Thankful for authors who give
By Oline H. Cogdill As we enter the holiday season – starting with Thanksgiving – we also enter a time when non-profit organizations need our help more than ever. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the mystery community does its part whenever it can. At every Bouchercon, there is an auction for which many authors donate books, character names and more with the proceeds going to a local literacy group. The trick for many in the mystery community is to find unusual ways to help non-profit groups.  A couple of years ago, Mystery Scene donated $5 to the New Orleans Library Fund for

Review: Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss by Kira Davis
Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss by Kyra Davis Mira, June 2009, $13.95 Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss is the fourth entry in Kyra Davis’ series featuring Sophie Katz, burgeoning writer with a propensity for discovering murders—and for solving them. In this high

Joseph Finder and David Ellis: It’s time
It’s no surprise to mystery readers that most authors write series. Readers seem to prefer them and they allow an author to delve into their characters’ personalities over a long period of time.   But not all authors go the series route. For some authors, finding that one muse they want to revisit time and time again doesn’t happen automatically. Plus, a good string of stand-alone best-sellers allows an author to keep writing.    But I find it interesting that at least two authors Joseph Finder and David Ellis  – each with stand alone best-sellers – have launched their first  series

Review: The Benefactor by John Moran
The Benefactor by John Moran Five Star, June 2009, $25.95 Kay Daniels is mourning the loss of her husband from a car accident, but not too much. It was a loveless marriage. She’s moved on with her life, getting the business they built back on even keel. Then Nikolaus Seifer appears, claiming to have arranged the accident and demanding ha

Collision on PBS’ Masterpiece Contemporary
As much as I love PBS Mystery with its series on Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes and more , I am finding the Masterpiece Contemporary just as enthralling.  Take Collision, which will be shown in two parts—Nov. 15 and 22 at 9 p.m. eastern time. Check your local PBS affiliate.   The description of Collision may seem like a British version of the American movie Crash: A pileup on a highway entangles several lives. But Collision is nothing like Crash. Collision is its own film with twists and turns that