starred review - Macmillan Library

Three Stars for The Convert

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Ali Fisher

What drives a young woman raised in a postwar New York City suburb to convert to Islam, abandon her country and Jewish faith, and embrace a life of exile in Pakistan? THE CONVERT tells the story of how Margaret Marcus of Larchmont became Maryam Jameelah of Lahore, one of the most trenchant and celebrated voices of Islam’s argument with the West.

"[A] stellar biography that doubles as a mediation on the fraught relationship between America and the Muslim world. [...] This is a cogent, thought-provoking look at a radical life and its rippling consequences." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A significant contemporary figure in Islamic-Western relations becomes human, with all the foibles and angst that word implies. General readers will find this story compelling, while scholars will be pleased with the insight it brings to an important 20th-century Islamist voice. Highly recommended." —Library Journal (starred review)

"An important, searing, highly readable and timely narrative." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Also read the interviews with author Deborah Baker in Publishers Weekly and Shelf Awareness.

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A Smart, Inventive Sci-Fi Debut: The Quantum Thief

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Ali Fisher

It's difficult to describe a book like Hannu Rajaniemi's stellar sci-fi debut, THE QUANTUM THIEF. This book is structurally defiant, believably bizarre, and driven by the hot desires of desperate theives and clever detectives. It's very smart and it's a helluva trip.

You may have already seen it on lists like Kirkus Review's 10 Can't-Miss SFF Books for 2011 and io9's Books We Can't Wait for this Spring.

"Finnish author Rajaniemi’s outstanding debut demonstrates a level of complexity and storytelling skill rarely found from even the most experienced authors. Rajaniemi belongs in a class with Gene Wolfe and Samuel Delany and deserves a wide readership." —Library Journal (starred review)

"A sort of paranoid-conspiracy, hard sci-fi whodunit: the Scotland resident, Finnish author's jaw-dropping debut. All this barely hints at the complex inventions and extrapolations, richly textured backdrop and well-developed characters seamlessly woven into a narrative stuffed with scientific, literary and cultural references. [...] Spectacularly and convincingly inventive, assured and wholly spellbinding: one of the most impressive debuts in years." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

[UPDATE]: Publishers Weekly has also given THE QUANTUM THIEF a starred review. They say, "Rajaniemi melds a caper novel, New Wave aesthetics, and theoretical physics into a stellar debut. [...] The plot itself is straightforward, allowing the mix of multiple narrative styles and viewpoints, elegant world building, and gonzo futurism to astonish without overwhelming."

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Three Starred Reviews for Killed at the Whim of a Hat

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Ali Fisher

KILLED AT THE WHIM OF A HAT kicks off a sharp and charming new series by the internationally bestselling, critically acclaimed author, Colin Cotterill. Cotterill drops the reader smack dab into present day rural Thailand, right into the heart of an eccentric family's drama.

And reviewers are slapping stars all over it.

"This outstanding series debut from the author of the Dr. Siri Paiboun mysteries (LOVE SONGS FROM A SHALLOW GRAVE) would appeal to crossover readers who enjoy well-developed ensemble casts and a sense of the absurd. It’s not just about Thailand; Cotterill understands people and writes subtle humor like a master." —Library Journal (starred review)

"Cotterill combines plenty of humor with fascinating and unusual characters, a solid mystery, and the relatively unfamiliar setting of southern Thailand to launch what may be the best new international mystery series since the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency." —Booklist (starred review)

"Cotterill (THE CORONER'S LUNCH and six other mysteries featuring Laotian coroner Dr. Siri Paiboun) combines a wry narrative voice with an appealing picture of a world unfamiliar to most Americans." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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Starred Reviews for First Grave on the Right AUDIO

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Ali Fisher

FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT, the debut paranormal romance from the sizzlingly talented Darynda Jones, won the 2009 Golden Heart for Best Paranormal Romance from RWA. The story continues to grab reviewers attention, this time in audio!

The reviewers at Booklist (who starred the book when it first released in hardcover) have starred the audio version, as well! They say, "[Lorelei] King (familiar to many as the recent reader of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels) brings sassy fun to the role of Charley, who is spunky and sarcastic. […] Paranormal romance is hot, so expect high interest in this sizzling, laugh-out loud-story."

It's also an Earphones Award-winner with AudioFile who said, "Narrator Lorelei King has proved herself the queen of snark, the sovereign of inspired performances of sassy female detectives. She’s pretty amazing with a large cast of secondary characters, too. King’s a perfect choice for portraying Charley Davidson, an Albuquerque P.I. and grim reaper responsible for leading the dead to the other side. [...] Jones’s book will leave romance, chick-lit, humor, and mystery lovers waiting for Charley’s second adventure."

[UPDATE]: Library Journal also gave the FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT audio a starred review! "When Charlie announces that the names of her breasts are "Danger" and "Will Robinson," listeners know they are in for a wild ride. Actress/Audie Award winner Lorelei King is comfortable in Charlie's skin and performs a wide variety of characters distinctly. For anyone enjoying sexy paranormal detective fiction."

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Starred Reviews for The Devil She Knows

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Both Publishers Weekly and Booklist have slapped a big red star next to their enthusiastic reviews of THE DEVIL SHE KNOWS by Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award-winner Bill Loehfelm.

Booklist says, "Even Staten Island, which Loehfelm brilliantly sketched in BLOODROT, becomes a character in this one: seedy, brooding, and sometimes deadly. But, finally, it’s still Maureen, as compelling a character as this reviewer expects to see this year, who makes THE DEVIL SHE KNOWS a must for crime-fiction lovers."

Publishers Weekly says, "Loehfelm expertly ramps up the suspense, taking the reader on a dark ride, not just through the seedier side of Staten Island but into Nat Waters's own past, when he and Sebastian were young cops."

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Another Star for Secret of the White Rose!

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Library Journal corroborates Publishers Weekly's glowing review of Edgar Award-winning Stefanie Pintoff's SECRET OF THE WHITE ROSE!

In their starred review Library Journal says,

"New York City is gripped by anarchist riots and bombings in the fall of 1906. One bombing goes horribly awry, a child is killed, and the arrested young suspect endures the wrath of the city. On the eve of his trial, the presiding judge is murdered in his home, with a Bible under his hand and a white rose next to his corpse. [...] Pintoff is at the top of her game in this third entry in her Edgar Award–winning historical series (IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM; A CURTAIN FALLS). Hand sell to readers who still talk about Caleb Carr’s THE ALIENIST. Suspenseful and overlaid with symbols, ciphers, and early psychological study—a real winner."

They even had a special note in their mystery section that showered some love on a few more of our series authors:

"Three authors on their third series entry—Cassandra Clark, Sophie Littlefield, and Stefanie Pintoff—just keep producing great new stories. Be sure to get the back titles if you’ve missed them." Hear, hear!

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Interview with Stefanie Pintoff

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Ali Fisher

After adding a big ol' red star to their glowing review of SECRET OF THE WHITE ROSE, Publishers Weekly asked author Stefanie Pintoff a few questions about her early 20th-century NYC mysteries.

Pintoff says, "For SECRET OF THE WHITE ROSE, I wanted to explore the anarchist threat that was part of early 1900s New York City, creating a time of uncertainty much like the present, where we live with the constant threat of terrorism."

And how does she write period pieces with such rich details? "Like most historical writers, I use a variety of sources, from libraries to contemporary newspapers to old photograph collections."

Pintoff also talks about which came first, plot or characters, and who she considers to be her literary role models. Read the full Q&A here! [...]

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The buzz for Still Missing definitely isn’t missing!

Posted on May 17, 2010 by Ben Rubinstein

If you haven't heard the buzz for Chevy Steven's debut Still Missing, read the excerpts below from its FOUR starred reviews! [...]

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