[If you have a yahoo e-mail address, chances are you did not receive today's newzine. Seems as if they all bounced back.]
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Rest In Peace:
Seattle, the Northwest, and American letters lost a major star this week with the death of Ann Rule.
Ann was born in Lowell, MA, to parents named Stackhouse, in 1931 (some accounts give the year of her birth as 1930, or even 1935). Her father was a coach, her mother worked with the developementally disabled. They moved frequently as her father’s coaching career grew. She spent summers with her grandparents in Michigan, where most of her relatives worked in law enforcement. Her grandfather was a sheriff; she helped her grandmother prepare meals for prisoners, something brought her into close contact with those behind bars. The experiences ignited a strong curiosity about who the criminals were and why they were criminals when they often didn’t look evil.
Ann joined the Seattle Police Department in 1952 at the age of 21 but left within a couple of years due to her eyesight. She took classes at a local community college and earned a degree in criminal justice. The duration of her writing life, she not only continued her education by studying writing and the many aspects of criminal investigation, she eventually became a teacher and consultant on matters of writing and criminal investigation – she testified before Congress and consulted with the FBI.
Ann began writing early and wrote for many “women’s” publications but also began publishing non-fiction pieces in “True Detective” magazine under the pen-name Andy Stackhouse in 1969. Her first work to gain notice was the 1980 book The Stranger Beside Me, her account of having worked along side Ted Bundy during the initial years of “The Ted Murders”. She always said that she never felt frightened of him. She wasn’t his ‘type’. Indeed, she reported that she had a contract to write about the case before Bundy was unmasked as the killer. She had no idea she’d be writing about the young man who walked her to her car when they finished their shift at the suicide hotline. Eventually, the book was updated three times as the case itself unfolded.
She would go on to write many bestselling true crime books, interspersing them with her Crime Files volumes which each covered a number of other cases in “short story” form. What captured her attention for the last handful of full books was the murderous female.
Her last book was published in 2013. Just before the premiere event for the book, Ann took a fall and broke her hip. She never really recovered. News broke earlier this year that two of her sons who had been helping to take care of her had been stealing money from her accounts. That was followed earlier this summer with word that she was suffering from other health problems. She’d entered the hospital last week with pneumonia and suffered a heart attack after being admitted. She died Sunday, July 26. She was 84.
All in all it was a very sad end for a dynamic woman. We had the pleasure of hosting her for a number of signings over the years as well as being invited by her to sell books at some of her talks. While warm and considerate with her readers and friends, there was steeliness just below the surface, a resolve that showed itself when she talked about killers and evil – and a carefulness born out of decades of rubbing up against lunatic killers. She voluntarily waded into the River Styx to confront horrors and to report on them so the rest of us could learn from a safe distance.
She had four children , seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and millions of fans.
Her daughter Leslie said she went peacefully. If anyone deserved that peacefulness it was Ann.
The Seattle Times noted: “A public memorial service is being planned. Rule's daughter says it is likely a couple of weeks away. Because of her mother's love for animals, Leslie Rule asked that donations be made to animal charities of the donor's choice. She specifically mentioned Sunny Sky's Animal Rescue in Puyallup, saying it has fallen on hard financial times.”
Her obituary in the NYTimes is comprehensive.
J.A. Jance wrote a nice tribute about being around Ann and learning from Ann.
R.I.P.
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In the Bad News Department, the Post Office raised their overseas postal rates, so sadly, we’ve had to increase our rates accordingly. Effective immediately, the new rates are:
Domestic rates remain the same with the exception of a Priority Large Box which has gone to $20.00.
For Canada:
1st Class—4 lb. maximum (2-3 hardcovers), varies by weight, maximum cost $32.00.
Priority envelope – 1 hardcover or 2 trade paperbacks or 3 mass market paperbacks -- $23.00
Priority Medium Box -- $48.00
Priority Large Box -- $62.00
Other International Rates –
1st Class—4 lb. maximum (2-3 hardcovers), varies by weight, maximum cost $42.00.
Priority envelope – 1 hardcover or 2 trade paperbacks or 3 mass market paperbacks -- $28.00
Priority Medium Box -- $68.00
Priority Large Box -- $88.00
Orders placed through our website or through Biblio.com have their own rates attached. Please feel free to call or email us with any questions.
Links of Interest:
Had enough of Harper Lee? How about this: Bloom County was inspired by To Kill a Mockingbird
Thomas Quick: the Swedish serial killer who never was
John Lescroart’s piece on why Spokane’s Jess Walter’s Beautiful Ruins is a true work of art (we, obviously agree)
Stranger Than Fiction: The Life of Edgar Wallace, the Man Who Created King Kong by Neil Clark – review. The creator of one the best-known scenes in cinema was also the most widely read author in the world. So why is he so little known?
While we specialize in mystery and crime books, we can order virtually any new book that you might want, no matter what its topic.
New Signings (with authors who will be visiting the shop):
Sat., Oct 10, noon, Warren C. Easley signs Never Look Down (Poisoned Pen tp, 15.95, hc 26.95 by special order). In his 3rd case, Oregon attorney Cal Claxton is devastated when his fiancee is murdered early one morning in a downtown Portland parking lot. There’s only one witness, a troubled young woman who was high above the scene, doing graffiti on the side of a building. While the cops think his fiancee’s ex is the likely suspect, Cal thinks the tagger holds the key to the case.
Signed Copies to Reserve (the authors will not be here for a formal signing or we’ll be getting the copies from other sources):
Lawrence Block, The Girl with the Deep Blue Eyes (Sept., Hard Case Crime hc $22.95). Brand new Block – not a reissue: Florida PI Doak Miller was asked by the cops to be part of a sting. They needed him to play the role of a hitman to trap a woman who wanted her husband dead. Sure, sounds like a kick. Then he met her – and it was all over. Before he knows it, he’s plotting murder with this dame while the cops are watching every move they take. To get away with it and to get the millions the husband has, it will have to be a perfect crime.
[Quantities of signed copies for these books will be very limited. Reserving ahead of time – such as in next few days – is HIGHLY recommended. For the most part, we’ll be ordering only enough for those who reserve. You don’t have to pay until you pick it up or we mail it. Ask us to hold a copy for you!]
See the calendar of all currently-scheduled events on our website and the website calendar contains plot synopses. Click Here.
Kevin O’Brien, Aug 1
P.F. Chisholm, Aug 7
Richard Kadrey, Aug 25
J. C. Nelson, Aug 29
Julie Weston, Sept 5
J.A. Jance, Sept 8
K. K. Beck, Sept 12
Maia Chance, Sept 19
Peter May, Sept, 26
Martin Limón, Oct 6
Yasmine Galenorn, Oct 31
Stephanie Gayle, Nov 14
And there are always more on the way!
Remember, too, that while it is always fun to come in and meet the author in person, that isn’t always possible. So reserve a signed copy to be mailed to you or for you to pick up later. Those who reserve in advance get the copies in the best condition!
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Gift Certificates:
- They’re available in Whatever Denomination You Want.
- They Don’t Expire.
- You can Order Them by Phone, e-mail or through the Website, and we can Mail them directly to the recipient if you’d like.
Wish List:
Our website has a Wish List capability. If folks want to know what you’d like for a given holiday or birthday, it is easy to point people to our website. Amber has put together a dandy blog post explaining it and how it works.
Word of the Week:
chicanery (n.) From c. 1600, "legal quibbling, sophistry," from French chicanerie "trickery," from Middle French chicaner "to pettifog, quibble" (15th C.), which is of unknown origin, perhaps from Middle Low German schikken "to arrange, bring about," or from the name of a golf-like game once played in Languedoc. Thornton's "American Glossary" has shecoonery (1845), which it describes as probably a corruption of chicanery. (thanks to etymonline.com)
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You can browse our collectable and hard-to-find books, as well as signed copies from earlier author events, on Biblio.com. You do not have to place an order through them, especially if you’re a long-time customer and we have your ordering info. Just email us to order.
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What We’ve Been Reading:
Fran Recommends
I’m reading non-mystery things right now (I know, I know! But I do, sometimes. It happens. Don’t judge me!), but I ran across this great article about the vastly underappreciated Mary Stewart, and it explains more eloquently than I can why she’s such an icon to me. Her humor, her observations, and her women! Just love her, and I hope you do too. If you haven’t ever tried her, or if you’ve only read her “Merlin” series and not her mysteries, now’s a perfect time to start!
We have two Tumblr blogs, in addition to our regular shop blog:
Hardboiled, maintained by JB – pulp covers, film noir and other images of crime and mystery!
Reviews and Events – just what it sounds like!
On This Date:
Aug 2, 1876 – Wild Bill Hickok, holding the ‘dead man’s hand’ of aces and eights, was shot in the back of the head in a Deadwood saloon
Aug 2 – Myrna Loy was born (1905, Myrna Adele Williams in Helena, MT), as was Peter O’Toole (1932, Peter Seamus Lorcan O’Toole in Connemara, Ireland)
Aug 2, 1918 – Joseph Hayes was born in Indianapolis. His bestselling debut, The Desperate Hours, was published in 1954
Aug 2, 1942 – the “Sleepy Lagoon Murder” takes place, traditionally seen as the start of the Zoot Suit Riots
Aug 2, 1950 - writer, anthologist, musician, polymath and brother to three sisters Carl Valdemar Jussi Henry Adler-Olsen was born in Copenhagen
Aug 2, 1955 – Caleb Carr was born in NYC
Aug 2, 1967 – In the Heat of the Night premiered
Aug 3, 1920 – P.D. James was born was born in Oxford, her 1st Dalgliesh was published in 1962 and she’s changed her name – Phyllis Dorothy James, Baroness James of Holland Park
Aug 3, 1923 – the inventive and unpredictable George Sims was born in London
Aug 3, 1940 – Martin Sheen (aka Ramón Antonio Gerard Estévez) was born in Dayton, OH
Aug 3, 1948 – Whittaker Chambers accused Alger Hiss of espionage
Aug 3, 1955 – To Catch a Thief premiered
Aug 4, 1892 – somebody took an axe and gave the Bordens 40 whacks
Aug 4, 1918 – Robert Beck was born, earning a place on list by writing hard-edged urban crime novels as Iceberg Slim
Aug 4, 1950 – Sunset Boulevard and Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye premiered
Aug 4, 1964 – victims of domestic terrorism, the bodies of civil rights workers Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner are found
Aug 4, 1955 – Billy Bob Thornton was born in Hot Springs, AR
Aug 4, 1965 – Dennis Lehane was born in Dorchester, just like Angie, Patrick and Bubba
Aug 4, 1968 – Daniel Dae Kim – the new Chin Ho Kelly – was born in Pusan
Aug 4, 1972 – Super Fly premiered
Aug 4, 19?? – Early Happy Birthday to long-time customer and Film Noir informant Benjamin C.
Aug 5, 1868 – Marie Adelaide Elizabeth Rayner Lowndes was born in London. Her classic, The Lodger, was published in 1913
Aug 5, 1906 – actor and director John Huston was born in Nevada, MO
Aug 5, 1911 – Robert Taylor was born in Filley, NE
Aug 5, 1926 – Per Wahlöö was born (yes, there were internationally best-selling Swedish mystery writers before Stieg Larsson)
Aug 5, 1960 – thriller writer David Baldacci was born in Richmond, VA
Aug 5, 1962 – Marilyn Monroe died. Accident, suicide, or murder?
Aug 6, 1901 – at the Pan-American exhibition in Buffalo, NY, anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot President William McKinley
Aug 6, 1902 – Dutch Schultz (aka Arthur Flegenheimer at birth) was born in Newark
Aug 6, 1911 – novelist and prolific short story writer Gerald Kersh – born in the UK but a naturalized American – was the master of the bizarre story
Aug 6, 1917 – Robert Mitchum was born in Bridgeport, CN
Aug 6, 1930 – Judge Crater gets into a cab and was never seen again
Aug 6, 1932 – Bonnie Parker met Clyde Barrow and never left his side
Aug 6, 1962 – Michelle Yeoh was born in Malaysia
Aug 6, 2005 – a gang tunneled into the vault of the Banco Central branch in Fortaleza, Brazil and, taking the weekend, removing five contains (weighing in all about 3.5 tons) holding about $71.6 million in Brazillain cash
Aug 6, 2009 – two thieves enter Graff Diamonds on New Bond Street, London, and made off with £40 in jewelry
Aug 7, 1876 – Margaretha Geertruida ‘Grietje’ Zelle was born in Denmark. An exotic dancer by profession, the world remembers her as Mata Hari
Aug 7, 1885 – Cecil William Mercer was born in Walmer, Kent. As Dornford Yates, he would become one of the Big Three British writers between Doyle and Christie (along with Sapper and John Buchan)
Aug 7 - E. X. Giroux was born in Elmira, NY (1924) and Stephen Marlowe was born in NYC and Anthony Lejeune in London (1928)
Aug 7, 1932 – Edward Hardwicke – Watson to Brett’s Holmes – was born in London
Aug 7, 1934 – TV writer Richard Levinson was born in Philadelphia. He co-created Columbo and Mannix
Aug 7, 1947 – future Edgar-winner Thomas Perry was born in Tonawanda, NY – Jane Whitefield’s territory
Aug 7, 1952 – translator and novelist Tiina Nunnally was born in Chicago
Aug 7, 1960 – David Duchovny was born in NYC
Aug 7, 1969 – model and future bounty hunter Domino Harvey was born in London
Aug 7, 1975 – Oscar-winner Charlize Theron was born in South Africa
And Have a Relaxing and Book-Filled Weekend!
And Welcome to August!
