William Oliver Layton-Fawkes (“Wolf,” for short) is a hard-charging, dogged police detective who is passionate about his work. So passionate, in fact, that his last big case, involving the so-called Cremation Killer, left him mentally exhausted, and under the care of the resident psychiatrists of St. Ann’s Hospital. He’s just returned to duty after four years when a scarecrow composed of the body parts of six different victims and positioned with an arm pointing towards the window of Wolf’s apartment is discovered. In addition to this inventive display, the killer has also released a list of another six potential victims, including Wolf, to the media. Wolf thus finds himself in a life-or-death race against time, challenged by the urgent need to identify the half dozen victims while trying to protect the next six.

For a first-time author, Cole writes with surprising assurance and verve, delivering a vital, gripping narrative which should satisfy most thriller aficionados. Extremely dark at times, the story also has its lighter moments, usually in depicting the relationships between the main characters, and in dissecting office politics. Overall, an outstanding, very readable debut, one which manages to hit all the right grace notes, even while delivering savage jolts to your nervous system.

It is 1992, nearly a year after the Crown Heights riots in Brooklyn, New York, that pitted the black and Orthodox Jewish communities against each other. An uneasy peace reigns, but on the night of July 4, Malcom and Sabrina Davis, along with their foster daughter, Kenya, are brutally murdered in the neighborhood, the gunshots masked by the sound of erupting fireworks. When their 16-year-old foster son, DeShawn Perkins, is convicted of the murders based on a coerced confession and a suspect eyewitness identification, the case is closed.

Twenty-two years later, Rebekah Roberts, a perennially single, ambitious, and determined contract reporter for the tabloid New York Tribune, hears about DeShawn’s case when a letter from him surfaces saying, “I didn’t do it.” Always looking for the big story that will get her out of the Trib and into a big paper like the Times, she begins digging and finds discrepancies in the flimsy case: DeShawn’s girlfriend claimed he’d been with her all night, but was not called to the stand; the eyewitness, whom Rebekah tracks down, admits she was lying; and a retired Jewish cop (and her estranged mother’s boyfriend), who was involved in the long-ago investigation, is reluctant to talk about the case, as are the leaders of the Jewish community. The deeper she digs and the more roadblocks that are thrown in her way, the more she’s convinced of DeShawn’s innocence.

In this third of Julia Dahl’s Rebekah Roberts books, the author has written a gritty page-turner with plenty of twists and lots of atmosphere. The story jumps seamlessly between the time of the murders and the present. This is a must-read for not only crime fiction lovers, but anyone who enjoys a good whodunit.

The Day of the Lie is William Brodrick’s fourth novel featuring monk and former lawyer Father Anselm. This multilayered whodunit is less thriller than philosophical study of survival and betrayal in Eastern Europe during communist rule, and, after its collapse, a sly and cynical sort of redemption.

Father Anselm is approached by his oldest friend, John Fielding, with a plea for help. While John was a newspaper correspondent in Warsaw in the early 1980s he arranged an interview with a dissident known as The Shoemaker. His contact, a woman named Roza Mojeska, was arrested before the meeting could take place and sent to prison where she was told the identity of the person who betrayed her—a secret she has kept for more than 20 years for reasons never fully disclosed to the reader. But as the times have changed, the new government is looking for reparations from the old and they want Roza to tell everything. But Roza wants the informer to admit the betrayal, rather than pointing her finger.

The Day of the Lie is an appealing and accurate study of life in the totalitarian Communist states of Eastern Europe during the cold war. A tricky plot, confusing at times, and snail-like pacing is offset by the fascination of the behavior required to survive in an environment of paranoia, fear, betrayal, and the raw struggles of survival—protecting one’s own family at the expense of friends. Less thriller than treatise, it is ideal for those fascinated by Communism, Cold War history, and the philosophy of ethics, but may prove burdensome for those looking for lighter, more rip-roaring fare.

When Stephanie’s best friend, Emily, goes missing, leaving behind a son and a husband, Stephanie goes out of her way to comfort the family, because that’s what good friends do, right? But in this story by first-time novelist Darcey Bell, nothing is really as it seems.

Everyone has secrets and part of the attraction is watching those secrets be revealed as the book edges toward its dramatic conclusion. The first half of the story is told by Stephanie, a stay-at-home “mommy blogger,” whom we are introduced to through her site. While she at first seems to be beside herself with grief, she still manages to get in a dig or two at Emily, which sets the tone for the whole story. Things may look perfect on the outside, but they are rotten at the core.

The blog postings alternate with Stephanie’s own first-person narrative, which gives the reader a look at what’s really going on in her life: things she admits that she would never share with anyone else, including her blog readers. It isn’t until the second half of the book when Emily surfaces and starts sharing her own secrets that you realize just how terrifying both of these moms are—which makes it really intense when each woman decides that they want the same thing.

Bell’s use of the “mommy blog” as a way to showcase how things look on the surface versus how they are in real life is brilliant, and works especially well when Stephanie wants to bait Emily, who everyone else believes is still missing. This starts a cat-and-mouse game that results in lies, betrayal, obsession, revenge and murder—actions that you’d hardly expect from two suburban mothers—and it makes for “mommy” reading that is so much better than any blog.

Lisa Jewell’s novel fits neatly into a long list of other breathless had-I-but-known-type thrillers, most notably Paula Hawkins’ Girl on the Train, but it’s also a kissing cousin to suspense stories by Sophie MacKenzie, Collette McBeth, Ruth Ware, and Belinda Bauer. And really, all of these women are following in the original tradition of Mary Roberts Rinehart and the slightly later American women writers of the ’40s and ’50s. This time around, the iteration happens to be British, and scarier.

This kind of thriller, if done well, is always a fast read—and this one is done well. Even better, I actually liked the characters, which is not always the case for this type of tale, where characters are often not appealing or even likable. I liked both the central characters in I Found You, and that took me a long way.

The setup is this: Alice, an artist, lives in a seaside resort town with her several children of wildly disparate ages and several dogs, same deal. One morning, she spots a man sitting on the beach. He’s there all day in the wet and doesn’t move. So, she does the kind thing and gives him a coat someone has left behind, and then she does the kinder (or as her children are sure, stupider) thing, and lets him stay overnight in her art studio in the backyard.

It turns out the man, christened Frank by the youngest of the children, can’t remember a thing, not even what a bagel is, and he becomes Alice’s latest stray. He seems afraid of going to the police, but Alice kind of likes having him around, and once the dogs have accepted him, she’s all in.

Meanwhile, we follow another story of a woman, Lily Monrose, whose husband has disappeared. They are newlyweds; she is from Ukraine and knows nobody. She’s not sure how to go about finding him, but she’s very determined. We also follow a story set in 1993 of a vacationing family at a seaside town whose daughter meets up with a hunky—and her older brother thinks sketchy—slightly older guy.

It is obvious all these threads and Frank are going to tie together somehow. What is not as obvious is whether Frank is a good guy or a bad guy; he has his own suspicions that he isn’t so good.

The end of the book is clever and the threads are satisfyingly tied up; and unlike many recent contemporaries in the genre, the end is actually somewhat optimistic. I liked Alice, her family, and Frank, who was a character who really resonated.

Anyone who has spent time around mystery writers knows that, overall, they are a generous bunch.

Yes, of course, there are a few who are not. But most mystery writers you meet are quite nice, happy to meet other authors and readers.

I have witnessed writers thanking fans for reading their books and immediately introducing those readers to another writer they might like.

And, as many of us witnessed a couple of weeks ago, mystery writers’ concern for each other goes beyond the printed word.

This was proven during the 71st annual Edgars banquet, held April 27 at New York's Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Incoming Mystery Writers of America president Jeffery Deaver was in the middle of introducing the presenter who would announce the Edgar for best young adult novel when he passed out. He managed to brace himself as he went down.

One minute Deaver was reading a poem called “The Death of Reading,” about being a writer: 

“I’ve got what I think is the very best job.
I have no commute; I can dress like a slob.
I get paid to make up things—isn’t that neat?—
Just like at the White House and 10 Downing Street.”

And the next minute he was on the floor.

Immediately, Deaver was surrounded by other authors who held his head and comforted him while others were on the phone calling for help. The rest of us had the good sense to sit still and not get in anyone’s way.

The Edgars were halted for about half an hour until the EMS arrived, and Deaver was able to walk out on his own with the medics. As soon as it was possible, MWA executive vice president Donna Andrews swung into action and flawlessly—and smoothly—led the rest of the evening.

The happy news is that Deaver is doing fine and posted a thank you and update on his Facebook page. Although he has canceled his U.K. tour for his new novel, The Burial Hour, he plans to make his Italian tour in June.

But the rush to help Deaver wasn’t the only moment of kindness at the Edgars.

Just after Mary Higgins Clark had given out the aptly named Mary Higgins Clark Award to Charles Todd, she began to make her way down, when it appeared she needed a bit of assistance.

But let me refer to author Brendan DuBois, who had a closer view: “At [the] Edgar Awards banquet, I saw a sweet and charming sight: Mary Higgins Clark was on the stage, having just given out the award named for her to Charles Todd, and then as the very talented and sweet 89-year-old author slowly maneuvered her way down the steps, the awesome Lee Child instantly got up from his table and assisted her down,” DuBois posted on his Facebook page.

DuBois also was on the stage with Deaver, adding “there were a number of folks there, but Lyndsay Faye sticks out in my mind, her glamorous gown spread on the stage, sitting right next to Jeff, cracking jokes and calming everyone down.”

DuBois, whose latest novel is Storm Cell, continued: “Both events sort of struck me as a metaphor for the mystery community. We write, edit, sell, and read stories about some of the most despicable acts of humanity, but we are one close-knit community, and we tend to look out for each other and lend a helping hand—whether the literary one or the real one"

DuBois added, “I'm glad and honored to be a part of it.”

I certainly agree with him.

Organizing the Edgars is no small task and each year it goes well. Even when the unexpected happens, the MWA team was ready.

For a list of all Edgar winners and nominees, visit our blog.

I am so looking forward to the premiere of Site Unseen: An Emma Fielding Mystery, set to debut at 9 p.m. on June 4 on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel.

First, the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel has a track record of bringing some of our favorite amateur sleuths to TV in well-done movies.

Novels by Charlaine Harris, Joanna Fluke, and Wendy Corsi Staub, among others, have successfully made the transition to movies on the channel.

Second, Emma Fielding is the heroine of the terrific novels by Dana Cameron, who, like her character, is an archaeologist.

Cameron’s six novels about Emma are a highly entertaining series.

Emma is a brilliant and driven archaeologist and I have no doubt that actress Courtney Thorne-Smith will bring this beloved character to life. Emma is used to finding artifacts that have been lost for hundreds of years. 

But in Site Unseen, Emma is working on one of the most significant archaeological finds in years—evidence of a possible 17th century coastal Maine settlement that predates Jamestown.

But the dead man she finds at her site is no historical find. Emma becomes involved in the investigation because her dig site is in jeopardy of being shut down, thanks to local treasure-hunters and a second suspicious murder.

Cameron’s novels about Emma include Site Unseen, Grave Consequences, Past Malice, A Fugitive Truth, More Bitter Than Death, and Ashes and Bones.

The author said she devised Emma’s name when she was writing her first mystery.

“I happened to glance over at my bookcase. There I saw a copy of Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding, and a copy of Emma, by Jane Austen, and I put the two names together. It wasn’t for a long time that I realized how appropriate that name was—it can be read as a play on words for her job, someone who spends time in the field. I had another character point out the joke to Emma in a later book, but I felt pretty silly for not having seen it myself right away,” Cameron stated on her website.

Dana Cameron photo by James Goodwin

During the weekend of July 7–9, the small town of Buffalo, Wyoming, is the place to be.

That’s the weekend when Buffalo—about 4,600 residents or so—more than triples its population as more than 14,000 people come for Longmire Days, which celebrates the bestselling Walt Longmire novels written by Craig Johnson.

The sixth annual Longmire Days festival is chock-full of events such as a parade, a poker school, book and film discussions, trap shooting, baseball games, and horseback rides, among other events.

Johnson will be there, of course.

A majority of the cast usually attends as well. Among the cast expected to attend this year are Robert Taylor (Walt Longmire), A. Martinez (Jacob Nighthorse), Adam Bartley (The Ferg), Bailey Chase (Branch Connally), Louanne Stephens (Ruby), John Bishop (Bob Barnes), and Zahn McClarnon (Officer Mathias), among others.

Longmire Days has become a terrific way to honor Johnson’s novels, which realistically portray the new West and how crime is investigated. The festival continues to grow. Two years ago, about 9,000 were expected; now it is more than 14,000.

If you plan to go, make reservations soon.

Longmire fans have more to look forward to this year. Johnson’s next Walt Longmire novel will be The Western Star, on sale September 5. In addition, Johnson just signed a new three-book contract with Viking. Currently, more than 1.7 million copies of the Longmire series have been sold.

The sixth—and final season—of the TV series Longmire will air this fall on Netflix. The tentative airing date is September 15, though that could change.

Walt Longmire will have only one more season on TV, but the novels will continue.