Every Wednesday, we here at Criminal Element will put together a list of Staff Picks of the books that published the day before—sharing the ones that we are looking forward to reading the most! This week, Steve Berry's latest Cotton Malone thriller combines with the final completed Mickey Spillane novel to highlight a killer week…
City of Sharks by Kelli Stanley is the fourth book in the award-winning Miranda Corbie Mystery series, painting a rich, authentic portrait of 1940s San Francisco (available March 20, 2018). The blonde secretary was scared when she visited Miranda Corbie’s office. A shove into a streetcar track, a box of poisoned chocolates…hateful, violent letters. Someone…
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan/A stately pleasure-dome decree … The cover is electrifying. Sinuous, sensuous, enticing, entrancing…seemingly created by the same magic the story’s about. In actuality, it was created by that mercurial genius Michael William Kaluta, one of the greatest graphic artists to come of age in the 1970s, and the cover in question…
This sweepstakes features seven books with the perfect mix of history and mystery, so cozy on up and register to enter for a chance to win! This Sweepstakes Has Ended! This is NOT a Comments Sweepstakes. You must click the link above to enter. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.…
City of Ghosts by Kelli Stanley is the 3rd historical mystery featuring investigator Miranda Corbie as she travels the United States during the early days of WWII (available August 5, 2014). June, 1940. For the United States, war is on the horizon. For Miranda Corbie, private investigator and erstwhile escort, there are debts to be…
I’ve got a confession to make. I love hats. Long before hipsters strolled the streets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York sporting snap brim, modified fedoras that typically look more like Bing Crosby playing golf than Frank Sinatra swinging at the Sands, I’d buy head gear at flea markets and garage sales:…
For several years, Wolfmont Press produced an annual holiday crime fiction anthology that benefited Toys for Tots. 2009 marked the last of these, with the 2010 charity anthology—called Murder to Mil-Spec—benefiting Homes for Our Troops, instead. These were fabulous anthologies, and if you can find a copy you should grab one; they were limited in…
I’m not a mystery convention junkie like some. Much of my decision to attend these annual events depends on book publication dates, vicinity, and how much cash is in my wallet. Since I live in Southern California, Left Coast Crime, the “western” convention, usually is the best fit for me (less time spent in airports,…
Left Coast Crime is always a fun time. Because it was held in Sacramento, this year’s theme was “Mining for Murder.” With another conference now in the books, here are all the award winners honored as of this weekend (complete list of nominees here): The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews was awarded the Lefty…
An excerpt from Scoundrels, an anthology edited by Gary Phillips (available March 18, 2012). In this arresting anthology you’ll read stories of gabbing grifters, brokers hedging big bets for the big take, schemers working the long con for the sure money, used car salesmen with golden dreams and dashed hopes, bent lawyers and their more…
