Nora Roberts writes about vampires!!!

Read the Sara Gruen Interview

Because her book Water for Elephants is really good, and she's interesting:

http://www.powells.com/interviews/gruen.html

Mysteries

I just finished Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs. I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed in this one and was also disappointed in the last one. (She seemed to try to be cashing in on the Da Vinci Code thing with Cross Bones.) I wasn't super into the case in Break No Bones, and Pete vs. Ryan--really!? I just don't think there's much comparison between the philandering lawyer and the hunky Montreal detective. Despite my lackluster feelings about the new book, I do now have a serious urge to visit the Lowcountry.

Sadly, I am now without a new forensic mystery for awhile. Terrible. Patricia Cornwell's new book isn't out until October, and I'm waiting for a new book from Erin Hart, who writes about a forensic pathologist. Come on Erin--I am in serious suspense! If you're into forensic mysteries, all things Irish, or bogmen and haven't read her books, check them out:

Haunted Ground by Erin Hart
The Irish landscape holds secrets past and present as archaeologist Cormac O'Callaghan and pathologist Nora Gavin encounter a mystery when a decapitated woman is found in the bogs who may be related to a recent mother/child disappearance.



Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart
In a follow-up to Haunted Ground, pathologist Nora Gavin investigates two bodies discovered at the site of an Irish midland industrial site--one ancient, the other recent--and teams up with archaeologist Cormac Maguire, with whom she has fallen in love, for an unexpectedly dangerous case.

Collage Fiction

Okay I haven't actually seen or read this book yet (released next month), but so far, I WISH I HAD THOUGHT OF THIS! I love collage. Really it's the only kind of art I'm good at, and I love putting odd bits of things together on a page. Plus I love mysteries, so putting collage and mystery together? Genius. Anyway, I am very excited by this book and hope it does not disappoint:

Journal: The Short Life and Mysterious Death of Amy Zoe Mason by Joyce and Kristine Atkinson
A page-by-page series of clues and revelations documenting an artist's mysterious fate, presented in a format reminiscent of the Griffin and Sabine series and comprised of collage-style newspaper clippings, e-mails, and private writings, invites readers to search its pages for visual and verbal clues. 100,000 first printing.

(I also greatly enjoy the Griffin and Sabine books. Kind of an odd story and gorgeous to look at.)

Sun Storm

Yes, I am still on my Nordic Noir kick (and eventually I think I'll make a pretty bookmark about it). I recently finished Sun Storm by Asa Larsson, which I quite enjoyed. It's a debut novel that won Sweden's Best First Crime Novel Award.