The Last Page
Chicago Sun-Times (August 13, 2006)
George Pelecanos, The Night Gardener
Karin Slaughter, Triptych
James Rollins, Black Order
Ken Bruen, Calibre
P.J. Tracy, Snowblind

Serial thrillers
Chicago Sun-Times (July 23, 2006)
Laura Lippman, No Good Deeds
Janet Evanovich, Twelve Sharp
Lawrence Block, Hit Parade
M.J. Rose, The Venus Fix
Sandra Scoppettone, Too Darn Hot

Summertime escape
Chicago Sun-Times (June 11, 2006)
Barry Eisler, The Last Assassin
Joseph Finder, Killer Instinct
Steve Brewer, Whipsaw
Gayle Lynds, The Last Spymaster
Charlie Stella, Shakedown

High-octane thrillers
Chicago Sun-Times (May 21, 2006)
Lee Child, The Hard Way
Ken Bruen and Jason Starr, Bust
Shane Gericke, Blown Away
Naomi Hirahara, Snakeskin Shamisen
Laura Lippman (ed.), Baltimore Noir

Welcome, old friend
Chicago Sun-Times (April 2, 2006)
Harlan Coben, Promise Me
Kris Nelscott, Days of Rage
Denise Hamilton, Prisoner of Memory
James Sallis, Cripple Creek
Victor Gischler, Shotgun Opera

Much mysterious gold mined on our mean streets
Chicago Sun-Times (March 12, 2006)
Michael A. Black, Freeze Me, Tender
Dave Case, Out of Cabrini
Raymond Benson, Sweetie's Diamonds
Gail Lukasik, Destroying Angels
James Patrick Hunt, Maitland Under Siege

The United States as an Islamic nation
Chicago Sun-Times (February 19, 2006)
Robert Ferrigno, Prayers for the Assassin
Lisa Gardner, Gone
James O. Born, Escape Clause
P.J. Parrish, An Unquiet Grave
Sara Gran, Dope

Sex, booze and stiffs
Chicago Sun-Times (January 22, 2006)
M.J. Rose, The Delilah Complex
Michele Martinez, The Finishing School
Sean Doolittle, Rain Dogs
Twist Phelan, Spurred Ambition
Dick Adler, Dreams of Justice: Mysteries as Social Documents

Hit parade
Chicago Sun-Times (December 18, 2005)
Max Allan Collins, Road to Paradise
Eleanor Taylor Bland, A Dark and Deadly Deception
Dean Koontz, Forever Odd
Linda L. Richards, The Next Ex
Matthew Reilly, Seven Deadly Wonders

'Jane Bond' back as secret agent, single mom
Chicago Sun-Times (November 20, 2005)
Greg Rucka, Private Wars
Patricia Smiley, Cover Your Assets
Elizabeth Becka, Trace Evidence
Mark Gimenez, The Color of Law
John Lutz, Fear the Night

From horror to whodunit
Chicago Sun-Times (October 16, 2005)
Stephen King, The Colorado Kid
Jonnie Jacobs, The Only Suspect
Paul Levine, Solomon vs. Lord
Elaine Flinn, Deadly Collection
Sujata Massey, The Typhoon Lover

From Morrell, an all-nighter
Chicago Sun-Times (September 11, 2005)
David Morrell, Creepers
Theresa Schwegel, Officer Down
Karen E. Olson, Sacred Cows
Jeff Abbott, Panic
Sean Rowe, Fever

Host of new whodunits merits a look
Chicago Sun-Times (August 14, 2005)
Tess Gerritsen, Vanish
Zoe Sharp, First Drop
Terrill Lee Lankford, Blonde Lightning
Lee Goldberg, Diagnosis Murder #5: The Past Tense
Clea Simon, Mew is for Murder

Nothing chases crooks like a Jack Daniels
Chicago Sun-Times (July 17, 2005)
J.A. Konrath, Bloody Mary
Kate White, Over Her Dead Body
Jennifer Colt, The Butcher of Beverly Hills
Alafair Burke Close Case
Sandra Scoppettone, This Dame for Hire

Books for the beach
Washington Examiner (June 13, 2005)
Lee Child, One Shot
Dean Koontz, Velocity
Barry Eisler, Killing Rain
Laura Lippman, To the Power of Three
Michael Connelly, The Closers

More than just a whodunit
Chicago Sun-Times (June 5, 2005)
Laura Lippman, To the Power of Three
Julia Spencer-Fleming, To Darkness and Death
Lee Child, One Shot
Julie Hyzy, Deadly Blessings
Dylan Schaffer, I Right the Wrongs
Ed McBain (ed.), Transgressions

When a CEO is too naive and trusting
Chicago Sun-Times (May 1, 2005)
Joseph Finder, Company Man
Denise Hamilton, Savage Garden
James O. Born, Shockwave
Charlotte Carter, Trip Wire
Naomi Hirahara, Gasa Gasa Girl
Theresa Monsour, Dark House

A Chicagoan's timely new whodunit
Chicago Sun-Times (April 3, 2005)
David J. Walker, All the Dead Fathers
Harley Jane Kozak, Dating is Murder
Sarah Strohmeyer, Bubbles Betrothed
Charlie Stella, Cheapskates
Jodi Compton, Sympathy Between Humans
Reed Farrell Coleman, The James Deans

Scudder, Elvis Cole are back and so are the bad guys
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (February 13, 2005)
Chicago Sun-Times (February 27, 2005)
Lawrence Block, All the Flowers Are Dying
Robert Crais, The Forgotten Man

They deserve better than obscurity
Chicago Sun-Times (February 6, 2005)
Kent Harrington, Red Jungle
John Donohue, Deshi
Neil McMahon, Revolution No. 9
Michael Robotham, Suspect
Duane Swierczynski, Secret Dead Men

Dean Koontz, ever seeking fresh fields
Chicago Sun-Times (December 12, 2004)
Dean Koontz, Life Expectancy
Janet Evanovich, Metro Girl
Richard Aleas, Little Girl Lost
Richard Stark, Nobody Runs Forever
Max Allan Collins, The Road to Purgatory
Jeffery Deaver, Garden of Beasts

Hot on the track of a historic Stars & Bars
Chicago Sun-Times (November 7, 2004)
Sam Hill, Buzz Riff
Lisa Reardon, The Mercy Killers
Raelynn Hillhouse, Rift Zone
Jeffrey Cruikshank, Murder at the B-School
Steve Brewer, Boost
Lawrence Block, Grifter's Game

Remember this name: T. Jefferson Parker
Chicago Sun-Times (October 10, 2004)
T. Jefferson Parker: California Girl
Elaine Flinn: Tagged for Murder
Jim Fusilli: Hard, Hard City
Greg Rucka: A Gentleman's Game
Benjamin M. Schutz: The Mongol Reply

Up against a monomaniacal 'Teacher'
Chicago Sun-Times (September 12, 2004)
Gregg Hurwitz: The Program
Joseph R. Garber: Whilrwind
James O. Born: Walking Money
Dylan Schaffer: Misdemeanor Man
Jeff Lindsay: Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Splendid debut by a Chicago writer
Chicago Sun-Times (June 20, 2004)
J.A. Konrath: Whiskey Sour
Jack Kerley: The Hundredth Man
Steve Hamilton: Ice Run
Rob Reuland: Semiautomatic
Richard Cox: Rift

Next Agatha or Edgar? A guide
Boston Globe (May 30, 2004)
P.J. Tracy: Live Bait
Denise Hamilton: Last Lullaby
Chris Mooney: Remembering Sarah
Ace Atkins: Dirty South
Jonathon King: Shadow Men

Is this Denise Hamilton's breakout?
Chicago Sun-Times (May 2, 2004)
Denise Hamilton: Last Lullaby
Julia Spencer-Fleming: Out of the Deep I Cry
Terrill Lee Lankford: Earthquake Weather
Chris Mooney: Remembering Sarah
P.J. Tracy: Live Bait
Jonathon King: Shadow Men

Freed from the shadow of Ludlum
Chicago Sun-Times (April 4, 2004)
Gayle Lynds: The Coil
Daniel Silva: A Death in Vienna
Ace Atkins: Dirty South
Lawrence Block: The Burglar on the Prowl
Michael A. Black: Windy City Knights

Murder and Indians in rural Minnesota
Chicago Sun-Times (March 7, 2004)
Willian Kent Krueger: Blood Hollow
Julie Hyzy: Artistic License
Kris Nelscott: Stone Cribs
John Dunning: The Bookman's Promise
Ray Shannon: Firecracker

A filmmaker-sleuth and other cool heroes
Chicago Sun-Times (January 25, 2004)
Libby Fischer Hellmann: An Image of Death
Eleanor Taylor Bland: Fatal Remains
Blake Crouch: Desert Places
Charles Fleming: After Havana
Harley Jane Kozak: Dating Dead Men
Grace F. Edwards: The Viaduct

Whodunits to keep Santa busy
Chicago Sun-Times (December 7, 2003)
James Patterson: The Big Bad Wolf
Alice Blanchard: The Breathtaker
Dean Koontz: Odd Thomas
Ed Dee: The Con Man's Daughter
Gary Phillips: Bangers
Steve Brewer: Bullets
Earl Merkel: Dirty Fire

Do women lead the mystery pack? Maybe
Chicago Sun-Times (October 19, 2003)
Patricia Cornwell: Blowfly
Karin Slaughter: A Faint Cold Fear
Rochelle Krich: Dream House
Jonnie Jacobs: Intent to Harm
Elaine Flinn: Dealing in Murder

Lippman leads the fall's first mysteries
Chicago Sun-Times (September 14, 2003)
Laura Lippman: Every Secret Thing
Steven Bochco: Death by Hollywood
Gene Riehl: Quantico Rules
Iris Johansen: Fatal Tide
Adrian McKinty: Dead I Well May Be

Thrills, chills and spills for the beach-and-backyard reader
Chicago Sun-Times (July 13, 2003)
Barry Eisler: Hard Rain
Robert Ludlum & Gayle Lynds: The Altman Code
James Grippando: Last to Die
G.M. Ford: A Blind Eye
Valerie Block: None of Your Business

Debut mysteries are on the case
USA Today (May 20, 2003)
P.J. Tracy: Monkeewrench
Patricia Lewin: Blind Run
Joyce Krieg: Murder Off Mike: A Talk Radio Mystery
John Donohue: Sensei