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Malice Domestic:

Another Great Conference

 

Malice Domestic is an annual conference of mystery fans and authors held in April in Bethesda, MD.  I’ve become a regular attendee for the opportunity to chat with so many mystery authors and fans. I also appear as a panelist, the bookstore sells my books, and I take a signing slot. It’s a good time.

 

One of my favorite authors, Dorothy Gilman, was celebrated this year with a Thursday night meeting of the “Dorothy Gilman club," a one-time event to remember her hosted by Mark Baker and Neil Plakcy. The conference program included an article written by her son, Jonathan Butters. He noted that when the Mrs. Pollifax series became successful, she was able to travel to many of the places she wrote about, but in her first book, she chose Albania as a setting because she hadn’t been there but neither had almost everyone else, so she thought her description of the country would pass.

 

Besides Dorothy Gilman, this year’s honorees were:

Marcia Talley, Guest of Honor

Donna Andrews, Lifetime Achievement Award

Lucy Worsley, Poirot Award

Les & Leslie Blatt, Fan Guests of Honor.

Gigi Pandian, Toastmaster

 

If you’re a die-hard fan of mysteries, this is the place to go to hear your favorite authors talk about their books and discuss aspects of writing mysteries. A similar conference, Bouchercon, will be held in New Orleans this year, Sept. 3-7.

 

Review:

Mystery Series by Jane K. Cleland

 

Jane K. Cleland, whose series features antique dealer Josie Prescott, was also at Malice presenting a pre-conference workshop on writing suspense. Her cozy mysteries provide insights into running an antiques business and detailed descriptions of the antiques Josie is asked to appraise. Examples include scrimshaw and a Faberge snow globe. If you like “Antiques Roadshow,” this mystery series is for you.

 

The author once owned an antiques and rare book business in New Hampshire. That experience gives the Josie Prescott mystery series added authenticity but more than that, Cleland’s books are satisfying and enjoyable reads.

mystery.