Judith Rock’s Charles du Luc Novels: Seventeenth-Century Paris Comes Alive

American novelist Judith Rock has been a busy person. Before commencing her Charles du Luc series set in seventeenth-century France, she was variously a dancer, choreographer, actress, playwright, professor, police officer, lecturer, and researcher. “Each of those passions and adventures has deepened and expanded my writing.” she has noted.

The first Charles du Lac installment, The Rhetoric of Death, appeared in 2010. With rehearsals for a ballet in full swing, a killer is on the loose at the Jesuit college on the rue St. Jacques, and it is up to Charles to stop the killings. “Rock’s superb historical debut opens with 28-year-old Charles du Luc arriving in 1686 Paris to serve as a teacher in a Jesuit school…With an experienced writer’s ease, Rock incorporates details of the political issues of the day into a suspenseful story line,” declared Publishers Weekly in a starred review. Booklist offered a further starred review of this debut, noting that “Rock’s novel boasts a style all its own and is sure to satisfy those eager for a great new historical mystery.”

Read Full Post »

“I Wrote of What I Loved–I Wrote of Korea:” Martin Limón’s Sueño and Bascomb Novels

Of Martin Limón’s Korean-based series featuring U.S. Army criminal investigators George Sueño and Ernie Bascom , author Lee Child declared the books “easily the best military mysteries in print today.” Bookpage concurred in the judgment, noting that “Limón has crafted some of the finest military mysteries on offer.” The seven books in that series, all published by Soho, include Jade Lady Burning, Slicky Boys, Buddha’s Money, The Door to Bitterness, Wandering Ghost, G.I Bones, and the most recent, Mr. Kill, from 2011.  Part police procedurals, part thrillers, Limón’s novels, as Michael Connelly noted, “take you away to a brand new world.”

In a starred review of Mr. Kill, Publishers Weekly raved: “Excellent…A vivid view of Asia, from the Demilitarized Zone to the Yellow Sea, and an insightful look at the era lift this fine entry.” Booklist, in its starred review, noted: “This series is a must not only for procedural fans but also for anyone who enjoys crime fiction set in distinctive international locales.” Library Journal joined in the chorus of praise for this seventh installment, observing: “Twenty years on, this series remains remarkably sharp and fresh. Featuring a fast pace, nuanced characters, respect for the locals and their culture (Sueño speaks Korean), and plenty of twists to keep readers guessing, this is military crime fiction at its best.”

Read Full Post »

John Lescroart’s “Zeitgeist” Crime Novels of San Francisco

John Lescroart and San Francisco are synonymous. The author of over a score of novels, Lescroart usually bases his action in California’s  city by the bay. His long-standing series featuring ex-cop, ex-bartender, ex-PI, and current defense attorney Dismas Hardy, takes place in the courtrooms and mean streets of San Francisco, as does his series featuring private investigator Wyatt Hunt.

Lescroart, who came to writing after a career in music, regularly finds his fast-paced fiction on the bestseller lists. He has been dubbed “one of the best thriller writers to come down the pike” by USA Today, and “reliably excellent” by Publishers Weekly. His third novel featuring Wyatt Hunt, The Hunter, appears in January, 2012.

John, it’s great to finally have you on Scene of the Crime. Let’s start things off with a discussion of your own crime scene. What’s your connection to San Francisco?

Read Full Post »