Author Lilian Jackson Braun Dies

Braun, the author of the extremely popular Cat Who... Mysteries, died at 97 over the weekend.  Click here for an obituary.

Although I was not a personal fan of these books, I have many, many patrons who adored these cozy mysteries with their adorable small town setting and sleuthing cats.  Braun is also the inspiration between one of my favorite training phrases for librarians new to ordering fiction for the BPL:  Cat + Mystery = BUY!

RIP Braun.  And thanks for making my patrons so happy over the years.

Around the World in 80 Murders: Asia and Southeast Asia

Sleuth your way around the world, explore novel destinations, and help catch a killer as you go…Around the World in 80 Murders

Asia and Southeast Asia

The Interior by Lisa See

Chinese inspector Liu Hulan and her American boyfriend, American attorney David Stark team up for a second mystery. Here Liu travels from Beijing to Da Shui to help an old friend solve the murder of her daughter.  The toy factory she worked in may be responsible for her death.  This is a compelling mystery series, with a touch of romance, which accurately portrays life in modern China.

Eye of the Jade by Diane Wei Liang

After resigning from the Ministry of Public Security, Mei Wang becomes a PI in late 1990s Beijing. This change of career is disgraceful to her family because being a PI is illegal in Beijing.  However, an old family friend gives Mei her first case: track down a jade seal from the Han Dynasty.  The case and family issues collide in this mystery which also contemplates the human rights abuses of the Chinese government.

The Samurai’s Wife by Laura Joh Rowland

In 17^th Century Japan in the town that will become Tokyo, Sano Ichiro holds the title of Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People.  In this, the fifth title in the series, Sano must get help from his new wife to solve a murder, but the investigation also turns up a plot to overthrow the government. History, intrigue, and suspense meld together perfectly in Rowland’s series.

The Flower Master by Sujata Massey

Amateur sleuth Rei Shimura is a young Japanese American antiques dealer in modern day Tokyo. When her flower arranging teacher is killed and Rei’s Aunt becomes the lead suspect, Rei must try to clear her Aunt’s name.  This series mixes in Japanese culture lessons with the suspense of the mystery.

Bangkok 8 by John Burdett

Bangkok’s only honest police detective searches for the person responsible for the deaths of his partner (a friend from childhood) and an American Marine sergeant killed in his car by a mass of cobras and a giant python.

The Shadow Walker by Michael Walters

In Ulan Bataar, Mongolia, violent crime is relatively unknown. A serial killer has left behind his fourth mutilated corpse with a severed head and limbs this time in a luxurious hotel, so a British CID Inspector is sent to assist in the quest to catch the killer before more people die.

A Corpse in the Koryo by James Church

Inspector O works for the North Korean government. After what appears to be a routine surveillance job, the Inspector starts to realize he may have been set up to fail by his bosses.  Inspector O fights for justice despite his government’s shady dealings.  This is a highly accurate account of life in a secretive country.

The Coroner’s Lunch by Colin Cotterill

In this series debut, it is 1975 and seventy-two year old Dr. Siri Paiboun is named Chief Coroner of Laos by the newly installed Communist government.  His first case begins with the death of the wife of a Party leader and then the bodies of Vietnamese soldiers start surfacing in a lake.  Siri is an eccentric and original investigator.

The Damascened Blade by Barbara Cleverly

Scotland Yard commander Joe Sandilands is in India during the 1920s.  He is trying to take a vacation near the Afghan border when he receives orders to chaperone an American heiress who wants to experience the “real India.”  The two end up at a frontier outpost, a tribal prince is killed, and Sandilands must find the murderer quickly in order to avoid starting a war.

The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall

Meet Vish Puri, an accomplished private detective and owner of Delhi’s Most Private Investigators Ltd.  Expect interesting and eccentric characters, and storytelling like Agatha Christie with the addition of current technology. It also explores the contradictions of modern India without sacrificing the playfulness of the story.

Monday Discussion: Books That Bring Back Memories

Today is my 13th wedding anniversary.  And, yes, I know it is also D-Day, you can save the jokes; I think I have heard them all over the last 13 years.

Thinking back on the day, I was remembering what books my husband and I chose to read on our honeymoon.  Being book lovers, we both took our choices very seriously.

I chose to read Dewey Defeats Truman by Thomas Mallon for a few reasons.  First, it was American historical fiction and I was only a year out of college and my American Studies degree.  Second, this novel also had a love story at its center, and I was reading it on my honeymoon. Third, the book was set in the small New York hometown of Dewey but it also alludes to the famous Tribune headline.  I was leaving my childhood life in the NJ/NY area and buying my first home in the Chicago area right after the honeymoon.  It was the perfect bridge book between my old home and my new.  The coming of age angle to the story was also appropriate.

While my choice was good, my husband's was even better.  He chose to read the classic trip novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac.  But not only did he read it, he also used the inside covers to record everything we did and ate on our honeymoon.  We have gone back over the years and looked through this log of the first days of our marriage.  It is a special memento.  The fact that is also a book, is a bonus.

To this day just the mention of these books, even just their authors, brings back those happy memories of my wedding and honeymoon.

So for today's Monday Discussion, share a book that is tied to a particularly happy memory in your life.

For the Monday Discussion Archive, click here.

Around the World in 80 Murders: Pacific Islands and Australia

Sleuth your way around the world, explore novel destinations, and help catch a killer as you go…Around the World in 80 Murders

Pacific Islands and Australia

One Man’s Paradise by Douglas Corleone

Manhattan defense lawyer Kevin Corvelli moves to Hawaii after an innocent client he failed to keep out of prison is killed in jail. He wants to live a simpler life but gets drawn into another high profile murder investigation in his new hometown. This novel is as much about defending an innocent man as it is about Corvelli’s own redemption.

The Flaming Luau of Death by Jerrilyn Farmer

Hula lessons! Passion Fruit martinis! A dead body washing in on the warm island tides! An uninvited corpse makes a surprise appearance at a luau bachelorette party, leading to a hilarious investigation.

Executive Power by Vince Flynn

Navy SEALs are sent to the Philippines to save an American family kidnapped by radical Islamic terrorists and get  caught in a deadly ambush. The mission had been top secret -- so who told the enemy?

Colour Scheme by Ngaio Marsh

Marsh’s Roderick Alleyn mysteries follow a Scotland Yard Inspector as he works in New Zealand in the WWII era. In Colour Scheme, Alleyn is called to investigate an odd murder at a dilapidated spa and uncovers a large criminal espionage ring. The Alleyn mysteries are a fabulous backlist option that you may have forgotten about.

The Ripple Effect by Paul Garrison

Travel around the South Pacific on a stolen sailboat with 15 year old Morgan.  Her father Aiden supposedly died in the 9/11 attacks, but Morgan knows that he used the tragedy as an excuse to escape those who are trying to frame him for multiple crimes. Can she find him and prove his innocence?

Murder on a Midsummer Night  by Kerry Greenwood

The extremely popular Phryne Fisher series follows an Australian flapper and PI during the years between the World Wars as she fights for justice for the less fortunate. Here, Phryne is embroiled in a suicide case, which looks more like murder, while she is also trying to locate an illegitimate child that stands to inherit a fortune. Fans of Maisie Dobbs will love Phryne too.

Death by the Book by Lenny Bartulin

Jack Susko is a second hand book dealer in Australia who wants nothing more than a quiet life with his books; however, he is struggling financially. Jack accepts a commission to help a dealer buy up every copy of the books by an obscure poet. It all seems straight forward until Jack finds out he is not the only one looking for these books. This is a newer series which is gaining quite a following.

Office of Innocence by Thomas Keneally

In the midst of WWII, a young Australian priest is having trouble reconciling his oath with his attraction to a female parishioner whose husband has been captured in North Africa.  When she turns up murdered, the priest needs to clear his name.  This is an engaging, literary novel that gives the reader a detailed sense of both the time and the place.

The Broken Shore by Peter Temple

In this unforgettable and award winning thriller, American readers will experience a completely different side of Southern Australia than the stereotypes we are used to.  Homicide detective Joe Cashin is reassigned to his small hometown while he rehabilitates from injuries.  Of course, while “resting” Cashin lands a complicated case that will have him questioning everything he holds dear.

Inspector Singh Investigates:  A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder by Shamini Flint

Dispatched to Kuala Lumpur to solve a perplexing case involving a famous model on death row who swears she is innocent, bumbling Inspector Singh confronts formidable circumstantial evidence and police resistance.

Moby Awards: Best Book Trailer

The Second Annual Moby Awards were announced for the best AND worst book trailers.

Click here for the full rundown from Likely Stories.

Around the World in 80 Murders: Mexico, Central America, and South America

Sleuth your way around the world, explore novel destinations, and help catch a killer as you go…Around the World in 80 Murders

Mexico and Central America

Grave Secrets  by Kathy Reichs

While investigating an old massacre in a Guatemalan village, a forensic archeologist begins to uncover evidence of a new one. What happened, she wonders, to the four missing girls of Guatemala City and who was the woman on the phone, screaming until her last breath?

Fallen Idols by J. F. Freedman

Walt Gaines is a prominent archaeologist, husband of thirty years, and father of three. But after his wife is murdered near an ancient Mayan ruin, he cuts off nearly all contact with his family. Now Walt's sons decide to perform an excavation of their own.

Down Among the Dead Men by Robert Gregory Browne

Five Catholic nuns were brutally murdered in a grisly house of horrors in the Mexican desert. A freelance journalist looking to revitalize his career knows this will be a terrific subject for a true crime book, but he learns there may have been a sixth victim, an American woman whose body has disappeared, and he has to find her…..

Desert Blood by Alicia Gaspar de Alba

By the summer of 1998, over a hundred mangled bodies have been found dumped in the desert outside of Juarez, Mexico. Most of the dead are poor Latino women, and inhabitants on both sides of the border are terrified. A young woman’s sister is missing and, despite her growing fear, she must try to find her.

Skull Duggery by Aaron Elkins

A forensic anthropologist on vacation in Mexico is asked to help the local police chief by examining the mummified remains of what appears to be a murder victim. One skeleton swiftly leads to a second—and from there smack into a secret someone will apparently kill to protect.

Beneath a Panamanian Moon by David Terrenoire

An ex-spy/piano player takes a job at a fading luxury hotel in Panama City, where ongoing paramilitary training appears to be building to an unknown event planned for New Year's Eve. The previous piano player got eaten by a shark that increasingly appears to have had help.

South America

Bel Canto  by Ann Patchett

Somewhere in South America, a band of gun-wielding terrorists breaks into a birthday party for the vice president and takes the entire party hostage. The drawn-out hostage situation comes to seem normal until the inevitable rescue attempt occurs, with astonishing consequences.

Buried Strangers by Leighton Gage

In the Brazilian rain forest, a sheepdog discovers a human bone. This discovery leads to a secret cemetery in a park near Brasilia that contains more than three dozen corpses, including those of 24 children who have been buried in family groups.

Resurrecting Midnight by Eric Jerome Dickey

An assassin-for-hire’s latest assignment takes him to Argentina to obtain and secure a package, a package that many will kill for and that many will die for. This package is now in the possession of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, a team of ruthless mercenaries led by an assassin simply known as The Beast.

Innocence by David Hosp

Operating solo in the legal world after leaving a prestigious firm, Boston lawyer Scott Finn accepts a dangerous assignment involving an attack on a policewoman and an El Salvadoran immigrant with ties to one of South America's most notorious gangs.

The Hunters by W.E.B. Griffin

Acting on orders from the president, the presidential agents team travels to Uruguay to find out who ordered the murder of an American diplomat involved in an oil-for-food scandal. Who is responsible? Most likely, the people higher up in the money chain, those willing to risk anything to keep their secrets from being revealed.

Around the World in 80 Murders: Western US and Canda

Sleuth your way around the world, explore novel destinations, and help catch a killer as you go…Around the World in 80 Murders

Western U.S. and Canada

St. Louis Bullet by Laurell K. Hamilton,

Anita Blake is home in St. Louis, trying to live a normal life – for a vampire hunter, that is. Then a vampire from her past reaches out. She was supposed to be dead, killed in an explosion, but the Mother of All Darkness is the first vampire, their dark creator. It's hard to kill a god. 

No Reservations Required by Ellen Hart

Two victims in the twin cities who were murdered within an hour of one another were killed by the same gun. No one can figure out the motive that ties both homicides, except sleuthing Minneapolis Times food critic Sophie Greenway.

Mercy Kill by Lori Armstrong

A former Black Ops army sniper trying to adjust to life on her family’s farm in South Dakota finds herself in the middle of a controversy over an underground pipeline that results in a friend’s murder.

The Bookman’s Promise by John Dunning

When a former Denver homicide cop turned antiquarian book dealer investigates the provenance of a signed first edition by Sir Richard Burton, he also finds he has to investigate a murder.

Arizona Dreams by Jon Talton

A deputy sheriff in Phoenix loves the challenge of solving cold cases, like a 40-year-old murder confession. Then there is a fresh corpse that may have a link to another series of crimes involving real estate fraud, as well as murder.

Borderline by Mark Schorr

Portland’s reputation as America’s safest small city may be at risk when it is discovered that a string of suspected criminals have been murdered without explanation. Is a vigilante serial

killer who targets criminals at work here?

Name Withheld by Judith A. Jance

A prominent Seattle biotech executive is found floating in Elliott Bay. He died, not by drowning, but from a bullet hole in the back of the head. It turns out too many people are eager to take responsibility for the crime. Undoubtedly, the victim was not a very nice guy.

The 8^th Confession by James Patterson 

First, there was the "perfect" double homicide, the murder of San Francisco's most celebrated society couple. Then there is another slaying. the victim, a populist preacher with a local following. The Women’s Murder Club has their work cut out for them.

Borderline by Nevada Barr

On vacation in Texas’ Big Bend National Park, a ranger on leave spots the body of a pregnant woman caught at the foot of some rapids. Then, a sniper kills the couple's guide and a fellow rafter. Not a very good start to a vacation.

Among the Departed by Vicki Delany

The successful search for a missing boy in the woods near the British Columbian town of Trafalgar also uncovers a human bone that may belong to a man who disappeared years earlier.

Around the World in 80 Murders: Eastern US and Canda

To kick off Novel Destinations-- our Adult Summer Reading Program-- which begins today, I will be posting the "Around the World in 80 Murders" lists Betty and I compiled.  There are 8 lists with 10 books each.  All are owned by the BPL and were picked both for their quality and their sense of place.

Our goal is to literally take you around the world beginning on the Eastern shores of North America and traveling west.  Enjoy.

Sleuth your way around the world, explore novel destinations, and help catch a killer as you go…Around the World in 80 Murders

Eastern US and Canada

Barrington Street Blues by Anne Emery

Monty Collins, an attorney in Halifax Nova Scotia, solves mysteries with the help of his friend, Father Burke. Here, Collins represents the families in a murder suicide case but soon comes to find that it is more likely a case of double murder, and he is the prime suspect!

The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen

Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli are on the case again. This time, two nuns are found brutally beaten, one fatally. The case is complicated by Isles and Rizzoli’s status as lapsed Catholics and their problematic love lives. This is a satisfying addition to the popular, gritty series.

The Purrfect Murder by Rita Mae Brown

Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her feline sleuthing partners, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter solve mysteries in the small-town of Crozet, Virginia. In their 16^th cozy outing, they investigate their friend when he is implicated in the murder of his most annoying client.

The Highly Effective Detective by Richard Yancey

After his mother’s death, Teddy Ruzak fulfills his life-long dream to open his own PI business in his hometown of Knoxville, TN.  He begins with a simple case: who ran down a flock of baby geese with their SUV? But he soon learns he may have bitten off more than he can chew.  This novel is both suspenseful and humorous; a winning combination.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Dexter is a splatter analyst for the Miami-Dade police department, but he is also an antisocial, sociopathic serial killer who kills serial killers.  Dexter himself is surprisingly engaging and charming.  He is what makes this book, and the entire series, stand out.

The Julius House by Charlaine Harris

Not all of Harris’ novels are filled with vampires. In the Aurora Teagarden mystery series, our heroine, a librarian turned real estate agent in Georgia, moves into a new home with her new husband—a house formerly inhabited by a family who disappeared into thin air.  While trying to solve the mystery, she also uncovers some not so great facts about her new husband.  This is a fun and suspenseful read,

Green Grown the Victims  by Jeanne M. Dams

Hilda Johansson is a full time housekeeper and part-time sleuth in early 1900s South Bend, Indiana.  In this outing, Hilda is entangled in the case of a murdered politician. This series has much to offer for both mystery and historical fiction fans.

American Detective by Loren D. Estleman

Amos Walker is a hard boiled PI in Detroit, Michigan. In this outing, Amos is hired by a retired Tigers pitcher to help keep his money safe, but when the ball player’s daughter is found dead things get complicated for everyone. This gritty mystery is a must read for noir fans.

Dead Time by Eleanor Taylor Bland

Marti MacAliste is a black female detective in a fictional town outside of Chicago.  In this series debut, Marti is called to investigate the murder of a mentally ill woman. Along with trying to find out who killed the young woman and why, Marti and her new white, male partner are also learning how to work together.  Join this excellent mystery series at its start.

Wolf Pass by Steve Thayer

It is 1962 in Kickapoo County, Wisconsin and Deputy Sheriff P.A. Pennington, a Catholic, is running for Sheriff in a mostly Protestant community.  They don’t trust him, so when a double murder involving one of Pennington’s former lovers, is committed, Pennington becomes the prime suspect. Pennington’s past in WWII comes under scrutiny, until a sexy, Scotland Yard detective with ties to his past comes to his rescue.

Karin Slaughter Coming to the BPL!

I am happy to announce that the Adult Reading Round Table will be welcoming bestselling author Karin Slaughter at the Berwyn Public Library.  Karin will be interviewed by Rebecca Vnuk on Thursday, June 23rd at 1:30 PM.  Anyone can sign-up and pay $15 to attend this event.  Click here for the official flyer and signup form.

However, residents of Berwyn can enter a drawing for one of at least 25 free tickets.  Stop in at the library starting tomorrow to sing up for the Adult Summer Reading Program, "Novel Destinations," for your chance to be up close and personal with Karin Slaughter!

Also, beginning tomorrow, I will unveil the work Betty and I have done on our "Around the World in 80 Murders" lists in honor of the Novel Destinations themed Adult Summer Reading Program.  I will release one list a day over the next eight days.

In more great news, Slaughter's newest novel, Fallen, which comes out June 21st, just got a starred review in Booklist.  Place your reserves today!

I hope to see some of you at this fun event.

Reading for the First Day of Civil Unions

Today, Illinois finally begins offering Civil Unions to gay couples.  Personally, this is an issue I feel very strongly about.  Both as a happily married person and as someone who believes everyone deserves equal treatment under the law, I am ecstatic that homosexual couples can now be joined legally by a judge in my adopted home state.

To celebrate this day and the start of Gay Pride Month all over the country, I want to offer you some reading options.  Before I start however, I want to remind everyone out there that you don't have to be gay to read books by or about gay issues.  It is no different than me reading a book by a male author, or a non-Jew reading Philip Roth.  In fact, many of the authors I will list below are bestsellers in their own right and one particularly (David Leavitt) is one of my personal favorite authors.

So try one of the books I mention below or explore one of the resources I suggest, and help to celebrate the proliferation of equal rights.  Better late than never.

GLBTQ Authors Who Will Appeal to a Wide Audience:

• Michael Cunningham: start with The Hours
• David Leavitt: try The Lost Language of Cranes
• Ellen Hart: try the Jane Lawless mystery series which begins with Hallowed Murder
• Carol Anshaw: Aquamarine is a powerful, magical realism novel
• Michael Thomas Ford: try anything
• Mark Zubro: two gay mystery series set in the Chicago area-- the Paul Turner series and the Tom and Scott Mysteries
• E. Lynn Harris: try Invisible Life
• David Levithan: although it is YA, Boy Meets Boy is a great read for anyone 
• Alison Bechdel: Fun Home is one of my favorite graphic novels, ever

One of my favorite gay themed novels ever is the YA title, Hero by the recently deceased Perry Moore.  It is a superhero and gay coming out novel.  He saves the world AND gets the boy.

GLBTQ Reading Resources Worth Anyone's Time:

• I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell Do I Read?  This site has won many awards for its superior reviewing; it is also easy to navigate despite being filled with a ton of information
• The Lambda Literary Foundation is THE leading resource for LGBT reviews, author interviews, and opinions.  Click here for their extensively compiled list of literary links.
• Women and Children First is an awesome Chicago independent book store with a Lesbian slant,; however.  I personally patronize both the store and the website.
• Our fearless leader at the BPL RA desk, Kathy,  used to work for another well regarded independent book store geared toward a gay audience, Unabridged Bookstore. 

Finally, I want to highlight Berwyn's local gay rights organization, BUNGALO. Its members are HUGE BPL suporters both with their time and their money, and they have been supporting us for many, many years.  Thank you.