Book Reviews & Giveaway: The Lineup

The Lineup: The World’s Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives
Author: Otto Penzler

Have you ever wondered – just a simmering little thought in the back of your head while you’re playing Solitaire on Company time at That Horrible Job – how easy it would be to write the next killer crime novel? (OK, I am projecting – how Freudian of me!)

“The Line Up, The World’s Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives” shows you the IN to great minds of famous crime writers, and their famous characters. Anne Perry, one of my fav writers, claims parentage of Charlotte and Thomas Pitt, and of course, Lady Vespasia. In their 1900’s world, they form an intelligent and forceful threesome as they investigate and solve crime. Matched beautifully for Faye and Jonathan Kellerman are Faye’s Rina Lazarus and Peter Decker, and Jonathan’s famous Dr. Alex Delaware and his cohort, LAPD detective Milo Sturgis. Milo remains and will always remain one of the most conflicted, genuine, compassionate and disturbed characters in crime solving history (but…you KNOW this). How all of these authors and many more came up with their characters – how they came out of their own dilemmas and contusions – how they are developed, lived with and loved by their authors, is an awesome read for someone like me, who breathes, lives and inhales this genre of fiction (along with anything else I can get my hands on!)

I had never read many of these authors, although they are famous in their field, and this intro by authors of their famous detectives, policemen, crime fighters was like finding an original Marvel comic book for the first time~

For any reader who loves the characters of crime fiction, this is what the PDR is to medicine – a revealing look into the psyches and evolution of some of our most beloved characters, and a realistic look at the authors who leaves themselves on every page.

“The Lineup” gave me an entire new list of authors to puruse. Unfortunately, Carl Hiaasen, James Patterson, and Dorothy Sayers (long deceased) are missing – but you can’t have it all! Superb reading.

Ratings are based on a 5-star scale

Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Presentation: 4
Overall: 4

Review by Broad “A” – Ava

“The Lineup” can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com or other booksellers nationwide.

Thank you to the Hachette Book Group for providing our review copy as well as copies to give away.

GIVEAWAY

Enter Daily

Loading…

EXTRA ENTRIES

1. Vote for The Review Broads in the Divine Caroline Love this site awards.
2. Follow the Review Broads – on the sidebar
3. Subscribe to The Review Broads for FREE
4. Link to this giveaway on your Facebook page
5. Follow Broad “Z” on twitter.
6. Add our badge or the Bark to School badge to your blog/site
7. Blog about this giveaway
8. E-mail a friend about The Review Broads
9. Twitter this giveaway.

Be sure to leave a comment letting me know if you’ve done any of these (if you already subscribe – please note that in the comments as well).

Please make sure you leave your email address when adding a comment or I will not be able to contact you if you win.

* This giveaway is open to US residents, 13 and over and ends on November 4, 2009 11:59 EST.
* The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email.
* The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or an alternate winner will be chosen.
* Please make sure you check your junk mail folder
* Good Luck