Sunday, December 12, 2004

Mysteries To Die For Xmas Party

Happy Holidays to all of you. It was over 80F in Thousand Oaks today and its time to celebrate the holidays.



The annual Holiday Party at Mysteries To Die For. Your lovely hostesses and co-owners: Dinee, Jane and Heidi.


Once again the store was blessed with two talented authors: Richard Barre and Joanne Fluke.

Richard’s Wind on the River, with a foreword by Harlan Coben, is the third in his Christmas series - a story for all ages and a classic for all seasons.



The line extended out the door for customers and fans to get a signed copy of Wind On The River. Rich looks fairly tired after signing, a this is probably a low estimate, 50+ copies of the book!



Here I am with Rich after exchanging holiday greetings.


Sugar Cookie Murder, Joanne cooks up a seasonal story along with a delicious compendium of recipes. In fact, right in front of her on the signing table was a tray of her wonderful sugar cookies.



Best selling author of Earthquake Weather, Terrill Lankford attended the event. Here he is reading the December 3 Wall Street Journal book review on Rich Barre's book. The article was written by Tom Nolan, the biographer of Ross McDonald. No, he is not looking at the want ads...



It is with sadness that I report that this might be the last book from Barre. How many times have we heard this before that talented mid-list authors have to struggle to keep their work afloat. Lee Goldberg last week on his blog, paid Barre a high compliment in stating that Barre's Wil Hardesty ..."stunning, fresh takes on the traditional PI stereotype." He has another book out there now for consideration and this is one author who has proven himself as a writer (winner of the 1996 Shamus Award for Best First Novel) and deserves better from the publishing world.


Mystery Dawg's Top 10 of 2004 and more.....

In alphabetical order:
California Girl - T. Jefferson Parker
Cottonwood - Scott Phillips.
Earthquake Weather - Terrill Lee LankfordFast Lane – Dave Zeltserman
Monkology - Gary Phillips
Red Jungle by Kent Harrington - a true masterpiece
The Guards - Ken Bruen
The Narrows - Michael Connelly
The Wake-Up - Robert Ferrigno
Two-Way Split - Al Guthrie

I read the following Galleys and /or Manuscripts in 2004. These books are excellent :
Cheapskate - Charlie Stella (to be released in 2005)
Kiss Her Goodbye (Hard Case Crime, to be released in 2005)
Northcoast Shakedown - James Winter (to be released in 2005)
Secret Dead Men - Duane Swierczynski (to be released in 2005)
The Big Blind - Ray Banks (to be released any day now....)

Rounding out the Top 20....
Bangkok - John Burdett
Hard Revolution - George Pelecanos
Rain Storm - Barry Eisler
The Confession by Domenic Stansberry
The Kill Clause - Gregg HurwitzThe Warlord's Son - Dan Fesperman Tijuana Straits - Kem Nunn
Tokyo - Mo Hayder
Tonight I said Goodbye - Michael Koryta
Wiley's Shuffle - Lono Waiwaiole

So, tell me your top 10 book for 2004.......

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