AT THE SCENE - May 2015
 A FREE MONTHLY ENEWSLETTER
FROM MYSTERY SCENE MAGAZINE

  


John Sandford reflects on 25 years of writing in 
Mystery Scene's Spring #139 Issue.
   
Dear Friend,
 
It's quite an achievement to be well over 25 years into a literary career and still be on top, but John Sandford is no ordinary writer. Every time one of his "Prey" novels arrives, I have to pry it out of Brian's fingers in order to send it out for review. Then a Virgil Flowers novel comes in and Teri has to pry it out of my fingers. (Luckily, Oline Cogdill gets her own review copies or there would be a riot in the Mystery Scene offices!) Oline has a chat with John Sandford, aka the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John Camp in his private life, in this issue.

Also in this issue, Ed Gorman chats with Libby Fischer Hellmann, author of amateur sleuth and private eye novels as well as political thrillers, and Lynne Kaczmarek interviews the prolific Scottish author Peter May. Cara Black, creator of the bestselling Aim�e Leduc series, considers Georges Simenon's Inspector Maigret and his Paris, and Michael Mallory takes a look at Dorothy Gilman, who created the beloved Mrs. Pollifax, a New Jersey grandmother turned globetrotting CIA agent. That's quite a range of crime fiction!

From The Big Sleep to Rio Bravo to The Empire Strikes Back, Leigh Brackett's celebrated screenwriting career spanned genres and decades. Brackett also had a great run as a novelist and short story writer with a sideline in television scripts. Jake Hinkson takes a closer look in this issue.

Kevin Burton Smith offers a survey of the new streaming services and the avalanche of films and television shows, both new and old, which are now available to crime fans. It truly is a Golden Age of Television. We'd love to hear what you're watching these days - write and let us know!

Kate Stine
Editor-in-Chief 
 
CONTENTS

 


article1Ace Atkins on Elmore Leonard

 
Ace Atkins

Elmore "Dutch" Leonard died cool. There's a certain kind of magic in a man who came of age during the Great Depression and refused to become dated, repetitive, or, worst of all, soft. Not only was he one of the best crime writers of all time, he was - no matter the year - the hippest.


Ace Atkins' latest novel is Robert B. Parker's Kickback (GP Putnam and Sons, May 2015).

www.aceatkins.com


"Writers on Reading" is a special ongoing Mystery Scene series available as a first-look exclusive to our newsletter subscribers.

 

article2Edgar and Agatha and Anthony, Oh My!

 

Mystery Scene Editor Kate Stine (left) with Raven Award-winner Kathryn Kennison (right) at the 2015 MWA Awards banquet in New York City.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees from this year's busy Edgar, Agatha, Anthony awards season so far.

Stephen King took the Best Novel Edgar for Mr. Mercedes at the MWA Edgar Awards Banquet in April, while Hank Phillippi Ryan celebrated her Best Novel Agatha Award win for Truth Be told.

Meanwhile, the 2015 Anthony Award nominees were just announced. You can see the complete list at the Mystery Scene website. Winners will be announced at the October 2015 Bouchercon.

 

2015 Edgar Award Winners
2015 Agatha Award Winners
2015 Anthony Award Nominees

Please write "TOTE" in the comments field of your order.

article4Overheard: Sherlock Holmes on Crime


"I must take the view, your Grace, that when a man embarks upon a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it."  
 

- Sherlock Holmes speaking to the Duke of Holdernesse in Arthur Conan Doyle's 1904 story"The Adventure of the Priory School," in which cycling features prominently in the mystery.

Happy Bike Month! What other mystery tales do you know of that feature bicycles? Please share your suggestions at our Facebook page
 
article6
by Oline H. Cogdill
Mystery readers, and writers, know that the genre often goes where no other form of literature can. And we should celebrate it.

by Oline Cogdill
Readers know that often times the location of a novel becomes as important a character any fictional person.

by L.J. Sellers

Homeless twins inspire a story and a charity

 
by Steve Hockensmith
Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles"

Reviews: More Reviews
Did you know that MS features even more reviews online?  Look for the tag "Online Exclusive." 
 
Mystery Scene Mast
Established in 1985, Mystery Scene Magazine is the oldest, largest, and most authoritative guide to the crime fiction genre. 

� 2009-2015 Mystery Scene Magazine
 

LATEST PRINT ISSUE
#139, Spring 2014


Mystery Scene is 
the leading magazine
devoted to the
appreciation of
crime, mystery, and
suspense fiction.

Our award-winning
critics and expert
writers know and
love crime fiction
- and want to share
the fun with you!

Subscribe to our print edition, visit us at our website and follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Need Help With Your Subscription?

Update your address or ask us a question
MS blog button
MS Twitter MS Facebook

AUTHORS
PUBLISHERS
BOOKSELLERS 

Reach thousands
of enthusiastic 
mystery fans. 

Promote your
new book in our 
newsletter, online,
and in print.

Send an email to 
Teri Duerr for advertising details.   

 

Download our 2014
Media Kit

 

 


Have Bookmarks
to Share?


Put your promotional bookmarks, recipe cards, coupons, or postcards in the hands of mystery loving readers. 

Mystery Scene
Ride-along Program 

Rates starting as low as $100/500 pieces

Send an email to 
Teri Duerr  
for ride-along details.
 

 


Don't Miss A Clue: Order Your Back Issues