Our April title Nothing Serious by Daniel Klein is the satirical story of a New York City trend-spotter relocated to a small college town where he becomes the editor of a minor philosophy magazine. Giving it a starred review, Booklist said “Klein is a master of social commentary, and his background as a writer of both mysteries and philosophy is clearly evident, resulting in an exceptional story sprinkled with philosophical overtones and rounded out with the perfect amount of symbolism and allegory.”
Another April title, Fangs Out by David Freed, has gotten all around great reviews, and fabulous sales on Kindle after writer Bruce de Silva reviewed him for the Associated Press, and this article was then carried by newspapers nationwide.
The Conduct of Saints (May) by Christopher Davis continues to impress readers and critics alike. Calling him a “writer’s writer” Huffington Post book reviewer Don Gold says “The Conduct of Saints is his twelfth novel (he's also written three non-fiction books, a play and a children's book). His range is breathtaking. He's written novels set in the Middle Ages, during the holocaust, in a rural New York town and about the competition by electric companies to conduct the first electrocution in the United States. He's never a pedant; the novels rooted in history illuminate their time through human behavior. His technique is subtle, but never obscure. His intentions are always revealed at a purposeful pace. A reader will search in vain for a stray cliché, a familiar voice, a lifted reference.”
And finally, with Dead Wrong (May), Connie Dial delivers her 4th police procedural/mystery, drawing on her 27 years with the LAPD where she rose through the department to command the Hollywood division. According to the New York Journal of Books “Dead Wrong gets everything right—the lingo, tactics, venues, cops, and bad guys—they’re all spot on. Connie Dial perfectly captures the highs and lows, the best and worst of what it’s like to be a cop. Well done.“
See Marty’s new blog posting for a critique of the e-book pricing trial featuring Apple and the Justice Dept.
The Staff: Judith and Martin Shepard, co-publishers and senior editors; Cathy Suter, managing editor; Sarah Flood, editorial assistant; Brian Skulnik, editorial assistant; Susan Ahlquist, typesetting, design and production; Joslyn Pine, copy editor; Lon Kirschner, cover artist; Caleb Kercheval, web designer and web master; Jennifer Hartig, acquisitions editorial assistant; Felix Gonzalez, shipping and warehouse manager