December 4, 2018

December 10 - Spirit of Steamboat

Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson

Absaroka County
Sheriff Walt Longmire - Martha - Cady - Lola - Dog
Undersheriff Victoria Moretti - Lena
Ruby

Durant Home for Assisted Living
Lucian Connally, former sheriff
Mrs. Hayden

Red Pony Bar
Henry Standing Bear

December, 24, 1988
Mitchell B-25 medium bomber - Steamboat
Lucian Connally
Doc Isaac Bloomfield
Rick Koehmstedt
Julie Luehrman - Toots
Mrs. Oda
Amaterasu

Durant
Euskadi Bar
Tom Koltiska
Gerald Holman
John Buell
Jerry Aranzadi
Ferg
Amaterasu

1936 Wyoming license plate

The Year's Best Cover Art for Crime and Mystery

The 20 Best Book Covers of 2018
https://crimereads.com/the-20-best-book-covers-of-2018/

December 1, 2018

December 10 - Spirit of Steamboat

Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson

A holiday tale from the New York Times bestselling author of the Walt Longmire mystery series, the inspiration for A&E’s hit show Longmire

“It’s a question of what you have to do, what you have to live with if you don’t.”

Sheriff Walt Longmire is reading A Christmas Carol in his office on December 24th when he’s interrupted by the ghost of Christmas past: a young woman with a hairline scar across her forehead and more than a few questions about Walt’s predecessor, Lucian Connally. Walt doesn’t recognize the mystery woman, but she seems to know him and claims to have something she must return to Connally. With his daughter, Cady, and his undersheriff Vic Moretti in Philadelphia for the holidays, Walt is at loose ends, and despite the woman’s reticence to reveal her identity, he agrees to help her.

At the Durant Home for Assisted Living Lucian Connally is several tumblers into his Pappy Van Winkle’s and swears he’s never clapped eyes on the woman before. Disappointed, she whispers “Steamboat” and begins a story that takes them all back to Christmas Eve 1988, when three people died in a terrible crash and a young girl had the slimmest chance of survival . . . back to a record– breaking blizzard, to Walt’s first year as sheriff, with a young daughter at home and a wife praying for his safety . . . back to a whiskey-soaked World War II vet ready to fly a decommissioned plane and risk it all to save a life.

November 8, 2018

Reminder - Meet November 19



November 19

12:00 - The Distant Echo by Val McDermid

2:00 - The Third Man, movie

October 9, 2018

November 19 - The Distant Echo

The Distant Echo (2003) by Val McDermid
Prologue - November 2003 - St. Andrews, Scotland
Chief Constable Sam Haig
Assistant Chief Constable (Crime) James Lawson
Brian Duff (now 46)
Part One - 1978 - St. Andrews, Scotland
Laddies fi’ Kirkcaldy
Sigmund Malkiewicz (Ziggy) - Karel Malkiewicz - Helen Walker - Paul
Alex Gilbey (Gilly) - Jock Gilbey - Mary Gilbey
Lynn Kerr
Davey Kerr (Mondo) - Helene - Jackie Donaldson- Tony Donatello - Gary Hardie
Tom Mackie (Weird) - Frank Mackie
2 Englishmen
Henry Cavendish - Land Rover
Edward Greeenhalgh

Lammas Bar
Rosie Duff (19) - Archie Duff - Eileen Duff - Brian - Colin
John Stobie - Graham Macfadyen
Maureen

Fif Constabulary
Det. Insp Barney Maclennan
PC Jimmy Lawson
DC Iain Shaw
DC Allan Burnside
WPC Janet Hogg

Mackenzie
Tam Watt

November 2003 - Glenrothes, Scotland
ACC James Lawson
DC Paul Parhatka
DC Karen Pirie
Robin Maclennan - Diane -
Lesley Cameron - Dr. Fiona Cameron
Det Sgt Darren Heggie

Rudolph Nearenough

September 11, 2018

October 8 - The Dry by Jane Harper

The Dry Characters
Aaron Falk (36) - Erik Falk

Hadlers - Gerry - Barb - Luke - Karen - Billy (6) - Charlotte (13 months)
Jamie Sullivan -  Mrs. Sullivan - Dr. Leigh

Ellie Deacon (Sharna McDonald)
Mal Deacon -  Grant Dow                                    

Gretchen Schoner - Lachie,
Mandy (Mantel) Vaser - Tim

Scott Whitlam, principal - Sandy
Footscray alley - nail gun
Crossley Educational Fund
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Kiewarra Police
Sgt, Greg Raco - Rita
Constable Evan Barnes
Deborah

Kiewarra River
Fleece - David McMurdo
Rock tree
Centenary Park

Clyde police

September 10, 2018

The price of gold: Chinese mining in Ghana documentary | Guardian Investigations

Ghana has had a gold rush but here, Afua Hirsch discovers how Chinese immigrants are profiting from industrialising the country's small-scale mining industry. She sees for herself that, for the many locals who chance losing life and limb for a piece of the same pie, the risks are rarely worth it, and explores where the responsibility for regulating this industry lies.
The price of gold: Chinese mining in Ghana documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohrrE1rjzLo

August 22, 2018

Kwei Quarty

Kwei Quarty - CAST OF CHARACTERS

Adwoa: female resident of Dunkwa.
Armah, Daniel: retired policeman, Darko Dawson’s mentor.
Asase: officer assisting Darko Dawson.
Bediako, Frank: commander, Ghana Armed Forces Northern Command, Kumasi.
Brave: one of the workers at the Aniamoa dredging site.
Chikata, Philip: inspector, Darko Dawson’s junior partner at CID Accra Central Headquarters.
Dawson, Christine: Darko Dawson’s wife.
Dawson, Darko: detective chief inspector, Criminal Investigations Department in Accra, Ghana.
Dzamesi, Prosper: director-general, Criminal Investigations Department.
Dzigbodi, Gbedema, Kwame, and Kweku: Kudzo Gablah’s fellow mine workers.
Ekaw: Kudzo Gablah’s friend.
Gablah, Kudzo: alluvial mine worker who discovered the dead body.
Gifty: Christine Dawson’s mother; Darko Dawson’s mother-in-law.
Granger, Chuck: American owner of gold mines next to the Lieu site.
Helmsley, Akua: environmental reporter for The Guardian (UK).
Huang, Leonard: Chinese miner/merchant acting as interpreter for Darko Dawson.
Kobby: a constable in Dunkwa.
Kwapong, Phyllis, MD: forensic pathologist.
Lartey, Theophilus: assistant commissioner of police (ACP); Inspector Chikata’s uncle.
Liu, Bao: Chinese illegal alluvial miner and murder victim.
Liu, Lian: Bao’s wife.
Liu, Wei: Bao’s younger brother.
Manu, Deborah: deputy commissioner of police, regional commander, Ghana Police Service, Ashanti Region.
Nkrumah: pathology technician.
Obeng, Augustus: detective sergeant; Darko Dawson’s junior partner at Obuasi Divisional Headquarters.
Okoh, Amos: brother of Yaw Okoh.
Okoh, Yaw: worker in a local mine, murder suspect.
Longdon, Ata: assistant commissioner of police, commander, Obuasi Divisional Headquarters.
Queenie: flirtatious Dunkwa resident, a.k.a. Smoothie.
Sackie: inspector, Dunkwa Police Station supervisor.
Samuels, Joshua: freelance photographer for Akua Helmsley.
Tanbry, Beko: American gold investor.
Thompson, Tommy: director of Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC).

AUTHOR NOTES
• Police jurisdictions: For purposes of the story, the police station at Dunkwa is depicted as being under Kumasi Regional Headquarters in the Ashanti Region. In fact, Dunkwa is in the Central Region on its border with the Ashanti Region. Therefore, its head office is actually at Cape Coast Regional Headquarters.
• Opposite to Europe and the USA, June to August is the coolest season in Ghana due to rainfall during those months.
• Ghanaian languages such as Ga, Twi, Ewe, and Fante are distinct, not “dialects” of each other.”

August 14, 2018

September 10 - Gold of Our Fathers

Gold of Our Fathers (2016) by Kwei Quartey

AngloGold Ashanti
Kudzo Gablah - Ekaw
Dzigbodi
Kweku
Kwame
Bao Liu - Lian - Wei Liu - Mr Feng

CID Headquarters, Accra
Asst Com Theophilus Lartey
Chief Superintendent Oppong
Insp Philip Chikata

Obuasi Divisional Headquarters, Ashanti Region
Commander Ata Longdon - Mr. Michael
Chief Insp Darko Dawson - Christine, Sly (10), Hosiah (8) - Gifty- Daniel Armah, Mercy
Lance Corporeal Dodu
Det Sgt Augustus Obeng
Deputy Com Police Deborah Manu
Dunkwa-on-Ofin
Insp Sackie
Constable Kobby
Lance Corporal Asante
Kofi’s taxi
Akua Helmsley - Joshua Samuels
Shanglin Gang - galamsey
Ofin Gold Trading Compny - George Danquah - Effua - Leonard Huang
PMMC - Precious Minerals Marketing Company - Tommy Thompson
KATH - Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital - Nkrumah - Dr Prempeh - Dr Phyllis Kwapong
Chief Nana Akrofi
Brave
Mr. Chuck Granger, Explorer Channel, Tropical Gold - Godson
Amos Okoh - Comfort - Yaw Okph - M/M Oooh
Adwoa

Kumasi
Uncle Joe - Gifty’s guesthouse - Haruna - Mr. Nyarko


English - Twi - Fante - Ewe

Dead - Dao Liu - Amos 0koh

July 23, 2018

Why 'getting lost in a book' is so good for you, according to science

Whether you’re the reader who rips through a new book each week or the one still slogging through that bestseller your friend recommended months ago, psychologists (and their research) say your time is well spent.

July 11, 2018

August 13 - The Poacher’s Son by Paul Doiron

The Poacher’s Son (2010) by Paul Doiron

Warden Mike Bowditch - Sarah Harris - Marie Turner, Neil
Jack Bowditch - Brenda Dean - Wallace Bickford
Rum Pond Sorting Camps, Russell Pelletier - Doreen - Truman Dellis, BJ, Brenda Jo

Warden Charley Stevens - Ora, the Boss

Flagstaff
Dean River Inn - Sally Reynolds
Vernon Tripp, Natanis Trading Post

Maine Warden Service, Division B
Lt. Timothy Malcomb
Sgt Kathy Frost. K-9
Anthony De Saalle - Frank Nappi

Dead River Plantation
Wendigo Timber (Atlantic Pulp & Paper)- Jonathan Shipman

Square Deal Diner
Dot Libby - Ruth
Hank Barnum - Stanley

Bears
Bud Thompson
Mrs. Hersom

Somerset County - jail - Skowhegan
Sheriff Joe Hatch
Major Jeffrey Carter
D/S Bill Brodeur -
D/S Pete Twombley
Det Wayne Soctomah
Det Menario

See also: http://www.pauldoiron.com/characters/

June 11, 2018

July 9 - Unthinkable by Clyde Phillips

Unthinkable (2013) by Clyde Phillips

Carmody Stella’s
Terrence Unger - Charlie See
Arthur “Shanty” Rourke - Abe Christian
Toni Salazar - Sammy Pickett - “… police …”
Father Francis Cellucci  (Francis Daniel Cellucci, Frankie Daniels) - Four Birds - Xavier Rinaldi - Harry Donahue - Bradley Pomerance - Travis, 254 - Jane Trumbull, Burt
Father Marquez - Bishop D’Souza
Bobby Farrier - Andrea -
Nico Silva - Edgar Silva - Leo - Carmen - Celia
Nguyen Bao
Isaac Cooper - Rodney Cooper
Coleen Porter - Marjorie Liu - Nurse Sarah Mercer - Troy Cramer
Mindy Sheldon, Chloe

Aram Hagopian - Herman Jones (Cabbage) - Jamaal Washington -  Pepe Rodriquez

Art’s Deli
Art Kaplan
Sandy

Preconct 15
Lt Com Chuck Hollingsworth
Ptl. Tommy Murphy (Bradley Pomerance) - Constable Tran Pradhip
Ptl. Rick Weymouth
Melody, 15th dispatcher
Ptl Candy Wong

Precinct 19
Homicide Lieutenant Jane Candiotti - Dr. Jason Berger - Sharon
Homicide Inspector Kenny Marks - Lloyd - Doris
Cheryl Lomax, 19th dispatcher
Sgt Max Batzer
Larry Peoples
Dr. Bill Glazer, psychiatrist
Forensic Lt. Aaron Clark-Weber
Chief Walker McDonald
Roz Shapiro
Insp Mike Finney, Moby
Insp Lou Tronick
Insp Eliot Friedman
Neil Kenyan
Craig Knowles
SWAT Scott Hicks

Cameron Sanders


Terrence Unger - Antonia Salazar - Francis Cellucci - Arthur “ Shanty” Rourke - Nicolas Silva - Robert Farrier - Ptl. Rick Weymouth - Coleen Porter - Burt Trumbull - Ptl. Tommy Murphy

June 4, 2018

June 11 - Dust by Martha Grimes


Dust (Richard Jury #21) by Martha Grimes 

Richard Jury returns to the back streets and back rooms of London in "The New York Times" bestselling series

When an old friend pulls Richard Jury into the investigation of a wealthy bachelor's murder, Jury's not sure what's more perplexing: the circumstances of the fellow's death, the conflicted stories of the man's past, or the motivations of the case's lead detective?the beautiful and forbidding Lu Aguilar. What Jury is sure of is that he's in over his head, both with the inscrutable and challenging Aguilar and the false leads surrounding the once-charismatic Billy Maples, last seen in a club named Dust.

A web of clues draws Jury to the trendy Clerkenwell galleries, clubs, and hotels, to the dark stories behind Maples's family, and to the Sussex town of Rye, where Billy had temporarily taken up the tenancy of Lamb House, the charming home where Henry James composed his three masterworks . . . and a place with secrets of its own. With Melrose Plant investigating Lamb House, Aguilar interceding, and the appearance of Maples's mysterious young nephew, Scotland Yard's finest?and now infamous?will need every bit of his intelligence and quiet charm to crack the case.

May 14, 2018

June 11 - Dust by Martha Grimes

Dust by Martha Grimes 
Superintendent Richard Jury
Dr. Phyllis Nancy
Ron Chilton
DI Lu Aguilar
DCS Razor
Sgt Wiggins
DI Tom Dryer
Harry Johnson
Danny Wu
Marshall Trueblood
Melrose Plant

Carol-anne
Mrs. Wasserman
Stone

Zetter’s
Benny Keegan, Sparky
Gilbert Snow
Billy Maples - Kurt Brunner

Sir Oswald Maples
Roderick - Mary, Billy’s mother, died - Olivia - stepmother
Rose Ames, maternal grandmother, Mary’s mother - James



April 22, 2018

April 18, 2018

May 14 - Cemetery Lake

Cemetery Lake (2013) by Paul Cleave 

A chilling case of unsolved murders and mistaken identities unravels when a lake in a Christchurch cemetery releases its grip on the murky past in this exciting crime thriller from the internationally bestselling author of The Laughterhouse.

Cemetery Lake begins in a cold and rainy graveyard, where Private Detective Theodore Tate is overseeing an exhumation—a routine job for the weathered former cop. But when doubts are raised about the identity of the body found in the coffin, the case takes a sinister turn. Tate knows he should walk away and let his former colleagues on the police force deal with it, but his strong sense of justice intervenes.

Complicating matters are a few loose ends from Tate’s past. Even good guys have secrets, and Tate thought his were dead and buried for good. With time running out and a violent killer lurking, will he manage to stay one step ahead of the police, or will his truth be unearthed?

Originally published in Paul Cleave’s native New Zealand in 2008, Cemetery Lake is the first novel to feature Theodore Tate, the “quintessential flawed hero” (Kirkus Reviews) from Collecting Cooper and The Laughterhouse. Full of the clever plot twists and sardonic humor for which Cleave has become known, it is at once a totally entertaining crime novel and an unforgettable drama about the universal battle against the darkness within.

April 12, 2018






Additional Video of Deon Meyer

on Apartheid

 
 
There were some requests Monday to see what Meyer had to say about  apartheid.
 
I have also uploaded the author video for those who missed it on Monday.
 
Click on the link above or go to the Author Tab
on the Mystery Books Blog
 
4/12/18

March 19, 2018

Cobra characters

April 9 - Cobra by Deon Meyer
Hawks (Directorate of Priority Crome Investigations)
Brigadier Musad Manie
Colonel Zola Nyathi, Gitaffe
Captain Benny Griessel, JOC - Anna Marie - Carla - Fritz - Doc Barkhuizen
Alexa Barnard
SSA, Janina Mentz (Joni Mitchell) - Spider-Man-principle
Johan Waxen - Brigadier Piet Mentoor - Oom Stoffel
David Fiedler
Captain Vaughn Cupido
Captain John Cloete
Captain Pholip an Wyk
Lieutenant Vusumuzi Ndabeni
Lieutenant Cedric “Ulinda” Radebe
Captain Mooiwillem Liebender
Captain Frankie Fillander
Sergeant Reginald “Lithpel” Davids
Major Benedict “Bones” Boshigo
Captain Mbali Kaleni
Colonel Werner du Preez
Forensics, Think & Thin
Jimmy Bismark
Arnold (Speckled & Egg) Cobra - N.m.
Interpol
Superintendent Jean-Luc Bonfils
Superintendent Marie-Caroline Aubert
Cobra=Joaquim Curado=Hector Malot-
  Cobras - Raul de Soissons - Jean-Baptiste Chassignet, Xavier Forneret - Sasha Guitry
La Petite Margaux
Marcus Frank
Christel de Haan
Cyril January * - Scarlett January
Body Armor
Jeannette Louw
Jolene Freylinck
B. J. Fikter *
Barry Minnaar *
Stiaan Conrad
Allistar Barnes
Paul Anthony Morris (David Patrick Adair) - Sarah
Adair Algorithm - SWIFT - Adair Protocol
British Consul - Doreen Brennan - Emma Graber
Lillian Alvarez
Tyrone Kleinbooi (Knippies) - Donnie Fish - Uncle Solly - Nadia Kleinbooi - SisterAbagail Malga
Muscles * - Pimples * - Freddie * - general * - *
Gertjie - Louw - Jerome -
Verbatim SDXC 64GB
Vincent Carolus, PC Technologies
Bobbie van der Walt - Hassan Ikar - Red Beret - Hoodie
Franschhoek case
Waterfront case
Schotsche Kliff case

SAPS
bliksem
cleared people
TFTP
* Dead


March 17, 2018

April 9 - Cobra by Deon Meyer

Cobra by Deon Meyer, K.L. Seegers (Translator) (2014)
A chase-themed thriller set in the tense political climate of post-apartheid South Africa.
Detective Benny Griessel of Cape Town’s elite Hawks is called in when renowned mathematician David Adair is kidnapped from a remote hideaway, his bodyguards shot dead. The crime is traced to the international assassin team known as Cobra, which is after a memory card containing information that could expose major worldwide financial corruption. Meanwhile, Tyrone Kleinbooi, a small-time pickpocket who steals to support his sister, inadvertently winds up with the card when he robs Adair’s assistant and lover, Lillian Alvarez. Already running from the law, Tyrone witnesses a further shooting and now finds himself a Cobra target as well. Griessel’s team spends the book’s second half pursuing Tyrone, whose life would clearly be easier if he’d turn himself in. There’s also a major implausibility when Tyrone’s sister is shot point-blank by Cobras and survives with minor injuries. As the chase intensifies, recovering alcoholic Griessel struggles to stay sober and hold onto a new relationship. The story ends with a blast of violence that throws a sudden twist on a tidy ending and sets the stage for the next installment.

As always, Meyer (Seven Days, 2012, etc.) writes with a strong sense of character and an eye on post-apartheid politics. KIRKUS REVIEW

March 6, 2018

Monday, March 12

12:00 - Book Discussion - Snow Blind by P. J. Tracy

2:00 - Movie - El Cuerpo (The Body)

March 3, 2018

Left Coast Crime Convention: Crime on the Comstock


Left Coast Crime Convention: Crime on the Comstock

March 22nd-25th at the Nugget Casino Resort

Reno has the honor of hosting this year's Left Coast Crime Convention, and Sundance is excited to be involved in the LCC Book Room!  We will be there selling books from participating authors, so come down to support your favorite mystery writers and discover something new.

This event will be taking place at Nugget Casino Resort. For more information including a list of confirmed attendees,

February 14, 2018

Snow Blind - March 12

Snow Blind by P. J. Tracy

Ruth
Laura - Edgar
Emily - Lars

Minneapolis Homicide
Chief Malacherson
Det Leo Magozzi
Det. Gino Rolseth - Angela - Helen
Det. Johnny McLaren
Det.  Tinker Lewis - Janis
Tommy Espinoza
Gloria
Evelyn
Officer Chalmers
Snowman
BCA=Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Jimmy Grimm
Dr. Rambachan

Monkeewrench People
Grace MacBride - Charlie
Harley Davidson
Roadrunner
Annie

Dundas County
Lake Kittering
Sheriff Iris Rikker - Puck
Lieutenant Sampson
Deputy Neville

Bitterroot - WTCOOO
Maggie Holland - Julie Albright

Theodore Wirth Park
Tommy Deaton - Mary Deaton, Bill & Alice Warner
Toby Myerson
Dundas County
Steve Doyle - Sandy - Bill Stedman
Kurt Weinbeck
Winter Fest Snowman Sculpting Competition
Four Corners thing

February 12, 2018

March 12 - 2:00pm El Cuerpo (The Body), 2012

March 12 - 2:00pm      El Cuerpo (The Body), 2012


One stormy night, a security guard flees the morgue where he works. He’s just seen something that scared him to death and in his haste, he’s hit by a car. The accident leaves him in a coma, so he can’t tell what it was that he saw. Police detective Jaime Pena and his team find that the body of wealthy pharmaceutical baroness Mayka Villaverde is missing from the morgue. Jaime tells Mayka’s husband Alex about her body’s disappearance and brings him to the morgue for questioning.  Jaime is convinced that Alex is afraid of being accused of murdering his wife, because Alex, a chemist of modest means, is having an affair. He stands to inherit a lot of money as Mayka’s heir. During the interrogation, strange phenomena occur in the building, making Alex very nervous, and Jaime, particularly vindictive. 

January 10, 2018

February 12 - Ghostman

Ghostman by Roger Hobbs

Ghostman - Jack Delton, Jack Morton, William Gold, Manuel Sardi
FBI - Rebecca Lynne Blacker
Alexander Lakes, running point
Spencer Randall

Atlantic Regency Hotel Casino
Markus Hayes - jug marker - federal payload
Hector Moreno - Strawberry Quick
Jerome Ribbons
3rd shooter, sniper

Asian Exchange Job
Marcus Hayes, ghostman
Jack Delton, ghostman, William Gold
Angela, Elizabeth Ridgewater (Salvatore Carbone)
Alton Hill, wheelman
Joe Landis, boxman
Hsiu Mei, grifter
Vincent, buttonman
Mancini, buttonman
Liam Harrison
Deng Onpang

Wolf (Harrihar Turner)
Aleksei Gavlik - Fourteen Words
Martin
John Grimaldi

getaway pack - two-car deal - torch gas - scatter - fifth way out

January 2, 2018

Next Meeting - Monday, January 8, 2018

Monday, January 8, 2018 @ 12:00 noon

A Darkness Descending by Christobel Kent