Continuing characters in books are as tantalizing to readers as a favorite meal, particularly so to the legions of mystery readers. Agatha Christie's Miss Marple comes to mind; ditto for Hercule Poirot. Recognizing the power of long-standing favorites in mystery writing, editor and bookshop owner Penzler (The Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection) solicited the genre's well-known authors—e.g., Faye Kellerman, John Connelly, Colin Dexter, and Laura Lipman—and some not so well known to write profiles of their reoccurring gumshoes that offered additional insights into their very diverse characters. Funny, irreverent, stylish, stimulating, and almost always provocative, the results are certain to please, not only for the crime-busters that a reader may relish, admire, even esteem but also for the ones that a reader may not know. VERDICT An easy read, effortless at times; fans of mysteries will find the essays irresistible. If by chance a nonmystery reader would discover this collection, he or she might without protest succumb to the temptation of a real thriller.—Robert Kelly, Fort Wayne Community Schs., IN
Profiles of fiction's leading sleuths originally published individually for patrons of editor Penzler's (Black Noir, 2009, etc.) Mysterious Bookshop. The most notable feature of the collection is the variety of approaches taken by the contributors. Michael Connelly is thematic and evocative in tracing Harry Bosch's sources, Lee Child pragmatic and market-driven in explaining Jack Reacher's. Ian Rankin roots John Rebus in his study of English literature; John Harvey roots Charlie Resnick in genre conventions; John Connolly reflects on the ways Charlie Parker combines the two. Stephen Hunter confesses his temptation to swipe the plot for Bob Lee Swagger's debut; John Lescroart recalls his early struggles to make it as a writer; Colin Dexter answers FAQ about Inspector Morse on the page and television. David Morrell takes a sober Canadian view of Rambo's origins in the Vietnam War-era counterculture; Alexander McCall Smith pens a love letter to Precious Ramotswe's Botswana. Faye Kellerman considers the biographical links between herself and Rina Lazarus and Peter Decker, while Jonathan Kellerman embroiders on the observation, "People talk to me; I listen." Ken Bruen and Carol O'Connell produce stylistic pastiches of their novels, and Robert Crais maintains that Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are always with him. Robert B. Parker, Anne Perry, Jeffery Deaver, Laura Lippman and Ridley Pearson all fictionalize their profiles in distinctive, utterly characteristic ways. Most entertaining is Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's dialogue on Aloysius X.L. Pendergast, whose relaxed back-and-forth brings not only the hero but the collaborative process of writing to life. An all-star cast produces a mostlyrewarding collection.
"The best book of its kind.... An exciting omnibus volume that has widespread appeal and adds up to much, much more than the sum of its parts....delivering memorable revelations about the mystery genre and its different incarnations....Candor is no small part of this collection's great value. Time and again these crime writers return to the same questions: Is your character like you? Where did the character's name come from? How did you get published? The answers are always interesting."—Janet Maslin , New York Times Michele Ross , Cleveland Plain Dealer Sarah Weinman , Los Angeles Times Janet Maslin , The New York Times Raleigh News and Observer Maureen Corrigan , NPR.org
"Fiery....The authors take different approaches, but all offer an opportunity to see a familiar character in a new way....It's also a great way to get a taste of some of the series you haven't read yet."
Maureen Corrigan - NPR.org
"Tremendous fun--clever, wide-ranging, revealing, even surprising. Bet you can't read just one."
Raleigh News and Observer
"The ultimate How-dunit."
Janet Maslin - The New York Times
"The natural bridge between authorial intention and reader demand. After all, who are more equipped to discourse on the origins, the motivations, the foibles, and the triumphs of their life's work than some of the best-known and most successful mystery and thriller writers on the planet?"
Sarah Weinman - Los Angeles Times
"This book will delight any mystery lover....[and] make readers return to favorite books with a fresh eye."
Michele Ross - Cleveland Plain Dealer
"The best book of its kind.... An exciting omnibus volume that has widespread appeal and adds up to much, much more than the sum of its parts....delivering memorable revelations about the mystery genre and its different incarnations....Candor is no small part of this collection's great value. Time and again these crime writers return to the same questions: Is your character like you? Where did the character's name come from? How did you get published? The answers are always interesting."
Janet Maslin - New York Times
Fiery....The authors take different approaches, but all offer an opportunity to see a familiar character in a new way....It's also a great way to get a taste of some of the series you haven't read yet.NPR.org
Tremendous fun—clever, wide-ranging, revealing, even surprising. Bet you can't read just one.
The natural bridge between authorial intention and reader demand. After all, who are more equipped to discourse on the origins, the motivations, the foibles, and the triumphs of their life's work than some of the best-known and most successful mystery and thriller writers on the planet?Los Angeles Times
This book will delight any mystery lover....[and] make readers return to favorite books with a fresh eye.Cleveland Plain Dealer
Male English, Irish, and Scottish writers have their essays read in the rich, liquid tones of John Lee, while Justine Eyre impersonates female scribes from both sides of the Atlantic. Blessedly, she's a talented mimic, so her Anne Perry sounds like a cheery Brit, while her Carol O'Connell is definitely from New York. Eyre's husband, John Nelson, is stuck with standard-issue Americans, which is another way of saying English with the music washed out. It's still a thrill, though, to get behind the curtain. We learn that Michael Connelly is afraid of tunnels. And that hero Jack Reacher got his name after Lee Child's wife suggested that if writing didn't pan out, the author's height might win him a job in a supermarket, reaching for boxes on high shelves. B.H.C. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
FEBRUARY 2010 - AudioFile
