Category: news

The Study of Secrets

The Study of Secrets (Lila Maclean Academic Mystery #5) is now available for pre-order! 

Publication date: May 26, 2020 from Henery Press

There could be nowhere more fitting for English professor Lila Maclean to spend her sabbatical than in a proper Victorian mansion. The whimsical Callahan House seems to have materialized from the pages of the mystery novels she is researching, with its enchanting towers, cozy nooks, and charming library. Unfortunately, it also features a body in the study.

Residents of Larkston have long believed that the Callahan family is cursed—the murder on the estate sets the town buzzing. Wild rumors are fueled by a gossipy blogger who delights in speculation, and further crimes only intensify the whispers and suspicions. A newly discovered manuscript, however, appears to expose startling facts beneath the fictions. When Lila steps in to sort the truth from the lies, it may cost her everything, as someone wants to make dead certain that their secrets stay hidden.

“Fans of the Lila Maclean Academic Mystery Series will be delighted to accompany their favorite English professor-sleuth on sabbatical from Stonedale University—and even more thrilled to learn that her temporary escape from the ivy-covered halls of academe does not include a break in solving murders. In The Study of Secrets, award-winning author Cynthia Kuhn once again offers mystery lovers what they crave most: a smart, thoughtful, and fiercely-determined heroine; an intriguing puzzle; an idyllic setting, and a cast of suspects worthy of Agatha Christie—with a charming side of humor.” — Lisa Q. Mathews, author of The Ladies Smythe & Westin Mysteries

“Witty and smart, Lila Maclean is everyone’s favorite English professor. In her latest adventure, secrets abound, and only Lila can decipher fact from fiction. An atmospheric mansion, a missing manuscript, and a haunting disappearance add to the novel’s appeal. But it’s the fast-paced plot that will keep readers up long past their bedtimes, unraveling clues to multiple mysteries. A delightful read by one of my favorite authors!” — Mary Angela, author of the Professor Prather Mysteries and Happy Camper Mysteries

“Cynthia Kuhn’s Lila Maclean series has been a welcome addition to the academic mystery canon, and I am happy to report that her newest, The Study of Secrets, only continues to delight. With its smart and intrepid protagonist, witty writing, and insightful look into the power struggles that erupt when literary and academic egos collide, this clever and puzzling whodunit earns top marks in my book.” — Leslie Karst, Lefty Award-nominated author of the Sally Solari Mysteries

“The Study of Secrets hooked me on page one and refused to let go until I’d stayed up well past my bedtime to finish. The always likable Lila Maclean will keep you cheering for her and worrying about her as she faces a cast of characters who vary from mysterious to quirky to downright sinister. With secrets abounding, Lila—and the reader—must constantly question who they can trust. Beautifully written, The Study of Secrets teems with fascinating characters, a maze of a plot, and description so deep and real, you can smell the woodsmoke mingling with the pines.” — Annette Dashofy, USA Today Bestselling Author of the Zoe Chamber Mystery Series

Amazon  Barnes & Noble  IndieBound

 

ps: On May 27, please join us on Facebook for the launch party! 

Agatha Award Nomination

Still cannot believe this happened: “The Blue Ribbon” has been nominated for an Agatha Award in the short story category. Thank you so much, Malice community, and congratulations to all of the nominees!

The Agatha Award Nominees
(for works published in 2019)

Best Contemporary Novel
Fatal Cajun Festival by Ellen Byron (Crooked Lane Books)
The Long Call by Ann Cleeves (Minotaur)
Fair Game by Annette Dashofy (Henery Press)
The Missing Ones by Edwin Hill (Kensington)
A Better Man by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
The Murder List by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Forge)

Best First Mystery Novel
A Dream of Death by Connie Berry (Crooked Lane Books)
One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski (Graydon House, a division of Harlequin)
Murder Once Removed by S. C. Perkins (Minotaur)
When It’s Time for Leaving by Ang Pompano (Encircle Publications)
Staging for Murder by Grace Topping (Henery Press)

Best Historical Mystery
Love and Death Among the Cheetahs by Rhys Bowen (Penquin)
Murder Knocks Twice by Susanna Calkins (Minotaur)
The Pearl Dagger by L. A. Chandlar (Kensington)
Charity’s Burden by Edith Maxwell (Midnight Ink)
The Naming Game by Gabriel Valjan (Winter Goose Publishing)

Best Nonfiction
Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story by Laird R. Blackwell (McFarland)
Blonde Rattlesnake: Burmah Adams, Tom White, and the 1933 Crime Spree that Terrified Los Angeles by Julia Bricklin (Lyons Press)
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep (Knopf)
The Mutual Admiration Society: How Dorothy L. Sayers and her Oxford Circle Remade the World for Women by Mo Moulton (Basic Books)
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold (Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt)

Best Children/Young Adult
Kazu Jones and the Denver Dognappers by Shauna Holyoak (Disney Hyperion)
Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen MacManus (Delacorte Press)
The Last Crystal by Frances Schoonmaker (Auctus Press)
Top Marks for Murder (A Most Unladylike Mystery)
by Robin Stevens (Puffin)
Jada Sly, Artist and Spy by Sherri Winston (Little Brown Books for Young Readers)

Best Short Story
“Grist for the Mill” by Kaye George in A Murder of Crows (Darkhouse Books)
“Alex’s Choice” by Barb Goffman in Crime Travel (Wildside Press)
“The Blue Ribbon” by Cynthia Kuhn in Malice Domestic 14: Mystery Most Edible (Wildside Press)
“The Last Word” by Shawn Reilly Simmons, Malice Domestic 14: Mystery Most Edible (Wildside Press)
“Better Days” by Art Taylor in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Lefty Award Nomination

Congratulations to all of the Lefty Award nominees! Honored that The Subject of Malice is in the company of books by authors I admire so very much. Thank you to everyone who has supported the Lila Maclean series.

Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel. The nominees are:

  • Ellen Byron, Fatal Cajun Festival (Crooked Lane Books)
  • Leslie Karst, Murder from Scratch (Crooked Lane Books)
  • Cynthia Kuhn, The Subject of Malice (Henery Press)
  • Catriona McPherson, Scot & Soda (Midnight Ink)
  • Wendall Thomas, Drowned Under (Poisoned Pen Press)

Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel. (Bruce Alexander Memorial) for books covering events before 1970. The nominees are:

  • Susanna Calkins, Murder Knocks Twice (Minotaur Books)
  • L.A. Chandlar, The Pearl Dagger (Kensington Books)
  • Dianne Freeman, A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder (Kensington Books)
  • Jennifer Kincheloe, The Body in Griffith Park (Seventh Street Books)
  • Sujata Massey, The Satapur Moonstone (Soho Crime)

Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel. The nominees are:

  • Tori Eldridge, The Ninja Daughter (Agora Books)
  • Angie Kim, Miracle Creek (Sarah Crichton Books)
  • Tara Laskowski, One Night Gone (Graydon House)
  • John Vercher, Three-Fifths (Agora Books)
  • Carl Vonderau, Murderabilia (Midnight Ink)

Lefty for Best Mystery Novel. The nominees are:

  • Steph Cha, Your House Will Pay (Ecco)
  • Tracy Clark, Borrowed Time (Kensington Books)
  • Matt Coyle, Lost Tomorrows (Oceanview Publishing)
  • Rachel Howzell Hall, They All Fall Down (Forge Books)
  • Attica Locke, Heaven, My Home (Mulholland Books)

Tattered Cover Bookstore Event

Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 2 pm ~ Tattered Cover-Colfax

Mystery Book Talks and Signings with Margaret Mizushima, Jennifer Kincheloe, Scott Graham, Cynthia Kuhn, and Nora Page

Margaret Mizushima will discuss and sign Tracking Game: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery ($26.99 Crooked Lane Books). Two brutal murders, a menacing band of poachers, and a fearsome creature on the loose in the mountains plunge Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo into a sinister vortex.

Jennifer Kincheloe will discuss and sign The Body in Griffith Park ($15.95 Seventh Street Books), an Anna Blanc mystery novel. After discovering the body of a young gambler and recieving strange floral arrangements from an unknown admirer, Anna must examine her loyalties and solve the crimes, even if it means losing the man she loves.

Scott Graham will discuss and sign Arches Enemy (National Park Mystery #5) ($15.95 Torrey House Press). A famed sandstone arch in Utah’s Arches National Park collapses and takes a woman atop it to her death, ensnaring archaeologist Chuck Bender and his family in lethal questions of environmental monkeywrenching and political intrigue.

Cynthia Kuhn will discuss and sign The Subject of Malice (Lila MacLean Academic Mystery #4) ($15.95 Henery Press). During a literary conference at Tattered Star Ranch, an influential scholar is murdered. Someone has clearly taken the theme of Malice in the Mountains to heart. But this shocking crime is only the beginning.

Nora Page will discuss and sign Read on Arrival: A Bookmobile Mystery ($26.99 Crooked Lane Books). Death, deadly omens, and a decades-overdue book puts senior librarian Cleo Watkins on a collision course with a killer in the second Bookmobile mystery.

For more information, please visit the Tattered Cover Bookstore calendar.

The Subject of Malice Launch Party

Please save the date! You are invited to the Facebook launch party for The Subject of Malice (Lila Maclean Academic Mystery #4) on July 24, 2019 at 5 pm Pacific / 6 pm Mountain / 7 pm Central / 8 pm Eastern.

How to attend: Visit the event page, click “going,” and invite your friends! The more, the merrier. Once the party begins, all you have to do is click on the discussions tab to participate.

About the book:

The organizers have rustled up plenty of surprises for the literary conference at Tattered Star Ranch. But the murder of an influential scholar wasn’t on the program—someone has clearly taken the theme of Malice in the Mountains to heart. This shocking crime is only the beginning: other dangers and deceptions are soon revealed.

English professor Lila Maclean has a full agenda: she must convince a press to publish her book (possibly), ace her panel presentations (hopefully), and deal with her nemesis (regrettably). However, when Detective Lex Archer requests Lila’s academic expertise, she agrees to consult on the case. While her contributions earn high marks from her partner, it could be too late; the killer is already taking aim at the next subject. As Lila races to keep her colleagues alive, publish or perish takes on new meaning.

“A pure delight from page one. Cynthia Kuhn’s Lila Maclean mysteries will cure what ails you. Funny and fantastic.” — Becky Clark, author of the Mystery Writer’s Mysteries

“An intelligent, witty mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end.” — Libby Klein, Author of the Poppy McAllister Mysteries

“Lila’s latest adventure is full of high drama and high crimes. Such FUN!” — Julie Mulhern, USA TODAY bestselling author of the Country Club Murders

“A twisty mystery with a gentle, gracious humor and a touch of whimsy. Reading it is like spending the afternoon with a best friend.” — Keenan Powell, Lefty and Agatha nominated author of the Maeve Malloy mystery series

“Smart, action-packed, and immensely satisfying. . . I love this series, and it just keeps getting better.” —Wendy Tyson, author of Rooted in Deceit

“Absolutely addictive.” — Kathleen Valenti, Lefty and Agatha nominated author of the Maggie O’Malley Mysteries

Available for pre-order from Henery Press in bookstores and online:
Amazon  Barnes & Noble  IndieBound  iTunes  Kobo

Get Lit Pop Up Book Club

Who: You are invited

What: Pop Up Book Club, featuring The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett ~ presentation by Dodie Ownes and discussion with authors Becky Clark, Cynthia Kuhn, and Barbara Nickless

Where: Denver Distillery, 244 South Broadway, Denver, CO 80209

Why: To Get Lit(erature)

When: April 25, 2019 at 6:30 pm

How: Ever thought about joining a book club, but hate to miss happy hour? Get Lit is the best of both worlds! We’ll discuss the crime classic The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett while sipping on cocktails.

Sponsored by the Denver Public Library. For more information, please visit denverlibrary.org.

Mystery Most Edible

Mystery Most Edible, the 2019 Malice Domestic anthology, is now available for convention pre-order from Wildside Press!

Includes…

  • A Cup of Tea by Parnell Hall
  • Brown Recluse by Marcia Adair
  • A Slice of Heaven by Laura Brennan
  • The Extra Ingredient by Joan Long
  • A Death in Yelapa by Leslie Budewitz
  • Pie Sisters by Richard Cass
  • Too Many Cooks Almost Spoil the Murder by Lynne Ewing
  • Pig Lickin’ Good by Debra H. Goldstein
  • Quiche Alain by Marni Graff
  • Diet of Death by Ang Pompano
  • Death at The Willard Hotel by Verena Rose
  • Dining Out by Rosemary McCracken
  • Snowbirding by Kristin Kisska
  • Up Day Down Day Deadly Day by Ellen Larson
  • The Secret Blend by Stacy Woodson
  • First of The Year by Gabriel Valjan
  • Sticky Fingers by L. D. Masterson
  • The Cremains of The Day by Josh Pachter
  • Honor Thy Father by Harriette Sackler
  • Killer Chocolate Chips by Ruth McCarty
  • Sushi Lessons by Edith Maxwell
  • The Missing Ingredient for Murderous Intent by Elizabeth Perona
  • It’s Canning Season by Adele Polomski
  • The Gourmand by Nancy Cole Silverman
  • The Blue Ribbon by Cynthia Kuhn
  • The Last Word by Shawn Reilly Simmons
  • Murder Takes the Cupcake by Kate Willett
  • Bull Dog Gravy by Mark Thielman
  • Morsels of The Gods by Victoria Thompson
  • Mrs. Beeton’s Sausage Stuffing by Christine Trent
  • Bring It by Terry Shames
  • Gutbombs ‘N’ Guinness by Lisa Preston
  • Deadly In-Flight Dining by Sara Rosett
  • Carne Diem by Sharon Lynn
  • Turn the Sage by Stephen D. Rogers
  • Bad Ju-Ju by M.A. Monnin