Recommended Reads

Previous Winners of the St. Martin's Press/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Contest

Still as Death

Sarah Stewart Taylor

The best yet in one terrific series. Taylor's vibrant gem of a tale seamlessly weaves funerary art and romantic dilemmas into a challenging puzzler. Sweeney St. George is a heroine you'll root for! Visit www.sarahstewarttaylor.com to learn more about this Agatha-nominated series. Still as Death is out in September from Minotaur.

Hornswoggled

Donis Casey

Hornswoggled is a tremendous novel from a gifted writer. Donis Casey's voice flows like tea syrup, transporting you effortlessly to the Oklahoma frontier. If you fondly recall The Walton's clan, you'll adore Hornswoggled's richly drawn characters. A welcome invite to your great-grandmother's front porch swing. This is a fine history mystery, with the emphasis on history, out in September from Poisoned Pen Press. Visit www.doniscasey.com to learn more about Hornswoggled and its marvelously titled predecessor, The Old Buzzard Had It Coming

Still Life

Still Life is a masterpiece of a traditional drawing room mystery, repainted in the autumnal colors of the Canadian countryside. Louise Penny's movingly sketched characters invite you into their petit village, where Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete du Quebec, a modern Poirot, slowly peels back the layers of time to solve a heartbreaking homicide. Louise Penny is a storytelling artist destined to join the front ranks of Canadian crime writers. I eagerly await her next book. Do visit her gorgeous website at louisepenny.com Still Life's release date from St. Martin's Minotaur is July.

Rusty Nail

JA Konrath hits the nail squarely on the head! Rusty Nail, a riveting thriller, is a heady mixture of chills and chuckles. You'll drain this libation in a single sitting! FDA WARNING - this is a great read, but NOT a traditional mystery! By ANY means…JA is a marketing machine and his blog, A Newbie's Guide to Publishing has a wide following. He is unusually generous at sharing his knowledge with new writers. Do visit his website at jakonrath.com

Riding Gain:

Joyce Krieg's November release from St. Martin's Minotaur

"Crazed callers and wacky co-workers can make Talk Radio murder on a normal day! This time, talk show host Shauna J. Bogart launches her own unique investigation into a homicide, and is drawn into a disturbing new world of electronic surveillance and so-called security. Don't touch that dial! Joyce's latest is the best Talk Radio mystery yet. Crystal-clear prose, an amped up plot and feisty Shauna J. Bogart tackling long odds. Krieg's terrific series merits nation-wide syndication. Joyce's first, Murder Off Mike won the Malice Domestic Contest for best first traditional mystery, and was nominated for an Agatha Award. And the series just keeps getting better!"

—Julia

Kate Charles		Jeff Cohen
I am pleased to introduce these terrific crime fiction writers. Here are a couple of highly accurate quotes I was glad to provide to their publishers.
Evil Intent, Kate Charles's October release from Poisoned Pen Press “Readers who have already discovered Kate Charles's compelling blend of parishes, politics, and personalities: Rejoice! Evil Intent entwines a page-turning murder mystery with a passionate indictment of today's Anglican church, viewed through her clear-eyed study of human goodness and folly…”    As Dog is my Witness, Jeff Cohen's release from Bancroft Press “You want to know how funny this book is? I started laughing out loud on page five. The woman sitting next to me in the airplane wrote down the name of the book. I read good parts to my husband over the phone. And if that's not enough for you, Jeff Cohen also slips in a lovingly clear-eyed tale of family life and a wickedly twisty mystery. So what are you waiting for? Buy the book already!”

In 1990, legendary mystery editor Ruth Cavin, who gave the name "Minotaur" to the fledgling St. Martin's mystery imprint, conceived the "Malice Domestic" contest as a way to recognize unpublished mystery authors. Over the years, this contest has enabled the writing of many fine mystery authors to first see the light of day. This year, Ruth will receive the Hercule Poirot Award at the Malice Domestic Convention, given for distinguished achievement in the mystery field. Below, you will find a list of the winners of the Best First Traditional Mystery contest. Where possible, you can click through to the author's website to learn more, or to Amazon.com to purchase their books. I hope you'll enjoy these fine writers, whose dream, like mine, came true--thanks to Ruth Cavin and the SMP/MDA Contest.

• 2004 The Eight of Swords by David Skibbins
• 2003 Southern Fried by Cathy Pickens
• 2002 Murder Off Mike by Joyce Krieg
• 2001 In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming
• 2000 The Gripping Beast by M. Wadley
• 1999 Jackpot Justice by Marilyn Wooley
• 1998 Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews
• 1997 The Doctor Digs a Grave by Robin Hathaway
• 1996 Simon Said by Sarah Shaber
• 1995 Lie Down with Dogs by Jan Gleiter
• 1994 Death in Still Waters by Barbara Lee
• 1993 Something to Kill For by Susan Holtzer
• 1992 The Man Who Understood Cats by Michael Allen Dymmoch
• 1991 The Winter Widow by Charlene Weir
• 1990 The Piano Man by Noreen Gilpatrick

Julia recommends these authors:

Denise Hamilton

I want to be Eve Diamond.

Don Bruns

A wonderful series set in the tropics. Don’s a musician, mixes a mean drink, is gorgeous, and can he write...’nuff said.

Robin Burcell

Robin is a California cop in real life, and her award-winning books just keep getting better.

Dana Cameron

Like her sleuth, Dana is an archaeologist. Her books are a Discovery Channel special - with murder.

Jeffrey Cohen

“As the Minivan Rolls.” The title says it all. Hilarious suburban dad/ sleuth series.

Daniel Hale

Looking for a YA mystery? Dan Hale, and his co-writing young nephew, are setting the gold standard.

Lisa Miscione

Lisa blazed onto the suspense scene with “Angel Fire” and she’s only getting better.

Ralph Pezzullo

An award-winning, globe-trotting journalist. And it shows in his polished prose.

Ben Rehder

Blue-staters take note...Texas CAN be funny; and nobody writes it funnier than Ben Rehder.

Jessica Speart

Read her terrific suspense novels and find out where her wild research takes her.

Sarah Stewart Taylor

A fellow New Englandah, whose fascinating series is an intriguing treatise on funerary art. No kidding. Funerary art.

Joe Konrath

This fellow loves libraries as much as I do! You’ll be hearing more about Chicago PD Lt. Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels.

Cindy Daniels

Cindy Daniels writes a great Texas traditional mystery (OK, I think I can call it cozy...) series.

Jim Hime

To complete our Texas trio, Jim writes a darker series featuring a Texas ranger. And he’s a whole lot more believable than Chuck Norris.

Elaine Flinn

Along with Jane Fiffer, Elaine writes the best “antiquing” series I’ve had the good fortune to stumble across.

Steve Hamilton

What can I say about Steve’s award-winning writing? My husband and I both await Alex McKnight’s next adventure. Must read stuff.

Erin Hart

There is no more lyric voice exploring the Celtic heart of Ireland.

Christine Kling

Who says female sleuths can’t be tough? The Florida sun and the maritime salvage setting are the salt on the Marguerita.

Zoe Sharp

The true Brit with true grit! Charlie Fox is a real female action hero. If Zoe and Christine ever get together, look out! Look for Zoe’s US debut this Fall from St. Martins.

Twist Phelan

Reading Twist is like The Wide World of Sports meets (fill in your favorite sleuth). Great stuff.

David Skibbins

OK, his debut mystery is out in April. He’s the first male winner of the Minotaur Malice Domestic contest. Reserve The Eight of Swords in advance. Think Easy Rider meets The Fugitive. It’s that good!

Donna Andrews

The award-winning gold standard in humorous mysteries, AND she creates a second dynamite series featuring an Artificial Intelligence sleuth.

Meg Chittenden

Romance. Suspense. Mysteries. Series. Stand-alones. Meg does it all in award-winning style. A truly multi-talented author.

Rhys Bowen

Like your mysteries historical? They come no better than Molly Murphy. And that’s in addition to Rhys’s top-drawer Welsh traditional series featuring Constable Evan Evans.

Victor Gischler

Noir alert! Intense Edgar-nominee noir stuff here. My husband enjoys his work so much that our ten-year old held Gun Monkeys for ransom. My husband double-crossed him, the dirty rat.

Sean Doolittle

Double noir alert! An original voice and great dark stuff.

Libby Hellmann

Ellie Foreman is no ordinary sleuth, and Libby Hellmann is a superb, nuanced writer. Check her out!

Nancy Means Wright

Sleuth Ruth Willmarth brings a strong dose of Vermont Yankee independence to the genre. Smooth as a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.