Killer Nashville 2019: An excellent bunch of murderers

Killer Nashville 2019: An excellent bunch of murderers

Sep 5, 2019 | #booknews

He put the cord over my head. It scratched against my neck, heavier than I expected. My heart was beating too fast. The noise buffeted me, my vision a blur . . . 

Nope, I wasn't strangled, but won the Silver Falchion award for THE ARTIST/EL ARTISTA in the Short Story Collection/Anthology at the Killer Nashville mystery writer conference.  Competition included a story by R. L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps series. 

Novelist Joyce Carol Oates, who received a lifetime achievement award, and David Morrell, creator of Rambo, were both in the audience.

Carmen with award

Killers

As thrilling as winning an award is, the real reason for attending the Killer Nashville conference is the ability to network with other authors. I like Killer Nashville because it is a relatively small setting, as writing conferences go, and there is time to have sidebar conversations--although never enough! 

Related post: Lessons from Killer Nashville 2018

killer nashville

With Mike Faricy, author of the Dev Haskell series

Amato and Baron Birtcher

With Baron Birtcher, who won 3 awards including Best Overall Novel for "Fistful of Rain"

Killer Nashville

R.G. Belsky, Carmen Amato, and conference founder Clay Stafford

Souvenirs for all

Killer Nashville is also a good place to get a dose of inspiration. Panel presentations are specific to the mystery and thriller genre. Conflict, characters, setting, red herrings. Finding out how other authors twist their plots or plan their characters is like a dose of new insights and fresh ideas.

It's the proverbial shot in the arm.

My solo presentation "Inside the CIA" was delivered to a standing-room-only audience. Everyone stayed, despite the wonky projector that muddied my slideshow. I'll be replaying it in a webinar for the Atlanta chapter of Sisters in Crime. You can sign up for the webinar here: https://www.meetup.com/Sisters-in-Crime-Atlanta-Chapter/events/264524525/

Andrea Amherst, who came all the way from Vienna, Austria (!) for the conference, joined me in leading a workshop on "How to Make Your Website Work for You." We used this PDF checklist, which you can download here: http://carmenamato.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Killer-Nashville-website-checklist.pdf

Observations and a suggestion

Last year, I came away from Killer Nashville with the feeling that a storm between trad and indie publishing had brewed under the surface, led by indie publishing champion Joe Konrath. He did not attend the 2019 conference, so the buzz was quieter, albeit still there.

Most of the authors still working on their first novel want a trad deal rather than "being forced" to strike out into the wilds of indie publishing. Yet almost all the authors I spoke to who were traditionally published had a nightmare story of publishers closing, editors bailing on them, contracts left in limbo, etc. Indie authors were making a decent income and liked the sense of control.

I expect this will continue to be an ongoing debate.

This year, I ran into more would-be authors who were still in various stages of completing a novel and wondering how to get it published. All seemed to be looking for a mentor. Beyond the actual writing process, they were looking for someone who could explain the publishing industry and how to market books. Maybe next year's Killer Nashville could have a mentor program.

 

killer nashville

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Carmen Amato Wins Killer Nashville’s Silver Falchion Award for “The Artist”

Carmen Amato Wins Killer Nashville’s Silver Falchion Award for “The Artist”

Aug 24, 2019 | #newsroom

August 24, 2019

Carmen Amato has won the 2019 Silver Falchion Award in the Short Story/Collection category from the Killer Nashville International Writers Conference for THE ARTIST a Detective Emilia Cruz short story published in the bilingual illustrated volume THE ARTIST/EL ARTISTA. The list of 2019 Silver Falchion category winners is available here: https://killernashville.com/2019-killer-nashville-awards-winners/?fbclid=IwAR1x_

The Artist

THE ARTIST/EL ARTISTA continues the theme of missing women that runs through the Detective Emilia Cruz series. Cruz is the first female police detective in Acapulco, taking on corruption, cartels, and Mexico’s tradition of machismo. In THE ARTIST, Cruz and her partner go undercover to find out who is leaving extortion threats in front of a school. They are assisted by the head of the school, but thwarted by a teacher with a regrettable connection to the gang issuing the threats.

The story is inspired by Mexican poet Javier Sicilia’s efforts to bring awareness to the plight of families impacted by the drug war violence and references photos of some of the rallies held in Mexico in recent years.

THE ARTIST/EL ARTISTA is available in ebook and paperback editions from Amazon: https://geni.us/the-artist-el-artista

Killer Nashville

 

Killer Nashville

Killer Nashville 2019 with author Dick Belsky, Silver Falchion winner Carmen Amato, and Killer Nashville’s Clay Stafford

 

Carmen Amato Receives Poison Cup Award from CrimeMasters of America

Carmen Amato Receives Poison Cup Award from CrimeMasters of America

Aug 1, 2019 | #newsroom

August 1, 2019

Mystery author Carmen Amato received the 2019 Poison Cup Award for Outstanding Series from CrimeMasters of America for the Detective Emilia Cruz police series set in Acapulco. As the first female police detective in Acapulco, Emilia Cruz confronts Mexico’s official corruption, cartel crime, and culture of machismo. Titles include CLIFF DIVER, HAT DANCE, DIABLO NIGHTS, KING PESO, PACIFIC REAPER, and 43 MISSING.

2019 Poison Cup Award

CrimeMasters of America places its focus on crime fiction across genres with a mission to help, promote, share, educate, and grow our crime writing careers through common support.
Board of Governors: Owen Parr, Mike Faricy, Mike Pettit
Annual awards:
  • Poison Cup Award (Annual); Best Book and/or Series, Audio. Best support in editing, cover design, audio talent, graphic design.
  • Masters Poison Cup (Annual) Most group support from a member. Most active member through sharing, mentoring, educating.
  • Yorick Skull Award (Annual) Best First Book ( must be written and published/self-published the prior year of the award. Example written & published in 2018, Award 2019).
Criminal Element Publishes Joint Discussion of Women in Narco Noir Lit

Criminal Element Publishes Joint Discussion of Women in Narco Noir Lit

Jul 31, 2019 | #newsroom

July 31, 2019

In “The Women of Narco Noir,” thriller authors Carmen and Amato discuss the four female character types prevalent in narco noir genre literature for Criminal Element, one of the leading websites devoted to crime fiction. The article is available here: https://www.criminalelement.com/the-women-of-narco-noir/

“There are four prominent female character archetypes in narco noir. Each type appears in every narco noir book, while some, like Don Winslow’s The Cartel, pack them in all at once.

“In no particular order, there’s the female narca, the cop, the civilian caught in the crossfire, and the woman who becomes the chess piece or victim who is used to create allegiances or satisfy an itch. Like the women on whom so many of these characters are based, all of the character archetypes are shaped by the war on drugs. It controls what they do, where they go, who they love, and how long they live.

“The women of narco noir don’t live behind white picket fences, have BFFs, or join book clubs. Dinner doesn’t materialize nightly at seven. Narco noir women tend to be loners with no husband or significant other to come home to because the drug war has claimed their emotional lives. They’re as tough and as hardboiled as the tales they inhabit.

“In an ironic twist of female solidarity, however, these women are bound together by one simple element.

“The need to survive”

The new article follows their February 2019 joint essay laying out the roots and dangerous direction of the narco noir genre in “The Ascent of Narco Noir: A Literary Game Changer,” which can be read here: https://www.criminalelement.com/ascent-narco-noir/

Members of the dynamic Mexico Writers group on Facebook, Carmen Amato and Jeanine Kitchel first collaborated on the travel essay collection The Insider’s Guide to the Best of Mexico. They write crime fiction, however, from opposite ends of the cops-and-cartel spectrum.

Carmen Amato used the counterdrug expertise gained during a 30 year career with the CIA to create the Detective Emilia Cruz series set in Acapulco. Pitting the iconic Mexican city’s first female police detective against cartels, corruption and machismo, the series recently won the 2019 Poison Cup award for Outstanding Series from CrimeMasters of America. Carmen is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal. Visit her website at http://carmenamato.net to get a free copy of the Detective Emilia Cruz Starter Library.

Jeanine Kitchel’s love of Mexico led her to a fishing village on the Mexican Caribbean coast where she bought land, built a house, and opened a bookstore. A former journalist, she wrote travel articles for newspapers and Mexico websites before branching into fiction.

In Wheels Up—A Novel of Drugs, Cartels and Survival, Latina protagonist Layla Navarro rises to the top of Mexico’s most powerful cartel after her drug lord uncle is recaptured. Challenged by enemies from without and within, she’s determined to retain her dominant position in Mexico’s criminal world—if she can stay alive. Book two in the trilogy, Layla’s Law, is in the works. Check JeanineKitchel.com for details.

The road between the storms

The road between the storms

Jul 23, 2019 | #authorlife

Storm vs lull = success

The storm called RUSSIAN MOJITO has ended. The lull has arrived, allowing me to catch my breath and attend to all the housekeeping chores that built up while my brain was whirling with MOJITO. The modern do-it-yourself author has a never-ending to-do list related to marketing, social media, learning about the publishing industry, and so on. Success means the learning process never stops.

Although the next Emilia Cruz mystery is already percolating and the first chapter was a bonus at the end of RUSSIAN MOJITO, the lull is time to hit the road, looking at the big picture. Time to think about where we're headed.

Related post: Open Letter to 2019

“Losers have goals. Winners have systems.”

This quote by Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams struck a nerve as I thought about how readers find my books and interact with me. There's so much sheer noise out there, without an easy way to do things--structure, repeatable processes, checklists, etc.--accomplishment is going to be slower than the roaring wave. And let’s face it, we can easily be swept under the fierce rush.

The Mystery Ahead newsletter is a repeatable process that works. Every other Sunday, the newsletter contains announcements, an exclusive excerpt, and my review of a mystery that I’ve read and can recommend.

By keeping to a template, readers always know what to expect. Consistency has created a great sense of connection. Readership is growing swiftly.

Success! But what about everything else?

When in doubt, call an expert

In my case, it’s social media expert Frances Caballo. She’s doing an online audit and hopefully I’ll get some good feedback as to how best to manage my online self. No one wants to come off as bragging or sales-y but social media is a critical way for authors to introduce themselves to today’s online audience.

BTW, Frances is the author of SOCIAL MEDIA JUST FOR AUTHORS and a fellow dog lover.

I've also subscribed to {grow}, a blog by THE CONTENT CODE author Mark Schaefer. Anyone who creates content for an online audience has to read this book.

“There is no happiness without action.”

Benjamin Disraeli may not be the most famous British prime minister (Hello, Boris Johnson!) but I found this quote gets to the point. A lull is the perfect time to plan, prep and get ready for the next storm.

Happiness comes from a state of growth, as Gretchen Rubin discovered in THE HAPPINESS PROJECT. Blogger and author Mark Manson knocked it out of the park when he wrote that happiness comes from solving problems in THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK.

This lull was the time to do the UNTHINKABLE.

Yes, I got a NEW LAPTOP! Lots of horsepower and a bigger screen. New versions of Word and Photoshop.

My ancient Sony (does Sony even make laptops any more??) laptop crashed if I accessed my website. Microsoft kept warning that its version of Windows was going to be mothballed. But in 7 years across 3 different countries, I wrote 7 novels, half a dozen short stories, and over 200 blog posts on that mighty little machine.

The next storm starts soon.

It’s called NARCO NOIR: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 8.

Are you in a storm or a lull?

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success

New Release! RUSSIAN MOJITO, Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7

New Release! RUSSIAN MOJITO, Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7

Jun 6, 2019 | #booknews, #EmiliaCruz

IT'S NEW RELEASE DAY!

RUSSIAN MOJITO, Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7 is out now and on sale for Kindle for $0.99!

To promote the book, both PACIFIC REAPER and 43 MISSING are also on sale!

It's a limited time event, so grab your copies now.

 

RUSSIAN MOJITO is a real crime fiction cocktail! Here's a bit of the Amazon description:

Driven to the edge by her own secrets, can the first female police detective in Acapulco give Russia a dose of Mexican justice?

Survivor of a deadly cartel ambush, Detective Emilia Cruz returns to Acapulco to recover from the trauma. Before she can catch her breath, however, her penniless stepfather is kidnapped by a ruthless gang.

At the same time, a Russian guest is murdered by a cold-blooded killer in the luxury hotel managed by her boyfriend, Kurt Rucker.

As the kidnappers terrorize Emilia’s family, more Russians are killed in a gun battle that rocks Acapulco. Emilia discovers a strange connection between the triple homicide and fuel thieves robbing Mexico’s underground gas pipelines.

Still coping with the emotional fallout from the ambush and a secret that could end her police detective career, Emilia finds herself on a midnight stakeout, watching and waiting for the fuel thieves. But she’s really on a collision course with the killer . . . And his Russian boss.

To get a sample of the book, click here.

 

National Public Radio -- “A thrilling series”
CrimeMasters of America -- Poison Cup award, Outstanding Series 

Get RUSSIAN MOJITO Now

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Writing a mystery: 3 essential questions

Writing a mystery: 3 essential questions

May 18, 2019 | #authorlife, #booknews

RUSSIAN MOJITO, Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7, will be released on 6 June. It is undoubtedly the most complex mystery I've ever written.

Emilia's whole future is on the line.

Mystery writing: the big start

Every Emilia Cruz novel has multiple plot lines. My sticky note outlines are color-coded by subplot and spread across the wall above my desk. It grows as the book evolves, like a weed watered with Miracle Gro. 

essential questions

But before I can build that ever-evolving outline, I have to answer 3 essential questions:

  1. What personal aspect of Emilia's life will be impacted?
  2. What uniquely Mexican cultural element will drive the crime?
  3. Where does Emilia end up emotionally?

Here's how the 3 essential question exercise worked for RUSSIAN MOJITO:

1. What personal aspect of Emilia's life will be impacted?

Detective Emilia Cruz

After the dramatic events in PACIFIC REAPER and 43 MISSING which basically destroyed Emilia's personal relationships, in RUSSIAN MOJITO she needs to either rebuild or move on.

Emilia must decide what sort of relationship she wants with her mother, whom Emilia believes lied to her for years about the brother Emilia never knew. Emilia must also deal with the feeling that her life would have been much better if she'd been the child her mother gave away, instead of the brother who ruined all the advantages he was given.

And yes, Emilia must either salvage her affair with Kurt Rucker, the gringo manager of Acapulco's most luxurious hotel, or finally let him go.

2. What uniquely Mexican cultural element will drive the crime?

Reuters Mexican fuel thieves

PIPELINE NO DIGGING: Warning sign at Pemex's refinery in Salamanca, in Guanajuato state, Mexico, September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

For some time, I've been tracking the phenomenon of fuel thieves in Mexico, called huachicoleros.

For most of us, living in tidy places were gas stations have credit card pumps and convenience marts, it is hard to imagine people driving through the night to the middle of nowhere to dig up a hidden gas pipeline, drill into the steel, insert a spigot, and fill cans with stolen gas to sell on the black market.

Think about the danger! Sparks from the tools used to drill through the steel. The dizzying fumes of gasoline drenching you as it gushes out of the tap. Wrangling heavy vats of gas and selling it by the gallon in some village square. The ever-present fear of fire and arrest.

It's astounding that people are actually stealing gas out of underground pipelines but in Mexico, the problem has become big enough to close gas stations and have its own saint. Read Borderland Beat's article about El Nino Huachicolero here. Read the Washington Post article on gas stations closing due to fuel theft here.

The danger is very real. For example, in January more than 80 people died when huachicoleros created a literal fountain of gas from a breached pipeline. Dozens of people rushed to fill containers. When the pipeline exploded, all those people were caught in a deadly fireball. Check out this stunning video from Euro News

3. Where does Emilia end up emotionally?

Again, after the cliffhanger endings of the previous two books, I wanted Emilia to get her life back on track.

RUSSIAN MOJITO has a  satisfying wrap, akin to HAT DANCE and DIABLO NIGHTS, yet also teases us with the next book in the series, NARCO NOIR.

Hey, what about the Russian angle?

Russian Mojito cover

What, there are Russians in this book? LOL Only kidding. 

Without giving away any spoilers, the Russians in RUSSIAN MOJITO insidiously find their way into every aspect of Emilia's challenges. From her relationship with her mother, to what happens with Kurt, to multiple murders, to the huachicolero trade . . . well, you get the idea.

The cover hints at the type of cocktail the Russians bring to the party. Did I mention the cover is the 8th for the Emilia Cruz series by the talented Matt Chase?

Mark your calendars! 

23 May: Kindle pre-order

6 June: Kindle release

23 June: Paperback release

Need to catch up on Emilia's adventures?

Get 43 MISSING on Amazon today!

 "A fast-paced procedural . . . a real page-turner [and] a very original plot." -- The Booklife Prize 

43 Missing by Carmen Amato

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essential questions

New Release! RUSSIAN MOJITO, Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7

Countdown to RUSSIAN MOJITO: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7

May 7, 2019 | #booknews, #EmiliaCruz

Cue the drum roll!

RUSSIAN MOJITO, Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7, will be available soon. Mark your calendar:

  • 23 May: Kindle pre-order
  • 6 June: Kindle release
  • 23 June: Paperback release

About RUSSIAN MOJITO

RUSSIAN MOJITO takes up where 43 MISSING left off. Emilia was the sole survivor of an attack on a extradition convoy taking cartel kingpin Diego Barrielos Luna from Mexico to the United States to stand trial. Barrielos Luna escaped, but not before promising Emilia that he'd be in touch.

Now back in Acapulco attempting to repair all her broken relationships, Emilia sees his shadow around every corner. But when her mother's husband is kidnapped and a Russian journalist is murdered in the Palacio Real hotel managed by boyfriend Kurt Rucker, Emilia suddenly has other things on her mind.

Add a vicious attack on two more Russians and a touch of espionage gone wrong. Emilia is soon looking for answers in unusual places.

Her long-time partner Franco Silvio is a lieutenant now and the chief of detectives for the Acapulco police department. He's busy navigating miles of red tape, union demands, and thieving baggage handlers at the airport. Is there a connection between the kidnapping, dead Russians, and airport thieves?

RUSSIAN MOJITO is the most complex Detective Emilia Cruz mystery yet. Relationships are at the heart of the novel. Some can still be salvaged, while others remain a mystery. Still more revolve around the shifting axis of mutual distrust and paranoia.

As always, my goal is to bring the reader shoulder-to-shoulder with Emilia, hearing her heart pound and helping her calculate the odds of survival.

COVER ART

The cover is another inspired illustration by Matt Chase. The cover is the 8th design the talented artist has created for the Detective Emilia Cruz series. His work can be seen in numerous national-level publications, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, and The Atlantic.

The illustration is a hint at the first murder . . .

Cocktails, anyone?

Russian Mojito cover

Need to catch up?

If you need to catch up, check out 43 MISSING and the rest of the Detective Emilia Cruz books on Amazon. For other stores, check out my Books page.

Be the first

Click here to sign up for my Mystery Ahead newsletter. Every other Sunday, you'll get an exclusive excerpt, a review of a mystery I think you'll love, plus my latest book news.

Mystery Ahead subscribers got to read selected chapters of RUSSIAN MOJITO that I didn't share ANYWHERE else . . . were you one of them?

Don't miss out, subscribe today!

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Carmen Amato Inducted into Rome NY Arts Hall of Fame

Carmen Amato Inducted into Rome NY Arts Hall of Fame

Apr 28, 2019 | #newsroom

April 28, 2019

Mystery author Carmen Amato has been inducted into the Arts Hall of Fame in her hometown of Rome, New York, at a ceremony honoring 7 new inductees at the historic Capital Theater.

According to the Rome Daily Sentinel, “The Class of 2019 is the fourteenth group to be enshrined in the Rome Arts Hall of Fame which was created in 2005 to honor individuals who have a strong connection to the Rome community and have a significant involvement in the performing, visual or literary arts.” Read the full statement here: https://romesentinel.com/stories/seven-area-artists-to-be-inducted-into-rome-arts-hall-of-fame,73845

Hall of Fame class of 2019

Hall of Fame ceremony 2019

Amato is recognized for contributions to literature, notably the Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series which pits the first female police detective in Acapulco against Mexico’s official corruption, cartel crime and tradition of machismo. A plaque of Amato’s accomplishments joins those of previous Hall of Fame Inductees on permanent display at the Capital Theater in Rome, NY.

Hall of Fame 2019

As part of the Hall of Fame induction, Amato has been honored with certificates of recognition from Member of Congress Anthony Brindisi, representing New York’s 22nd District, State Senator Joseph A. Griffo, representing the 47th State Senate District, and Marianne Buttenschom, Member of the New York State Assembly.

Book review: AUNTIE POLDI AND THE SICILIAN LIONS

Book review: AUNTIE POLDI AND THE SICILIAN LIONS

Apr 11, 2019 | #reviews

AUNTIE POLDI AND THE SICILIAN LIONS by Mario Giordino is a delicious whodunit, yet for this book review, it defies easy categorization. It’s one part Inspector Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri and one part Don Camillo series by Giovanni Guareschi. Add a light sprinkle of AUNT JULIA  AND THE SCRIPTWRITER by Mario Vargas Llosa and you have a wickedly funny tale that is truly original.

Poldi is the nickname of Isolde Oberreiter, a 60-year-old German woman whose Sicilian husband recently passed away. Descriptions of her evoke Elizabeth Taylor in the 1970’s—caftans, bouffant black hair, imperious manner, lots of alcohol.

She takes a house in a small village in Sicily to be near her three sisters-in-law. Poldi, an ex-hippy, ex-costume designer, and the daughter of a German cop, plans to sit on her new rooftop terrace, look at the sea, and drink herself to death.

To refresh your memory, Sicily is the roughly trapezoidal island positioned at Italy’s toe, eternally waiting to be booted into the Mediterranean. A ferry trip across the Straits of Messina is a grand introduction to Sicily’s charms: almond and lemon groves, picturesque towns with cobbled streets, olde worlde trattorias where the locals meet for coffee, and pizza joints run by the Mafia. (Also creepy guys pestering women for phone numbers but, alas, I was 20 and this probably wouldn’t be an issue now.)

Related post: Book review: THE DOGS OF ROME

Poldi’s plans take a left turn when a young man who does odd jobs for her is murdered. As Sicilian law enforcement bumbles about, Poldi decides she will solve the crime herself.

Along the way, Poldi makes several enemies, runs into a poetry-spouting aristocrat and his Doberman, and is threatened by both a Mafia talisman and a dangerous intruder. She also becomes enamored of a detective who actually seems to know what he is doing.

In the end, Poldi unravels the case with the help of her sisters-in-law and the handsome detective, but the case nearly unravels her, too.

Related post:  2 Tickets to Venice

Part narrator and part Greek chorus, Poldi’s unnamed and unemployed German nephew shares her story with us. From his room in her attic, he’s perpetually writing the first chapter of a novel we know will be quite terrible.

It took great skill to craft a book this way and it shows. His narration never intrudes, but like the Vargas Llosa book, is a charming addition to the main plot. Descriptions are priceless, ranging from wryly humorous to laugh-out-loud funny. Dialogue deftly transitions from Poldi’s escapades to her brisk discussions with the nephew.

If you know a bit of Italian or simply love Italian food, you’ll appreciate AUNTIE POLDI AND THE SICILIAN LIONS all the more. The author doesn’t assume you are intimately familiar with Sicily, however, only that by the end of the book, you’ll never want to leave.

Thank goodness, Poldi's second mystery, AUNTIE POLDI AND THE VINEYARDS OF ETNA, came out earlier this month.

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Book Review: le Carre’s A LEGACY OF SPIES

Book Review: le Carre’s A LEGACY OF SPIES

Apr 4, 2019 | #reviews

A LEGACY OF SPIES is the long sought-after backstory of le Carre’s first bestseller, THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD (henceforth THE SPY), a slim volume that taught many readers how the Cold War was fought. This week's book review is all about connecting the oh-so-cold dots.

To refresh your memory, in THE SPY British intel officer Alex Leamas, a hard-drinking, hard-driving spymaster in Berlin, pretends to get fired and fall on hard times. It is a ruse, however, for Alex to be “recruited” by Soviet/East German intelligence so he can save an odious East German intel officer who is Britain’s greatest asset inside the Iron Curtain. To position himself to be pitched, Leamas develops a relationship with an unwitting librarian named Elizabeth Gold who brings him along as her plus one when she attends a socialist conference in East Germany—all orchestrated by the brilliantly quiet George Smiley.

Related post: Book review: RED SPARROW by Jason Matthews

In A LEGACY OF SPIES, it is 50 years later. The offspring of Leamas and Gold sue the British government to find out how and why their parents disappeared. The new generation of British spooks, who want to make the lawsuit go away, find that the files on Leamas, as well as the East German agent codenamed Windfall, have been purged.

With no memory of the Cold War and no appetite for its justifications, they bring in Peter Guillam (BTW, Benedict Cumberbatch played him in the 2011 movie with Gary Oldman as George Smiley). No one can find Smiley; but as the infamous spycatcher’s right-hand-man, Guillam will do.

Guillam narrates the book, which moves across time. At first we are in the present when he is summoned to London, there to find that long-held secrets are on the verge of being exposed. Then through his memory, we are transported to a Cold War landscape. London plots and directs. Spies sneak in and out of East Germany which is replete with Stasi brutality and Communist paranoia. There are shortages of everything, except informers.

The look into the past gives us the first case in which Smiley is led to believe there is a mole inside British intelligence and reveals how Windfall came to be recruited to the British side. These elements set in motion everything that happens in THE SPY.

A LEGACY OF SPIES is another le Carré espionage tour de force. Haunting writing, the sense of wheels-within-wheels. The back and forth across time is handled deftly, without confusion.

Subtle clues abound. Gather them carefully—le Carré is never obvious.

The book is a standalone, but will be a richer experience if you have at least read THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD (or saw the 1965 movie starring Richard Burton. FYI Dublin substituted for Berlin).

Other bestsellers featuring Smiley and his team, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY and SMILEY’S PEOPLE, are also referenced in A LEGACY OF SPIES. Peter Guillam was with Smiley through the entire Cold War, you see, and he has a long memory.

Highly recommended.

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Louise Penny’s KINGDOM OF THE BLIND

Louise Penny’s KINGDOM OF THE BLIND

Mar 26, 2019 | #reviews

In Loise Penny's latest Armand Gamache mystery, KINGDOM OF THE BLIND, the Canadian crime fighter has been suspended from his job as head of the Sureté, the top law enforcement agency in Canada’s French-speaking Quebec province. The storyline is a continuation of the previous book, GLASS HOUSES, in which Gamache lets known shipments of drugs slip into Quebec in order to follow the trail of a major drug kingpin.

Truth be told, as someone who writes about drug smuggling and cartel kingpins, I found the premise of GLASS HOUSES ludicrous and the ending painfully naïve. Most of the previous Gamache novels focused on art-related crime with deep dives into relationships, motive and psychology. KINGDOM OF THE BLIND returns to that winning formula, but cleans up the mess left by GLASS HOUSES.

Thank goodness.

Related post: Department Q and THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES

Gamache, awaiting the results of an official inquiry into his failed counterdrug actions,  is surprised to find out he’s been named executor of the estate of a woman he never met. Myrna, his neighbor in the tiny village of Three Pines, is also an executor as is a young builder from Montreal.  The unknown deceased was a cleaning lady who liked to be called “the Baroness.”  Her three children are surprised to have three strangers enter their lives in connection with their late mother’s will.

DUAL plotlines

As Gamache pokes into the Baroness’s background, KINGDOM OF THE BLIND branches out in multiple page-turning directions. The Baroness was a descendant of a European industrialist whose fortune has been tied up in courts for more than a century. Who knew? Was it possible she was going to inherit? Gamache is sent spinning in yet another direction when the Baroness’s house collapses and one of her sons is found murdered.

At the same time, Gamache is tracking a cadet who was kicked out of the Sureté training academy for allegedly dealing drugs. The girl was once a crackhead and she immediately hits the streets in search of the carfentanil shipment which slipped through Gamache’s fingers in GLASS HOUSES. While Penny wants us to believe she’s gone back to her old ways, it wasn’t hard to guess that she is undercover.

Character-driven

While the drug scene excerpts were more believable this time around, the Three Pines cast of characters is what makes KINGDOM OF THE BLIND another Gamache winner. There are several epic meals, with everyone chiming in around the table in the bistro or someone’s home in the village, all talking over each other as they puzzle out murder, mayhem, and the strange legacy of the Baroness’s ancestors.

This is perfect “chorus of voices” writing. The dialogue crackles with insider jokes; each comment perfectly pitched to the speaker. The various personalities shine through, laced with humor and empathy. These scenes contain the best group dialogue I’ve ever read.

Someone asked a Facebook mystery group to name their favorite book setting and the response was a near unanimous “Three Pines.” Readers wanted to curl up in Olivier’s Bistro with a hot chocolate in the evening or enjoy café au lait and pancakes in the morning. KINGDOM OF THE BLIND does a wonderful and much-needed job of bringing us back to Three Pines for another memorable Gamache story.

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