Now I Know Where Kinsey GETS It | Marcia Muller Pushes Through! PART ONE

I would not have believed it until seen.  Actually, that’s not the case.  I believed it!  Intrigued it!  Embraced it!  Ran with it on my Amazon wishlist for about two and a half years (pitiful of me).  Put it on my Kindle for over a year (double pitiful of me).  And just this  past February finally received it!  You’re probably wondering what in the world am I talking about.  So let me just get to the point: I finally read the first book in Marcia Muller’s Sharon McCone hard-boiled private-eye series, Edwin of the Iron Shoes.  I know.  I know.  Big deal, right?  Well for me–a female-controlled crime fiction junkie–it most certainly is a big deal!  Though I'm awfully late about it...

Most of you guys know I LIVE for Sue Grafton’s California private-eye, Kinsey Millhone.  ("LIVE" is an extreme, extreme understatement).  And you’re also familiar with my apathetic, strange off/on relationship with Sara Paretsky tough ‘n’ tumble Chicago-based woman of the same profession, V. I. Warshawski.  But here’s the thing.  The ticket.  The point of this erratic and fervent post–beginning with a little history lesson. 

In the early 80’s, Grafton and Paretsky transformed the voice of crime fiction.  Through, respectively, their characters Millhone and Warshawski; the authors released the female private-eye alone into the playgrounds of her male counterparts.  And their leading ladies came in just as hard-hitting, proficient, and uncompromising as the male investigators.  But, thankfully, their characteristics weren’t channeled through the virility associated with men.  

Millhone and Warshawski utilized a certain degree of wiles, ingenuity, and vocal consensus to turn a given case in her favor.  Though also dogged at times for answers, they would see cases to the end with just as much profession and dedication as men.  Yet, when push came to shove, they were sometimes afraid to shove back.  They had concerns about the use of violence, as it was first considered a defense and hardly a course of action.  So as level-headed and determined as they could be, force and violence always seemed a final recourse.  Neither were always necessary in the end–as the ladies were likely to have already outsmarted a criminal.  Nevertheless, what I described is precisely why I love the female detective.  She’s afforded an unassuming element that serves as a lethal surprise that never gets old when it's called upon.  Basically, I love a calculating bad-ass woman.

So the opportunities for the lone female private-eye to take stage arrived from Marcia Muller’s 1977 influential debut, Edwin of the Iron Shoes.  It's here Muller introduced the world to private detective Sharon McCone.  McCone was the first unshackled female detective to toss conventions previous held by women in her profession.  She wasn't a side-kick to the male private-eye.  She didn't use anything other than her brains and interrogating acrobatics to mine for information.  She had a voice–a retort–for societal affairs.  She had a heart, though took the zero nonsense approach.  She was brave.  She also meant business, needed to get paid with as little moral compromising, and was well-adjusted to standing alone.  And, well, she had a gun in her purse just in case.  You know, for those occasions she just may have to shoot somebody in the face for her own protection.  

So Muller opened the doors to this new field of detective fiction.  (I'll get into P. D. James' same decade debut of Cordelia Grey at another date.)  She employed a modern, realistic, and liberated woman to traverse the minefields of deception and murder.  All of which beamed on me as I finally read McCone’s first case.  

After the last page, I understood where Kinsey and Warshawski got her voice.  And Muller reminded me–so clearly–why it is that I love this genre when led by women.  Seriously, I highlighted a bucket of passages as I read the book.  Passages that screamed to me, “Kinsey would do/say this.”  Or, “This sounds like an argument Warshawski would find herself in.”  The revelation was too plain not to acknowledge and recognize.

So yes.  I’ve finally gotten down to the root of the modern, free-sprinting, hard-boiled female detective.  And clearly, I'm dedicated to moving forward with Muller and McCone.  I have a long way to go to catch up but, as of now, I’ve found myself a new place to find radiance for my passions.

Part of me wants to review the book, but the other half of me simply wants to share some of those passages I mentioned.  Only because they excited me, and I'm not to hard to please when I've found something special.  But just to be clear, I loved Edwin of the Iron Shoes once I got over having to read it on the Kindle (not good with e-readers).  It was watery in some areas.  Yet, McCone's voice was solid.  But what the hell can I say?  There's a certain respect and credit due to Muller's first book.  To me, that's good enough.

PART TWO/QUOTES of "Now I Know Where Kinsey GETS It"

Kwan's Rich Girlfriend

"Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, is back with a wickedly funny new novel of social climbing, secret e-mails, art-world scandal, lovesick billionaires, and the outrageous story of what happens when Rachel Chu, engaged to marry Asia’s most eligible bachelor, discovers her birthfather.

On the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress she loves more than anything found in the salons of Paris, and a fiancé willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won’t be able to walk her down the aisle. Until: a shocking revelation draws Rachel into a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. Here we meet Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for Prince Harry-like antics; Colette, a celebrity girlfriend chased by fevered paparazzi; and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet: her father. Meanwhile, Singapore’s It Girl, Astrid Leong, is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly minted tech billionaire husband. A romp through Asia’s most exclusive clubs, auction houses, and estates, China Rich Girlfriend brings us into the elite circles of Mainland China, introducing a captivating cast of characters, and offering an inside glimpse at what it’s like to be gloriously, crazily, China-rich."

~ China Rich Girlfriend from Goodreads

Hear me out, folks.  On everything I love, I wish I had more to say about Kevin Kwan’s China Rich Girlfriend.  I really, really do.  However, I don’t.  Or at least have much to expound on about my minuscule disappointment with the book.  A disappointment brewed by the contrived connectivity with each of his characters’ story threads.  Including threads developed completely from the core cast (Nick and Rachel).  So it's kind of strange when I think about how much I loved his previous book, Crazy Rich Asian.  I guess I assumed too much going into his second book.

Nevertheless, after reading China Rich Girlfriend in January, I couldn't find the right words on how I felt about the book.  Good or bad!  So months later, my resounding complaint is still that contrived connectivity issue.  It's like a wall I can't climb.  It's all I think when I recall my experience.  Which has lead me to this late post.

The Brotherhood of J. D. Robb

(Disclaimer: This post may be meant for readers of the series.)

All right!  Let’s get into this one.  J. D. Robb’s In Death #42, Brotherhood in Death.  The book where we finally get into Dennis Mira's story–including more “cuddle” talk about him.  Which, to be frank, is annoying sometimes.  We get it.  Dennis Mira is a dreamy, gentle-hearted and harmless man of a certain age who wouldn’t hurt a fly.  Now with that said.  I do like how–after all these years–Robb gave us a book unwrapping pieces of his character's past.

But before I get into all that, let’s set the book up.

Like any J. D. Robb book, the premise is pretty simple.  In Brotherhood’s case, Dennis and his cousin, Edward, were meeting a real estate agent.  It's time to address and settle an agreement on their late grandfather’s West Village brownstone.  Having grew up in the home, Dennis wants to keep it.  Yet Edward is ready to sell–with his former position as a powerful senator apart of the negotiations.  This leaves Dennis preparing a defense.  

Edward is calculating and tactful, and it’s those characteristics that left him dead in the brownstone.  It may seem random, but the truth is Edward's past came back to snuff him out.  Unfortunate for Dennis, he discovers the body upon entering the brownstone.  And is swiftly hit over the head by Edward's killer, only to awake with the body of his cousin missing.  Lucky for him, in his back pocket resides New York homicide Lieutenant, Eve Dallas. 

Sweeping the brownstone leaves little forensic clues for Dallas and her team.  Yet, that’s where her billionaire husband Roarke comes in handy.  Though through an illegal search, Dallas uncovers some interesting details around Edward’s life.  Particularly around his years at Yale University.  A time where he formed a pact–a Brotherhood–with a string of other recently missing or murdered powerful men around New York.  Of course, this leaves Eve Dallas and her team to draw the connections.

Someone–or many–are knocking these men out one by one.  And leaving Dallas to clean up the mess.  Yet, what she discovers asks who are the true victims in this case?  Corrupt men like Edward Mira?  Or the vengeful souls plucking him and his Brotherhood down, spurred by vigilance?  Or is it justice?

And that’s how Brotherhood in Death is set up.  Now turn away if you haven’t read the book because I’m about to spoil the hell out of it.  It’s a blog post, not the New York Times review.  So those who’ve read or don’t care, let’s talk about Brotherhood in Death.  I only made this choice because writing my thoughts out were just too damn vague.  So I had to lay it all out to make sense.  It’s sort of like trying to ignore the elephant in the room.

!...SPOILER WARNING...!

GUEST POST: No Rest for the Wicked by Dane Cobain

Booktrope Publishing Presents

No Rest for the Wicked by Dane Cobain

Title: No Rest for the Wicked

Author: Dane Cobain

Genre: Supernatural Thriller

Length: 127

Release Date: May 22, 2015

ISBN: 978-1620159026
Imprint: Forsaken

Synopsis: Father Montgomery, an elderly priest with a secret past, begins an investigation after his parishioners come under attack by Angels.  And with the help of Robert Jones, a young businessman with an estranged child, Montgomery begins to track down the origin of the Angels.  Naked and androgynous, the Angels speak in a dreadful harmony with no clear leader.  They aren't biblical cherubs, tasked with protecting the righteous person.  Instead, these are deadly creatures of light with the power to eradicate the living.  When Jones himself is attacked, Father Montgomery knows he has to act fast. He speaks to the Angels and organizes a final showdown where he’s asked to make the ultimate sacrifice.

A Brief History of No Rest for the Wicked

Hi, folks! My name’s Dane, and I’m the author of the supernatural thriller, No Rest for the Wicked. Today I’m stopping by to tell you a little bit more about my book–big thanks to Troi for having me here! Let’s get started.

No Rest for the Wicked grew out of a nightmare I had during my first year of university. I woke up in the middle of the night, climbed out of bed, and started to make notes about its key elements; the Angels, characters, and the fact that beings of light were wreaking havoc on the nation and the world.

A couple of months later, I revisited my notes and fleshed them out in more detail.  Adding details for each of the chapters and planning out the timeline. In each chapter I allotted a short paragraph of basic notes about what needed to happen.  I also worked on a short list of character bios.

Once that was in place, I was able to start writing the book.  It's the bit most people think of when they think of what a writer does. It’s also one of the most fun parts.  In the case of No Rest for the Wicked, it took me about three months to finish the first draft.

After that, I had to work on my edits.  I usually make two passes over my work, so I can give it a conceptual edit and then a copy edit. The difference between the two is a conceptual edit focuses on the actual story line.  Whilst a copy edit just ensures the spelling and grammar are correct. Both are necessary, to put out a good book.

And then, I left the book on the shelf for a while. I did actually get a limited run of copies printed for friends and family.  But it wasn’t released properly for another five years, when it was picked up by Booktrope Publishing’s Forsaken imprint. That’s another story entirely.  The short version is I reviewed some of Booktrope’s releases on my book blog.  So when I submitted No Rest for the Wicked for publication, they were already aware of me.

But the hard work didn’t end there.  Once accepted for publication, there was still a long road ahead of me. First the book had to be edited, which involved multiple rounds of amends by both myself and my editor, Laura Bartha. Then, it went through a couple of rounds of proofreading with Jennifer Farwell.

While all this was going on, I was working on getting the cover design just right with my designer, Ashley Ruggirello. Ashley did a great job, and really rounded things off.  Once the final round of proofing was out of the way, the layout team started building the actual book.  Before providing Ashley with the final dimensions of the book so she could finalize the covers.

Even then, the hard work wasn't over.  Once all that’s sorted, you need to fill out a form called a publication fact sheet.  This sheet provides all the information that retailers need to list the book. Fill that out and then it’s just a waiting game – you need to give it a week or so before the book’s finally online and for sale.

After that I had to start thinking about marketing, which involved an online and offline party; as well as a video teaser, a quiz, and some other promotional material. I could write a whole blog post just about that, but I’m not going to – unless you ask me nicely.

So there you have it – that’s a brief history of No Rest for the Wicked. Thanks a lot for reading, and be sure to check out No Rest for the Wicked on Amazon if you want to find out more. I’m also around on Facebook and Twitter! I’ll see you soon.

Author Information & Links

Dane Cobain is a writer, poet, and musician from a place you've probably never heard of somewhere in England. 

When he's not writing books, he's reading and reviewing them on his book blog–SocialBookshelves.com.  Or working at his day job in social media marketing. 

Find him at Facebook.com/DaneCobainMusic or follow @DaneCobain on Twitter.

#MarchMysteryMadness | Challenge #8: The Not-So Kid-Gloves Sleuth

March may be over, but not #MarchMysteryMadness.  I mean, if it still applies.  Anyway, I’m two challenges from completion, and with full intentions on finishing one more book.  Even if I have to spill over into April.  (Not much of a reading difference, though.  Considering I’m tackling my favorite genre in April as well.)  Which is why I’m moving forward with the final challenge.  

It's Challenge #8: The Not-So Kid-Gloves Sleuth.  This challenge aims for a classic mystery straight out of just about everyone’s childhood.  I chose Nancy Drew; arriving with the first book in her series, The Secret of the Old Clock.  I’ve had run-ins with Drew, mainly back in middle school.  I fulfilled several English projects on her books in 7th grade.  So it’s nice to go back and reacquaint myself with this classic, 1930’s iconic sleuth. 

Mystery Madness
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Sisters Doing It For Themselves | The Female Mystery Lead Haul

Remember that Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin song “Sisters Are Doin’ it for Themselves”?  Good if you do.  Because I believe it's a suitable theme song for my recent book haul.  A haul where I unintentionally visited three different bookstores in an afternoon, led mostly by divine inspiration.  I know how "divine inspiration" sounds.  But what else describes visiting one bookstore and–in passing–somehow three-point turn your way to stop by another?  Just because it was there to catch your eye.  In lunch hour traffic.  Imagine.  So while everyone else was lined up at Chick-Fil-A's drive-thru, some of us were chewing on organic brownie bars and throwing down at the local bookstores.  It had to be done. 

So I attribute the song to this collection of recent purchases–because they’re mysteries carried by women leads.  You know, just about the only gender class in mysteries I raise up to read about.  I mean, a time or two I’ll give the guys a chance.  It’s just male characters in this genre seem so outmoded.  Or, for the sake of sounding redundant, passé.  In the future I may have to eat my words.  Still, unless the male character is gay, I’m less likely to find genuine interest in his story.  And, subsequently, the investigation.  And true there are self-published Kindle books nowadays with a gay male solving crime.  I just need to do a little more research to find good ones.  You know, because the book still has to tell a great story at the end of the day.  But on the general tip: I need a good, kick-ass female to pull me through a mystery.

So with the chatter bucket out of the way, I’m here to share four new crime novels centered on the female sleuth.  As well as a lot of deserts in Arizona...

Firestorm by Nevada Barr (Anna Pigeon #4)

First there's Firestorm, book #4 in Nevada Barr's park ranger extraordinaire Anna Pigeon series.  This is one of those books–after reading book three–I legworked used bookstores for months to find.  Not until I went over the mountains to a Barnes & Noble did a copy surface (I finally found a used copy later the same day.  The irony.).  

Nevertheless, my experience with Anna Pigeon’s debut, Track of the Cat, was everything.  Here was this flawed, borderline alcoholic who remade her life after losing her husband in a freak accident.  So in a stretch of parallels, she took herself out of the concrete jungles of New York and into Texas back country as a park ranger.  However, the Texas back country is only her first locale.  In proceeding books, Anna's new career takes her to a variety of other National Parks.  So her surroundings are always fresh to her and the reader.  As well as the murders she finds herself wrapped up in.  After the first book, Barr's blend of National Park studies and murder ticketed me for Anna's line of adventures without further convincing.

Unfortunately, the following two books, Superior Death and Ill Wind, sold me lukewarm feelings.  I was still grinding on the Anna train; I just wasn’t there completely after those reads.  Regardless, I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to this series, and have since kept an eye out for Firestorm.

In Firestorm, Anna's stationed at the California Lassen Volcanic National Park.  Sounds pretty cool, right?  Until a forest fire erupts, leaving Anna to confront it.  

Within the blazing chaos, two men are found dead.  One a victim of the fire.  The other stabbed in the back.  The kicker: a winter storm is descending on the park, leaving the remaining ten forest fire survivors stranded.  That’s Anna, eight other people, and one killer in the mix.  Anna’ll have his (or her) ass for sure.  And I must say, I feel like Firestorm will breath another life into the series.  One in which I have no intentions of giving up until I see Anna through to the end, anyway.  Her story and adventures are too unique to pass up.

#MarchMysteryMadness | Challenge #7: The Baggage Claims

2015 saw no indulgence in the late Elizabeth Peters' infamous Amelia Peabody Egypt-romping mysteries.  A mild disappointment for an even better savory return.  You see, I was a little disheartened when I wrapped up Peters’ Jacqueline Kirby series last year (Naked No More post).  And I unsuccessfully turned over three bookstores for the first book in Peters' Vicky Bliss series–to fill Kirby's void.  And yet I’ve–for whatever reason–neglected Amelia Peabody all the while.  That's kind of bad when it was her character who got me into Peters' writing in the first place.  

If I confused someone, Peters wrote three individual series with three different female protagonists.  And each with an equally independent background.  And it’s the background these women peruse to solve their given mysteries.

Ex-librarian, Jacqueline Kirby, chain-smokes while delivering "innocent" snarks.  Yet, she has an observational majesty like no other.  Sometimes, I believe she knew the given culprit before the first page of her four adventures.

Vicky Bliss–from my researched understanding–is an eccentric blond who often isn’t taken seriously.  Until one takes into account her doctorate; she’s an art historian.  (I have yet to experience her character and how she performs in a mystery.  INSERT SAD FACE HERE.)

Then there’s Amelia Peabody, Peters’ most popular lead and long-standing series star.  Coming from an esteemed and wealthy Victorian family, Peabody is the sole heir to her deceased father’s fortune.  She uses her inheritance to flip between the high falutin Victorian life and hollow Egyptian tombs.  Her passions lie in Egyptology, and she's the first to let the reader know all about her study.

So what do these three women of Peters’ have in common?  I mean, besides intelligence and the self-appointed credence to attach themselves to solving murders?  What makes a reader craze each of their individual stories?  

It’s their dry wit and humor, wrapped in murders and history.  But let's picture "dry wit" so I can give an idea of what anyone new to Peters' work could look forward to.  So, you ever criticize someone and have that individual laugh at the criticism because it goes far above his or her head to recognize the verbal stab?  That's one display of dry wit.  Or have you ever slashed someone with sarcasm which slipped out as if it was a joke?  Only... you weren't really joking.  That's another.  Or, to just get down to the nitty-gritty, do you THROW SHADE without flinching?

Now granted–as I said–I haven’t read any of the Vicky Bliss mysteries.  However, I know Elizabeth Peters and I know why I love reading her books.  It’s because she writes these type of women characters; witty, strong-willed, hyper-intelligent, and courageous.

And that’s what I miss.  So I'm taking Challenge #7 to get back into Peabody’s humorous adventures.  Picking up where I left off with the third book in her series, The Mummy Case.

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