It's a Pop-Up Summer Reading Giveaway

 

Two of these books will be wending their way to a Coffee Light reader this week! 

This week's mystery is: Will it be you? 

I know I've sadly neglected this sweet blog, and a big apology. I'm hoping to blog more regularly this summer and in an effort to kick off summer reading with a splash I'm doing a giveaway to readers of both Coffee Light and my alternate blog, Buttercup Counts Her Blessings. 

I was gifted a collection of fun mystery novels and I know I won't get to reading all of them. In the interest of perking up Saturday (Sunday and Monday) nights around the country I'm going to do not one, but two, blog giveaways for two mystery novels each. One will be here in Coffee Light, and one is posted in Buttercupland. There will be one winner chosen from each blog.  Leaving a comment on both blogs increases your chances of winning. So please stop by at Buttercupland  and leave that sweet blog a little mystery love. 

There's some good summer mystery reading here with The Terrible Tide, set in New Brunswick, Amends for Murder, a Peggy O'Neill mystery, Murder at the Masque, a Victorian mystery and The Becket Factor, the first book in a series that takes place in Canterbury Cathedral.

Entering is easy-peasy. Just leave a comment about which book sounds most interesting to you. This is a quick giveaway and there's just 72 hours to enter. Entries close at 11:59 PM on Tuesday and I'll announce both winners on Wednesday, June 30. 

I hope everyone is having a good summer. New York City is returning to its usually livelier pace and while it's taking a little (or more than a little!) getting used to, I'm grateful for all that's going on. 

Take good care and happy and healthy reading! 

What I'm Reading on My Winter Vacation

Not surprisingly, Ian Rankin

I'm off tomorrow on a quick winter vacation and, of course, I've got a mystery novel with me. Somehow I missed Ian Rankin's In a House of Lies when it came out in 2018, but luckily found it when I was looking for books to take with me on the library website. It's not my only book, but it's the one that I plan to read on the plane tomorrow. 

 How do you find new books to read? Do you browse the library shelves? I do! I still enjoy spending time looking at the array of books at my local branch library. It's one of my favorite things to do. Until very recently I didn't know that the "open stacks" library system wasn't part of libraries until the beginning of the Twentieth century. Before that it was necessary to know what book you wanted and to request it from the librarian. 

I also find read reviews online, browse my terrific local independent bookstore and read the NY Times book review. What are your favorite ways to find new books?  

Another favorite way to find new books is to chat with friends. Dear book-loving friends, what are you reading these days? 

As ever, thanks for visiting and happy reading!

In Memory of Mary Higgins Clark

It may have been the simplest obituary in today's New York Times. It was succinct, with simply a name, dates of birth and death and the details of the wake and funeral. It was a little lost among the longer obituaries that had a number of paragraphs and a photo.

This was the woman known in life as "The Queen of Suspense," Mary Higgins Clark. Beginning in 1975 with the publication of her first suspense novel, "Where Are the Children," she published over 50 suspense books that sold an amazing cumulative total of over 100 million books. All were bestsellers and all are still in print.  

Mary Higgins Clark left the world and us, her readers, with a legacy of decades of reading pleasure, for which I am most grateful. But it's the final sentence of her obituary that may tell those of us who never met her, her true legacy. We are asked to "perform an act of kindness for someone in need." If the millions of us who read one of Mary Higgins Clark's novels performed just one kind deed in her memory, that kindness would light the world.

My prayers are with Mary Higgins Clark's family and with her family of readers throughout the world.  Is anyone else a fan of her writing?

What is your favorite Mary Higgins Clark novel? I'm going with her first and still my favorite, "Where are the Children?"

As ever, thanks for visiting and happy reading!

And the Winner Is...

The winner of this advance copy of The Big Empty is Lavender Dreams. 

 

I wish I had four copies to share and I appreciate every entry and every visitor.  

 

It's been a beautiful day in New York City and I spent time with my college roommate, went to the gym and took a long and lovely walk. Now it's reading time. There's a post later in the week featuring the Mystery of the Week and I've still got a few chapters to finish. 

 

Best wishes and happy reading!  

Mystery of the Week: The Zig Zag Girl

Anyone can tell by the scarcity of posts that I went through a long reading block earlier in the year. I read a few books -- and lots of magazines, newspapers and blogs -- but if I read a dozen books, it was a lot. It was definitely not my normal reading. But that turned around on July 1. I was at JFK airport waiting to board my flight to London and my habitual fear of not having enough to read on the plane came over me. I did have a number of unread books on my iPad, but what if nothing quite suited me?

I logged into the New York Public Library website and looked for Elly Griffiths, one of my favorite mystery writers. I downloaded an unread title in her Dr. Ruth Galloway series and noticed a few titles I wasn't familiar with. So I also downloaded a sample of today's Mystery of the Week, The Zig Zag Girl. I was so engaged in the sample that I also downloaded the entire book and the next book in the series, Smoke and Mirrors. I read both books when I was in England and they were the kick start to get me reading again.

The main characters are Max Mephisto, a vaudeville magician and Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens of  Brighton, England and the setting is Brighton in the years after World War II. The characters are quirky, engaging and the setting is a fascinating glimpse into the last years of vaudeville. There are murders -- this is a mystery series -- and there is magic and the unlikely duo, who served together in World War II, more than held my interest. I'm now so wrapped up in the series that I've got the next two ready to read. In case you are worried that these are light and cozy, no fear, they are not. While they are lighter than the darkest of Scandinavian mysteries, and there is fun in the show business settings, there are still times spent in the dark corners of post-war Brighton.

What's your Mystery of the Week? Always enjoy knowing what the Coffee Light readers are enjoying.

Thanks for visiting and happy reading!  

Mystery of the Week: The Big Empty

You will have to wait until December for The Big Empty, but it's worth the wait.

 

Greetings, mystery readers and friends! I know there are people who didn't think Coffee Light would be back in this decade -- and at times I was one of them -- but I've gotten my mystery writing inspiration back. I've also gotten my mystery reading inspiration going and I've finished four mysteries in the last month. I realized they're too good not to share and here's the first of what I hope will be a weekly recommendation for your mystery reading, The Big Empty by Stan Jones and Patricia Watts. 

 

I had the good fortune to attend BookExpo2018 and spend time with the gracious and erudite staff at Soho Press. They shared a number of titles with me and the Big Empty is the first of those that I've read. The detective is Nathan Active, police chief of Chukchi, Alaska. Chukchi is set in the world of bush planes and mountains, the Big Empty of Alaska. The story is well put together, the characters are detailed and interesting and the setting was a new world to me. The book will be published in December, but I had the good fortune to have an advanced copy. Don't despair at the time waiting for publication. The next few months are a great time to catch up on the first four books in the series.

 

Next week we're going back in time and to a different continent. Please be on the lookout for the next Mystery of the Week.

 

Happy reading!

 

Please note: I received a copy of the Big Empty in return for my thoughts. The opinions are all mine.

The Alphabet Now Ends at Y

I'm so sad to share sad news at what is considered a festive time of year, but Coffee Light and mystery fans throughout the world are mourning tonight. Our beloved Sue Grafton, author of the Kinsey Millhone mystery series died in California yesterday.

I've read every book in the series, excepting the latest one, Y is for Yesterday and I was hoping to begin it in the next week. I started with A is for Alibi, published in 1982 and thirty-five years later I was still reading. Over the decades Kinsey, a private investigator in the mythical southern California town of Santa Theresa, came to be a trusted acquaintance. When I came upon a new volume in the series I could trust I would find one of my favorite investigators embarking on a complex and interesting mystery adventure. This consistency of plot and character is what kept me and millions of other readers enthralled with Sue Grafton's writing.

 Sue Grafton never wanted a ghost writer for her work and now there will be no "Z." As her daughter, Jamie Clark wrote, "the alphabet now ends at Y."  Farewell, Kinsey and farewell, Sue Grafton. The world is a sadder place tonight.   

The Dry

Most of the Northern Hemisphere is shutting down for the summer. It's the end of the school year, the beginning of vacation season and most of the dreams people are dreaming include sand, waves and drinks with little umbrellas. But here at Coffee Light, we're not like most of the world. We're back from our way too-long hiatus with one of the best (mystery) novels I've read in a long time. It's not cozy in any way and there are no drinks with little umbrellas.

Jane Harper's debut novel, The Dry, takes place in a small town in Australia, that has suffered a devastating drought. People's tempers are at the edge and when Luke Hadler and his family are found murdered on their farm, the assumption is that Luke had come to the edge and crossed over it. But like so much in Kiewarra, things are not what they seem.

Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk left Kiewarra twenty years past, but has returned at the request of Luke Hadler's father to look into the murders. Though Falk's specialty is financial misdoings, he returns and begins to not only investigate what happened to his closest boyhood friend and his family, but other secrets of the town.

The Dry is dark, somber, sad and captivating. Aaron Falk takes his place in my pantheon of favorite detectives, flawed and human and tremendously engaging. For those of us waiting for his next appearance, Force of Nature is scheduled for publication in Australia -- may need to schedule a trip there -- in September.

For mystery fans who like their stories noir The Dry is a definite must read. Grab an iced coffee and settle down on a shaded porch. You're in for a great read. 

 

I'm not sure what my schedule will be, but I guarantee you that I'll be back (more than once) this summer. Happy reading! 

 



 

Can You Just Jump in?

Pardon me for composing a title that ends in a preposition, but that question seemed to be the clearest way to introduce this post's topic. Can you start reading a mystery series in the middle of the series? I had the good fortune to spend time yesterday with two former colleagues who happily remain friends. They are also mystery fans and as so often happened during my years working with reading friends, the topic turned to our latest reads. I mentioned  Cara Black's Murder on the Quai, which is number 16 in this very enjoyable series set in Paris. I offered to give my copy to my friend and she asked a good question, "Do I need to start at the beginning of the series, or can I just jump in?"

A lively discussion followed. We thought one could jump into Sue Grafton's Alphabet Series, but would caution against that for Ian Rankin's outstanding Scottish series. And, yes, a post on Ian Rankin is long, long overdue.

Also long overdue is a post on a mystery novel that begins one of my all-time favorite mystery series. I found C.J. Sansom's Dissolution in a bookstore in Notting Hill in 2005. I started reading in the bookstore and kept reading as I flew home across the Atlantic. I'm a fan of all things Tudor and besides being a complex and interesting mystery, it's an extraordinary historical novel. There are six books in the series which focuses on life in Tudor England. We meet the human, vulnerable and brilliant lawyer Matthew Shardlake, and follow him through the reign of Henry VIII. Each book builds on the one before and it would be a difficult series to jump into somewhere in the middle. The series is at most times dark, violent, sad, and yet always interesting.

When I first thought of writing a mystery novel blog I thought I would begin with a post on Dissolution. Like so many things in life I was sidetracked, but am happy to feature one of my favorite novels. If you're familiar with this series, you're a fortunate reader. If you're about to start reading it, you're in for a treat. The title refers to the Dissolution of the Monasteries, that took place under the reign of Henry VIII. 

So many books to read and so many books to write about and so, so little time! As ever, thanks for visiting and happy reading! 

Mackinac Island Mysteries

Happy Fourth of July, dear mystery readers!

 

I had the good fortune to travel to Mackinac Island, MI last week. It's a small, but beautiful island set in Lake Huron and it was definitely a good visit. Some of the most fabulous scenery imaginable, good food, good company and a visit to a wonderful bookstore, The Island Bookstore. There are stores on Mackinaw Island and just across the ferry in Mackinaw City. I spent time with the staff discussing mysteries set in Mackinaw Island and found a trove of books I hope to read.

 

My take away book and fabulous plane reading was  Heart of Ice, by PJ Parrish. It's the latest in the Louis Kincaid series. It kept me reading throughout a long, long delay in Detroit Airport, which is one of my gauges of a book that holds my interest. Private detective Louis Kincaid returns to Mackinaw -- great description of the island -- and becomes entwined in a decades old murder. There are twists, turns and some dark family secrets. Yes, this is often the premise of a mystery novel, but Louis is an interesting and engaging character, totally believable. I also enjoyed getting to know the other characters and seeing life on the island for the year round residents. I enjoyed it very much and though the other volumes aren't set on Mackinaw I look forward to catching up with the entire series and spending more time with Louis Kincaid. 
 

 

Another series on my reading list is written by Peter Marabell. Mackinac Island is the setting for Murder at Cherokee Point and Murder on Lake Street. Devils are Here is set in Petoskey, across the Straits of Mackinaw and down the highway. Peter Marabell is a historian who "retired" to Mackinac, and in his retirement runs a business and writes mysteries. I'm looking forward to starting his series with Murder at Cherokee Point. Cherokee Point is fictional, but I'm sure it will keep my memories of Mackinac happily stirred. 

 

Many thanks to my new friends at The Island Bookstore for great recommendations, good conversation and many happy hours of reading past and to come.  Wishes for a wonderful Fourth and happy hours of reading. 

 

So many mysteries, so little time!  

 

It's No Mystery, I Love Paris

And I love Cara Black's mysteries that take place in Paris. No mystery, at all. 

 

 

 

I discovered Cara Black at this year's BookExpo America. I had the good fortune to encounter a copy of her soon to be published Murder on  the Quai. I started reading last week and I was hooked with the setting -- Paris -- and the main character, Aimee Leduc. This is very much a prequel and it tells the story of Aimee's life before becoming a detective. Of course it would be helpful if I had read the other books in the series, but as I've done so many times I am starting well past the beginning of the series.
 

On my most recent library trip I looked for other books in the series -- Murder on the Quai is number sixteen -- and found two more. I'm presently reading Murder in the Sentier and though I have other reading commitments, this one has jumped to the top of the list. I have to know what happens. Murder in the Sentier is the third in the series, but after this I'm going to be very organized and go back to the first volume, Murder in the Marais. Each title includes an area of Paris where the mystery focuses and describes the area in wonderful detail. If a trip to Paris isn't on your travel itinerary this year, I strongly suggest visiting vicariously via Cara Black's mysteries. That's exactly what I'll be doing this summer. 

 

Where will you be traveling in MysteryLand this summer?

 

 

So many mysteries and so little time! Here's to an iced coffee, a cozy chair and a mystery novel.  

Coffee Light Goes to Chicago

Navy Pier -- what a great setting for a mystery!

Coffee Light is leaving in a few hours for Chicago and BookExpo America. I'm not sure what adventures wait for me at BookExpo. I may meet a favorite author or two or be introduced to a writer that's new to me. It's one of my favorite events of the year and I am so looking forward to it.

One of my favorite private investigators is a Chicago resident. I've long enjoyed Sara Paretsky's  mysteries and the exploits of V I Warshawski, who shows us some of the most noir scenes in Chicago. I know there are a few V I mysteries that I've missed and the latest one, Brush Back, is high on my list for this summer.

What are your favorite mysteries set in Chicago?

Alas, so many mysteries and so little time! Happy reading and best wishes. 

Nothing Like a Murder (Novel) Around the Corner

There are few things more beautiful than a mystery series all in a row...at least for this reader.

 

It's been a long break for café con leche, but I'm home, settled in and back to blogging and reading. Though not a noir series, I've just read the latest in this series by Victoria Thompson, Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue. This is #17 in the Gaslight Mystery series, all set in different New York City neighborhoods at the turn of the century. 

 

There are some aspects of police procedural -- when Theodore Roosevelt was the Police Chief -- and we here we meet Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy. But in my mind, the star of these novels is Sarah Brandt, midwife and member of one of New York's socialite families. The difference between Frank and Sarah's social standing and perspective on New York City life provides some of the most interesting aspects of the novels.

 

The first in the series is "Murder on Astor Place," and it's definitely the place to begin. I read one book almost every week when I first discovered the series and the character development builds with each volume. This is one of my favorite historical series and the realities of life in New York City during the time of massive immigration isn't prettied. There are serious issues raised in each book and though the world view of Sarah and Frank isn't noir, these are not cozy mysteries in any way. I took the title for this post from one of the latest books in the series, "Murder on Amsterdam Avenue," which is only two blocks from where I live. 

 

There was lots of café con leche in Peru and lots of reading on the flights. I read two mysteries that featured forensic anthropologists -- not by planning -- and enjoyed both. I'll be writing about them in my next post.

 

 Until the next post, so many mysteries, so little time. Thanks for stopping by.



The Second Deadly Sin

The Second Deadly Sin, this post's selection and previews of coming attractions.

 

I've got a million -- perhaps that's hyperbole -- ideas about books to write about, but I'm going to begin with one that embodies "Noir."  There are probably as many definitions of noir as there are novels and the classic noir mysteries generally involved a tough, hard-drinking private eye, think Sam Spade in "The Maltese Falcon. The definition has grown considerably wider and when I think of noir, it's a mystery novel with an edge. The investigator often has a dark side or dark secret and very often they find themselves investigating not simply a murder, but a pattern of corruption. 

 

I especially appreciate mysteries that have an edge to them. However many of the mysteries from Scandinavia -- especially the legendary trilogy, plus one -- have more than an edge and at times are so dark that they are completely depressing. But "The Second Deadly Sin," the first book I've read by Asa Larsson is a dark mystery with one of the most appealing main characters I've come across in a non-cozy mystery. Rebecka Martinsson has had share of sorrow, but she is engaging and deeply drawn, as though Edith Wharton had written a mystery set in modern Northern Sweden. The writing is clear and spare and tightly put together. I've got catching up to do with Larsson's other titles, The Savage Altar, The Blood Spilt, The Black Path and Until Thy Wrath Be Past.

Another mystery I enjoyed very much, also set in Scandinavia, is Jar City, written by Arnaldur Indriadson. Set in Iceland, it's the first book in the Detective Erlendur series. The main character is in the mold of tough, world-weary detective and the plot is both quickly engaging and thoughtful. This is another series I'm looking forward to continuing.

Any other fans of the Scandinavian noir mysteries? Please share your favorites.

So many mysteries, so little time! Thanks so much for stopping by.
  

Do You Like a Mystery?

Welcome, you've come to the right place.

 

This blog is about mystery novels, and only mystery novels. I may write about a thriller or two -- and there will definitely be a post about the line between mysteries and thrillers -- but otherwise it's all mysteries, all the time.

 

I love to read and I like to read a variety of books.  But let me loose in a bookstore or a library and I inevitably drift over to the mysteries. Even though my bookshelves and my iPad have an almost endless list of titles waiting to be read, I'm always in search of the mystery that got away, my own elusive Moby Dick of reading. It might be a new author, or a title or if I'm really lucky, a new series. 

 

I like historical settings -- can't get enough of Tudor times -- and I like modern settings. I like a little noir, as well. Cozy settings can be fun, but I'm happiest when things are a little more gray, or even better, darker still. I'm going to be sharing my thoughts on my favorites, as well as new discoveries. I hope that the readers that find their way here will be sharing their thoughts, too. I welcome comments and guest bloggers and look forward to creating a space for all of us who like mysteries.

 

A little bit about me...I'm from New England, but have lived in New York for the last forty years. I like a comfortable corner to curl up for reading, but I'm probably happier reading on the subway. Love to read, to write and to travel. I like my coffee light, but I like my mysteries noir.

 

I hope to post twice a month and however you take your coffee (or tea or lemonade) and however you like your mysteries -- whether in a teashop or in a brooding Norwegian forest -- welcome. I hope you'll stop by often.