Classic crime and mystery fiction

Book SynopsisAverage Jones is a brilliant young man of independent means, thanks to the bequest of a wealthy yet jaded uncle. Five years after graduating college, he finds himself bored with travel and his bon vivant lifestyle, and restless for some meaningful hobby to occupy his mind. On the advice of a friend, he decides to set up a business as an Ad-Visor, warning potential buyers of goods and services of potential scams. Each ad-vising case turns into a crime-detecting story showcasing the amateur sleuth''s deductive reasoning, a la Sherlock Holmes. At times bizarre, at times humorous, this collection is highly entertaining, featuring stories such as The B-flat Trombone, The Man Who Spoke Latin, and The Million-Dollar Dog.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Devotees of the late Rex Stout’s bestsellers will be pleasantly surprised.” - Publishers Weekly“Robert Goldsborough brings Nero Wolfe, late of Rex Stout, gloriously back to life.” - Chicago“Mr. Goldsborough has all of the late writer’s stylistic mannerisms down pat.” - The New York Times“Superb.” - Publishers Weekly, starred review

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Book SynopsisA delight from start to finish. If you like Agatha Christie, you’ll love this.” - Alex Michaelides, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient Veep meets Agatha Christie in this intelligent, wildly funny, literary mystery for fans of Richard Osman, Anthony Horowitz, and Nita Prose! The host of the All About Agatha podcast injects the spark and fizz of a Golden Age murder mystery into the present-day, as a ghostwriter is chosen to collaborate on a presidential candidate’s memoir, only to discover just how much trouble a smart woman with time on her hands can get up to . . .“I tell other people’s stories for a living. . . . I nip and tuck their excesses, soften their hard edges, polish whatever an armada of editors and publicists deem unsightly till it sparkles.”It’s a dream assignment. Former Senator Dorothy Gibson, aka that woman, is the most

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Book SynopsisA delight from start to finish. If you like Agatha Christie, you’ll love this.” –Alex Michaelides, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient Fans of Veep and readers of Richard Osman, Anthony Horowitz, and Nita Prose will love this intelligent, wildly funny, literary mystery from the host of the All About Agatha podcast as a ghostwriter is chosen to collaborate on a presidential candidate’s memoir, only to end up as a prime suspect in a twisted murder investigation…Kemper Donovan’s voice is original, captivating, and assured. —Taylor Jenkins Reid, bestselling author of Daisy Jones & the Six“I tell other people’s stories for a living. . . . I nip and tuck their excesses, soften their hard edges, polish whatever an armada of editors and publicists deem unsightly till it sparkles.” It’s a dream assignment. Former Senat

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Book SynopsisIt’s curtains for a famous Broadway director, and private investigator Nero Wolfe is on the case--but his assistant, Archie Goodwin, is a suspect. When a renowned theater director senses something amiss during his latest production, he calls in Nero Wolfe. Though the corpulent genius wouldn’t normally accept a job this vague, a mutual friend dangles the prospect of a very rare orchid in exchange for his services, and Wolfe can’t resist. With a mind to suss out useful backstage gossip, Wolfe turns to his faithful assistant, Archie Goodwin, to impersonate a journalist in order to speak to the cast. Though Goodwin’s conversations prove unfruitful, on his last day at the theater, the director is murdered in his soundproof booth, poisoned by an unseen culprit during an evening performance. In short order, an actor whose health is failing attempts suicide with the same poison. Now Goodwin is a prime suspect in the director’s demise, effectively sidelining him for the rest of the case, and freelance gumshoe Saul Panzer must step in to help wrangle the various members of the play--from the ingÉnue and the diva to the handsome movie star and the surly stage manager--so New York’s smartest, and most reclusive, private detective can determine who is responsible for these dramatic deaths and clear Goodwin’s name once and for all. Continuing his beloved series--which also includes Archie Meets Nero Wolfe, Murder in the Ball Park, and Archie in the Crosshairs--Nero Award–winning author Robert Goldsborough “brings Nero Wolfe, late of Rex Stout, gloriously back to life” (Chicago).Murder, Stage Left is the 59th book in the Nero Wolfe Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.Trade Review“A virtually perfect homage to the Rex Stout originals, from the orchids to the beer to the gourmet food and, best of all, to Archie’s bemused, self-deprecating narration. Comfort food for fans of classic mysteries.” - Booklist

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Book SynopsisA shake-up in the NYPD homicide squad following a high-profile murder is bad for business for private investigator Nero Wolfe. When wealthy and popular crusader and reformer Lester Pierce is gunned down in front of his Park Avenue residence, the public outcry forces the NYPD to restructure its homicide department. As the deceased was highly critical of Inspector Lionel Cramer, the longtime head of homicide is temporarily relieved of his badge. But it seems Cramer was not just a scapegoat: He was seen dining in Little Italy with mob kingpin Ralph Mars. All of which amounts to little more than conversational fodder for PI Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin. But if Cramer’s provisional replacement, Capt. George Rowcliff, becomes permanent, Wolfe’s future dealings with the force will be much compromised. Loath to depart from his routine, Wolfe makes the unusual decision to take on a case without an actual client. His investigation quickly points toward Pierce’s organization, Good Government Group, where high-minded idealism is often trampled under the competing ambitions of the staff--several of whom would clearly have benefited from Pierce’s demise. Despite the burgeoning list of suspects, Wolfe hasn’t ruled out the involvement of the underworld and its connection to Cramer. But in order to untangle an abundance of motives and end the inspector’s forced furlough, Wolfe may have to venture out of his comfort zone--and the premises of his brownstone. Continuing his beloved series--which also includes Archie Meets Nero Wolfe, Murder in the Ball Park, Archie in the Crosshairs, and Murder, Stage Left--Nero Award–winning author Robert Goldsborough “demonstrates an impressive ability to emulate Rex Stout’s narrative voice” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). The Battered Badge is the 60th book in the Nero Wolfe Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.Trade ReviewPraise for Robert Goldsborough’s Nero Wolfe Mysteries“A virtually perfect homage to the Rex Stout originals, from the orchids to the beer to the gourmet food and, best of all, to Archie’s bemused, self-deprecating narration. Comfort food for fans of classic mysteries.” - Booklist on Murder, Stage Left “A loving, knowledgeable, mightily pleasing recreation.” - Kirkus Reviews on Murder in E Minor “Wolfe in all his glorious splendor . . . plays strictly by the rules that Stout established.” - Chicago Tribune “It is fun once again to enter the brownstone on West 35th Street. . . . [Wolfe] is as insufferably omniscient as ever.” - The New York Times on Murder in E Minor

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Book SynopsisAn art hoarder’s suspicious death paints a nasty picture for Nero Wolfe. No matter how fabulously he’s being courted, infamously dour “art hog” Arthur Wordell isn’t keen on favoring the new Guggenheim Museum with his extensive collection. Even at the urging of his beloved daughter, Nadia. Then, the night after the museum’s fête, Arthur takes a twenty-story plunge from the window of his Times Square office. Nadia thinks it’s no mere coincidence. Eccentric, yes. Suicidal, no. Private investigator Nero Wolfe and his assistant, Archie Goodwin, agree. Especially after eyeballing Arthur’s enemies and sycophants, including his ex-wife, a covetous curator, a troika of obsequious advisors, and an outré Greenwich Village artist anxious to see her work out of storage and on the walls of the “Guggie.” For Wolfe, there’s a problem: Arthur didn’t leave a will. Without a beneficiary not a soul in Arthur’s circle is set to benefit from his death. Nor do they show any customary indication of guilt. If anybody can solve a seemingly unsolvable masterpiece of murder, it’s Wolfe. Unfortunately, this time, New York’s artful investigator is, admittedly, stumped. Continuing the acclaimed series--which also includes The Battered Badge, Archie Meets Nero Wolfe, Murder in the Ball Park, Archie in the Crosshairs, and Murder, Stage Left--Nero Award–winning author Robert Goldsborough “does a masterly job with the Wolfe legacy” (Booklist).

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Book SynopsisThe mayor of a seaside town is murdered, and a London police detective must sort through motives both political and personal . . .Thanks to its mayor, Sir Gideon Ware, the quiet harbor town of Westcombe has turned into a crowded and rather garish seaside destination where visitors can come to escape the stress of wartime. When Ware collapses at a lavish luncheon, felled by strychnine, Inspector Littlejohn must travel from London to solve the seemingly inexplicable murder. Ware was surrounded by local bigwigs at his table- but that’s just the beginning of the suspect list, as Littlejohn untangles the rivalries, resentments, and corrupt dealings that permeate this picturesque but troubled community . . .Trade ReviewPraise for the Inspector Littlejohn mysteries “Assured prose, well-drawn characters, and the atmosphere of 1940s wartime England . . . well worth the reader’s time.” - Publishers Weekly “Everything is quite comparable in tone to a really good Simenon.” - The New York Times “Dryly ceremonious wit [that] shines from the very first page.” - Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisTwenty years ahead of Conan Doyle, this is the first-ever reprint of John Babbington Williams' seminal detective story. Twenty years before Sherlock Holmes, a fictional New York private investigator was being celebrated for his ability to solve crimes based on observation and deductive reasoning - the principles that would later become Holmes' hallmark.Originally published in 1864 and never before reprinted, "Leaves from the Note-Book of a New York Detective" features 29 cases from the first American detective hero to appear in fiction, James Brampton. In case after enthralling and mysterious case, Brampton uses his powers of observation and reasoning to prove the innocence of the wrongly accused and unveil the identity of the true criminal. This first modern edition of this hugely important and influential work now reclaims its place alongside Edgar Allen Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle as one of the greats of detective fiction.

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Book SynopsisBorn into a life of privilege, Jeremy Stroeb loves freedom, loathes responsibility and drops out of college to start backpacking across Europe. But this free-spirited drifter crashes back to brutal reality when his parents, Rachel and Daniel Stroeb, are murdered in their home on Miami Beach. When he returns to Miami, Jeremy assumes guardianship of his teenage sister, Elise, who is traumatized and convinced the killer will be back for her. With steely, urgent resolve, Jeremy vows to find out what really happened to Rachel Stroeb, the respected CPA and Daniel Stroeb, the controversial professor. Determined to get on the inside of his parents' lives, Jeremy takes a job at the accounting firm where his mother worked, and enrolls at the university where his father taught. But too many details don't add up. With mounting certainty that his parents were anything but the people he thought they were, Jeremy must face the toughest questions of all. Who were Rachel and Daniel Stroeb? And when will the killer be back for the next of kin?

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Book SynopsisLA Times best-selling author A gritty, atmospheric glimpse into Los Angeles’s noir underworld Ash Levine, the top detective in the LAPD’s elite Felony Special squad, is called out to solve the murder of two young black men found shot to death in a Venice alley. The case is a high priority because one of the victims is the son of City Councilman Isaac Pinkney, a frequent critic of the LAPD. Searching for the killer throws Levine into the world of Los Angeles’s Russian Mafia, Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, and Middle Eastern archeologists. Ash’s history as a child of a Holocaust survivor gives him a unique perspective on murder, redemption, and justice. His background as a paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces, and his relentless, single-minded focus on his investigations make him a thoroughly absorbing character. As Ash closes in on the killer, the investigation becomes increasingly complex – and personal. Ash soon discovers that he is not just an investigator, but a target. Corwin introduced Ash Levine in Kind of Blue, a Booklist Top 10 Crime Novel choice in 2011. In Midnight Alley Corwin again uses his hard-earned inside knowledge to provide the reader with a gritty, atmospheric glimpse into Los Angeles’s noir underworld.Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch While the novels in the Ash Levine Crime Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:Kind of Blue Midnight Alley

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Book SynopsisPerfect for fans of Louise Penny, P. D. James, and Donna Leon When a skeleton is discovered in the hidden crypt of a deconsecrated church, everyone is convinced the bones must be those of Conor Devitt, a local man who went missing on his wedding day six years previously. But the postmortem reveals otherwise. Solicitor Benedicta "Ben" O'Keeffe is acting for the owners of the church, and although an unwelcome face from her past makes her reluctant to get involved, when Conor's brother dies in strange circumstances shortly after coming to see her, she finds herself drawn in to the mystery. Whose is the skeleton in the crypt and how did it get there? Is Conor Devitt still alive, and if so, is there a link? What happened on the morning of his wedding to make him disappear? Negotiating between the official investigation headed up by the handsome but surly Sergeant Tom Molloy and obstructive locals with secrets of their own, Ben unravels layers of personal and political history to get to the truth of what happened six years before. Death at Whitewater Church is the first in a series of Ben O'Keeffe mysteries set on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland.Trade Review"With Death at Whitewater Church , Andrea Carter announces herself as one of the most exciting new voices in Irish crime fiction. A wonderfully written debut, the rugged beauty of Donegal provides a stunningly realized backdrop to the twists and turns of Ben's investigations." Brian McGilloway, New York Times best-selling author"An entourage of fascinating people and mysterious places lace this mystery with plenty of bark and bite. A captivating gem." Steve Berry, New York Times best-selling author"Some readers will be happy to go with Carter's languorous pace, relishing every particle of vividly described landscape. Still, Carter's world is a bit like that of Ann Cleeves, and this might well appeal to the latter's fans." Booklist"Writing with Agatha Christie in mind, Carter draws her heroine as curious, if bordering on interfering, and her debut's pacing as she explores the story encourages readers to seek the same connections she does." Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisThe second entry of the Bertie, Prince of Wales mystery series, featuring future King Edward VII, Albert Edward, as an amateur sleuth solving suspicious murders in Victorian England.Bertie, Prince of Wales, is delighted to be invited by Lady Amelia, a recently widowed young woman, to Desborough Hall for a week-long shooting party. The eleven other motley guests include a poet, a chaplain, and an Amazon explorer. The party promises a week of shooting, socializing, and feasting, but these expectations are soon shattered as one of the guests collapses face first into her dessert and dies before the night is out. At first, this death is believed to be an accident, and the party continues with their hunting plans for the week. But when another guest turns up dead the very next day, Bertie realizes that the deaths cannot be coincidence.

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Book SynopsisThe third and final entry of the Bertie Prince of Wales mystery series, featuring future King Edward VII, Albert Edward, as an amateur sleuth solving suspicious murders in Victorian England.Bertie, amateur sleuth and the Crown Prince of Wales, loves food and women. This is why Bertie enjoys his frequent trips to Paris, a city that is known not only as the City of Lights, but also as the city of romance and fine cuisine. In 1891, however, Bertie’s yearly Paris vacation becomes much more eventful than he had anticipated when, soon after his arrival, he learns that the future son-in-law of his old friend, Jules d’ Agincourt, was recently murdered at the Moulin Rouge. Unable to resist practicing his detective skills, Bertie resolves to assist the Sûreté, the French police force, in solving the ongoing case. He enlists the help of the reluctant Sarah Bernhardt, renowned actress and Bertie’s long-time friend, and together, Bertie and Sarah travel around Paris following possible leads, questioning witnesses, and even apprehending the murder weapon. When the Sûreté discovers that the victim’s fiancée has a much older lover who was present at the scene of the murder, they immediately arrest him on the suspicion that the murder was a crime of passion. Bertie’s instincts tell him that this man is innocent, but the Sûreté is convinced he is the killer. With the threat of the guillotine looming over the innocent man’s head, it is up to Bertie to find the real killer and close the case before it is too late.

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Book SynopsisA limited collector?s edition of the first entry in the best-selling series by the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master follows Sergeant Cribb?s investigation into the suspicious death of a favored contender in an annual speedwalking competition in 1879 London.

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Book SynopsisA Bath antiques dealer has disappeared, and detective Peter Diamond has been saddled with the help of a hardboiled Philip Marlowe wannabe private investigator in cracking the case. MWA Grand Master Peter Lovesey's 20th installment in the award-winning series will have readers laughing from the first page.If there's one thing detective Bath Peter Diamond has no patience for, it's a dumb git trying to get involved in one of his investigations—for example, a Philip Marlowe-wannabee private investigator like the self-styled Johnny Getz (his card claims he Getz results). But fate has saddled Diamond with this trial. A Bath antiques dealer, Septimus Seppy Hubbard, has disappeared without a trace, and his daughter, Ruby, has hired Johnny Getz to find him. When a dead body is discovered in Seppy's locked-up store, the missing persons case becomes a murder investigation, and now Diamond has to collaborate with the insufferable private eye.

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Book SynopsisThe cast and crew of a hit British TV show are rumored to be cursed—but are these spooky deaths coincidences or murder? It's up to Bath detective Peter Diamond to find out.In the six years since the start of the hit British TV show Swift, its cast and crew have been plagued by misfortune, beginning with the star actress’s pulling out of the show before it began. By now there have been multiple injuries by fall, fire, or drowning; two deaths; and two missing persons cases.The media quickly decides it’s a curse, but who’s to say there isn’t a criminal conspiracy afoot? Now that the filming has moved to Bath, Peter Diamond, Chief of the Avon and Somerset Murder Squad, is on the case. While the investigation into one fatal accident is underway, a cameraman goes missing, challenging even the most credulous to wonder if he might have been the victim of foul play rather than a jinx. How can so many things go wrong on one set in such a short time?Complicating already complex matters is the fact that Diamond’s boss is trying her best to get him out of her hair; he may be forced to retire if he can’t solve the case. Will this be the end for Peter Diamond?

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Book SynopsisA dazzling collector's edition of the bestselling mystery classic to celebrate the conclusion of the iconic Maisie Dobbs series. With an elegant paper-over-board cover with copper foil, matching printed endpapers, and an afterword from the author, this hardcover is the perfect holiday gift for crime fiction fans.A female investigator every bit as brainy and battle-hardened as Lisbeth Salander.—Maureen Corrigan, NPR's Fresh Air, on Maisie DobbsMaisie Dobbs got her start as a maid in an aristocratic London household when she was thirteen. Her employer, suffragette Lady Rowan Compton, soon became her patron, taking the remarkably bright youngster under her wing. Lady Rowan's friend, Maurice Blanche, often retained as an investigator by the European elite, recognized Maisie’s intuitive gifts and helped her earn admission to the prestigious Girton College in Cambridge, where Maisie planned to complete her education.The outbreak of war changed everything. Maisie trained as a nurse, then left for France to serve at the Front, where she found—and lost—an important part of herself. Ten years after the Armistice, in the spring of 1929, Maisie sets out on her own as a private investigator, one who has learned that coincidences are meaningful, and truth elusive. Her very first case involves suspected infidelity but reveals something very different.In the aftermath of the Great War, a former officer has founded a working farm known as The Retreat, that acts as a convalescent refuge for ex-soldiers too shattered to resume normal life. When Fate brings Maisie a second case involving The Retreat, she must finally confront the ghost that has haunted her for over a decade.

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