MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA PRESENTS THE BLUE RELIGION NEW STORIES ABOUT COPS, CRIMINALS, AND THE CHASE

Edited by Michael Connelly ABOUT THE BOOK

EDITED BY BLUE RELIGION Published Simultaneously MICHAEL CONNELLY in Hardcover and Trade Paperback! PUBLISHED BY LITTLE, BROWN 384 Pages; $24.99 Hardcover Nineteen original short "Winning," a female stories—including a new officer who is attacked ISBN-10: 0-316-01251-3 contribution by Michael in the line of duty must Connelly—about riveting protect her own hus- ISBN-13: 978-0-316-01251-5 showdowns between cops band from his worst and criminals. impulses. PUBLISHED BY BACK BAY From Hawaii at the turn of In Edward D. Hoch's the twentieth century to "Friday Night Luck," a 384 Pages; $15.99 Paperback the post-Civil War fron- wanna-be cop blows tier, from smoggy Los his chance at a spot on ISBN-10: 0-316-01265-3 Angeles to the woods of the force—and breaks Idaho, these gripping sto- his case. ISBN-13: 978-0316-01265-2 ries trace the perils and In Michael Connelly's occasional triumphs of "Father's Day," Harry lawmen and women who Bosch faces one of his DID YOU KNOW? put themselves in harm's most emotionally try- way to face down the bad ing cases, investigating  Blue Religion was once a working title for Con- guys. Some of them even a young boy's death. walk the edge of becom- Published April 14, 2008 nelly's City of Bones. ing bad guys themselves. This collection fea- tures stories from T.  The first person Con- In T. Jefferson Parker's Jefferson Parker, John Diana Hansen-Young, nelly asked to contrib- ute to the anthology "Skinhead Central," an ex- Harvey, James O. Born, Peter Robinson, Greg was a real cop, James cop and his wife find un- Rucka, Bev Vincent, Paula Woods, Jon L. O. Born. expected menace in the Breen, John Buentello, Paul Guyot, Alafair idyllic setting they have Jack Frederickson, Leslie Burke, and Michael chosen for their retire- Connelly.  Author Alafair Burke Glass, Persia Walker, has also worked in law ment. Edward D. Hoch, Laurie enforcement as a In Alafair Burke's R. King, Polly Nelson, prosecutor.

 Nine contributors were selected by a panel of Where Did the Phrase “Blue Religion” Originate? MWA-affiliated author judges from among In his 2002 bestselling “You’re wrong about me. I have “Bosch went to the homicide more than 200 blind faith and I have a mission. Call table. The squad room was submissions. novel City of Bones, it blue religion, call it whatever completely empty. When a author Michael Con- you like. It’s the belief that this won’t just go by. That those cop went down in the divi-  Coincidentally, one of nelly coined the phrase bones came out of the ground sion everybody responded. It the nine contest win- "blue religion" while for a reason. That they came out was part of keeping the faith ners, Paul Guyot, had meditating upon the of the ground for me to find, and in the blue religion. If it was worked with Connelly for me to do something about. pressures of carrying a you who went down, you’d in 2000 on the TV show And that’s what holds me to- want everybody coming. So “Level 9.” police badge. gether and keeps me going.” you responded in kind.” — Harry Bosch P AGE 2

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Michael Connelly is a former jour- James O. Born is the author of a Jon L. Breen is the author of seven nalist and the series featuring Florida Department novels, most recently Eye of God author of the of Law Enforcement agent Bill (Perseverance Press), and three bestselling Tasker. His newest novel, Field of short-story collections, most re- Harry Bosch Fire, follows the investigations of cently Kill the Umpire: The Calls of series, as well the ATF. His books capture the Ed Gorgon (Crippen & Landru). He as the best- feeling and details of police work won Edgar Awards in the bio- selling novels while following realistic procedure. graphical/critical category for What The Lincoln He is a former U.S. drug agent and About Murder? (1981) and Novel Lawyer, an agent with the Florida Depart- Verdicts (1984) and is a book re- Chasing the ment of Law Enforcement. He has view columnist for Ellery Queen Dime, Void been writing for eighteen years and Mystery Magazine and Mystery Moon, Blood is published by Putnam. Scene. Retired as a librarian and Work, and The Poet. He has won For more about James O. Born, visit professor of English at Rio Hondo numerous awards for his journalism jamesoborn.com. College, he lives in Fountain Val- and fiction, including an Edgar ley, California, with his wife and Award. Visit michaelconnelly.com. first line editor, Rita.

Chicago Sun-Times Bleeds Blue for Anthology

THE BLUE RELIGION winners to recommend it. The sto- investigating the death of a disable- Edited by Michael Connelly ries are all about police officers and dyoung boy. Other stand-out efforts Little, Brown, 384 pages, $24.99 their lives on and off the job. Not come from Paul Guyot, Alafair surprisingly, one of the strongest Burke, Jack Frederickson and Ed- “Bestselling mystery author entries ward D. Hoch. Michael Connelly tries on a is from Con- different hat this month as “Anthologies are always hit- The world of short crime fiction is editor of The Blue Religion, an nelly the strongest it's been in years, and- anthology of short stories and-miss, but this one himself, books like The Blue Religion are a a story sponsored by the Mystery contains enough winners to large part of the reason why.” Writers of America. Antholo- about recommend it.” Harry gies are always hit-and-miss, —David Montgomery but this one contains enough Bosch

ABOUT MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA

Mystery Writers of America is the pre- higher regard for crime writing. mier organization for mystery writers, professionals allied to the crime writing MWA also works to educate writers and field, aspiring crime writers, and those those who aspire to write regarding their who are devoted to the genre. MWA is rights and interests, and to make writers dedicated to promoting higher regard and readers aware of matters which may for crime writing and recognition and affect crime writing through legislation, respect for those who write within the publishing industry practices, judicial genre. We provide scholarships for decisions, or in other ways. Our mem- writers, sponsor MWA:Reads (our bership includes writers of books, short youth literacy program, formerly known stories, plays, and screenplays; publish- as Kids Love A Mystery), sponsor sym- ers, editors, agents, librarians, booksell- posia and conferences, present the Ed- ers, and other in allied fields; aspiring www.mysterywriters.org gar® Awards, and conduct other activi- writers and others devoted to crime ties to further a better appreciation and writing. THE BLUE RELIGION P AGE 3

ABOUT THE AUTHORS (Continued)

John Buentello is a writer who lives in where she teaches criminal law and proce- buted in November 2006. Publishers San Antonio, Texas. He has published dure. She is the author of four novels, Weekly gave it a starred review. He stories in a number of genres, including Dead Connection, Close Case, Missing lives with his wife, Susan, west of Chi- mystery, science fic- Justice, and Judgment cago. Check him out at jackfredrick- tion, fantasy, and hor- Calls. Her fifth novel, son.com. ror. He and his brother Angel’s Tip will be pub- Lawrence have pub- lished by HarperCollins lished the anthology in 2008. She lives in Leslie Glass is a playwright and the Binary Tales and have New York City. Visit her author of fourteen novels, including recently completed the at alafairburke.com. Over His Dead Body, For Love and Money, and nine bestselling novels of novel Reproduction Rights. John has been psychological suspense featuring NYPD married to his wife, About himself, Jack detective April Woo. The founder of the Ann, for sixteen years, Fredrickson admits Leslie Glass Foundation, Glass worked “which makes [me] the little other than that, after in advertising and publishing, was a luckiest man on Earth.” something of successful script writer for a soap opera, and wrote careers in productivity the Intelligencer column for New York consulting and owning and managing an Magazine before turning to fiction full- A former deputy district attorney, interior-design/commercial furnishing time. She now writes a column for Alafair Burke graduated with distinc- firm, he abandoned productive employ- Sarasota Magazine and develops origi- tion from Stanford Law School and is ment to write in dark places. His first nal screenplays with her daughter and now a professor at Hofstra Law School, crime novel, A Safe Place for Dying, de- partner, Lindsey Glass.

Paul Guyot is an award-winning televi- “depressed Mormon Swedish farmers.” she has been writing plays, novels, and sion writer/producer whose credits in- In 1966 she moved to Hawaii, ran for short stories, and tossing them into clude Felicity, Snoops, and the Emmy- State Constitutional Convention in boxes. She dusted off manuscripts that winning drama Judging Amy. He is the 1968, and won a seat by ninety-three she’d never submitted, closed the busi- creator and executive producer of the votes. She went on to run for the Hawaii ness, rented the farm, and moved with police drama Crimes Against Persons State House of Representatives, a post her two daughters to New York City. for A&E. His short stories can be found which she won. After losing a congres- She received an MFA from NYU, in numerous anthologies and online sional race, she started painting little where she met composer Brian Fein- publications. He lives in St. Louis with scenes of Hawaii and selling them. For stein, her collaborator on her thesis his wife and family. Read more about the next twenty-five years, she painted musical, Mimi Le Duck, which pre- him at his website paulguyot.net. Hawaiian women, which grew into a miered off-Broadway in 2006. Am business. But in 1996, after developing member of MWA, she now writes full- Diana Hansen-Young was born in severe arthritis in her right arm and time in New York City. Read more at Bellingham, Washington, in 1947, into hand, she could no longer hold a paint- dianahansenyoung.com. a community of, as she called them, brush. During those twenty-five years,

John Harvey is the author of ten Char- and recipient of (including To Play the Fool, featuring lie Resnick novels, the first of which, its Lifetime Brother Erasmus), and five stand-alone Lonely Hearts, was named by the Times Achievement novels, most recently Touchstone. She (of London) as one of the 100 Best Award. Author has won the Edgar, Creasey, Nero, Crime Novels of the Century. In 2007 of some 950 Macavity, and Lambda awards; her he was awarded the British Crime Writ- stories, he ap- nominations include the Edgar, the ers’ Association Cartier Diamond Dag- peared in every Agatha, the Orange, and the Barry. She ger for sustained excellence in crime issue of Ellery is published in twenty countries. See writing. He lives in London. Queen Magazine laurierking.com. for the past thirty-four years. He passed Edward D. Hoch was a past president away unexpectedly in January of this Polly Nelson is new to mystery writing, of the Mystery Writers of America and year. He is survived by his wife having had her first story published in was a winner of its Edgar Award for Patricia, who lives in Rochester. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine’s Au- best short story. He received the gust 1995 issue, voted by EQ’s readers MWA’s Grand Master Award in 2001. Laurie R. King is the New York Times as among the year’s ten best. The Brit- He was a guest of honor at Bouchercon, bestselling author of the Mary Russell ish Crime Writers’ Association also twice a winner of its Anthony Award, novels, the Kate Martinelli series. selected a story for inclusion in the 2007 Fish anthology. Other stories have He has taught at a number of Toronto He resides in Portland, Oregon with Polly Nelson (continued) been colleges and served as writer in residence at his wife, author Jennifer Van Meter, published online at East of the Web the University of Windsor. His first novel, and his two children. See and Mystery Scene Magazine. In a Gallows View, introduced Detective Chief gregrucka.com for more info. previous professional life, she Inspector Alan Banks. It was short-listed for directed children’s theater and the John Creasey Award in the UK and the Bev Vincent grew up in eastern worked with individuals dealing Crime Writers of Canada best first novel Canada and lived in Switzerland with mental illness. award. It was followed by fourteen more, before moving to Texas in the late

the most recent being Piece of My Heart. 1980s. He is the author of more T. Jefferson Parker is the author The series has garnered many awards. He than forty stories. His first book, of fourteen crime novels and a two- has also written -alone Caedmon’s The Road to , an time winner of the Edgar Award for Song. His books have been translated into authorized exploration of Stephen best mystery. He lives in Southern fifteen languages. He lives in Toronto with King’s Dark Tower series, was California with his wife and sons. his wife. See inspectorbanks.com. nominated for a 2004 Bram Stoker See tjeffersonparker.com. Award. He co-edited The Illustrated

Greg Rucka was born in San Francisco and Trivia Book, wrote Peter Robinson was born in raised on the central coast of California. He reviews for Accent Literary Review, Yorkshire. He earned a BA has an AB in English from Vassar and and is a contributing editor with Honours degree in English literature graduated from the University of Southern Cemetery Dance magazine. He is a at the University of Leeds and later California’s master of professional writing monthly contributor to Storytellers went to Canada to get an MA in program. He is the author of nearly a dozen Unplugged. Visit bevvincent.com English and creative writing at the novels, five featuring bodyguard Atticus to read more about him. University of Windsor, and then a Kodiak and two featuring Tara Chance, the PhD in English at York University. protagonist of his Queen & Country series.

Persia Walker, a New York City native, is the author of Darkness and the Devil Behind Me and The Blue Religion: New Stories About Cops, Criminals, and the Chase Harlem Redux, Edited by Michael Connelly. mysteries set against the Little, Brown, $24.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-316-01251-5 glittering backdrop of 1920s New BYLINE: Staff York. A former journalist, she has

worked for the Associated Press and SECTION: REVIEWS; Fiction; Pg. 48 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Munich. She has degrees from both Columbia University’s Graduate Mystery Writers of America presents a high-quality anthology of 19 School of Journalism and original stories that explore a wide range of police experiences, from Swarthmore College. See more at newcomer Polly Nelson's superb tale set in 1864 Kansas, "Burying persiawalker.com. Mr. Henry," to editor Connelly's powerful and grim Harry Bosch in-

Paula Woods is the author of vestigation into a young disabled boy's death, "Father's Day." The four critically acclaimed sordid mean streets, depicted in Persia Walker's "Such a Lucky, Charlotte Justice novels. In Pretty Girl," are nicely balanced with the lighter touches of Jon addition to writing the series Breen's "Serial Killer," a darkly comic tale in which two police de- featuring LAPD Homicide tectives recount one of their cases to a community college writing detective Charlotte Justice, class. TV writer Paul Guyot contributes one of the volume's strongest Woods is also a frequent book selections, "What a Wonderful World," about a cop's obsessive reviewer for the Los Angeles search for the killer of a hot dog vendor. This is one of those rare Times. Read more about her at themed anthologies that can be enjoyed at one sitting. (Apr.) woodsontheweb.com.