MYSTERY REVIEW - UNDER COLD STONE

UNDER COLD STONE
by Vicki Delany
Poisoned Pen Press



This review will be biased as I always look forward to the latest book in the Constable Molly Smith series and am in a very good mood when I get my mitts on it. Vicki Delany has managed to hold my attention through six previous novels and she didn’t let me down this time.

The central characters in this excellent British Columbia-based police procedural series are Constable Molly (Moonbeam) Smith and Sergeant John Winters of the Trafalgar police, but Molly’s mother, Lucky Smith, adds verve and humour to each book. Lucky is my favourite character in a crowd of major contenders. Lucky’s hippy leanings and environmental activism have been at odds with her daughter’s choice of career and have made the young officer’s life more difficult than it needed to be. They’ve also given the reader much enjoyment. Lucky’s full of surprises though and the latest one is her deepening relationship with the Chief of Police, Paul Keller, despite their differences over, well, practically everything.

Their romantic Thanksgiving getaway to Banff Springs Hotel goes off the rails when Paul’s estranged son, Matt, becomes connected to a murder and the subject of a manhunt. But Lucky also has a connection to Matt and it’s not a good one.

Meanwhile Molly is trying her hand at making her fiancé a traditional Thanksgiving meal with hilarious results. Next to that, solving crimes looks easy. Good thing, because Molly is soon on her way to help her mother and the resulting search in the back country makes for gripping reading. Once again, Delany uses the setting to enhance a strong plot. The relationships are deep, interesting and unpredictable throughout this series. Molly continues to grow and develop as a police officer.

Vicki Delany never fails to deliver strong female characters who don’t shy away from conflict or danger. She does a great job of exploring family bonds and conflict with characters you care about. No wonder I stayed up half the night.



Reviewed by Mary Jane Maffini
As half of the writing team Victoria Abbott,
The Wolfe Widow, #3 in the Book Collector Mysteries,
is coming in Sept., 2014.

CRIME ON MY MIND

CANADIANS DOWN SOUTH

Another Malice Domestic just wrapped up and if you've never been to one, especially if you love traditional mysteries, you don't know what you're missing. It takes place every year in Bethesda, MD and boasts a long line-up of writers and fans. It also includes the very popular Agatha Awards which are voted on by the readers and bestowed at the Sat. night banquet. Although Canadians have been nominated in the past,sadly, there wasn't one on this year's list.

But the Canadians did troop the colours! We had an impressive turnout, although we were missing some of our usual travel-mates from previous years. Authors who were there, whose names I'm sure you know are Cathy Ace, Janet Bolin, Erika Chase, Vicki Delany, and Mary Jane Maffini/Victoria Abbott. And we were pleased to see ardent mystery reader, who pops up at all the conferences, Elaine Naiman from Ottawa. Now, I know I shouldn't name names because I know I'll miss someone, like the delightful readers from out West. But, I dared to do it.

It's great to get together once a year, or like some of us who went to Left Coast Crime in Monterey in March, more times. It rejuvenates the writing spirit, and more often than not, we come back with some great ideas on writing and promotion. For many years, before being publishes, I went to hear what the authors had to say and to meet them. I always looked forward to the weekend and never came away disappointed.

There's an opportunity for much the same coming up next month in the form of Bloody Words in Toronto on June 6-8. Sadly, this will be the final year for this wonderful conference. So I highly advise that if you've been putting it off for a better year, it doesn't get any better than this! You'll meet mystery authors from across Canada, along with many from the U.S. and overseas. And of course, some amazing readers. For all the details, visit http://www.bloodywords.com I hope to see you there!

And, if you're in Ottawa, plan on a day of mystery on Sat. May 10th at the Ottawa Public Library when Capital Crime Writers presents a day of Capital Mayhem. For the grand price of FREE, you'll enjoy early morning coffee, Peter Robinson, panels of local mystery authors, plus lunch....did I mention it's free. And, it starts at 9 a.m. Books will be available for purchase, too.

Crime thrives...between the pages, of course. Don't miss out!

SCHMOOZING WITH VICTORIA ABBOTT!

1. Who has influenced you the most in your writing career?   

From MJ: Three big influences: first, my writing group, now the Ladies Killing Circle. From them I learned that you have to take advice and fix your work. Second, the authors I enjoyed reading, specifically those who wrote mysteries with humour. They taught me that it could be done and done with style. Third, Sue Grafton, who once gave a very inspiring talk to unpublished writers. She said many things, but she told us how long it took her to get published and how she kept at it although it took seven years for her to sell her first book!  As I’d been writing for seven years, this was welcome news.

From Victoria:  MJ is definitely my biggest influence, everything she has learned on her own journey, she passed on to me, patiently, I might add.  My second biggest influence would have to be Janet Evanovich and her way of creating deliciously flawed characters.

2. What are you working on now?

We are working on The Wolfe Widow, the third in the book collector mystery series. The Rex Stout books and the wonderful characters of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin will work their way into the story. Sure is fun to reread all these classics for research. These are books that stand the test of time.


3. In what ways is your main protagonist like you?  If at all?   

From Vic:  I would happily wander the isles of a Flea Market any day of the week, just like Jordan. I’m a vintage fashion lover.  The thrill of finding something great is something Jordan and I could bond over definitely.

From MJ: I think I’d love to have Jordan’s job, maybe not her boss though. Like Jordan, I enjoy the lure of the Golden Age of Detection. Good thing, because we are rereading them all.

For the record, neither Victoria nor I own a set of lock picks.

4. Are you character driven or plot driven?  

We are fascinated by characters and probably read for character too.  However, we value plot and work hard to make sure that works. But if the characters don’t ‘sing’, for us there’s no music in the book.


5. Are you a pantser or a plotter?   

We’re very pansty, but we know we should be more plotsy.  With two people writing a book, it’s extremely hard to keep it together if you don’t both see it going in the same direction. In fact, sometimes … but that’s a story for another day.


6. What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?

That there is much joy in the classics of the mystery tradition and that the relationships with family and friends are actually the most interesting part of a book. And finally, that humour is always worthwhile.


7. Where do you see yourself as a writer in 10 years?

Besides having more naps?  Well, MJ would like to try her hand at a play and a PI novel and has a few books left in her other series that need to be written. Vic would love to keep on painting the night away but wouldn’t mind dabbling in a screen play or novel of her own.


8. What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?  

Vic watches Coronation Street...don’t judge her!
MJ thinks that with all this social media, people know she knits, loves dogs and reads in bed.


9. What do you like to read for pleasure?

Oddly enough, mysteries. We read a lot of them!  We like all types of mysteries from those dark Scandinavians to funny cozies. We read tons of Canadians and, of course, we love all our friends’ books. We have to be careful not to read books that will influence our current project too much.  

10. Give us a summary of your latest book in a Tweet.
Stolen Sayers first editions, a body in the backyard, romance in the air: Jordan Bingham seeks answers and finds danger. Do you smell fire?

That shadowy figure known as Victoria Abbott is a collaboration between the always very funny and creative artist, photographer and short story author, Victoria Maffini and her mother, Mary Jane Maffini, award-winning author of three mystery series and two dozen short stories. Their first book in the series, The Christie Curse, has received excellent reviews and the second, The Sayers Swindle, will hit the shelves in December 2013. They are hard at work on the third installment: The Wolfe Widow (September 2014) and haven’t killed each other yet.
You can keep up with their characters on the thirtieth of the month over at www.killercharacters.com and their culinary adventures at www.mysteryloverskitchen.com or by signing up for their newsletter at www.victoria-abbott.com or www.maryjanemaffini.com

MYSTERY REVIEW

THE CHRISTIE CURSE
by Victoria Abbott
Berkley Prime Crime

What kind of work do you look for when you need a job that isn't minimum wage - slave drudgery like telemarketing, your student loans are staring you in the face, and you urgently need a new place to live?

The Christie Curse, the first in Victoria Abbott's new series, introduces Jordan Bingham, a recent English literature graduate with a master's degree, who is facing all of the above. To add to her problems, she comes from a family with a chequered history, and can't put her real surname on her resume.

She finds a Want Ad for the almost-perfect researcher's job. The imperfect part appears to be her new employer, a sour old lady rare-book collector who happens to be the most hated citizen in Harrison Falls, New York.

Jordan is nothing if not resourceful. Once into the job and the great little apartment in her employer's mansion that comes with it, however, she learns some disquieting facts that weren't mentioned during the interview. Her predecessor died while looking for the same rumoured Agatha Christie unpublished play that Jordan has been hired to find.

Her chequered family background and shady relatives turn out to be assets as she leads the reader through a wild chase in search of a play that may or may not exist. The chase includes a possible murder, the usual and unusual suspects, a psychotic cat, and a pug dog.

The mother and daughter team of authors Mary Jane Maffini and Victoria Maffini combine to create a seamless story under the pseudonym Victoria Abbott in this first Book Collector Mystery.


Don't miss this one! Agatha Christie herself would have loved it.


Reviewed by Carole Dalgleish

CRIME ON MY MIND

Springing into new titles!

It's almost spring (I seem to be stuck on a certain theme these days)and the other good news is that the new spring titles have started arriving! There are some criminously delicious new books from Canadian writers that may already be in the stores...so prepare your lists and start shopping!


From the award-winning Mary Jane Maffini comes a brand new cosy series, co-authored with her daughter, Victoria Maffini under the name of Victoria Abbott -- got all that? It's a Book Collector's series, the first being, The Christie Curse. They will be launching this book along with another award-winner, Barbara Fradkin, whose 9th Inspector Green novel, The Whisper of Legends comes out in April. The date for the celebration is Tues. April 16th. See more details under Events.

Just out, The Poisoned Pawn by Peggy Blair. This second fast-paced crime novel brings Cuban police Inspector Ramirez to Canada. And Gail Bowen continues her successful Rapid Reads series with the fourth Charlie D novel, The Thirteenth Rose.

Also new to the shelves, from West Coast authors kay Stewart and Chris Bullock, the third book in their RCMP Constable Danutia Dranchuk series, Unholy Rites. Stay tuned for a review next weekend.

And coming up:

In April, Jack Batten brings his criminal lawyer Crang back into action, after a long hiatus, in Take Five.
Ottawa author David Whellams second Peter Cammon mystery, The Drowned Man, brings the retired Scotland Yard detective to Canada. It appears in May, as does Twilight is Not Good for Maidens, by Lou Allin. Set on Vancouver Island, BC, this is the third in the RCMP Corporal Holly Martin series, the second series for Allin.

And, there are more! Check out the Crime Writers of Canada website at www.crimewriterscanada.com for a listing of all the new cool Canadian crime that's just happened or is on the way!

Happy mysterious reading!

Linda Wiken/Erika Chase

READ AND BURIED
Berkley Prime Crime, now available
A KILLER READ, also available at your favourite bookstores and online.
Nomianted for an Agatha Award, Best First Novel 2012
COVER STORY available for pre-order; coming Aug. 2013.

MAYHEM ON MONDAYS

Welcome back, Mary Jane! -- Mystery Maven

It’s been almost a year since I’ve been here at Mystery Maven and I’m really glad to be back in this celebration of Canadian mysteries and Canadian mystery writers.


Today I would like to lead you into The Next Big Thing: which involves answering ten questions about my work in progress, although I have to call it our work in progress as it’s a collaboration with my daughter, Victoria. We are writing as

Victoria Abbott. The Christie Curse, the first in the book collector mystery series, will hit the stands on March 6 and we are already working on the second book. We love talking about our latest project.

These questions come from our friend, Barbara Fradkin (and before that from Vicki Delany). You can find Barbara over at www.typem4murder.blogspot.com and Vicki at www.klondikeandtrafalgar.blogspot.com. Both are always well worth reading!

So here are the Q’s followed by our A’s.

What is your working title of your book?

The Sayers Swindle is the second in the Book Collectors series, following The Christie Curse, which debuts in March 2013.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The idea came from a discussion with my editor and agent followed much evil plotting with my collaborator and daughter, Victoria Maffini and the addition of one cat and one pug. I have always been interested in the unexplained disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926, a disappearance that is still shrouded in mystery. Of course, that would have to be connected with the idea of a newly discovered manuscript, possibly an unknown Christie, the idea that drives the book. Did Agatha have time to write a play in those few days? What collector wouldn’t salivate over such a manuscript if she had? Oh yes, it might be deliciously dangerous.


What genre does your book fall under?

It seems like a good example of a cozy mystery, a sub-genre we both love. If there was a sub-sub-genre of humorous cozy with rare books, mysterious manuscripts, valuable antiques, vintage clothes, criminal relatives and cats with really sharp claws, it would be a really really good example of that.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

We’d see the remarkable Ellen Page as Jordan Bingham, our protagonist, Mary Walsh as Vera Van Alst, Ryan Gosling as the spectacularly hot reference librarian, Lance DeWitt, and David Paetkau (that’s handsome Sam from Flashpoint)as Officer Tyler(Smiley) Dekker, Mark Critch as Uncle Mick of Michael Kelly’s Fine Antiques, Kevin O’Leary (in a rare non-speaking part) as Uncle Lucky, and Sean Cullen (in a never-shutting up part) as Uncle Danny. Other uncles are on the way and last but not in the least least, Elvira Kurtz as Senora Fiammetta Panetone.

We’re not sure if there’s a career in casting ahead for us.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Missing first editions of Dorothy L Sayers classics, lead to mayhem, murder, mud, mutts and more for Jordan Bingham, book sleuth and reliable dogsbody of reclusive collector Vera Van Alst, the most hated woman in Harrison Falls, New York.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

We are represented by BookEnds Literary Agency and published by Berkley Prime Crime.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

We’re half-way through the second book. We expect it to take six months or more in total, but that doesn’t include advance planning, intense plotting and re-reading all those wonderful Dorothy L. Sayers books. I’m in the middle of Busman’s Honeymoon now.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I think it is like cozy mysteries, like Erika Chase’s Ashton Corners series (we think you might know her). There’s a lot about relationships, books, especially mysteries, friendships, food, a bit of romance and of course, the pesky bodies.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

The love of classic mysteries was the big thing. The authors Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers created works that continue to entertain today and they changed the face of crime fiction. In the course of writing the books, we learned a lot about the two amazing woman who shaped the modern mystery.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

Well, who doesn’t like a magnificent old house, a library full of collectible books, a bi-polar Siamese cat, vintage clothing and jewelry, a pampered pug, Italian food, a bit of romance, some crooked relatives and a few recipes? Never mind the grumpy boss. Nothing’s perfect.

We were supposed to send you forward to five other mystery authors, but (true story!) our five mystery authors have been kidnapped by aliens and so couldn’t take part in time. Never mind, I’ll tell you about their books in this and other blogs as the year wears on. I look forward to it.


Mary Jane Maffini rides herd on three (soon to be three and a half) mystery series and a couple of dozen short stories. Look for the new Victoria Abbott website starting on Wednesday - www.victoria-abbott.com