Crime Fiction Dossier

Summer reading picks

The Chicago Sun-Times' critics give their summer reading picks in this morning's paper. My recommendation: Joseph Finder's Vanished. Also on the list are The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson and Free Agent by Jeremy Duns.

Thriller 2 is available today

In bookstores today is ITW's new short story anthology, Thriller 2, edited by Clive Cussler. In addition to stories by such authors as Robert Ferrigno, Jeffery Deaver, Sean Chercover and others, it includes my story "Bedtime for Mr. Wu."

Ask the Critic: Can you help identify these books?

Readers wrote in asking for help identifying books. Both of these questions stumped me, but maybe you can help.

First one:

A few years ago, maybe three or four at most, there was a crime/mystery novel out in hardback and the cover was white with walnut shells on it (like a shell game).

Second one:

It's crime fiction with a little comedy twist here and there, and it's set in Texas. It is also the first book in a series. Is the story of this dude, his ex wife tells him their daughter is disappeared so he sets off with his best friend who is a huge gay black dude named Lawrence or Leonard or something like that.. they find out their daughter is involved with a gang of bikers and some sort of illegal activities. then his wife joins them, and i remember the finale being them trying to stake out the bikers or something similar. there's a chapter when the dude goes and try to get some guns from some hillbilly and he rescues an armadillo that was used as a target, and the dillo ends up being his friend's pet. also, one of the two dudes is either a PI or an ex cop, if I remember correctly.

Books you should read

Here are some books I've read recently that I recommend. All are worth checking out.

Harlan Coben: Long Lost - Great characters, entertaining premise, lots of suspense. (Out now.)
Walter Mosley: The Long Fall - Mosley does New York for the first time, with great results. (Out now.)
Jack Kilborn: Afraid - Very violent, very bloody, very good. Couldn't put it down. (Out now.)
Lisa Scottoline: Look Again - Tense and unsettling, but tasteful thriller. A real page-turner. (Out April 14)
George Pelecanos: The Way Home - Pelecanos is the best; this one is no different. (Out May 12)
Michael Connelly: The Scarecrow - Interesting protagonist, good plot and a lot of suspense. (Out May 26)
Joseph Finder: Vanish - A real kick-ass thriller. Finder is always a must-read. (Out August 18)

Thriller 2, edited by Clive Cussler

Coming this June from Mira.

Sun-Times' Favorites

The book reviewers who write for the Chicago Sun-Times -- and it turns out there's a lot of them -- select their favorite books of the year.

Given what I wrote here, it's no surprise that my pick was Richard Price's Lush Life.

What can you do to help? Buy books!

I wrote the other day about tough times in the publishing business. Even in a strong economic climate, publishing is a challenged industry. But it's not hopeless. I firmly believe that people are willing to buy and read books. I think the problem is that too often we just don't think of it. It's easier to watch TV or go to the movies or just surf the 'net.

So what can we do as consumers to help? Buy books! Buy books for ourselves. Give books as gifts. Recommend books to friends and family members. Eat in once this week and buy a book instead. Whatever. We need to support our industry and encourage others to do likewise.

Now that the holiday season is upon us, this is the perfect time to put this plan into action. Instead of giving your loved ones a scarf they'll never wear or an iPod they don't really need, buy them a book instead. If you can't think of a good one, give them a gift card. (Everyone likes a gift card.)

Books not only represents hours of entertainment, knowledge and diversion, they're also food for the soul. It's no coincidence that the smartest, most successful, interesting and informed people are readers.

So buy books! If we don't support our own industry, who will?

Vote for Nick Stone

Entertainment Weekly is currently running an online poll to determine "Which book has the best (animal-themed) opening line?" One of the contenders is Nick Stone's excellent thriller King of Swords.

It's nice to see a suspense novel included in a poll like this -- especially when it's such a good one. So go vote for Nick!

Get M.J. Rose's "The Reincarnationist" for free

The main reason I became a book reviewer is so that I could get free books. Okay, that's not strictly true... But still. Is there anything better than free books? Free booze, maybe, but how often do you get that?

For the next ten days, M.J. Rose is giving away her thriller, The Reincarnationist, for free. You can download it to read on your computer or Kindle -- see her website for details. (Now if I could just get a free Kindle...)

My review of the book (I wrote it up in the Chicago Sun-Times) is no longer available online, but if it were, you would see I really liked it. It also got a nice review in People, plus stars from PW and Library Journal.

Why is she giving away the book for free? You can read an essay about that on the Huffington Post. (Short version: giving consumers a free sample of something will make them buy the product if they like it).

The sort-of sequel to The Reincarnationist, a new book called The Memorist, is coming out on November 1st and is already getting some good reviews, so here's your chance to get up to speed on the series by reading the first book for free.

Ask the Critic: Can you identify this book?

A librarian in Illinois writes in:

A library patron is looking for an author whose detective is a bumbler who does everything wrong; may be Irish or British; his boss drives a Jaguar; and in an early book, a suspect pees in the front seat of the detective's car.

It sounds vaguely familiar to me, but I don't know what it is. Can you help?