she went thisaway!

in this rain arrives!

Last Wednesday, In This Rain, S.J. Rozan's new book, had its launch party at Partners & Crime Mystery Booksellers in New York. I called late that afternoon to order one and ask that it be inscribed. The book arrived today – packaged as if it were a signed first edition Hemingway. I am seriously impressed with the store's customer service and personnel.

I also found out a day and a half later that there were homemade brownies at the celebration. That book box had lots of room in it – I really missed a golden opportunity to try and score a couple of chocolate goodies. Drats!

My literary appetite made out especially well though.

itw book promotion

International Thriller Writers, Inc. has a "150 Thrillers" contest: sign up for their newsletter by February 15 and you're entered. That's all there is to it. Click the logo for more info:

 
(Feb 15: I didn't win – the grand prize was won by Peggy R.)

'absent friends' by s.j. rozan

S.J. Rozan’s Absent Friends is an astonishing book I finished late Sunday evening. The timing of my reading may well have had something to do with my overall reaction as it’s set with September 11 as its backdrop. It’s a fictional crime novel about the life of a heroic FDNY firefighter who died on September 11 and questions whether activities he may have been involved in earlier in his life should diminish his existence. The book looks at truth, friendship and heroism.

It took me a while to get into the flow of the book because the point of view shifts among three people in the present and a narration, set in the past, about the group of seven friends. The book includes peoples' feelings and reactions to the 9-11 attacks, and that is a deeply moving component. After finishing, and closing the book in my lap, I was left with a lovely warm satisfaction even though many bad things had happened to good people – I cared about them, even the ‘bad’ ones. What a wonderful way to finish a read.

Extended comments, written last night, have been posted to Amazon.