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Picks of the Week

  • Harry Dolan: Bad Things Happen

    Harry Dolan: Bad Things Happen
    BAD THINGS HAPPEN is a nifty debut, cleverly told and unfurled from the very first line: "The shovel has to meet certain requirements" on through meeting "the man who calls himself David Loogan." There are reasons for concealment, just as there are reasons the editor of a mystery magazine bearing little resemblance to EQMM or AHMM might bring him into the fold, thus catalyzing a series of murderous events. The twists come quickly and the dialogue is sharp and if it falls apart slightly at the end, no matter - I want to read much more from Dolan from now on.

  • Ian MacKenzie: City of Strangers: A Novel

    Ian MacKenzie: City of Strangers: A Novel
    MacKenzie's debut novel reminded me a lot of Paul Auster's NEW YORK TRILOGY, whether it was intended or not, in terms of his choice of words, the thrust of the narrative and the existential nature of the main character (whose first name, incidentally, is Paul) caught up in a snowballing sequence of strange and violent events in and around New York City. MacKenzie straddles the line between thriller and internal examination of a man's failings, and his ability to do so establishes him as a young writer of serious talent and future.

  • Megan Abbott: Bury Me Deep

    Megan Abbott: Bury Me Deep
    In a word: amazing. In more words: Megan Abbott, who has never delivered anything less than an excellent novel, exceeds expectations and takes a very bold and very necessary step forward both in the quality of the prose, the development of her characters and especially in portraying how obsession seeps into the very soul of people, transforming them into their worst nightmares all too easily. Just read this book. And then tell many others to do so as well.

  • Ninni Holmqvist: The Unit

    Ninni Holmqvist: The Unit
    Understandably, echoes of THE HANDMAID'S TALE are hard to ignore in this dystopic examination of a society where fertility is so high a priority that older, single, marginal women are shut away in secret locales to live out the rest of their lives in seemingly perfect harmony - at least, until the "donations" begin. But Holmqvist's marvelous book doesn't browbeat her thesis into the reader and smartly expands her ideas to look at the plight of all marginalized folk, women and men alike, and how the promise of comforts can be the most horrifying of all. Prepare to be disturbed, but prepare further to think about the ramifications.

  • Paula Froelich: Mercury in Retrograde

    Paula Froelich: Mercury in Retrograde
    This is possibly the most perfect novel for today's economically challenged times. Why? Because it has plenty of glitz and glamor and blind items, as befitting a narrative by the deputy editor of Page Six, but Froelich isn't arch or snarky or acid-tongued in the slightest. Her trio of protagonists land in all manner of embarrassing situations but they aren't played for mean-spirited laughs. The New York here is something of a fantasy-land, but not so far off the mark that it's completely unbelievable. Most of all it's clear Froelich remains sincere and optimistic about her chosen city, and has retained her sense of fun. So no need to check your brain at the door, but sometimes it just needs to chill out and relax.

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April 27, 2006

Edgar Week Day 2

Done in bulletpoint style because -- surprise! -- it's another action packed day here at Casa Confessions.

  • The upstairs cafe at Borders on 57th and Park has never been so crowded. But with 20+ authors -- including Janet Evanovich, Catherine Crier and many nominees and board members -- it was bound to be.
  • It's not a good idea to tell authors determined to stay with dialup connections how to optimize such connections for a faster net-surfing (and time-wasting) experience.
  • Can't wait to see how all the pictures from the Borders event came out.
  • The Agents & Editors party was crowded, but not overly so, which is evidently the first time in years that has happened. Crowd limitations have their advantages...
  • Whispered conversation as S&S Publisher David Rosenthal introduced Mary Higgins Clark -- Me: "he looks just like Rob Reiner!" K: "I know, I was just thinking the same thing!" Because he really, really does.
  • The MIRA gang were suitably ecstatic when Karen Harper won the MHC award for SPLIT IMAGE. Harper's speech was effusive in her praise for Clark, saying that a talk the bestselling author gave in 1992 about writing inspired Harper to fully make the switch from historical romance to romantic suspense.
  • It was excellent to finally meet AHMM's Linda Landrigan as well as her assistant Nicole and be able to thank them in person for accepting my story for the issue currently on newsstands.
  • And I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought the night was a blur. Thanks to all who came up and said nice things to me, and see most of you tonight.

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Comments

Linda Landrigan is a sweetheart . . . I knew that even when she was still assistant to Cathleen Jordan (whom I shall always remember for having given me my start.)Thank God for the truly nice people in the business.

Syriana wins movie?!!!

That movie made no sense whatsoever!

At least Amulet won tv. That was a good scary episode.

Gotta disagree on Syriana, Phil. I'm ecstatic it took the award here, as I thought it deserved much more from the Academy. It's complex, yes, and I had to watch a couple times to get all the story strands, but everything's there and makes perfect sense. If you're up for it, watch a couple more times and see if you still think it makes no sense.

Ah! Olen Steinhauer! How nice! I've been meaning to tell you how much I liked and admired your books.

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