Reading right now:

            “Never Go Back” by Lee Child. Reacher is back: back in Virginia, back in the army, and back into big trouble. When Reacher returns to Virginia looking for Major Susan Turner, not only doesn’t he find her, but he finds himself accused of a sixteen-year-old homicide.

In October, “Inherit the Dead” is due out. It is a collaborative novel with 20 writers each writing one chapter. Lee Child is one of those authors. Royalties will be donated to Safe Horizon (an organization that provides services to victims of violence and abuse).

On hold right now:

            “Countdown City” by Ben H. Winters. This second book in the Last Policeman series continues the countdown to the end of the world. As asteroid 2011L47J gets closer to earth, some people are concentrating on enjoying what little time they have left, while others are praying for salvation, but New Hampshire homicide detective Hank Palace stays on the job. Winters’ first novel in this series, “The Last Policeman” was nominated for a 2013 Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel.

Other Mysterious things:

The 2013 Macavity Awards for Best Mystery Novel included:

·        Gillian Flynn: Gone Girl

·        Peter May: The Black House

·        Louise Penny: The Beautiful Mystery

·        Hank Philippi Ryan: The Other Woman

·        B.A. Shapiro: The Art Forger

·        Ariel S. Winter: The Twenty Year Death

·        Ben H. Winters: The Last Policeman

And nominations for Best First Mystery Novel are:

·        Susan M. Boyer: Low Country Boil

·        Daniel Friedman: Don't Ever Get Old

·        Susan Elia MacNeal: Mr. Churchill's Secretary

·        Chris Pavone: The Expats  

The Macavity Awards are presented by the Mystery Readers International members. The awards are named for T. S. Eliot’s mystery cat in his book “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.

Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity,

There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity.

He always has an alibi, or one or two to spare:

And whatever time the deed took place--MACAVITY WASN'T THERE!

And they say that all the Cats whose wicked deeds are widely known

(I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone)

Are nothing more than agents for the Cat who all the time

Just controls their operations: the Napoleon of Crime!