The first round of voting is where the members of the IMBA send in the titles of the five books that they want to nominate for the award. The votes are weighted so we should come out with five or six books that can go into the next round - which determines the winner - usually. This year it was particularly difficult to find five books that the majority of store owners felt should have the award so we had another round to get it to five finalists. The five finalists in alphabetic order by last name are:

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
Thunder Bay by William Kent Kruger
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey

The final voting is finished but I can't tell you who the winner is. We want to make this a surprise at Left Coast Crime which is in Denver this year, March 6 - 9.

A good source for information on conventions, awards, etc. is the Cluelass site. Left Coast is just one of several mystery conventions that are held throughout the US during the year. These are a great opportunity to meet authors and other mystery fans.

This is the third year that I've tallied the votes for the award. It's great fun.

The setting is 1920s Melbourne, Australia. In this, the newest of the series that Poisoned Pen Press is publishing, Phryne (pronounced fry-nee) is investigating the poisoning of a young man in a bookshop at the Eastern Market, and the wrongful arrest of one Miss Sylvia Lee. As she follows the clues, Phryne is plunged into a world of Jewish politics, alchemy, poison and chicken soup. The series is delightful and pulls the reader right into the Roaring '20s.

So far, Poisoned Pen Press has published fourteen of the nineteen books written by Kerry Greenwood and starring Phryne Fisher. Check out the Poisoned Pen Press web site for more information on this series and others.

If you are a fan of recorded books, you can download two of the books (Death by Water and Ruddy Gore) from Audible.com and either listen to them on your PC or burn them to CDs to listen to in your car or wherever you enjoy audio books. You might also check your local public library for the books and / or the audio books. Stephanie Daniel is the reader of the books and she does a great job.

I received the following from Penny Rudolph:

Book Title: Listen to the Mockingbird
Genre: Historical Mystery/Thriller
ISBN: 978-1-59058-348-5 Trade Paperback 306 pages
Price $14.95
Author Name: Penny Rudolph
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: Sept. 2007

My somewhat feminist, historical mystery/suspense novel takes place in 1861 in New Mexico Territory where the Civil War is about to have a startling impact on a woman who calls herself Matty Summerhayes. A stranger dies in her barn, a rumor of a lost gold mine on her land emerges, and soon someone is trying to run her off her ranch.

It was seeing an old tombstone that made ideas begin to spew every which way in my head: 'Here lies a woman who owned a ranch and held up a stagecoach.' I blended the life of a real Army wife of the period with what I imagined the woman beneath the tombstone might have been like, and Listen to the Mockingbird came to life.

What early reviewers say....
Southwest BookViews: "Occasionally one of the thousands of books published each year just grabs the reader and won't let go. This is one of those rare finds...entertaining, informative, and beautifully written..." All About Murder: "Well written, researched, and edited...." Roundup Magazine: "From authentic sounding dialogue to historical accuracy ... an unforgettable treat, with characters you cry with."

Robert W. Walker sent me some information on his historical set in circa 1893 Chicago:

Shadows in the White City, which has garnered a rave review from the Chicago Tribune, was published by HarperCollins this April as sequel to City for Ransom which debuted 2006. Shadows is followed by City of the Absent. These are the cases of one Inspector Alastair Ransom of the Chicago Police Department circa 1893 and they run for the duration of the Chicago World's Fair (backdrop). I wrote these books because this Ransom fellow and the idea of writing about the rudiments of psychology, surgery, postmortems, and forensics fascinated me after reading a book entitled The Century of the Detective by Jurgen Throvald, a book that Dean R. Koontz insisted I read.

After reading Throvald's book, I began a decade long fascination with this time period. When my 11 book Instinct Series came to a natural end and my Edge Series did likewise, finally I had the time to devote to Inspector Alastair Ransom, time enough to do him and his time period justice.

I then ferreted out Mr. Kenan Heise, owner of the Chicago Book Exchange, a bookstore that dealt only in Chicago history. Mr. Heise pulled all the books from the shelves he felt I would need in order to do my plans for Alastair Ransom justice. 300 dollars in hardcover books later, I left Mr. Heise and went to work on City for Ransom, Shadows in the White City, and City of the Absent (all from Harper, paperback, $6.99).

As it turns out, I've gotten the best reviews and praise of my long and checkered career as an author on this trilogy. The Chicago Tribune says of it: "...historical fiction at its best." Ken Bruen said even more wonderful things about the series as have many others. Chicago in its infancy makes for a wonderful canvass to work on. I have enjoyed every minute that I've spent with Ransom and his ensemble, illuminating a stage from history. Even 3 Chicago historians have given this novel series a thumbs up. So I can't be happier with the results.

Island Of Exiles is the fourth of the Akitada novels (the correct sequence is Dragon Scroll, Rashomon Gate, Black Arrow, Island Of Exiles, and Hell Screen) and was released by Penguin as a trade paperback September 25, 2007.

For a peek at the cover see www.ijparker.com

When the exiled Prince Okisada, the most illustrious prisoner of the penal colony on Sado Island, is poisoned, Sugawara Akitada is called upon by the emperor's envoys to investigate incognito. The accused murderer is the son of the governor of the island, but Akitada suspects greater treachery. Posing as a prisoner, Akitada discovers a deadly conspiracy, only to fall into the hands of brutal guards and disappear. It falls to Tora, Akitada's devoted assistant, to begin his own dangerous search of the island for his lost friend and the truth.

Lynda sent me information about her new book which is set in the late 1960s:

Newspaper reporter Christie O'Kelly has always valued honesty and truth above all else. Now she suspects that one of the people she loves the most may be guilty of murder. Her profession and her nature make it impossible for her to look the other way, and she begins searching for the truth, even though she knows that finding it may cost her everything.

Advance praise for If Truth Be Told:

"If Truth Be Told is an incredibly written story. The author incorporates romance, suspense and mystery into an excellent plot. Because there are no slow moments in the story, I had a hard time putting it down. Not having Ms. Fitzgerald's talent for words, I cannot give this book the kind of review that it best deserves; I can only tell you that you should not miss out on the chance to read it. This is a great choice for a women's reader group." ReaderViews

Pine County Sheriff Cas Larkin is concerned when local celebrity Mattie Carrington's kitchen explodes several minutes after she and her sister Katie leave home. Mattie and Katie are cousins of Miss Mayme and Miss Minnie Anderson, the two sisters who run their small town's floral shop. However, Cass's instincts kick into high gear when he learns that Mattie has had several accidents in lately and had planned to be home the day of the explosion.

When Mattie leases a lakeside cabin in their county to finish a cookbook she is writing, Cas makes it a point to keep checking on her. During one of his visits, he finds Mattie unconscious and takes her to the hospital, where the doctor discloses she has been poisoned. All eyes point to Miss Minnie, the last person to visit Mattie, but Cas has other suspicions.

Fans of this series will feel as if they are spending time with old friends and new readers will quickly fall under the spell of all the warm characters in this sequel to The Nelson Scandal (Airleaf Publishing, trade paperback, $14.95), from Cas's wife Connie, the perpetual matchmaker, to Miss Mayme and Miss Minnie and several others. Griffey enfolds the reader in an engaging mystery that takes place in a charming locale, with spine-tingling suspense, a demented killer, and more than a few charismatic characters, including a psychic and faith healer.

Tom and Enid Schantz used to have a mystery bookstore in Boulder, CO, They sold that and turned to publishing classic British mysteries that had gone out of print. I haven't read this particular book but I have read others by Catherine Aird and they were wonderful! Here is a synopsis of the book from the Rue Morgue Press web site.

"When a heart attack forces Thomas Harding to retire with his wife Dora to a Tudor manor house in Calleshire County, he soon discovers that it comes complete with a priest hole, built by a clever Elizabethan craftsman and containing -quite unfortunately- a skeleton from a much earlier time. The local doctor says it's a clear case of murder but the police, pointing out that by now the murderer was long dead, decline to investigate. Totally bored by his new life but determined to learn more about "his" murder, Thomas begins to question the villagers, who are currently more concerned with the murder of a young wife and the disappearance of her well-liked husband. But in his efforts to solve a centuries-old crime, Thomas inadvertently contributes to the solution of the modern one and begins to take his place in the village of Easterbrook. Fans of Josephine Tey's Daughter of Time will embrace this tale first published in 1967 and the only novel by Aird not to feature Inspector Sloan."

Simon Beckett's first book, The Chemistry of Death, is a book that I always recommend to readers who want forensics and a good story and I feel the same way about Written in Bone:

"When I sat down to write a sequel to The Chemistry of Death (Dell Reprint, paperback, $6.99), my first novel to feature British forensic anthropologist Dr David Hunter, my main aim was not to disappoint readers. I knew I had to deliver the same elements that people enjoyed in Hunter's debut: forensics, mystery, shocks and twists. But at the same time I didn't want the second book to be too much like the first.

Years ago, I could remember reading about something called 'Spontaneous Human Combustion', where victims have somehow been incinerated without any of their surroundings being burned. So I began playing with the idea of having Hunter confronted with this apparently inexplicable phenomenon. How could he explain it? How could I, come to that?

That left the question of where the story should be set. I've visited several Scottish islands, and been struck by how the small communities that live on them survive amongst all that bleak, windswept beauty. They're wild and atmospheric, especially in winter, and the idea of Hunter finding himself stranded on one of them with a crazed killer seemed too good to miss. The result was Written in Bone. Hopefully readers will enjoy it just as much as David Hunter's first outing. And perhaps feel a little shiver the next time they stare into the embers of a dying fire.."

Daniel Arenson's new fantasy book is getting some excellent reviews. Daniel had this to say when I asked him for information about the book:

Firefly Island is a new epic fantasy novel by Daniel Arenson.

A cruel king, his flesh made of stone, tyrannizes the enchanted Firefly Island. No sword or arrow can harm him. Aeolia, a servant girl, can magically share feelings and senses - even pain. Only she, by hurting herself, can hurt the mad monarch. But can she save the island from his grasp?

Booklist recently reviewed the novel, saying it "is filled with interesting details and cultures". They added that Daniel Arenson "is an author to watch". One reviewer at ReaderViews.com said, "this is the most excited I have ever been about a science fiction / fantasy novel."

"I wrote Firefly Island while living in Israel," Daniel said when asked about his book's release. "It began as a distraction during wartime, and I'm obviously delighted that the book found a top-notch publisher like Thomson Gale. The response so far has been very encouraging. I've always loved fantasy literature, and I wrote the kind of book that I'd like to read - a fantasy novel that's not only filled with action and adventure, but also with a lot of emotion and heart. I hope readers enjoy reading Firefly Island as much as I've enjoyed writing it."

To learn more about the book, visit:

www.DanielArenson.com

Jeff is the author of the Aaron Tucker series which I loved. This is book is the first in a new series for Jeff and it sounds like a good one:

"Some Like It Hot-Buttered is the first in the Double Feature Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. It centers on Elliot Freed, a recovering writer who comes into some money and buys himself a dilapidated movie theatre in central New Jersey. He renames it Comedy Tonight, and shows only comedies - one classic, one contemporary each week. But when a man turns up dead after the evening's showing of Young Frankenstein, and the cause is determined to be poisoned popcorn, Elliot takes it personally, and begins to investigate.

It's always been a dream of mine to do just that: buy a small theatre and show only comedies. Through Elliot, I get to indulge my tastes (the Marx Brothers are prominently showcased in Hot-Buttered) without the financial burden of having to compete in a multiplexed world. Fans of the Aaron Tucker series might recognize a character or two (both series take place in the fictional town of Midland Heights), and everyone will (hopefully) get a kick out of Elliot and his extended family of characters. But when someone realizes Elliot's getting a little too close... well, it gets a tad uncomfortable for the new theatre owner.

Chris Grabenstein (author of the John Ceepak novels) was kind enough to give Hot-Buttered "two buttery thumbs up," and comedy writing legend Larry Gelbart said: 'Knock, knock. Who's there? Cohen. Cohen who? Cohen buy yourself this most entertaining book.'"

An Eye for Murder, the first (and Anthony-nominated) installment of the Ellie Foreman series is back. Poisoned Pen Press has reprinted it as a trade paperback in 2007. Here's what reviewers had to say about it:

Publisher's Weekly: "A masterful blend of politics, history and suspense, this novel is well worth reading...sharp humor and vivid language... Ellie is an engaging amateur sleuth whose wisdom grows. Readers will hope they won't have to wait too long for Ellie's return.

Chicago Tribune: "Complicated... fascinating... Hellmann has a beautifully tuned ear... which makes many of her scenes seriously funny ... her film-editor instincts tell her when to let a scene run on and when to cut away."

Chicago Blues
by Libby Fischer Hellman
(Bleak House Books, trade paperback, $15.95)

The name of the book intrigued me so I was glad to receive an email from Anne telling me more about the book.

My first mystery was nominated for an Edgar for best paperback original of 2005. An ordinary foot cop and his partner stumble upon a cold case which he comes to recognize as his own murder in a previous life. Homicide My Own (Pleasure Boat Studio, trade paperback, $16)

The new book, which follows Quinn, the female partner and the narrator of the first book, is Walla Walla Suite(A Room with No View) and it was in bookstores starting in September from Ballantine.

When a young secretary from her office building goes missing, Quinn is hired by the girl's boss to find her. It turns into what looks like an open and shut murder case, but Quinn's investigation takes her into the dangerous dark corners of the human psyche, where no one is innocent.

"Walla Walla Suite surprised me, in a way that few books do, sticking in my brain like a melancholic song that I can't forget, don't want to forget. Quinn is an original, a word I don't use lightly." -- Laura Lippman

I imagine that some of you have been wondering where the Cat Scratchings newsletter has been hiding. We did disappear for a while and we really appreciate those readers who have stayed on the email list and have patiently been waiting for the next issue. I'd like to share with you the reason we disappeared.

As some of you already know, I have been battling fibromyalgia (fibro) for several years. Unfortunately fibro was pretty nasty for a while which resulted in aches and pains, fatigue, fibro 'fog' (cognitive issues) and other aggravating things. I'm still learning how to manage my illness.

Fibro is one of those disabilities that are pretty much invisible. Many times I've heard -- "you don't look sick!" Or -- "I can't understand how you can be too tired not to ...." -- (fill in the blanks). One acquaintance asked if I had been drinking -- my balance was particularly bad that day and I must have looked like I'd had one too many.

You'd be amazed at how many people you know with 'invisible' illnesses such as diabetes, chronic fatigue, etc. Sometimes that makes things harder -- some people think we are hypochondiacs or are just complaining since there is usually no outward sign of the illness.

There have been many times when I've said to Gary, "That's all. I'm sending the fibro back." I've never figured out where 'back' is and Gary patiently tells me that returning it is not possible.

To me, one of the hardest issues of fibro to accept has been the cognitive problems. It's difficult to write much of anything when your mind just doesn't want to cooperate.

If you want to learn more about fibromyalgia, check out these sites:

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/index.html
http://www.fms-help.com/spoons.htm
http://www.fibroworks.com/
http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_nfa

Please let me know if you have questions about fibromyalgia. If I don't know the answer I'll find it which will educate me and you.

I want to apologize to the authors who sent me information about their books to be included in the newsletter. I will try to get all of your information in as soon as I can -- hopefully within the next three months. I hope that will give you readers a lot of new authors to add to your lists.

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