Linda L. Richards: Pillowman Vancouver

I can hardly wait for this. In fact, I’m going twice.

Praise for Death Was the Other Woman

“Judging from the cover art of Death Was the Other Woman I expected a hardcore, Depression-Era noir, but this stylish and atmospheric first-person mystery defies easy expectations. Instead of tough-guy prose and a private investigator protagonist, Linda L. Richards offers something terrifically different.” -- Mystery Scene Magazine

“Throughout this stellar novel, Richards perfectly evokes the moody lawlessness of Depression-era Los Angeles and the crisp prose of classic noir fiction.” -- The Calgary Herald

“The writing is well researched, captivating, hard-boiled but with a compassionate eye that makes it impossible to escape the flow of the narrative. At times the book is heartbreaking, at times it’s fast and furious and at times perceptive about how people lie and deceive -- but at all times it showcases brilliant storytelling.” -- Shots UK

“Richards takes the time to fully develop her characters without sacrificing the momentum of the story. Death Was the Other Woman is an entertaining novel that takes you on a thrill ride through the criminal underworld of Depression-era Los Angeles without ever leaving your living room. Her vivid descriptions are as good as a time machine.” -- Saskatoon Star Phoenix

“Using a female narrator for a Depression-era noir tale seems a calculated strategy, but Richards makes it work naturally .... Honoring the noir tradition while turning it on its head, Richards’ richly detailed period portrays a world in which lifestyles, whether high or low, become an elaborate defense against a harsh environment in which there is only one final act and the trick is to determine the time the curtain falls. Expect to hear more from Kitty Pangborn.” -- Booklist

“This is a great period piece with action aplenty and nostalgia-evoking characters. Kitty is a delight, and fans of Megan Abbott's noir crime novels will enjoy.” -- Library Journal

“Richards takes a break from her Madeline Carter series (Mad Money, etc.) with this winning hard-boiled 1931 whodunit with a twist: the main sleuth is not world-weary L.A. PI Dex Theroux, but his loyal secretary and assistant, Kitty Pangborn. Well-developed lead characters, in particular the insightful Kitty, who shows potential as a series detective…” – Publishers Weekly

“Death Was the Other Woman will appeal to fans of historical whodunits as well as devotees of pulp-style fiction.... Richards’ spot-on portrayal of 1930s California -- the tumultuous social and political atmosphere, the fashions, the vernacular -- make this a must read for palookas, mooks and twists with enough spondulix to spare for some rip-roaring, hard-boiled literary escapism.” – The Chicago Tribune

“Richards introduces the refreshing heroine Kitty Pangborn, a socialite turned investigator's secretary who’s broad in the best possible sense, a cross between meddlesome Torchy Blaine and worldly Nora Charles. The girl Friday helps her hapless P.I. boss solve a murder in Prohibition-era Los Angeles.” -- The National Post

“For something really snappy -- a dandy, old-school hard-boiled detective story, told from the point of view of a tough PI's equally tough secretary -- go no further than Linda L. Richards' Death Was the Other Woman. -- Seattle Times

“Author Linda Richards has a pair of hard-boiled angels on her shoulders -- names of Spade and Marlowe …. Richards writes with wit and sharp dialogue that propels the reader into the Depression era with the ease of a Packard transmission. The descriptive speakeasy atmosphere sparkles with good plotting, pacing as racy as the nightclub scene she describes and a satisfying twist at the end …. I’m not usually a fan of this style, but I loved Death Was the Other Woman, cover to cover, speakeasy to nightclub and crime to solution.” -- The Hamilton Spectator

“Richards’ hardcover debut transports readers back in time ot Depression-era Los Angeles, where gang warfare abounds and private detectives walk a fine line between upholding the law and breaking it. Katherine (Kitty) Pangborn is a fabulous heroine…” -- Romantic Times

“A twist to noir.” -- The Windsor Star

“This campy first-person thriller is set in Prohibition-Depression era L.A. Kitty Pangborn works for a P.I. who finds many ways to land them in the soup, as they say.” -- The Sacramento Bee

“A delightful homage to hard-boiled P.I. yarns.” -- Washington C.E.O.

“This is a noir thriller in the classic Dash Hammett/Raymond Chandler mode, only Kitty Pangborn, secretary to PI Dexter Theroux, is not a secondary character.” -- Vancouver Sun, editor’s choice

“If you liked... The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett or Die a Little by Megan Abbott, this book is for you.” – This Book Is For You

“You’ve got all of the familiar conventions of the genre (femme fatales, gangsters, speakeasies etc.) but the story is made fresh and unique by telling it from Kitty’s perspective. Kitty not only helps Dex with his investigations but also does some snooping on her own, and I like that she’s not the type of heroine who clumsily stumbles upon the killer. She's smart, intuitive and is more practical than romantic. Each character in the book, from Kitty to Dex, to the mysterious Mustard and glamorous Brucie are complex and interesting, and I missed them all when I finished the book.” -- Dewey Divas and the Dudes

“Stylish and edgy, Death Was the Other Woman has everything an old-school mystery fanatic could want in a good, old-fashioned mystery: an intriguing plot with more twists and turns than a canyon road in the Hollywood Hills, a cast of quirky characters and a stunning new protagonist in Katherine Pangborn, fiendishly scintillating crimes with double-crossers who get double-crossed (and murdered), and tons of page-turner fun. The bottom line is this: Death Was the Other Woman is an absolute winner. Don’t miss it!” -- Bookloons Reviews

Saturday, March 15, 2008

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