Crime Fiction Dossier

Latest Chicago Sun-Times column

My latest roundup column ran this morning in the Chicago Sun-Times. It includes reviews of the following books:

• Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - The Wheel of Darkness
• John Sandford - Dark of the Moon
• Alison Gaylin - Trashed
• Dave White - When One Man Dies
• Elaine Flinn - Deadly Vintage

There should be something in there for practically everyone. Enjoy!

New issue of Demolition Magazine

There's a new issue of Demotion Magazine up. It contains stories from Scott Wolven, Fred Zackel, Mike MacLean, Patricia Abbott, Steven M. Messner, Brian Ross, Stephen D. Rogers, Chris F. Holm and Tony Black.

Check it out!

Ask the Critic: Contacting reviewers

Anonymous asks:

I'm published by a small, reputable press that doesn't do a lot of mailings. My publisher will, however, send out ARCs or review copies if I request them. How best can I approach critics to ask if they would consider a copy? Is there any way to do this without annoying and alienating them?

I have long maintained that it is perfectly acceptable for authors to contact reviewers to inquire about sending a book for possible review. I've never heard anyone complain about this, as long as it's done in a polite, respectful and non-pushy manner. (I even did a poll of prominent reviewers to confirm this a couple years ago.)

I would recommend a simple email like the following: "I have a book coming out November 15th from Five Star Press. It's called Blah, Blah, Blah and it's about this, that and the other thing. May I have the publisher send you a copy?"

That's it. Don't make a sales pitch, don't say how great it is, don't include blurbs, don't refer them to your website or attach a press release. Just be concise, give the basic info and take your shot.

If someone's going to get upset about that, they're probably a grump and wouldn't review your book anyway.

If you decide to do this, make sure to include the following information: Author name, book title, publication date, publisher and a brief synopsis. Those are the facts that I need to know in order to make a decision.

If you've got a question for Ask the Critic, please send it in.

A new blog

Elaine Flinn has started a new blog called Evil E, featuring her twisted take on crime fiction happenings. It will also be the new home of her On the Bubble interviews, which used to run weekly at Murderati.

Welcome back, Oh Evil One!

Book suggestions?

I'm looking for a good book to read...  Something published between now and the end of October. Preferably by a woman. Hardcover, paperback, whatever. Nothing self-published, though.

Any suggestions?

Ask the Critic: Writing query letters

Anonymous asks:

I am preparing a query letter in the hopes of getting an agent for a novel I've just completed. I have all sorts of contradictory advice from various Internet sites to sort out. Do you have any advice?

I have thoughts on writing query letters and soliciting agents, but I'm hardly an expert on the subject. So I turned to someone who is: Jeff Kleinman, one of the founders of Folio Literary Management and a top-notch agent. Below, Jeff responds to Anonymous' specific questions.

Q. Should the query letter try to start out with something clever, or just be straightforward and business-like?

A. Either works. There isn't a right or wrong answer with queries. The question really is: what letter opening will most grab the agent's attention? Obviously that may depend on the agent. But starting off too cleverly may be off-putting. I think a simple "here's how I heard about you," and then having some targeted info about the agent (books she's represented, etc.) is often best.

Q. Should the query include the page count?

A. The query should include word count, not page count. And word count should be rounded up or down: so not "92,193 words" - saying "about 92,000 words" is fine.

Q. Should the writer compare themselves to other writers? (For example, "my work is like Tess Gerritsen's" or whatever.)

A. REALLY depends on the other writer. If it's a bestselling, brand-name author (Stephen King, Dean Koontz, etc.), probably not. If it's a breakout first novelist, maybe, depending on if the comparison's really accurate. An easier way of doing it is to write "My book will appeal to readers who like Tess Gerritsen's."

Q. Should the writer let the agent know they have sought him out exclusively, or should they send the letter out to many agents?

A. DEFINITELY let the agent know it's exclusive - agents assume it's nonexclusive unless they're told otherwise, or unless they ask to see the materials exclusively.

If you've got a question for Ask the Critic, please send it in.

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.

Review of William Lashner's "A Killer's Kiss"

My latest review for the Philadelphia Inquirer looks at William Lashner's legal thriller A Killer's Kiss.

This was the first book of Lashner's that I'd read and I enjoyed it.

Grading the fall television pilots

I just finished plowing through a stack of DVDs of the pilot episodes of several new fall series. Overall, it was a decent bunch of programs, and there are a few of them that I plan to watch. Here is my rundown on the new shows.

Big Shots (ABC, Premieres September 27, 2007) -- A drama about four friends who are rising stars in Corporate America. Good cast (Michael Vartan, Dylan McDermot) and interesting characters. Hard to tell what it's going to be about, but it could be good. The tone is a little odd, though. Grade: B

Bionic Woman (NBC, Premieres September 26, 2007) -- A disappointing remake of the classic television series. Choppy, overblown and poorly cast (the lead actress in particular is weak). Good concept, but poor execution. Grade: C-

Cane (CBS, Premieres September 25, 2007) -- A drama about a successful Cuban-American family that has grown rich from the rum business, but still faces many challenges. Excellent cast (Jimmy Smits, Hector Elizondo) and interesting plot. A little soapy, but not bad. I liked it better by its original title, though: Los Duques (the name of the family). Grade: B

Cashmere Mafia (ABC, Premieres November 27, 2007) -- The latest project from the creator of Sex in the City seems to be a very similar show (while admitting that I only watched Sex once) about four Manhattan career women. It's silly and unbelievable, but I suppose it's modestly entertaining. Grade: C+

Cavemen (ABC, Premieres October 2, 2007) -- A comedy (based on the Geico commercials) about a trio of cavemen living in the modern day. This was surprisingly not awful, and was actually kind of funny in spots. But how this could possibly last more than a few episodes is a mystery. I predict it will be the first of the bunch to be canceled. Grade: B-

Chuck (NBC, Premieres September 24, 2007) -- My favorite show of the group. A hip spy thriller reminiscent of Alias, but with more humor. Good action, interesting characters and lots of potential. Grade: A-

Eli Stone (ABC, Premieres January 1, 2008) -- A lawyer finds out that he's having prophetic revelations and decides to use his powers for good. A corny set-up, but the results were actually touching, in a manipulative sort of way. But how long can they keep that up? (Random thought: What's Victor Garber doing in such a small role?) Grade: B-

Journeyman (NBC, Premieres September 24, 2007) -- Kevin McKidd, the guy who played Lucius Vorenus on Rome, is a reporter in San Francisco who finds himself yanked back into the past, revisiting key moments in his own life, and that of another person. The premise is revealed in occasionally jarring fashion, but a compelling plot and strong lead give this one promise. Grade: B+

K-Ville (Fox, Premiered September 17, 2007) -- A police procedural set in New Orleans, two years post-Katrina. Melodramatic and overly earnest, this show wastes the talents of the excellent Anthony Anderson. Shows like The Wire and The Shield have raised the stakes for crime dramas, and this falls short. Grade: C

Pushing Daisies (ABC, Premieres October 3, 2007) -- The story of a man who can bring the dead back to life with a touch, but has to touch them again within one minute (returning them to death) or somebody else will die instead. Unwatchable, sappy nonsense. Grade: F

Women's Murder Club (ABC, Premieres October 12, 2007) -- The James Patterson series brought to life: four women (a cop, a reporter, a DA, an ME) solve crimes together. Hopefully the guy from Pushing Daisies will hurry up and touch it. As trite and ludicrous as the books. Grade: D-

I liked Chuck the best, and Journeyman looks promising as well. I'll give Cane and Big Shots a try to see if they hold up. The rest, with the possible exception of Eli Stone, I'll give a pass.

Ask the Critic: Availability of UK editions in the U.S.

Carol W. Penney writes:

Why do we in the U.S. have to wait months or years for U.K. or Canadian books?  We can order, for example, the latest Rankin or Stephen Booth from the U.K. or the latest Peter Robinson from Canada, but why can't we obtain them locally?  Is it illegal for Amazon U.S. to get a supply of these books for us?  I prefer to have them "untranslated", as I like a British book to sound British.

Excellent question! As for the first part, the UK publishers are separate from the US publishers, so they purchase publication rights for their respective territories separately. (For example, a book might sell to one publisher in the U.S. and a different publisher in the UK.)

As a result, the timing of releases -- and, in fact, whether or not a book is released at all -- is a business decision that they make individually, based on the mysterious ways of the publishing industry. (In other words, there's not necessarily any rhyme or reason to it.)

As for the second matter, U.S. bookstores do sell UK editions of books. You're not likely to find any UK editions at the local B&N, but mystery bookstores, for example, often carry a few, and they're available online. The problem is, they are expensive. (Presumably because of the cost of freight and the question of returnability.)

For example, Amazon will sell you a copy of the British edition of Meg Gardiner's much-acclaimed China Lake, which is not currently available from a U.S. publisher. However, even though it's a paperback, it still costs $25.

That's why these stores often won't carry UK editions once the American versions are available. There isn't a large enough market to justify the expense. So for those books, you probably need to order directly from a foreign bookstore, like Amazon UK.

If you've got a question for Ask the Critic, please send it in.