The Edison Effect by Bernadette Pajer

First Line: "Bradshaw, it's Thomas Edison! He's here!"

The University of Washington's Professor Benjamin Bradshaw isn't thrilled when he learns why Thomas Edison wants to see him. Edison not only is an absolutely ruthless businessman, he's always on the lookout for new ideas, new inventions, and new patents. This time he's in Seattle to find an invention that was lost in Elliott Bay, one that Bradshaw hopes will stay lost. As a result of his convictions, Bradshaw refuses to help Edison-- something very few people are brave enough to do.

But Bradshaw's attention turns from Edison to murder when a man is found dead, holding a string of Edison's new holiday lights, in the Bon Marché Department Store's menswear window. There's only one problem: Bradshaw's mind is not on murder, it's focused on matters of the heart. The courtship of the woman he loves will either force him to defy his faith or to lose her. This murder investigation is also going to force him to make a choice. Whatever the outcome of either dilemma, Bradshaw is at a crucial turning point in his life.

I enjoyed The Edison Effect, set in 1903 Seattle, from first page to last. Bradshaw is just the type of character I like: flawed, extremely intelligent, principled, and brave. I love watching how his mind works when he's tinkering with his inventions or when he's trying to deduce how electricity plays a part in murder. But Pajer's series isn't merely a gadgets and gizmos treat for the technically intrigued; there's plenty of interaction with other people like his young son, his housekeeper-- and of course the delectable and emancipated Missouri. How Bradshaw has dealt with the death of his wife and the raising of his son tells a lot about him as a person, and the fact that the death was so traumatic means that everyone close to him has had to come to terms with it, too. These relationships are one of the reasons why I keep coming back for more.

Pajer also brings the sights, the sounds, and the smells of turn-of-the-twentieth-century Seattle to life which, along with the inventions and a truly puzzling mystery, will satisfy any lover of historical mysteries. In addition, Pajer's accurate portrayal of Thomas Edison may surprise some readers if-- like me-- what they learned in school gave them the impression that Edison was some sort of god and surely couldn't do anything wrong.

If you enjoy historical mysteries with rich characterization and precursors of our own technological age, I urge you to treat yourselves to Bernadette Pajer's Benjamin Bradshaw mysteries-- even if you're a technophobe. They really are something special.

The Edison Effect by Bernadette Pajer

ISBN: 9781464202506

Poisoned Pen Press © 2014

Hardcover, 250 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #4 Professor Bradshaw mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley 

September 2014 New Mystery Releases!

I'm not ready for summer to be over yet, so I'm glad the heat lingers here in Phoenix. (Perfectly suited to this climate, aren't I?) I've been out in the pool all summer with a succession of tall, cold drinks and books so good that they make me lose track of time. If Denis and I ever win the lottery and get this pool heated, my toes would undoubtedly be permanently webbed!

As usual I've been keeping track of crime fiction that will be released throughout the month of September. I'm sharing my list of my top dozen picks along with all the information you'll need to find them at your favorite book procurement locations. Book synopses are courtesy of Amazon. Happy Reading!

=== September 1 ===

Title: The Edison Effect

Author: Bernadette Pajer 

#4 in the Professor Benjamin Bradshaw historical mystery series set in early 1900s Seattle, Washington
ISBN: 9781464202520
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Paperback, 250 pages

*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books

Synopsis: "Inventor Thomas Alva Edison is also a ruthless businessman, intent on furthering his patents and General Electric and beating rivals like Nikola Tesla and Westinghouse. Edison has agents in place in Seattle but he’s come himself in pursuit of a mysterious invention lost in 1901 in Elliott Bay. When Edison asks for information, few refuse. But not University of Washington Professor Benjamin Bradshaw who’s earned a reputation as a private investigator where science—electricity—is concerned. Bradshaw hopes that the lost device, one conceived in anger by an anarchist and harnessed for murder, will elude Edison’s hired divers. _x000D_ Soon, one December morning, 1903, the Bon Marché’s Department Store electrician is found dead in the Men’s Wear Window clutching a festoon of Edison’s new holiday lights. Bradshaw believes Edison had set a dangerous game in motion. Motives multiply as the dead man’s secrets surface alongside rivalries at the Bon Marché. Bradshaw, his sleuthing partner Henry Pratt, and the Seattle PD’s Detective O’Brien pursue leads, but none spark Bradshaw’s intuition. His heart is not in the investigation but in a courtship that will force him to defy his Catholic faith or lose his beloved, Missouri. Then a crossroads in the case forces him to face his personal fears and his first professional failure. Whatever the outcomes, his life is about to change…."

=== September 2 ===

Title: Marked Down for Murder

Author: Josie Belle (AKA Jenn McKinlay)

#4 in the Good Buy Girls cozy series set in Virginia
ISBN: 9780425271360
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Mass Market Paperback, 272 pages

*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books

Synopsis: "Between spending Valentine’s Day with her sweetheart, Sam, and shopping upcoming Presidents’ Day sales with the Good Buy Girls, everything is coming up roses and bargains for Maggie Gerber. But when the mother of Maggie’s nemesis comes to town, things stop looking so rosy. Summer’s mom is hoping to set her spoiled daughter up with Sam, and she’ll do whatever it takes to make the match happen.

When Maggie heads to her romantic rival’s house to put a stop to the scheming, she discovers Summer standing over a dead body—holding a weapon. As much as Maggie would love to see Summer get her just desserts, she can’t shake the feeling that the meddling menace is, in fact, innocent. Now Maggie and the Good Buy Girls will have to sort through racks of suspects to find a killer—or Summer will wind up getting a truly raw deal…"

Title: Night of the White Buffalo
Author: Margaret Coel
#18 in the Wind River series set in Wyoming
ISBN: 9780425264652
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Hardcover, 304 pages

Synopsis: "A mysterious penitent confesses to murder, and then flees the confessional before Father John can identify him. Two months later, Vicky discovers rancher Dennis Carey shot dead in his truck along Blue Sky Highway. With the tragic news comes the exposure of an astonishing secret: the most sacred creature in Native American mythology, a white buffalo calf, was recently born on Carey’s ranch.

Making national headlines, the miraculous animal draws a flood of pilgrims to the reservation, frustrating an already difficult investigation. As visitors throw the reservation into turmoil, Vicky and Father John try to unravel the strange events surrounding both Carey’s murder and the recent disappearances of three cowboys from his ranch.

It could be coincidence, given the nomadic life of the cowboy trade, but when one of them fails to appear in court to testify on an assault charge, Vicky wonders if Arnie Walkfast and his Arapaho buddies are guilty of more than just assault. And at the back of Father John’s mind is the voice from the man in the confessional: I killed a man…"

Title: The Wolfe Widow
Author: Victoria Abbott
#3 in the Book Collector cozy series set in New York state
ISBN: 9780425255308
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Synopsis: "As Thanksgiving approaches, Jordan Bingham is grateful for her job researching rare books for Vera Van Alst, the infamous curmudgeon of Harrison Falls, New York. But when an uninvited guest makes an appearance, much more than dinner is disrupted—and Jordan is thankful just to be alive…

Vera Van Alst doesn’t normally receive visitors without appointment, but she agrees to see the imperious Muriel Delgado upon arrival. Shortly thereafter, Jordan is told that her position is being terminated. Evicted from the Van Alst House, Jordan is determined to find out what hold Muriel has over her erstwhile employer.

It seems Muriel has designs on Vera’s money and property—not to mention a particular interest in her collection of Nero Wolfe first editions. When Jordan discovers a deadly connection between Muriel and the Van Alst family, it’s up to her to put the house in order and stop a killer from going back to press." 

Title: The Low Road
Author: A.D. Scott
#5 in the Highland Gazette historical series set in 1950s Scotland
ISBN: 9781476756165
Publisher: Atria Books
Paperback, 336 pages

*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books

Synopsis: "The fifth gripping and beautifully written entry in A. D. Scott’s mystery series finds star journalist John McAllister caught up in the razor-gang warfare of 1950s Glasgow.

A. D. Scott’s extraordinary mystery novels have been called “beautifully written and atmospheric” (New York Times bestselling author Rhys Bowen), “a visit with an old friend in front of a fireplace” (Suspense Magazine), and “must-reads” (Booklist).

John McAllister has come to a crossroads, torn between the stability of his life in the Highlands and the thrill of working as a renowned journalist in Glasgow at a national daily newspaper. Can he accept that this exciting new phase is over? That it is time to settle down?

Before he knows it, McAllister is in the midst of a fast-paced hunt for his good friend Jimmy McPhee, who is involved in a blood feud with a murderous razor gang. With a fiercely ambitious young crime reporter, he tracks down Jimmy, but the gang finds them. Only when another violent clash breaks out do they have the chance to escape. Soon McAllister finds himself in danger of losing everything he holds dear—his mother, his fiancée, his friends, his integrity, and his life.

And Joanne Ross, recovering from horrific injuries, senses McAllister’s ambivalence about their forthcoming marriage, and she knows she can only wait for him to return to her.

From the wilderness of the Highlands to the desolation of Glasgow’s slums, book five in Scott’s mystery series is a portrait of extremes: between city and glen; between the rule of law and the laws of the streets; between safe, enduring love and unreasoning passion."

=== September 4 ===

Title: Sinking Suspicions

Author: Sara Sue Hoklotubbe 

#3 in the Sadie Walela series set in Oklahoma

ISBN: 9780816531073

Publisher: University of Arizona Press

Paperback, 224 pages

Synopsis: "Suspicions run high when murder mixes with identity theft in the latest installment of the popular Sadie Walela mystery series set in Cherokee Country. No sooner does Sadie embark on an unexpected business trip to the beautiful island of Maui, when her long-time neighbor, Buck Skinner, a full-blood Cherokee and World War II veteran, goes missing and becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a petty identity thief.

Iconic lawman Lance Smith joins a community-wide search, but Buck is nowhere to be found. As evidence mounts against her old friend, Sadie rushes to return home to help—only to be delayed by an island-wide earthquake and her own sinking suspicions.

A diverse cast of characters weave together a breathless story of murder, thievery, and the toll of war on the human spirit. In her effort to restore balance to her neighbor’s life, Sadie not only uncovers the truth, but unravels much more than a murder."

=== September 15 ===

Title: Darkness, Darkness

Author: John Harvey

#13 in the Charlie Resnick police procedural series set in England

ISBN: 9781605986166

Publisher: Pegasus

Hardcover, 352 pages

Synopsis: "Thirty years ago, the British Miners’ Strike threatened to tear england apart, turning neighbor against neighbor, husband against wife, father against son—enmities which still smolder.

Charlie Resnick, recently promoted to Detective Inspector and ambivalent, at best, about some of the police tactics used in the Strike, had run an surveillance-gathering unit at the heart of the dispute.

Now, in virtual retirement, the discovery of the body of a young woman who disappeared during the Strike brings Resnick back to the front line to assist in the investigation into the woman’s murder—forcing him to confront his past—in what will assuredly be his last case . . . as well as John’s Harvey’s final Charlie Resnick novel."

Title: The Coniston Case

Author: Rebecca Tope

#3 in the "Simmy" Brown series set in the Lake District of England

ISBN: 9780749016159

Publisher: Allison and Busby

Hardcover, 352 pages

Synopsis: "Simmy is busy at her flower shop in the run up to Valentine’s Day. She has a number of anonymous messages and flowers to deliver around the Lake District, but finds these messages are not welcome upon delivery.

One recipient, Mr. Hayter, has been reported missing and the other, Tim Braithwaite, is reported dead. Meanwhile, Simmy’s friend Kathy has come to stay. She has been worried about her daughter, Joanne, who has fallen in love with her university tutor. Kathy confronts Baz and finds he hides a sinister side, which leads to trouble."

=== September 16 ===

Title: The Stone Wife

Author: Peter Lovesey

#14 in the Peter Diamond police procedural series set in Bath, England

ISBN: 9781616953935

Publisher: Soho Press

Hardcover, 368 pages

*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books

Synopsis: "At a Bath auction house, a large slab of carved stone is up for sale. At the height of what turns into very competitive bidding, there is a hold-up attempt by three masked robbers. They shoot and kill the highest bidder, a professor who has recognized the female figure carved in the stone as Chaucer’s Wife of Bath. 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 murder."

=== September 23 ===

Title: Silent Murders

Author: Mary Miley

#2 in the Roaring Twenties historical mystery series

ISBN: 9781250051370

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Hardcover, 320 pages

Synopsis: "Vaudeville actress Leah Randall took on her most daring role ever when she impersonated missing heiress Jessie Carr in order to claim Jessie’s inheritance in The Impersonator. Now that the dust has settled around that tumultuous time in her life, Leah has adopted Jessie’s name as her own and moved to Hollywood, where she's taken a modest but steady job in the silent film industry.

Jessie’s thrilled when Bruno Heilmann, a movie studio bigwig, invites her to a party. She’s even more delighted to run into a face from her past at that party. But the following day, Jessie learns that sometime in the wee hours of the morning both her old friend and Bruno Heilmann were brutally murdered. She’s devastated, but with her skill as an actress, access to the wardrobes and resources of a film studio, and a face not yet famous enough to be recognized, Jessie is uniquely positioned to dig into the circumstances surrounding these deaths. But will doing so put her own life directly in the path of a murderer?"

Title: To Dwell in Darkness

Author: Deborah Crombie

#16 in the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James police procedural series set in England

ISBN:  9780062271600

Publisher: William Morrow

Hardcover, 336 pages

Synopsis: "Recently transferred to the London borough of Camden from Scotland Yard headquarters, Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his new murder investigation team are called to a deadly bombing at historic St. Pancras Station. By fortunate coincidence, Melody Talbot, Gemma's trusted colleague, witnesses the explosion. The victim was taking part in an organized protest, yet the other group members swear the young man only meant to set off a smoke bomb. As Kincaid begins to gather the facts, he finds every piece of the puzzle yields an unexpected pattern, including the disappearance of a mysterious bystander.

The bombing isn't the only mystery troubling Kincaid. He's still questioning the reasons behind his transfer, and when his former boss—who's been avoiding him—is attacked, those suspicions deepen. With the help of his former sergeant, Doug Cullen, Melody Talbot, and Gemma, Kincaid begins to untangle the truth. But what he discovers will leave him questioning his belief in the job that has shaped his life and his values—and remind him just how vulnerable his precious family is."

=== September 24 ===

Title: Bright Hopes

Author: Annette Mahon

#5 in the St. Rose Quilting Bee cozy series set in Arizona

ISBN: 9781432829506

Publisher: Five Star

Hardcover, 310 pages

Synopsis: "Loud explosions are ruining sleep for hundreds of Scottsdale residents in the hot July nights, including members of the St. Rose Quilting Bee. Things become serious when Maggie's police officer son is injured by one of the blasts. Then a church member dies when an explosion topples a roof onto the lounge chair where he lies sleeping. The women think bored teenagers may be playing with fireworks, but Edie is thinking terrorists. The others scoff, until a bomb at a power substation throws the entire neighborhood into darkness. Suddenly terrorism is a real possibility."

For me, this is a really good mix of favorite authors and intriguing new ones. I can't wait to dig in-- and I hope I've managed to list a title or two that made it to your own Gotta Get lists!

Capacity For Murder by Bernadette Pajer

First Line: It all began with a freckle-faced youth delivering a telegram.

The University of Washington's Professor Benjamin Bradshaw is beginning to get a reputation as an electrical forensic investigator-- even beyond the city limits of Seattle at the turn of the twentieth century. When Dr. Arnold Hornsby of the Healing Sands Sanitarium in Ocean Springs, Washington, sends an urgent telegram for him to come investigate the death of one of his patients, Bradshaw agrees, taking a rather large party of people with him.

Once there, it takes Bradshaw only moments to see that Dr. Hornsby's equipment had been tampered with and that David Hollister was murdered. It almost has to be one of the guests staying at the sanitarium when Hollister died, but which one? Trying to find the answer is ultimately going to have Bradshaw sending his students and family members back to Seattle to get out of the range of a deadly killer.

The more Benjamin Bradshaw mysteries I read, the more I enjoy them. Author Bernadette Pajer gives quite a sense of Seattle in the early 1900s, as well as the feeling of possibility and advancement in the fields of science and invention. Even though my knowledge of the era is sound, I always learn something new whenever I read the latest investigation of this university professor. (This time I learned why-- when I was growing up-- some of the older folks called matches "safety matches." Believe me, safety was desperately needed!)

Benjamin Bradshaw is a man who has been severely scarred by a bad marriage and the death of his wife. He found some measure of peace by retreating into solitude, focusing on his son's welfare and on his own inventions, and by over-organizing his daily routines. I read quite a few mystery series, and many of them give the impression that the characters shut themselves away in a closet between books. Not so here. In Capacity for Murder, we find out some of the things Bradshaw's been doing to put a bit of spice into his personal life since the last book. For some reason, I like knowing that he's been out and about in between investigations; it adds a welcome bit of realism to any author's characterizations.

Life at a sanitarium in a rather remote seaside location is well-drawn, and I loved the various characters traveling from Healing Sands to the closest towns by Stanley Steamer. The identity of the killer is meant to be rather obvious; what's so good about knowing the person's identity is that you have more brain cells available to try to deduce just how the murder was carried out-- and the buildup of suspense leading up to the investigation's conclusion is excellent.

Bernadette Pajer's Professor Bradshaw mysteries give a true sense of the place and the era during intriguing investigations peopled by characters who evolve,  who make me care about them... and who make me laugh. Pajer's books just keep getting better-- and I happily recommend this series to all historical mystery lovers. 

Capacity for Murder by Bernadette Pajer

ISBN: 9781464201288

Poisoned Pen Press © 2013

Paperback, 266 pages

Historical Mystery, #3 Professor Bradshaw mystery

Rating: B+

Source: NetGalley 

New Mystery Releases for June 2013!

You know, sometimes when I write these release posts and see all the new books in series that I've started and not progressed with, I wish for more hours in the day. It doesn't bother me that I have a wish list that can reach to the moon and back again. No, what would bother me is not having that wish list at all. I already know that I'll never be able to read all the books that I want to read in my lifetime-- but the thought of having nothing to read scares the puddin' outta me. Probably why I have books on my to-be-read shelves that number in the hundreds. If they were in the double or even-- gulp-- single digits, I would be very twitchy indeed!

There are a couple more titles than usual in this month's post; I just couldn't narrow the list any further. As usual, I have them grouped by their release dates, and I have all the information you'll need to find them at all your favorite book spots. Happy Summer Reading!

=== June 1 ===

Title: The Square of Revenge

Author: Pieter Aspe (the "Flemish Georges Simenon")

Series: Inspector Van In, set in Belgium. This is the first book to be translated into English.

ISBN:  9781605984469

Publisher: Pegasus

Hardcover, 336 pages

Synopsis: "The beautiful medieval architecture of Bruges belies the dark longings of her residents. When the wealthy and powerful Ludovic Degroof’s jewelry store is broken into, nothing is stolen, but the jewels have been dissolved in jars if aqua regia, an acid so strong it can even melt gold. In the empty safe is a scrap of paper on which a strange square has been drawn. At first, Inspector Van In pays little attention to the paper, focusing on the bizarre nature of the burglary. But when Degroof’s offspring also receive letters with this same square, Van In and the beautiful new DA Hannelore Martens find themselves unraveling a complex web of enigmatic Latin phrase and a baroness’ fallen family and Degroof’s relationship with a hostage grandchild, ransomed for a priceless collection of art."

=== June 4 ===

Title: Angel City

Author: Jon Steele

Series: #2 in the Angelus Trilogy set in various locations

ISBN: 9780399158759

Publisher: Blue Rider Press

Hardcover, 528 pages

Synopsis: "It’s been almost three years since we left Detective Jay Harper and high-priced escort Katherine Taylor on the esplanade of Lausanne Cathedral, bruised and battered from a biblical showdown with the Nephilim. Katherine has retreated to small-town life in the woods of Washington State with her son, Max—and a close protection detail of heavily-armed, elite members of the Swiss Guard. Harper is living in Paris, haunted by voices in his head and bone-tired after what turns out to be two and a half million years on Earth.

Though Katherine and Harper have been prevented from remembering each other , baby Max has unwittingly stirred the interest of vengeful spirits—and only a worldwide (and cosmic) effort to save his life will bring Harper and Katherine together again. Meanwhile, from the shadows steps a defrocked priest named Astruc, whose face looks as if it has been clawed by some terrible beast and who hides his eyes behind blue lenses. He and his brilliant young ward, Goose, have discovered something unfathomable in the Catacombs under Paris, something that will confirm that “the time of the prophecy” is at hand. . . .

Electrifying from its explosive first scene to its unexpected and shocking conclusion, Angel City reunites the unforgettable characters from The Watchers to reveal more of the earthly—and otherworldy—mysteries of the Angelus trilogy."

Title: Lost

Author: S.J. Bolton

Series: #3 Lacey Flint, set in London, England

ISBN: 9781250028563

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Hardcover, 400 pages

*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books

Synopsis: "Like everyone reading the newspapers these days, 10-year-old Barney Roberts knows the killer will strike again soon. The victim will be another boy, just like him. The body will be drained of blood, and left somewhere on a Thames beach. There will be no clues for London detectives Dana Tulloch and Mark Joesbury to find. There will be no warning about who will be next. There will be no real reason for Barney’s friend and neighbor, Lacey Flint, on leave from her job as a London police detective, to become involved…and no chance that she can stay away. With the clock ticking, the violence escalating, and young lives at stake, Lacey and Barney both know they can’t afford a single wrong step if they hope to make it through alive.

S.J. Bolton, an award-winning author of five novels, delivers her most compelling novel to date, in which a fragile police detective and a courageous, lonely eleven-year-old boy must work together to unmask a killer. Lost provides all of the pulse-pounding suspense, beautifully drawn characters, and intricate plotting thriller fans could hope for—and more.

Please note, this title is published in the UK as Like This For Ever."

Title: Capacity for Murder

Author: Bernadette Pajer 

Series: #3 Professor Bradshaw mystery set in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Seattle, Washington

ISBN:  9781464201288

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Paperback, 250 pages

*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books

Synopsis: "Healing Sands Sanitarium, southwest of Seattle, Washington, sits on the sandy doorstep of the Pacific Ocean. Famed for its restorative rest-cure, fermented diets, and Dr. Hornsby's electrotherapeutics, no one has ever died at Healing Sands. Until now. When Professor Bradshaw is summoned to investigate, he knows this was no accident, but his only clue to foul play is as insubstantial as smoke--to anyone other than an electrical engineer. In this isolated location, suspects are limited to a handful whose lives--and lies--must be exhumed and examined. A sinister tale emerges as deep undercurrents turn personal, provoking Bradshaw to make a decision about the woman he loves. And then an everyday object provides the key, alerting Bradshaw that one among them is a walking dead man, and another possesses the capacity for murder."

Title: A Serpent's Tooth

Author: Craig Johnson 

Series: #9 Sheriff Walt Longmire mystery set in Wyoming

ISBN: 9780670026456 

Publisher: Viking

Hardcover, 352 pages

*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books

Synopsis: "The success of Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire series that began with The Cold Dish continues to grow after A&E’s hit show Longmire introduced new fans to the Wyoming sheriff. As the Crow Flies marked the series’ highest debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Now, in his ninth Western mystery, Longmire stares down his most dangerous foes yet.

It’s homecoming in Absaroka County, but the football and festivities are interrupted when a homeless boy wanders into  town. A Mormon “lost boy,” Cord Lynear is searching for his missing mother but clues are scarce. Longmire and his companions, feisty deputy Victoria Moretti and longtime friend Henry Standing Bear, embark on a high plains scavenger hunt in hopes of reuniting mother and son. The trail leads them to an interstate polygamy group that’s presiding over a stockpile of weapons and harboring a vicious vendetta."

Title: Thread and Buried
Author: Janet Bolin
Series: #3 in the Threadville mysteries set in Pennsylvania
ISBN:  9780425252185
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages

Synopsis: "Every town has a legend. For Threadville, it’s the story of Snoozy Gallagher, the hotel owner who disappeared thirty years ago with a bag full of stolen jewelry, never to be heard from again. That is, until now—when Snoozy’s loot is discovered buried behind Willow Vanderling’s embroidery shop In Stitches.

When villagers mysteriously become ill, and a body shrouded in materials from Threadville shops appears in the exact spot where the treasure was—along with two abandoned kittens—Willow needs answers. The random events are too coincidental to be unrelated, but Willow will have to act quickly to unravel the deadly mystery, or she might get tangled up as the killer’s next victim…"

Title: Looming Murder
Author: Carol Ann Martin
Series: #1 in the Weaving mystery series, set in the Blue Ridge Mountains
ISBN: 9780451413604
Publisher: Signet
Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages

Synopsis: "Della Wright has come to peaceful and picturesque Briar Hollow, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, to realize her lifelong dream of owning a weaving studio. To promote her new business, Dream Weavers, Della is offering weaving workshops for all levels of ability. In her first class, she meets half a dozen of the town’s colorful characters, who seem as eager to gossip as to learn how to work a loom.

But when a shady local businessman is found murdered, Briar Hollow suddenly appears a lot less idyllic. And when one of her weaving students is suspected of the crime, Della can’t help getting entangled in the investigation—with some help from her criminologist friend, Matthew. But can she weave together clues as well as she weaves together yarn—and stop a killer from striking again?"

Title: The Doll

Author: Taylor Stevens

Series: #4 in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series, set in Texas

ISBN: 9780307888785

Publisher: Crown

Hardcover, 352 pages

Synopsis: "Haunted by a life of violence and as proficient with languages as she is with knives, Vanessa Michael Munroe, chameleon and hunter, has built her life on a reputation for getting things done—dangerous and often not-quite-legal things. Born to missionary parents in lawless Africa, taken under the tutelage of gunrunners, and tortured by one of the jungle’s most brutal men, Munroe was forced to do whatever it took to stay alive.

The ability to survive, fight, adapt, and blend has since taken her across the globe on behalf of corporations, heads of state, and the few private clients who can afford her unique brand of expertise, and these abilities have made her enemies.

On a busy Dallas street, Munroe is kidnapped by an unseen opponent and thrust into an underground world where women and girls are merchandise and a shadowy figure known as The Doll Maker controls her every move. While trusted friends race to unravel where she is and why she was taken, everything pivots on one simple choice: Munroe must use her unique set of skills to deliver a high-profile young woman into the same nightmare that she once endured, or condemn to torture and certain death the one person she loves above all else.   

Driven by the violence that has made her what she is, cut off from help, and with attempts to escape predicted and prevented, Munroe will hunt for openings, for solutions, and a way to strike back at a man who holds all the cards. Because only one thing is certain: she cannot save everyone.
   

In this high-octane thriller for fans of Lee Child, Stieg Larsson, and Robert Ludlum's Bourne trilogy, Vanessa Michael Munroe will have to fight fast, smart and furiously to overcome a dangerous nemesis and deliver her trademark brand of justice."

=== June 13 ===

Title: Circle of Shadows

Author: Imogen Robertson

Series: #4 in the Westerman and Crowther series set in 18th century Germany

ISBN: 9780670026289

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books

Hardcover, 384 pages

Synopsis: "The forthright Mrs. Harriet Westerman and her reclusive companion, anatomist Gabriel Crowther, tackle their first case outside of England in the fourth installment of Imogen Robertson’s heralded historical suspense series.

As Germany’s elite are celebrating Shrove Tuesday of 1784 with a masked ball, the beautiful Lady Martesen is murdered. Daniel Clode, brother-in-law to Mrs. Westerman, is found near the body. All evidence points to him as the killer. As Daniel awaits execution, Westerman and Crowther arrive and quickly encounter a court full of opulence, intrigue, and deadly secrets—but no one who will talk.

With Anne Perry’s eye for period detail and Tess Gerritsen’s forensics knowledge, Robertson is emerging as a major author of highbrow suspense."

=== June 15 ===

Title: Shadows in the Cotswolds

Author: Rebecca Tope

Series: #10 in the Thea Osborne series set in England

ISBN: 9780749011239

Publisher: Allison and Busby

Hardcover, 288 pages

Synopsis: "When Thea Osborne agrees at the last minute to house-sit for Oliver Meadows as a favor to her mother, she expects a few days of peace with her spaniel, Hepzie. Uncomfortable with the news of her mother’s sudden involvement with an old flame, and Thea herself unsure of how to deal with her feelings for Drew Slocombe, she hopes that some time alone in the historic town of Winchcombe will help to clear her head. But, as usual, Thea quickly finds herself at the center of a dark mystery when she discovers a dead body in the gardens of the house.

In the latest installment to the popular Cotswolds series by Rebecca Tope, Thea must work quickly to unravel the secrets which are being kept by Oliver Meadows and his brother, Fraser, and discover exactly what lies beneath the surface of their turbulent relationship. And amidst the chaos caused by the investigation, will Thea find time to decide how she should deal with her own problems too?"

=== June 18 ===

Title: Swimming with Sharks

Author: Nele Neuhaus

Standalone

ISBN: 9781611099256

Publisher: AmazonCrossing

Paperback, 564 pages

Synopsis: "Ambitious, brilliant, and beautiful, Alex Sondheim is the undisputed star of Wall Street—and she knows it. So it comes as no surprise when Levy Manhattan Investments taps her to take their prestigious firm to the next level. She can name her price, but can she live up to their expectations? 

Because behind the glittering facade of luxury offices, five-star dinners, and million-dollar investments hides the firm’s true power player: a deadly criminal cartel. Caught up in a steamy relationship with handsome real-estate mogul Sergio Vitali, Alex is blind to the danger—until an assassination attempt against the city’s crusading mayor claims the lives of three innocent people. To protect the city’s people and save herself, she’ll have to put everything on the line: her job, her reputation…and her life."

Title: Death of a Dyer
Author: Eleanor Kuhns
Series: #2 in the Will Rees series set in 18th century Maine
ISBN: 9781250033963
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Hardcover, 352 pages

Synopsis: "Will Rees feels at home. It’s been a long time since he last felt this way—not since before his wife died years ago and he took to the road as a traveling weaver. Now, in 1796, Rees is back on his Maine farm, living with his teenaged son, David, and his housekeeper, Lydia—whose presence contributes more towards his happiness than he’s ready to admit. But his domestic bliss is shattered the morning a visitor brings news of an old friend’s murder.

Nate Bowditch and Rees hadn't spoken in many long years, but as children they were closer than brothers, and Rees feels his loss acutely. Asked to look into the circumstances surrounding Nate’s death, Rees simply can’t refuse. At the Bowditch farmstead, Rees quickly discovers that everyone—from Nate’s frosty wife to his missing son to the shy serving girl—is hiding something. But are any of them actually capable of murder? Or does the answer lie elsewhere, behind stones no one even knew needed unturning?"

Title: Hour of the Rat
Author: Lisa Brackmann 
Series: #2 in the Ellie Cooper series set in China
ISBN: 9781616952341 
Publisher: Soho Crime
Hardcover, 371 pages

Synopsis: "Iraq War vet Ellie McEnroe has a pretty good life in Beijing, representing the work of controversial dissident Chinese artist Zhang Jianli. Even though Zhang’s mysterious disappearance of over a year ago has her in the sights of the Chinese authorities. Even though her Born-Again mother has come for a visit and shows no signs of leaving. But when her mom takes up with “that nice Mr. Zhou next door,” Ellie decides that it’s time to get out of town—given her mother’s past bad choices of men, no good can come of this.

An old Army buddy, Dog Turner, gives her the perfect excuse. His unstable brother Jason has disappeared in picturesque Yangshuo, a famous tourist destination, and though Ellie knows it’s a long shot, she agrees to try to find him. At worst, she figures she’ll have a few days of fun in some gorgeous scenery.

But her plans for a relaxing vacation are immediately complicated when her mother and the new boyfriend tag along. And as soon as she starts asking questions about the missing Jason, Ellie realizes that she’s stumbled into a dangerous conspiracy that may or may not involve a sinister biotech company, eco-terrorists, an art-obsessed Chinese billionaire and lots of cats—one that will take her on a wild chase through some of China’s most beautiful—and most surreal—places."

=== June 20 ===

Title: Her Last Breath

Author: Linda Castillo

Series: #5 in the Kate Burkholder series set in Ohio

ISBN:  9780312658571

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Hardcover, 320 pages

*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books

Synopsis: "What at first seems like a tragic, but routine car accident  suddenly takes on a more sinister cast as evidence emerges that nothing about the crash is accidental.  But who would want to kill an Amish deacon and two of his children? He leaves behind a grieving widow and a young boy who clings to life in the intensive care wing of a hospital, unable to communicate.  He may be the only one who knows what happened that night.  Desperate to find out who killed her best friend’s husband and why, Kate begins to suspect she is not looking for a reckless drunk, but instead is on the trail of a cold blooded killer amid the residents of Painter’s Mill.  It is a search that takes her on a  chilling journey into the darkest reaches of the human heart and makes her question everything she has ever believed about the Amish culture into which she was born."

=== June 25 ===

Title: The Raven's Gift

Author: Don Rearden

Standalone Thriller

ISBN: 9780143187493
Publisher: Pintail
Paperback, 288 pages

*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books

Synopsis: "John Morgan and his wife can barely contain their excitement upon arriving as the new teachers in a Yup'ik Eskimo village on the windswept Alaskan tundra. But their move proves disastrous when a deadly epidemic strikes and the isolated community descends into total chaos. When outside aid fails to arrive, John’s only hope lies in escaping the snow-covered tundra and the hunger of the other survivors—he must make the thousand-mile trek across the Alaskan wilderness for help. He encounters a blind Eskimo girl and an elderly woman who need his protection, and he needs their knowledge of the terrain to survive. The harsh journey pushes him beyond his limits as he discovers a new sense of hope and the possibility of loving again."


Good crop of new books, eh? Which titles tickled your fancy? Do tell!

Fatal Induction by Bernadette Pajer

First Line: The first indication that Professor Benjamin Bradshaw's life was about to plunge again into chaos appeared in the form of a flatulent horse eating Mrs. Prouty's broad beans over the garden fence, its huge teeth tugging greedily at the vines.

It's 1901, and another school year is about to begin at the University of Washington in Seattle. The obsessively organized Professor of Electrical Engineering, Benjamin Bradshaw, has everything ready for his classes which allows him time to participate in an electrical competition.

In this second book in the series, we get to see Bradshaw not as a teacher, but as an inventor who can lose all track of time down in his basement-- to the dismay of his housekeeper Mrs. Prouty. Unfortunately Bradshaw is not going to be left to his stimulating muse. Mrs. Prouty insists on complaining about the horse that's been eating her beans for hours, and when Bradshaw goes to investigate, he finds the horse hitched to an empty peddler's wagon. Although he searches, he can find no trace of the owner or his daughter, only bottles of Ralph's Restorative-- a tonic that has been making people ill.

Then the entire nation is thrown into shock: President McKinley is assassinated. But Bradshaw can't get the idea out of his head that a little girl is missing and may be in danger. Although he can't let the girl's disappearance go, he seems to be getting very little help from either his friend, Detective O'Brien, or Detective March, a policeman who tries his best to be helpful.

Trying to be his own investigator down in the Tenderloin (an area on the waterfront where all sorts of saloons, brothels, and other sources of vice abound), Bradshaw quickly learns that the only results he may get as a detective are results he doesn't want: putting his own son's life in jeopardy. Then as a few more pieces of information click together, the professor realizes that there may be a way to get the information he needs: turn his electrical invention into a trap to catch the killer.

I enjoy these Professor Bradshaw mysteries. Pajer's research into Seattle's history brings the city and the times to life in a very natural way, whether it's an amusing scene that lets us know how Profanity Hill got its name or by adding a character named Nell "Harry" Pickerell, a real young lady who preferred to go about town dressed as a man.

Another thing that is so enjoyable about these books is the way in which Pajer makes the history of electricity and of electrical inventions fascinating. We tend to take all things electrical for granted. Unless we live in areas that experience terrifying storms, most of us have never known more than a few minutes scattered here and there when we couldn't turn on a light or reach into the refrigerator for a cold drink. Pajer makes the early days of electricity and the inventors who bent it to their will exciting.

Even better than the historical detail and setting are Pajer's characters. Benjamin Bradshaw has known tragedy in his life. Although he still disappears into a fog of inventive fury, he is slowly coming out of his self-induced solitude and is making friends. His relationship with his son is an important feature in the books, and he even has his eye on a young lady-- although at this point he's still much too shy to do anything about it. (And I certainly wouldn't recommend his inviting Missouri Fremont over to dinner if Mrs. Prouty is doing the cooking!)

Yes, these are characters a reader can grow to care about very quickly, and even though it's not necessary to read the books in order for them to make sense, I think you should consider it so you can see how the characters and their relationships grow and change over time.

The only thing about Fatal Induction that I can't rave about is the mystery itself. Let me rephrase that. The mystery is a good one, it's the identity of the villain that I had trouble with because the minute the person was described I thought to myself, "Bingo!" As to the reasons behind the villainy? I didn't have those figured out at all, and oftentimes that's the most important part of the crime, isn't it?

If you're in the mood for an historical mystery that sets you down right in the middle of Seattle in 1901 with a good puzzle to solve and excellent characters to help you along the way, Bernadette Pajer's Professor Bradshaw mysteries are just the ticket.

Fatal Induction by Bernadette Pajer

ISBN:  9781615954025

Poisoned Pen Press © 2012

eBook, 250 pages

Genre: Historical Mystery, #2 Professor Bradshaw mystery

Rating: A-

Source: the author, in exchange for an honest review

Scene of the Crime with Author Bernadette Pajer!

I have a fondness for the history of Seattle, Washington-- as I think anyone would after taking the Underground Tour downtown. When I learned that there was a new historical mystery series set there, you know I had to get my hands on the first book. I was hooked on Professor Benjamin Bradshaw before I'd finished A Spark of Death, and if you like good historical mysteries, I think you will be, too.

Bernadette Pajer

Bernadette Pajer is the author of the Professor Bradshaw mystery series. She's a graduate of the University of Washington and a proud member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Northwest Science Writers, PNWA, and the Seattle7Writers.org.

Research is Pajer's favorite activity, and she happily delves into Seattle's past and the early days of electrical invention as she plots Professor Bradshaw's investigations. Pajer lives in the Seattle area with her husband and son.


Here are a few more links just in case you feel like learning even more about this talented writer:

Bernadette Pajer's website

Bernadette Pajer on Twitter

Bernadette Pajer on Facebook

Bernadette Pajer on Goodreads

Now it's time for the fun stuff-- the interview!

What was the very first book you remember reading and loving? What makes that book so special?

I must have been about ten when I read A Long Way to Go by Borden Deal. It's about three children on vacation whose parents leave them for the day at a motel daycare and never return, so the children, afraid of what the authorities might do to them, decide to walk home. Six hundred miles!  I remember being so amazed at the children's daring. One of the kids, a girl I think, was overweight when they set out and in great shape when they arrived home, and all of the kids matured and learned on the journey. I escaped completely into the story and for a very long time after reading it would often think about what that sort of adventure would be like. I haven't read that book as an adult, but I'm now curious if I would still enjoy it as much. 

No other book stuck in my memory until I was about twelve and read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I remember being surprised that an assigned school book was an amazing, bizarre story, and it, too, pulled me completely into another world, engaged my imagination, and made me think about so many things in a totally new way. I hadn't I realized until then that many books adults read, even the classics, were entertaining stories about people and ideas that could be so engrossing. Coincidentally (or is it synchronicity?),  in the wonderful way our lives circle and intertwine, I recently learned that the inspirational advice given me by Richard Bach at a chance meeting when I first began to write had its origins with Ray Bradbury. (You can go to Blogtalk Radio to listen to William Kenower's interview with Richard Bach.) 

Outside of your writing and all associated commitments, what do you like to do in your free time?

Read! Sorry, but it's true. I love to go RV'ng with my husband and son, have backyard BBQ's, walk ocean beaches, travel, and eat great food other people have prepared. But all of those things are made better with a good book!

If I were to visit your hometown, where would you recommend that I go? (I like seeing and doing things that aren't in all the guide books.)

Seattle Mystery Bookshop  (Seattle, downtown), Uppercase Bookshop  (Snohomish), Edmonds Bookshop
(Edmonds), Eagle Harbor Books  (Bainbridge Island), Queen Anne Books (Seattle, Queen Anne Hill), Vashon Bookshop  (Vashon Island), Elliott Bay Books (Seattle, Capitol Hill), A Book for All Seasons (Leavenworth),  Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park), and University Book Store (Seattle, University district.) 

But not in that order because that would be a crazy zig-zagging drive. Each of these stores is located in the heart of a great little town or neighborhood (in or near Seattle ) you could explore, and you'd meet the nicest booksellers and book lovers! The University Bookstore is located within walking distance of Denny Hall on the UW campus, the building known as the Administration Building to Professor Bradshaw!

[Now... does this woman know the perfect tour or what?!?]

You have total control over casting a movie based on your life. Which actor would you cast as you?

Oh, good grief, no! Dull movie! I am a writer without any drama in her personal  life, thank goodness. A contented life does not make for a good screenplay. Now if you were to ask about my Professor Bradshaw, well, then I'd say I'd love Masterpiece Mystery to do a series and I'd give them free rein with the casting because they are brilliant at it. I'm hoping if I say this enough online then someone with the ability to make it happen will make it happen. [I think it would make a perfect television series!]

Who is your favorite recurring character in crime fiction?

Benedict Cumberbatch

Since I currently adore Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock in the new BBC series, I'd have to say Sherlock Holmes, but I'm also a fan of Hercule Poirot and his little grey cells.

[I don't like Cumberbatch at all. That's why I didn't track down a photo of him....]

Name one book that you've read that you wish you had written. What is it about that book that made it come to mind?

Honestly, I don't wish I had written any books but mine. To me, books are like children—as a writer, I might envy the talent revealed in books written by others but I don't covet the books. What I wish when I read great books is to be able to make my own stories come alive with the same brilliance.  I'm currently reading Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter and finding the writing marvelous and will likely read it a second time to study.


How did you celebrate when you first heard you were to be published?

By editing! The news came by email from Poisoned Pen Press. I'd been working closely with an editor on the first 60 pages of A Spark of Death with the hopes that if they liked my revisions, they would make an offer. I figured I had a few weeks of work ahead of me yet, when an email popped in congratulating me and saying my book had been slotted for publication July 2011! I sat absolutely stunned. Then I think I gasped, squealed, tried to explain to my son, who was seven at the time, what I was freaking out about. My husband was home and out in the backyard, stretched out in the sun. I danced around him with the news, being quite silly, and I grabbed my sun hat and threw it in the air. Then I called my agent, then my mom, then my sisters. Then I sat down and got to work!


What did you do the first time you saw one of your books on a shelf in a bookstore?

Took a picture! Asked the bookstore if I could sign them, and they let me! They didn't even ask for identification.





I don't know if you've seen it, but I love Parnell Hall's video about book signings. What is the most unusual experience you've had at a book signing or author event?

I haven't seen it, but will look for it. Nothing unusual has happened to me. I told you my life was delightfully dull. So far, my signings have been wonderful, and the biggest surprise to me has been that people who don't know me personally have come simply because they like my books. It's heartwarming and gratifying to think my books are out there in the world, making friends independent of me.


What's the best thing about eBooks? What's the worst?

I don't think I have anything revolutionary to add to the great eBook debate. I love that I can read a book anywhere, anytime, from my "cloud," on my phone or computer or Nook. I hate that during this time of transition, many wonderful bookstores have not survived. But I believe-- people being who they are— that books in all formats will survive, and we'll eventually find a new balance and new business models that will keep readers, writers, publishers, and bookstores thriving.

On Sale Now!

Thank you so much for spending this time with us, Bernadette! It was such a pleasure to be able to get to know you a little better.

May your book sales do nothing but increase!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stop by tomorrow when you'll be able to read my review of the second book in the Professor Bradshaw series, Fatal Induction!