A Mini Mystery Melange

Elizabeth Foxwell, the editor of Clues: A Journal of Detection, tells us that the latest issue has just been published. Articles in Volume 29, No. 1 include  Maria Hebert-Leiter on detecting crime after Hurricane Katrina, via James Lee Burke and New Orleans Noir, edited by Julie Smith; Stephen Knight on the work of Australian author Peter Temple; Linda S. Maier on similarities between Jorge Luis Borges and Wilkie Collins; Rachel Schaffer on sources of moral authority in Julia Spencer-Fleming's series; and Emanuela Gutkowski's explanation using linguistic theory of just how Agatha Christie fools the reader regarding the murderer's identity in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. And more...

From Craig Sisterson over at Crime Watch comes word of a new "definitive" biography on John le Carré by Adam Sisman, planned for release in 2014 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. Sisman says: "David Cornwell (John le Carré's real name) is a rich subject for a biographer. His writing is intensely personal, and permeated by strongly-held values. From the moment when his identity became public, readers around the world have speculated about the degree to which he has drawn on his own experiences in his fiction, in particular on his career with the intelligence services. His semi-autobiographical novel A Perfect Spy provided tantalising clues to his extraordinary childhood."

From the Book Bitch: Karin Slaughter's recent campaign "Save the Libraries" has garnered the author the 2011 Silver Bullet Award to be presented at ThrillerFest in July. In addition to ThrillerMaster R. L. Stine, 2010 ThrillerMaster Ken Follett, and Spotlight Authors Diana Gabaldon, John Lescroart, and Robert Crais, this year's conference includes AgentFest, the largest event of its kind in the world with over 55 agents.

Jane Friedman posted an interview with Lawrence Block that originally appeared in the October 1982 issue of Writer's Digest magazine. It ran under the headline "Crockpot Macramé" and explains why the author believes writing can be learned, but it can't be taught.