“where a good crime C r i m e can be had by all” c h r o n i c l e Issue #228 January 2005 2004 THE YEAR IN REVIEW It has been a wonderful year for crime fiction, dominated undoubtedly by the Dan Brown phenomenon. I can’t think of another author whose extraordinary success with one novel has led to all his earlier titles moving on to the bestseller lists and remaining there for most of the year. Only Angels and Demons was at all similar to The Da Vinci Code in that it had the same main character and involved conspiracy and the Vatican. Of course, not only has he had success with his own books, but he has started a whole industry of books explaining, debunking, decoding, etc the Da Vinci Code and no doubt tours to the various sites mentioned in the book. It will be interesting to see what he comes up with next. Historical crime is again dominated by Elizabeth Peters with her Amelia Peabody mysteries (there are 16 in the series), now with Lindsey Davis not far behind. Australian crime saw (in our shop, at least) the bestselling list dominated by Kerry Greenwood with six of her titles in our Top 10. Non-fiction saw Helen Garner’s Joe Cinque’s Consolation way out in front, followed by Peter Rees’ Ned Kelly Award-winning Killing Juanita. Elizabeth Peters also made this list, but it was dominated by Australian titles. Our Top 10 lists are: MODERN CRIME HISTORICAL CRIME 1. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (Pb 19.95) 1. Children of the Storm 2. Rule of Four by Elizabeth Peters (Pb 21.95) by Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason (Tp 29.95) 2. Scandal Takes a Holiday 3. No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (Ramotswe 1) by Lindsey Davis (Tp 32.95) by Alexander McCall Smith (Pb 22.95) 3. Badger's Moon by Peter Tremayne (Pb 18.95) 4. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (Pb 19.95) 4. Accusers by Lindsey Davis (Pb 21.95) 5. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown (Pb 19.95) 5. Templar's Penance by Michael Jecks (Pb 18.95) 6. Tears of the Giraffe (Ramotswe 2) 6. Play of Isaac by Margaret Frazer (Pb 16.95) by Alexander McCall Smith (Pb 22.95) 7. The Mammoth Book of Roman Whodunnits 7. The Cat Who Talked Turkey edited by Mike Ashley (Pb 21.95) by Lilian Jackson Braun (Pb 18.95) 8. Death at Glamis Castle 8. Doctored Evidence by Donna Leon (Tp 32.95) by Robin Paige (Pb 16.95) 9. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies 9. Death at St James' Palace (Ramotswe 6) by Deryn Lake (Pb 19.95) by Alexander McCall Smith (Hb 29.95) 10. Guardian of the Horizon 10.Deception Point by Dan Brown (Pb 19.95) by Elizabeth Peters (Hb 44.95) AUSTRALIAN CRIME CRIME NON-FFICTION 1. Queen of the Flowers 1. Joe Cinque's Consolation by Kerry Greenwood (Pb 19.95) by Helen Garner (Tp 30.00) 2. Earthly Delights by Kerry Greenwood (Pb 19.95) 2. Killing Juanita by Peter Rees (Tp 29.95) 3. Phryne Fisher Omnibus V1 3. Amelia Peabody's Egypt by Kerry Greenwood (Pb 22.95) by Elizabeth Peters (Hb 59.95) 4. Coast Road by Peter Corris (Pb 19.95) 4. Bristow: Last of the Hard Men 5. Ruddy Gore by Kerry Greenwood (Pb 19.95) by Kevin Perkins (Pb 24.95) 6. Raisins and Almonds 5. Marching Powder by Rusty Young (Tp 30.00) by Kerry Greenwood (Pb 19.95) 6. Gatton Murders by Stephanie Bennett (Tp 30.00) 7. Ambulance Chaser 7. Pointing from the Grave by Richard Beasley (Tp 30.00) by Samantha Weinberg (Pb 22.95) 8. Degrees of Connection by Jon Cleary (Pb 18.95) 8. Cosa Nostra by John Dickie (Pb 27.95) 9. No Trace by Barry Maitland (Tp 29.95) 9. Forensic Casebook by N E Genge (Tp 39.95) 10.Murder in Montparnasse 10. All Things Bright and Beautiful by Kerry Greenwood (Pb 19.95) by Susan Mitchell (Tp 30.00) -Peter AUSTRALIA DAY WED 26 JAN WE ARE OPEN 10AM - 5PM 2 Modern Crime Michael ASHER Patti BERG Sandstorm 307pp Pb 18.95 I’m No Angel 372pp Pb 14.95 Paul ADAM Morocco, 1943: 14-year-old Billy Easily Palm Beach’s sexiest Sleeper 320pp Tp 29.95 Sterling regains consciousness alone in private investigator, Angel Devlin wears the desert. Beside him is the wreckage of Jimmy Choo shoes and always gets her Rainaldi was a violin-maker and a light aircraft and the pilot’s corpse. He man; bad boy millionaire Tom Donovan when he was discovered does not see the human eyes, watching is at the top of her Most Wanted list. slumped over his workbench, him from a distance. London, 1950: Instinct tells her that drop-dead-gorgeous murdered with one of his own chisels, George Bridger Sterling is still Tom has something wicked up his sleeve. both the police and his friends are at a experiencing profound anguish over the She is the first to admit she is no angel, loss to discover a motive. Then it comes to disappearance of his son, who has not but that does not stop Tom from falling light that Rainaldi had believed he was on been seen for seven years. His terrible head over heels in love with the the track of an infamous Stradivarius - feeling of guilt allows him to persist in the mischievous blonde. (American) twin to the one housed in the Asmolean belief Billy is still alive. Then George is Museum and subject to 200 years of myth Ingrid BLACK contacted by a mysterious stranger, who and rumour. With nothing else to go on, The Dark Eye 302pp Pb 18.95 claims to be the co-pilot of the crashed his two close friends pick up the search, A Saxon novel #2. A hit man is on the plane. He has information that could lead plunging headlong into loose, targeting men, seemingly at to Billy - for a price! (British) a world where great random, all over Dublin. Each time the musical instruments Mike ASHLEY (editor) victim is killed by a single shot, always change hands for The Mammoth Book of Roaring from a different gun. When former FBI millions, where forgery Twenties Whodunnits agent Saxon is drawn into the is an art form and 533pp Pb 24.95 investigation she believes that the fourth where murder is often a Ashley’s brilliant new collection of victim, a photographer called Felix, holds dealer’s chosen method whodunits presents stories that reflect all the key to the killer’s identity. As DCS of negotiation. (British) the excitement, escapism and eccentricity Grace Fitzgerald and her team hunt for of the 1920s. The Roaring Twenties, the the hit man, Saxon is urged on by Felix’s Jazz Age, the Age of Wonderful Nonsense sister to delve deeper into his world and KEY - this was the decade when everyone uncovers secrets that someone wants to went a little bit crazy with the euphoria of remain buried... (British) academic getting through the War, but beneath the Nero BLANC banking dazzle and glitter lay a darker side. A Crossworder’s Gift (British) 187pp Tp 29.00 canine detectives Marian BABSON The irrepressible crossword editor Belle Retreat from Murder Graham and her PI partner, Rosco clerical 192pp Hb 45.00 Polycrates, are back in more short stories The quaint village of Brimful Coffers, from the bestselling authors. (American) cosy/malice domestic colonised by a group of mystery writers, Anna BLUNDY is viewed by them to be an ideal retreat Bad News Bible 480pp Pb 18.95 culinary/food from the stresses and harsh realities of the This is #1 in a planned sequence of outside world. But sometimes tragedy novels featuring Faith Zanetti, war fbi can intrude even into paradise. First, a correspondent. Faith is not covering Israel village child is killed; victim of a callous out of some kind of altruism but because feline detectives hit-and-run incident and then two she got posted by the fat drunk who is her visiting authors discover they are both foreign editor. And she loves it. It is hot, it forensic using the same well-known Elizabethan is complicated, there is always some action lady as the heroine of their respective and her friends are there, slouched at the horse racing mystery history-mystery series. The situation bar of Jerusalem’s American Colony Hotel. threatens to end in poisoned pens at medical But when Faith finds the naked corpse of dawn, unless cooler heads prevail. When her best friend Shiv hanging from the one author falls victim to a fatal hit-and- military doorframe, she cannot keep her run, is it accident or murder? (British) journalistic distance any more. (British) native american Colin BATEMAN Dan BROWN Driving Big Davie 377pp Pb 18.95 The Da Vinci Code 466pp Lh 59.95 police procedural For many years, Dan Starkey has been Beautifully produced, this new a journalist of some repute, mainly ill. illustrated large format hardcover allows political/legal Now he is back with his wife Patricia and the reader behind the scenes, while they try for a baby he is aiming to incorporating over psychological keep himself out of trouble. Had he not 150 photos and been caught in a rather awkward position illustrations that show private eye when he received a phone call from Big the rich historical Davie Kincaird and had he not drunk too tapestry from which romantic suspense much in order to cover the awkwardness the author drew his of seeing this friend he hasn’t known for inspiration.