Playing Roulette with Minotaur Books

 

Playing Roulette with Minotaur Books   If you’ve been paying attention to the blog, you’ve already noticed my recent devotion to the writings of David Housewright; especially his long-running series about unlicensed Twin Cities P.I., Rushmore McKenzie. Back in February, 2024, I noticed the library had a shelf full of the McKenzie books in hardcover, which jangled my memory of when the long gone and fabled Leisure Books—fabled at my house, anyway—was reprinting the series in mass market during the second half of the ’00s. A title that had caught my attention back then was the second book in the series, Tin City (2005). I bought it but never read it, lost it in one move or another, and utterly forgot about both the series and Housewright. But this library bookshelf rekindled my interest in the series. So being a studious kind—and never really caring if I start with the first or twentieth title in a series—I studied each book, mostly looking at the blurbs from trades like Publishers Weekly (which I agree with often) and Kirkus (which I agree with less often) and settled on the eleventh book, The Devil May Care (2014), because it had received a starred review from PW. And wow did that book hit every note just right. To say I was hooked is an understatement. After turning the last page, I rushed to the library to retrieve the first book in the series, A Hard Ticket Home (2003), which of course wasn’t in the collection and so I rolled to the second, Tin City. The very same title that had caught my eye nearly two decades earlier.

After racing through a handful of the McKenzie’s, an idea jittered and popped. An idea that went something like this: the library has a bunch of mysteries published by Minotaur Books—the same house that has brought out all twenty-one of the McKenzie books—in the late ’00s and throughout the ’10s; so, I decided, I would concentrate much of my non-mandatory reading to the Minotaur Books sitting on the library’s shelves. And it went well, even though it was kind of like playing roulette with my reading since I often knew nothing about the books or authors before picking them up. Although I’ll admit I took too much advantage of the McKenzie’s since they accounted for eleven of the nineteen Minotaur titles I read. All eight of the authors were new to me and I have every intention of reading more books by at least five of those writers: David Housewright, Sasscer Hill, Brian McGilloway, John Keyse-Walker, and J. D. Rhoades. Due to sheer meanness, I chose not to finish two of the titles: Ranchero, by Rick Gavin (2011), and L’Assassin, by Peter Steiner (2008). As for 2025, I’m thinking of sticking to the game plan for at least the first few months, but after that, who knows? Maybe I’ll schedule my reading around Golden Books or maybe Harlequin’s NASCAR romance series or…. Here’s the rundown of the Minotaur Books I checked out from the library and read in 2024 (click the titles for the review, if I wrote one):

February The Devil May Care, by David Housewright (2014) – McKenzie #11 Tin City, by David Housewright (2005) – McKenzie #2

March Pretty Girl Gone, by David Housewright (2006) – McKenzie #3 Madman on a Drum, by David Housewright (2008) – McKenzie #5 The Taking of Libbie, SD, by David Housewright (2010) – McKenzie #7

April Flamingo Road, by Sasscer Hill (2017) – Fia McKee #1 Bleed a River Deep, by Brian McGilloway (2010) – Ben Devlin #3

May Man in the Water, by David Housewright (2024) – McKenzie #21 The Territory, by Tricia Fields (2011) – Josie Gray #1

June Highway 61, by David Housewright - 2011 – McKenzie #8 Ranchero, by Rick Gavin (2011) – Nick Reid #1

July Curse of the Jade Lady, by David Housewright (2012) – McKenzie #9

September The Last Kind Word, by David Housewright (2013) – McKenzie #10

November The Dark Side of Town, by Sasscer Hill (2018) – Fia McKee #2 Unidentified Woman #15, David Housewright (2015) – McKenzie #12

December Sun, Sand, Murder, by John Keyse-Walker (2016) – Teddy Creque #1 Breaking Cover, by J. D. Rhoades (2008) – Tony Wolf Stealing the Countess, by David Housewright (2016) – McKenzie #13 L’Assassin, by Peter Steiner (2008)

Trivia – My short story, “Asia Divine,” appeared in the same anthology, Bullets and Other Hurting Things (2021), as David Housewright’s tale, “Best Man.” A connection I didn’t realize I had with McKenzie’s creator until a few months ago. “Asia Divine” is available in my collection, Casinos, Motels, Gators (2024).

My Favorite Mystery Books Read (But Not Published) in 2024

My Favorite Mystery Books Read (But Not Published) in 2024   I debated about doing a second best of the year post featuring mystery books I read in 2024, but were published in a prior year. I mulled it over, lost sleep about it, and finally concluded—well, that conclusion is obvious, I guess. So…drum roll please…here are my favorite five mysteries I read in 2024, which were published in the far away past. My favorite mysteries published in 2024 can be found here.
SHOOTING SCRIPT, by Gavin Lyall (Charles Scribner, 1966). This aviation thriller from the master of the form, is Lyall’s fourth novel. Set in the Caribbean—Jamaica and the fictional Republic Libra—with a film crew, an ancient WW2 bomber, freedom fighters, and a little revenge. In my review I wrote: “Shooting Script is about as good as a mid-century thriller gets.”   Read the review here (see second paragraph). Check out Shooting Script here at Amazon.
THE SUMMONS, by Peter Lovesey (Mysterious Press, 1995). This traditional mystery, which is the third Peter Diamond investigation, is a marvelous fair-play puzzler with humor, wit, and a cracking good plot. In my review I wrote: “the denouement is a blissful surprise, and even better, a surprise that makes perfect sense.”   Read the review here. Check out The Summons here at Amazon.
ROBAK’S WITCH, by Joe L. Hensley (St. Martin’s Press, 1997). Don Robak, a trial lawyer that has just been elected as a rural Indiana judge, is recovering from a gunshot wound before he officially takes the bench. He agrees to help another lawyer defend a woman accused of killing two kids and what he finds is a marvelous mixture of the hardboiled and the traditional mystery. In my review, I wrote: “Robak’s Witch is simply terrific!”   Read the review here. Check out Robak’s Witch here at Amazon.
MADMAN ON A DRUM, by David Housewright (Minotaur, 2008). The fifth Rushmore McKenzie novel, which is also my favorite of the twelve series books I’ve read, is a personal case for McKenzie. When his goddaughter is kidnapped, there isn’t much McKenzie wouldn’t do to get her back. In my review, I wrote: “Madman on a Drum is a hardboiled tour-de-force private eye novel about justice and revenge.”   Read the review here. Check out Madman on a Drum here at Amazon.
SUN, SAND, MURDER, by John Keyse-Walker (Minotaur, 2016). This easy-going mystery is set on the tiny Caribbean Island of Anegada, part of the Royal Virgin Islands, where crime is uncommon and murder is unheard of. But, of course (as the title suggests), murder finds Anegada. In my review, I wrote: “Sun, Sand, Murder is a delightful whodunit (although it isn’t exactly fair-play) with a smattering of eccentric characters…a brilliant setting, and just enough action to keep the pages turning.”   Read the review here (see second paragraph). Check out Sun, Sand, Murder here at Amazon.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Hemingway’s Notebook, by Bill Granger (Crown, 1986); Turnabout, by Jeremiah Healy (Five Star, 2001); Flamingo Road, by Sasscer Hill (Minotaur, 2017)

Booked (and Printed): November 2024

 

Booked (and Printed) November 2024     November brought the first dusting of snow—and it was only a dusting but just enough fell to ice the roads for Thanksgiving travel, which made me happy we had nowhere to go. It brought friends to our home, a fire to our fireplace, and darkness at quarter past four. It also made for a month perfectly fitted for reading and I took advantage, at least as best I could, by reading six books—two story collections and four novels—and three short stories; every one of the shorts by the late mystery writer, Jeremiah Healy. That trio of Healy tales starred Boston private eye, John Francis Cuddy, and while they are easily categorized as hardboiled, each stands tall as a puzzling whodunit, too. Another commonality of the stories: each was nominated, but failed to win, the Private Eye Writers of America Shamus Award for best short story. “THE BAGGED MAN”—published in the Feb. 1993 issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine—is a gem of a murder mystery. Cuddy is hired to help a private investment firm escape the bad publicity it has received since a homeless man, wearing a bag over his head and protesting that same firm, is found murdered. The set-up is believable and, of course, Cuddy solves the murder with his usual competent flair. “REST STOP”—which was published in the May 1992 issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine—is a cool take on a real-time kidnapping. While talking to an attendant at a highway rest stop, Cuddy sees a kidnapping. In a rush, he follows the kidnappers and finds himself in deep trouble. It has more action than the average Cuddy tale and it works very well. “TURNING THE WITNESS”—published in Guilty as Charged, edited by Scott Turow (1997)—is my favorite of this month’s three stories for the simple reason that when the solution was revealed I kicked myself for not solving it earlier. Read my detailed review of “Turning the Witness” here. I read these three stories in the following two Jeremiah Healy collections (and both are well worth reading) published by Crippen & Landru: The Concise Cuddy (1998) and Cuddy – Plus One (2003).

As for the books… two are story collections—one a single author effort by William Campbell Gault and the other a multi-author anthology of criminous Christmas tales—with the remaining four novels squarely within the mystery genre. William Campbell Gault is best known for his mystery and crime novels, but in the 1950s he wrote several speculative tales for, mostly, digest magazines. MIXOLOGY 2: MORE SCIENCE FICTION STORIES (2024), gathers three—a short and two novelettes—of Gault’s best sciencey stories published in Fantastic Universe. Each tale is exciting and thought-provoking with worlds and characters both familiar and new. Click here to read a detailed essay I wrote about William Campbell Gault and Mixology 2. The other story collection is CHRISTMAS CRIMES AT THE MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP, edited by Otto Penzler (2024). Its twelve tales are, as the title suggests, set during the Christmas holiday and have at least some action at New York City’s famed Mysterious Bookshop. An outstanding anthology with an impressive list of contributors that will ring true for anyone that enjoys the crossroad where mystery and Christmas meet. Check out my detailed review of Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop here. Back in April, I told you about Sasscer Hill’s first Fia McKee mystery, Flamingo Road (2017). A book I really liked—you can read my detailed review here. Fia has appeared only twice and (fortunately) my local library has both titles. So naturally I got around to reading that second book, THE DARK SIDE OF TOWN (2018). Fia, working undercover for the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau at New York’s Saratoga Race Track, is investigating a trainer suspected of horse doping. The evidence against the trainer is sparse, but the outcomes of his horses is suspect. One thing leads Fia to another and soon she is hip-deep in a scheme of blackmail, murder, and kidnapping. The Dark Side of Town is an enjoyable foray into the horse-racing world with more in common with Sue Grafton than Dick Francis. My only wish? I wish there was another Fia McKee. Bill Crider’s WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE MURDER (2003) is a hardboiled blast starring silver screen tough guy, Humphrey Bogart. The plotting is slick, the action is sharp, and Crider paints Bogart with a likable hue. It is set in the Hollywood of the late-1940s and it could easily have been written in that same era. You can read my detailed review of We’ll Always Have Murder here. Another book I wrote a detailed review for, is Alan Orloff’s second Mess Hopkins novel, LATE CHECKOUT (2024)—which means I won’t spend much time bending your eye about it here. Other than to say it is light-hearted and mysterious fun. Mess is pretty cool, too, with a self-deprecating wit and enough sense to know he doesn’t know much. Read my full review of Late Checkout here. Now, for my favorite book of the month—and it was a close race. David Housewright’s twelfth Rushmore McKenzie novel, UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #15 (2015). While driving on a snowy night in Minneapolis, McKenzie witnesses a woman thrown from a moving pick-up truck. McKenzie does what McKenzie does and rescues the woman from the icy highway asphalt. She wakes up to no memory of who she and since her pockets were empty of any identifiers, she is simply known as Fifteen. After Fifteen’s release from hospital, McKenzie and his girlfriend, Nina Truhler, happily allow her to stay in their swanky Minneapolis condo. But there is concern for Fifteen’s safety since whoever tried to kill her is still out there. Things go sideways—how else will they ever go in a McKenzie novel?—and McKenzie finds himself in a race to figure out Fifteen’s identity and exactly who is trying to kill her. Unidentified Woman #15 is in my top three or four of the McKenzie mysteries. It has all the usual hallmarks of the series: a strong setting, colorful characters, concise plotting, and of course the likable McKenzie. It is also surprising, suspenseful, and personal for McKenzie for a few reasons. An absolute winner from the first to the last page. Fin— Now on to next month…

Review: "Flamingo Road" by Sasscer Hill

 

Flamingo Road
by Sasscer Hill
Minotaur Books, 2017

 

Flamingo Road, Sasscer Hill’s first (of two) featuring former Baltimore PD officer Fia McKee, is a satisfying by-the-numbers detective thriller. Internal Affairs wants Fia’s shield for excessive force after she kills a man strangling a woman, Shyra Darnell, while on patrol. It was a righteous shooting, but when Shyra disappears without saying a word, Fia resigns—rather than fighting the investigation—to take a job with the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau (TRPB) as an undercover agent. Fia is a perfect fit since she worked with her horse-trainer father until his murder five years earlier at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course.
     The TRPB sends Fia to Gulfstream Park, a race course just south of Hollywood in Hallandale Beach, Florida, where there has been a rash of winners with long odds (40-to-1 and higher) and suspiciously high betting patterns on those unlikely winners. A combination that gives Fia’s bosses the uneasy feeling someone is cheating by doping horses with an unknown performance enhancing drug. The assignment is perfect since it gives Fia the chance to spend time with her brother, Patrick, and her teenage niece, Jilly, and to investigate, during her personal time, a series of horse killings in their upscale neighborhood.
     Flamingo Road isn’t perfect. The opening is disjointed—with Fia traveling back-and-forth between Baltimore and Southern Florida—and a reliance on coincidence. But once Flamingo Road settles into itself, at about page 30, its varied positive attributes—a likable and strong heroine is only one—easily overcomes its imperfections. Fia’s narration is tough and smooth and reminded me of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone. The horse racing backdrop is rich and believable and competes handily with the likes of Dick Francis. There is a splash of suspense, a handful of gripping action sequences, an eccentric cast of outlaws, and a blush of romance. In short, Flamingo Road creates a world the reader wants to inhabit for a couple of hours. Now, I need to find that second book and plan my next visit with Fia McKee. 

Click here for the Kindle edition at Amazon.