Off the Page

What's Gabriel Cohen doing in Karin Slaughter's book?

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:22:32 -0500

Karin Slaughter doesn't write meek novels. Her expertly done crime fiction thrillers show the heart of darkness that can live in people. Usually, she writes about a small town in Georgia. Her new novel, however, Fractured is set in Atlanta and it is the second in her new series about Will Trent, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent. I am currently listening to the unabridged version of Fractured and -- here's a sneak peek on an upcoming review -- I am mezmerized. Slaughter continues her look at the heart of darkness while also giving an intriguing look at Atlanta. While Slaughter has again produced an unflinching, tough and thoroughly enjoy novel, she also adds a little nod to a fellow author. I am not giving away any plot points to say that one of the characters -- a minor but pivotal character -- is named Gabriel Cohen. Gabriel Cohen has written a number of very good mysteries based in Brooklyn and a nonfiction book about Buddhism. Again, this little inside joke, this nod to a fellow writer was seamlessly enfolded into Slaughter's novel Fractured.

Inside jokes: Margaret Maron, Sue Henry

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:29:49 -0500

Here's another of my inside jokes finds. In North Carolina author Margaret Maron's Hard Row (which made my list of best mysteries last year), her character Deborah Knott refers to a novel that's found by the side of the road -- Murder on the Iditarod Trail. That's a real novel by Sue Henry, who writes evocatively about Alaska. In Hard Row, the woman who found the novel says, "It was a right interesting book." The character was absolutely right as Henry is one of the best writers about Alaska. (Maron's latest novel Death's Half Acre hits the bookstores this month.) Mystery fans probably aren't surprised that authors will give their colleagues and friends a little plug. Mystery writers are among the most generous I've every met (except for a few, of course) and they know that recommending another's work is a literary pay it forward. (I've got even more of these inside jokes that I'll share another time.) PHOTO: Margaret Maron

Shamus nominees named

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:08:49 -0500

I'm always happy when a Florida mystery author gets recognition. After all, I don't have to tell any of you how good Florida's crop of mystery authors is. We know. And judging by the long list of awards and nominations these authors have garnered through the years, so do readers across the country. Thomas B. Cavanagh of Orlando is among the nominees for this year's Shamus Awards, presented by The Private Eye Writers of America. The Shamus Awards, now in its 27th year, is given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. Yeah, I know....there are other nominees among this list; many of whom I have give glowing reviews to and a couple that made it on my list of the year's best. But I live in Florida and, well, that's how it goes. The Shamus Awards will be presented on October 10 at the PWA banquet in Baltimore during the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention. Here's congratulations to all the nominees. If you haven't discovered these authors, now is the perfect time to. BEST NOVEL Thomas Cavanagh, HEAD GAMES (St. Martin's Minotaur) Reed Farrel Coleman, SOUL PATCH (Bleak House Books) Declan Hughes, THE COLOR OF BLOOD (William Morrow) Michael Koryta, A WELCOME GRAVE (Thomas Dunne/SMP) William Lashner, A KILLER'S KISS (William Morrow) BEST FIRST NOVEL Brett Battles, THE CLEANER (Delacorte) Bill Bryan, KEEP IT REAL (Bleak House Books) Sean Chercover, BIG CITY, BAD BLOOD (William Morrow) Dave White, WHEN ONE MAN DIES (Three Rivers Press) Michael Wiley, THE LAST STRIPTEASE (Thomas Dunne/SMP) BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL Richard Aleas, SONGS OF INNOCENCE (Hard Case Crime) Kelley Armstrong, EXIT STRATEGY (Bantam) Linwood Barclay, STONE RAIN (Bantam) Max Allan Collins, DEADLY BELOVED (Hard Case Crime) David Corbett, BLOOD OF PARADIS (Mortalis) BEST SHORT STORY Loren Estleman, "Kill the Cat" (DETROIT NOIR, Akashic) Loren Estleman, "Trust Me" (AHMM) James Nolan, "Open Mike" (NEW ORLEANS NOIR, Akashic) Cornelia Read, "Hungry Enough" (A HELL OF A WOMAN, Busted Flush Press) Marilyn Todd, "Room for Improvement" (EQMM)

Daniel Silva's Moscow Rules: A review

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:57:24 -0500

Occasionally, I've posted reviews on this blog. This is one of those times Daniel Silva rules with thriller Moscow Rules By Oline H. Cogdill Mystery Fiction Columnist Moscow Rules. By Daniel Silva; read by Phil Gigante. Brilliance Audio. Abridged; 10 hours; 9 CDs. $36.95. In print: Putnam; $26.95. 448 pp. Daniel Silva’s espionage thrillers have plenty of high-concept plot twists such as terrorists, bombings, national security and the world in chaos. But one of the real reasons that Silva’s novels have found a resonance with readers – and a secure place on best-sellers lists – is the author’s ability to put a human face on these big-picture themes. This is especially true in Silva’s 11th novel, Moscow Rules. All those worldwide issues come down to a brave woman, married to a monster, who is just trying to do the right thing for her country and protect her children; a journalist trying to practice her craft and show the world the injustice she sees; and, most of all, Gabriel Allon, an art restorer whose secret life as an Israeli intelligence agent is at the heart of Silva’s fascinating series. Allon’s double life takes him to Moscow where its new capitalism, its oil wealth and power brokers have put a new spin on the country. But there’s a dark side to this new vision – a new generation of Stalinists ready to show the world its power. On the surface, former KGB colonel Ivan Kharkov represents that new Russia, having amassed unspeakable wealth through his global investments. But Kharkov also is an arms dealer and that’s where his real money comes from and Allon is making it his mission to stop Kharkov. Brilliance Audio has done an excellent job of abridging Moscow Rules, but Silva's novel is one that readers will want to actually read -- or at least get the unabridged version. The plot twists that are left out won't be overly missed, but they certainly were clever and unique Silva keeps the suspense high in Moscow Rules as he also gives us realistic characters. Actor Phil Gigante enhances Silva’s story with his nuanced performance. Gigante masters the Russian and Israeli accents and his energized performance fits well with Silva’s breathless plot. Silva will be in Florida to discuss Moscow Rules. Here's where you can find him: Date: Wednesday, August 6 Cocoa Beach, FL Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 1:00 PM Event: Cocoa Beach Public Library (Bookseller: Books-a-Million) Address: 550 North Brevard Avenue Cocoa Beach, FL 32931 Phone: 321-868-1106 Date: Wednesday, August 6 Vero Beach, FL Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 7:00 PM Event: Vero Beach Book Center Address: 2145 Indian River Blvd. Vero Beach, FL 32960 Phone: 772-569-2050 Date: Thursday, August 7 West Palm Beach, FL Date: Thursday, August 7 Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 1:00 PM Event Location: West Palm Beach Public Library (Bookseller: Classic Bookshop) Address: 100 Clematis Street West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Phone: 561-868-7700 Date: Thursday, August 7 Miami, FL Date: Thursday, August 7 Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 8:00 PM Event: Books & Books Address: 265 Aragon Avenue Coral Gables, FL 33154 Phone: 305-442-4408 Date: Friday, August 8 Fort Lauderdale, FL Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 2:00 PM Event: Florida Center for the Book (Bookseller: Murder on the Beach) Broward County Main Library Address: 100 South Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 Phone: 954-357-7404 Date: Friday, August 8 Plantation, FL Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 7:00 PM Event: Barnes & Noble – Plantation Address: 591 South University Drive Plantation, FL 33324 Phone: 954-723-0489

P.J. Parrish's inside joke

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:32:34 -0500

In P.J. Parrish's latest novel, South of Hell, their series hero Louis Kincaid travels from Florida to Michigan to help solve an old case. There, Louis takes a side trip to Hell, Michigan, a real town not far from Ann Arbor. (For my review of South of Hell, go to Sun-Sentinel.com/books) Amid this serious, solid plot, Parrish, the pseudonym for sisters Kristy Montee of Fort Lauderdale and Kelly Nichols of Mississippi, throws in a couple of inside jokes. Deep in the plot, a list of family names is compiled. (I am not giving away plot twists here.) Among those family members are Jeremiah Healy, Joanne Sinchuk, Sharon Potts and Randolf Rawls. Recognize these names? Jeremiah Healy is an award-winning mystery author who writes the John Cuddy private investigator series. Healy uses the pen name Terry Devane for his legal thrillers that feature Mairead O'Clare. Both series are set in Boston, where Healy lived; he now calls Fort Lauderdale home. Joanne Sinchuk is the manager of Murder on the Beach bookstore located in Delray Beach, Florida. It is the only bookstore specializing in mysteries in Florida. Randolf Rawls can only be South Florida author Randy Rawls who writes the Ace Edwards series. Sharon Potts is one of the hardest working members of the Mystery Writers of America, Florida chapter. And a darn nice person, too. And, a final inside joke that only those who work at the Sun-Sentinel will get (and a few assorted relatives). The medical examiner in South of Hell is named Philip Ward, which is the name of one of our deputy managing editors. Apparently, he got to choose the T-shirt his character wears. By the way, P.J. Parrish will be signing South of Hell at 7 p.m. Aug 1 at Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore. 273 Pineapple Grove Way (NE 2nd Ave), Delray Beach, FL 33444; 561-279-7790

Daniel Silva coming to Florida

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:44:29 -0500

Daniel Silva has created some of the most memorable spy thrillers in the past 10 years. Years ago, pundits -- whoever those people are -- predicted the end of the espionage thriller. After all, what would there be to write about with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Cold War as we know it and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Quite a lot to write about, it turns out. Through his lead character, art restorer and Israeli secret agent Gabriel Allon, Silva has been able to show the new concerns and enemies that threaten freedom. Silva turned from journalism to his new career as a novelist with The Unlikely Spy (1997), a World War II espionage drama that made the New York Times best-seller list. Silva's new novel is Moscow Rules looks at new Russia, being undermined by a new generation of Stalinists. Silva will be in Florida to discuss Moscow Rules. Here's where you can find him: Date: Wednesday, August 6 Cocoa Beach, FL Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 1:00 PM Event: Cocoa Beach Public Library (Bookseller: Books-a-Million) Address: 550 North Brevard Avenue Cocoa Beach, FL 32931 Phone: 321-868-1106 Date: Wednesday, August 6 Vero Beach, FL Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 7:00 PM Event: Vero Beach Book Center Address: 2145 Indian River Blvd. Vero Beach, FL 32960 Phone: 772-569-2050 Date: Thursday, August 7 West Palm Beach, FL Date: Thursday, August 7 Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 1:00 PM Event Location: West Palm Beach Public Library (Bookseller: Classic Bookshop) Address: 100 Clematis Street West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Phone: 561-868-7700 Date: Thursday, August 7 Miami, FL Date: Thursday, August 7 Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 8:00 PM Event: Books & Books Address: 265 Aragon Avenue Coral Gables, FL 33154 Phone: 305-442-4408 Date: Friday, August 8 Fort Lauderdale, FL Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 2:00 PM Event: Florida Center for the Book (Bookseller: Murder on the Beach) Broward County Main Library Address: 100 South Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 Phone: 954-357-7404 Date: Friday, August 8 Plantation, FL Format: Discussion & Signing Time: 7:00 PM Event: Barnes & Noble – Plantation Address: 591 South University Drive Plantation, FL 33324 Phone: 954-723-0489 PHOTO: Photo/JohnEarle

Mystery authors honored

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:23:41 -0500

You want winners? We got them in the mystery genre. Wrapped up with dramas of the day or rather week, I neglected to post about some recent honors bestowed on mystery authors. (Bestowed? Heavens. Where did that word come from?) Before I start spouting off other words, let's just get down to it. First off, International Thriller Writers announced its winners during its recent conference Thrillerfest. The Silver Bullet Award for contribution to the advancement of literacy was presented to both Macy's and to David Baldacci. (Now, I love Macy's. I am a proud card-carrying member of Macy's. But would someone please explain to me why Macy's got this award?) The 2008 THRILLER Awards are: Best Novel: The Ghost by Robert Harris (Simon & Schuster) Best First Novel: Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (William Morrow) Best Paperback Original: The Midnight Road by Tom Piccirilli (Bantam) 2008 ThrillerMaster Award was given to Sandra Brown. During the same weekend that the Thriller Awards were given, the Strand Magazine’s 2007 Critics Award to honor “excellence in the field of mystery fiction” were bestowed. (There's that word again.) This is the first time this award was given. And I have a bit more knowledge of this award as I was one of the judges. The nominating committee consisted of Strand Magazine’s managing editor Andrew F. Gulli assisted by Strand Critics Award chairman Larry Gandle, who freelances for The Tampa Tribune. The judges, and the newspapers they write for, were Patrick Anderson (The Washington Post); Dick Lochte (L.A. Times); David Montgomery (The Philadelphia Inquirer); Hallie Ephron (The Boston Globe); Sarah Weinman (The Baltimore Sun); and myself (and you know where I work). The winners were Best Novel What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman (William Morrow) Best First Novel The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey (St. Martin's Minotaur) PHOTOS: Laura Lippman, Marcus Sakey

Inside jokes: Lee Child, Alafair Burke, Laura Lippman

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:20:06 -0500

Inside jokes in mysteries make me smile. Here’s another a couple more: At the beginning of Lee Child's Bad Luck and Trouble, the hero Jack Reacher talks about spending some time in Portland, Ore., with an assistant prosecutor named Samantha. That's the title character in Alafair Burke's series. (The author has even joked about this on DorothyL, an online discussion and idea list for those of us who love the mystery genre.) Alafair Burke, below, is the daughter of award-winning author James Lee Burke. In her novel, Dead Connection, her character has to make a call to Louisiana and has a pleasant conversation with police detective Dave Robicheaux, the lead character in her dad's long-running series. There's also a passage in Dead Connection in which a minor character is reading The Power of Three, a real novel by Laura Lippman. What makes these references work is that they feel like a natural progression of the plot. I can absolutely believe that the character in Dead Connection had to call Dave Robicheaux and, as an intelligent, articulate woman, she would naturally read books. So why not Lippman's The Power of Three? And why wouldn't Jack Reacher run into a prosecutor named Samantha? I'll be posting more inside jokes from P.J. Parrish, Margaret Maron and other authors, but I'd like to hear more from you if you've spotted any inside jokes.)

J.A. Konrath: King of the inside joke

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:12:28 -0500

J.A. Konrath may be the king of the inside jokes. His novels about Chicago police detective Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels are peppered with allusions to other authors and their characters. Make no mistake, Konrath’s novels, the latest of which is the newly released Fuzzy Navel, are solid police procedurals revolving around a complex character who, on her best day, is both a good cop and a personal mess. Konrath’s novel Dirty Martini (now available in paperback) is loaded with inside jokes. The line: "William Kent. Owns a lot of real estate, including the Krueger Building.” This is a reference to William Kent Krueger, an excellent writer who lives in Minnesota and who has made my list of best novels a couple of times. The line: "Now who is in charge?" "Jim. Jim Czakowski. I'll call him." Jim Czakowski is the real name of bestselling author James Rollins. The line: "I'm Davy Ellis, of Ellis, Dickler, and Scaramouche. Call me Davy." David Ellis an Edgar Award winning author; his latest novel is Eye of the Beholder. The line: “I looked around the room, found a paperback copy of The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson, and waved a page a few inches before the scratch.” In an e-mail, Jon Konrath wrote that he’s “a huge fan of Paul's books, and his character Repairman Jack is the inspiration for my character Phineas Troutt, who appears in the Jack series and in many stand-alone short stories.” But these instances are just scratching the surface of his novels. He’s also named characters and settings after fellow writers Raymond Benson, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Barry Eisler, Thomas Keevers and Marcus Sakey, and in a throwaway line Jack consults a forensic pathologist named Coran, who was the main character in the Instinct series by Robert W. Walker. His character Jack also is quite the reader and enjoys Ed McBain and Robert B. Parker novels, and even wonders why she doesn't have a boyfriend like Spenser. “It's fun to use other author's names in my books,” said Konrath in an e-mail. “Not only for for me and them, but for the sharp reader who catches the references. I love naming places and characters after my friends.”

Inside jokes enhance mysteries: Connelly, Crais

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:17:06 -0500

Who says mystery writers don't have a sense of humor? Certainly not me. I've always found that most mystery writers can expertly use a bit of levity to offset even the most serious novel. Does humor take away from the seriousness of a serious mystery plot? Absolutely not. Instead, it gives the author a chance to show the characters' humanity. That goes for the heroes and heroines and villains. But it's even more amusing when authors include little inside jokes in their story by acknowledging their fellow writers and their characters. Again, this doesn't dilute the plots but astute readers will feel as if they have an extra connection to the author. And that's a good thing. One of my favorite instances is the compliment that Michael Connelly and Robert Crais paid to each other in their novels. In Lost Light, Connelly has a short scene in which Crais' private detective character Elvis Cole gives a friendly wave to Connelly's police detective Harry Bosch. In Crais' The Last Detective, Elvis met Harry just outside the police station on a rainy night. In both cases, neither Connelly nor Crais mentioned the other’s characters by name but astute readers could see the connection. (And, yes, I confirmed with both authors that this was the intention.) (I’ve got even more of these inside jokes that I’ll be sharing in the next few weeks.) By the way, Crais' new novel Chasing Darkness just hit the bookstores; Connelly's The Brass Verdict is due out in October.

DorothyL: A lifeline to mysteries

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 10:41:11 -0500

Four or five times a week, I lurk. And I’ve been doing it for about 12 years or so. No, I am not in some shadowy alley following someone. What I do is lurk at DorothyL, an online discussion and idea list for those of us who love the mystery genre. Authors, booksellers, publishers, (yeah, a few critics) and, most of all, fans make up the more than 3,500 members of DorothyL, . Readers can probably guess that DorothyL, stands for Dorothy L. Sayers, who, the organizers said, “had a LISTSERV-blessed middle initial.” DorothyL was started by a group of librarians in July 1991 during a conference in Washington, D.C., and immediately took off. A couple of years ago, the organizers were honored with the Edgar Award for their contributions to the genre. Discussions range from writing questions, publicity, genre trends and just about anything related to mysteries. Discussions of politics and religion and flaming are banned and the moderators are quite good about stepping in to keep everyone on track. Occasionally members who are in the same city will get together for lunches or meetings; there’s always at least one special event at the mystery conferences such as Bouchercon. DorothyL has helped to bring together groups of people united in their love of the mystery genre. With members from across the United States as well as England, Europe, Australia and all points in between, it shows us how small our world really is. That was recently brought home to me – literally – when a DorothyL member I had never met ran into my sister-in-law at a parking lot in Chapel Hill, N.C. (A shout out to Heidi). By chance Heidi parked next to a woman who had a DorothyL bumper sticker on her van. The lady -- let's call her Linda because that's her name -- explained to Heidi about DorothyL. To which Heidi mentioned me and the woman – keep in mind I had never met her either –knew me, my reviews on mystery fiction and the Off the Page blog. From Fort Lauderdale to North Carolina, readers meet! I can’t think of a nicer compliment, nor a more ringing endorsement for DorothyL, So as DorothyL, enters its 17th year, let’s wish this online community happy birthday and cheers for another 17 years.

Burn Notice is back and it's hot

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:05:55 -0500

I promised not to blog about Burn Notice until the new season. And guess what, that's now. Burn Notice returns Thursday, July 10, at 10 p.m. on USA Network. I've seen the first two episodes and I am hooked all over again. Yes, Jeffery Donovan is cute as ever. Oops...I guess I should be more objective...Nah. Gabrielle Anwar looks even better than she did last season and Bruce Campbell always is a joy to watch. Look for local actor Paul Tei of the Mad Cat theater troupe in the second episode. And Miami never looked better. Burn Notice showcases South Florida in all its glory. (July 10 also happens to be the birthday of our godson, Nick. I can't believe you're 16!)

Joseph Finder and auctioning off names

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:53:05 -0500

While auctioning off character names for charity is fairly normal, it seems that each author has a different story about their experiences. Which, of course, makes sense since each author brings something different to the table in their stories. That's why we crave a variety of novels! Joseph Finder has wrestled with auctioning off names for years. Finder, whose latest novel Power Play recently came out in paperback and is a New York Times best-seller, list, writes some of the best "business-oriented" thrillers. And if the phrase business thriller makes your eyes glaze over, then you should defnitely try his novels. Finder specializes in action-packed plots with characters you can care about. And anyone who has worked in an office knows how cut-throat an office can be. It's isn't all Michael Scot, Pam and Jim and Dwight. Finder said in an e-mail that he has auctioned off character names for charity a number of times and wishes he could impose just one condition: "That the character’s name is subject to approval by the author. Because I’ve gotten stuck with a few tough ones: names I couldn’t pronounce, for instance, or names that just sounded wrong for one reason or another. And what am I going to do -- tell a mom that I don’t like the sound of her son’s name, so I don’t want to use it in my novel? I don’t think so," Finder wrote. This happened to him not too long ago when he agreed to auction a character name to raise funds for the writer’s organization PEN New England, which does a lot of good work for underprivileged kids and literacy. The winner was a friend of his, Chris Gabrieli, who ran for governor of Massachusetts a few years ago but lost. "Chris bid on the character name not for himself but as a birthday gift for his mother-in-law, a woman named Smoki Bacon," Finder wrote. "Smoki (whom I’ve known for years) is a Boston society doyenne and TV host with one of the all-time great names. So I called Smoki . . . and told her that she was going to appear in my new book as . . . a floozy." Finder was a bit concerned, to say the least, that she might object, "given her prominence on the Boston social scene." But there was no problem. Writes Finder: "Smoki said, "Oh, that’s fine. As long as you don’t have me selling my body. Not at my age. That would destroy your credibility."

Visiting bookstores on vacation

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:23:32 -0500

Here's a blog that we stole straight from our sister paper The Baltimore Sun. (We had their permission.) On the books blog, the Baltimore editors are asking readers to post bookstores they have discovered while on vacation. After all, us avid readers, and we know who we are, will often visit bookstores while on vacation. Perhaps a non-reader can't understand that, but each bookstore has its own vibe and has its own flavor of the area. Not to take anything away from the chain stores, but what we love to visit are the independent bookstores. We have several excellent independent bookstores in South Florida. For mystery fans, I highly recommend Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore, 273 Pineapple Grove Way, (273 NE 2nd Ave.) Delray Beach, Florida 33444. Phone: 561-279-7790; Fax: 561-279-7759; Web site: www.murderonthebeach.com. It’s located just a couple of blocks from downtown Delray Beach, a lovely town and an exceptional downtown area filled with excellent restaurants and a lively nights scene. Murder on the Beach is the only mystery bookstore in South Florida and has a terrific array of novels, reference books, magazines and more. It also has an active meet the authors program with booksignings at least once a week. I often visit other mystery bookstores when I am on vacation and I believe that Murder on the Beach has one of the best selections and its staff (Joanne, Sue, John) are knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Everyone who visits is made to feel welcomed. In the Miami/Coral Gables area, there is none better than Books & Books. In fact, I think this is one of the best bookstores in the country. It has three locations: 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, 305-442-4408; at 933 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-532-3222; at 9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour, 305-864-4241; and in the Cayman Islands at Camana Bay, 45 Market Street, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, 345-640-2665. The Web site is booksandbooks.com. Mitch Kaplan, owner of the Books & Books, has built book-lovers bookstores. Yeah, there is a coffee shop but more important these are bookstores in which one can get lost. Mitch is one of the organizers of the internationally respected Miami Books Fair held every November. The best of these Books & Books is the Coral Gables location, which has the most active calendar of events. Any author coming to Miami and not making a stop at Books & Books is making a mistake. PHOTO: Anne Hathaway portrays author Jane Austen in the film Becoming Jane.Miramax photo

This commercial is a mystery

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:45:17 -0500

During this holiday in which we celebrate America's independence, I want to leave you with just a bit of silliness. After all, being an American gives us a right to enjoy ourselves. OK, so this has nothing to do with mysteries or books but since Chauncey and I occasionally blog about pop culture, let me ask you all this: Is anyone else irked by the commercials for the online clothing site that will deliver an outfit overnight and in which all the women walk around naked because they "have nothing to wear"? The one that bothers me the most is the one in whch the woman is walking through airport security naked and she puts her shoes in the security box and walks through the security with her magazine. Please. Don't you know that the guards would make her put that magazine through security, too?