This Week at M is for Mystery: Max Allan Collins and Lev Grossman!

This Week at "M"

86 East Third Ave., San Mateo, CA 94401 Phone: 650-401-8077

OR Toll Free outside Bay Area: 888-405-8077

August 15th, 2011

In This Issue

Upcoming Author Events

Coming Attractions

Fall Preview

Signed Firsts - Just Arrived

Signed Firsts - Expected Soon

UK EDITIONS

Deluxe & Limited Editions

Quick Links

Greetings!

HOURS (ours): Please note a slight revision, effective today, of our store hours, listed a short scroll below.

MORE REASONS to visit our Web site: We recently acquired an excellent, large collection of first editions (many signed, including a number of series in depth) by such top authors as Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, Nevada Barr, and dozens more, and have been adding them to our online catalogs. So grab your wish list and link to our home page -- www.MforMystery.com -- and scroll down to the Catalogs, where ALL books have a convenient shopping cart option.

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SUNDAY
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Upcoming Author Events

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REMEMBER . . . It is never too soon to reserve your copy of ANY forthcoming book, whether the author is signing in-store or otherwise. These first editions, especially once signed, are limited in quantity. Orders may be placed by email (info@mformystery.com) any time, or telephone (650-401-8077) during store hours.

All events are free and open to the public. To be in the signing line you must buy the new book from us.

Tues., Aug. 16th at 7:00 PM: CATRIONA MCPHERSON
Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains (Minotaur, $23.99). "Agatha Christie meets Upstairs, Downstairs in McPherson's charming fifth interwar whodunit featuring Edinburgh sleuth Dandy Gilver (after 2008's The Winter Ground). One morning the aristocratic detective opens a letter from Walburga Balfour, who writes, "My husband is going to kill me, and I would rather he didn't," said PW. Library Journal said: "With witty dialog and low-key humor, McPherson's series is a great choice for Jacqueline Winspear, Carola Dunn, and Amy Patricia Meade fans. A strong traditional offering with sly humor, a love of dogs, and not too much violence. A real contender for the Agathas!" And Kirkus concluded: "McPherson's charmingly witty heroine once again keeps you guessing while you enjoy the historical tidbits." ALSO: -- 'Dandy Gilver and an Unsuitable Day For A Murder' (Hodder & Stoughton UK, 2010, $29.00) As New. Signed Bookplate.

Thurs. Aug 18th at 7:00 PM: DAVID LEVIEN
Thirteen Million Dollar Pop (Doubleday, $24.95). The bestselling author of City of the Sun returns with his third novel featuring enigmatic private investigator Frank Behr. Library Journal said: "Hired to protect prominent businessman-turned-political candidate Bernard 'Bernie Cool' Kolodnik, private investigator Frank Behr proves his worth by saving Kolodnik when an attempt is made on his life. But he's really not sure what happened when those automatic weapons started blazing, and he's even more suspicious when the police hush up the incident. Levien has Edgar and Shamus nominations to his credit and seems to be building. Thriller fans should definitely investigate." And Kirkus called it "A professional-grade auctioneer. . ."

Sat. Aug 20th at 2:00 PM: CAROL CULVER
A Good Day to Pie (Midnight Ink, $14.95). Trade Paperback Original. No one can die from a pie . . . or can they? Hanna Denton has returned home to Crystal Cove, California, to take over the pie shop her Grannie Louise owned for thirty years. Grannie has now moved to the ritzy retirement community on the hill and Hanna is working her hardest to live up to Grannie's reputation for baking the best pies in the state. However, between rolling dough, slicing rhubarb, and trying to find the magic ingredients that made Grannie's pies so popular, Hanna is suddenly faced with an even bigger challenge: convincing the handsome new police chief (her ex-high school crush Sam Genovese) that Grannie couldn't possibly have committed murder.

Wed., Aug. 24th DROP BY: LEV GROSSMAN
The Magician King (Viking, $26.95). "Now a king in the magical land of Fillory, Quentin embarks on a quest to save the universe in Grossman's searing sequel to The Magicians (2009, etc.). It's been two years since Quentin assumed one of Fillory's four crowns along with Eliot and Janet, fellow graduates of the Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, and Quentin's high-school friend Julia, a Brakebills reject who managed to acquire magical powers on her own. . . . Echoes from The Chronicles of Narnia, in particular The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, continue to reverberate, but Grossman's psychologically complex characters and grim reckoning with tragic sacrifice far surpass anything in C.S. Lewis' pat Christian allegory," said Kirkus. Lev Grossman is a senior writer and book critic for Time magazine. He is also the author of the international bestselling novel Codex, the creator of the Time blog Techland, and a graduate of Harvard and Yale.

Fri., Aug. 26th at 7:00 PM: MAX ALLAN COLLINS and BARBARA ALLAN
Bye Bye, Baby (Forge Books, $24.99). "Set in 1962, Collins's excellent 13th novel featuring Chicago PI Nate Heller (last seen in 2002's Chicago Confidential) finds Heller . . . looking into the death of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. The book's first half covers the movie star's last two months. . . . By the time a drug overdose claims her, there's no shortage of people who wanted her dead. Heller, Monroe's sometime lover, who refuses to buy the official line that she committed suicide, steps on powerful toes with his usual tenacity and stubbornness to reach the truth. Collins convincingly portrays the real-life players in the drama, who include Jimmy Hoffa and Frank Sinatra. Readers with a taste for hard-boiled romance will hope that more Heller is in the offing," offered PW. ALSO: -- 'Kiss Her Goodbye' (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $25.00) As New. Signed. BARBARA ALLAN - Antiques Knock-Off (Kensington, $22.00). "When blackmailer Connie Grimes is found stabbed to death, antiques dealer Brandy Borne's mom becomes the primary suspect. . . But is Vivian protecting someone else? With her pet shih tzu, Brandy investigates. This fifth cozy series entry (after Antiques Bizarre) displays the versatility of husband and wife Max Allan Collins and Barbara Collins. Scenes of Midwestern small-town life, informative tidbits about the antiques business, and clever dialog make this essential for those who like unusual amateur sleuths," said Library Journal.

Tues., August 30th at 7:00 PM: "M" is for Mystery Bookclub
This month's book is The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton. Join us every last Tuesday of the month for lively discussion about selected books! Please note: This is not an author event and the author will not be present.

September 2011: (Asterisk indicates name added since last week.)

Coming Attractions

FALL 2011 PREVIEW: (Asterisk indicates name added since last week.)

RUSSELL BANKS / RUSSELL BANKS / JOHN CONNOLLY / DENISE MINA / MICHAEL STANLEY / DAVID VANN / VENDELA VIDA

Signed First Editions - Just Arrived

SEBASTIAN ROTELLA - Triple Crossing
(Mulholland Books, $24.99). "Superb fiction debut. . . . Unflinching views of a double agent's harrowing life, a violence-drenched Mexican jail, and the wild border areas complement the provocative plot," said Publishers Weekly. From Booklist: "A strongly choreographed, authentically detailed, and sharply funny tale of cultural complexity and raging global criminality." Kirkus said: "A fast-paced thriller that rings true to the real story behind the political posturing over the drug war, illegal immigration, and border security," and Library Journal praised: "Rotella's crime drama captures the feel of the rampant corruption that is the stuff of headlines in the United States and Mexico. This should satisfy readers far beyond the border."

ELIZABETH SPELLER - The Return of Captain John Emmett
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26.00). "British author Elizabeth Speller's first book of fiction, . . . with its elegant prose and naturalistic manner, draws the reader into a simple-seeming story of post-World War I England -- a tale that turns out to be anything but straightforward and far from soothing. . . . Restrained and marvelous, [it] is full of jolting revelations and quiet insights -- and one last, subtle act of charity that echoes louder and longer than any gunshot," said Tom Nolan in the Wall St. Journal. And Kirkus said: "Surviving World War I is no guarantee of survival. John Emmett's sister Mary can't understand why he committed suicide. Yes, he descended into madness following service in the Great War. Yes, he had to be banished to Holmwood, where difficult cases of shell shock were sequestered. But she thought he was making progress. . . . Historian Speller (Following Hadrian: A Second Century Journey Through the Roman Empire, 2003, etc.) uses the Dyett and Poole executions in WWI as a springboard for this elegantly written antiwar saga."

KEVIN WILSON - The Family Fang
(Ecco, $23.99). Kirkus starred: "The subtlety of the comedy is flawless, channeling the filmmaking of Wes Anderson or Rian Johnson. A fantastic first novel that asks if the kids are alright, finding answers in the most unexpected places." PW also starred: "$23.99). [A] bizarre, mirthful debut novel. . . leavened with humor." 'The Washington Post' praised: "...a delightfully odd story about the adult children of a pair of avant-garde performance artist. . . Wilson has an infectious fondness for the ridiculous and a good ear for muffled exasperation." And Library Journal said: " Wilson, who won the 2009 Shirley Jackson Award for his story collection, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, tells his madcap story with straight-faced aplomb, highlighting the tricky intersection of family life and artistic endeavor. All fiction readers will enjoy this comic/tragic look at domesticity."

Recent Signed Arrivals

These are the signed first editions that arrived or were signed here, in the past two weeks of which we have current stock. Complete blurbs for these titles can be found on our updated Archive ; link to it on this newsletter by clicking on the gold button above, left.

DONNA ANDREWS - The Real McCaw - Buy Now!
MICHAEL BAMBERGER & ALAN SHIPNUCK - The Swinger - Buy Now!
C.J. BOX - Back of Beyond - Buy Now!
ARNE DAHL - Misterioso - Buy Now!
CAROLE NELSON DOUGLAS - Cat in a Vegas Gold Vendetta - Buy Now!
CHRIS EWAN - Good Thief's Guide to Venice - Buy Now!
DAVID LISS - The Twelfth Enchantment - Buy Now!
CHRISTOPHER MOORE - The Griff: Graphic Novel - Buy Now!
ESMERELDA SANTIAGO - Conquistadora - Buy Now!
JOHN BURNHAM SCHWARTZ - Northwest Corner - Buy Now!
AMOR TOWLES - Rules of Civility - Buy Now!
DON WINSLOW - The Gentlemen's Hour - Buy Now!
THOMAS W. YOUNG - Silent Enemy - Buy Now!

Signed First Editions - Expected Soon

MYSTERY, CRIME AND GENERAL FICTION

UK EDITIONS - Just In!

BENJAMIN BLACK - A Death in Summer
(Mantle, $44.00) ". . . with Quirke, he has made a fascinating addition to the ranks of the defective detective in books that combine respectful reading of the genre with brightly original writing" (The Guardian). The Chicago Tribune called it "a quick read, building in intensity like the heat of a July day before tapering off to a cooler twilight of revelation and reconciliation. If it's mysteries you crave, and if shimmering sentences refresh you even more reliably than would a two-week vacation at the shore, then Quirke -- mournful, shambling, guilt-ridden, whiskey-soaked and irresistible -- is just the ticket." And the Los Angeles Times praised: "A swift, hopscotching murder mystery . . . A beach read for the brainy."

SIMON BRETT - Blotto, Twinks and the Rodents of the Riviera
(Constable, $48.00). Consternation at Tawcester Towers! While giving a guided tour of the house's Long Gallery Blotto is stunned to discover that two of the family portraits -- a Gainsborough and a Reynolds -- are missing. Tawcester Towers has been the victim of art thieves! Blotto is forced to summon his brilliantly intelligent sister Twinks who instantly deduces that the paintings have been stolen by a gang of international art thieves based in Paris. So Blotto and Twinks instantly set off in the former's Lagonda for France. The Guardian said, "One of British crime's most assured craftsmen. . . .Crime writing just like in the good old days, and perfect entertainment."

KARIN FOSSUM - The Caller
(Harvill Secker, $43.00, trade paperback original). The new Inspector Sejer novel from the award-winning Norwegian Queen of Crime. One mild summer evening Lily and her husband are enjoying a meal while their baby daughter sleeps peacefully in her pram beneath a maple tree. But when Lily steps outside she is paralysed with terror. The child is bathed in blood. Inspector Sejer is called to the hospital to meet the family. Mercifully, the baby is unharmed, but her parents are deeply shaken, and Sejer spends the evening trying to comprehend why anyone would carry out such a sinister prank. Then, just before midnight, somebody rings his doorbell. . .

GEORGE R.R. MARTIN - A Dance With Dragons
(HarperCollins UK, $69.00). The fifth volume in what has been called the greatest epic work of the modern age. The future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance. In the east, Daenerys, last scion of House Targaryen, her dragons grown to terrifying maturity, rules as queen of a city built on dust and death, beset by enemies. Now that her whereabouts are known many are seeking Daenerys and her dragons. Among them the dwarf, Tyrion Lannister, who has escaped King's Landing with a price on his head, wrongfully condemned to death for the murder of his nephew, King Joffrey. But not before killing his hated father, Lord Tywin.

MICHAEL ROBOTHAM - The Wreckage
(Sphere, $44.00). In London, ex-cop Vincent Ruiz rescues a young woman from a violent boyfriend but wakes next morning to find that he's been set up and robbed. As he tracks down the thieves, he discovers the boyfriend's tortured body and learns that powerful men are looking for the girl. What did Holly Knight steal that is so important to them? Meanwhile in Baghdad, the bank robbery capital of the world, billions of dollars in reconstruction funds have gone missing and Pulitzer prize-winning Journalist Luca Terracini is trying to 'follow the money'. Michael Robotham is the pseudonymous author of 10 best-selling non-fiction titles, involving prominent figures in the military, the arts, sport and science. He lives in Sydney.

HARRY SIDEBOTTOM - The Caspian Gates
(Michael Joseph, $44.00) SIGNED. AD 262: the Imperium is in turmoil after the struggle for the throne. Furthermore, Ephesus, Asia's metropolis, lies in ruins, shattered by a mighty earthquake. Its citizens live in fear as the mob overwhelms the city, baying for blood to avenge the gods who have punished them. Yet an even greater threat to the Empire advances from the North. The barbaric Goth tribes sail towards Ephesus, determined to pillage the city. Only Ballista, Warrior of Rome, knows the ways of the barbarians, and only he can defeat them. The Goths' appetite for brutality and destruction is limitless and before long Ballista is locked into a deadly blood feud, with an enemy that has sworn to destroy him -- and the Imperium -- at all costs.

L.C. TYLER - Herring on the Nile
(Macmillan UK, $46.00) SIGNED. The author's first novel, The Herring Seller's Apprentice (2007), was nominated in the US for an Edgar and was short-listed in the UK for the Last Laugh Award. Subsequent novels in the series are Ten Little Herrings (2009) and The Herring in the Library (2010). The latest was called ". . . a witty and wonderful pastiche of Agatha Christie's classic murder stories. . . . Funny, with an intriguing mystery at its heart," by the 'Lancashire Evening Post.' In this darkly funny tribute to Agatha Christie and the golden age of crime fiction, crime novelist Ethelred Tressider decides to set his new book in Egypt and embarks on a 'research trip' with his literary agent, Elsie Thirkettle, in tow. No sooner has their cruise on the Nile begun, however, than an attempt is made on Ethelred's life.

DELUXE & LIMITED EDITIONS

MARGARET COEL - Watching Eagles Soar: Stories from the Wind River and Beyond
(A.S.A.P. Publishing, $45.00). This deluxe 432-page limited edition has an Introduction by Craig Johnson, and an Afterword by William Kent Krueger. Artist Phil Parks created the wrap-around dustjacket and 66 full-page illustrations; there are also eleven photographs, some from Margaret's personal collection. The back cover essay is by Tony Hillerman. This is the first anthology of Margaret's short stories. Featured are: All ten of the Arapaho Commandments short stories, three other Father John-Vicky short stories, six other stories; the novella Molly Brown and Cleopatra's Diamond; two essays on writing and on writing about the West: Stories in the World and The West of Ghosts.

ROBERT SILVERBERG - A Little Intelligence
(Crippen & Landrau, 2009, $42.00). by Silverberg and Randall Garrett. Deluxe hardcover, edition limited to 200 copies, signed and numbered by Silverberg. Introduction by Robert Silverberg. He and Randall Garrett wrote these mystery short stories under the joint pseudonym of Robert Randall. With many of the seven stories set in the future, they explore the topics of morality, theology, and humanity within their mysteries. Included is a separately bound 23 page short story pamphlet, Human Reaction, by Randall Garrett (1927-1987).

USED BOOKS NOW IN STOCK!

Be sure to browse our Used mass market paperback section, where we've recently added a rather large selection of authors such as Mary Higgins Clark, Dean R. Koontz, Agatha Christie, Tom Clancy, Len Deighton, Barry Eisler, Erle Stanley Gardner, Donna Leon, Rex Stout, and Donald Westlake (Richard Stark) and many more! These are all very good-condition copies, priced from $2.25 to $3.00. Not to be missed!

We also have a fine selection of trade paperback and hardcover used books, $4-$5, all in fine condition. An excellent selection of titles including authors such as Frederic Brown, Andrea Camilleri, Alexander McCall Smith, Carol O'Connell, Stuart Woods, Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, and Donald Westlake (Richard Stark!

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