The Coffeehouse Mysteries

I LOVE HISTORY, but – as a mystery author – I try to keep up with my mystery reading. I recently came across an interesting series that I'd like to recommend to mystery readers: the coffeehouse mysteries by Cleo Coyle.

As happens, I picked up "Decaffeinated Corpse," which is not the first book in the series, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The main character is a coffee shop manager, Clare Cosi, whose ex-husband's friend develops a botanically decaffeinated coffee bean. One thing leads to another and Clare ends up in the midst of a murder investigation. It has interesting characters and plot and is worth reading (after my "Murder Most Holy" first, of course).

Des Moines Register Profile

THIS MORNING THE DES MOINES REGISTER published a short profile of me in the business section. You can read the article here.

RFK Assassination

A SHORT TIME AGO I finished an interesting book on the Robert Kennedy murder. Since high school I’ve been interested in the assassination of his brother, President Kennedy, since there seemed to be so many open questions about it. But I never bothered much with the Robert Kennedy killing since it seemed like such an open-and-shut case; after all, Sirhan Sirhan was caught in the act, with the gun in the pantry still firing his gun.

Dan E. Moldea, in “The Killing of Robert F. Kennedy” presents a number of theories about the murder, including an inside look at things the official investigation missed. After exploring alternative theories, including one in which the senator was killed by a security guard assigned for crowd control, Moldea presents his own conclusion which, by the end of the book, may or may not be surprising. It was an interesting read for the history or conspiracy buff.

Parker in Paperback

YES, IT’S TRUE. Parker Noble and Murder Most Holy will be featured in a new mass market paperback late next year or early in 2009. World Wide Mysteries, a division of Harlequin Publishing has purchased the rights to Murder Most Holy for its mystery book club.

Interview with Parker Noble, Main Character in Murder Most Holy

Q. Thank you, Mr. Noble for taking time to visit with my blog readers today.
A. It is my pleasure.
Q. Before you joined the attorney general’s office, where did you practice law?
A. When I first graduated from law school I took a job in the legal department of a large insurance company.
Q. You defended insurance companies?
A. Yes, and I really wasn’t happy there. I was offered a job as assistant county attorney and began my public career representing the state in juvenile matters. Later one of my classmates called about an opening at the AG’s office, I applied and have been there ever since.
Q. How did you get the rank of Deputy Attorney General?
A. Another classmate was elected AG and offered me the job directing area prosecutions. The title came with the position.
Q, And just what is “area prosecutions”?
A. Most of the criminal work in the AG’s office is appellate; we defend criminal cases on appeal from lower courts. However, there are some cases that the AG’s office prosecutes in the trial court and that work is turned over to the team we call “area prosecutions.”
Q. So you have had experience prosecuting criminals all over the state?
A. Yes, I have.
Q. And your reputation was as a top-notch litigator.
A. I won’t dispute that.
Q. Then you didn’t get your judicial appointment and you quit the courtroom. Why?
A. I don’t want to talk about that.
Q. But you were kept on in the AG’s office.
A. I work with the state police now. I guess you would call me a liaison to the attorney general’s office.
Q, Is that how you get involved in solving murders?
A. I do what the work requires.
Q. And how are the police to work with?
A. As a prosecutor they can be your best friends or your worst enemy. They are friends because they work the same side of the street I do. They can cause trouble when they don’t quite grasp some of the legal or evidentiary issues a prosecutor needs to consider. They sometimes can get too involved in the case and lose some objectivity that, I hope, a good prosecutor can dictate.
Q. And how is working with Detective Stankowski?
A. Stanley is a good cop. He has a lot to learn, but his is a good cop. Sometimes he gets sidetracked with his women, but all in all, he’s a good cop.
Q. And Stan’s friend, Buffy Cole?
A. She’s smarter than she acts, but its hard to figure out if she is more interested in Stanley or a career. That’s the problem with women professionals . . .
Q. Speaking of women, who is Mrs. Skosh?
A. My landlady, why do you ask?
Q, Is she married?
A. It’s none of your business, but she is a widow lady.
Q. And you’re a widower.
A. I think we’re done with this interview. I need to get home to feed Buckwheat Bob.
Q. Your dog?
A. Right.
Q. Well, thank you for your time. Before you go, can I buy you a beer or something for talking with me?
A. No beer.
Q. Why?
A. Anybody who drinks beer will steal.

End of interview – www.mikemanno.com – Murder Most Holy