Mysteries other mystery writers love

 

If you're a fan of mystery novels, you don't want to miss this Thread. Thread's must-reads "Watchful at Night" by Julius Fast "Razorblade Tears" by S. A. Cosby "The Damage: A Novel" by Caitlin Wahrer "Sleeper Agent: The Atomic Spy in America Who Got Away" by Ann Hagedorn Buy these books  When the first Edgar Award – named after Edgar Allen Poe – was bestowed on an accomplished American mystery writer by his peers, a gallon of gas cost 15 cents; the bikini was about to scandalize Paris; and the U.S. was on the brink of a baby boom after the war.   It was 1946 and his mystery-writing peers decided that Julius Fast deserved the Best First Novel for "Watchful at Night." Decades later, you can still buy a hardcover of that book on Amazon for $87.50. Since then, the Mystery Writers of America has awarded a dozen or so Edgars to novelists, short-story writers, true crime authors and biographers. The nominees are announced in January; the ceremony is in spring. I look at the list every year and I'm here to say that this year's list is outstanding, and the mysteries are ornate and unexpected. S.A. Cosby's novel, "Razorblade Tears," features the fathers of two gay sons, one white, one Black, who were married to each other. When the young men are murdered, the fathers,  who've have served time in prison, embark on a wild, revenge-driven quest for justice. And while it's bloody, Cosby's powerful writing propels this novel right to a raucous, redemptive finale. This list also features some terrific women who are writing crime in refreshing ways, far beyond the "dead girls" problem that seems to permeate so much of crime fiction. "The Damage" by Caitlin Wahrer, up for Best First Novel, asks if there are any limits when it comes to protecting someone you love. Ann Hagedorn's nonfiction book, "Sleeper Agent," is about a Russian spy who reached the highest level of the Manhattan Project and then got away. It is deeply suspenseful. So if you like mysteries and crime novels like I do, my Thread must-reads come straight off the Edgar nominee list. Just Google "Mystery Writers of America." — Kerri Miller | MPR News This Week on The Thread Novelist Marlon James out with the second novel in his fantastical trilogy "Moon Witch, Spider King" by Marlon James Buy this book In his 2019 conversation on MPR News about his previous book, "Black Leopard, Red Wolf," he described what it meant to set the series in pre-colonial Africa, immerse himself in African lore and mythology, and draw from his own childhood in Jamaica. This week, he's back for another chat with host Kerri Miller to discuss the second in his trilogy series. Ask a Bookseller: 'Unfamiliar Fishes' is delightful and informative "Unfamiliar Fishes" by Sarah Vowell Buy this book If you're a history lover with a desire to escape the Minnesota winter weather, Pat Banning of BookEnds in Kailua, Hawaii, has a recommendation for you. Banning says this book "blew her out of the water" with its carefully researched and highly readable Hawaiian history. 'Very Funny Ladies' sketches out the history of women cartoonists at 'The New Yorker' "Very Funny Ladies: The New Yorker's Women Cartoonists" by Liza Donnelly Buy this book Liza Donnelly has had a long career writing and drawing cartoons for The New Yorker. In her latest book, she continues her examination of the history of women cartoonists and the storied magazine. The world's insect population is in decline — and that's bad news for humans "The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World" by Oliver Milman Buy this book Environmental writer Oliver Milman says habitat loss, pesticides and climate change are killing off insects worldwide, which, in turn, threatens humans. Milman charts the troubling decline of insects in his new book. Are we ready for COVID-19 as a central theme in literature? "A Deeper Sickness: Journal of America in the Pandemic Year" by Erik L. Peterson and Margaret Peacock "Love in the Time of Contagion" by Laura Kipnis "Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness" by Kristen Radtke Buy these books Reading about plagues or COVID-19 over the last two years was not an entertaining idea for many. But the pandemic has had an impact on literature — and people may be ready for it to enter the canon. 'Born on the Water' gives Black children in America their origin story "The 1619 Project: Born on the Water" by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson Buy this book Authors Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson discuss the importance of teaching young people about the history of slavery and racism in America with honesty and respect. Hollywood relies on China to stay afloat. What does that mean for movies? "Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy" by Erich Schwartzel Buy this book Today's Hollywood blockbusters are specifically being crafted to appeal to Chinese audiences and pass muster with the Chinese government, says Wall Street Journal reporter Erich Schwartzel. In his new book, he contends that China has watched as Hollywood films helped sell America to the world and it wants to do the same. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe today! Preference Center ❘ Unsubscribe This email was sent by: Minnesota Public Radio 480 Cedar Street Saint Paul, MN, 55101