Broken Promise

BROKEN PROMISE by Linwood Barclay

JANUARY 2017

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Born 1955, in New Haven, CT; immigrated to Canada, 1958; Addresses: Home: Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Agent: Helen Heller Agency, 892 Avenue Rd., Toronto, Ontario M5P 2K6, Canada. E-mail: linwoodbarclay@cogeco.ca; linwoodbarclay@mac.com.

CAREER:

Peterborough Examiner, Ontario, Canada, reporter, 1977-79; Oakville Journal Record, member of staff, 1979-81; Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, worked as assistant city editor, news editor, chief copy editor, and life section editor, 1981-93, humor columnist, 1993-2008. Has worked as the manager of a cottage resort and trailer park.

“PROMISE FALLS” SERIES

Promise Falls, New York is a quiet small town with a lot of secrets, most of them unpleasant. Enter former journalist and widower David Harwood, fleeing the past and hoping for a better future. When Harwood realizes that ugliness is simmering beneath the town's placid surface, he feels compelled to investigate in these intricately plotted, suspenseful series.

• Broken promise (Jul 2015)

• Far from true (Mar 2016)

• The twenty-three: a Promise Falls novel (Nov 2016)

"ZACH WALKER" MYSTERY SERIES

• Bad Move, 2004.
• Bad Guys,  2005.
• Lone Wolf, 2006.
• Stone Rain, , 2007.
  

NOVELS

• Mike Harris Made Me Eat My Dog, ECW Press, 1998.
• No Time for Goodbye, 2007.
• Too Close to Home, 2008.
• Fear the Worst, 2009.
• Never Look Away, 2010.
• Clouded Vision, Orion (London, England), 2011.
• The Accident, 2011.
• A Tap on the Window, 2012.
• Trust Your Eyes,2013.
  

OTHER

• Father Knows Zilch: A Guide for Dumbfounded Dads, illustrated by Steve Nease, Stoddart (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1996.
• This House Is Nuts! (humor), Stoddart (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1997.
• Last Resort (memoir), McClelland & Stewart (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2000.

Read-alikes for Promise Falls Series:

1.	David Raker novels  by Tim Weaver  Reason:  The stories in these intricately plotted and suspenseful crime thriller series spiral down into wells of dark deeds and twisted motives. Driven detectives haunted by their pasts struggle to solve violent murders and heinous disappearances, culminating in shocking climaxes. -- Melissa Gray
2.	Bell Elkins mysteries by Julia Keller  Reason:  Set in quiet small towns with dark pasts and vicious criminals, these atmospheric mysteries star a former journalist (Promise Falls) and a former prosecuting attorney (Bell Elkins) who solve crimes while trying to sort out their own lives. -- Mike Nilsson
3.	Joanne Ross novels  by A. D. Scott,   Reason:  Starring flawed journalists and set in quiet small towns, these intricately plotted mysteries are as much about the main characters as they about crime solving. Both series offer a strong sense of place and an interesting supporting cast. -- Mike Nilsson

Author’s website:   http://www.linwoodbarclay.com/news2

Last Dickens

Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl

December, 2016

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Born October 2, 1975, in NY; Education: Harvard University, graduated (summa cum laude), 1997; Yale University, J.D., 2000. Addresses: Home: Cambridge, MA. E-mail: mpearl@matthewpearl.com.

CAREER:

Writer, novelist, attorney, and educator. Instructor in literature and creative writing at Harvard University and Emerson College. Harvard Law School, visiting lecturer. Guest on radio programs, including All Things Consideredand Weekend Edition Sunday, National Public Radio.

WRITINGS:

• The Dante Club, Random House (New York, NY), 2003.
• The Poe Shadow, Random House (New York, NY), 2006.
• The Last Dickens, Random House (New York, NY), 2009.
• The Technologists, Random House (New York, NY), 2012.
• The Last Bookaneer, Penguin (New York, NY), 2015.

Author's works have been translated into more than thirty languages.

Matthew Pearl populates his well-researched historical thrillers with a wealth of characters from actual history -- everyone from Longfellow to James Russell Lowell has featured as a sleuth. As this roster illustrates, Pearl's mystery/thrillers have a decidedly literary bent and tend towards the academic; in addition to the work of Dante, he's also tackled Poe and Dickens. Pearl's chronological period of choice is Victorian, and his novels showcase their share of gore as serial killers stalk and obsessions flower within a darkly appealing period atmosphere. Start with: The Dante Club.

Read-alikes

1	Drood  by Dan Simmons Reason:  Both are well-researched historical novels that transform the final period of Dickens' life into gripping, suspenseful sagas of intrigue, psychological puzzles, and murder. -- Derek Keyser
2	The mystery of Edwin Drood  by Charles Dickens Reason:  If you enjoyed The Last Dickens, go straight to the source by reading The Mystery of Edwin Drood. -- Gillian Speace

3	Bayard, Louis Reason:  Bayard and Pearl write literary historical mysteries that mix real historical people and events with suspense-filled plots. The books feature riveting storytelling with realistic nineteenth century period details and strong characterization, using real literary writers of the time to solve crimes while the twisting story lines lead to shocking endings. -- Merle Jacob
4	Liss, David Reason:  Both authors write fast-paced, plot-driven historical mysteries that are filled with well-researched period details, spectacular adventures, and evocative descriptions of colorful characters, such as opium-addicted doctors and cross-dressing prostitutes. -- Derek Keyser
5	Carr, Caleb Reason:  Caleb Carr and Matthew Pearl have both crafted elaborate Victorian mysteries that are literary, atmospheric, thrilling, and gruesome. Psychology is often a focus, and the novels feature a parade of cameos by real historical persons. -- Bethany Latham

6    Perez-Reverte, Arturo

     Reason:  Fans of sophisticated literary puzzles that blend  contemporary and historical events should become familiar with this best-selling Spanish author.

      

Website:  http://www.matthewpearl.com/dickens/book.html

Thirteenth Tale

THE THIRTEENTH TALE by Diane Setterfield

November 2016

PERSONAL INFORMATION:  Born August 22, 1964, in Englefield, Berkshire, England; Education:Theale Green School, B.A., 1982; Bristol University, Ph.D., 1993. Addresses: Agent: Georges Borchardt, Inc., 136 E. 57th St., New York, NY 10022. Home: Oxford, England.

CAREER:  Writer. Worked variously as an English teacher in France, a French professor, and as a private French teacher for people moving to France.

AWARDS:  Quill Award for debut author of the year, 2007, for The Thirteenth Tale.

WORKS:

• The Thirteenth Tale (novel), 2006.
• Bellman & Black (novel), 2013.

MEDIA ADAPTATIONS:

The Thirteenth Tale was adapted for television by Christopher Hampton, BBC2, 2013.

Author’s website:  http://www.dianesetterfield.com

Interesting Q & A on author’s website:  http://www.dianesetterfield.com/faqs/

Diane lives in Oxford, in the UK. When not writing she reads widely, and when not actually reading she is usually talking or thinking about reading. She is, she says, ‘a reader first, a writer second.’

British novelist Diane Setterfield knows well the elements of the traditional Gothic novel: ghosts, ruined mansions, hints of long­ ago tragedy, and family mysteries, all wrapped up in an eerily suspenseful plot that gives away no secrets before their time. In addition to paying homage to the genre's forebears, she creates unique, memorable characters and presents familiar tropes with contemporary finesse. Her strong yet graceful storytelling carries readers through many twists and turns. Setterfield's work doesn't fit neatly into a single genre, which makes it appealing to many different readers.

Read alikes for title

1. The vanishing  by Wendy Webb,  Reason: These compelling, creepy, and atmospheric novels portray young women who accept positions at labyrinthine mansions where well known writers (long thought dead) reside. The Thirteenth Tale is more leisurely paced and subtle, while The Vanishing is faster paced and more menacing. ­­ Katherine Johnson

2. The distant hours by Kate Morton,  ­ Reason: Both The Distant Hours and The Thirteenth Tale employ traditional Gothic elements to spin haunting stories within stories about writers and family secrets, as they explore the power of stories in the characters' lives. ­­ Joyce Saricks

3. The monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff,  Reason: The modern Gothic stories Thirteenth Tale and Monsters of Templeton follow a female protagonist at a crossroads as she searches for the answers to deep family secrets. They also revolve around twisted family histories and employ an ethereal tone. ­­ Becky Spratford

4. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, Reason: These novels offer gothic suspense's classic creepy atmosphere, though with somewhat different story­lines. Fingersmith takes place in Victorian England while The Thirteenth Tale is contemporary, but both emphasize books, mysteries about birth and identity, insanity, and grand houses. ­­ Shauna Griffin

5. The historian by Elizabeth Kostova, Reason: Using Gothic elements and literary references, both novels have a fairytale­-like quality, balancing reality with a bit of magic as each female protagonist solves a mystery important to her. Intricate plots and rich details create lush literary landscapes in these novels. ­­ Lauren Havens

Away in a Manager by Rhys Bowen

August 2016

Rhys Bowen was born in Bath, England, of a family that was half Welsh, half English. She was educated at London University and then began her career with the BBC, where she became a drama studio manager. She had made up stories all her life. While working on a boring play she decided to write a play of her own. With the bravado of a 22-year-old, she marched into the office of the head of BBC drama and handed him the script. Two days later he summoned her and told her that they were going to produce the play. Rhys has never looked back.

Molly Murphy Mysteries

A feisty yet resourceful Irish immigrant woman investigates intricately plotted mysteries and deals with an ever-dramatic and complicated personal life in these charming and atmospheric historical mysteries set in early 20th-century New York City. The lushly rendered period settings, well-developed characters, and suspenseful, fast-paced plots will keep historical mystery fans hooked.

1.    Murphy's law (Sep 2001)
2.    Death of Riley (Dec 2002)
3.    For the love of Mike (Dec 2003)
4.    In like Flynn (Feb 2005)
5.    Oh Danny boy (Mar 2006)
6.    In Dublin's fair city (Mar 2007)
7.    Tell me, pretty maiden (Mar 2008)
8.    In a gilded cage (Mar 2009)
9.    The last illusione (Mar 2010)
10. Bless the bride (Mar 2011)
11. Hush now, don't you cry (Mar 2012)
12. The family way (Mar 2013)
13. City of darkness and light (Mar 2014)
14. The edge of dreams (Mar 2015)
15. Away in a manger (Nov 2015)
16. Time of fog and fire (Mar 2016)

Series Read-alikes:

Fremont Jones mysteries by Dianne Day

Reason:  Both historical series feature strong willed young women who work as private detectives in the late nineteenth century. These cozy mysteries are fast paced, have a strong sense of place, and have likable characters. -- Merle Jacob

Gaslight mysteries by Victoria Thompson

          Reason:  Though Molly Murphy begins as an Irish immigrant fleeing a murder charge and Sarah Brandt of the Gaslight mysteries is a midwife, both are strong, determined women. These character-driven, detailed historical mysteries are set in a well-depicted early 1900s Manhattan. -- Shauna Griffin

Bryant and May mysteries by Christopher Fowler

Reason:  The darkly humorous, occult-inflected Bryant and May mysteries are set in London during and after World War II and the straightforward Molly Murphy tales are set in early 1900s New York; both series feature idiosyncratic sleuths and rich period detail. -- Mike Nilsson

Maisie Dobbs novels by Jacqueline Winspear

Reason:  The Molly Murphy and Maisie Dobbs historical mysteries feature feisty young women who become private detectives. The women are likeable and fight to be respected as professionals. These cozy stories paint a realistic historical picture of their time periods. -- Merle Jacob

Sarah Woolson mysteries by Shirley Tallman

Reason:  The Sarah Woolson and Molly Murphy mysteries are historicals set in the late 1800s and feature strong women sleuths. The books have realistic period detail and bring out the social problems of the times. The characters are intriguing. -- Merle Jacob

Other Series:

Royal Spyness mysteries (Most Recent: Aug 2016)

Alternate series name: Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie novels

Constable Evans mysteries (Most Recent: Aug 2006)

Author’s website: http://rhysbowen.com/