HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE MESDAMES!

The year is winding down but the Mesdames are still making news. Our very successful launch for our new anthology, 13 Claws, was the highlight of 2017 for us but exciting events are still happening.

KUDOS FOR 13 CLAWS!

Maureen Jennings, creator of the Murdoch series, writes: A great mix of shuddery dark and tongue-in-cheek funny. What devious minds all these nice women have. Murdog liked the stories as well.

Jack Batten, Toronto Star’s crime fiction reviewer, gave 13 Claws a terrific review with shout-outs to the stories by Catherine Dunphy and M. H. Callway. Jack wrote:

But just because the contributors to the collection write out of an affection for animals doesn’t mean readers need similar feelings to appreciate the stories. There’s enough suspense and intellectual fascination built into the plots of the majority of stories to satisfy even the most ferociously cynophobic reader.

Read Jack’s full review here.

Vanessa Westermann, reviewer for Sleuth of Baker Street’s newsletter, writes:

I had the honour of receiving an early copy of 13 Claws, the third crime anthology by the MESDAMES OF MAYHEM and can only recommend it. This time, the stories are based upon the writers’ love of animals. There’s something here for everyone. The stories, ranging from cozy mysteries to thrillers, feature cats, dogs, dragons and snakes – some of which are quite mischievous.

BOOKS FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Books make terrific holiday gifts, especially the latest books by the Mesdames of Mayhem!

Top of the list, 13 Claws (Carrick Publishing), our third anthology, which features 17 twisted tails, er, tales by 15 authors. The stories range from comedy to noir. Our book includes the stories by the winner and runners up of the contest held for writers new to crime fiction.

Lisa De Nikolits’ latest literary thriller, No Fury Like That (Inanna Publications) has received outstanding reviews. Is the hero, Julia Redner, really dead? Or can she rethink her way to a second chance? Purgatory is an endless therapy clinic, but the food is great! John Oughton, author of Death by Triangulation calls it “the characters from The Devil Wears Prada trapped in Sartre’s play, No Exit.”

Christmas cheer from Our Queen of Comedy, Melodie Campbell: Two hilarious new books, both from Orca Book Publishers. In Worst Date Ever, newly widowed Jennie gathers her courage to date again, but boy does she get to kiss some frogs! And in The Bootlegger’s Goddaugher, Gina’s wonderfully planned Christmas wedding gets hijacked by a stolen transport truck full of booze, thanks to the residents of the Holy Cannoli Retirement Home.

Beat the winter weather by taking a Passport to Murder (Down and Out Books) the 2017 Bouchercon anthology, featuring crime stories with a travel theme. Joining the company of best-selling authors are Rosemary McCracken, author of the popular Pat Tierney series and newcomer and 13 Claws finalist, Marilyn Kay.

Caro Soles has a terrific new historical novel, A Friend of Mr. Nijinsky (Crossroad Press). A rich young American gets drawn into the famous dancer’s paranoid world…and murder! Author Barbara Fradkin describes it as “an enchanting story of betrayal and murder set in a swirl of debutante soirees.”

A Trifecta of Terrific Reads! For fans of short crime fiction, the collected works of three award-winning Mesdames: Rosemary Aubert’s Midnight Boat to Palermo, Donna Carrick’s, North of the Yellowhead and M. H. Callway’s, Glow Grass and Other Tales. All three books published by Carrick Publishing.

And last but not least, the latest Toronto Sisters in Crime anthology, The Whole She-Bang 3, contains 22 stories, including wonderfully entertaining tales by Mmes Lisa De Nikolits and Lynne Murphy and our Monsieur, Ed Piwowarczyk.

NEWS AND EVENTS!

On Saturday, Dec 2nd, Mme Madona Skaff joins 12 crime fiction authors in Ottawa to celebrate CWC’s 35th anniversary. (Making 13 authors, the Mesdames lucky number!) Three themed events are being held at leading local bookstores. Meet Madona at “Plenty of Crime at Christmas”, Chapters South Keys, 1 pm.

On Thursday, Dec 7th, 6:30 pm the Mesdames will be out in force to celebrate with friends and fellow authors at the annual CWC / Sisters in Crime Holiday Party. This year the party will be held at 60 Collier St, Toronto. Tickets are available online here.

KUDOS FOR THE MESDAMES!

Mme Roz Place’s short story, “The Garden Door”, has been accepted for an anthology of Prince Edward County authors to be published spring 2018 by Cressy Lakeside Books.

Roz was inspired to write the story after seeing a photograph looking down a hall of an inner door opening onto a half-opened door that gave onto a garden. Which became the first line: “A door opens on a door opens on a garden.”

Lisa de Nikolits

Mme Lisa De Nikolits’ new novel, No Fury Like That, received a shout-out from the publishers of the Literary Press Group who have named it one of this year’s Books Worth Celebrating! See the complete list in the Fall issue of Geist magazine.

And be sure to follow Lisa’s exploration of Canadian Noir on Open Book Toronto, that featured contributions from Mmes M. H. Callway and Rosemary McCracken.

Melodie Campbell

Mme Melodie Campbell’s latest book in the hilarious Goddaughter series, The Bootlegger’s Goddaughter, has been nominated for the 2018 Golden Oak Award. The award was created by librarians and literacy specialists to recognize books for new adult readers.

WELCOME MARY PATTERSON!

We’re delighted to welcome our newest member, Mme Mary Patterson, whose story, “Night Vision”, was the winner of the 13 Claws contest for new crime fiction writers.

Mary is a retired potter and garden columnist for community newspapers. She is completing her first mystery novel featuring poisonous mushrooms in Toronto’s High Park. Her secret? Despite creating loveable cat PI, Malachi, she’s actually a dog fan!