Ann Cleeves’ Raven Black
Wellington Leg: With the Live Hog Pit closed this holiday weekend your reporter turns attention to what Legians are reading. Here is a sampling of crime fiction titles from across Wellington Leg, Henley Hornbrook, and Carthago Nova. Ed Note: everyone in Goth is at COSTCO.
RAVEN BLACK by Ann Cleeves. The author won the Duncan Lawrie Golden Dagger in 2006. The novel is set in the Shetland Islands where many of this blog’s readers reside.
TROPIC OF NIGHT by Michael Gruber. I know this came out in 2003 but this novel is my choice for the Rap Sheet’s overlooked book. First of the Jimmy Paz trilogy.
THE BIG BOOM by Domenic Stansbury. Another older book that placed second in my Rap Sheet sweepstakes. Feels dated and the title is awful, but this novel pins San Francisco to the wall and smacks you silly.
AN ACCIDENTAL AMERICAN by Alex Carr. This is a bestseller in Wellington Leg, an unusual thriller about an unusual woman caught in the aftermath of Lebanon’s civil war.
SAFE AND SOUND by JD Rhoades. Not yet released, but floated ashore in an arc. Very well written, set in the Carolinas where many of the readers of this blog vacation. Features bounty hunter Jack Keller.
Hopefully on Monday I’ll have a few more titles for those of you who do not reside in the Shetland Islands or vacation in the Carolinas.
May 31st, 2007 at 5:51 pm
I remain grateful to you for recommending TROPIC OF NIGHT a year or two ago. It’s a truly exceptional book that transcends the crime fic genre.
Ditto for DOPE (though I think COME CLOSER is Sara Gran’s masterpiece so far). Actually, come to think of it, you’re the guy who turned me on to THE HUMMINGBIRD’S DAUGHTER, too, which is another brilliant book. You have kick-ass taste.
So I guess I’ll have to check out that Shetlands book. Though my grandfather once bought a Shetland pony named Nicky for all us grandkids to ride on when we visited. Damn pony was meaner than a snake with chiropractic issues. Been suspicious of the Shetlands ever since.
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:26 am
David, thanks for the mention. Glad you liked the book.