Have you ever wondered how that favorite author of yours produced a fabulous book after he died? Was the work written prior to the author’s death and only published afterwards? Was the creative effort put in by the originating author, and then edited by someone else? Or, did someone else take over the series altogether? In screenplays, music, and literature, all of these scenarios take place.
Allan Pinkerton’s name is synonymous with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and hard men who tracked train robbers across the West to deliver frontier justice. During the agency’s 150-year history–a legacy that continues to this day–the agents known as “Pinks” or “Pinkertons” or other more colorful names became involved in cases requiring investigation, surveillance, or other undercover projects, including fighting against a cause Allan once fought for. Even the agency’s logo has exerted an influence on our society by cementing forever in our language the term “private eye.”
In the world of mysteries, the sidekick may serve any number of roles. From Dr. Watson narrating the Sherlock Holmes stories to Robert B. Parker’s Hawk doing dirty work in the Spenser series, sidekicks come in all forms, shapes, and sizes. Everyone has their favorite and numerous polls have tried to determine who readers consider the best crime-fiction sidekick.
Carolyn Hart has written fifty-one mystery novels and won every major mystery-writing award at least once. Since the days when she wrote her first mystery, Hart has seen many changes in the publishing industry, and that’s where this story begins. “In the 60s and 70s,” said Hart, “New York ignored most American women mystery authors. Publishers thought the American mystery was written by American men with male protagonists and the traditional mystery was written by dead English ladies.”
For Honolulu reporter Wilson McKenna, nothing could be more embarrassing – professionally or personally – than to find himself the victim of identity theft and on the hook to the bank, vendors, and their attorneys. A former bill collector and skip tracer, the sixty-three year-old McKenna soon tracks the culprit to the island of Kauai, where she is expected to pick up a television purchased in his name
Tom Clancy’s name is known by millions of thriller readers everywhere. He wrote seventeen #1 New York Times bestselling novels and co-wrote four New York Times bestselling nonfiction books. Mr. Clancy’s work has repeatedly received praise from sources like Newsweek–the magazine called his military thrillers, “Brilliant.”
In 2013, Mystery Writers of America considered six finalists in the Edgar competition for Best First Novel. The novelists, just like their books, are all vastly different. But, all now have one shared experience they will never forget: the honor of being nominated for one of the highest awards in the mystery genre.
The back cover says, “Roxy Tanner lies for a living. Skip Cosgrove uncovers the lies others tell.”
With that in mind, I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy this book—I mean, a con artist and a guy who consults with the police, working together, how’s that going to go? This book turned out to be a great read after all. The only disappointment was turning the last page to find there was no more.
