Robin Agnew
Every year, I read LOTS of great stuff. Sometimes it's astonishing how much great writing there is out there. And some of these books, despite their obvious excellence (and my enthusiastic recommendation of same, natch) just don't grab the audience they should grab. So, doing my part to support me beloved genre, here's a few I've read this year that I thought were knockouts.
Frozen Stiff, Mary Logue. I flat out love Mary Logue, and I haven't missed a series entry yet. There are seven books in this wonderful series (one that's found Logue bounced around from publisher to publisher, she's now with Tyrus Books) and they all build on one another, though any book in the series can stand on it's own. Her central character, Claire Watkins, is a deputy in a tiny Wisconsin town; she's left the Twin Cities because of a personal tragedy (the death of her husband). She's raising a daughter and lives with pheasant farmer Rick. Her true skill is rocket powered story telling. In this outing a man stumbles out of his sauna into a deathly cold winter night, to be found by his wife in the morning. Was it too late? Read it and see. Any acquaintance you make with the talented Logue is bound to be a happy one.
The End Game, Gerrie Ferris Finger. This is a terrific first novel. It won the St. Martin's Malice Domestic prize, but it's not really a cozy, though it has a traditional structure. It's about a woman who finds missing children; in the opening sequence her cop boyfriend is called to a fire where the adults have been killed, but their two foster daughters are missing. Finger has several strong aces up her sleeve: she's very adept at describing the tiny Atlanta neighborhood where the fire occurred; without you really realizing it, her main character has visited every suspect in turn, and while she's done that, she's sketched in neighborhood loyalties and ties. To satisfy traditionalists there's a locked room mystery and clues that involve train whistles. Her material is pretty dark, but her writing soars. A very original and memorable debut.
Snakes Can't Run, Ed Lin. Following my police procedural passion, I heard Ed Lin speak on a panel at Bouchercon and was captivated. I was equally captivated by his book. Set in the 70's, his central character is a Chinese cop who is a Vietnam Vet. The breakdown of the Chinese class system is exquisite; and in truly noir fashion, nothing is what is seems, and no one can be trusted, except maybe Lin's cool cop, Robert Chow, caught between the America he grew up in, and his Chinese cultural roots. This is a knockout.
The Good Son, Michael Gruber. Wild premise? Check. Thoughtful consideration of, in this case, the war in Afghanistan? Check. Interesting, memorable writing? Check. Characters you can't forget? Check. All of Michael Gruber's books are mind benders and this one is no exception, though it's more immediately topical than his usual fare. The main character is a special forces black ops guy who grew up in Pakistan. His mother is infamous for dressing as a boy, going on a haj, and writing a bestselling book about it. While Gruber is always concerned with story - this one kicks off when the mother is taken hostage in Pakistan - he usually has another issue on his mind. In this one, the differences between Muslim and Western culture. He takes a look at the validity of each and poses the question: why can't our two sides get along? It's also a thoughtful look at religion. Oh, and you won't be able to put it down.
What these books all share is a very vivid view of whatever and wherever they're writing about, be it Wisconsin or Atlanta or Chinatown or Afghanistan. Who says mysteries don't grow your mind? Get reading, people!
