Review: MOTIVES FOR MURDER, Martin Edwards (edit)

• this edition published by Sphere 2016
• ISBN 978-0-7515-6615-4
• edited by Martin Edwards
• 375 pages

Synopsis (Amazon)

Members of London's famed Detection Club have joined together to honor Peter Lovesey, winner multiple times of the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger and Silver Dagger, and Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement.

He has also won the Mystery Writers of America Edgar for Best Novel, as well as Grand Prix de Littérature Policière. He is the creator of Victorian sleuths Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackeray, Inspector Peter Diamond, and the almost true-to-life Bertie Prince of Wales.

The Detection Club was founded in 1930 by Anthony Berkeley. Its first Honorary President was G.K. Chesterton, to be succeeded by such luminaries as Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Julian Symons, and H. R. F. Keating. The current President, Martin Edwards, has edited this collection of new stories. Motives for Murder contains new stories to honor Peter Lovesey by some of the greatest names in current crime writing.


My Take

With an introduction by Martin Edwards who edited this collection, a foreword by Len Deighton, a final response by Peter Lovesey himself  this is a lovely collection of specially written short stories honoring Peter's 80th birthday.

Like so many of the contributors I remember reading Peter's debut novel WOBBLE TO DEATH, and have followed his writing over the years, both in his various series, and his stand alone novels.

Reviewed on this blog are
MAD HATTER'S HOLIDAY
SKELETON HILL
THE REAPER
5.0, STAGESTRUCK
5.0, COP TO CORPSE
4.5, THE HEADHUNTERS
4.8, THE TOOTH TATTOO
4.7, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN
4.7, THE STONE WIFE
4.5, ANOTHER ONE GOES TONIGHT 
and I read a great many before that.

Many of the contributors paid homage by setting their story in one of the settings that Peter has used.

If, like me, you like crime fiction short stories, you'll enjoy this collection.


My rating: 4.5

What I read in August 2017

A moderate month in terms of the number of books read, although some very good books.

• 4.5, DON'T LET GO, Michel Bussi - translated from French
• 4.5, A STRANGER IN THE HOUSE, Shari Lapena
• 4.8, WOLVES IN THE DARK, Gunnar Staalesen 
• 4.2, THE FLOATING ADMIRAL, Agatha Christie et al- audio book
• 4.5, THE LEGACY, Yrsa Sigurdardottir - translated from Icelandic
• 4.5, ANOTHER ONE GOES TONIGHT, Peter Lovesey - audio book 
• 4.4, THE RESISTANCE MAN, Martin Walker 
• 4.3, THREE WEEKS TO SAY GOODBYE, C. J. Box 
• 4.4, GOODWOOD, Holly Throsby  - Australian author

 My pick of the month was WOLVES IN THE DARK by Gunnar Staalesen

This is the second I have read in the Varg Veum series, translated from Norwegian.  There are not many of the Staalesen titles available in English although he appears to be a very popular author.
He recently won the Petrona Award for WHERE ROSES NEVER DIE.

See what others have read this month.

Review: ANOTHER ONE GOES TONIGHT, Peter Lovesey - audio book

• from Audible
• Narrated by: Peter Wickham
• Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins 
• • Series: Peter Diamond, Book 16
• Unabridged Audiobook

 Synopis (Audible)

Peter Diamond, the Bath detective brilliant at rooting out murder, is peeved at being diverted to Professional Standards to enquire into a police car accident.

Arriving late at the scene, he discovers an extra victim thrown onto an embankment - unconscious and unnoticed. Diamond administers CPR, but no one can say whether the elderly tricyclist will pull through. But why had the man been out in the middle of the night with an urn containing human ashes?

Diamond's suspicions grow after he identifies the accident victim as Ivor Pellegrini, a well-known local eccentric and railway enthusiast. A search of Pellegrini's workshop proves beyond question that he is involved in a series of uninvestigated deaths. While Pellegrini lingers on life support, Diamond wrestles with the appalling possibility that he has saved the life of a serial killer....

My Take

Another intriguing read from a master story teller.

Peter Diamond is delegated to assist a Professional Standards team after a police car is involved in a serious accident just at the end of its shift. The station has received a call about a naked man and the squad car is on its way to investigate when the driver swerves to avoid hitting an object. It rolls, the young driver is killed, and his passenger seriously wounded. There are many other things that Diamond would rather be doing than investigating colleagues.

However near the scene he discovers an elderly man, also seriously injured, presumably hit by the police car, and he begins to take a personal interest. But what was he doing out at that hour of the morning? The more Diamond and his team investigate, the more intriguing it becomes, especially after they work out that a number of elderly people have met untimely ends, albeit from supposedly natural causes.

The narration by Peter Wickham is particularly adept, with good distinguishing between characters.

I've been following this prolific British crime fiction author since 1972 when I was hooked by his debut novel WOBBLE TO DEATH. Check him out on Wikipedia.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

MAD HATTER'S HOLIDAY
SKELETON HILL
THE REAPER
5.0, STAGESTRUCK
5.0, COP TO CORPSE
4.5, THE HEADHUNTERS
4.8, THE TOOTH TATTOO
4.7, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN
4.7, THE STONE WIFE


 

British authors I read in 2016

With so much British crime fiction available, this really wasn't much of a challenge for me.
The aim was to read at least 12 books by British authors.
The challenge stored here really just became a way of keeping records.
Recently written novels seem to suit me better than ones written decades ago, but very few were not worth my time.
Many of them were read on my Kindle.
 
Total read: 49

1. 4.8, THE BLOOD STRAND, Chris Ould 
2. 4.5, ONLY TIME WILL TELL, Jeffrey Archer 
3. 4.2, THE CRIME AND THE CRYSTAL, Elizabeth Ferrars  
4. 4.9, WHAT SHE NEVER TOLD ME, Kate McQuaile 
5. 4.9, COFFIN ROAD, Peter May
6. 4.7, EVEN THE DEAD, Benjamin Black 
7.  4.4, LONDON'S GLORY, Christopher Fowler 
8. 3.7, THE SANTA KLAUS MURDER, Mavis Doriel Hay
9. 4.0. Agatha Christie, the Lost Plays
10. 4.7, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN, Peter Lovesey 
11. 4.7, ENOUGH ROPE, Barbara Nadel 
12. 4.1, SMALLBONE DECEASED, Michael Gilbert
13. 4.4, CHARLES PARIS: MURDER UNPROMPTED, Simon Brett 
14. 4.9, ALL THE BIRDS, SINGING, Evie Wyld  
15. 4.2, CHARLES PARIS: CORPORATE BODIES, Simon Brett
16. 4.8, THE WIDOW, Fiona Barton 
17. 4.4, FATAL ERROR, Michael Ridpath
18. 4.4, A RISING MAN, Abir Mukherjee 
19. 4.5, LITTLE GREY CELLS: The Quotable  POIROT, Agatha Christie (edited by David Brawn)
20. 4.7, THE STONE WIFE, Peter Lovesey
21. 4.5, CHANCE DEVELOPMENTS, Alexander McCall Smith
22. 3.7, MYSTERY IN WHITE, J. Jefferson Farjeon 
23. 4.4, THE TRAVELLER'S RETURN, Patricia Wentworth
24. 4.5, A DARK AND TWISTED TIDE, Sharon Bolton
25. 4.2, THE BUNGALOW MURDER, Annie Haynes  
26. 4.3, DADDY DEAREST, Paul Southern 
27. 4.6, A CAREER OF EVIL, Robert Galbraith 
28. 4.4, THE KILLING IN THE CAFE, Simon Brett
29. 4.0, BLACK COFFEE, Agatha Christie (novelised by Charles Osborne)
30. 4.7, LOST GIRLS, Angela Marsons
31. 4.5, THE OTHER SIDE OF NIGHT: The Carpathia, the Californian and the Night the Titanic Was Lost, Daniel Allen Butler
32. 4.2, WEEKEND WITH DEATH, Patricia Wentworth  
33. 4.5, MISSING PRESUMED, Susie Steiner 
34. 4.6, DIFFERENT CLASS, Joanne Harris 
35. 4.4, HESTER & HARRIET, Hilary Spiers 
36. 4.4, THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10, Ruth Ware 
37. 4.2, THE GROWN UP, Gillian Flynn 
38. 4.6, THE DEVIL IN THE MARSHALSEA, Antonia Hodgson 
39. 4.6, STRANGE TIDE, Christopher Fowler
40. 4.3, A DEATH IN SWEDEN, Kevin Wignall 
41. 4.9, PLAY DEAD, Angela Marsons 
42. 5.0, A DEADLY THAW, Sarah Ward
43. 4.7, THE WOMAN IN BLUE, Elly Griffiths 
44. 4.3, SERPENTS IN EDEN, Martin Edwards (edit)
45. 4.3, THE MISTLETOE MURDER, P.D.James 
46. 4.7, MAGPIE MURDERS, Anthony Horowitz 
47. 5.0, CONCLAVE, Robert Harris 
48. 4.2, CLOSED CASKET, Sophie Hannah 
49. 4.9, BLOOD LINES, Angela Marsons 

100 Reached!

This week I completed reading my 100th book for the year.

I doubt that I am going to reach the 135 which is my target for the year, expecially as I am about a month behind about where I was when I reached 100 last year.

Each year I wonder why I set myself targets and persuade myself that it gives direction to my reading. In reality I read whatever I want to, and targets have very little influence.

I do keep a summary page of my reading challenges, and the stats make interesting reading.

• nearly 25% of the books read are by Australian authors
• nearly 50% have been e-books
• over 40% have been by British authors
• 50% have been new-to-me authors
• over 30% have been borrowed from my local library (none of these are e-books) 
• over 15 % have been translated from another language into English
• over 15% have been Vintage books published before 1960
• only 6% have not been crime fiction
• 10% have been Nordic crime fiction

All the books I have read in 2016 are listed here.
Here are the top of the list: I do attempt some sort of order but in reality there is probably not a lot of difference between 5.0 and 4.7

1. 5.0, THE LAKE HOUSE, Kate Morton
2. 5.0, A DEADLY THAW, Sarah Ward 
3. 5.0, THE WRONG HAND, Jane Jago 
4. 4.9, WHAT SHE NEVER TOLD ME, Kate McQuaile 
5. 4.9, ALL THE BIRDS, SINGING, Evie Wyld
6. 4.9, COFFIN ROAD, Peter May
7. 4.9, PLAY DEAD, Angela Marsons
8. 4.8, AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, Emily Maguire 
9. 4.8, THE BLOOD STRAND, Chris Ould 
10. 4.8, THE WATERS OF ETERNAL YOUTH, Donna Leon
11. 4.8, TWISTER, Jane Woodham
12. 4.8, THE WIDOW, Fiona Barton
13. 4.7, THE DRY, Jane Harper 
14. 4.7, THE WOMAN IN BLUE, Elly Griffiths 
15. 4.7, EVEN THE DEAD, Benjamin Black
16. 4.7, A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, Michael Stanley
17. 4.7, THE CHOSEN, Kristina Ohlsson
18. 4.7, THE TRAP, Melanie Raabe
19. 4.7, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN, Peter Lovesey 
20. 4.7, THE STONE WIFE, Peter Lovesey
21. 4.7, ENOUGH ROPE, Barbara Nadel
22. 4.7, LOST GIRLS, Angela Marsons

What I read in March 2016

March 2016

I've done some lovely reading this month - a lot of British authors.

Crimes are committed but my pick of the month ALL THE BIRDS, SINGING by Evie Wyld is not strictly crime fiction.
It is set in the UK and Australia and won Australia's Miles Franklin award for literature in 2014.

THE PRICE OF LOVE by Peter Robinson is a collection of short stories, while  A RISING MAN by Abir Mukherjee introduces an interesting sleuth in Calcutta in 1919.

Looking for an Australian author? - try DARKEST PLACE by Jaye Ford and if you've never read any Peter Lovesey why not give THE STONE WIFE a go?

• 4.7, ENOUGH ROPE, Barbara Nadel
• 4.1, SMALLBONE DECEASED, Michael Gilbert 
• 4.4, CHARLES PARIS: MURDER UNPROMPTED, Simon Brett 
• 4.6, DARKEST PLACE, Jaye Ford 
• 4.9, ALL THE BIRDS, SINGING, Evie Wyld
• 4.2, CHARLES PARIS: CORPORATE BODIES, Simon Brett 
• 4.8, THE WIDOW, Fiona Barton
• 4.4, FATAL ERROR, Michael Ridpath 
• 4.4, A RISING MAN, Abir Mukherjee 
• 4.4, THE PRICE OF LOVE, Peter Robinson
• 4.5, THE BITTER SEASON, Tami Hoag  
• 4.0, MAIGRET IN NEW YORK, Georges Simenon
• 4.5, LITTLE GREY CELLS: The Quotable  POIROT, Agatha Christie (edited by David Brawn) 
• 4.7, THE STONE WIFE, Peter Lovesey  

See what others have picked this month.

Review: THE STONE WIFE, Peter Lovesey

• This edition published in 2014 by Soho Press
• ISBN 978-1-61695-393-5
• 358 pages
• source: my local library
• #14 in the Peter Diamond series

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

At an auction house in Bath, England, a large slab of carved stone is up for sale. At the height of what turns into very competitive bidding, there is a holdup attempt by three masked raiders who are trying to steal the stone. They shoot and kill the highest bidder, a professor who has recognized the female figure carved in the stone as the Wife of Bath from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The masked would-be thieves flee, leaving the stone behind.

Peter Diamond and his team are assigned to investigate, and the stone is moved into Diamond's office so he can research its origins. The carving causes such difficulties that he starts to think it has jinxed him. Meanwhile, as Diamond's leads take him to Chaucer's house in Somerset, his intrepid colleague Ingeborg goes undercover to try to track down the source of the handgun used in the fatal murder.

My take

Another good read from Peter Lovesey with a sprinkling of humour.

When a would-be buyer of a massive stone carving thought to be of the Wife of Bath is shot dead in the middle of the auction, Peter Diamond becomes the temporary custodian of the carving. She squats on her "ambler" in the corner of his office, and occasionally he finds himself talking to her.

The investigation into the murder takes Diamond and his team into some very strange territory indeed. The victim is an English professor, not particularly well-liked by his students or colleagues. There is no shortage of possible suspects: the victim's wife former husband is an extremely wealthy property developer; then there is an ambitious academic who would never become professor while the victim was alive; and what about the "fixer" who supplied the gun? 

I really like the way Lovesey can create an interesting plot with lots of red herrings from almost nothing.

Looking for cracking British crime fiction? Then try Peter Lovesey.

My rating : 4.7


I've also read
MAD HATTER'S HOLIDAY
SKELETON HILL
THE REAPER
5.0, STAGESTRUCK
5.0, COP TO CORPSE
4.5, THE HEADHUNTERS
4.8, THE TOOTH TATTOO
4.7, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN

What I read in February 2016

Pick of the month February 2016

I'm a bit late with this summary.

Some excellent reads as you will see from the list below:

• 4.3, MURDER ON THE HOUR, Elizabeth J. Duncan
• 4.9, WHAT SHE NEVER TOLD ME, Kate McQuaile
• 4.9, COFFIN ROAD, Peter May
• 4.7, EVEN THE DEAD, Benjamin Black
• 4.3, LOCK NO 1. Maigret #18, Georges Simenon 
• 4.4, BOGMAN, R.I. Olufsen  
• 4.4, LONDON'S GLORY, Christopher Fowler 
• 3.7, THE SANTA KLAUS MURDER, Mavis Doriel Hay
• 4.0. Agatha Christie, the Lost Plays
• 4.8, TWISTER, Jane Woodham  
• 4.5, MISSING, Melanie Casey
• 4.7, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN, Peter Lovesey 

 My Pick of the month is WHAT SHE NEVER TOLD ME by Kate McQuaile

Here is the synopsis:
What do you do when you find out that your whole life could be a lie?

I talked to my mother the night she died, losing myself in memories of when we were happiest together. But I held one memory back, and it surfaces now, unbidden. I see a green postbox and a small hand stretching up to its oblong mouth. I am never sure whether that hand is mine. But if not mine, whose?

Louise Redmond left Ireland for London before she was twenty. Now, more than two decades later, her heart already breaking from a failing marriage, she is summoned home. Her mother is on her deathbed, and it is Louise's last chance to learn the whereabouts of a father she never knew.

Stubborn to the end, Marjorie refuses to fill in the piecesof her daughter's fragmented past. Then Louise unexpectedly finds a lead. A man called David Prescott . . . but is he really the father she's been trying to find? And who is the mysterious little girl who appears so often in her dreams? As each new piece of the puzzle leads to another question, Louise begins to suspect that the memories she most treasures could be a delicate web of lies.
See my review

See what others have chosen for Pick of the Month  

Review: DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN, Peter Lovesey

• first published in Great Britain in 2015 by Sphere
• ISBN 978-0-7515-5887-6
• 377 pages
• source: my local library

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

A nightmare discovery in the boot of a stolen BMW plunges car thief Danny Stapleton into the worst trouble of his life. What links his misfortune to the mysterious disappearance of an art teacher at a private school for girls in Chichester?

Orders from above push Peter Diamond of Bath CID into investigating a police corruption case in the Chichester force, and he soon finds himself reluctantly dealing with spirited schoolgirls, eccentric artists and his formidable old colleague, Hen Mallin.

My Take

Peter Diamond's boss Georgina Dallymore has been asked by colleague Archie Hahn to investigate corruption charges against one of his DCIs. Hen Mallin has already been suspended and Hahn wants to know what he should do next. He is expecting Dallymore to really rubber stamp his decision at the same time as making what appears to be an impartial investigation.

Georgina takes Peter Diamond to Chichester with her to assist in the investigation. She really likes the sound of Dallymore & Diamond, detectives, but she lives in false hope if she thinks she can control Peter Diamond. What she doesn't realise is how he manipulates her.  Instead of focussing on Mallin's lapse Peter tries to work out how the body came to be in the boot of the BMW and that leads him to the real cause of why Hen Mallin has been suspended.

There are lots of tongue-in-cheek moments in this novel which made it a delight to read. Even the title is tarred with an ironic brush.

And I see there is another Peter Diamond title to look for this year.

My rating: 4.7


I've also read
MAD HATTER'S HOLIDAY
SKELETON HILL
THE REAPER
5.0, STAGESTRUCK
5.0, COP TO CORPSE
4.5, THE HEADHUNTERS
4.8, THE TOOTH TATTOO

The Peter Diamond series (Fantastic Fiction)
1. The Last Detective (1991)
2. Diamond Solitaire (1992)
3. The Summons (1995)
4. Bloodhounds (1996)
5. Upon A Dark Night (1997)
6. The Vault (1999)
7. Diamond Dust (2002)
8. The House Sitter (2003)
9. The Secret Hangman (2007)
10. Skeleton Hill (2009)
11. Stagestruck (2011)
12. Cop to Corpse (2012)
13. The Tooth Tattoo (2013)
14. The Stone Wife (2014)
15. Down Among the Dead Men (2015)
16. Another One Goes Tonight (2016)
 
Inspector Hen Mallin Investigation
1. The Circle (2005)
2. The Headhunters (2008) 

And so the list grows

TBRN - To Be Read Next - lists to give me direction
but I often ignore them :-)

I am never short of reading but the list below makes me feel a bit like a kleptomaniac! Anybody want to lend me a deserted island/

Library Book

• DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN, Peter Lovesey

from Net Galley

• MURDER AND OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS, Lida Sideris
• KILLING ADONIS, Josh Donellan
• KING MAYBE, Tim Hallinan
• NO FREE MAN, Graham Potts
• LONDON'S GLORY, Christopher Fowler
• THE BIG BRUSH OFF, Michael Murphy
• PAINTED BLACK, Greg Kihn
• The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O'Keeffe, J. Michael Orenduff

from my TBR

• DIE WITH ME, Elena Forbes

audio books on the go

• THE SANTA KLAUS MURDER, Muriel Doriel Hoy
• MYSTERY IN WHITE, J. Jefferson Farjeon

from my Kindle

• THE TRIGGER, L. J. Sellers
• SOURDOUGH WARS, Julie Smith
• ON THE LIP OF A LION, Roy Jenner
• KILLER'S ISLAND, Anna Jannson
• MIDNIGHT SUN, Jo Nesbo
• THE BLACK PILL, Gino Cox
• THE DYNAMITE ROOM, Jason Hewitt
• THE RESISTANCE MAN, Martin Walker
• THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB, David Lagercrantz
• THE BLACKMAIL BLEND, Livia Day
• IT HAPPENED IN EGYPT, Charles Norris Williams

review books

• BROKEN ANGELS, Russell Heath
• THE SECRET ARTS, Azmar Dar
• THE MIDNIGHT WATCH, David Dyer
• MISSING, Melanie Casey
• THE FALLING DETECTIVE, Christopher Carlsson
• TWISTER, Jane Woodham
• IN THE DARK, Chris Patchell
• LOST IN NEW YORK, J.J. Henderson
• THE GOLDILOCKS PLANET, Paula Bernstein
• GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC, Helen Goltz
• ONE TOO MANY, Maureen Jennings
• THE ABRUPT BUSINESS OF DYING, Paul Hardisty
• THE FOURTH REICH, Helen Goltz
• DEATH BY DISGUISE,, Helen Goltz

My Top Reads for 2013

This list comes from my Reviews for 2013 and comprises the books I awarded 5.0 to.
They are in no particular order:

1. 5.0, BITTER WASH ROAD, Garry Disher
2. 5.0, THE ROBBERS, Paul Anderson
3. 5.0, DEAD WATER, Ann Cleeves  
4. 5.0, TRUST YOUR EYES, Linwood Barclay
5. 5.0, THE LEWIS MAN, Peter May 
6. 5.0, THE LAST POLICEMAN, Ben H. Winters
7. 5.0, TRACES OF RED, Paddy Richardson
8. 5.0, DEADLY HARVEST, Michael Stanley 
9. 5.0, CLOUDSTREET, Tim Winton  
10. 5.0, THE GHOST RIDERS OF ORDEBEC, Fred Vargas
11. 5.0, ALEX, Pierre Lemaitre
12. 5.0, THE CUCKOO'S CALLING, J.K. Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith 
    
    Of course you could argue that there is probably actually little difference between those and the next batch that I gave 4.9 to.
    
13. 4.9, BLACKWATERCREEK, Geoffrey McGeachin
14. 4.9, SILENT VALLEY, Malla Nunn
15. 4.9, CAPTURED, Neil Cross
16. 4.9, BLACK SKIES, Arnaldur Indridason
17. 4.9, THE DARK WINTER, David Mark

or even those that scored 4.8

1. 4.8, THE TOOTH TATTOO, Peter Lovesey
2. 4.8, THE MISTAKE, Wendy James 
3. 4.8, ROTTEN GODS, Greg Barron
4. 4.8, UNNATURAL HABITS, Kerry Greenwood 
5. 4.8, STANDING IN ANOTHER MAN'S GRAVE, Ian Rankin
6. 4.8, SUFFICIENT GRACE, Amy Espeseth
7. 4.8, THE MARMALADE FILES, Steve Lewis & Chris Uhlmann
8. 4.8, PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, Geraldine Brooks
9. 4.8, A DARK ADAPTED EYE, Barbara Vine 
10. 4.8, ICE COLD, Tess Gerritsen 
11. 4.8, IF I TELL YOU... I'LL HAVE TO KILL YOU, Michael Robotham (edit) 
12. 4.8, THE HIGHLAND WITCH (aka CORRAG), Susan Fletcher

On my predilection for British crime fiction

I don't suppose that I should have been surprised that, out 133 books read so far this year, 50 of them are by British authors. After all, last year it was 60 out of 142.
I'll have a couple more to add to my list by year's end. (I'm currently enjoying an audio version of Christopher Fowler's FULL DARK HOUSE, the beginning of the Bryant & May series.)

Of course each year the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge accounts for 12 titles.
And I have to admit that I have still more unread British titles on my shelves and on my Kindle.
Nevertheless I join a British reading challenge each year, really just as an excuse to record what I read.

Here is my list for this year.
You'll see there are many excellent reads among them.

1. 4.4, NO MERCY, Wendy Cartmell
2. 4.5, TUESDAY'S GONE, Nicci French
3. 4.2, DESTINATION UNKNOWN, Agatha Christie
4. 4.9, THE DARK WINTER, David Mark 
5. 4.5, THE OFFICE OF THE DEAD, Andrew Taylor 
6. 4.3, AN ARTISTIC WAY TO GO, Roderic Jeffries
7. 4.0, REVENGE OF THE TIDE, Elizabeth Haynes 
8. 4.4, SHADOW OF THE ROCK, Thomas Mogford 
9. 4.2, MRS QUEEN TAKES THE TRAIN, William Kuhn - NOT crime fiction
10. 4.1, DEAD MAN'S FOLLY, Agatha Christie 
11. 4.3, TRIAL BY FIRE, Frances Fyfield 
12. 4.4. AGENT 6, Tom Rob Smith 
13. 4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD, Simon Brett 
14. 5.0, DEAD WATER, Ann Cleeves 
15. 4.4, 4.50 FROM PADDINGTON, Agatha Christie 
16. 4.4, THE CARRIER, Sophie Hannah 
17. 4.8, THE HIGHLAND WITCH (aka CORRAG), Susan Fletcher 
18. 4.5, BRYANT & MAY AND THE INVISIBLE CODE, Christopher Fowler
19. 4.1, THE BAGHDAD RAILWAY CLUB, Andrew Martin
20. 4.7, THE EARTH HUMS IN B FLAT, Mari Strachan 
21. 4.5, ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE, Agatha Christie 
22. 4.8, STANDING IN ANOTHER MAN'S GRAVE, Ian Rankin 
23. 4.4, THE LOST LIBRARY, A.M. Dean 
24. 4.7, BRING UP THE BODIES, Hilary Mantel 
25. 4.8, THE TOOTH TATTOO, Peter Lovesey 
26. 5.0, THE LEWIS MAN, Peter May 
27. 4.6, THE FROZEN SHROUD, Martin Edwards
28. 4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL, Simon Brett 
29. 4.3, CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS, Agatha Christie 
30. 4.4, THE PALE HORSE, Agatha Christie 
31. 4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT, Simon Brett 
32. 4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY, Simon Brett 
33. 4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT, Simon Brett 
34. 4.4, SHORT SENTENCE: 10 stories of dastardly deeds, Parker Bilal et al 
35. 4.7, THE MIRROR CRACK'D FROM SIDE TO SIDE, Agatha Christie 
36. 4.7, GODS AND BEASTS, Denise Mina 
37. 4.8, A DARK ADAPTED EYE, Barbara Vine
38. 4.1, LORD JAMES HARRINGTON AND THE WINTER MYSTERY, Lynn Florkiewicz 
39. 3.8, THE DEVIL'S MOON, Peter Guttridge 
40. 4.2, THE CLOCKS, Agatha Christie 
41. 4.7, WAITING FOR WEDNESDAY, Nicci French 
42. 4.5, MISS MARPLE STORIES: SOLVING SIX, Agatha Christie 
43. 4.6, THE MASTER OF THE MOOR, Ruth Rendell
44. 4.5, M.O. CRIMES OF PRACTICE, Martin Edwards (edit) 
45. 4.4, A CARIBBEAN MYSTERY, Agatha Christie 
46. 4.5, REFUSAL, Felix Francis
47. 5.0, THE CUCKOO'S CALLING, J.K. Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith 
48. 4.5, NO MAN'S NIGHTINGALE, Ruth Rendell 
49. 4.3, SHADOW OF THE SERPENT, David Ashton 
50. 4.3, AT BERTRAM'S HOTEL, Agatha Christie 

Give Crime Fiction for Christmas in 2013, Part One

If you are looking for books to give for Christmas here are a few suggestions from my best reads for 2013.
There are some Australian and New Zealand authors among them.
Many are available from Amazon in paperback or for Kindle.

1. 5.0, BITTER WASH ROAD, Garry Disher- Aus
2. 5.0, THE ROBBERS, Paul Anderson- Aus
3. 5.0, DEAD WATER, Ann Cleeves  
4. 5.0, TRUST YOUR EYES, Linwood Barclay
5. 5.0, THE LEWIS MAN, Peter May 
6. 5.0, THE LAST POLICEMAN, Ben H. Winters
7. 5.0, TRACES OF RED, Paddy Richardson - NZ
8. 5.0, DEADLY HARVEST, Michael Stanley 
9. 5.0, CLOUDSTREET, Tim Winton - Aus 
10. 5.0, THE GHOST RIDERS OF ORDEBEC, Fred Vargas
11. 5.0, ALEX, Pierre Lemaitre
12. 5.0, THE CUCKOO'S CALLING, J.K. Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith 
13. 4.9, BLACKWATERCREEK, Geoffrey McGeachin -Aus
14. 4.9, SILENT VALLEY, Malla Nunn- Aus
15. 4.9, CAPTURED, Neil Cross - NZ
16. 4.9, BLACK SKIES, Arnaldur Indridason
17. 4.9, THE DARK WINTER, David Mark
18. 4.8, THE TOOTH TATTOO, Peter Lovesey
19. 4.8, THE MISTAKE, Wendy James - Aus
20. 4.8, ROTTEN GODS, Greg Barron - Aus
21. 4.8, UNNATURAL HABITS, Kerry Greenwood - Aus
22. 4.8, STANDING IN ANOTHER MAN'S GRAVE, Ian Rankin
23. 4.8, SUFFICIENT GRACE, Amy Espeseth- Aus
24. 4.8, THE MARMALADE FILES, Steve Lewis & Chris Uhlmann- Aus
25. 4.8, PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, Geraldine Brooks- Aus
26. 4.8, A DARK ADAPTED EYE, Barbara Vine 
27. 4.8, ICE COLD, Tess Gerritsen 
28. 4.8, IF I TELL YOU... I'LL HAVE TO KILL YOU, Michael Robotham (edit) - Aus
29. 4.8, THE HIGHLAND WITCH (aka CORRAG), Susan Fletcher
30. 4.7, IN HER BLOOD, Annie Hauxwell- Aus

Check all my 2013 reviews.

Crime Fiction Alphabet 2013: P is for Peter Lovesey, THE TOOTH TATTOO

Following a pattern established in 2012, my contributions to the Crime Fiction Alphabet in 2013 will mainly feature authors or books that I have read recently.

My choice this week is THE TOOTH TATTOO by Peter Lovesey

• this edition published by Sphere Great Britain 2013
• ISBN 978-0-7515-5061-0
• 389 pages
• #13 in the Peter Diamond series

Synopsis (author's website)

Peter Diamond, head of Bath’s CID, takes a city break in Vienna, where his favourite film, The Third Man, was set, but everything goes wrong and his companion Paloma calls a halt to their relationship.

Meanwhile, strange things are happening to jobbing musician Mel Farran, who finds himself scouted by methods closer to the spy world than the concert platform. The chance of joining a once-famous string quartet in a residency at Bath Spa University is too tempting for Mel to refuse.

Then a body is found in the city canal, and the only clue to the dead woman’s identity is the tattoo of a music note on one of her teeth. For Diamond, who wouldn’t know a Stradivarius from a French horn, the investigation is his most demanding ever. Three mysterious deaths need to be probed while his own personal life is in free fall.

See my review

See what others have chosen for the letter P.

What I read in June 2013

Crime Fiction Pick of the Month 2013

A nice solid reading month, 11 books read, a couple of promising new Australian authors, three audio books, and some top notch British fiction.

• 4.3, CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS, Agatha Christie - library book
• 4.3, THE EASY SIN, Jon Cleary  - Aussie author, audio book
• 4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL, Simon Brett  - library book
• 4.6, THE FROZEN SHROUD, Martin Edwards  - library book
• 5.0, THE LEWIS MAN, Peter May - audio book
• 4.8, THE TOOTH TATTOO, Peter Lovesey - library book
• 4.5, MIDNIGHT PROMISE, Zane Lovitt  - Aussie author
• 4.8, ROTTEN GODS, Greg Barron  - Aussie author
• 4.3, THE DEVIL'S SANCTUARY, Marie Hermanson  - translated, library book
• 4.3, PROMISE, Tony Cavanaugh  - Aussie author
• 4.7, BRING UP THE BODIES, Hilary Mantel  - audio book

My pick of the month was THE LEWIS MAN by Peter May which admittedly I listened to rather than read.
It is the second in the Lewis trilogy. My review is here.

See what others have chosen for their Pick of the Month.

Review: THE TOOTH TATTOO, Peter Lovesey

• this edition published by Sphere Great Britain 2013
• ISBN 978-0-7515-5061-0
• 389 pages
• #13 in the Peter Diamond series

Synopsis (author's website)

Peter Diamond, head of Bath’s CID, takes a city break in Vienna, where his favourite film, The Third Man, was set, but everything goes wrong and his companion Paloma calls a halt to their relationship.

Meanwhile, strange things are happening to jobbing musician Mel Farran, who finds himself scouted by methods closer to the spy world than the concert platform. The chance of joining a once-famous string quartet in a residency at Bath Spa University is too tempting for Mel to refuse.

Then a body is found in the city canal, and the only clue to the dead woman’s identity is the tattoo of a music note on one of her teeth. For Diamond, who wouldn’t know a Stradivarius from a French horn, the investigation is his most demanding ever. Three mysterious deaths need to be probed while his own personal life is in free fall.

My Take

The promo on the book cover has Sara Paretsky saying "I'm jealous of everyone discovering Lovesey and Diamond for the first time". I couldn't agree more.

I looked forward to THE TOOTH TATTOO with great expectation and it didn't disappoint me.

While the Peter Diamond series are basically British police procedurals, Lovesey uses them to explore and develop relationships, both Diamond's personal ones and those that result from his team management techniques. In addition Lovesey is a dab hand at pulling seemingly disparate plot lines together. In the beginning you find yourself wondering what these separate parts of the story can have to do with each other, and then light begins to dawn. Peter Lovesey, whom I have been following for 40 years now, has an easy to read style that keeps bringing me back for more.

My rating: 4.8

I have also reviewed
MAD HATTER'S HOLIDAY
SKELETON HILL
THE REAPER
5.0, STAGESTRUCK
5.0, COP TO CORPSE
4.5, THE HEADHUNTERS

The Peter Diamond series (Fantastic Fiction)
1. The Last Detective (1991)
2. Diamond Solitaire (1992)
3. The Summons (1995)
4. Bloodhounds (1996)
5. Upon A Dark Night (1997)
6. The Vault (1999)
7. Diamond Dust (2002)
8. The House Sitter (2003)
9. The Secret Hangman (2007)
10. Skeleton Hill (2009)
11. Stagestruck (2011)
12. Cop to Corpse (2012)
13. The Tooth Tattoo (2013)
14. The Stone Wife (2014)

Best Crime Fiction 2012 - all the titles

I've been collecting suggestions for the best crime fiction fellow bloggers read in 2012 and have culled lists from 28 blogs, and put together a total list of 366 books.
There were 310 unique titles in the list. That was a bit unusual. There are usually more listed several times.

Some bloggers have focussed on books published in 2012 while others have rated all that they read, regardless of the year of publication. Some have focussed on mysteries, while others, like me, have ranged wider.

What is strange about the list I have put together is that no one book dominates, no one author either. There is a very wide diversity. Some British and European authors you might have expected to dominate are missing.

I have already published lists by titles or authors nominated more than once.
Here is the full list of the unique titles. Happy hunting and reading.


7 DAYS    Meyer, Deon
A COFFIN FOR DIMITRIOS    Ambler, Eric
A DARK REDEMPTION    Sherez, Stav
A DEATH ON THE FAMILY    Knausgaard, Karle Ove
A DETAILED MAN    Swinson, David
A DIRTY JOB    Moore, Christopher
A F*CKLOAD OF SHORTS    Ayres, Jedidah
A FEW RIGHT THINKING MEN    Gentill, Sulari
A FISTFUL OF COLLARS    Quinn, Spencer
A GOOD DEATH    Ironside, Elizabeth
A KILLING IN THE HILLS    Keller, Julia
A LILY OF THE FIELD    Lawton, John
A MURDER IN THEBES    Apostolou, Anna
A PLACE OF EXECUTION    McDermid, Val
A SPARK OF DEATH    Pajer, Bernadette
A TRICK OF THE LIGHT    Penny, Louise
A WALK IN THE DARK    Carofiglio, Gianrico de
ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL    Burke, Declan
AFTER THE FUNERAL    Christie, Agatha
ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE    Edwards, Martin
ALONE IN THE CLASSROOM    Hay, Elizabeth
ALPHA    Rucka, Greg
AN EASY THING    Taibo, Paco Ignacio
AN EMPTY DEATH    Wilson, Laura
AND THE LAND LAY STILL    Robertson, James
AND WHEN SHE WAS GOOD    Lippman, Laura
ANGER MODE    Tegenfalk, Stefan
ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER LIFE    Persson, Leif GW
ARCTIC CHILL    Indridason, Arnaldur
ASHES    Gakas, Sergei
BATTLE ROYALE    Takami, Koushun
BEDS OF NAILS    Varenne, Antonin
BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP    Watson, S. J.
BEFORE THE POISON    Robinson, Peter
BELIEVING THE LIE    George, Elizabeth
BERLIN GAME    Deighton, Len
BETWEEN SUMMER'S LONGING AND WINTER'S END    Persson, Leif GW
BIG MARIA    Shaw, Johnny
BITTER WATER    Ferris, Gordon
BLACK FLOWERS    Mosby, Steve
BLACK SKIES    Indridason, Arnaldur
BLACK WATTLE CREEK    McGeachin, Geoffrey
BLACKBIRDS    Wendig, Chuck
BLESSED ARE THE DEAD    Nunn, Malla
BLOOD ON THE MINK    Silverberg, Robert
BLOOD RED TURNS DOLLAR GREEN    O'Brien, Paul
BLOOD SAFARI    Meyer, Deon
BLOODLAND    Glynn, Alan
BOOK OF MURDER    Martinez, Guillermo
BRAT FARRAR    Tey, Josephine
BROKEN HARBOR    French, Tana
BURNED    Enger, Thomas
CASH OUT    Bardsley, Greg
CLAWBACK    Cooper, Mike
COLD HANDS    Niven, John J.
COLLECTING COOPER    Cleave, Paul
CONFINED SPACE    Collier, Deryn
COP TO CORPSE    Lovesey, Peter
CRASHED    Hallinan, Timothy
CREOLE BELLE    Burke, James Lee
CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER    Franklin, Tom
DANDY GILVER AND A BOTHERSOME NUMBER OF CORPSES    McPherson, Catriona
DARE ME    Abbott, Megan
DARK ANGEL    Jungstedt, Mari
DARK CITY BLUE    Preston, Luke
DARK ROOM    Mosby, Steve
DEAD HARVEST    Holm, Chris F.
DEAD SCARED    Bolton, S. J.
DEAD TO ME    Staincliffe, Cath
DEATH IN SARDINIA    Vichi, Marco
DEATH KNOCKS THREE TIMES    Gilbert, Anthony
DEATH OF A UNICORN    Dickinson, Peter
DEATH ON A LONGSHIP    Taylor, Marsali
DIE, YOU BASTARD! DIE!    Kozlowski, Jan
DISAPPEARED    Quinn, Anthony
DOMINION    Sansom, C. J.
DON'T EVER GET OLD    Friedman, Daniel
DOUBLE-D DOUBLE CROSS    Faust, Christina
DRIVEN    Sallis, James
DRIVING ALONE    Helmick, Kevin Lynn
DRIVING THROUGH THE DESERT    Lynch, Donna
EDGE OF DARK WATER    Landsdale, Joe R.
EL GAVILAN    McDonald, Craig
FAULT LINE    Goddard, Robert
FIFTEEN DIGITS    Santora, Nick
FINDERS KEEPRES    Bauer, Belinda
FLASHOVER    Highland, Gordon
GARNET HILL (trilogy)    Mina, Denise
GHOST MONEY    Nette, Andrew
GHOSTHEART    Ellory, R. J.
GHOSTING    Gann, Kirby
GONE    Hayder, Mo
GONE BABY GONE    Lehane, Denis
GONE GIRL    Flynn, Gillian
GROWING UP DEAD IN TEXAS    Jones, Stephen Graham
GUTSHOT STRAIGHT    Berney, Lou
HANGING HILL    Hayder, Mo
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TURK    Arjouni, Jakob
HARBOR NOCTURNE    Wambaugh, Joseph
HELL ON CHURCH STREET    Hinkson, Jake
HICKORY DICKORY DOCK    Christie, Agatha
HIT AND RUN    Johnstone, Doug
HOMICIDE    Simon, David
HOUR OF THE WOLF    Nesser, Hakan
HOUSE OF THE HUNTED    Mills, Mark
I REMEMBER YOU    Sigurdardottir, Yrsa
IMMOBILITY    Evenson, Brian
IN THE WOODS    French, Tana
INVISIBLE MURDER    Kaaberbol, Lene & Friis, Agnete
ISTANBUL PASSAGE    Kanon, Josef
JOHNNY PORNO    Stella, Charlie
KALEIDOSCOPE    Bowen, Gail
KINGS OF COOL    Winslow, Don
KNOCK-EM-STIFF    Pollock, Donald Ray
LABYRINTH OF OSIRIS    Sussman, Paul
LAKE COUNTRY    Dolittle, Sean
LAST WILL    Marklund, Lisa
LETHAL INJECTION    Nisbet, Jim
LETHAL INVESTMENTS    Dahl, K.O
LIFE AND FATE    Grossman, Vasily
LIVIN' LAHAINA LOCA    Bassett, JoAnn
LORRAINE CONNECTION    Manotti, Dominique
LOST IN CLOVER    Richardson, Travis
LYRICS ALLEY    Aboulela, Leila
MADAME MEPHISTO    Bakalar, A.M.
MIDWINTER SACRIFICE    Kallentoft, Mons
MISERY BAY    Hamilton, Steve
MISS PYM DISPOSES    Tey, Josephine
MIXED BLOOD    Smith, Roger
MOCKINGBIRD    Wendig, Chuck
MOONLIGHT MILE    Lehane, Denis
MURDER OF HALLAND    Juul, Pia
MURDER ON THE 31ST FLOOR    Wahloo, Per
NEVER APOLOGISE, NEVER EXPLAIN    Craig, James
NICEVILLE    Stroud, Carsten
NIGHT ROUNDS    Tursten, Helene
NINE MAN'S MURDER    Keith, Eric
THE NINTH STEP    Jerkins, Grant
NO GRAVE FOR A LADY    Bonett, John and Emery
NO MARK UPON HER    Crombie, Deborah
NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH    Chase, James Hadley
NOT DEAD YET    James, Peter
ONE TWO BUCKLE MY SHOE    Christie, Agatha
PARADISE CITY    Mayor, Archer
PAST THE SHALLOWS    Parrett, Favel
PAVING THE NEW ROAD    Gentill, Sulari
PAYBACK    Nicol, Mike
PHANTOM    Nesbo, Jo
PIERCED    Enger, Thomas
PIG IRON    Myers, Benjamin
PRAGUE FATALE    Kerr, Philip
PROOF OF LIFE    Campbell, Karen
RAYLAN: A NOVEL    Leonard, Elmore
RESURRECTION EXPRESS    Romano, Stephen
RIVER OF SHADOWS    Varesi, Valerio
ROMAN GAMES    Macbain, Bruce
SAILOR    Epperson, Tom
SCRATCH DEEPER    Simms, Chris
SIEGE    Kernick, Simon
SILENT VOICES    Cleeves, Ann
SISTERS OF MERCY    Overington, Caroline
SLOWLY, SLOWLY IN THE WIND    Highsmith, Patricia
SOME DANGER INVOLVED    Thomas, Will
SORRY. PLEASE    Yu, Charles
SPIES    Verissimo, Luis Fernando
SPIES OF THE BALKANS    Furst, Alan
SPLIT SECOND    Staincliffe, Cath
STANDING IN ANOTHER MAN'S GRAVE    Rankin, Ian
STAY AWAKE    Chaon, Dan
STRAY BULLETS    Rotenberg, Robert
SUCH FRIENDS ARE DANGEROUS    Tyrer, Walter
SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN    Tremayne, Peter
SWALLOWING A DONKEY'S EYE    Tremblay, Paul
SWEETNESS OF LIFE    Hochgatterer, Paulus
TAHOE TRAP    Borg, Tod
TEMPORARY PERFECTIONS    Carofiglio, Gianrico de
THE AGE OF MIRACLES    Walker, Karen Thompson
THE BAT    Rinehart, Mary Roberts
THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY    Penny, Louise
THE BLACK PATH    Larsson. Asa
THE BLACKHOUSE    May, Peter
THE BLIND GODDESS    Holt, Anne
THE BROTHERHOOD    Erskine, Y.A.
THE CADAVER GAME    Ellis, Kate
THE CALLER    Fossum, Karin
THE CHALK CIRCLE    Vargas, Fred
THE CHESSMEN    May, Peter
THE CHOSEN    Hunt, Arlene
THE CITY OF SHADOWS    Russell, Michael
THE CLOCK IN THE HATBOX    Gilbert, Anthony
THE COCKTAIL WAITRESS    Cain, James M.
THE COLD, COLD GROUND    McKinty, Adrian
THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS    Wilson, Robert
THE CRIMSON ROOMS    McMahon, Katherine
THE CUTTING ROOM    Welsh, Louise
THE DARK EARTH    Jacobs, John Hornor
THE DARK ROSE    Kelly, Erin
THE DARK WINTER    Mark, David
THE DEATH OF THE MANTIS    Stanley, Michael
THE DEMON OF DARTMOOR    Halter, Paul
THE DEVIL DOESN'T WANT ME    Beetner, Eric
THE DEVIL OF ALL TIME    Pollock, Donald Ray
THE DEVOTED    Shapiro, Eric
THE DISPATCHER    David, Ryan
THE DOUBLE GAME    Fesperman, Dan
THE DOVE SEASON    Shaw, Johnny
THE DROP    Connelly, Michael
THE EIGHT OF SWORDS    Dickson Carr, John
THE END OF THE WASP SEASON    Mina, Denise
THE ENGLISHMAN'S CAMEO    Liddle, Madhulikka
THE ENVOY    Wilson, Edward
THE EXPATS: A NOVEL    Pavone, Chris
THE EYES OF LIRA KAZAN    Joly, Eva and Perrignon, Judith
THE FACE THIEF    Gottlieb, Eli
THE FATHERLAND    Harris, Robert
THE FEAR ARTIST    Hallinan, Timothy
THE FEAR ARTIST    Hallinan, Timothy
THE FIFTH MAN    Coles, Manning
THE GHOST    Harris, Robert
THE GIRL ON THE STAIRS    Welsh, Louise
THE GLASS ROOM    Cleeves, Ann
THE GODS OF GOTHAM    Faye, Lindsay
THE GUARDS    Bruen, Ken
THE HIDDEN CHILD    Lackberg, Camilla
THE HOUR OF THE WOLF    Nesser, Hakan
THE IMPEACHMENT OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN    Carter, Stephen L.
THE INNOCENT    Baldacci, David
THE KEY    Toyne, Simon
THE KILLING OF EMMA GROSS    Seaman, Damien
THE KINGS OF COOL    Winslow, Don
THE LAST KIND WORDS    Piccirilli, Tom
THE LAST POLICEMAN    Winters, Ben H.
THE LAST POLICEMAN    Winters, Ben H.
THE LEWIS MAN    May, Peter
THE LIMINAL PEOPLE    Jama-Everett, Ayize
THE LONG FALL    Kostoff, Lynn
THE LOST DAUGHTER    Grindle, Lucretia
THE MAGICIAN'S DEATH    Doherty, Paul
THE MALTESE FALCON    Hammett, Dashiel
THE MAN ON THE BALCONY    Sjowall, Maj and Wahloo, Per
THE MESSENGER    Miller, Stephen
THE MIDWIFE'S TALE    Thomas, Sam
THE MISTAKE    James, Wendy
THE MORNING AFTER DEATH    Blake, Nicholas
THE MOTHER HUNT    Stout, Rex
THE MURDER FARM    Schenkel, Andrea Maria
THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF MISS AUSTEN    Ashford, Lindsay
THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD    Dickens, Charles
THE NAMELESS DEAD    McGilloway, Brian
THE NINTH STEP    Jerkins, Grant
THE NOBODIES ALBUM    Parkhurst. Carolyn
THE ONE FROM THE OTHER    Kerr, Philip
THE PARIS DEADLINE    Byrd, Max
THE PLATINUM LOOP    Williams, Austin
THE POINT    Brennan, Gerard
THE POSTHUMOUS MAN    Hinkson, Jake
THE POTTER'S FIELD    Camilleri, Andrea
THE PRECIPICE    Duigan, Virginia
THE PROBLEM OF THE GREEN CAPSULE    Carr, John Dickson
THE PROFESSIONALS    Laukkanen, Owen
THE PROPHET    Koryta, Michael
THE QUARRY    Theorin, Johan
THE QUIET TWIN    Vyleta, Dan
THE RAGE    Kerrigan, Gene
THE REDEEMED    Hall, M. R.
THE REUNION    van der Vlugt, Simone
THE REVISIONISTS    Mullen, Thomas
THE ROBBERS    Anderson, Paul
THE SIXTH LAMENTATION    Brodrick, William
THE SLIPPERY STAIRCASE    Lorac, E. C. R.
THE SO BLUE MARBLE    Hughes, Dorothy B.
THE STORY OF IVY    Lowndes, Marie Belloc
THE SUCCESSOR    Kadare, Ismail
THE SUMMER OF DEAD TOYS    Hill, Antonio
THE SUSPECT    Wright, L.R.
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE    Bradley, Alan
THE THIEF    Nakamura, Fuminori
THE THREE EVANGELISTS    Vargas, Fred
THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR    Kardos, Michael
THE VANITY GAME    Hampson, H. J.
THE WATER ROOM    Fowler, Christopher
THE WHISPERING HOUSE    Erskine, Margaret
THE WHITE FOREST    McOmber, Adrian
THE WHITE LIE    Gillies, Andrea
THE WICKED GIRLS    Marwood, Alex
THE WOODCUTTER    Hill, Reginald
THE WRONG GOODBYE    Holm, Chris F.
TIGER IN THE SMOKE    Allingham, Margery
TITANIC 2012    Walker, Bill
TO LOVE AND BE WISE    Tey, Josephine
TRACKERS    Meyer, Deon
TRIPLE CROSSING    Rotella, Sebastian
TRUST YOUR EYES    Barclay, Linwood
TUESDAY'S GONE    French, Nicci
UNDER THE DIXIE MOON    Cuzon, Ro
VILE BLOOD    Wilde, Max
WAKE UP THE DEAD    Smith, Roger
WATCH OUT FOR ME    Johnson, Sylvia
WE ARE THE HANGED MEN    Lindsay, Douglas
WEE ROCKETS    Brennan, Gerard
WHAT IT WAS    Pelecanos, George
WHAT LIES WITHIN    Vowler, Tom
WHAT THE DAY OWES THE NIGHT    Khadra, Yasmina
WHERE THE DEVIL CAN'T GO    Lipska, Anya
WHERE'D YOU GO BERNADETTE?    Semple, Maria
WHISPERING DEATH    Disher, Garry
WHITE HEAT    McGrath, M.J.
WOLF TICKETS    Banks, Ray
WOLVES AND ANGELS    Jokinen, Seppo