The Windsor Locks Public Library's mystery book discussion group

Our thanks to Carolyn G. Hart, author of the "Death on Demand" and "Henrie O" mysteries, for inspiring the name of our group, "The Christie Capers," and for personally providing us with a special treat for our first meeting!.

Join us in our community room on April 16 at 7:00 PM for a discussion of The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. Local mystery author Carole Shmurak will lead this discussion, part of the Hartford Public Library's BIG READ 2008 (funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts). Sign up early so we can purchase enough books for everyone!

We recommend visiting Cozy Library, a terrific site for cozy mystery lovers!
If you love a holiday mystery you will find great lists for all major holidays at HOLIDAYS CAN BE MURDER!
For listings of cozies by author (movies, too!) check out CozyMysteries.com.

Copies of our book along with discussion questions and a related article are available at the Circulation desk
about a month before each meeting. New members are always welcomed. Refreshments will be served.

June, 2008: Keepsake Crimes (Laura Childs)

May, 2008: Fool's Puzzle (Earlene Fowler)
Author Jo-Ann Mapson was instrumental in the publication of this, Fowler's first Benni Harper mystery. Did you know that Benni's last name came from Earlene Fowler's maternal grandmother? If you love quilts and want to know more about this author and her books, check out www.earlenefowler.com. Make sure you visit the quilt gallery!

April, 2008: Framed in Lace (Monica Ferris)
Did you know that the reason Monica Ferris killed off Margot Berglund, the original heroine of this series, is that the author didn't feel that she knew enough about needlework and running a small business to write the character convincingly? Instead she brought in Margot's sister Betsy ("who is as ignorant as I am") to solve the crimes and run the shop. Find out more about the fascinating Monica Ferris at www.monica-ferris.com.

March, 2008: A Catered Murder (Isis Crawford)
When nasty vampire-fiction author Laird Wrenn drops dead at a reunion dinner, many "ill-wishers" become instant suspects. Caterer Libby Simmons, her sister Bernie, and wheelchair-bound father Sean, a retired police officer, are on the case. For information on Isis Crawford (aka Barbara Block) visit www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/isis-crawford/.

February 20, 2008: The Chocolate Cat Caper (JoAnna Carl)
Recent divorcé Lee McKinney moves to Michigan to study for her CPA exam and help her Aunt Nettie out with her luxury chocolate shop, Chocolade TenHuis. When a prominent (but disliked) lawyer is poisoned by one of Aunt Nettie's amaretto truffles, Lee can't help but be drawn in to the investigation. Visit www.joannacarl.com for more information about this charming series and its author.

January 16, 2008: The Body In the Bouillon (Katherine Hall Page)
Massachusetts caterer Faith Sibley Fairchild embroils herself in yet another murder, this time while investigating Hubbard House, a local retirement home, at the request of her favorite aunt. This is the 3rd of Katherine Hall Page's 15 Faith Fairchild mysteries (number 16 will be published in April!). Visit the Agatha Award winning author's web site at www.katherine-hall-page.org.

December 19, 2007: This Dame for Hire (Sandra Scoppettone)
Faye Quick is a female PI working on her own in New York City during WWII. Faye has been working as a secretary in a detective agency, learning everything there is to know about the business, and when her charming boss is drafted she takes over the agency. Her first case involves finding the killer of a young woman whose body she stumbles over on a snowy New York evening. Sandrascoppettone.com provides more information on the author and her books.

November 14, 2007: Murphy's Law (Rhys Bowen)
After fleeing Ireland and arriving in America, Molly Murphy finds herself in trouble on Ellis Island. This is the first in Rhys Bowen's acclaimed Molly Murphy series. Find out more about Rys Bowen and her three mystery series, visit her website at home.comcast.net/~rhysbowen/

October 17, 2007: Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor (Stephanie Barron)
Jane Austen arrives at Scargrave Manor only to have the Earl, an elderly gentleman, succumb to an ailment too mysterious and violent to be anything but murder. Jane's friend Isobel begs her to help solve the crime in this charming and sophisticated cozy. Learn more about Stephanie Barron and her Jane Austen series at stephaniebarron.com.

September 19, 2007: Death by Committee (Carole Shmurak)
The Christie Capers will enjoy an email discussion of this academic mystery.

June 20, 2007:We'll Always Have Parrots (Donna Andrews)
When the star of a cheesy cult TV show is found murdered, Meg Langslow's fiance, Michael, could be a suspect. Meg is soon hot on the trail of the murderer through a hotel filled with actors, devoted fans, monkeys, and excaped parrots. For more information on Donna Andrews and her Meg Langslow series click on DonnaAndrews.com.

May 16, 2007:Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (M.C. Beaton)
Tough PR exec Agatha Raisin retires to a Cotswolds cottage to enjoy country life and, hopefully, to find love. In an effort to impress her fellow villagers with her culinary skills, Agatha illegally enters a store-bought quiche in a local competition, with mortal consequences. The resulting investigation catapults the irascible Agatha into a murder investigation and a new hobby as an amateur investigator. Visit Notes in the Margin for more information on author M.C. Beaton.

Apri 18, 2007: Murder by the Book (Rex Stout)
Nero Wolfe's able assistant, Archie Goodwin, travels to Los Angeles to look for clues in the murder of law clerk Leonard Dykes. To find out more about Rex Stout and his creation, Nero Wolfe, visit Merely a Genius.

March 21, 2007: Strawberry Shortcake Murder (Joanne Fluke)
When one of the judges of Lake Eden's first annual Dessert Bake-Off is found dead, facedown in one of Hannah Swenson's delicious stawberry shortcakes, Hannah is on the case. Visit author Joane Fluke's charming web site, MurderSheBaked.com for recipes, reviews, and more information on Hannah Swenson and the Cookie Jar.

February 21, 2007: Serpent on the Crown (Elizabeth Peters)
"A novel filled with riveting suspense, pulse-pounding action, and the vibrant life of a fascinating place and time, The Serpent on the Crown is the jewel in the crown of a grand master, the remarkable Elizabeth Peters." Visit her website, www.ameliapeabody.com for more information on this book and Peters' other works.

January 17, 2007: A Dilly of a Death (Susan Wittig Albert)
A few days after the Pickle Queen turns up missing, a sudden rainstorm reveals that all is not kosher at Morgan's Pickles. Fortunately, herbalist and retired lawyer China Bale is on the scene when trouble surfaces on the eve of Picklefest. Visit Susan Wittig Albert's web site to find out more about her China Bale mystery series.

December 20, 2006: The Christmas Cookie Murder (Leslie Meier)
Working mother Lucy Stone looks forward to the annual Tinker's Cove cookie exchange every year, but this year everything seems to go wrong. When Tucker Whitney, one of the cookie ladies, is found murdered the next day, Lucy sets out to uncover the killer. Leslie Meier does not have an official web site, but type her name into Google and you'll find bibliographies and biographical information on several sites!

November 15, 2006: Death at Epsom Downs (Robin Paige)
Suan Wittig Albert and her husband, Bill Albert, team up to write the Robin Paige Victorian mysteries. Death at Epsom Downs features actress Lillie Langtry and a horse-doping scandal that threatens the future of horse racing in Victorian England. Find out more about Robin Paige at MysteryPartners.com.

October 18, 2006: Chatham School Affair (Thomas Cook)
The tragic events at the Chatham School destroyed 5 lives in this genre-stretching mystery set on Cape Cod in 1926. Read more on the web about Thomas H. Cook.

September 20, 2006: Mark your calendar! The Christie Capers welcomed mystery author Carole Shmurak to the Windsor Locks Library. In a talk entitled "Academic Robes and Little Black Dresses: Merging the Traditions of the Professor/Sleuth and the Female Investigator", Carole discussed her mystery series, her college professor sleuth Susan Lombardi (based on Carole herself!), and mystery fiction in general. Read Steve Lewis' charming interview with Carole Shmurak.

June 28, 2006: Deadmistress (Carole Shmurak)
The tranquility of an elite Connecticut girl's school is shattered when Head Mistress Sabena Lazlo is found murdered in her office. Former faculty member Susan Lombardi becomes involved in the investigation in this academic cozy guaranteed to please. Read more about Connecticut author Carole Shmurak!

May 17, 2006: Alone (Lisa Gardner)
According to reviews on LisaGardner.com, this psycholgical thriller is "thrill-packed", "twisted", "intricate and suspenseful" and Gardner "wrings every possible surprise out of the storyline". Why not join our group for a discussion of this spellbinding novel?

April 19, 2006: Stone Quarry (S.J. Rozan)
A cabin in the woods, a neighbor's secret past, and a quiet search for recently stolen possessions...the quiet country atmosphere is shattered for P.I. Bill Smith and his sometime-partner Lisa Chin as they investigate the connection between a murder, a runaway girl, and a missing teen. Read more about this and S.J. Rozan's other books at www.sjrozan.com.

March 15, 2006: Shop Till You Drop (Elaine Viets)
Helen Hawthorne's career is going nowhere fast! One day she discovers that the manager of the ultra-chic clothing store where she works has been embezzling money and selling designer drugs as well as designer clothes. When murder is added to the mix Helen realizes that she will have to solve the case in order to protect the secret of her own past. Author Elaine Viets' web site at www.elaineviets.com has more information about all of the books in her Dead-End Job series.

February 15, 2006: Surrogate Thief (Archer Mayor)
In the summer the population of Gloucester, Massachusetts swells to 3 times its usual size, making it an ideal destination for someone on the run. Vermont detective Joe Gunther shows up in Gloucester with an arrest warrant for the suspect in a 32 year old homicide, only to discover that someone beat him to the punch: his suspect has just been fished out of the water with a hole in his chest. Visit Archer Mayor's web site at archermayor.com/ for more about this Vermont author and his work.

January 11, 2006: Tell No One (Harlan Coben)
Eight years after the murder of his beloved wife, Elizabeth, Dr. David Beck receives a bizarre email that includes a phrase that has meaning only for him and Elizabeth. Find out more about this book and author Harlan Coben at harlancoben.com/.

December 7, 2005: Comedy of Heirs (Rett MacPherson)
While preparing to host her family's annual Christmas get-together genealogist and historian Torie O'Shea discovers evidence of a rotten apple in her family tree. For more on this cozy and author Rett MacPherson visit RettMacPherson.com.

November 9, 2005: The Hook (Donald Westlake)
A chance meeting between a blocked author in a bad marriage and a washed-up writer with an unpublished manuscript results in a deadly deal and an unbreakable but unwanted bond between the two men. For more about this book and author Donald Westlake visit http://www.donaldwestlake.com/.

September 21, 2005: The Ice House (Minette Walters)
The lives of three reclusive women are changed forever when they become the targets of a murder investigation after a long-dead body is discovered in an ice house. For more on this book, winner of the John Creasey Award for Best Debut Crime Novel, visit www.minettewalters.co.uk/.

May 18, 2005: Liberty Falling (Nevada Barr)
This seventh entry in the Anna Pigeon series is set on Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island National Monuments, where "urban crime and politics smash into history". Visit www.nevadabarr.com/ for biographical information, bibliographies, and National Park information from Nevada Barr!

February 16, 2005: I Am the Only Running Footman (Martha Grimes)
Scotland Yard Superintendent Richard Jury takes on an elusive strangler in a case of family secrets-and family lies in I Am the Only Running Footman. Learn more about mystery author Martha Grimes at MarthaGrimes.com.

January 19, 2005: Death in a Tenured Position (Amanda Cross)
To the dismay of her male colleagues, Janet Mandelbaum is made the first woman professor at Harvard's English Department. After someone slips Janet a mickey at an afternoon tea, she enlists the help of her friend Kate Fansler to find out who is out to get her. But before Kate is able to track down the culprit, time runs out for Janet. Learn more about Carolyn Gold Heilbrun (aka Amanda Cross) at http://www.bastulli.com/Cross/Cross.htm.

December 15, 2004: Murder at the Old Vicarage (Jill McGown)
A Christmas snowfall, an isolated village, and a dead body in the local vicarage add up to a case that appears at first glance to be open and shut. But Chief Inspector Lloyd and Sargeant Judy Hill soon discover that this case is as perpelxing as their relationship in this homage to Agatha Christie. This book was originally published in the U.K. under the title "Redemption". Read more about Jill McGown's books at http://www.jillmcgown.com/

November 17, 2004: Half Moon Street (Anne Perry)
Superintendent Thomas Pitt investigates the murder of prominent photographer Delbert Cathcart in 1891 London. Perry provides her readers with a look at the dark side of Victorian morality and social customs in this offering from her popular Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series. For more about Anne Perry visit her web site at http://www.anneperry.net/.

October 20, 2004: Southern Cross (Patricia Cornwell)
Recent widow Judy Hammer arrives in Richmond, VA to clean up the police force in this story of corruption, robberies, and scandal that escalate into murder. Visit http://www.patriciacornwell.com/ to learn more about the author and her works.

September 15, 2004: Ritual Bath (Faye Kellerman)
Sargent Peter Decker and his future wife, Rina Lazarus, meet and embark on their first crime-solving collaberation in Ritual Bath, published in 1986. Read more about Faye Kellerman and her writing at http://www.bastulli.com/Kellerman/Kellerman.htm. For more about this book visit MysteryGuide.com/.

May 19, 2004: The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Laurie R. King)
Young Mary Russell meets Sherlock Holmes in 1915 and becomes his apprentice sleuth in this Agatha Award nominated first novel by Laurie R. King. Information about King and her other books can be found at www.laurierking.com/.

April 21, 2004: In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner (Elizabeth George)
Did you know that, despite her success as the author of the very British Inspector Lynley series, Elizabeth George is a born and bred American? Visit Elizabeth George's home page at www.elizabethgeorgeonline.com/ for more intersting facts about this popular author.

March 17, 2004: Jane Jeffry mysteries (Jill Churchill)
Learn more about Jill Churchill's suburban single mom and amateur sleuth, Jane Jeffry, by visiting JillChurchill.com. Read summaries of all of the Jane Jeffry series, from "Grime and Punishment" through her latest adventure, "Bell, Book, and Scandal". Learn more about Churchill's other literary endeavors as well!

February 18, 2004:Valentine mysteries by Jane Haddam, Lee Harris, Carolyn G. Hart, and Ruth Dudley Edwards.
Click on each author's name to visit her home page and discover more about each of these terrific authors!

January 21, 2004: Storm Track (Margaret Maron)
Margaret Maron's web site at www.margaretmaron.com has a nice drop-down menu that will lead you to all of information that you might need about the author and her Judge Deborah Knott series. Storm Track, the seventh in this Southern mystery series, was published in 2000 and is both an Agatha Award Winner and a Mystery Guild Main Selection.

December 17, 2003: Tied Up in Tinsel (Ngaio Marsh)
Visit Naigo-Marsh.org for information about this charismatic New Zealander's home and life. A bibliography of her works is available on the Ngaio Marsh page as well.

November 19, 2003: Death Dines at 8:30, a mystery anthology edited by (and including stories written by) Claudia Bishop with Nick Dichario.
For more information about this book and Ms. Bishop's Hemlock Falls novels, visit the Claudia Bishop home page. Claudia Bishop also writes under her given name, Mary Stanton.

October 22, 2003: Death on Demand (Carolyn G. Hart)
Visit Carolyn's home page at CarolynHart.com to find out the latest news about her books! The Windsor Locks Library has two copies of her latest Pulitzer-nominated mystery "Letter from Home", the author's first mystery set in her home state of Oklahoma!

September 17, 2003 : The Body in the Library (Agatha Christie)
Visit Agatha Christie.com for more information about the queen of crime and her books.

Please call the library at 860-627-1495 or email us for more information about our book discussion groups.

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If you enjoy holiday-oriented mysteries visit Holidays Can Be Murder!

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