Nothing says "I love you, Mom" like a nice little murder.  For those of you still looking for a last-minute Mother's Day gift -- or for a good read for yourself -- here are a few suggestions:

Rosemary Harris' gardening mysteries
Rosemary Harris was an Agatha Award nominee for best first novel of 2008 for Pushing Up Daisies, the first in her "Dirty Business" series of gardening mysteries. Second in the series is The Big Dirt Nap (Minotaur Books, $24.95). We have signed copies of both titles in first edition hardcover. Pushing Up Daisies is also available in paperback. Rosemary has also sent along packets of wildflower seeds, which are free with purchase while supplies last. Buy Rosemary's books now!

Paper, Scissors, Death
Another nominee for the best first novel of 2008 Agatha Award is Joanna Slan's Paper Scissors Death (Midnight Ink, $14.95), first in her series featuring housewife and scrapbooker Kiki Lowenstein. The second in the series is due here next month. Joanna, an Indiana native now living in the St. Louis area, sent some mini-scrapbook kits to hand out free with purchase. Buy now!


Mother's Day Murder by Leslie Meier
The title pretty much says it all. Mother's Day Murder (Kensington, $22.00) is book #15 in a really nice cozy mystery series set in Tinker's Cove, Maine -- very New England-y with a well-described small-town setting. We have a number of earlier titles in this series also in stock in paperback, including the first in the series, Mistletoe Murder.  Meier is an equal-opportunity murder writer: #10 in this series is Father's Day Murder. Buy Meier's books now!

The Fault Tree by Louise Ure
If you're looking for something a little more serious, I'd like to recommend The Fault Tree (Minotaur Books, $14.95), one of my favorite novels of 2008, now available in paperback. This novel is about Cadence Moran, a blind woman who works as a car mechanic. Killers fleeing the scene of their crime run into Cadence. Not realizing she's blind, they worry that she'll identify them. Knowing that she's blind, the police don't think she makes a very good witness. The novel is an engrossing three-sided (Cadence, the killers and the police) cat-and-mouse game, with a fascinating, unusual heroine and a fresh perspective. Buy now!

China Bayles' Book of Days
Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles' Book of Days (Berkley, $14.00) isn't a mystery. The subtitle is "365 Celebrations of the Mystery, Myth, and Magic of Herbs from the World of Pecan Springs." Pecan Springs is the setting of Susan's long-running and very popular series featuring herbalist and tea-room owner China Bayles. This lovely book is a nice companion to the series -- all of which we have in stock right now -- but it's also something that can be enjoyed by anyone who's curious about herbs. We have a a few signed copies in the store now. Buy now!

Next up!

Of course we have thousands of other great choices for mothers and all other readers too. Stop in and see for yourself! Can't make it in to the store? We offer free standard shipping every day on all new book orders to all US addresses.

Yours in mystery,

Jim