The Bookshelf

Lifetime just announced the air dates for the television movie versions of two Patricia Cornwell novels, At Risk and The Front.  Based on the books in the Win Garano series, Andie McDowell stars as DA Monique Lamont while Daniel Sunjata plays forensic investigator Win Garano.  The movies are set to air on Saturday April 10 and Saturday April 17, respectively.  Both movies start at 8 p.m.  No word yet on the long rumored Kay Scarpetta movie staring Angelia Jolie.

If you haven’t read the books yet, now is the perfect opportunity to do so before the movie versions air this April.

In honor of March being National Craft Month, the display in the mystery section is featuring books in which crafting is a key aspect of the mystery story.   If you are a fan of crafts or just want to try something new, the Library staff has compiled a list of these Crafty Mysteries for you.

Also try our A Common Thread book list.  This book list showcases novels that incorporate quilting into the story.

Today is Chicago’s 173^rd birthday!  This great city has given birth to some larger than life characters- and that’s not counting the real life politicians.

Two of my favorite book series set in Chicago are Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski series and Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series.  Both series feature witty, hard boiled PIs willing to fight for the little guy, but each author brings their own unique twist to the books. Paretsky’s books are very much anchored in reality and she incorporates not just the names, places, and flavors of Chicago, but also real historical Chicago events- like the disastrous 1992 flooding of the tunnels beneath the loop (Tunnel Vision).  Butcher’s PI focuses his attention on the (hopefully fictional) supernatural element of the city and these books are a great mix of fantasy, detective work, and Chicago lore.

Those are two of my favorites: which books set in Chicago are yours?

Mystery author Dick Francis died yesterday at the age of 89.  Mr. Francis’ novels were set in the exciting world of horse racing- a sport he knew well as he was a professional jockey before he turned to writing.  Starting in 1957, Mr. Francis wrote over 40 novels, winning three Edgar Awards and a Cartier Diamond Dagger award.  Recently, Mr. Francis had co-written books with his son, Felix.  Their newest collaboration, Crossfire, is due out in August.  While all of Francis’ fans mourn his passing, they all hope that Felix will continue the family legacy of writing exceptional mystery novels.

One of my favorite book series is the Stephanie Plum bounty hunter series by Janet Evanovich.  I had always thought that this series would make a great movie, so I was excited to read that they have started casting for the movie version of One for the Money, the first book in the series.  I am not sure what to think, however, about the lead actress they cast as Stephanie- Katherine Heigl from Grey’s Anatomy.  Her work on Grey’s Anatomy proves that she can do drama and her work in films such as 27 Dresses and Knocked Up proved she can do comedy, so I will have to see how she handles the part of the wacky Stephanie Plum.  What do you think of this casting choice?

This Saturday October 24, Poisoned Pen Press and the Poisoned Pen mystery bookstore in Arizona are co-hosting the world’s first online mystery convention. For $25, you can log on to Poisoned Pen WebCon and participate in live interactive discussions, author panels, on-demand videos and audio presentations, book trailers and live chat rooms. Registrants also will receive a book voucher and free ebooks. Participating authors include a who’s-who of authors, including Dana Stabenow, Lee Child, Laurie R. King, Nevada Barr and others. Click here for a schedule of panel discussions and for a list of system requirements and the multimedia tools you’ll need to use to take part.

“The Capture of Cerberus” is available at the Daily Mail, a British newspaper.  This is great news for all you Agatha Christie fanatics.

[cross-posted from The Studio]

Attention Masterpiece Mystery! fans. Did you catch the first installment of the three-part series, Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh as the troubled Swedish detective? Any comments?

FYI, these are based on the popular books by Henning Mankell. Hint, hint -the Library has these!! The first episode, Sidetracked, aired locally on PBS this past Sunday night. It is being re-run Tuesday, May 12th at 2:30am. The next episode is Firewall. It airs Sunday, May 17 at 8:00pm and again Wednesday, May 20th at 2:30am. The third episode, One Step Behind, is scheduled for Sunday, May 31st at 8:00pm. The Library has orderd the DVD. If you missed out, reserve it now.

Shelf Awareness, an e-newsletter for booksellers and librarians, has a regular author interview called Book Brahmin (kinda like the questionnaire on Inside the Actors Studio, but less snooty). One of my favorite questions is “Book You’ve Faked Reading.” Author Susan Wiggs copped to lying about reading Proust’s Swann’s Way in French, while librarian Vicki Myron (writer of Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World) admitted that she faked reading Shakespeare.

One recent survey in Britain found that two out of three people lied about reading (Orwell’s 1984 was fibbed about most often). The book I faked reading was Nausea by John-Paul Sartre. I was taking a 20th-century European Lit class in college and trying to impress the graduate assistant (it didn’t work). So what are the books you’ve faked reading?

The Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear

I think that this one of the best mystery series that I’ve read in a long time. Taking place in post WWI England, the author clearly does her research. There is a strong sense of time, location, social tone and historical accuracy.

A nurse during the war, Maisie now has her own business. After years of study and apprenticeship, she works as a psychologist and private investigator. This might seem like an unusual profession, but it really makes interesting reading. Maisie is a complex, vulnerable, independent, and smart character. I find her very refreshing.

Here is a list of the titles, in case you want to read (or listen) in order. I started in the middle and then went back to catch the ones that I missed. That worked out OK.

Maisie Dobbs: A Novel, audiobook

Birds of a Feather: A Novel, audiobook

Pardonable Lies: A Maisie Dobbs Novel, audiobook (includes a bonus author interview)

Messenger of Truth: A Maisie Dobbs Novel, audiobook (includes an bonus author interview)

An Incomplete Revenge: A Maisie Dobbs Novel, audiobook

Among the Mad: A Maisie Dobbs Novel, audiobook

For more info, check out our Mystery Authors You May Have Missed profile.