Best of...

§ Best of 2007	§ 2007 Staff and Customer Faves	§ Best of 2006	§ 2006 Staff and Customer Faves
§ Best of 2005	§ 2005 Staff and Customer Faves	§ Best of 2004	§ Best of 2003

Best of 2006

Still Life, Louise Penny, St. Martin's Minotaur, $22.95.

Still Life, set in the tiny Canadian village of Three Pines, is a perfect traditional mystery, in form, but in its emotional details it feels contemporary. When one of the town's most beloved residents, Jane, is killed, the Surete comes to town to investigate, in the form of Inspector Armand Gamache, himself an updated and fleshed out version of Inspector Maigret. As this skillful writer peels back the layers of relationships in the town, as well as the character of the victim, we come as readers to like every one so much we hope no one will be guilty. That's a golden age trick - check out a Christianna Brand or a Josephine Tey novel, and you'll see what I mean. The character of Jane, a closet artist, is so appealing that you'll come to love and mourn her yourself as you read the book. In many mysteries, the revelations of character are often awful - in this novel, the revelations of Jane's character are instead lovely. If you can believe it, the revelation of the interior of her house is made as suspenseful as a car chase, and it's far more satisfying. I can't say enough good things about the way this woman writes - her prose is stunning - and I hope this is the start of a very long lived series. As it is we can look forward to the next installment, Dead Cold, next year.

The Virgin of Small Plains, Nancy Pickard, Ballantine, $23.95.

Nancy Pickard is truly a fixture of mystery fiction, and I have enjoyed both her Jenny Cain series as well as her very different Marie Lightfoot books; The Virgin of Small Plains goes in an entirely new direction, and let me tell you, it's an excellent one. In this story, set in tiny Small Plains, Kansas, a teenage boy witnesses the cover up of a murder, and the resulting actions cause lifelong ripples that come back to Small Plains 20 years later where the body the teenager saw has been buried as an unknown and whose grave is visited as a shrine. The complex emotional maps and connections between the characters and families in this book are only one of the things that makes it terrific; another is the writing. Pickard's descriptions of Kansas are beautiful - there's a scene during a tornado that could be a text on how to set a mood with both character and setting and bring them seamlessly together. The love she feels for this part of the midwest is apparent and the book is much richer for it. As Pickard has had so much practice in good writing, she makes this look easy, but the story sticks in your head and makes you think. This book is a complete delight in every way.

Nicotine Kiss, Loren D. Estleman, Forge, $23.95.

From Estleman's first sentence, the reader is palpably there, immersed in a yeasty, full blooded world that's very much like ours, only the dialogue's better. And our tour guide to that world is Amos Walker, a crusty, observant and mordantly funny private eye of the old school, and proud of it. His Maltese Falcon on this adventure is one Jeff Starzek, a cigarette smuggler and old acquaintance who, after saving Amos's life (or at least his leg) disappears, ensuring that Amos will pull out all the stops to find him. The closer he gets to Starzek the more trouble he gets into; both from the nominally good guys and the nominally bad guys. Estleman is able to effortlessly integrate timely elements like terrorism, the Office of Homeland Security, and religious extremism into a spellbinding plot that unfolds in logical yet unexpected ways, Amos's wounded leg adding an interesting complication to the usual tough guys act. Like Jeff Starzek the peripatetic smuggler, Nicotine Kiss is stripped down, relentless, nimble and just keeps moving. It's the total package, one of the strongest entries in what is, let's face it, the best continuing private eye series in the universe.

What Came Before He Shot Her, Elizabeth George, Harper Collins, $26.95.

This review contains a spoiler - if for some reason you haven't read With No One as Witness, skip ahead to the next review.
I don't usually include Elizabeth George's novels on my top 10 list because she really doesn't need the boost, but this book is so wonderful, and such a change in focus, that is deserves to be included here. Usually I don't even have to shelve her books when they first arrive - I just stack them on the floor and wait for people to pick them up in a fit of delight. Her fans are hardcore and loyal, and hopefully they will enjoy this very different outing as much as her previous novels. This book is an explication of the life of the boy who killed Lady Helen and her baby in the last novel, and his life couldn't be more terrible. Ms. George is expert at imagining and describing the worst, and she does that here. People with the best intentions are thwarted or they misunderstand each other; they behave badly through fear, or unhappiness or powerlessness. Through the lens of the Campbell family - an aunt and her two nephews and a niece who are foisted on her by their lazy and irresponsible grandmother - Ms. George is able to illustrate human relationships - and humans - with an eye that's been honed to a fine point over the course of her extraordinary series of mysteries. This novel reads more like a Ruth Rendell in that it's a "whydunnit" - the killer seems to be the most responsible person in the novel, so what can possibly force him to act the way he does? Trust me, finding out will have you up all night - reading a George novel is a total immersion experience and I don't think I looked up for air in the 2 or 3 days it took me to finish it. And at the end she leaves you with a question - does the reason for the action excuse the action? She's certainly illuminates both sides of the murder of Lady Helen, and seeing both sides of the question doesn't make it any simpler. This book is a real marvel, not to be missed by any thoughtful reader.

A Stolen Season, Steve Hamilton, St. Martin's Minotaur, $22.95.

This is a lean, mean machine of superlative storytelling and character development. It's a book about loss and what the consequences are, really, and it's told in a very straight forward way. The literal "stolen season" is summer, and the book begins with a group of citizens of Paradise, Michigan mourning the very cold July weather (is that a snowflake? I think so) when their party is interrupted by a boat crash. The story takes off from there, pretty much without let up, and Hamilton's Alex McKnight is busy unraveling a mystery, dealing with his girlfriend being undercover in another country (she's a Canadian cop) and spurning the help of his best friend, Vinnie. All Alex knows is pretty much exploded in this book and the aftermath is a kicker. One of the strongest entries in a remarkably strong series.

Sorrow's Anthem, Michael Koryta, St. Martin's Minotaur, $22.95.

Michael Koryta has acknowledged a debt to Dennis Lehane, and he's brought Lehane's sensibility to Cleveland, Ohio, and put it to good use in his now two book series about P.I. Lincoln Perry and his older sidekick, Joe. Lincoln's past comes back to haunt him and he's forced to go deep into the old neighborhood for answers when a childhood friend comes up dead and looks like the killer in an arson. The finale has the operatic quality of Lehane, but Koryta's made the poetry his own, and this is a spectacular young series that's well written and hard to put down. The emotional depth this very young writer brings to his characters is remarkable and Lincoln Perry isn't a character you'll forget about anytime soon.
Start with Tonight I Said Goodbye.

Copper River, William Kent Krueger, Atria, $24.00.

Every Cork O'Connor book has made this list so far, and I think it's because every one is different from another, and all are wonderful. This one, where Cork is laid up with an injured leg, almost functions without him (and as a bonus, Cork is hiding out in Michigan's Upper Peninsula). The story really centers around three women: Cork's cousin, Jewell, who owns the resort cabins where Cork is hiding out; Dina, the ex-FBI agent who works alongside Cork as an equal; and the teenage Charlie, on the run after seeing her Dad's dead body. Krueger's writing is a wonderful combination of grim violence, incredible, memorable characters, and beautiful prose. Like all his books, this one has a natural motif; this one has a cougar who haunts the story in a more or less friendly fashion. There's also a tight story here centering on Cork's efforts to get loose of a death sentence hanging over his own head, his desire to avenge his wife's rape (see the last book, Mercy Falls), and a story set in the Upper Peninsula involving missing teenage girls. My description of the book is a little messy, but the book isn't - it's just filled with a great story told with a great deal of emotional truth and detail. I'll be following this writer wherever he chooses to take Cork O'Connor next time.

Girl in a Box, Sujata Massey, Harper Collins, $23.95.

This book was a pure pleasure from start to finish. The ninth book in Massey's series about young Japanese-American Rei Shimura, this one can easily be enjoyed on it's own, or as a part of Massey's lush series, mostly set in Japan where Rei has been an English teacher, an antiques dealer, and in this installment, a spy. She's working undercover in a Japanese department store, providing many types of pleasure for the reader. There's suspense and espionage for the hard core mystery fan; there's a look at Japan for the armchair traveler; and the most fun of all, for the girly reader, there's backstage at the department store where Rei works and is just forced to buy clothes on her new expense account. Rei even gets a makeover for her mission. This book would be a guilty pleasure if the characterizations weren't so sharp, the writing wasn't so dreamy, and the insider's view of Japan wasn't so dead on. Plus, if you don't read this book, you'll never know what Japanese women do with their old sewing needles.

Mystery Muses, Jim Huang and Austin Luger, Editors, The Crum Creek Press, $15.00.

This is another standout volume for mystery lovers who want to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of mystery as a genre. (The first two from this editor/publisher were The 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century and They Died in Vain). In it, 100 writers write about the books that inspired them to become writers themselves, and the essays are vivid and entertaining. Sure, there's plenty of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Raymond Chandler titles covered, but there are lots of other gems, and Jeanne M. Dams' essay on Gaudy Night may give you a fresh appreciation for it (and a desire to reread). Some other delights include Sandra Balzo's moving essay on Ammie, Come Home by Elizabeth Peters; Peter Lovesey's essay on Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train - the influence is so clear! - and Michael Koryta's loveletter to Dennis Lehane's Gone, Baby Gone. Well worth it for the recommendations alone, and you'll enjoy wending your way through it as it covers Poe to Lehane. A must for every serious mystery reader's library.

All Mortal Flesh, Julia Spencer-Fleming, St. Martin's Minotaur, $22.95.

Julia Spencer-Fleming has created a world so vivid, with characters so real and compelling, that I frequently find myself in deep discussions with customers about what Clare should do next, or how she and Russ should behave. Confused? Then you haven't read this brilliant series featuring Episcopal Priest Clare Fergusson and Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne. Russ is married, and Clare and Russ pine for each other, while well aware of the moral and legal authority lent to them by their respective jobs that's hovering over their heads. Oh, and did I mention these are also excellent straight mysteries? In this installment (and I'm giving nothing away) Russ' wife is found murdered, and Russ is the prime suspect; everyone advises Clare and Russ to stay away from each other, and both are being monitored. Spencer-Fleming writes so beautifully of the emotional entanglements and details that make up her characters that they are hard to forget, as is this wonderful book. This is an exquisite look at grief and people's different reactions to it, as well as a compelling and vivid mystery.

Honorable Mention: The Blood Dimmed Tide, Rennie Airth, Penguin, $14.00.

This was on my original list until I realized it was published in 2005, but it's such a wonderful book I had to include it. This is the second book featuring shell shocked World War I vet John Madden, who, having lost his wife and child to the flu outbreak, has remarried, left the police force and settled down to life as a gentleman farmer. He happens to give the village bobby a lift to a crime scene, one where a 12 year old girl has been killed. He of course gets drawn into the case as it's so urgent that it be solved, especially when it becomes apparent that the girl's death is only the latest in a string of murders. Set in 1932, the wonderful thing about this novel is the atmosphere - the "blood dimmed tide" refers not only to the murdered girls, but to the war that's coming. There's a palpable - and authentic- feeling of dread. Not mired in historical details, this historical novel instead evokes the emotions and feelings of 1932 in a very profound way. John Madden is a wonderful character, and Rennie Airth is a remarkable writer.

Also of note this year:

No Good Deeds, Laura Lippman's sophisticated P.I. novel featuring Tess' significant other, Crow; Sarah Stewart Taylor's fourth mystery, Still as Death, another perfect traditional mystery with her interesting series character, funeral art expert Sweeney St. George; Jonathon King's smart thriller, Eye of Vengeance; P.B. Ryan's crisp and entertaining historical, Murder on Black Friday; and Death in the Garden, Elizabeth Ironside's delicately written story set in the 20's that is only marred by a slightly unsatisfactory ending; and Karin Slaughter's gruesome but memorable Triptych.

Staff & Customer's Choice

Marty, Ace Assistant: Strange Affair, Peter Robinson, "consistently good series"; The Palace Tiger, Barbara Cleverly, "fine mystery, exotic setting, fascinating era and protagonist"; Before the Frost, Henning Mankell - "a terrifying thriller - he deserves to be read"; The Devil of Nanking, Mo Hayter - "dark, disturbing, gruesome"; and With No One as Witness, Elizabeth George, "a must for George fans."

Sally, Ann Arbor: Death in the Garden, Elizabeth Ironside.

Patti, Librarian, Romeo, Mich: Mark of the Lion, Suzanne Arruda; Holmes on the Range, Steve Hockensnith; Solomon vs. Lord, Paul Levine; The Last Witness, K.J. Erickson; Still Life, Louise Penny; Walking the Perfect Square, Reed Farrell Coleman; Sorrow's Anthem, Michael Koryta.

Maria, North Carolina: The Lighthouse, P.D. James; The Rottweiler, Ruth Rendell; Killing the Shadows, Val McDermid; Dead Aim, Thomas Perry; The Minotaur, Barbara Vine; Piece of My Heart, Peter Robinson; Dying Flames, Robert Barnard; Still Life, Louise Penny; The Virgin of Small Plains, Nancy Pickard; The Meaning of Night, Michael Cox.

Barb, Ann Arbor: Copper River, William Kent Krueger; A Stolen Season, Steve Hamilton; Death on the Leviathan, Boris Akunin.

Vicki, Ann Arbor: The Death of Achilles, Boris Akunin; Hornswoggled, Donis Casey; City of Shadows, Ariana Franklin; Prisoner of Memory, Denise Hamilton; Haunted Ground, Erin Hart; The Art of Detection, Laurie R. King; The Excursion Train, Edward Marston; Death on the Lizard, Robin Paige; Tomb of the Golden Bird, Elizabeth Peters; Messenger of Truth, Jacqueline Winspear.

Laurel, Ann Arbor: To Darkness and to Death, Julia Spencer-Fleming; All Mortal Flesh, Julia Spencer-Fleming; Smoky Mountain Tracks, Donna Ball.

Tori, Ann Arbor: Out of the Deep I Cry, Julia Spencer-Fleming; Entombed, Linda Fairstein; Mansions of the Dead, Sarah Stewart Taylor; Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; John Berendt.

Angel, Jackson, Mich: Still Life, Louise Penny, The Blood-Dimmed Tide, Rennie Airth.

Cheryl, Okemos, Mich: Triptych, Karin Slaughter & The Lake of Dead Languages, Carol Goodman.