Why Our To-Be-Read Piles Are So Tall

It was one year ago today that Patti Abbott introduced her Friday “forgotten books” series. Some contributors to that blogging project have submitted consistently throughout the last 12 months, while others have come and gone (and maybe come again). However, the series itself has remained strong, educating readers new to the crime-fiction genre--as well as many veterans like yours truly--about books that still haven’t worn out their welcomes, even though they may no longer be in print.

Submitting nominations today to the growing list of “books we love but might have forgotten over the years” are: Kerrie Smith writing about Georges Simenon’s Maigret and the Enigmatic Left; Bill Crider on a “no frills book” simply called Mystery; Michael Carlson on James Carlos Blake’s Pistoleer; Martin Edwards on Treason in the Egg, by L.A.G. Strong; and Cullen Gallagher commenting on Spring Fire, by Vin Packer. It appears that great minds think alike. I wrote about prolific novelist Mike Avallone earlier this week in my Killer Covers blog. Today, Randy Johnson champions Avallone’s Ed Noon series and James Reasoner gives thumbs up to the Noon outing Dead Game.

And though they’re not official signers-on to the “forgotten books” series, I would like to direct your attention to two more new posts that could certainly have qualified: Marty McKee’s write-up about No Place to Live, by Edward S. Aarons; and Utter Scoundrel’s comments about Mask for Murder, by Henry Kane.

On top of all these, Abbott hosts three more mini-reviews in her own blog. It’s there, too, that you’ll find a complete list of today’s participating writers.