Dot Dead Diary: Rubbing Shoulders

June 25, 2007

Rubbing Shoulders

Last Wednesday I headed up to M is for Mystery in San Mateo to meet Matt Richtel. He's a New York Times reporter with a Silicon Valley beat. My brother had introduced us via email and we'd had a few desultory meetings via cyberspace, but our schedules had contrived to prevent a face-to-face meeting. At 6.55 I sauntered in and introduced myself. It wasn't hard to pick him out. There were only two or three others there. Such are the vagaries of the book tour. Matt asked if we could wait a few minutes for his wife. I guess parking in downtown San Mateo can be tough for by the time Matt started his presentation he had two dozen in the audience. Matt's first book, Hooked, is getting a big push from the publisher and, like my own, is a mystery that before reaching resolution takes pot-shots at various high tech phobias, conceits, and neuroses. Take a look. It's a fun, kinetic read.

Saturday I stopped by M is for Mystery another fix. The erudite and effervescent Megan Abbott, daughter of the writer Patti Abbott, was there to talk about her newest, Queenpin, whose main character is a savvy female gangster a la Virginia Hill. Ed Kaufman, store proprietor, claims it to be her best -- high praise indeed. She was joined by Susan Kandel, who pens a series of mysteries featuring Cece Caruso, a biographer of famous crime writers. Megan and Susan's presentations were witty, but before they went on too long a discussion with the audience broke out. They debated and opined on such topics as favorite mysteries, why Erle Stanley Gardner doesn't sell anymore and Dame Agatha does, the identity of the Black Dahlia murderer, noir versus pulp -- lots of fun. Megan signed her book for my #1 and I'm waiting to get it on the rebound. Last night I started the first in Susan's series, I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason, and it looks good. Can't wait to get more into the mystery involving Erle Stanley Gardner, Palo Alto High's most famous crime novelist.