Annotated lists of (mostly hardcover) books selected on the basis of good reviews and/or the author's popularity. The books cover the range of sub-genres - noir, cozies, thrillers, historical, amateur sleuths, police procedurals, P.I. novels, etc.

Titles are listed by approximate date of publication. Annotations are from Advance, the Ingram Book Magazine - unless otherwise noted.

2001

December November October September August
July June May April March February January

December

November

October

September

Thunder Keeper
by Coel, Margaret
ISBN: 042518188x $ 22.95
Arapaho lawyer Vicky Holden and Father John O'Malley discover that the supposed suicide of a young Arapaho on a reservation and the hit-and-run accident in Denver may be covered-up murders. Now they must uncover what it is about the reservation that people are willing to kill for.

Killer Stuff
by Fiffer, Sharon
ISBN: 0312278187 $ 23.95
Recently been laid off from her PR job, separated from her husband, and facing a midlife crisis, Jane Wheel makes ends meet by foraging for antiques at suburban Chicago estate sales. When she stumbles upon the body of her neighbor Sandy, Jane finds herself as the prime suspect. With the help of her best friend and a Chicago police detective, Jane goes after the truth.

Blood Sinister
by Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia
ISBN: 03122784858 $ 23.95
While investigating the brutal murder of Phoebe Agnew, a journalist who criticized police, Detective Inspector Bill Slider must put aside his personal feelings as he struggles to untangle a web of lies and hidden relationships. Slider discovers that Agnew was concealing a secret--one that her killer is willing to protect by killing again.

Too High
by Hirschfeld, Corson
ISBN: 0765300117 $ 25.95
From the bestselling author of Aloha, Mr. Lucky comes the story of Hawaiian archeologist Digger Fitz, who arrives in Golden Leaf, Kentucky, for a reunion with his niece. But he has barely unpacked his bags when he becomes the prime suspect in a cousin's gruesome murder.

Captains Outrageous
by Lansdale, Joe R.
ISBN: Mysterious $ 24.95
Hap Collins and Leonard Pine, the bad old boys from Mucho Mojo and Bad Chili return for another rough and ready adventure south of the border.

Ashes of Aries
by Lawrence, Martha C.
ISBN: 0312202997 $ 23.95
Psychic P.I. Elizabeth Chase is called in on the case of a San Diego telecommunications mogul's missing four-year-old son. When a wildfire breaks out in the secluded community where the boy's family lives, Elizabeth finds that man, not nature, is responsible and tries to determine if the kidnapper and arsonist are the same person.

The Bride's Kimono
by Massey, Sujata
ISBN: 0060199334 $ 25
An antiques business owner finds herself involved with stolen artifacts, a wacky group of Japanese tourists and one very dead body when she transports a set of priceless kimonos.

Brothers of Cain
by Monfredo, Miriam Grace
ISBN: 0425181898 $ 22.95
During the "Seven Days" battles in Virginia in 1862, federal troops plan to capture Richmond. Undercover agent Bronwen Llyr works with her sister Kathryn, a volunteer nurse for the Union Army, when they learn their brother-in-law is taken prisoner. Bronwen must rescue him before his hanging, but as time escapes her, so does hope for her young brother.

London Bridges
by Stevenson, Jane
ISBN: 0618049347 $ 24
Stevenson's homage to the classic English detective novel is crafted with a modern spin and set in 1990s London. The story centers on a treasure lost in the Blitz and newly discovered by n unscrupulous lawyer whose greed tempts him into a series of crimes leading to murder.

August

Drummer in the Dark
by Bunn, T. Davis
ISBN: 0385496168 $ 21.95
In a rip-roaring plot that could be torn from tomorrow's headlines, bestselling author T. Davis Bunn weaves political intrigue and disturbing moral dilemmas into a chillingly credible portrait of the cutthroat world of international finance.

Murder Boogies with Elvis
by George, Anne
ISBN: 0060198702 $ 23
From Agatha Award winner George - this tale finds Mary Alice and Patricia Anne strapping on some orthopedic, blue suede shoes to catch a cruel killer.

Paradise Lost
by Jance, J.A.
ISBN: 038097729X $ 25
Jance returns to the red-streaked desert of Cochise Country Arizona where Sheriff Joanna Brady and her daughter encounter a terrifying ordeal during a Girl Scout camp out.

Death of the Last Villista
by Martin, Allana
ISBN: 0312265735 $ 22.95
When a movie crew invades Polvo, Texas, to film a special movie about Pancho Villa, Texana must investigate an old murder and unearths some long-buried family secrets.

The One That Got Away
by Rand, Naomi
ISBN: 0060199385 $ 24
In the engrossing first novel of a new mystery series, an appealing female investigator discovers a deadly connection between two disparate murder cases.

Naked Came the Phoenix
by Talley, Marcia (ed) ISBN: 0312251947 $24.95
Thirteen of today's hottest female crime novelists--including Nevada Barr, J.D. Robb, Nancy Pickard, Lisa Scottoline, Perri O'Shaughnessy, and Faye Kellerman--join forces to write one thrilling mystery set at the posh Phoenix Health Spa in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

July

Scent of Murder
by Alwyn, Cynthia G.
ISBN: 031226559x $ 23.95
A trainer of search dogs must utilize her canines' abilities like never before when a series of children start disappearing in Sacramento.

Death by Demonstration
by Carlon, Patricia
ISBN: 1569472467 $ 22
From one of Australia's best suspense writers comes a story set in the 1960s. An Australian university student is killed while marching against the war, but was she really murdered?

Orange Crush
by Dorsey, Tim
ISBN: 0060185775 $ 25
When gubernatorial candidate Marlon Conrad suffers a traumatic experience, he jumps on a campaign bus garishly decorated with the "Orange Crush" logo and ditches his security detail. The author of Florida Roadkill and Hammerhead Ranch Motel returns with another laugh-out-loud novel that delves into the dark side of the Sunshine State.

The Jasmine Trade
by Hamilton, Denise
ISBN: 074321269x $ 24
A former Los Angeles Times reporter brings to life the city's vast Asian community in a hard-edged thriller teeming with murderous intentions, emotional dislocation and sexual exploitation.

Firewall
Author: McNab, Andy
Publisher: Pocket $ 24.95 ISBN: 0743406265
Drawing on his experiences as a member of Britain's legendary Special Air Service, McNab's newest novel explodes with high-stakes action as hero Nick Stone, strapped for cash, makes the mistake of messing with the Russian mafia.

June

Cozy
by Hall, Parnell
ISBN: 0786708743 $ 25
In this new Stanley Hastings mystery novel, the put-upon New York private investigator is vacationing with his wife at the Blue Frog Ponds Inn, a trendy New England B&B. But soon they discover that someone has started bumping off the guests, and Stanley finds himself a key witness, if not a prime suspect.

Silversword
by Kneif, Charles
ISBN: 0312273029 $ 24.95
Knief's heart-of-gold hero whiles away the hours as he convalesces from a near-fatal bullet wound. When he agrees to help a young student save some priceless artifacts of Hawaiian history, he figures that's something he can handle from his couch--or can he?

Civil Blood
by McMillan, Ann
ISBN: 06708999976 $ 22.95
In war-torn Richmond, the race is on to stop a deadly smallpox outbreak that may be spreading on "tainted" money. This is the third installment in a unique Civil War mystery series featuring two unlikely sleuths from opposite worlds.

The Big Nap
by Waldman, Ayelet
ISBN: 0425179494 $ 21.95
From the acclaimed author of Nursery Crimes comes a new "Mommy-Track Mystery" featuring a public defender turned stay-at-home mom. Juliet Applebaum's life just gets more hectic when her infant's babysitter--a beautiful young Chasidic woman--vanishes without a trace.

May

A Perfect Arrangement
by Berne, Suzanne
ISBN: 1565122615 $ 23.95
When events force Mirella and Howard to reveal secrets they've been hiding from each other, the family cataclysm catapults their nanny (who has secrets of her own) into a position of unnatural control. This is a riveting novel of suspense by the author of A Crime in the Neighborhood.

Bone Island Mambo
by Corcoran, Tom
ISBN: 0312242816 $ 23.95
A series of Sunday morning murders pulls forensic photographer Alex Rutledge back to work, and he suspects the murders are connected through him. But with no suspect and no motive, Rutledge must find a way to stop the killing spree before it stops him.

An Unhallowed Grave
by Ellis, Kate
ISBN: 0312274602 $ 22.95
Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson investigates the death of a doctor's receptionist whose body is found hanging from a tree in the churchyard. Peterson learns that the ancient corpse of a young woman has been excavated near the site--and legend says she was hanged from the same tree 500 years before.

Stabbing Stephanie
by Marshall, Evan
ISBN: 157566657x $ 22
The delightful duo from Missing Marlene and Hanging Hannah are back and better than ever. This time out literary agent Jane Stuart and her cat Winky have to read between the lines to find a killer who's making a mess of the book biz.

The Mysterious Press Anthology
by Mysterious Press (ed)
ISBN: 0892967390 $ 25
Celebrating the silver anniversary of America's first mystery imprint, this special anniversary collection of original short stories is packed with a who's who of the mystery world, including Ed McBain, Donald E. Westlake, M.C. Beaton, and others.

The Tainted Snuff Box: A Beau Brummell Mystery
by Stevens, Rosemary
ISBN: 0425179486 $ 21.95
In his second mystery, Beau Brummell, the Regency period's grand arbiter of style and taste, must prove his friend innocent of attempting to murder the Prince of Wales--and uncover the real assassin before he strikes again.

Never Count Out the Dead
by Teran, Boston
ISBN: 0312271158 $ 23.95
Delivering a tour de force tale of a murder gone wrong and a victim bent on revenge, this novel opens with a gang of criminals in need of a fall guy. But L.A. County Sheriff John Victor Sully refuses to die and makes a comeback ten years later to find his "killer".

Shark River
by White, Randy Wayne
ISBN: 0399147292 $ 24.95
On a working vacation in Guava Key, marine biologist Doc Ford gets involved with missing joggers, a long lost relative, a map to a treasure that may or may not exist, and a past history that becomes alarmingly present.

April

Unholy Dying
by Barnard, Robert
ISBN: 0743201493 $ 23
Father Pardoe is a good priest -- he cares about his parishioners. He is also a man--and thus is saddled with man's attendant weaknesses, like a certain young, single mother called Julie. Rich with eccentric characters, crisp dialogue, and stylish prose, one of the author's trademarks, Unholy Dying is another top-shelf delivery from "the Jane Austen of mystery writers" (New York Newsday).

Heckler
by Barton, Dan
ISBN: 0312271832 $ 22.95
In a sequel to Killer Material, stand-up comedian Biff Kincaid faces more trouble. He receives a call to fill in for the headliner at The Comedysino in Las Vegas and later learns that the performer was fatally stabbed the night before. Insults fly as bodies fall, and Biff desperately tries to find the answers before the Heckler strikes again.

Whispers in the Dark
by Bland, Eleanor Taylor
ISBN: 0312203799 $ 23.95
Homicide detective Marti MacAlister, and her partner, Matthew Jessenovik, are assigned a most unusual case--all they have of their victim is an arm. Meanwhile, Marti's troubled best friend Sharon is slowly getting involved with a man who makes Sharon's friends and family uneasy.

Scene of Crime
by McGowan, Jill
ISBN: 0345443136 $ 22.95
In McGown's masterful new novel, the continuation of her acclaimed British police procedural series starring Detective Chief Inspectors Lloyd and Hill, real-life crime engulfs the domestic life of the Riverside Theatre players. When the amateur dramatic society begins rehearsing a production of Cinderella, murder lurks in the wings. And the killer is definitely no Prince Charming.

Murder at Betram's Bower
by Cynthia Peale
ISBN: 0385496370 $ 22.95
The brutal deaths of two young women raise some shocking questions about saints, sinners, and the power of prejudice in Cynthia Peale's second intriguing mystery set in Victorian Boston.

A Trust Betrayed
by Robb, Candace
ISBN: 0892967080 $ 22.95
It is Scotland, in the spring of 1297, and Margaret Kerr's husband, Roger, a merchant, has been missing since winter. Though he set out for trading purposes, Margaret worries he may have been caught up in the rebellion against the English. Margaret and her uncle follow the trail in search of her husband. As they become part of perilous activities, they spiral into one mystery after another.

March

Casual Rex
by Garcia, Eric
ISBN: 0679463070 $ 23.95
Private eye Vincent Rubio is back, working with his partner, Ernie. Being dinosaurs is not a problem--as long as their latex disguises fit properly. But some dinosaurs have joined a mysterious back-to-basics movement to help dinosaurs "find" themselves and roam about as they really are. When a member of this cult dies, Vincent and Ernie must investigate.

A Personal Devil
by Gellis, Roberta
ISBN: 0312869983 $ 23.95
A twisted tale of hatred, fear and blackmail, as a blind Madame becomes the mistress to a deformed man. When he is killed, the man's wife and his mistress get caught up in a web of deceit and mystery surrounding his death.

Purgatory Ridge
by Krueger, William Kent
ISBN: Pocket $ 23.95
When an explosion at a lumber mill results in the death of a night watchman, it's obvious that suspicions will fall upon members of the Anishinaabe tribe. Fresh from his escapades in the popular Boundary Waters, Cork O'Connor finds himself mired once again in the mysteries of small-town Minnesota in this shocking new thriller from the author of Iron Lake.

Murder at Betram's Bower: A Beacon Hill Mystery
by Peale, Cynthia
ISBN: 0385496370 $ 22.95
The brutal deaths of two young women raise some shocking questions about saints, sinners, and the power of prejudice in Cynthia Peale's second intriguing mystery set in Victorian Boston.

Bubbles Unbound
by Strohmeyer, Sarah
ISBN: 0525945806 $ 22.95
Bubbles Yablonsky knows there is more to life than doing hair in Lehigh, Pennsylvania. She goes back to school, enters journalism classes and gets a job at a local newspaper for on-the-job training. When Bubbles stumbles upon a crime scene on the way home from an assignment, she's suddenly up to her roots in a nasty murder investigation. This title is the debut novel in a new mystery series.

February

Tender is LeVine
by Bergman, Andrew
ISBN: 0312262051 $ 23.95
From the author of The Big Kiss-Off of 1944 and Hollywood and LeVine comes a new hardboiled Jack LeVine mystery set in 1950. When an NBC Symphony violinist insists that the great Arturo Toscanini has been kidnapped and the orchestra is being led by an impostor, P.I. Jack LeVine embarks on a baffling and violent investigation.

In the Forest of Harm
by Bissell, Sallie
ISBN: 0553801287 $ 21.95
Assistant D.A. Mary Crow is home in North Carolina visiting her two closest friends, and to hike on their favorite Smoky Mountain wilderness trail. Her recent courtroom victory made her an enemy, who tracks her down to wreak vengeance. But he's not the only predator who stalks these women through this merciless terrain.

Evan Can Wait
by Bowen, Rhys
ISBN: 0312265875 $ 22.95
With this fifth addition to her series, Bowen creates a colorful, page-turning mystery set against the backdrop of a uniquely appealing small Welsh town filled with unforgettable characters. Constable Evan Evans is assigned to help a group of young filmmakers who come to Llanfair to shoot a documentary about a sunken German bomber plane. Tensions build when the producer is found dead in the elaborate mineshafts that surround the village.

The Fourth Angel
by Chazin, Suzanne
ISBN: 0399147055 $ 24.95
Georgia Skeehan is a rookie marshal with the New York City Fire Department. When an inferno in SoHo devours a small building and consumes 50 lives, she is thrust into command of the investigation. Georgia discovers the blaze may be connected to three other unsolved New York fires, and to several eerie, scripture-laden letters from a madman who calls himself The Fourth Angel.

The Heart Shaped Box
by Henry, April
ISBN: 0060196556 $ 24
When Claire Montrose attends her 20-year high school reunion, she gets more than she bargained for. She receives a small wooden box, hand-carved in the shape of a heart, and inside is a picture of Claire, cut from the yearbook. What seems romantic turns menacing, however, when a former head cheerleader is found strangled and several other women reveal that they, too, have received similar boxes.

Poor Tom is Cold
by Jennings, Maureen
ISBN: 0312268920 $ 23.95
While hunting down the killer of a constable, William Murdoch is drawn to the plight of a young wife whose predatory stepchildren plan to shut her in an insane asylum to prevent her from inheriting her husband's estate. With her ability to invoke the Toronto of a century ago and its many levels of society, the author finds under stones of silence the social outrages that so vividly trigger her mysteries.

Over Tumbled Graves
by Walter, Jess
ISBN: 0060393866 $ 25
A young police detective struggles to find the truth and preserve her sanity in a fiction debut that reinvents the serial-killer novel. At once gripping in its story and provocative in the questions it raises, Over Tumbled Graves confronts dark truths about our culture's fascination with violence

January

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
by Gorman, Ed
ISBN: 0786707755 $ 22.95
In this charming, expertly crafted new mystery set in the twilight of Iowa's 1950s, fledgling lawyer Sam McCain is dancing to a different tune when he discovers that the beautiful blonde who's been tracking him in her black Ford convertible is interested in more than his red ragtop. She's Lila Leigh Mulchaey, and McCain's in love. Two problems, though, darken McCain's mood: Lila is pregnant, and Philip Mulchaey--her father--turns up dead.

A Killing at Ball's Bluff
by Kilian, Michael
ISBN: 0425178048 $ 21.95
This second novel in the Harrison Raines Civil War mystery series takes place at Ball's Bluff, outside of Leesburg, Virginia. A Union Colonel has been murdered, and Raines must cross Union and Confederate lines to find the culprit -- and clear his own name.

If 6 were 9
by Lamar, Jake
ISBN: 0609605372 $ 19.95
A startling breakout novel--this time a whodunit with a twist--is presented by the critically acclaimed author of "Close to the Bone". Clay Robinette is a happily married black professor at a small Ohio liberal arts college. But his complacency ends when he gets a frantic phone call at 2:27 a.m. that embroils him in a murder investigation.

Double Date
by McCafferty, Barbara Taylor and Beverly Taylor Herald
ISBN: 1575666391 $ 22
Nan Tatum enrolls in an online dating service. Having no luck, and noticing her "ordinary" sister, Bert, has no trouble attracting men, Nan passes herself off as Bert online, and hits a bulls-eye with graphic designer Derek Stanhope. But before they meet, Derek is murdered. And when several emails from a Bert Tatum are found, Nan's online ruse becomes a double date with a murder charge.

Sherlock Holmes: The Missing Years
by Norbu, Jamyang
ISBN: 185234132x $ 23.95
Two years after Sherlock Holmes was killed in a last deadly struggle with archcriminial Professor Moriarty, popular demand made Sir Conan Doyle resurrect the great detective. This new mystery by one of Tibet's foremost writers holds the key to a mystery and tells what happened to Holmes during those two missing years.

Iced
by Siler, Jenny
ISBN: 0805064389 $ 24
From the author of the New York Times Notable Book Easy Money comes a riveting suspense novel about a headstrong repo woman in Montana. Only one year out of prison, romantically involved, and working the first legitimate job she's had, Meg finds herself implicated in a dangerous web of infidelity, greed, and murder.