Mystery Melange

Mysterical-E's spring issue is out, with stories by Patti Abbott, Bill Bernico, Larry and Rosemary Mild, Elizbeth Zelvin and more. Also, Gerald So talks about the series NCIS in his regular TV/Film column, Jan Christenson looks into book marginalia and Chris Verstraete profiles some of the new books flowering in the market this spring.

Ruth Jordan, a longtime supporter of crime fiction and one of the editors of Crimespree Magazine (along with Jon Jordan), is featured on J.A. Konrath's blog, seeking to turn the tragedy of over 200 Borders stores closing into an opportunity.

If all the recent talk of wars (of one kind or another) and budget shutdowns is leaving you feeling stressed, check out Mystery Scene Magazine's list of "Books to make you smile, giggle, chuckle, laugh, smirk, and howl."

Goldsboro Books is hosting the first of what they hope will become an annual event in the UK, Crime in the Court, on June 21st to coincide with Independent Booksellers Week. Among the many authors scheduled to attend are S. J. Bolton, Christopher Fowler, David Hewson, Erin Kelly, Philip Kerr and more.

The Rap Sheet is sponsoring a contest to win one of two sets of four standalone novels by Ross Mcdonald, the creator of legendary fictional P.I., Lew Archer. You have until midnight on Monday, April 11th to enter. While you're at it, vote in the Rap Sheet's poll, "Which was Ross Macdonald's best Lew Archer novel?"

While we're on the subject of polls, the voting period for the annual Spinetingler Magazine Awards is underway, with categories for best novels, anthology, short stories graphic novel, covers and a community award. The Los Angeles Times is asking readers to vote for your favorite LA fiction (here and here) and nonfiction books, with offerings including Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, Raymond Chandler, James Ellroy, Walter Mosley and Sue Grafton. And the final round of Jen Forbus' World's Favorite Amateur Sleuth match-up has come down to the last two choices; voting continues through Friday, April 8th.

NPR takes a look at the future of libraries, which has become a topic of particular interest in this day of eBooks and the recent announcement by HarperCollins Publishing Co. of its new policy limiting the number of times its e-books can be borrowed.

The Top Suspense Group, a formidable gang of several best-selling authors, has banded together to create the first-ever Top Suspense Anthology, with one story written by each member and an original round-robin story, to boot.

Do you fancy yourself a cryptologist? If so, the FBI needs your help.