April Is the Deadliest Month

I’m sure that T.S. Eliot will forgive my maligning the opening sentence of this poem, for it seems that April in New York City breeds a wealth of new mystery happenings.

Tonight, April 11, Lawrence Light and Meredith Anthony will sign copies of their new thriller novel, Ladykiller, at the Black Orchid Book Shop. Light’s fine novel Fear and Greed was among January Magazine’s favorite books of 2006, and it seems that Ladykiller is going to be equally sensational. A publicity release for the novel gives a brief plot synopsis: “Four women have been savagely murdered on the mean streets of New York: a housewife, a cheerleader, a stockbroker, and a prostitute. There is no common denominator. The Ladykiller leaves no trail, no clues. The pressure is on for NYPD detective Dave Dillon--either he solves the crime, or he can kiss his job good-bye.” In a blurb, Lee Child (author of the Jack Reacher novels) calls the new novel “hard, fast, uncompromising,” and other advance notices have been positive, so far. This Black Orchid signing should prove to be popular: word is that champagne will be served, courtesy of the authors.

Also tonight is scheduled the Tartan Noir/Scottish Crime Fiction panel discussion, part of the Isle of Jura Festival of Scottish Writing being held in New York City during for “Tartan Week” (April 4-15). The panel will take place at the New York Public Library/Donnell Library Center, and it will feature authors Allan Guthrie (author of the forthcoming novel Hard Man), Denise Mina (whose book-to-come is Slip of the Knife), and Ian Rankin (author of the Inspector John Rebus novels, including The Naming of the Dead). Moderating this discussion will be their fellow author Duane Swierczynski (author of the fabulous The Blonde). Festival publicity introduces this panel in the following way: “Scottish crime fiction is undeniably at the height of its powers. Tartan Noir paints an alternative portrait of Scotland featuring urban underworlds and the darker side of life. Come and hear three of the most exciting voices in crime fiction read from their latest books and discuss their individual writing perspectives.” And if you can’t get enough of Rankin, he will also be discussing The Naming of the Dead tomorrow night, April 12, at the Barnes & Noble/Union Square location. On hand also will be Aidan Moffat, the “former frontman” for Arab Strap, one of my favorite bands.

On April 17, Reed Farrel Coleman will be reading from his new book, Soul Patch, at The Mysterious Bookshop. Featuring ex-NYPD cop and current private investigator Moe Prager, Soul Patch is touted for offering Prager’s “most gut-wrenching case. The apparent suicide of his old friend and NYPD Chief of Detectives ... forces Moe back onto the decaying Coney Island streets he patrolled when he was in uniform. But now, beneath the boardwalk and behind the rusted and crumbling rides of the midway, he finds a trail of death, betrayal, and corruption reaching back to 1972.” Soul Patch follows on the heels of its predecessor, the Shamus, Anthony, and Barry award-winning novel, The James Deans. I’ve been waiting for this novel, and the chance to hear Coleman read and talk ... well, that just makes it all the sweeter.

Then, on April 22, Hard Case Crime will take over the KGB Bar, on the Lower East Side, for a reading by stable authors Ken Bruen and Jason Starr (who’ve penned the forthcoming Slide), Richard Aleas (aka Charles Ardai, writer of the July release Songs of Innocence), Peter Pavia (Dutch Uncle), and Max Phillips (author of the Shamus Award-winning Fade to Blonde). Whew! KGB is not a very spacious bar, and with that lineup of talent, the place is going to be bustin’ at the seams. Two of the novels mentioned here, by the way, are sequels: Slide is the follow-up to Bust (another January Magazine favorite of 2006), and Songs of Innocence is the sequel to the Edgar and Shamus award-nominated Little Girl Lost. This event is going to be a noir-of-a-time.

Finally, Edgar Awards week festivities begin on Tuesday evening, April 24, with the annual Edgar Party at the Black Orchid Book Shop. The special guest that night will be Jonathan Santlofer, signing his new book, Anatomy of Fear. On Wednesday, April 25, look for the Edgar Week Symposium, to be held at the Lighthouse International, in Midtown. It will feature numerous daytime panel discussions on various topics, and a host of crime and thriller fiction notables that includes P.J. Parrish, Chris Grabenstein, Nancy Pickard, Barry Eisler, Joseph Finder, S.J. Rozan, Harlan Coben, Janet Evanovich, Donald Westlake, Lee Child, Steve Hamilton, and Robin Burcell (apologies to those left out). Later that evening is scheduled the Agents & Editors Cocktail Party (for Mystery Writers of America members only), also at the Lighthouse. As is customary, the Simon & Schuster-Mary Higgins Clark Award will be presented at this party (with this year’s recipient being Bloodline, by Fiona Mountain). And, of course, the 61st Annual Edgar Allan Poe Awards will be held on Thursday evening, April 26, at New York’s Grand Hyatt Hotel. The Today Show's Al Roker will be the emcee, and the Grand Master Award will be given to Stephen King.

So, how do I plan on recovering from all this hoopla? By heading to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which takes place in L.A., April 27-29. I can do my sleeping on the plane.

And then comes May, but that’s another post ...