 British Library Crime Classics by assorted authors (assorted years). I recently read somewhere (I wish I could remember where) that readership of mysteries and thrillers increases dramatically during troubled and uncertain times (see previous Terry Tempest Williams review). The article had numerous theories as to why, which I will skip and get straight to this review of great books to give and get. Luckily for those of us troubled by headlines of bad behavior by so many people, British Library Crime Classics exists. Poison Pen Press has reissued classic mysteries by a variety of British authors in lovely paperback forms. These make perfect stocking stuffers or host/hostess gifts for all the holiday parties in your future. Or, give them to anyone who likes a well plotted mystery, who needs something to be solved in a neatly and timely fashion, or to yourself for some diversions. If a British mystery isn't your (or your loved ones') cup of tea, try the American Mystery Classics Series by Penzler Press and The SOHO Crime series. ~ Lisa Christie  August Snow and Lives Laid Away by Stephen Mack Jones (2019) - I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Jones's debut August Snow. So I was excited to see this new mystery brings August Snow, a superbly wrought ex-police officer turned “fixer” - of neighborhoods, of people and of mysteries - back. I was even more thrilled that I liked this second in what I hope is a long series. Detroit itself is a character in both, with its gentrification front and center. ~ Lisa Christie  The Body in Castle Well: Bruno Mystery #14 by Martin Walker (2019) - In "Bruno's" latest outing, an American graduate student turns up dead at the bottom of a well. This plot allows Mr. Walker, a journalist and novelist, an opportunity to explore the French Resistance, the impact of art, and life in modern France. Enjoy and be prepared to be hungry as Mr. Walker describes all the dishes his detective Bruno prepares. If you have not yet read anything in this series, you might wish to begin with the first of its 14 mysteries - Bruno, Chief of Police. ~ Lisa Christie  Unto Us a Son is Given: A Commissario Brunetti mystery by Donna Leon (2019)- I truly enjoy this series (first introduced to me by the author Sarah Stewart Taylor), and this book is one of the best in it. This time, Brunetti's father-in-law asks Brunetti to look into an old friend's recent wish to adopt an adult and what implications that might have for the friend's estate and his twilight years. Enjoy yet another great mystery with a kind, yet far from perfect, Commissario, his English-novel loving wife, and the people of Venice. If you wish to begin at the beginning, the first book in this series was Death at La Fenice. ~ Lisa Christie  The Fleur de Sel Murders: A Brittany Mystery (#3) by Jean-Luc Bannalec (2018) - This book made me want to visit Brittany immediately. I actually found myself with a map in hand tracking exactly where the characters in this mystery travel as I read each chapter. The writing was brisk and the book just a "fun read" on a hot summer afternoon. Commissaire Dupin provides an intriguing protagonist for this series. The descriptions of France are inspiring and somehow restful; and, the characters Dupin surrounds himself with are interesting on their own. (Note: Though I may have learned more than I possibly could ever wish to know about the salt marshes of the Guérande Peninsula, foodies will have a blast with this knowledge.) As a bonus -- I now have a new series to consume. As Kirkus Reviews describes The Brittany Mysteries, "Bannelec's Breton adventures are some of the best French local color going, with a deft blend of puzzle, personality, and description of the indescribable." The series begins with Death in Brittany. Have fun using these books to plot your next European vacation. ~ Lisa Christie  Lives Laid Away by Stephen Mack Jones (2019) - I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Jones's debut August Snow. Thus, I was excited to see this new mystery brings August back. I was even more thrilled that I liked this second book, in what I hope is a long series, perhaps even better than the first. In this outing, August Octavio Snow decides to defend his neighbors when ICE raids threaten their peace and safety; simultaneously he answers a former colleague's call to discover how a young, unnamed Latina was murdered. By saying yes to helping in both cases, he becomes caught in a human trafficking ring. The plot allows the author's wry humor to deliver some food for thought about the USA's current immigration policies. Detroit, (and actually I'd argue Michigan this time), is once again a character; so much so that Nancy Pearl of NPR's Morning Edition seriously considered relocating after reading Mr. Jones's first offering -- "This book is so good, I actually put it down, and I briefly entertained the notion of moving back to Detroit.” Getting back to this second book, we really can't say it any better than Mike Lupica says in his New York Daily News review, “man, if you haven’t read Stephen Mack Jones’ Detroit crime novels about an ex-cop named August Snow, you ought to.” ENJOY! ~ Lisa Christie  There is a series of mysteries that keep me occupied and traveling no matter where I am - the “Dismas Hardy series” by John Lescroart. As someone who was lucky enough to live in San Francisco in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I’ll try just about any book that takes place in that city by the bay. I found this series because my husband reads thrillers. He gave me one in an airport years ago; I read it and promptly forgot about it. Then, he loaded a few onto my iPad and I was hooked. I read the first, then another and a third and kept plowing right on through the entire set. And, while I often turn my nose down at the thought of a thriller, these thrillers are my new mind candy. Why? They allow me to live again in my old hometown, if only for the duration of the novel. They have two interesting main characters – Dismas Hardy and his best friend, homicide detective Abe Glinsky, each supported by intelligent families. And as a bonus, and possibly most importantly to me, each plot places you firmly in San Francisco and provides an enjoyable page turner.
My summary – Mr. Lescroart’s novels are great books for anyone missing San Francisco and/or wanting some escapist reading. Dead Irish begins the series, but you can start just about anywhere. ~ Lisa Christie For additional mysteries that transport you to interesting places, we recommend Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache novels set in the modern-day Quebec countryside, Jacqueline Winspear‘s Maisie Dobbs series set in Post WWI London, Sarah Stewart Taylor's Sweeney St. George series set in Boston/New England, Archer Mayor’s Joe Gunther series set in our home state of Vermont, and Martin Walker's Bruno Series set in France. ~ Lisa Christie and Lisa Cadow
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