By the time this comes out, Denis and I will be back from our travels in the UK, and I'll be up to my eyebrows in re-acclimating to the desert, going through hundreds of photos, and realizing that I'm back to writing blog posts. It's wonderful to take a break now and again even though it does call for some strategic planning. Sometimes it can be difficult to get back in the saddle though. (I was wondering how to word that when I looked at my graphic. Lo and behold-- inspiration struck!)
One thing that doesn't change is my never-ending quest for new crime fiction. The following books are my picks of the new mysteries being released during the month of October. They are grouped by release date and include all the information you'll need to find them at all your favorite book spots. Synopses are courtesy of Amazon. Happy Wish Listing and Happy Reading!
=== October 1 ===
Title: The White Shepherd
Series: #1 in the Oxford Dogwalkers series set in England
ISBN: 9780727885210
Publisher: Severn House
Hardcover, 256 pages
Synopsis: "Anna Hopkins’ daily walk through Oxford’s picturesque Port Meadow is
rudely interrupted one autumn morning when her white German Shepherd,
Bonnie, unearths a bloodsoaked body in the undergrowth. For Anna it’s a
double shock: she’d met the victim previously. Naomi Evans was a
professional researcher who had told Anna she was working on a book
about a famous Welsh poet, and who offered to help Anna trace Bonnie’s
original owner.
From her conversations with Naomi, Anna is
convinced that she was not the random victim of a psychopathic serial
killer, as the police believe. She was targeted because of what she
knew. With the official investigation heading in the wrong direction
entirely, Anna teams up with fellow dogwalkers Isadora Salzman and Tansy
Lavelle to discover the truth."
=== October 6 ===
Title: The Ville Rat
Author: Martin Limón
Series: #10 in the Sueño and Bascom military police series set in 1960s-1970s Seoul, South Korea
ISBN: 9781616956080
Publisher: Soho Crime
Hardcover, 288 pages
Synopsis: "South Korea, 1970s: A young Korean woman dressed in a traditional chima-jeogori
is found strangled to death on the frozen banks of the Sonyu River with
only a carefully calligraphed poem in her sleeve. George Sueño and
Ernie Bascom, sergeants in the US 8th Army CID, are called in by the
formidable KNP detective Gil Kwon-up to investigate. George and Ernie's
job is to liaise with Korean law enforcement on matters that may involve
or implicate 8th Army American servicemen.
But as they learn
about the case, George and Ernie realize this isn't their
jurisdiction—the nearby village of Sonyu-ri is occupied by the US Army's
2nd Infantry Division, a disciplined and often brutal force that won't
stand for outside officers questioning its men. All that George and
Ernie are able to glean before being kicked out of town is that they are
close to the truth—and that a mysterious smuggler, known locally as
"the Ville Rat," holds the key to the woman's murder.
Luckily,
the pair is officially assigned another investigation in the area, which
allows them to continue nosing around for answers. They are to
elucidate the circumstances of a shooting incident between a young
African American private and his white supervising chief. Racial
tensions run high, and George and Ernie must tread carefully to solve
both cases. But they aren't exactly known for going out of their way to
avoid stepping on US Army toes, and this is no exception."
Title: The Haunted Season
Series: #5 in the cozy series featuring Max Tudor, a former MI-5 agent, now vicar
at St. Edwold’s in the idyllic village of Nether Monkslip, England
ISBN: 9781250021441
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Hardcover, 304 pages
Synopsis: "Something sinister is stirring at Totleigh Hall, the showcase of the
English village of Nether Monkslip. Usually, the Lord and Lady of the
manor are absent-high tax rates, it is murmured with more than a trace
of envy, force them to live on the continent for most of the year. But
Lord and Lady Baaden-Boomethistle have been in residence for some weeks
now, and the villagers are hoping for a return to the good old days,
when the lord of the manor sprinkled benefits across the village like
fairy dust. Father Max Tudor's invitation to dinner at the Hall comes as
a welcome novelty; it will be his first time meeting the famous family
that once held sway in the area. But before he has time to starch his
clerical collar and organize a babysitter, a sudden and suspicious death
intervenes, and the handsome vicar's talent for sorting through clues
to a murder is once again called into play in this charming and clever
novel."
Title: The Hot Countries
Series: #7 in the Poke Rafferty series set in Thailand
ISBN: 9781616954468
Publisher: Soho Crime
Hardcover, 336 pages
Synopsis: "Back when Poke Rafferty first arrived in Bangkok to write a travel
guide, some of the old-timers in the Expat Bar on Patpong Road helped
him make sense of the city. Now these men—many of whom have been living
in Southeast Asia since the Vietnam War—have grown old and, in some
cases, frail. When a talkative stranger named Arthur Varney turns up,
they accept him without suspicion, failing to see that he’s actually
using them to get to Poke.
Varney wants two things: money Poke
doesn’t have and a person Poke is unwilling to hand over. It becomes
apparent quite quickly that there’s nothing Varney won’t do to secure
his goals. As his actions threaten the foundation of Poke’s life in
Thailand, the aging men of the Expat Bar discover that they might still
be a force to reckon with."
Title: Devil of Delphi
Series: #7 in the Inspector Andreas Kaldis police procedural series set in Greece
ISBN: 9781464204326
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Paperback, 276 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books.
Synopsis: "Delphi once stood at the center of the world,
a mountainous, verdant home to the gods, where kings and warriors
journeyed to hear its Oracle speak. The Oracle embodied the decree of
the gods―or at least the word of Apollo. To disobey risked…everything.
Young
Athenian Kharon chooses modern Delphi to rebuild his life among its
rolling hills and endless olive groves. But his dark past is too
celebrated, and his assassin’s skills so in demand, that his fate does
not rest entirely in his own hands. Greece is being flooded with bomba,
counterfeits of the most celebrated alcoholic beverages and wine brands.
The legitimate annual trillion-dollar world market is in peril. So,
too, are consumers―someone is not just counterfeiting booze, but
adulterating it, often with poisonous substances. Who is masterminding
this immensely lucrative conspiracy?
Kharon learns who when the
ruthless criminal gives him no choice but to serve her. Her decrees are
as absolute as the Oracle’s, and as fearsomely punished. Kharon agrees,
but dictates his own payoff. And his own methods, which allow his
targets some choice in the outcomes.
When Kharon unexpectedly
shoots a member of one of Greece’s richest, most feared families, he
draws Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis into the eye of a political and
media firestorm threatening to bring down Greece’s government. Think Breaking Bad, Greek-style."
Title: A Kind of Grief
Author: A.D. Scott
Series: #6 in the Highland Gazette historical series set in 1950s Scotland
ISBN: 9781476756189
Publisher: Atria Books
Paperback, 368 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books.
Synopsis: "When Alice Ramsay, artist and alleged witch, is found dead in her home in a remote Scottish glen, the verdict is suicide.
But Joanne Ross of the Highland Gazette
refuses to believe it. As she investigates Alice’s past, Joanne
uncovers layer upon layer of intrigue. With the appearance of officials
from a secretive government agency and an ambitious art critic from a
national newspaper, Joanne is increasingly convinced that something—and
someone—from Alice’s past was involved in her death.
As in her previous mysteries North Sea Requiem, Beneath the Abbey Wall, and A Double Death on the Black Isle,
among others, A. D. Scott brings to life compelling characters and
vividly portrays the charms and intrigues of a small town in 1950s
Scotland. With surprising twists and a shocking dénouement that poses
moral questions as relevant now as six decades ago, A Kind of Grief
is another unforgettable entry in an atmospheric series that will draw
you in and linger in your mind like mist over the Scottish glens."
=== October 8 ===
Title: The Question of the Unfamiliar Husband
Series: #2 in the Asperger's mystery series set in New Jersey
ISBN: 9780738743509
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Paperback, 288 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books
Synopsis: "For Samuel Hoenig, Asperger's isn't so much a
syndrome as it is a set of personality traits. And as the sole
proprietor of a business called Questions Answered, Samuel's put his
personality traits to good use, successfully answering every question
he's ever been asked.
But when his newest client asks about the
true identity of her so-called husband, Samuel recruits his former
associate Janet Washburn for insight into a subject that's beyond his
grasp—marriage. Working as a team seems to be the right approach . . .
until the inscrutable spouse is found dead in Samuel's office. Feeling
like he's been taken for a fool, Samuel is more than willing to answer a
new question posed by an unexpected inquirer: who killed the unfamiliar
husband?"
Title: Death on the Prairie
Series: #7 in the Chloe Ellefson cozy series set in 1980s Wisconsin
ISBN: 9780738744704
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Paperback, 360 pages
Synopsis: "Chloe Ellefson and her sister, Kari, have long dreamed of visiting
each historic site dedicated to Laura Ingalls Wilder. When Chloe takes
custody of a quilt once owned by the beloved author, the sisters set out
on the trip of a lifetime, hoping to prove that Wilder stitched it
herself.
But death strikes as the journey begins, and trouble
stalks their fellow travelers. Among the "Little House" devotees are
academic critics, greedy collectors, and obsessive fans. Kari is
distracted by family problems, and unexpected news from Chloe's
boyfriend jeopardizes her own future. As the sisters travel deeper into
Wilder territory, Chloe races to discover the truth about a precious
artifact—and her own heart—before a killer can strike again."
=== October 20 ===
Title: The Lake House
Standalone mystery with alternating present-day and historical timelines set in England
ISBN: 9781451649321
Publisher: Atria Books
Hardcover, 512 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books
Synopsis: "Living on her family’s idyllic lakeside estate in Cornwall, England,
Alice Edevane is a bright, inquisitive, innocent, and precociously
talented sixteen-year-old who loves to write stories. But the mysteries
she pens are no match for the one her family is about to endure…
One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests
to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest
child, eleven-month-old Theo, has vanished without a trace. What follows
is a tragedy that tears the family apart in ways they never imagined.
Decades later, Alice is living in London, having enjoyed a long
successful career as an author. Theo’s case has never been solved,
though Alice still harbors a suspicion as to the culprit. Miles away,
Sadie Sparrow, a young detective in the London police force, is staying
at her grandfather’s house in Cornwall. While out walking one day, she
stumbles upon the old estate—now crumbling and covered with vines,
clearly abandoned long ago. Her curiosity is sparked, setting off a
series of events that will bring her and Alice together and reveal
shocking truths about a past long gone...yet more present than ever."
=== October 27 ===
Title: A Banquet of Consequences
Series: #19 in the Inspector Lynley police procedural series set in England
ISBN: 9780525954330
Publisher: Viking
Hardcover, 592 pages
Synopsis: "The unspoken secrets and buried lies of one family rise to the surface
in Elizabeth George’s novel of crime, passion, and tragic history. As
Inspector Thomas Lynley investigates the London angle of an ever more
darkly disturbing case, his partner, Barbara Havers, is looking behind
the peaceful façade of country life to discover a twisted world of
desire and deceit.
The suicide of William Goldacre is
devastating to those left behind. But what was the cause of his tragedy
and how far might the consequences reach? Is there a link between the
young man's leap from a Dorset cliff and a horrific poisoning in
Cambridge?
After various career-threatening issues with her
department, Barbara Havers is desperate to redeem herself. So when a
past encounter with a bestselling feminist writer and her pushy personal
assistant gives her a connection to the Cambridge murder, Barbara begs
Thomas Lynley to let her pursue the crime.
Full of shocks, intensity and suspense from first page to last, A Banquet of Consequences reveals both Lynley and Havers under mounting pressure to solve a case both complicated and deeply disturbing."
Title: Mrs. Roosevelt's Confidante
Series: #5 in the Maggie Hope historical series set in Washington, DC
ISBN: 9780804178709
Publisher: Bantam
Paperback, 352 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books
Synopsis: "December 1941. Soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Winston Churchill
arrives in Washington, D.C., along with special agent Maggie Hope.
Posing as his typist, she is accompanying the prime minister as he meets
with President Roosevelt to negotiate the United States’ entry into
World War II. When one of the First Lady’s aides is mysteriously
murdered, Maggie is quickly drawn into Mrs. Roosevelt’s inner circle—as
ER herself is implicated in the crime. Maggie knows she must keep the
investigation quiet, so she employs her unparalleled skills at code
breaking and espionage to figure out who would target Mrs. Roosevelt,
and why. What Maggie uncovers is a shocking conspiracy that could
jeopardize American support for the war and leave the fate of the world
hanging dangerously in the balance."
Title: A Death in the Family
Series: #5 in the Detective Kubu police procedural series set in Botswana
ISBN: 9781250070890
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Hardcover, 368 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books
Synopsis: ""There's no easy way to say this, Kubu. Your father's dead. I'm afraid he's been murdered."
Faced
with the violent death of his own father, Assistant Superintendent
David 'Kubu' Bengu, the smartest detective in the Botswana police, is
baffled. Who would kill such a frail old man? Kubu's frustration grows
as his boss, Director Mabaku, bans him from being involved in the
investigation.
The picture becomes even murkier with the apparent
suicide of a government official. Are Chinese mine-owners involved?
And what role does the US Embassy have to play?
Set amidst the dark beauty of modern Botswana, A Death in the Family
is a thrilling insight into a world of riots, corruption, and greed, as
a complex series of murders presents the opera-loving detective with
his most challenging case yet. When grief-stricken Kubu defies orders
and sets out on the killers' trail, startling and chilling links emerge,
spanning the globe and setting a sequence of shocking events in motion.
Will Kubu catch the killers in time?"
Title: The Scottie Barked at Midnight
Series: #9 in the Lisa MacCrimmon cozy series set in Maine
ISBN: 9780758292872
Publisher: Kensington
Hardcover, 304 pages
Synopsis: "Spring is just a few weeks away, but winter is still digging its claws
into tiny Moosetookalook, Maine. Even business at the Scottish Emporium
has frozen up, so Liss MacCrimmon is cautiously optimistic when a twist
of fate lands her on a reality competition show--until the contest gets a
little too cutthroat. . .
Driving on an icy road on a truly
dark and stormy night, Liss swerves her car when something darts out in
front of it. She braves the weather and discovers a Scottish terrier
shivering in the snow. Relieved that the dog survived their run-in, Liss
sets out in search of her owner, unaware that the Scottie is actually a
tiny celebrity--or that she was dognapped.
Liss soon sniffs out
the pup's owner, a well-heeled woman named Deidre Amendole, who is
ecstatic to be reunited with her furry friend. Deidre and her Dancing
Doggies recently won Variety Live, and the trio is slated to appear in
the reality show's "champion of champions" competition. But for Deidre,
the contest is over before it's begun when she turns up dead. . .
Deidre's
daughter asks Liss to help find out what happened to her mother--and to
take Deidre's place on the upcoming show. Before Liss can tell her
she's barking up the wrong tree, she finds herself ensnarled in the
strange world of reality competitions and hot on the trail of a deadly
dognapper. And just as she starts pawing at the truth, Liss realizes she
could be next on the murderer's list."
Wow! There's definitely a little something for everyone on this list, isn't there? Five of my favorite authors... all in the same month. October is definitely a budget-busting month for crime fiction in this house!
Which titles caught your eye? Inquiring minds would love to know!
