Don’t forget! Friday, February 17th to Sunday, February 19th, all used books will be 50% off. Please note, any used books being held behind the counter on those days will be charged at full price with no discount offered. If we’re holding something for you (new or used) that you no longer require, please let us know so we can send it back into the wilds of the store.
The Missing Clue - February 2017 - Mystery Reading Club
The book club will be spending the winter examining Asian Historical crime fiction. New members are cordially invited to join the fun.
*PLEASE NOTE CHANGES TO DATES*
Tuesday, February 21st – Elsa Hart, Jade Dragon Mountain
Tuesday, March 28th – I.J. Parker, The Dragon Scroll
Tuesday, April 25th – M.J. Carter, The Strangler Vine
We know that some non-members of the group do read the assigned titles. If you would like to have the questions that Jack writes, please let Wendy know (via email, phone, or in person). Books will be available for purchase at the store and feature a 10% discount. Questions for discussion should be available a few weeks before the meeting. We’ll be heading south of the equator for May and June to catch up with their winter months.
The Missing Clue - February 2017 - Murder and Publishing by Wendy
One of the advantages of owning a book store is getting what are called ARCs (Advanced Readers Copies) In box that recently arrived there was a copy of a new book by Judith Flanders. One of my favorite books of 2016 was her A Murder of Magpies, the first title in a series set in a small publishing house based in London. Judith Flanders was born in England but grew up in Montreal. After university, she worked for 17 years as an editor in various UK publishing houses. Before venturing into fiction, she wrote a number of nonfiction books, including the 2011, The Invention of Murder. The subtitle of which was ‘How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Invented Modern Crime’. The main character in A Murder of Magpies, Sam Clair, is an editor. The character is believable and obviously the setting rings true. There are two further titles in the series, A Bed of Scorpions, (tp $22.99 due February 7th) and A Cast of Vultures (hc $36.99 due February 21st). If I have not tried to sell you A Murder of Magpies please think of trying it and if I have sold it to you A Bed of Scorpions is arriving imminently.
I went on to think about other titles that were set in publishing. P.D. James set Original Sin in the headquarters of the Peverell Press an old established publishing house. The offices are housed in a nineteenth century mock Venetian palace which is set on the banks of the River Thames in Wapping, London. Adam Dalgliesh works his usual magic to ferret out the murderer. We have a copy in used mass market (at time of press).
Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling) also ventured into publishing in the second Cormoran Strike novel, Silkworm. It soon becomes clear to Cormoran Strike that what starts off as a bread and butter missing persons case, (missing author, worried wife, but he has done this before), is not straightforward. The author Owen Quine has just submitted a manuscript to his publishers which is full of less than charitable, easily recognizable portraits of people he knows. The publication of which is bound to cause mayhem if not worse. The discovery of Quine’s body leads Cormoran Strike into another murder investigation. I have really liked this series and hope that there will be another title soon. There have been rumours that one is coming but no definite date or title yet. We have the mass market in new in stock.
Another British series set in a publishing house is written by Julie Kaewert. The Plumtree Press is another well-established publishing house based in London. In Unsolicited, the first title in the series, the press is struggling to stay afloat but is about to publish what seems to be going to be a worldwide blockbuster. Unfortunately, the author goes missing with the last five chapters and a critic previewing the novel suggests that this is not fiction at all...It is left to Alex Plumtree, the present head of the company to sort it all out. There are six titles in this series and we have book #4 Untitled in new mass market and book #5 Unsigned in new and used mass market.
The main character in Barbara Rogan’s A Dangerous Fiction, (tp$17) is Jo Donovan a literary agent. Donovan is the senior partner is a prestigious New York literary agency as well as the widow of a famous American writer, Hugo Donovan. A disgruntled would be author begins to stalk Jo and then some of her authors, when added to an about to be published tell all, unauthorized biography of her dead husband and jealousies and rivalries in the company, our heroine has her hands full. We have A Dangerous Fiction in stock in new trade paperback.
Set in California, Marlys Millhiser’s main character is literary agent Charlie Green. Not all the titles in this series are involved with authors or publishing but they do provide a backdrop to the busy detecting life of this amateur sleuth mom. We have book #2, Death of the Office Witch, and book #3, Murder in a Hot Flash, in used mass market.
The Missing Clue - February 2017 - What I'm Reading by Sian
You’d know it if you saw me on my recent visit in January, but I’m expecting my first baby due in May. Needless to say, I’m trying to get in as much reading as possible before life is disrupted.
Our copies of The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch in mass market should be en route, but Mum surprised Michael and I with the UK hardcover edition, as she knows I like a good read on Boxing Day. I’m happy to say that I wasn’t in the least disappointed, although I did share some of Michael’s confusion about certain plot points mentioned. Turns out they were featured in the graphic novels, which have entirely original plotlines. We’ve got those in stock now though for anyone who needs to get caught up. I might recommend at least a reread of Foxglove Summer (book #6) as it was an awfully long time ago and took me awhile to get back up to speed.
It took us awhile, but we finally got our copies of Mary Russell’s War by Laurie R. King. This is a collection of short stories set in Mary Russell’s universe, some (2) of which have been published as e-originals and some (7) of which are new. They are by no means required reading if you read the series, but they do a nice job of filling in the blanks between books, in particularly Russell and Holmes actual wedding. There will be no new Mary Russell in 2017, so this is your shot at new content. You might read them as they belong in the series as part of a reread or all in one go. There should be a new Mary Russell in 2018 if King herself is to be believed. The Murder of Mary Russell is also coming in trade paperback in March. This wasn’t my favorite, but mostly because I don’t particularly care about Mrs. Hudson’s back story. If you do, you’ll certainly be pleased and intrigued.
I was on the hunt for new series to read as a distraction on Inauguration Day and found Design for Dying by Renee Patrick, a new series featuring the fictitious Lillian Frost and real-life costume designer Edith Head. This is a fun story set in 1930s Hollywood. We have it in stock in hardcover with the trade coming in May. Book #2, Dangerous to Know, is coming in hardcover in April. I was lucky enough to read an ARC but wasn’t quite as captivated due to the plotline surrounding Nazi sympathizers, which was suddenly a little too reminiscent of ongoing political issues for my liking.
We don’t generally like to recommend new series/authors in hardcover because we know it’s a big ask of you and your wallet, but I keep track of the ones that are worth it so I can call them out when they arrive in a more affordable trade paperback edition. A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain is one such title. Kendra Donovan is a hotshot FBI agent who somehow finds herself back in time in a 19th century English castle trying to solve a murder while pretending to be a lady’s maid. It took me a while to warm up to it, but by the end I was thoroughly enjoying myself. This book comes in trade paperback in April with a second book in hardcover A Twist in Time coming in April as well.
Kate Locke’s ‘The Immortal Empire’ is an odd little series that I read some years back in its original hardcover editions. We’ve got the first book God Save the Queen now in mass market with books 2 and 3 coming in February and March respectively. It’s a paranormal steampunk romance featuring humans, goblins, and British royalty. I would say it’s a bit grittier than Gail Carriger’s ‘Soulless’ series but well written and a fun read.
As to what I’m hoping to read before the baby’s born, I have book #5 in Gregory Harris’s ‘Colin Pendragon’ series The Endicott Evil in March. If you like Will Thomas or C.S. Harris, this series is very much in that vein. We’ve got books 2, 3, and 4 in stock in trade paperback. And speaking of C.S. Harris, book #12 in the ‘Sebastian St. Cyr’ series, Where the Dead Lie, is coming in hardcover in April. Sadly, book #11 When Falcons Fall is now coming in trade paperback rather than mass market. If you were holding out for a mass market, it doesn’t look like you’ll get one.
It’s a few years now since I judged the Arthur Ellis Award for best first novel, but I’m happy to say several books I enjoyed reading them have made it into series. Book #4 in Steve Burrows ‘Birder Murder Mystery’ series, A Shimmer of Hummingbirds, is coming in trade paperback in March and book #3 in Janet Brons ‘Forsyth and Hay’ series, Measured for Murder, is coming in trade paperback in April. The Burrows series features a Canadian DCI and is set in the UK while the Brons features an RCMP officer and a Scotland Yard DCI joining forces to solve crimes facing the Canadian community in London. That I can get beyond the birds in the Burrows is a miracle, although I am hoping that he applied the Bechdel test to this new book, as I found the really interesting female characters he has developed a little too focused on their menfolk.
Finally, I have to stop dragging it out and finish Elizabeth Peters ‘Amelia Peabody’ series. I’ve been savouring them and have four to go, but we just discovered that Joan Hess has completed the final book of the series, The Painted Queen, and it will be released in hardcover in July.
The Missing Clue - February 2017 - Bits and Bobs by Wendy
Feeling pretty excited as I have just received a packing slip that shows that Deborah Crombie’s new novel, The Garden of Lamentation, is about to be shipped. This is the 17th title in the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series. It has been too long (almost three years) since the previously published title in this series, To Dwell in Darkness. This remains one of my favourite series. We’ve got books 1,2, 6-10, 12, 14, and 15 in stock in a combination of new and used, mass market and trade paperback.
It is sometimes interesting how publishing works. Suddenly there will be a number of new books with the same theme/ background. Just recently we have received two new books by different authors set in Scotish bookshops. Shelton Paige’s, The Cracked Spine, (mm $10.99) is set in Edinburgh and is the first in a new series by this author. Molly Macrae has left the Haunted Yarn Shop and her new series is called Highland Bookshop Mystery. The first title is Plaid and Plagiarism (hc$34.95). We’ve got both in stock.
The Missing Clue - February 2017 - Crossover Crime Fiction by Jack
When you think about the contents of the Whodunit Mystery Bookstore, there are two possible ways of looking at it: one is that it’s a specialty bookstore with a very limited range of books, the other is that it is a specialty bookstore with an extremely wide range of books, stretching from Agatha Christie-type whodunits to cookie baker cozies to Sherlock Holmes to great spy novels to books set in about 50 different countries to steam punk and beyond. As co-proprietor, I choose to think of the store in its latter conceptualization. Moreover, the shop features an interesting assortment of “crossover” titles that defy easy categorization. In this category, I would put a fairly substantial number of books that involve fantasy elements about crime detection. The sort of books I mean are mainly British in origin; the Americans don’t need any fantasy about FF since they have Donald Trump.
For the most part the typical fantasy book involves a large dose of magic. Take Douglas Adams’ The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul, for example. Adams made his international reputation with his space fantasy series The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but followed this success with a detective series featuring Dirk Gently. The second volume of Gently, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, opens with the mysterious explosion of an airline ticket kiosk and follows the adventures of several elderly gods through the British private healthcare system, with all sorts of zany blackouts owing much to Monty Python along the way. We’ve got The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul in stock in new trade paperback and book #1 in the series, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, on order. Netflix’s dramatization of the series is available on, where else, Netflix in an initial 5 episode season.
There are robots. Adam Christopher’s Made to Kill stars the World’s last robot, Raymond Electromatic, formerly a private eye and now a hit man for hire. One day a beautiful young woman appears in his office with a bagful of gold bars and a job. He and his controller, a compute named Ada, are off and running in sixties Hollywood. We’ve got the book in stock in hardcover in new. Book #2, Killing is My Business, comes in hardcover in July.
Then there is George Mann’s The Affinity Bridge, a steampunk novel set in 19th-century London. The main task at hand it the investigation of the crash of an automated airship, although there are also strangulations by a mysterious bobby and a plague of zombies that must be resolved. There are four books in the series thus far and we’ve got them all in stock in new trade paperback. Book #5 comes in hardcover in January 2018.
I am personally very fond of police procedurals investigated by special units devoted to paranormal goings-on. These are always British. Perhaps the best illustration of this sub-genre is by Ben Aaronovitch. The first in a series of books by Aaronovitch is called Midnight Riot (or Rivers of London, in the UK, we have had both in stock) and features PC Peter Grant with the assistance of Lesley May who have been co-opted to the Economic and Specialist Crime Unit 9, a Scotland Yard unit also known as ‘The Folly’ headed by a wizard named Inspector Thomas Nightingale. The Folly is one of a number of fictional British crime units in these kinds of books devoted to the supernatural. Grant is a biracial young constable with magical capabilities who has come to the Force’s attention by successfully interviewing a ghost. This act sets off a series of actions and incredible events which stretch across six books and two graphic novels (i.e. expensive comic books). We’ve got all six books in stock in new mass market, The Hanging Tree (book #7) is on the way also in mass market, and the graphic novels in stock too.
After Aaronovitch comes Charles Stross, who has written eight novels in the ‘Laundry’ series. The Laundry is a British government agency along the lines of MI5 or MI6 which specializes in the paranormal. Stross has gotten more ambitious as he has gone along and his latest effort The Nightmare Stacks involves an invasion (called here an intrusion) into the British countryside around Leeds by a small army of extraterrestrials. We don’t currently have any in stock, but can order the first six titles in the series in mass market and The Nightmare Stacks in hardcover.
Guy Adams’ novel The Clown Service – that is what his British government agency consisting of one old man and a younger assistant recently sent there is nicknamed– also deals with the paranormal. So far there are three novels (also The Rain Soaked Bride and A Few Words for the Dead) and undoubtedly more will follow. We’ve got all three in stock in new trade paperback.
A recent entrant into this world of paranormal crime detection is Oscar de Muriel The Strings of Murder which is set in 1888 Edinburgh and features a Scotland Yard Inspector investigating under the cover of a made-up department specializing in the paranormal. We’ve got this first book in the series in new trade paperback. Books #2 and #3 seem to be coming this spring.
Saving the best for last: the master of modern fantasy is the recently deceased Terry Pratchett. One of his best novels of crime investigation is The Hogfather. The main crime is the kidnapping of a figure much like Santa Claus. His disappearance leaves a gaping hole in the world of belief which is very hard to fill. An enlarged tooth fairy just doesn’t hack it. The major investigator is Death’s granddaughter, a gal who is very handy with a frying pan to battle creatures under the bed of the children she looks after. We’ve got a copy in stock in new mass market. We can also recommend the film adaptation, available on DVD, starring Michelle Dockery of Downtown Abbey fame as Susan, Death’s granddaughter.
Fantasy really requires no more suspension of belief than sf novels about space travel. Try it sometime.
The Missing Clue - Previous Bumsted Books of the Year
The Missing Clue - December 2016 - Recent Bestsellers
October
Hardcover
1. Peter Robinson, When the Music's Over
2. Alexander McCall Smith, Precious and Grace
3. Alan Bradley, Thrice the Brindled Cat Hath Mewed
4. Joanne Fluke, Christmas Caramel Murder
5. Ian Rankin, Rather Be the Devil
Trade Paper
1. Susan Ellia Macneal, The Queen's Accomplice
2. Kate Ellis, The House of Eyes
3. Stephen Booth, Secrets of Death
4. Allan Levine, The Bootlegger's Confession
5. Gord Downie, Secret Path
Mass Market
1. Sheila Connolly, Seeds of Deception
2. Sofie Kelly, Paws and Effect
3. Laura Childs, Parchment and Old Lace
4. Victoria Abbott, The Hammett Hex
5. Leslie Budewitz, Killing Thyme
November
Hardcover
1. Ian Rankin, Rather Be The Devil
2. Ann Perry, A Christmas Message
3. P.D. James, Mistletoe, Murder & Other Stories
4. Charles Finch, The Inheritance
5. Lee Child, Night School
Trade Paper
1. Allan Levine, The Bootlegger’s Confession
2. Ann Cleaves, Cold Earth
3. Peter May, The Critic
4. Andrea Camilleri, A Voice in the Night
5. Charles Todd, No Shred of Evidence
Mass Market
1. Victoria Thompson, Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue
2. Shirley Rousseau Murphy, Cat Shout for Joy
3. Vicki Delany, We Wish You A Murderous Christmas
4. Kate Carlisle, Deck the Hallways
5. Michael Connelly, The Crossing
The Missing Clue - December 2016 - Gift Guide: If They Liked This, They Might Like That
One of the most frequent requests we get over the holiday shopping season is to make a recommendation for a friend or loved one. We have our favourites of course, as seen in our picks for 2016, but we’re also happy to help you find another title. A Whodunit gift card is always appreciated, but for those times you’d like to make sure your giftee (or you!) has something under the tree they can read right away, we can offer some guidance. If you know they like a theme or genre, we can direct you to something similar they might like as much or more! The list as follows is based on our bestselling titles in Whodunit for 2016.
This: Set in a remote location like Peter May’s ‘Enzo Macleod Investigation’ or ‘Lewis Trilogy’
That: We’ve seen an influx of series set in remote locations in the British Isles and North Atlantic, most popular of which has been Peter May’s two series. May fans will also enjoy Chris Ould’s ‘Faroes’ series with The Blood Strand and upcoming The Killing Bay (February 2017) and Ann Cleeve’s ‘Shetland’ series which now numbers 7 titles, most recently Cold Earth. Next time you see Jack, as him about his time in the Hebrides (no murder, but he did lose his luggage).
This: Quirky and witty like The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and A Murder of Magpies
That: Wendy is your resident expert for matters quirky and witty, so any of her recommendations will be winners. Another series worth trying (if you haven’t already) via Jack’s recommendation is Alan Bradley’s ‘Flavia de Luce’ books. We’ve got all 8 titles in stock, including the most recent hardcover Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd.
This: British Historical Cozy (20th Century) like Rhys Bowen’s ‘Her Royal Spyness’ series
That: If you’ve seen the new Netflix series The Crown, you’ll know that royalty and politics have often been intertwined. If you don’t mind switching your focus from the palace to No. 10, Bowen fans will enjoy Susan Elia Macneal’s ‘Maggie Hope’ series. We’ve got all six titles in store, including the most recent trade paperback The Queen’s Accomplice.
This: Female sleuth like in Sue Grafton’s ‘Kinsey Millhone’ or Sara Paretsky’s ‘V.I. Warshawski’ series
That: We’ve got lots of options for female sleuths, but a more recent (British) addition to the genre is Kerry Wilkinson’s ‘Jessica Daniel’ series. We’ve got a handful in store.
This: Scottish police procedural like Ian Rankin’s ‘John Rebus’ series
That: Here’s another genre where you’ve got lots of options, but might we suggest Denise Mina? She’s got three series, but we mostly have her ‘Alex Morrow’ series, with several titles in new and used.
This: British Police Procedural written by a Canadian author like Peter Robinson’s ‘Inspector Banks’ series
That: Steve Burrows is a Canadian author whose ‘Birder Murder Mystery’ series is a police procedural set in the UK (albeit with a Canadian Chief Inspector). Don’t let the bird theme put you off, the bird-phobic Bumsted who shall remain nameless was the series biggest fan! We’ve got the first three books in store.
This: Historical Espionage like Gavin Scott’s The Age of Treachery
That: Jack is your man to talk to about spy fiction. Some of his favourites include Aly Monroe’s ‘Peter Cotton’ series (although all the titles are proving a little hard to get, we’ve got Washington Shadow in stock) and Ariana Franklin’s standalone City of Shadows. Wendy would also add Jane Thynne’s ‘Clara Vine’ series (she is married to Philip Kerr, another Jack favourite), of which we have several.
This: Food themed cozy like Joanne Fluke’s ‘Hannah Swenson series’
That: Stand in front of our ‘New in Mass Market’ shelf, stick out your hand, and you’ll no doubt grab a cozy with food as part of the theme. But if you want a specific recommendation, try JoAnna Carl’s ‘Chocaholic’ series, which has an equally sweet backlist and lots of fun holiday tie-ins.
This: British Historical Cozy (Victorian) like Emily Brightwell’s ‘Mrs Jeffries’ series
That: We’re coming up on book #36 in the Mrs. Jeffries series, but we’d like to offer the first in a brand-new series as something else to try. Kate Saunders’ The Secrets of Wishtide launches the ‘Laetitia Rodd Mystery Series’ with more books to come.
This: Canadian Female Sleuth like Gail Bowen’s ‘Joanne Kilbourn’ series
That: Joanne Kilbourn started as a reluctant amateur sleuth whereas the protagonist in Janet Brons ‘Forsyth and Hay’ series, RCMP Inspector Liz Forsyth, is a professional detective, but both these series feature strong and interesting Canadian women solving crimes (it is 2016, afterall). We’ve got the first two Brons in stock.
This: Modern British cozy like Hazel Holt’s ‘Sheila Malory’ series
That: Sadly, Hazel Holy passed away in 2015 so there will be no further ‘Sheila Malory’ titles. Still, Rebecca Tope’s ‘Thea Osborne’ and ‘Lake District Mysteries’ series can both ably fill the void.
This: Post War WWI like Jacqueline Winspear’s ‘Maisie Dobbs’ series
That: This is an easy one! Jacqueline Winspear fans will find that Charles Todd’s ‘Bess Crawford’ series fits like a (medical) glove. We’ve got the most recent titles in store. A post WWII equivalent would be Iona Whishaw’s Lane Winslow series. We have the first title, A Killer in King’s Cove, in stock.
This: Historical with an unusual female sleuth like Darcie Wilde’s ‘Rosalind Thorne’ series
That: Of course, you may not have realized you wanted to read a historical mystery with an unusual female sleuth (Sian’s specialty), in which case you’d start with An Unusual Woman, her book of the year. But assuming you loved that book, why not try Caro Peacock’s ‘Liberty Lane’ series or Deanna Raybourn’s newest ‘Veronica Speedwell’ series?
This: Unusual British male sleuth(s) like Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant and May’ series
That: Why, Michael’s book of the year The Vinyl Detective Mysteries: Written in Dead Wax by Andrew Cartmel will fit the bill perfectly here. Other options would include store favorites Ben Aaronovitch and Michael Robertson.
This: Historical with romantic partners as sleuths like Anne Perry’s ‘Charlotte and Thomas Pitt’ series
That: There are more of these to choose from than you might think, but our resident expert Sian recommends particularly C.S. Harris’s ‘Sebastian St. Cyr’ series as well as book of the year author Tasha Alexander’s ‘Lady Emily’ series and Deanna Raybourn’s ‘Lady Julia Grey’ series.
This: Atmospheric modern European detective fiction like Donna Leon’s ‘Guido Brunetti’ series
That: Andrea Camilleri’s ‘Inspector Montalbano’ and Cara Black’s ‘Aimee Leduc’ series are both well established players in the genre. We’ve got lots of both in stock.
This: “Grip Lit” like Paula Hawkin’s The Girl on the Train
That: The great thing about psychological thrillers is that they are often standalone novels, so you don’t need to commit to a whole series or track down the first book. Might we suggest Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris or The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell?
The Missing Clue - December 2016 - Mystery Reading Club Winter Session
The book club will be spending the winter examining Asian Historical crime fiction. New members are cordially invited to join the fun.
Tuesday, January 31st – Elsa Hart, Jade Dragon Mountain
Tuesday, February 28th – I.J. Parker, The Dragon Scroll
Tuesday, March 28th – M.J. Carter, The Strangler Vine
I know that some non-members of the group do read the assigned titles. If you would like to have the questions that Jack writes, please let Wendy know (via email, phone, or in person). Books will be available for purchase at the store and feature a 10% discount. Questions for discussion should be available a few weeks before the meeting.
The Missing Clue - December 2016 - Allan Levine at Whodunit
We were very pleased that Allan Levine could come to Whodunit on Sunday, November 27th to read from his new book and to sign books. The Bootlegger’s Confession is the first title in a new trilogy set in Winnipeg featuring private detective Sam Klein. Klein appeared in Levine’s earlier trilogy which began with the The Blood Libel. The Bootlegger’s Confession is set in 1922, three years after Prohibition had become law in the United States and by this time the business of moving liquor south across the 49th parallel had become entrenched on the prairies. In talking about how he wrote the book Allan made it clear how much his fiction writing benefited from his work as a historian. A thoroughly entertaining, illuminating and enjoyable afternoon.
For those unable to make the event we do have autographed copies available for sale in the store.
The Missing Clue - December 2016 - Bumsted Picks of the Year - Michael's Pick
The Vinyl Detective Mysteries: Written in Dead Wax by Andrew Cartmel
(TP, $19.50, order here)
This year I was a long list judge for "Bloody Scotland". As a result, I read a small pile of not yet released books, and, for the first time in several years, I had already found my book of the year front runner in May; had it ordered by July; and had my statement about it ready to go by late September. Then, in October, the Canadian release was delayed until April 2017.
So while I had subsequently read quite a lot of niche stuff, and even more advance copies, I couldn't find anything that would match my original choice. So, this year, I will instead highlight a debut which should tick a lot of boxes, The Vinyl Detective Mysteries: Written in Dead Wax.
Andrew Cartmel is one of Ben Aaronovitch's TV writing partners, and their mutual influences come quickly to the fore. Rather than fantastical, however, Cartmel is instead taking his inspiration from the cutthroat, yet mundane world of vinyl record collecting. Enter his jazz obsessed cat loving protagonist. Hired to find a rare record, he finds himself on the trail of a pair of killers, in the sights of a femme fatale, and part of an ever-growing conspiracy reaching deeply into the history or recorded music.
Light-hearted, easy reading rarely comes with this balance of complex themes and oddball characters. However, Cartmel should appeal not just to music lovers, but to cosy readers, Aaronovitch fans, and fans of British mysteries in general. If a book can appeal to that many types of reader, it certainly belongs on this list.
(Book #2 in the series, The Vinyl Detective: The Run Out Groove will be available in May 2017 [pre-order here]. We’re supposed to have Ben Aaronovitch’s ‘Rivers of London’ #6, The Hanging Tree, in mass market at the end of January. This has been pushed back multiple times, but it looks like it’s finally happening [pre-order here].)
The Missing Clue - December 2016 - Bumsted Picks of the Year - Sian's Pick
A Terrible Beauty by Tasha Alexander
(HC, $36.99, order here)
&
A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde
(TP, $20.00, order here)
With five weeks to go in 2016 as of this writing, I’ve read 90 books (of my goal of 100). Of those 90, I rated 13 with 5 Stars, and four of those were mysteries (or books that we carry). It goes almost without saying that I adored Charles Finch’s The Inheritance, but in the end (with only a small bit of family pressure) I chose Tasha Alexander’s A Terrible Beauty as my favourite book of 2016. Her last four books were four star titles for me, which made this an easier decision. We’ve all seen series fall apart when they hit the double digits but this book, #11 in the ‘Lady Emily’ series, breathed new light into the series for me. It’s beautifully and atmospherically written and keeps you guessing right until the end, although I must confess I skipped ahead at one point to soothe my anxiety. We get to spend more time with Emily’s brilliant friend Margaret as well as see flashbacks to when Philip Ashton had first died (before we meet Emily in And Only to Deceive, the first book in the series). But as much as this book is a culmination of the previous 10, a new reader could easily get up to speed due to the nature of the plot. If you lost interest a few books back, I recommend jumping back in so that this title can be the climax of a delightful binge read.
Now, is the rule one book of the year per person? Yes, yes it is. But am I the one who edits the newsletter? Yes, and as such I can do whatever I want. I declared Darcie Wilde’s A Useful Woman to be an early favourite in the race for book of the year and lots of you have purchased it since. But I don’t want it to go unheralded in this forum. It’s such a fantastic read. Almost never what you expect with a character, Rosalind Thorne, who isn’t your typical historical heroine. She is neither beautiful nor monied, but she is, as the title portends, useful. I loved watching her unravel the murder of an aristocrat at Almack’s (where we see a slightly different side of the storied assembly room), and while her romantic interests are intriguing, they don’t dominate the narrative. A Purely Private Matter will be available in trade paperback in May (pre-order here).
The Missing Clue - December 2016 - Bumsted Picks of the Year - Wendy's Pick
Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner
(TP, $22.99, order here)
Susie Steiner was a reporter for The Guardian newspaper in the UK. Missing, Presumed is her first mystery novel. The novel is set in present day Cambridge and revolves around the disappearance of graduate student, Edith Hind. The main character Detective Sargent Manon Bradshaw is one of the officers involved in the search. There are many twists and turns in this well written novel. While the disappearance and its ramifications and final resolution are front and centre, this is a police procedural and so other crimes are also investigated. As with most police procedurals there is an undercurrent of the internal politics of the department and the jostling for position among the officers. This is exacerbated in this book as the father of the missing woman is one of the Queen’s physicians with lots of influential friends. A sequel, Persons Unknown, will be published in June 2017 (pre-order here) with Missing, Presumed itself is coming out in mass market in April (pre-order here).
Later....Discovering that some nameless person had had two picks, I also have another title. Joanna Cannon, The Trouble With Sheep and Goats. Set in London in the very hot Summer 1976, (and yes, I was there), it involves two 10-year-old girls trying to work out what happened to a woman who seems to have disappeared.
Once I started to read both titles I could not put them down so a couple of very late nights.
The Missing Clue - December 2016 - Bumsted Picks of 2016 - Jack's Pick
The Crossing by Michael Connelly
(MM, $12.99, order here)
I have read Michael Connelly books in the past, but have enjoyed none so much as his most recent mass market The Crossing. It is technically the 20th ‘Harry Bosch’ novel, but it also features the main character from Connelly’s other main series, Mickey Haller. The book is somewhat violent, featuring multiple murders over several days, and the timeline of the story is quite short. You need not have read any other books in either series to enjoy The Crossing, although you may find yourself, like me, searching for the other crossover titles in both series. This is a relatively easy read, so perfect for vacation or plane travel. Overall, I found it very well plotted, very exciting, and I enjoyed it a great deal.
For those who are already familiar and caught up with Connelly, ‘Harry Bosch’ #21 The Wrong Side of Goodbye came out in hardcover in November (in stock, reserve here). The TV series based on that character, Bosch, is available it was on the local Global channel and is now available on Crave TV. There are currently two series, with a third on the way.
The Missing Clue - December 2016 - Upcoming Events and Promotions
Advent Promotion: The Gift of Reading
To get ourselves into the holiday spirit, and show our appreciation for you, our customers, We will once again be giving away free books!
We have collected up the year’s Advanced Readers Copies, wrapped them up, and will be including one in each purchase of $20 or more. They run the gamut of theme, origin, and period, so if you are choosing for yourself, or getting a little extra to go underneath the tree, we have colour coded the wrapping for guidance. However, just as with any gift, the best part of it is the surprise.
February 2017 Used Book Sale
It’s back! Friday, February 17th to Sunday, February 19th, all used books will be 50% off.
The Missing Clue - October 2016 - September Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. Louise Penny, A Great Reckoning
2. Alan Bradley, Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mewed
3. Ann Perry, Revenge in a Cold River
4. James Benn, Blue Madonna
5. Charles Finch, The Shattered Tree
Ben Winters, Underground Airlines
Trade Paperback
1. Ann Perry, Corridors of the Night
2. Sophy Hannah, Closed Casket
3. Stephen Booth, Secrets of Death
4. Martin Walker, The Patriarch
5. Jane Thynne, Woman in the Shadows
6. Fred Vargas, Climate of Fear
7. Chris Brookmyre, Dead Girl Walking
8. Peter Lovesey, Down Among the Dead Men
9. G. M. Malliet, The Haunted Season
10. Will Thomas, Anatomy of Evil
Mass Market
1. Cleo Coyle, Dead to the Last Drop
2. Rhys Bowen, Malice at the Palace
3. Sue Grafton, X
4. Jean Flower, Cancelled By Murder
5. Faye Kellerman, Theory of Death
6. Laura Childs, Parchment and Old Lace
7. Miranda James, Digging Up the Dirt
8. Julia Buckley, Cheddar Off Dead
9. Leslie Meier, Candy Corn Murder
10. Gail Oust, Cinnamon Toasted
The Missing Clue - October 2016 - Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes by Michael
As many of you know, and have already noticed, over the course of the summer we have been making changes to the layout to better reflect the changes to the way our books now arrive (ie. fewer mass market paperbacks and hardcovers, many more books in the medium, trade paperback size). The latest of these changes is the long discussed re-sizing of the shelves. This action has actually caused a much larger change than anticipated, because it meant that for the first time, all of the mass-market paperbacks fit onto only one walls worth of shelves in the store. In turn, this meant that we could move the other subsections "Historical", "Scandanavian" and "Crossover" onto the other wall, and out of the various corners and cubbies that they once were kept. Although we expect that, like with any changes, it will take some time for you, our customers, to get used to things being in new places, we do hope that it will make things easier to find, and give you all a chance to see some old things with fresh eyes.
I would also like to thank everyone who has started using the web store. We have had a visible uptick in online orders, as well as searches. For those of you who still haven't visited it, (still at the slightly ungainly www.book manager.com/117455x) it is a resource to allow you not only to see what we have in store and reserve it, but to order new books regardless of subject or genre. We do appreciate that not everything people read are mysteries, and while we are unable to service those genres in store, we are more than happy to bring in the books you want that are available for us to order. We will give stamps regardless of genre! For those of you who visit us from out of town, we really recommend taking advantage of this service to reserve the books you want before your trip.
As before, we are also still happy to take your orders and reservations by phone or email.
EDITOR’S NOTE: That was a subtle dig up there from a younger brother to his older sister for not doing a thing she said she’d do. I’m on it, I promise!
The Missing Clue - October 2016 - What I'm Reading by Sian
The good news is that according to my counter, I have read 84/100 books I challenged myself to read this year. And this isn’t even counting books I’ve re-read in 2016 (most notably, the always excellent ‘Hilary Tamar’ series by Sarah Caudwell). Sixteen books in twelve weeks sounds quite doable, especially when I consider what I already have on the shelf waiting for me at the store.
I’m not sure how it ended up on my ‘to read’ pile, but I’ve worked my way through Gregory Harris’s ‘Colin Pendragon Mystery’ series this summer. The series is set in turn-of-the-century London and features a young aristocrat, Colin Pendragon, and his companion Ethan Pruitt. My tagline would be, “what if Sherlock were gay and had social skills and Watson were the former drug addict”. Like similar series, they are at constant odds with Scotland Yard. The books bleed into each other, so we were introduced to the next book in the final chapter of the first. We only have book #4, The Dalwich Desecration, in store at present (in new and used), but you will not be at a disadvantage if you start there. Books #1-3 are available to order with book #5 coming in March, all in trade paperback.
Long-time readers of the newsletter will know that I am the guardian angel that brought Gail Carriger to Whodunit. Soulless was a revelation and I loved the whole ‘Parasol Protectorate’ series. I quite enjoyed her foray into YA in the same world with the ‘Finishing School’ series. ‘The Custard Protocol’ series stars Alexia and Connall’s daughter, overtly raised by Lord Akeldama, Prudence. I liked the first book, Prudence (in store in trade paperback). But I sat on the second book, Imprudence. And even having gulped it down, I wasn’t sure if I enjoyed it. I think my challenge is that Carriger has done what very few authors are willing to do, which is to properly retire their main characters. Alexia and Conall are an important part of the plot, but they are still secondary and more importantly old. They are not the same people they were in the Soulless, they are a grown-up woman’s aging parents. But upon reflection, it was all quite wonderful and I shall look forward to any future adventures. It is worth noting that this one is very much NOT appropriate for younger audiences, if you know what I mean. Available in trade paperback in February.
I read As Death Draws Near, #5 in Anna Lee Huber’s ‘Lady Darby’ series not long before The Dalwich Desecration, so it was a lot of murders in religious orders that week. This is a smart series featuring a crime-solving aristocratic couple, so if you like Deanna Raybourn’s ‘Lady Julia’ series or Tasha Alexandra’s ‘Lady Emily’ series, this will be right up your alley. Kiera and Gage find themselves in Ireland where a young nun-in-training has been murdered and they find the locals not particularly sympathetic (nor to Catholics in general). I don’t think these books are quite as fun as Raybourn or Alexandra, but they are still an engrossing read and do a lot to make us consider what is appropriate “women’s work”. We’ve got this one in store in used as well as books #1 and #4.
I have mixed feelings about Rhys Bowen’s ‘Her Royal Spyness’ series. I started out loving it, then after about book #6 I refused to buy it in hardcover anymore, because I thought it was just silly. I was also frustrated that the plot didn’t seem to be moving anywhere, particularly in relation to Georgie’s relationship with Darcy. We seem to be moving forward on that front though and Malice at the Palace (book #9, in store in mass market) featured some interesting plotlines. I’m nervous of course as we plunge closer to WWII, as I’m not sure how the tone of these books will handle Nazi Germany. Book #10, Crowned and Dangerous, is available for order in hardcover, but I’m waiting for the mass market, as yet unscheduled.
As for the books I’m looking forward to for the rest of the fall, book #2 in David Morrell’s excellent ‘Thomas and Emily De Quincey’ series, Inspector of the Dead, is now available in store in trade paperback with book #3, Ruler of the Night, coming in November. Tasha Alexander’s ‘Lady Emily’ #10, A Terrible Beauty, is also in store in hardcover. Her first husband is back from the dead, it seems, but is he really? And speaking of Deanna Raybourn, she speaks highly of the new ‘Lady Sherlock’ series that launches this month (in trade paperback) with A Study in Scarlet Women. I love Sherlockian stories with a female twist, so I have high hopes for this one!
Lots of yours and my favourite authors often publish short stories available online only for Kindle, Kobo, or iBooks. Fortunately, Laurie R. King has taken pity on us and published all her ‘Mary Russell’ short stories in one collection, Mary Russell’s War. Nine short stories, one brand new, this will be an excellent Christmas gift for the Mary Russell fan. In stores in trade paperback this week.
The Missing Clue - October 2016 - Jack on Television by Jack
One of the things that my change in situation has led to is my increased consumption of television serials. While I have been slowly reluctant to embrace the new technologies of digital television, I have tried a large number of series of late. For those who are interested in finding new series, whether they be on screen or in book form, (or perhaps both), I have compiled a list of some of the notable ones that we have in the store.
Longmire (Netflix, iTunes, Google Play)
Longmire is based on Craig Johnson‘s thirteen book series, which follows a character of same name in his work as a sheriff in present day Wyoming.
When I was 9 years old, I used to cadge a quarter from my mother and take it to the motion picture emporium, which on Saturday afternoon had an afternoon’s worth of motion pictures, including two serials, a half dozen cartoons, and the main feature. When I watched the version of Longmire recently, I was struck by how little had changed. The cowboys no longer rode on horseback, but the pickup trucks came pretty close on. Sherriff Longmire wore a star on his shirt and a holstered gun at his hip, in fact, the most impressive feature of Longmire was the guns, which do not seem to have changed much in 70 years.
Longmire is a violent series, one that has recently changed from being on A&E to being on Netflix. As books, they are relatively short, punchy narratives that move straightforwardly and quickly from beginning to end. If you are looking for a dependable, modern cowboy narrative, then this may be one for you to try.
IN STORE: Craig Johnson’s ‘Longmire’ series, Books #1-2, 4-9, and 11 are in store. #3, 10, 12, and 13 available to order.
Endeavour (PBS, iTunes, Google Play)
Colin Dexter wrote fourteen Morse titles, in which his aged, and aging inspector thwarted crime all around Oxfordshire. Made even more popular with the long-running TV adaptations starring John Thaw as Morse, Endeavour is a prequel series in which we see Morse not as the Inspector in full command of his powers, but as a freshly minted detective constable.
Endeavour is a TV series based upon the Colin Dexter books of twenty years ago. Basically, it fills in the gaps between Inspector Morse’s early life and his later one. It is set in Cambridge in the 60s. This new series is quite competently done, although it lacks something of the original Morse, chiefly, John Thaw as a much more curmudgeonly detective.
While there are no book adaptations of the Endeavour scripts (nor, for the original Morse spinoff Lewis), Dexter remains a much loved author at WhoDunit? and the whole series is now back in print and available.
In Store: Colin Dexter’s ‘Inspector Morse’ series, Books #3-4, 6-14 in store, #1-2, 5 on order.
Bosch (Crave TV)
Before The Lincoln Lawyer put Michael Connelly on the radar of the world at large, he was already a best-selling, award winning author for his jazz loving, anti-authoritarian Hollywood detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch.
Bosch, which is the Amazon Studio series based on the character (who, in Hollywood fashion, lives in a house paid for by his work as advisor on a TV series based on his own life), is a bit of a timeline nightmare for those who are faithful followers of the series. Each season so far has taken inspiration for three or more separate titles in the series, and has interwoven them into something new.
Titus Welliver, who portrays Harry, does so with the same quiet intensity and semi-concealed power of the character in the novels. However, the mixing of the narratives that make up the original book series makes long-time fans like myself (Jack), have some trouble following along. It is probably best to simply read all the books (there are now 21). Still available in paperbacks, the Michael Connelly’s show that the art of the great American detective novel is not dead, and that it can still be chilling and effective in the right hands.
In store: Michael Connelly’s ‘Harry Bosch’ series, Books #6, 7, 9, 15, 16 available in store, #20 (Oct 25th) and 21 (Nov 1st) on order, rest available to order.
Maigret
Based on the prolific work of French author Georges Simenon (more than seventy-five novels, which Penguin is slowly reissuing in paperback), the most recent English rendition of the character is something of a surprising one, as it features Mr Bean/Blackadder star, Rowan Atkinson, as the titular character, Maigret. So far two 2 hour programmes have been released in North America. The first, ‘Maigret Sets A Trap’, is based on the novel of same name. The second is ‘Maigret and the Dead Man’ due for release around Christmas. Atkinson, who may at first seem a strange choice for such a character, nevertheless seems to have the one ability which makes Maigret exceptional, the ability to see through his suspects to discover their flaws. I liked particularly the psychological emphasis placed on the solving of the cases.
The novels, which Simenon first started publishing in 1931, have little bearing on one another, save for featuring the Marchel Guillaume inspired detective, his loyal wife, and his loyal colleagues. Brief, pithy novels which evoke a strong sense of France at the time, they go well in any sequence, and can be found with nearly any combination of crime and theme.
In Store: 8 titles in stock, mixed between new and used. Check our webstore, call, or visit if you’re looking for a specific title.
Homeland (Netflix)
While Homeland has existed in the television world for some time, (being itself based on an earlier Israeli series ‘Prisoners of War’), the popular, American version has relevance to WhoDunit? as it has supplied us with a number of spinoff novels.
Set in the present day, and featuring powerful performances by an all-star cast, Homeland is a suspenseful, sexual, and complicated series which shows the difficulties in intelligence gathering, the horrors created by the modern political climate, and the powers and stigma which come from, and can be attached to the mentally ill. Andrew Kaplan, himself a reasonably successful spy author, has written two spin-offs novels to help fill in some of the character’s backstory, Homeland: Carrie’s Run and Homeland: Saul’s Game.
In what I am told is standard HBO style, nudity, violence, and profanity is frequently on display in the TV series. For those who prefer their murder in a slightly more serene, safe setting, the following series may serve a better fit.
In store: both titles available to order.
Father Brown (Netflix, Acorn TV, iTunes, Google Play)
Another revival of a classic series, Father Brown is based on G.K. Chesterton’s books following the English Roman Catholic priest. The new series, which places Father Brown in the 1950s, is loosely based on some of the original, early twentieth century tales written by Chesteron, but ensconces the priest in a single landscape, rather than the changing locations of the cannon. More interested in the soul than the earthly nature of the crimes he is investigating, Brown finds himself at occasional odds, and with convenient foils, in the succession of inspectors that he comes into contact with.
While the original texts truly are of a different time, this “updated” Father Brown nevertheless evokes the feel and nature of post-war Britain. Intended for the daytime BBC TV crowd, it is a relatively peaceful, pleasant place to visit, if not the most thrilling update of an early twentieth century work.
In Store: G.K Chesteron’s ‘Father Brown’ series, Books #4 and 5 available in store, the rest available to order (Michael loves a challenge).
Sherlock (Netflix, iTunes, Google Play)
In terms of the magnified possibilities of what an update can do to a character, the Benedict Cumberbatch version of Sherlock Holmes is our present day gold standard. With ably done modernisations of the original narratives, and an overarching structure that helps to fit the Consulting Detective (and his more able sidekick Dr Watson, played by Martin Freeman) into the twenty-first century, the smash hit of this article is this BBC update.
Now moving into a fourth and fifth go around, the three series (and Christmas special) to date have so far hit many of Doyle’s own greatest fictions, and will presumably now shift to dealing with some of his latter day fare. I (Jack), as previously mentioned here, find these particular shows to be too full of flashes and montages to deliver a clear narrative, and find the frenetic pace of the dialogue difficult to follow. The characters themselves, however, are well cast, which I must admit I do not always find to be the case.
However, the original cannon, and the many pastiches based upon it are always available in store. And, should you be interested in reading more by this particular group of adapters Mark Gatiss, who plays Mycroft and has co-written a number of the original episodes, has his own short series of mysteries featuring a character called Lucifer Box.
In Store: Check our webstore, call, or visit if you’re looking for a specific title. Every Bumsted has their favourite.
Shetland (Netflix, iTunes, Google Play)
Finally, in terms of odd casting choices, Ann Cleeves Shetland is one of the most glaring. Her Jimmy Perez character, who in text is a large man with wild dark hair, is not really anything like Douglas Henshall, the actor who portrays him, in appearance. Despite that, the series, which to this point has followed the books with reasonable faithfulness to this point, does nonetheless evoke the beauty and solitude of the Scottish archipelago.
Ann Cleeves other series, featuring Vera Stanhope, is also being given the same treatment on television. Both series, as well as a photo-essay book featuring Shetland as the main character itself, are all available in the store.
In Store: Ann Cleeves ‘Shetland’ series, Book #4 in store, #1, 2, 3, and 7 (November 3rd) on order. #5 and 6 available to order.