The world of crime fiction lost one of its giants this week with the passing of James Crumley. Crumley's 1978 novel THE LAST GOOD KISS reinvented the American detective novel, and almost every American PI novel published since owes something to Crumley's work – as do more than a few international ones. Failing health dogged him in recent years, but he kept writing, publishing THE FINAL COUNTRY in 2001 and THE RIGHT MADNESS in 2005. His portrayals of the American West stand with the best of American literature, and his contribution to the genre is permanent. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family, and mourn his loss.
[credit: Michael Gallacher/Viking]



Our house is full this weekend, with some of our favorite visitors as well as some new friends. Before that, though, BRAD MELTZER will drop in for a fast and furious stock signing of THE BOOK OF LIES (Grand Central Publishing, $25.99), on Tuesday, September 23 around 2:15 p.m. Feel free to drop in and say hello, but know that he has to be out the door by 3:00 p.m.




We've added some events to this weekend's schedule, so don't miss a thing!


AUTHOR SIGNINGS AND EVENTS


Saturday, Sept. 27 at 1:00 pm
BRANT RANDALL (BRUCE COOK) signs BLOOD HARVEST

The baseball season's coming to a climax, so we've added our own double-header to the top of Saturday's schedule. The prolific Bruce Cook will discuss and sign his latest book, BLOOD HARVEST (Capital Crime Press, $19.95), published under the pen name Brant Randall. In 1929 New England, teenager Angus DaCosta is the target of a brutal attack after he gets a little too friendly with Jackie Sue MacKay.

This title is not yet available at The Mystery Bookstore. Please contact us directly to reserve a copy. You may email orders@mystery-bookstore.com or telephone us on our toll-free number, (800) 821-9017.



and SHEILA LOWE signs WRITTEN IN BLOOD
Veteran handwriting analyst Sheila Lowe's latest thriller, WRITTEN IN BLOOD (Signet paperback original, $6.99) finds graphologist Claudia Rose drawn into a deadly family dispute over a will.






Saturday, September 27 at 3:00 p.m.

MARC LECARD discusses and signs TINY LITTLE TROUBLES

St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95

The author of VINNIE'S HEAD returns to sign his second novel, another darkly funny, fast-paced crime romp. Scientist Aaron Rogell has it all: a great job, a beautiful wife, a new baby. He also has a bad addiction to hookers, mainly the high-priced Aphrodite. Aaron makes the mistake of telling Aphrodite what he's working on, and when her scary friend Pablo Clench finds out that it might be worth millions, Aaron's life gets a lot more complicated.

This title is not yet available at The Mystery Bookstore. Please contact us directly to reserve a copy. You may email orders@mystery-bookstore.com or telephone us on our toll-free number, (800) 821-9017.



Saturday, September 27 at 4:00 p.m.

STEPHEN HUNTER discusses and signs NIGHT OF THUNDER

Simon & Schuster, $26.00

We're always thrilled to welcome novelist, film critic, journalist and Renaissance man Stephen Hunter back to The Mystery Bookstore. Bob Lee Swagger's daughter Nikki, an investigative journalist, gets run off the road in the wilds of Tennessee. As she lies in a coma, Bob Lee first worries that some of his old enemies have taken their revenge. But when he follows up on the stories she was writing, he finds an old crime clan, some corrupt law enforcement officials, and more enemies that Nikki made on her own.

This title is not yet available at The Mystery Bookstore. Please contact us directly to reserve a copy. You may email orders@mystery-bookstore.com or telephone us on our toll-free number, (800) 821-9017.



Sunday, September 28 at 1:00 p.m.

PAUL CHARLES discusses and signs THE BEAUTIFUL SOUND OF SILENCE

Brandon Books, $34.95

All the way from the British Isles, our friend Paul Charles visits to sign his ninth Christy Kennedy mystery. This time out, Kennedy investigates the murder of his former colleague, retired police Superintendent David Peters. Peters believed that the ends justified his means, leaving behind no shortage of murder suspects.

This title is not yet available at The Mystery Bookstore. Please contact us directly to reserve a copy. You may email orders@mystery-bookstore.com or telephone us on our toll-free number, (800) 821-9017.



Be sure to visit our SIGNED BEST-SELLERS page for a list of newly signed books by Lori Andrews, Marcus Sakey and U.K. authors Mark Billingham, Christopher Brookmyre, and Ken Bruen. We've added new titles to our list of books for fall reading, so check them out at SUMMER READING FOR KIDS! Take a look at the fine first editions by George Pelecanos, Michael Connelly, Gore Vidal, Bill Granger, Scott Phillips, and Kent Anderson on the RARE & COLLECTIBLES page.



LAST BUT NOT LEAST…Now you can view the full version of the Mystery Bookstore's MONTHLY NEWSLETTER on our site!