True detective fiction is considered to have begun in 1841 with the publication of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” which starred the first fictional sleuth, the eccentric and brilliant C. Auguste Dupin. Poe devised a plot formula that has been successful ever since, give or take a few shifting variables. The primary concern of the tale is ascertaining the truth, and the usual means of obtaining that knowledge is through a complex and mysterious process combining intuitive logic, astute observation, and perspicacious inference.

The agents of this month’s selections follow the path forged by Poe’s protagonist. From the world-weary Paul Darac of the Nice police force (Peter Morfoot’s Impure Blood) to dauntless auto racer Kate Reilly (Tammy Kaehler’s Red Flags) and Edith Maxwell’s ­observant Quaker midwife Rose Carroll (Delivering the Truth), they employ ­Dupin’s methods to expose the facts.

Pick of the Month

Morfoot, Peter. Impure Blood: A Captain Darac Mystery. Titan. Apr. 2016. 544p. ISBN 9781783296644. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781783296651. M Paul Darac is a captain in Nice’s Brigade Criminelle. His team is called out when a dead man in a white suit is found on a mat outside a Muslim prayer center. The victim, local teacher Emile ­Florian, is not a Muslim. No one knows why he was at the place of worship. And, on top of everything else, the Nice leg of the Tour de France has been threatened by a terrorist group, the Sons and Daughters of the Just Cause. Darac’s boss, Agnès Dantier, is involved with the security detail for the tour, as is Darac’s lieutenant, Roland Granot. Everyone’s attention is scattered among too many objectives and too many suspects, not to mention old hatreds and revenge. ­ VERDICT British author Morfoot (­Burksey) introduces a delightful example of the disenchanted French boulevardier. Darac plays jazz in nightclubs and shows up at crime scenes with little sleep and a certain je ne sais quoi. However, he also possesses an impeccable eye for spotting lies and ferreting out the truth, while keeping one step ahead of his interfering boss’s boss, the public prosecutor.

Check These Out

Calkins, Suzanne. A Death Along the River Fleet: A Lucy Campion Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Apr. 2016. 336p. ISBN 9781250057372. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466861138. M

Lucy Campion is out early in the morning, delivering books for her employer, the printer Aubrey. It is April 1667, just months after the Great London Fire, but winter has not yet loosened its hold on the city. When Lucy encounters a woman wandering near Holborn Bridge, dressed only in a fine but bedraggled nightgown, Lucy takes her to Dr. Larimer to tend to her grievous injuries. The girl has lost her memory, but she and Lucy slowly begin to piece together the events that brought the daughter of a nobleman to the River Fleet. VERDICT This fourth series entry (after The Masque of a Murderer) stands well on its own. Lucy is a daring young woman who works hard to advance her place in life during a time when women had few options. A nice option for devotees of Anne Rutherford and Samuel Thomas, both of whom write series firmly placed during the same historical period. [Library marketing.]

Hallinan, Timothy. King Maybe: A Junior Bender Mystery. Soho Crime. Apr. 2016. 400p. ISBN 9781616954321. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616954338. M

Junior Bender (Herbie’s Game) is in another fix. Barely escaping with his life after stealing one of the world’s rarest stamps, he is on the lam from a very violent man, owner of said stamp. It quickly becomes clear there is far more going on than a stamp theft gone wrong; Junior is being set up to take a murder rap for studio mogul Jeremy Granger, better known as King Maybe. And Junior does not want to do anything to make King Maybe’s life easier. VERDICT Twists and turns abound as Junior slips and ducks incoming blows. A rare man of integrity in a world of tinsel and dust, Junior may steal for a living, but he has scruples and will do anything to protect his loved ones. Fans of fast-paced thrillers with a lot of heart will enjoy this series.

Kaehler, Tammy. Red Flags: A Kate Reilly Mystery. Poisoned Pen. Apr. 2016. 304p. ISBN 9781464205293. $26.95; pap. ISBN 9781464205316. $15.95; ebk. ISBN 9781464205323. M

Professional driver Kate Reilly is in Long Beach, CA, for the famed Long Beach Grand Prix, when she is called by the police to identify the body of her despised cousin, Billy. There are many suspects in Billy’s murder including Nikki Gray, the beautiful widow of the race event’s owner, Nikki’s assistant, and Billy’s friend, Holden. Kate is also busy trying to negotiate with her new sponsor, her estranged father’s bank, not to mention attempting to break into both NASCAR and IndyCar racing. Solving a murder is low on Kate’s list of priorities. VERDICT For adrenaline junkies who love racing, Kaehler’s intricately plotted fourth series outing (after Avoidable Contact) offers a speedy and engaging read. Kate is an appealing character with plenty of chutzpah; driving an open-wheel race car is not for sissies.

Maberry, Jonathan. Kill Switch: A Joe Ledger Novel. Griffin: St. Martin’s. Apr. 2016. 544p. ISBN 9781250065254. $16.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250100887. M

Capt. Joe Ledger and his team from the ­Department of Military Science (DMS) are back in their eighth adventure (after Predator One). This time they are sent to Antarctica to investigate an underground city and the silence emanating from three separate scientific stations. What they find drives Joe to call in Hellfire missiles to destroy the site, but he, Top, and Bunny soon become incapacitated by their exposure to the site. Meanwhile, mysterious electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) briefly knock out the power grid in several major cities. What is the connection among these events? VERDICT A blend of sf, horror, technothriller, and crime novel, this is one of the best adrenaline reads out there. A hot pick for anyone who likes The X-Files (Maberry wrote for this franchise as well) or other apocalyptic fiction by authors such as Ben H. Winters and Colson ­Whitehead.

McPherson, Catriona. Quiet Neighbors. Midnight Ink. Apr. 2016. 360p. ISBN 9780738747620. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9780738747811. M

Cozy corner

Draine, Betsy & Michael Hinden. Death on a Starry Night: A Nora Barnes and Toby Sandler Mystery. Univ. of Wisconsin. Apr. 2016. 232p. ISBN 9780299307301. $24.99. M

Art historian Nora Barnes and her husband, Toby Sandler, are in the south of France to attend a conference on Vincent Van Gogh. One scholar, stuck in the “publish or perish” grind at his university, is delivering a paper stating categorically that Van Gogh committed suicide. Another researcher, whose grandfather actually knew the artist, is set to deliver a stunning paper claiming that Van Gogh was murdered. Unfortunately for Madame Isabella La Font, she is killed, and her red Chanel briefcase stolen before she can present her evidence. Who stands to gain the most? Her half brother, who wants nothing to do with exposing the family’s dirty laundry? The scholar whose book will be ruined before it is even released? The professor whose digitalis has been taken from his room? Lt. Monique Auclair of the gendarmerie in Grasse asks Nora and Toby to help with the investigation. VERDICT Making their third sleuthing appearance (after The Body in Bodega Bay), Nora and Toby are utterly delightful. His snarkiness is buffered by her calm demeanor. The secondary characters are pleasantly drawn and the plotting is cleverly laid out. Mystery devotees who want an atmospheric crime novel with an art history slant such as Iain Pears’s “Jonathan Argyll” books will enjoy this series.

Flower, Amanda. Crime and Poetry: A Magical Bookshop Mystery. Obsidian: NAL. Apr. 2016. 368p. ISBN 9780451477446. pap. $7.99; ebk. ISBN 9780698410213. M

Violet Waverly drives through the night from Chicago to reach her ailing grandmother in the tiny town of Cascade Springs, near Niagara Falls, NY. Grandma Daisy, who is actually fit as a fiddle, wants Violet to assume her responsibilities as caretaker of her magical bookstore, Charming Books. Violet has no intention of staying, but then her grandmother is suspected in the murder of Benedict Raisin, whose corpse was found with a title from her shop. Of course, two handsome men—the police chief and the mayor—vying for Violet’s attention has no influence on her decision. VERDICT Flower, who also writes the “Amish Quilt Shop” stories as Isabella Allen, launches a delightful new cozy series populated with fun and quirky characters. This first adventure promises pleasures to come and is sure to please devotees of Victoria Laurie, Shirley Damsgaard, or E.J. Copperman.

Goff, Christine. A Parliament of Owls: A Birdwatcher’s Mystery. Astor+Blue. Apr. 2016. 220p. ISBN 9781941286623. pap. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781941286630. M

Special Agent Angela DiMato of U.S. Fish and Wildlife is trying to get her life back on track after the murder of her partner. Today, however, she has to lead a student group on a tour of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge Complex to see prairie dogs and maybe a nesting pair of eagles. When their bus arrives at the prairie dog village, she and the students are aghast to find a body near the home of a rare burrowing owl. The victim is an unpopular soccer mom who made a habit of suing the town of Commerce City. The suspect list is long and tangled. VERDICT Fans of this avian series have been waiting for almost ten years (after 2007’s Death Takes a Gander) for this sixth installment. They won’t be disappointed; birders and fans of outdoors mysteries will find the natural history lore quite fascinating. In addition to this new title, the publisher has reissued the previous books, originally released by Berkley.

Linzee, David. Spur of the Moment: A Renata Radleigh Opera Mystery. Coffeetown. Apr. 2016. 323p. ISBN 9781603813419. pap. $16.95; ebk. ISBN 9781603813426. M

Renata Radleigh used to be somebody in the opera world. Now, she makes her living as a journeywoman, moving among opera companies during the season and teaching piano at her home in London to fill in the budgetary gaps. Currently, she is singing with the St. Louis Opera Company where her brother, Don, is the finance manager. When Don is accused of having a liaison with a major donor, Dr. Helen Stromberg-Brand, and then killing her to cover up the affair, ­Renata is the only person who is convinced of Don’s innocence. She has to work with a charming PR flack, Peter Lombardo, to exonerate Don. VERDICT Who knew life in an opera company was so cutthroat? Not to mention the greed and deceit involved in Big Pharma? Linzee (Infamous St. Louis Crimes and Mysteries) has written an entertaining mystery, full of intriguing backstage details about opera productions and introducing an appealing heroine who is feisty, funny, and deeply loyal to her shallow sibling. Recommend for fans of Blair Tindall’s memoir Mozart in the Jungle and anyone who enjoys crime served up with an aria.

Maxwell, Edith. Delivering the Truth: A Quaker Midwife Mystery. Midnight Ink. Apr. 2016. 312p. ISBN 9780738747521. pap. $14.99; ebk. ISBN 9780738747859. M

Rose Carroll is a Quaker midwife in the mill town of Amesbury, MA. It is 1881, and a conflagration started by an arsonist destroys the local carriage factories with several fatalities. Kevin Donovan, the town’s police detective, asks for Rose’s help in identifying the arsonist by keeping an eye on her community. Then the son of factory owner William Parry is stabbed to death with one of Rose’s knitting needles, and Rose’s patient, rumored to be Parry’s mistress, is murdered, orphaning her newborn child. Rose is determined to find the culprit with the help of her friends, including Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier. VERDICT The Agatha Award–nominated Maxwell, who has written numerous cozies (Murder Most Fowl), introduces a series heroine whose struggles with the tenets of her Quaker faith make her strong and appealing. The author also imparts authentic historical detail to depict life in a 19th-century New England factory town. Readers who appreciate the works of ­Margaret Lawrence and Eleanor Kuhns will relish as well.

QUOTABLE “It wasn’t that we had insufficient information, we actually had a lot of it, but so far it didn’t make any sense. The cop part of my brain was offended by that. I needed answers and I needed logic. I’m occasionally an idiot, I’ll accept that, but at the end of the day I am a trained investigator who needs things to make sense. You see, people don’t understand the cop mind. They think we like puzzles. We absolutely do not. We like order. We attack mysteries in order to put disparate pieces back into their proper place…. Order out of chaos.”—Jonathan Maberry, Kill Switch

Additional Mystery

Casey, Jane. After the Fire. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. May 2016. 352p. ISBN 9781250048851. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466850002. M

In Casey’s latest series procedural (after The Kill), London police detective Maeve ­Kerrigan and her team investigate a fatal fire at Murchison House, a concrete tower block in a seedy housing project. Among the dead is a racist, right-wing politician who is hated on the estate. Others include two young women, apparently the victims of human trafficking, found dead in a locked apartment, and a young mother badly injured but not by the fire itself, hiding from her abusive husband. The arsonist must also be caught, and Kerrigan and her colleagues are hard pressed to deal with the fallout. At the same time Kerrigan’s personal demon is still stalking her, and she is determined to make him finally stop. VERDICT Another winner from Casey that is equal parts whodunit and thriller combined with strong characters and a continuing story line that will leave readers in suspense.—Lisa O’Hara, Univ. of Manitoba Libs., Winnipeg

Limón, Martin. Ping Pong Heart: A Sueño and Bascom Mystery Set in Korea. Soho Crime. Jun. 2016. 368p. ISBN 9781616957131. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616957148. F

Dets. George Sueño and Ernie Bascom work for the U.S. Army CID in 1974 South Korea. The pair, who spend most of their time investigating such minor crimes as unauthorized shopping at the PX, are grateful for a change in their routine when Maj. Frederick M. Schultz reports that he was cheated by a prostitute. The young woman denies the charges and claims that Schultz assaulted her. When the major is found murdered and the woman disappears, the case quickly escalates in importance. Sueño and Bascom learn that Major Schultz was investigating army units around the country for malfeasance, and one of them was an infamous and untouchable counterintelligence group. The two military cops must tread lightly as they investigate senior officers, deal with the Korean police force, and tangle with spies and counterspies. VERDICT Series aficionados will welcome this 11th outing (after The Ville Rat) with its fast-moving convoluted crime and investigation. Newcomers don’t have to read the previous volumes to enjoy it either. Mystery readers who appreciate exotic settings, both in time and space, and who like quality buddy procedurals will admire Limón’s writing.—Dan Forrest, Western ­Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green

Viccy Kemp is the Technical Services Manager for the Flower Mound Public Library, TX, where she buys the books and deals with library technology. Reading mysteries is her passion because it’s only between the pages of a book that justice can really be done