Members' New Publications

The Rampant Reaper, by Marlys Millhiser,
Minotaur Books; ISBN: 0312290969; (July 2002)

Charlie Greene, high-powered West Coast literary agent, single mom and amateur sleuth, leaves the glitzy world of Los Angeles for a small Iowa town in Millhiser's (Killer Commute, etc.) seventh amusing and wacky tale of murder and mayhem. Much against her will (after all, she is adopted and has had no contact with her birth mother's family), Charlie has agreed to accompany her birth mother to the funeral of her great-great-aunt in Myrtle, Iowa. Relatives she has never even heard about come out of the woodwork, and when the two travelers are sent to stay at the dilapidated family homestead with Uncle Elmo, Charlie begins to wish she'd stayed in L.A. Much to her chagrin, a blizzard and a rash of unexplained murders at Gentle Oaks, the local nursing home, keep Charlie in Myrtle and involve her in a bizarre mystery that has to do with the town's namesake, Myrtle herself. An investigation that becomes personal leads to an almost catastrophic conclusion. In dealing with the locals, especially the geriatric inhabitants of Gentle Oaks and their antics, Charlie displays the characteristic wry wit that has endeared her to her fans. Although Charlie's slowly evolving family tree is complex and confusing, a strong plot and a vividly described setting will engage the reader from start to finish. This read is as satisfying as a Midwest dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed corn and carrot cake. ~Publisher's Weekly

Brothers of Cain, by Miriam Grace Monfredo, Berkley Prime Crime, 2001, $22.95, ISBN: 0-425-18189-8

It is 1862 Virginia. During the tumultuous "Seven Days" battles of the Peninsula Campaign, federal troops prepare to capture Richmond. And on unfamiliar land, dotted with Rebel campfires, young courier Seth Llyr finds himself lying in a muddy ditch with no clear memory of how he had come to be there... and a very clear idea of where he would soon end up: as a prisoner of war. Undercover agent Bronwen Llyr is working side-by-side with her sister Kathryn, a volunteer nurse for the Union Army, when they hear news of their brother, Seth. Driven by moral conviction, Bronwen must engineer Seth's flight from Libby Prison before the date set for his hanging. But as time escapes her, so too does hope for young Seth. As the harsh reality of war burns all too close to home, it is the sisters who fight for the brothers in their own battle of right and wrong, of love and war.

Cat To The Dogs, by Shirley Rousseau Murphy, HarperCollins, December 1999

Cat in the Dark, by Shirley Rousseau Murphy, Harper, 1999, Harper Prism, ISBN 0-06-105096-2

Winner of the Muse Medallion for Best Novel Winner, Cat Writer's Association Best Novel of the Year "I'm a cat," said Dulcie. "Of course I worry, Joe. What if the cops catch one of us opening a skylight and masterminding a robbery? The tabloids will love it. Every nut in the country will read about the trained burglar-cat. Or, heaven forbid, the talking cat." Dulcie is right to be worried, for the precious peace of sleepy little Molena Point is threatened as never before. There's a new cat in town: Azrael, a renegade tom with a penchant for voodoo, a scorn for his fellow felines, and a nasty hatred of humans. And he's masterminding a crime spree that's quickly escalating toward murder most foul. Dulcie and Joe Grey both know the score--they have seen Azrael in action. His nocturnal depredations threaten the very fabric of their lives. Dulcie could lose her spot as library cat. Even the evening handout from Jolly's Deli is at risk. But how can they expose the criminal without letting millions of ordinary, untrustworthy humans in on the secret that certain select cats can think and talk? Cat in the Dark is the newest foray into the human-haunted world of Joe Grey and Dulcie, whose uncanny abilities and extraordinary intuitions are helping to make small town crime a losing proposition. So far.

When the cops catch mystery writer Tracy Eaton's mom, Hollywood legend Martha Collins, alone with the bloody remains of celebrity litigant Vince Sperry holding nothing but a lame excuse Tracy leaps to her mother's defense, despite her own publishing woes. Only Martha seems determined to impend Tracy's attempts to clear her. That just convinces Tracy her mom has pulled a real doozy this time, even if Tracy can't see how anything Martha did relates to Sperry's murder. Not that other suspects don't abound those scare Tracy just as much. Was Martha right? Had Tracy's stuffy husband, Drew, settled his career-making lawsuit with a bullet? Or did her dad, aging Hollywood heartthrob, Alec Grainger, decide to end an old feud once and for all? All roads seem to lead to the past, to one Hollywood scandal after another. Will Tracy's digging clear Martha's past and free her future? Or will she unearth something that's sure to slam the cell door shut on her exasperating, but much loved, mother? "...the movie-town settings, so-called celebrity characters, and nonstop action make Neri's second mystery (after the Agatha and Macavity awards-nominated Revenge of the Gypsy Queen) a real page-turner...Neri handles the ironic confusion with impetuous wit and just-to-the-brink hesitations. An enjoyable romp." ~ Library Journal "An Agatha, Anthony and Macavity Award nominee for her first book, Revenge of the Gypsy Queen, Kris Neri showcases her amazing talent with book two (Dem Bones' Revenge) in the series. From page one to the book's closing page, the tight writing and clever use of faux movie scenes as chapter headings lead the reader further into a complex and entertaining story... Writing this good deserves all those award nominations ...maybe this year, the author will take home the prize." ~ Crescent Blues Book Views "I liked the way Kris Neri brought in major complications and characters from her mother's past.... This is an interesting new series with a super character as amateur sleuth...The books are funny. If she keeps writing, I believe Kris Neri and Tracy Eaton will be favorites in the mystery field for quite a long time." ~ Mystery News

Due out in December 2002, Heresy the next in the series. "...When her dearest friend in the world, Astrolabe, the son of the fabled theologian Peter Abelard and Heloise, flees wrongful prosecution for the vicious murder of a young woman, Catherine's family takes him in to hide. But there are darker forces than murder at work here. Someone wishes to use Astrolabe to complete the destruction of his father's fame in the name of faith...and there are those that would see the destruction of the very order of Christian life..."

The Body in the Moonlight, by Katherine Hall Page,
William Morrow

Faith Fairchild is busy at home and at work as Halloween comes creeping into the small town of Aleford, Massachusetts. Yet, when First Parish asks her to cater the church's restoration campaign kickoff at historic Ballou House, she gamely agrees. She's never done a Murder Mystery Game benefit dinner before, and there's the additional draw of four famous local mystery writers to join in the fun. But the evening's merriment is brought to a grisly halt when a beautiful young woman dies moments after finishing every last bite of the dessert Faith has prepared! Never before has Faith's amateur sleuthing hit so close to home --and never before has it been more crucial. She has to find out who killed Gwen Lord to save her business and possibly her freedom. But before she does, there's a body in the moonlight --a body that carries an unmistakable warning for Faith Fairchild.... You're next!

The Falcon At The Portal, by Elizabeth Peters,
Avon Twilight, ISBN 0-380-97658-7

As the 1911 archaeological season begins, Amelia and famille have arrived in Egypt for their annual excavation. While the reappearance of Ramses' dreadful cousin Percy is to be lamented, the marriage of his best friend David to Amelia's niece Lia is a source of joy for everyone. But the bride has barely walked down the aisle before trouble begins stalking the family. First, David is accused of selling ancient Egyptian artifacts that are actually high-priced almost undetectable fakes. Then, though this year's site appears ordinary enough--dull, really--some deadly surprises await the professional touch of Professor Radcliffe Emerson, the Father of Curses, holder of innumerable honorary degrees, scourge of the underworld, and the greatest Egyptologist of this or any other age. But even as Amelia and company endeavor to clear David's name and expose the real culprit, worse crimes are surfacing. The first is the body of an American at the bottom of the Emersons' excavation shaft. Then, as accusations of drug-dealing and moral misconduct start flying, the appearance of a small child of mysterious antecedents sparks a crisis that threatens to tear the Emerson family apart. Meanwile, as Amelia brings her brilliant powers of deduction to bear on all of this, someone is shooting bullets at her and coming awfully close. As the tension mounts and accidents increase at the site, it becomes clear that the Land of the Pharaohs harbors more secrets than any tomb can hide. If Amelia doesn't expose a dangerous gallery of killers quickly, she may find herself the next candidate for burial.

Heir Apparent, by Twist Phelan,
Sands Publishing, October 2002

Fresh out of law school, Joe McGuiness has a prized job with an Arizona law firm, the chance to pursue his team roping hobby, and a date with the lovely Mia Ortiz. Then his firm's wealthiest client and her hot-headed son turn up murdered, and it appears Mia has blood on her hands. A different sport will figure into each of the series’ legal-themed mysteries, which feature an ensemble cast from the desert resort town of Pinnacle Peak, Arizona. In the second book, which won the Mystery Category of the Colorado Gold Writing Contest, the lawyer protagonist's sports passion is bicycling. In the third mystery, rock climbing will be the athletic focus.