Have you read John Grisham's juvenile lawyer series? #Review #BookTrailer

I have long enjoyed John Grisham's legal thrillers from the adult section of the library so I wondered how his juvenile series, Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer, measured up.

It turns out that I'd suggest Theodore to any middle grade reader with a desire to help out a friend. Although Theodore does have an interest in courthouse procedures and happenings he's more interested in solving problems and seeing justice done and sometimes that means a little finagling.

Of course, things are always done legally. (That's a given when you come from a family of lawyers.) That said, Mr. Grisham definitely doesn't use this series as an excuse to cheat the reader on plot detail, developments or twists. It is very much a tribute to his talents and his respect for his readers.

Last But Not Least: A Review of Dick Francis' Last Novel, Crossfire

This is Dick Francis' last novel, co-authored by his son, Felix Francis. The story has more twists and turns than a Pittsburgh highway, but it comes out so cohesively that the reader never gets lost. Recovering from a war injury, Tom Forsyth deals with unrequited love, a dysfunctional mother, blackmail, fraud, tax evasion problems and more in this excellent final novel by Mr. Francis.

Review By Guest Author Dan Jenkins

Dick Francis was the Queen of England's jockey for four seasons. When he retired from horse racing, he tried his hand at writing a novel about horse racing. It turned out that he had a talent, and he developed a large number of fans worldwide, including the Queen of England.


I've read many of Dick Francis' more than 40 novels. I always know that a Francis novel is going to be next to impossible to put down. In fact, I read Crossfire in one day. (It was the Reader's Digest Condensed Book version.) It was as good as all of his work.

Well, to be fair, Mr. Francis had a co-author on this book, his son, Felix. However, I could not see any substantial difference in style from his other novels that I've read. Perhaps his son brought in more current events, such as the main character, Tom Forsyth, being a Captain in the British Army, who served in Afghanistan. The story begins with his war injury, the loss of his foot, to an IED (improvised explosive device). Once released from the hospital, months later, Captain Forsyth returns to his childhood home and a frosty reception by his mother and step-father.

But here, the story really begins, because Forsyth quickly learns that his mother, a race horse trainer, has been defrauded and is being blackmailed. The Captain turns detective and starts to look into who is blackmailing his mother.

He finds himself kidnapped and left to die. He investigates the death of his mother's accountant. And he learns that he is in a very deadly game played by two men who appear to be upstanding citizens.

Horse racing is just the context of his mother's life. The real story is in the mystery of who is committing the fraud and blackmail.

As always, Francis knows how to tell a story. He knows how to make it very interesting without getting bogged down. In his more than 40 international best selling novels, he always develops the story line in believable and coherent ways.

Francis published his first novel in 1962. The setting for that story, Dead Cert, was the world of horse racing. For the next 38 years he wrote a novel a year, missing only 1998 (when he published a short-story collection).

Dick Francis died in February 2010, just months before this novel was published. He will be missed by many, including myself. But, I still have many more of his novels to read, so he really hasn't left us.

Article Source: Ezine Articles
Last But Not Least: A Review of Dick Francis' Last Novel, Crossfire

Review: Stranded in Time by Kelli Sue Landon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kelli Sue Landon is a YA mystery writer and an brilliant one at that!

I've enjoyed Kelli's writing since I first read and reviewed Sudden Moves, her first novel, but I believe she's topped herself with Stranded In Time. It has all of the elements necessary for mystery and suspense, like a detailed plot and well-developed characters; it's also also a fast entertaining read.

I think the fast part is because it is literally a real page-turner (and to me that phrase has become so cliche I hate using it).

View all my Goodreads reviews

Check out Kelli Sue Landon's other novels available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Including Nightmare at Camp Forrestwood



About the Author: Kelli Sue Landon was born in Peoria, Illinois. She has been writing stories since the age of sixteen. She is one of the winners of 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading presented by TheAuthorsShow.com. Her short story collection entitled Short Tales is available only on Amazon. Her mystery novels include Sudden Moves, Nightmare At Camp Forrestwood, Summer Shack: A Killer Vacation, and Stranded In Time.

Connect with her on Twitter @kellisuelandon or Facebook  or visit her website http://www.kellisuelandon.com/

The Closing: A Whippoorwill Hollow novel (The Whippoorwill Hollow novels Book 1)

When two men meet in the Virginia state
penitentiary in a maximum security
visitation room on May 5, 1968,
they have only one thing in common:
they both want their lives back. 

"Don't take aim at the king unless you're certain you'll kill him."

Grateful for the advice--at least someone is talking to him--Nate Abbit accepts the appointment as defense counsel in a convicted murderer's appeal anyway. 

After all, he has to start making some changes somehow. His past is filled with personal and professional failures and humiliations.

At first Nate is sure that the death row murderer is guilty but then as he discovers the flagrant corruption that was his trial he has to wonder why Kenneth Deatherage was framed.

Ken Odor's superb blending of multiple plot twists and turns gives us a well-defined glimpse into the life of a once good man trying to become a good man again along with a story that never slows down.

About the Author

Ken Oder was born in Virginia in the coastal tidewater area near the York and James Rivers, where military installations during World Wars I and II fueled the growth of urban centers like Norfolk, Hampton, and Newport News. His father worked for the Navy Mine Depot in Yorktown and later as a Hudson dealer until he heard his calling to preach. When he became the minister at Mount Moriah Methodist Church in 1960, the family moved to White Hall, Virginia, a farm town of about fifty people at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The mountains and the rural culture were a jarring contrast to the busy coastal plains, but once the shock wore off, Ken came to love it there. The mountains and hollows are spectacularly beautiful. The people are thoughtful, friendly, and quietly courageous. White Hall became his home, and his affection and respect for the area and its people have never left him.

Ken and his wife moved to Los Angeles in 1975, where he practiced law and served as an executive until he retired. They still live near their children and grandchildren in California, but a piece of his heart never left White Hall, and that place and time come out in his stories.

Visit www.kenoder.com for updates on Ken's latest projects.

Sounds fun! ~ Questions are strictly from fans/readers ONLY. This is to promote interaction between authors and readers.

Post by Kelli Sue Landon Author.

Genealogy Mystery Writers for Family History Buffs

By Linda K Murdock

I recently found a list of mystery books on the Internet that have a genealogical theme. In order to narrow it down, I picked authors, whose books were written since the year 2000. That's not to say older books are not as compelling. It just means that these newer books will be easier to find if your interest is piqued. It is always helpful to have a list of authors to draw from that covers a particular subject of interest.

Dana Stabenow's series on Alaska was my motivation. Her 2011 book, Though Not Dead, is the second time she has delved into the genealogical background of her characters in an effort to give readers a clearer understanding of Alaskan history. I loved the book, and I highly recommend her Kate Shugak series.

One series of mysteries came out in 1997. The main character is a historian and genealogist for a small town on the Mississippi River in Missouri. She is married with two children. The first book of this series by Rett MacPherson, is Family Skeletons, and it has Victory (Torie) O'Shea looking into a client's WWII ancestors. These books are cozies with a family history theme.

Sarah Stewart Taylor began her Sweeney St. George mysteries in 2003. Her character is a single college professor, who focuses on cemeteries and gravestones and the mysteries that they conjure. In the first book, O' Artful Death, Sweeney finds an intriguing statute at a gravesite and decides to investigate its background. The stories take place in Vermont.

Fiona Mountain began her 2-book series in 2002. Her main character is thirty-year-old Natasha Blake, an ancestor detective and genealogist in England. Her curiosity comes naturally, since she was abandoned soon after her birth and knows little about her own family history. In Pale as the Dead a man, whose lover has disappeared and is somehow linked to an artist/poet of the 1860s, hires Natasha to find her.

Dan Waddell writes more non-fiction than fiction. His book Who Do You Think You Are? should be familiar to anyone who has seen the PBS series of the same name. The show traces the family history of celebrities. However, in his 2008 book The Blood Detective, he introduces Nigel Barnes a genealogist, who helps the police decipher a 100-year-old murder mystery. The present-day killer, who carves an archival index number into the bodies of his victims, leads them to a killer in the past. Nigel's job is to find the link between the past and present killings. Waddell's second book has Nigel delving into the Mormon Church.

For those who cannot get enough, I recommend you research three other authors that may be of interest. Chris Larsgaard wrote just one book back in 2000 called The Heir Hunter. In real life the author's business in San Francisco was to track down the heirs to money held by the State of California. The 10% commission reminded me of John D. McDonald's Travis McGee character. Veteran mystery writer Patricia Sprinkle has a series based in Atlanta, beginning with Death on the Family Tree. And K. J. Erickson has his police characters delve into mysteries related to Gettysburg and the Japanese internment during WWII.

For those of us who are addicted to genealogy, it is nice to sit back and let someone else solve all the mysteries. Who knows, the fictional research just might jump-start you into thinking about new sources for your own family tree.

Copyright 2012 by Linda Murdock.

Linda K Murdock is the author of four books, including two cookbooks, a mystery crossword puzzle book and an insider's look at living in Colorado. She has traced her genealogy back ten generations in America and is an avid mystery reader. Learn more about her Mystery Lover's Puzzle Book or read more mystery book reviews at http://bellwetherbooks.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_K_Murdock

http://EzineArticles.com/?Genealogy-Mystery-Writers-for-Family-History-Buffs&id=6930165

Book Spotlight: Theresa Crater Gifted Me a Copy of the Star Family. It sounds...

Connect with Theresa
Twitter @theresacrater
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tl

...like there's another page-turner in my future!

 Click Here To Tweet

A secret spiritual group

A recurring dream

A 400-hundred year old ritual must be completed before it is too late.

Jane Frey inherits a Gothic mansion filled with unexpected treasures. A prophecy claims it hides an important artifact – the key to an energy grid laid down by the Founding Fathers themselves. Whoever controls this grid controls the very centers of world power. Except Jane has no idea what they’re looking for.

Look for a review within the next month or so.

 

What Is The Most Popular Genre at the Library?

According to Library Journal the most frequently checked out books are mysteries!
Dive into these fifteen tales of murder, mystery, and mayhem that explore art's sinister side.

Explore more visuals like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Would you be surprised to know 'Mystery' is the number one circulating genre in the library?

Pushing Boundaries 
by Kristi chadwick

YEAR AFTER YEAR, MYSTERY remains the number one circulating genre in libraries, as LJ’s annual materials buying survey (see Barbara Hoffert’s “Materials Shift,” LJ 2/15/14) reveals (95 percent of respondents name it as their top circulator in print, 88 percent in ebook format). While mystery fans have their favorite cozy, police procedural, or historical thriller, the increasing number of releases that allow readers to cross the boundaries from one genre to another in the same book proves that today there is no one true way of presenting this beloved genre. Crossovers enable readers to enjoy what they love best about mysteries—the puzzle and its solution—while giving writers a broad landscape across which to write.

These days publishers are seeing far fewer novels that fit cleanly into one category or another. “More common now are novels that cross those genre lines or blend elements of various categories,” explains Mark Tavani, vice president and editorial director at Ballantine Bantam Dell. “Gone Girl is [a] novel that I don’t think fits easily into a category. Obviously it generates fantastic suspense and is a true page-turner, but it benefited from being aimed at a mainstream audience.”

SEARCHING FOR THE NEXT CROSSOVER HIT     (Read More)

Source: Library Journal

Accused by Lisa Scottoline #Review by Lynnette Phillips

Accused by Lisa Scottoline

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some readers may not understand that a legal thriller doesn't necessarily have to have any courtroom drama involved. This one didn't. But Rosato & Associates are lawyers who will do whatever it takes for their clients and they seem to specialize in the underdog. So it's always an uphill battle toward the climax.

Mary DiNunzio has just become Bennie's partner in the firm -- now Rosato & DiNunzio -- she's still Mary though. Governed by her heart influenced and by a good dose of imagined guilt she jumps into their newest case with both feet. She's determined to free the innocent man in prison but it may cost her Judy's friendship and her new fiance.

I've long been a fan of Lisa Scottoline but am always surprised by the depth of emotion and feeling her characters communicate. In Accused, the trail leading to the real culprit is very cold, very dangerous and filled with long kept secrets but Mary DiNunzio is up for it.

View all my GoodReads reviews

Death of a Flapper by Marva Dale #BookTrailer

 Death of a Flapper takes place in the Roaring '20s in New York City involving a private detective, flapper girls and the spoiled rich. The story features J.C. Brogan, a novice detective from NYC's Tin Pan Alley who is asked to find Arabella Germaine ("Angel"), a young woman with an affinity for the flapper lifestyle. When Brogan investigates Angel's association with New York City's elite, he finds more than just martinis and jazz but lies and cover-ups. Brogan follows the clues and finally discovers who really wanted Angel dead.
http://marvadale.webnode.com

About the Author

Marva Dale is the pen name for author Debra McReynolds. Retired from the public relations field, Debra now spends her free time indulging in her passion for writing. "I used to fill my school notebooks with stories," Debra relates, "and then add artwork to go along with them. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Daley, predicted that I would be a writer one day."

Ninth Lord of the Night by Diana L. Driver #Mystery #Thriller #VisionaryFiction @JodineTurner

Ninth Lord of the Night by Diana L. Driver

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Attention grabbing from the start - a compelling read for both YA and adult audiences.

Zach and his brother Kyle are shipped off to their uncle at an archaeological dig in Guatemala when his parents' marriage comes apart. Uncle Cliff, Kyle and even Zach see Zach as the 'bad guy' in his own life and maybe even the break-up of the marriage. But there isn't long to dwell on Zach's faults. There's more trouble almost as soon as the teens land in Guatemala...and then Zach's visions start.

View all my reviews at Goodreads

The 39 Clues Book 3: The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis Review #YA

Review by Daniel F. Johnston

When The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis was first released all the way in 2009, I was super excited. By that time I'd read the first 2 novels in The 39 Clues series, the latest one being One False Note by Gordon Korman, and the series was moving along at an exciting pace. Great storyline, amazing mystery, and outstanding characters. What more could a young reader want?

The 39 Clues is a multi-author book series written by extremely well-liked, bestselling writers regarding orphans known as Amy and Dan Cahill. When their grandmother Grace dies, they learn that they happen to be members of the most powerful family in human history. The source of their families power is hidden all through the earth in the form of thirty-nine special clues. The person who finds all the clues will become the most powerful person in the history of mankind.

Dan and Amy Cahill, needless to say, are definitely not alone in wanting the prize. Their shifty, back-stabbing family will do anything possible in order to be the first to find the clues.

Like all stories in The 39 Clues series, I completed reading The Sword Thief the very day that it came out. Although this was an interesting novel and moved the plot along, I recall not being super contented with this addition.

Summary
At the end of One False Note, Dan and Amy discover samurai swords by the site of the clue. They put two and two together and head off for Japan. Right before they're able to board a flight for Japan, however, their cousins, Ian and Natalie Kabra, trick them and leave them stranded in the airport.
After that, Alistair Oh offers to assist Amy and Dan and create a partnership. All things considered, Alistair has resources in Seoul, and he has intelligence and age. Amy and Dan do not truly have confidence in him, yet they consent to join together for the moment.

Amy, Dan, and Alastair figure out that the clue is hidden somewhere in the history of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a great Japanese warrior and first son of Thomas Cahill, the founder of the Tomas branch.
The Holt family, however, are also hot to get their hands on the clue and manage to lure them into a subway trap. It seems as if it's about to be curtains for Dan and Amy, but Alastair rescues them before they are killed by a train. We also get to see the relatable side of the Holt children when they balk at the prospect of murdering Dan and Amy.

Unfortunately, the three of them accidentally enter the abode of sword-wielding Yakuza, or Japanese warriors. Nellie, their au pair, is able to save them, alongside Ian and Natalie Kabra. Amy, Dan, and Alastair agree to form an alliance with Ian and Natalie. The reason for that is in part because of the fact that Amy has sort of a crush on Ian, and Ian is acting as though it's reciprocal.

The evidence points to Korea, and the group of 6 go to Alastair's home. We learn more concerning the Ekaterina branch and about Bae Oh, Alastair's uncle and chief of the Ekaterina branch. After Alastair's dad died, Alastair lived unhappy years under his uncle. On the plane ride to Korea, however, he learns for the first time that Bae Oh arranged for Alastair's dad to be killed.

At Alastair's home, he reveals some of his own information with the others. We learn lots more about the clue hunt, in particular the fact that the 39 clues are actually thirty-nine chemical elements that when mixed together will produce a sort of philosopher's stone. They travel to the mountain Pukhansan, and Dan tricks the others regarding the location of the clue.

The end is an exciting and dangerous tale, where we learn the true objectives of Amy and Dan's relatives. Will Ian and Natalie snatch the clue, or will Amy and Dan outwit the Kabras yet again? More essentially, will Alastair Oh survive?

Review
As I mentioned before, I look at this as one of the weakest books in the 39 clues series. Although Gordon Korman talked about how he used The Maze of Bones as his bible in writing One False Note, Peter Lerangis obviously didn't do the same. The book is composed in a very different style in comparison to the rest of the series. The other 39 clues books are authored in a thrilling, unattached, and realistic style. This book is considerably more laid-back, the tone is much more informal, and it is not nearly as much full of action. Plus, it is kind of hard to understand. Because of that, the book loses much of its educational benefit and I don't recall any of the historical details, quite different from the other books.

Although some of my friends who were reading the series at the time this book came out told me that they liked the break from the action this book provided, every single one of them quit reading The 39 Clues after this book. None of my friends who started out The 39 Clue sending up reading the fourth addition. Furthermore, books 1 and 2 were both #1 on the bestseller list for a long time. This novel was on the bestseller for a little while, but never hit number 1. None of the later books in the series did, either.
There are some good parts to the way Lerangis writes, however. He introduces the idea a potential romantic relationship between Ian and Amy that continues in the series to this day with different boyfriends and hints of crushes. This was the subject most usually talked about between clue hunters throughout the Cahills vs. Vespers storyline, and was in my view a beneficial addition to the series.

This book has some good info regarding the clue hunt that brings the story along, so it's a must for devoted clue hunters going back through the early books. On the whole, though, the writing in this story is not close to as good as in the rest of the series and on its own I would not recommend reading it.

Thanks for reading this review. If you want you can read another article about a popular kids book, Swindle by Gordon Korman Summary. You can also check out my kids book reviews site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_F_Johnston

Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None' and Why She Is The Grand Dame of The Mystery Novel

I was first introduced to Agatha Christie's talents as a preteen by my mother. She was watching the movie adapted from the book And Then There Were None which starred the incredible Barry Fitzgerald...I've been compelled to watch it several times since for my own reasons.

Years later, while browsing the library shelves, I came across Mrs. Christie's book, And Then There Were None. At the time I didn't know it had become the "best-selling mystery ever written"; I just thought I'd find out how closely the movie followed the book. 

And Then There Were None follows a group of invited guests to an isolated island where they become the prey of a perverse judge seeking to bring them to justice for crimes committed in their past.

I quickly became a fan of Agatha Christie novels. She has never disappointed me. Dare I say Agatha Christie novels are just plain ingenious. She can keep you guessing until the end. They have to be the most clever, well-written, surprising tales ever written. The intricacies, characters and now historic locales and events are always a marvel and a satisfying treat. 

Mrs. Christie's own life seems to follow one of her novels but this is an even greater enticement to read her novels. She was my introduction to the world of mystery novels and I've never found her equal. I just keep reading mysteries, thrillers and suspense novels looking for someone who can compare. 

So far Agatha Christie is in a class of her own.

Recommended Reading: Dead Center (the Rookie Club, Book 1) by Daniell Girard

Summary

Fifteen years ago, the Rookie Club began as a tight-knit band of female cops struggling for respect from their male peers. Jamie Vail was one of them. So was Natasha Devlin, the woman Jamie caught in bed with her husband.

When Natasha Devlin turns up dead, Jamie wants nothing to do with the investigation. As a seasoned inspector in the sex crimes department, Jamie is facing her own terrifying case—female officers are being brutalized by a stranger leaving no clues. The Rookie Club is under attack, possibly by one of their own. 

Now, Jamie must confront her past and solve the murder of her ex-husband's lover before she becomes the killer's ultimate prize.

Recommended by Lynnette Phillips

If you're looking for an exciting and engaging read at a bargain price (the Kindle edition is only .99 cents) this is it!

I could liken this to checking in on your favorite ensemble TV program but I don't think I'd be doing this marvelous account any favors by doing so. These ladies have each others backs for sure. Add the professionalism, dedication, passion and respect you can feel as you keep turning the pages and you find an incredibly encompassing way to escape your world and enter theirs for a while.

About the Author

As one of four children, Danielle Girard grew up in a house where the person with the best story got heard, and it's probably no surprise that fast-paced suspense stories have always been her favorite. Girard's books have won the Barry Award and been selected for the RT Reviewers Choice Award. Two of her novels have been optioned for movies. Visit her website at www.daniellegirard.com.

Patricia Cornwell book excerpt: Inside the hunt for a killer

Patricia Cornwell's "Dust" book cover (Putnam)

(CBS News) In Patricia Cornwell's "Dust," the author continues the story of Kay Scarpetta in the twenty-first installment of her wildly popular series.

In "Dust," readers are re-introduced to the Scarpetta, chief medical examiner and the director of the Cambridge Forensic Center in Cambridge, Mass., where she coaxes the truth out of dead bodies and grisly acts of violence. At this point in her career, Scarpetta has seen it all and very little throws her, but right now she is exhausted and shaken having just returned from working one of the worst mass killings in U. S. history-the blood bath at the Newtown, Conn., elementary school. She's barely home and recovering from the flu when she gets a call about a dead body discovered on the nearby MIT campus. The grad student, identified as Gail Shipton, has been found on an athletic field wrapped in unusual cloth and posed in a deliberate way that suggests this isn't the killer's first victim.

Click here to read the excerpt

Book Trailer: Innocent Strangers

One of my favorite sub-genres is historical fiction. Will this new addition live up to expectations; does the plotted mystery keep you on the edge of your seat? Read it and let me know what you think!

A beautiful, wealthy heiress is murdered in the little mining town of Mt. Hope, Pennsylvania, at the height of the golden era of the coal and coke industry, and the town is left in shock. Hapless strangers, a father-and-daughter, are accused of murder and face hanging in this vengeful town. In preparing a defense, Jenny and Marcus uncover evil and corruption among the ruling coal-rich elite. Powerful, ruthless, and ambitious men are involved with this charming heiress, but which one is the murderer?

Back on Murder (Roland march Mystery Series) by J. Mark Bertrand #Review

 reviewed by Lynnette Phillips

Roland March is an Houston homicide detective being farmed out to other details when three seemingly unrelated cases cause him to realize this is where he wants to be.

Everyone thinks Roland has finally reached the end of the road when he is the only one to believe there links, although subtle, between the cases.

Bertrand cleverly leads us through the complications and details revealing the secrets. He keeps us enthralled and the pages turning.

About the Author

J. Mark Bertrand is the author of the crime novels BACK ON MURDER (2010), PATTERN OF WOUNDS (2011) and NOTHING TO HIDE (2012), featuring Houston homicide detective Roland March. The Weekly Standard dubbed him "a major crime-fiction talent." He has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston and lives with his wife Laurie in South Dakota. 

Find out more online at www.jmarkbertrand.com.

Popular Mystery Writers - Edgar Award Winners of the 21st Century By K. Murdock

First let me explain that the Edgars, named for Edgar Allan Poe, are awarded by a membership vote of The Mystery Writers of America. The awards have changed over the years, and there can be as many as twenty of them presented in a given year. The little statues of Poe are not only for book authors, but include writers of television screenplays, theater plays, short stories, a non-fiction or true crime work, a biographical or critical study in the mystery field, along with works aimed at the juvenile and young adult audiences.

But I want to focus on the three areas that are of the most interest to mystery readers: Best Novel, Best First Novel and Best Paperback Original from the years 2000 through 2011. My mind runs to the analytical, so here are some interesting facts. Seventeen winning titles belong to a mystery series, and nineteen are stand-alone novels. Thirteen winners are female and twenty-three are male. Two of the men have won twice for Best Novel: John Hart (2008 and 2010) and T. Jefferson Parker (2002 and 2005).

I consider myself a fairly avid reader of mysteries. Yet there are only a few authors, all who write series, that I recognize. These include C. J. Box (2009), Jan Burke (2000), Jonathon King (2003), Ian Rankin (2004) and S. J. Rozan (2003). All have won Edgars for Best Novel, except King, who won for Best First Novel.

So if you find that many of the series you have been reading are getting predictable, or you would like to add a few "new" authors to your treasure chest, than look no further. Here are the other Best Novel winners picked by writers, who should recognize a good book when they read one. Not including the ones already mentioned, they are: Jason Goodwin (2007), Steve Hamilton (2011), Joe R. Lansdale (2001) and Jess Walter (2006). The Best First Novel annual winners beginning with the year 2000 are Alex Berenson, Bruce DeSilva, David Ellis, Tana French, Jonathon King, Don Lee, Francie Lin, David Liss, Eliot Pattison, Rebecca Pawel, Stefanie Pintoff and Theresa Schwegel.

I think I will leave the Best Original Paperback winners for another time. But feel free to look them up yourself on the Mystery Writers of America website. Many of these authors have written both stand alones and mystery series. Because of their status as Edgar winners and their relatively current publishing dates, you have no excuse. Go and treat yourself to some fresh, new talent. You will find that although they may be new to you, many of these mystery writers have been trying to attract your attention for years.

Copyright 2011 by Linda K. Murdock. Linda wrote Mystery Lover's Puzzle Book, Crosswords with Clues from Your Favorite Mystery Series. In it she reviews 29 mystery writers, lists all of their book titles and creates a puzzle for each series. Download a FREE sample crossword on Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series or sign up for more mystery book reviews under Author Bio at [http://bellwetherbooks.com/]http://bellwetherbooks.com.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Popular-Mystery-Writers---Edgar-Award-Winners-of-the-21st-Century&id=6617611] Popular Mystery Writers - Edgar Award Winners of the 21st Century