of Lincoln is covered in snow-concealing the mortal remains of a clerk who worked in the local mint. The only clue is a pristine coin stamped with the visage of King Stephen. But Templar Bascot de Marins soon discovers that the motive goes beyond money-and beyond mere murder.




Barry, Dave. The Shepherd, the Angel and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog ($14)

PW "Pulitzer Prize–winning humorist Barry (Big Trouble) spins a nostalgic tale about a boy and his dog on Christmas Eve, 1960. Junior high schooler Doug Barnes is playing a shepherd in the Christmas pageant at the bat-infested Episcopal Church. When the Barnes family dog dies on Christmas Eve, Doug and his father end up adopting a shelter dog, Walter, a charmer who manages to wreck the pageant. Accompanying Barry's snappy narrative are photos and goofy advertisements from the period. Barry is a crowd pleaser and doesn't disappoint with this tale."

Brown, Rita Mar. Santa Clawed ($8)

As Harry well knows, there’s hardly a place on earth cozier than Crozet, Virginia, at Christmastime. Snowflakes, carolers, it’s all picture-perfect until Harry and her husband, Fair, find the tree they’ve chosen grimly decorated with a corpse. The tree farm is run by the Brothers of Love, a semimonastic organization whose members live atop the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. Now, as the season grows merrier, a murderer is growing bolder. One by one, prominent men of Crozet are being crossed off Christmas shopping lists and added to the morgue. And if Harry and her four-legged helpers aren’t very good–and very careful–this Christmas will be her last.

Carl, JoAnna. The Chocolate Snowman Murders ($7)

PW "In Carl's winning eighth chocoholic mystery (after 2007's The Chocolate Jewel Case), Lee McKinney Woodyard, the business manager of TenHuis Chocolade, has agreed to serve as the treasurer for the annual Warner Pier, Mich., WinterFest. After a juror for the festival's art show cancels, Lee goes to the airport to pick up the replacement, Fletcher Mendenhall, who arrives obnoxiously drunk. When Mendenhall turns up the next morning in his motel with his head bashed in, incriminating clues point to both Lee and her husband, Joe, as suspects. While Lee has a tiresome habit of tangling words when she's nervous (I guess we're not hiring a juror to be a dipsomaniac... I mean diplomat), when confronted with a shovel-wielding snowman, the spunky, near six-foot amateur sleuth can throw 20 pounds of chocolates at her attacker with deadly accuracy. Dollops of chocolate lore add to the cozy fun"

Challinor, CS. Christmas is Murder ($14)

From Booklist a Starred Review, " The first installment in this new mystery series is a winner. The amateur detective is Rex Graves, a Scottish barrister, fond of Sudoku puzzles and Latin quotations. In an old-fashioned conceit, Challinor begins with a cast of characters, along with hints of possible motives for each. Although set firmly in the present, with numerous references to the Iraq War, his tale reads like a classic country-house mystery. Rex and the others are snowed in at the Swanmere Manor hotel in East Sussex, England. Being the last to arrive (on two tennis rackets lashed to his feet à la snowshoes), Rex immediately hears of the unexpected demise of one of the other guests. Even though they are in touch with the outside world, the authorities instruct the hotel staff to keep the body in a cool room with the windows open. By the time the police arrive days later, additional bodies have piled up and motives are rampant, but Rex has identified the murderer. At times, it seems we are playing Clue or perhaps enjoying a contemporary retelling of a classic Agatha Christie tale (And Then There Were None, or At Bertram’s Hotel) with a charming new sleuth. A must for cozy fans."

Dunnett, Kaitlyn. A Wee Christmas Homicide ($22)

from PW, "Using Tiny Teddies, highly collectible bears, to launch a Twelve Days of Christmas marketing ploy should be a totally benign means of attracting customers for the business owners of Moosetookalook, Maine, but Liss MacCrimmon's brainchild brings in a frenzy of bear hunters—and a crazed killer—in Dunnett's lively, clean-as-a-whistle third cozy to feature the co-owner of the Scottish Emporium (after 2008's Scone Cold Dead). When the supply of Tiny Teddies wanes, Liss is approached with an offer of a new batch of these impossible-to-acquire fur balls. Knowing to steer clear of anything illegally transported from Canada, Liss declines, apparently unlike Gavin Thorne, proprietor of the Toy Box. Thorne's demise soon follows an unknown assailant's shooting an overpriced bear to stuffings."

Fletcher, Jessica and Donald Bain. Murder She Wrote, Murder Never Takes a Holiday ($16)

A doubly delightful volume with two Christmas-themed mysteries from the USA Today bestselling series!

Together for the first time, these two festive mysteries featuring legendary author and sleuth Jessica Fletcher deliver twice the Christmas cheer.

In Manhattans & Murder, Jessica's new book tour brings her to New York for Christmas, where she sees notorious Cabot Cove crook Waldo Morse dressed as a sidewalk Santa-and ends up witnessing a murder. With the police slow on their feet, and the victim's wife on the run, Jessica decides to do whatever it takes to stop a killer from spoiling the season.

And in A Little Yuletide Murder, Cabot Cove local Rory Brent is found shot to death on his farm, and everyone assumes the culprit is Brent's longtime enemy, Jake Walther, the meanest man in town. But Jessica thinks otherwise, and she's determined to deliver the real killer before Christmas. The trouble is, the next sound she hears this silent night may be a scream-her own. And don't miss A Little Yuletide Murder ($7)

Fluke, Joanne. Plum Pudding Murder ($24 Signed)

The Cookie Jar's busiest time of the year also happens to be the most wonderful time...for Christmas cookies, Hannah's own special plum pudding - and romance! Holiday orders are high, and Hannah's slated to provide dessert at the Reverend Knudsen's upcoming nuptials. She's busy as can be and loving it. She also gets a kick out of 'Lunatic Larry Jaeger's Crazy Elf Christmas Tree Lot', a kitschy carnival taking place smack-dab in the middle of the village green. Larry thinks he's crazy like a fox with his wild business schemes, but this time, the entrepreneur may have bitten off more than he can chew. Rumour has it that Larry's in the red - an idea that takes a sinister turn when Hannah discovers the man himself dead as a doornail in his own office...It seems quite a few people would have liked to fill Larry's stocking with coal and then bash him with it - including his bitter ex-wife, his ex-partner's daughter, a woman he was wooing, and the Crazy Elf Tree lot's extremely exasperated investors...Now, with so many suspects to investigate and the twelve days of Christmas ticking away, Hannah's running out of time to nab a murderous Scrooge who doesn't want her to see the New Year. Don't miss Sugar Cookie and Candy Cane Murder ($7 each)

Graves, Sarah. Wreck the Halls ($7)

And Recommended from Library Journal, "In her hardcover debut, series sleuth Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree (Repair to Her Grave) and best friend, Ellie, try to help Faye Anne, an abused wife, after she's accused of butchering her drunkard husband. Unfortunately, their unauthorized investigating results in a stronger case against her. Nonetheless, Jake and Ellie persevere in their quest: they rev up the Eastport, ME, rumor mill and spout various crime scenarios. In spare moments, Jake weather-strips her 1823 fixer-upper. Frequent humor tempers the Down East mannerisms, plucky heroine, and more serious subject matter. Recommended. "

Hart, Carolyn. Merry Merry Ghost ($16 Signed)

From PW , "delightful... Bailey Ruth's pleasure in her earthly wardrobe, her keen observations of the other characters and her unorthodox but expert sleuthing will engage readers from start to finish."




Kingsbury, Kate. Decked With Folly ($14)

Make room for murder with all the trimmings in the latest of the Pennyfoot Hotel Christmas mystery series.

It's the holiday season and the Pennyfoot staff is brimming with anticipation. The scents of the season overflow from the kitchen and the country club's halls are decorated with festive displays thanks to Cecily's dear friend Madeline. But when one of Cecily's candlesticks disappears, she realizes someone is lacking in Christmas spirit.

Petty thievery seems the least of Cecily's problems after she learns a former employee has been found dead in her duck pond. He hasn't worked at the Pennyfoot in years, but his ex-wife is still their head maid-and now she heads the list of suspects. And when Madeline has a vision of more misfortune to come, Cecily starts feeling more jinxed than jolly. Now a killer and a thief must be taken off the guest list in order to put the merry back into Christmas.

Morrell, David. The Spy Who came for Christmas ($10)

It's Christmas Eve in Santa Fe. But among the revelers on Canyon Road, a decidedly unholy scene is taking place. A desperate man, dressed all in black, feverishly seeks refuge for himself and the squirming bundle he holds tightly against his breast. Agent Paul Kagan’s bundle is a baby who has the power to change the course of global events. His pursuers are his former colleagues—members of the Russian mafia who will stop at nothing to accomplish their mission. Now Kagan is a spy on the run—he must ensure this baby’s survival, even if it will cost him his own life.

Just a short distance away, Kagan will find an unexpected pair of allies—a mother and her young son, who huddle together after a horrible episode of domestic violence leaves them home alone, with no means of transportation.

And so, with the exquisitely honed skills of his profession and the help and good faith of a weary woman and a disillusioned boy, Kagan must take on forces that will stop at nothing. In the course of a wild and violent night, the unlikely trio learns lessons of generosity, courage, and selflessness, discovering within themselves the luminous strength of the true Christmas spirit.

Perry, Anne. A Christmas Promise ($18)


Set in the Victorian world where Anne Perry reigns supreme, A Christmas Promise culminates in a radiant finale that will remain with you long after the final page is turned.




Page, Katherine Hall. The Body in the Sleigh ($18 Signed)

PW, "In Agatha-winner Page's delightful 18th Faith Fairchild mystery (after 2008's The Body in the Gallery), Faith and her family get away to their cottage on Sanpere Island in Maine's Penobscot Bay for the Christmas season. Tranquility reigns only briefly before Faith finds a young girl's body tucked among the mannequins in a local holiday display. If this wasn't enough to keep Faith busy, she receives a Christmas Eve call from reclusive goat farmer Mary Bethany, who's discovered a babe in her manger—a newborn boy inside her barn, along with a puzzling note and a serious bankroll. When Mary determines to keep the baby safe and Faith attempts to locate the birth mother, both women end up in peril. Amid the holiday festivities, Faith wears the hats of good wife and mother while slipping into her sleuth cap at every opportunity. Her investigative work builds to an exciting conclusion. Faith's kitchen skills result in some wonderful recipes listed at the end. "

Sefton, Maggie. Fleece Navidad ($8)

A special holiday knitting mystery from the national bestselling author of Dyer Consequences—with delicious recipes and knitting patterns!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for the knitters of Fort Connor, Colorado, who are furiously working on their holiday projects. Juliet, the town’s “little brown wren” librarian, is known for her beautiful handmade Christmas capes, and she has extra reason to be joyful this year—she’s in love. But as soon as she finds happiness, death finds her.

Suspicion falls on a newcomer to the knitting group, but Kelly Flynn and the rest of the crew aren’t convinced of this person’s guilt. It’s up to them to separate the true lion from the lambs— before someone else gets fleeced…

VanDyke, Tom. A Cowboy Christmas ($17 Signed)

"A Cowboy Christmas" An American Tale is an inspiring adventure of enduring love, strength, character and discovery, that delivers a heartfelt hug for the holidays and year-round, a perfect time to open our hearts and share the gifts of life.

New Signed Books From the Poisoned Pen

Estleman, Loren D. Alone ($27 Signed)

The second wacky comedic murder romp for Hollywood film detective ValentinoValentino wants to keep The Oracle, his beloved run-down movie palace, from being condemned before it even reopens, but murder keeps intruding into his otherwise quiet life. At a gala party held in memory of screen legend Greta Garbo, he’s having fun until the host, a hotshot developer named Rankin, tells Valentino about a certain letter from Garbo to his late wife. She and Garbo had been…close.Such a letter is of great interest to a film archivist like Valentino, but the the plot thickens when Rankin tells Val that his assistant, Akers, is using this letter to blackmail him. Val is appalled by the thought of blackmail…but that letter sounds juicier all the time. Returning to Rankin’s mansion after the party, Val finds Rankin sitting at his desk with a pistol in his hand, looking at Akers’s dead body on the floor.Valentino’s in a quandary. He’d love to see that letter, but he can’t. He’s gotten his girlfriend—who works for the police—in trouble, so his love life is, pardon the expression, shot to hell. Worse yet, the building inspector has kicked him out of his unfinished living space in the Oracle, so he takes his life in his hands and moves in with his eccentric mentor, the elderly, insomniac Professor Broadhead. No love, no sleep, no letter—life isn’t fair!

Nikitas, Derek. The Long Division ($27 Signed)

This title earned a Starred Review from PW, "At the start of Nikitas's stellar second novel (after his Edgar-finalist debut, Pyres), Jodie Larkin, a house cleaner in Atlanta, succumbs to temptation—she steals $5,000 and a car from a client—and sets off to visit the son she gave up for adoption and whom she hasn't seen in five years. Cal Nowak, Jodie's now 15-year-old son, lives in Cape Fear, N.C., and is struggling with his sexual identity. Together, Jodie and Cal set off north on a desperate, doomed journey. Meanwhile, SUNY student Wynn Johnston is trying to help a friend rescue the friend's missing sister, and Weymouth, N.Y., deputy Sam Hartwick must deal with his dying wife and a double murder. Sentences, paragraphs, even chapters don't so much end as act like synapses jumping to the next sequence. Nikitas effectively picks up and drops each thread. Beautifully realized characterizations power complex story lines that meet and connect this disparate group with the inevitability of Greek tragedy. "

New Signed Books at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore

Alexander, Tasha. Tears of Pearl (St Martins $27 Signed).

Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves are on honeymoon in Istanbul but it's more a busman's holiday as a near-poisoning on the Orient Express is followed by murder in the harem. A wonderful tour of the city as Alexander envisions it in the 1890s enhances the plot. And of Topkapi Palace, one of my favorite haunts. Romance! Intrigue! Perfect for the Victoria Holt fan.



Rowland, Laura Joh. The Cloud Pavilion (St Martins $27 Signed).

In 1701 Japan, a young wife and mother is raped and left on the streets of Edo. Chamberlain Sano Ichiro (The Fire Kimono) is asked by his uncle to find the person responsible. The fact that Ichiro's mother was declared dead by her family when she married his father just adds to the antagonism Ichiro feels toward his uncle, and he must also keep a sharp eye on his mortal enemy, Yanagisawa, who is gaining in political strength and readying himself to destroy Ichiro.