Reading right now:

            “Die I Will Not” by Suzanne Rizzolo. English teacher Rizzolo writes a Regency London historical mystery series. This is the third in her series which started with “The Rose in the Wheel” and “Blood for Blood.” Her books center around lawyer Edward Buckler and Bow Street Runner John Chase. Rizzolo’s books have been called likeable, vivid, and intelligent. She brings Regency London to life with characters that you want to continue to get to know.

On hold right now:

            “A Fine Summer Day” by Charles Todd. This 17^th novel in the Ian Rutledge series comes out in January, 2015. Amazingly, Charles Todd is a pen name used by a Mother and son team writing together to achieve an amazing body of work which includes two separate series and some stand-alone novels. Inspector Ian Rutledge deals with major crimes in a post-World War I world while struggling to cope with his personal demons from the war. Todd’s second series stars Bess Crawford, a World War I nurse who solves mysteries. Two new books in the Crawford series came out in 2014, “An Unwilling Accomplice” and “The Maharani’s Pearls.” In August, 2015, they are planning on bringing out only their second stand-alone novel called “A Pattern of Lies.” This body of work is for those who like literate, historical mysteries.

Other Mysterious Things:

            “Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood” by William J. Mann. This true crime book reads like a mystery novel and is a great choice if you are a mystery reader who might like something different. It is about Hollywood actor and director, William Desmond Taylor’s murder in 1922 which remained unsolved until William Mann decided to solve his murder and write this fascinating book. The rights to the book have already been sold for TV.

            The winner of the Nero Award will be announced December 6, 2014. The Nero Awards are presented by The Wolfe Pack which is a society founded in 1978 to celebrate Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe series. This year’s finalists include “Ask Not” by Max Allan Collins, “Three Can Keep a Secret” by Archer Mayor, “Murder as a Fine Art” by David Morrell, “A Study in Revenge” by Kieran Shields, and “A Question of Honor,” by Charles Todd.