The Rap Sheet

22/12/2024

"Catherine Aird was the author of more than twenty crime novels and story collections, most of which feature Detective Inspector C. D. Sloan."

So sorry to hear about the passing yesterday of Diamond Dagger author Catherine Aird at the age of 94. She was one of my favorite writers in...

21/12/2024

"From Maigret to Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple, authors choose the whodunnits they love to hunker down with at this time of year."

From Maigret to Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple, authors choose the whodunnits they love to hunker down with at this time of year

21/12/2024

“Besides being a news commentator himself, Heatter wrote twenty novels of intrigue and adventure—beginning with 'The Dim View' in 1946, the story of a young PT boat skipper—as well as several non-fiction works revolving around his love of the sea."

The Mutilators , by Basil Heatter (Gold Medal, 1962), featuring cover artwork by John McDermott . According to a write-up on the Web si...

20/12/2024

On the role of geese in Arthur Conan Doyle's only Sherlock Holmes Christmas tale.

A criminally compelling web site featuring professional crime writers and crime fighters.

20/12/2024

"Maureen Jennings has been appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada. The announcement was made today (December 18, 2024) by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada. ...

“Maureen is a talented writer with a keen eye for setting, character and dialogue. She has helped put historical crime fiction on the Canadian literary map. She has published four series of novels as well as nonfiction, short stories and stage plays."

Congratulations, Maureen Jennings , New Appointee to the Order of Canada! !! From the Crime Writers of Canada: Maureen Jennings has been...

19/12/2024

The artwork here is by Robert Stanley, about whom we’ve written extensively before, and the story is the fifth to star newspaper editor Stanley Rockwell, aka Rocky.

Do Not Murder Before Christmas , by Jack Iams (Dell, 1951). Although this novel was published in hardcover in 1949, by William Morrow, it ...

19/12/2024

From Terence Towles Canote: "Dashiell Hammett's best known work may be 'The Maltese Falcon,' but his most successful work could well be 'The Thin Man.' The 1933 novel 'The Thin Man' led to the 1934 movie of the same name. 'The Thin Man' (1934) would prove to be a hit at the box office and would lead to five sequels, a radio show, and still later a television show. 'The Thin Man' (1934) was released on May 25, 1934, so that the movie is now ninety years old."

Dashiell Hammett's best known work may be The Maltese Falcon , but his most successful work could well be The Thin Man . The 1933 novel The ...

18/12/2024

In an exclusive interview, Max Allan Collins talks about his new movie twist on a Dickens classic, his final entry in Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer series, his recently completed sequel to Dashiell Hammett's "The Maltese Falcon," his soon-to-drop audio drama, "True Noir," and much more.

(Above) The movie trailer for Blue Christmas . Charles Dickens could have had no inkling, when he penned his 1843 novella, A Christmas C...

17/12/2024

"Donna Leon's Detective Brunetti Series has already been adapted to the TV screen--in German but set in Venice ('Donna Leon's Brunetti Mysteries'). If you can get past the fact that the dialogue is in German, it's a good mystery series. It's available on MHz. But now, comes news that Julian Fellowes is set to write and executive produce a TV adaptation of Donna Leon’s contemporary Commissario Brunetti book series, which is in development at 20th Television."

Donna Leon's Detective Brunetti Series TV News: Donna Leon's Detective Brunetti Series has already been adapted to the TV screen--in German...

15/12/2024

Among the most interesting recent crime and thriller releases are works by William Boyd, Sharon Short, Alec Marsh, Candace Robb, Joseph Knox, and Lisa Williamson Rosenberg.

Critiquing some of the most interesting recent crime, mystery, and thriller releases. Click on the individual covers to read more. ...

14/12/2024

Ariel Lawhon’s thrilling mystery, "The Frozen River," has won the 2024 Nero Award.
https://therapsheet.blogspot.com/2024/12/nero-knows-best.html

12/12/2024

"Such sad news. Author M.J. Rose: R.I.P. (1953-2024) Taken way too young. M.J. Rose was a brilliant author and friend and support to so many people in the mystery community. My sympathy and love go out to her family and friends at this sad time."

Such sad news. Author M.J. Rose : R.I.P. (1953-2024) Taken way too young. M.J. Rose was a brilliant author and friend and support to so man...

10/12/2024

This is a great bookstore start-up story! Please help, if you can.

From the newsletters of Always Here Bookstore in Portland, OR: After letting our newsletter gather dust for 4 months, we’re back to announce that the pop-up at 3808 N Williams Ave that we share with Jelly Cup Collective will be closing at the end of the ...

10/12/2024

Best crime/mystery/thriller of the year picks from CrimeReads, Mystery Tribune, and Craig Sisterson. https://therapsheet.blogspot.com/2024/12/final-stretch-faves.html

09/12/2024

With the online voting finally over and the counting completed, the UK-based Web site Crime Fiction Lover has announced the winners of its 2024 Crime Fiction Lover Awards.
https://therapsheet.blogspot.com/2024/12/love-death-and-prizes.html

09/12/2024

From CrimeReads: "I feel that the world of espionage is actually the human condition writ large. We’ve all betrayed people. We've all lied to people."

Gabriel Dax, the main character of William Boyd’s terrific new novel, is a talented journalist and the author of several acclaimed travel books—”a clever bugger,” as an admirer puts it, but heretof…

09/12/2024

A Very Crony Christmas. Cartoon by Matt Wuerker.

09/12/2024

Peter Handel on John Banville's latest crime novel, "The Drowned": "If there’s a new John Banville/Benjamin Black title (in any year, really), it’s a good bet that it will be—minimally—in my top-five choices for 'best crime novel of the year,' if not the first on said list."

By Peter Handel If there’s a new John Banville/ Benjamin Black title (in any year, really), it’s a good bet that it will be—minimally—in m...