THE Missing Clue 163 LILAC STREET, WINNIPEG, MANITOBA R3M 2S1 PH: (204) 284-9100 DECEMBER FAX (204) 453-5351 December 1st to 23rd, Monday to Saturday: 10 am to 8 pm EMAIL: [email protected] December 27th to 29th, Thursday to Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm WEBSITE: http://www.whodunitbookstore.com December 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th: Sunday: 12 pm to 5 pm WEBSTORE: www.bookmanager.com/117455X Christmas Eve: 8 am to 4 pm, New Year’s Eve: 10 am to 3 pm CLOSED: th JANUARY Tuesday, December 25 – Christmas Day th Monday to Wednesday, Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm Wednesday, December 26 – Boxing Day st Thursday and Friday 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday: 12 pm to 5 pm Tuesday, January 1 – New Year’s Day JACK’S PICK Upcoming Events Lethal White by Robert Galbraith, HC $38 Coffee/Tea with C.C. (Benison) Lethal White is the fourth novel in the Local favourite C.C. Benison aka Doug Whiteway ‘Cormoran Strike' series written by Robert will be hosting a come and go tea event with us Galbraith, aka J.K. Rowling. I have thoroughly on Thursday, December 20th, starting at 11:00 enjoyed this series. I knew that it was a winner am. We invite you to come and join us and Doug when I read the first book The Cuckoo’s Calling, to talk about his new book, Paul is Dead, his old when no one knew that Robert Galbraith was a books, or anything else that tickles your fancy. nom-de-plume, for J.K. Rowling. I must admit to Refreshments will be served. Limited Seating. a few initial misgivings about Lethal White as the beginning of the book seemed a little heavy Special Orders on romance, including a long sub plot involving Some of you will have already received the free Strike’s failed romantic relationships. However, copy of the Penguin-Random House gift guide as the book went on it returned to form. I really we are distributing this season. We are, as enjoyed all the details that were added to always, happy to order books on any topic for enhance the four interlocking storylines that those on your list who are not necessarily fans make up this novel. Galbraith is a good enough of what we normally stock. However, it is writer that I really cared what was happening in important to note that Monday, the 10th of all the storylines, all of which offered December is the last day that we can take pre- considerable scope for detail which the author Christmas orders and safely expect them to took advantage of. Also the author handled with arrive. We do not expect that our receiving of panache the flicking between the different books will be affected by the mail disruption. storylines. A compelling and enjoyable read. However, weather IS always a factor at this time of year. WENDY’S PICK In a Cottage in a Wood by Cass Green, TP th Bumsted Picks of 2018 $21.99, (coming in mass market January 29 , $12.99) This is year NINE of our family sitting down and Cass Green is a British writer whose first book, picking our very favourite book of the year. How The Woman Next Door, was originally published many sound good to you? as an e-book. It quickly became a number 1 best seller. In a Cottage in a Wood is her second novel. Although not a fan of ‘grip lit’ or December 2018 1 WHODUNIT? ‘domestic noir’ as it is now often called, I really Joe Ide's book for my book of the year, Sherlock enjoyed this book. I liked the settings, London Holmes pastiche would not have been either. and Cornwall and I found the characters This year however, despite truly enjoying a generally likeable and believable. The plot number of novels that would have fit more into moved along at a good pace. It was everything a my choices of the past, it was HB Lyle's debut good mystery should be, engaging and not too spy novel The Irregular that has created made long. me consider both the period and the Holmesian oeuvre as a whole. Lyle's protagonist, Wiggins is, SIAN’S PICK one of the orphans trained by the Great The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas, TP $20 Detective to be his Baker St Irregulars. Now an When it comes time every year for me to pick adult, and with the Empire facing new my favourite book, I scroll my Goodreads challenges, Wiggins is encouraged by Holmes to records for books I’ve rated five stars. This year I work for Vernon Kell's new 'Secret' Service: the rated 16 books with five stars: 11 romance first non-gentleman agent to become a novels, three mysteries, one fantasy, and one member. non-fiction. Of the three mysteries, the first was Laurie R. King’s Island of the Mad and the Well grounded in the history of London and second was Vivian Shaw’s Dreadful Company. I (England) in the build-up to World War One, and adored both books, but I picked Vivian Shaw last framed within the canon of Sherlock, it is year (and certain persons who shall remain nonetheless a refreshing and finely crafted nameless don’t like it when I do that). Island of narrative with a refreshing villian and twist. Any the Mad was a strong contender, until I read fans of historical fiction would do well to pick Sherry Thomas’ The Hollow of Fear in October. this up, as would anyone with an interest in the development of modern spycraft, or just new It is an extraordinary book. Despite being set stories with Holmes in mind. in Victorian England it manages to address modern issues like gender equality in a way PENELOPE’S PICK appropriate to the setting. Romance is featured Maisy Goes to the Local Bookstore by Lucy but emphatically not the only element that Cousins, softcover $9.50 drives the story. And I did not see the ending At 19-months, Penelope has a good number of coming at all. This is an excellent mystery, a words, but is as yet unable to answer questions heart-tugging romance, but above all a story like “what was your favorite book of the year?” about the choices that women are forced to So I will have to allow her actions to speak make in order to preserve their livelihoods and louder than her words. We read Maisy Goes to their sanity. Look, you absolutely must read the the Local Bookstore at least three times a day. first two books (A Study in Scarlet Women and A Penelope never tires of it. We have owned it for Conspiracy in Belgravia) to enjoy this one, but I less than a year and it is already taped together am so jealous because that means you get to on most pages from love and use. And we hope read the three in quick succession and I could that you’ll bring your little ones to our local not think of a better way to read my way bookstore to visit us over the holidays! through the holidays. LAURA’S PICK MICHAEL’S PICK In Valhalla’s Shadows by W.D. Valgardson, HC, The Irregular by HB Lyle, TP $20.49 $32.95 The early twentieth century is not normally a Although I only had half a year of working at the setting that I am drawn to. Until I had chosen shop to judge from, my Book of the Year 2018 is WHODUNIT? 2 December 2018 W.D Valgardson's In Valhalla's Shadows. Valgardson paints a gritty and immersive 1. C.C. Benison, Paul is Dead, TP $19.95 portrait of rural Manitoba from the perspective 2. Ian Rankin, In A House of Lies, HC $34.99 of an outsider in a tight-knit community on the 3. Peter Robinson, Careless Love, HC $29.95 shores of Lake Winnipeg. Valgardson's own 4. Craig Smith, The Wonky Donkey, $9.99 experience growing up in Gimli is evident in his 5. Anne Cleaves, Wild Fire, TP $25.99 sense of place and his portrayal of the local 6. Robert Galbraith, Lethal White, HC $38 community. His protagonist, Tom Parsons, is an 7. Vicki Delany, The Cat of the Baskervilles, TP ex-RCMP officer and recent divorcee, and has $23.95 uprooted his life to find solace in the tiny 8. Peter Robinson, Sleeping in the Ground, TP $21 lakeside community of Valhalla. Unfortunately, 9. Rhys Bowen, The Ghost of Christmas Past, TP his discovery of the body of an indigenous $22.50 teenage girl sets off a string of events in the 10. Kate Carlisle, A Wrench in the Works, MM town, after Tom refuses to see her death as an $10.99 accident. He discovers the criminal underbelly of 11. C.J. Sansom, Tombland, HC $39.95 what may be seen by outsiders as an idyllic 12. Anne Perry, A Christmas Revelation, HC $27 town. Valgardson sprinkles Viking legend 13. Susanna Gregory, The Habit of Murder, TP throughout the book, making allusions in the $15.99 place name, Valhalla; casting Tom Parson as the 14. Felix Francis, Crisis, TP $22 Norse god, Odin; his love interest named Freyja, 15. Kate Ellis, The Mechanical Devil, TP $15.99 reminiscent of the Norse goddess of the same 16. Reed Farrel Coleman, Robert B Parker’s The name; and three fortune-telling sisters, as the Hangman’s Sonnet, MM $12.99 Norns (the fates).