Two Special Programs "M" is for Mystery

Two Special Programs

Our Two Special Programs

In the years since we introduced the two special programs described below, each has expanded organically to fill a variety of needs as they arose. We are happy to say that not only have these programs stood the test of time, they have become a permanent, popular feature of our customized service. Read on, and see where your own interests might mesh with these schemes.

(1) 'Signed&Selected'

To help our customers discover new authors, each month we announce our own well-considered picks, in four designations: 'S&S' I, II, III, and 'Mystorical'. Each book is discussed in our weekly newsletter at the time of its selection. Below is a full explanation of the categories and how the program works, as well as listings of the most current and recent picks.

(2) 'Book-by-the-Month' Gift Program

Perfect for birthday or holiday-time gift giving! This is a personalized program you can tailor as you wish, and at the same time be relieved of having to choose titles, wrap and send -- because we do that part. You or your designated giftee can choose the format (hardcover, trade paper, or mass market) and subscription length (six months or a year). For program pricing and further details, scroll down (past the 'S&S' info.).

If you have any questions about the information here, please email us at info@mformystery.com or call us at 650-401-8077. Outside the Bay Area, call us toll free at 888-405-8077.

'SIGNED&SELECTED' and 'MYSTORICAL' PROGRAMS

All 'S&S' and 'Mystorical' picks are made each month by "M" owner Ed Kaufman, who sifts through a veritable avalanche of books to single out selections worthy of special attention. There are four categories of picks: the debuts ('S&S' I); the non-debuts ('S&S' II); the traditional, or "cozy" mysteries ('S&S' III); and mysteries with historical settings ('Mystorical' -- our own coinage). After the sifting comes the actual reading (with help from our knowledgeable staff). Each book chosen is a signed first edition. Any 'S&S' book may be ordered from us by anyone at any time, but keep in mind that our stock of signed firsts is limited. 'S&S' subscribers are guaranteed to receive the monthly selection automatically.

TO SUBSCRIBE: If you would like to subscribe to any one or more of the 'S&S'/'Mystorical' categories, simply send us an email (info@mformystery.com) and state the following: your category preference, your full name, address, phone, and credit card details. There is NO charge to sign up. If you live outside the area, our regular shipping charges apply. Subscribers who are area residents can have the book held for pickup at the store, or sent. ALSO: Subscribers to two or more categories receive a 10 percent discount on ALL their 'S&S'/'Mystorical' purchases.

'SIGNED&SELECTED' I

'S&S' I features books by first time mystery/crime authors. It's always risky buying a book by a first time author; minimal reviews and no history to go by. Let us check them out for you. This is a good category for collectors. Signed debuts are highly sought after when an author becomes popular.

'S&S' I June: ZOE FERRARIS - Finding Nouf (Houghton Mifflin, $24.00).

Kirkus raved: "Shifting desert sands and shifting attitudes reveal the complexities and hypocrisy of Saudi life. Nouf ash-Shrawi, the 16-year-old daughter of a wealthy Saudi family, has disappeared shortly before her much-anticipated marriage. Her brother Othman hires desert guide and tracker Nayir al-Sharqi to find her. Palestinian by birth, Nayir embraces the Bedouin culture that most Saudis claim as their birthright but have abandoned for a materialistic urban lifestyle... A finely nuanced first novel offering an exceptionally balanced look at male and female perspectives." And from Publishers Weekly: "A finely detailed literary mystery set in contemporary Saudi Arabia, Ferraris's debut centers on Nouf ash-Shrawi, a 16-year-old girl who disappeared into the desert three days before her marriage... Ferraris, who has lived in Saudi Arabia ... [gives] a fascinating glimpse into the workings and assumptions of Saudi society. As a mystery, it's fairly well-turned, but it's the characters and setting that sparkle." The San Francisco Chronicle said: "...Ferraris gives us a whole new set of characters, cast for the Saudi milieu... Characters a lesser writer would skim over with a few generic adjectives come alive in Ferraris' hands and pull you into their world ... what truly sets this book apart from an airport detective novel is its prose. While Ferraris mostly restrains herself, narrating the story in the level, declarative tone we have come to associate with detective novels, she does allow herself some flashes of brilliance..."

Previous Selections:

May: MICHAEL STANLEY - A Carrion Death (Harper, $23.95)
April: DAVID LEVIEN - City of the Sun (Doubleday, $24.95)
March: JOSHILYN JACKSON - The Girl Who Stopped Swimming (Grand Central, $23.99)
February: DIANE WEI LIANG - The Eye Of Jade (Simon & Schuster, $24.00)
January: LEIGHTON GAGE - Blood of the Wicked (Soho, $24.00)

'SIGNED&SELECTED' II

'S&S' II was created to introduce you to authors we're afraid you may have missed. These are writers who still have a relatively small audience after releasing several books, and we think it's a crime. We wouldn't characterize them as underrated -- they are often lauded by critics. The public simply hasn't found them in large enough numbers to make them household names.

'S&S' II May: DAVID HOUSEWRIGHT: Madman On A Drum (St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95).

"Hate, revenge and old-fashioned greed propel Edgar-winner Housewright's stellar fifth mystery to feature former St. Paul, Minnesota, cop Rushmore McKenzie. When the older grade school-age daughter of McKenzie's old friend, St. Paul homicide chief Bobby Dunston, is kidnapped on her way home from school, the unlicensed PI gets on the case... Housewright's chivalric noir hero never fails to charm, whether mourning a St. Paul that's lost much of its colorful, if shady, past or busting a bestial dogfight entrepreneur out in the chilly countryside. Against a realistic Minnesota backdrop, this homage to Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer raises cutting questions about crime and punishment and today's price of friendship and loyalty. Of course, McKenzie knows it's all about money, but Housewright makes it so fresh and real it hurts," said Publishers Weekly. Housewright won the Edgar Award for his first novel, Penance, in 1996, the Minnesota Book Award for his second, Practice to Deceive, in 1998, and Tin City, the second McKenzie novel, was nominated for the same prize.

Previous Selections:

May: JACK O'CONNELL - The Resurrectionist (Algonquin, $24.95).
April: DOMENIC STANSBERRY - The Ancient Rain (St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95)
March: ANDREW GROSS - The Dark Tide (HarperCollins, $25.95)
February: APRIL SMITH - Judas Horse (Knopf, $23.95)
January: REGGIE NADELSON - Fresh Kills (Walker, $24.95)

'SIGNED&SELECTED' III

'S&S' III selections are traditional, or "cozy" mysteries. We created this category because we realized that 'S&S' I and II tend to be slanted toward serious, literary and noir novels. If you prefer your murders to happen offstage, or without the gory details and peppering of four-letter words often found in mainstream thrillers, 'S&S' III is for you. There are so many wonderful writers, both new and well-known, in this category.

'S&S' III May: JANE CLELAND - Antiques to Die For (St. Martin's Minotaur, $23.95).

"In Cleland's engaging third Josie Prescott mystery to feature the New Hampshire antiques dealer (after 2007's Deadly Appraisal), Josie is stunned to learn that her fun-loving friend, Rosalie Chaffee, has been found, drowned, on the Rocky Point shore. When it becomes clear Rosalie was a victim of foul play, suspicion falls on Rosalie's boss at Heyer's Modular Furniture, his scheming wife and Rosalie's gorgeous volunteer fireman boyfriend... Aided by a large support group of well-drawn characters headed by her police chief boyfriend, Josie follows such clues as an old diary, an artist's palette and a misplaced tote bag. Among other antique lore, readers will learn the difference between a highboy and a tallboy in this cleverly crafted cozy," said Publishers Weekly.

Previous Selections:

April: LOUISE PENNY - The Cruelist Month (St. Martin's Minotaur, $23.95)
March: NANCY ATHERTON - Aunt Dimity: Vampire Hunter (Viking, $22.95)
February: KATHLEEN HILLS - The Kingdom Where Nobdy Dies (Poisoned Pen, $24.95)
January: JOSEPH CALDWELL - The Pig Did It (Delphinium, $22.95)
December: CLAIRE MATTURRO - Sweetheart Deal (HarperCollins, $23.95)
November: VICKI DELANY - In the Shadow of the Glacier (Poisoned Pen, $24.95)

'MYSTORICAL'

'MYSTORICAL' is our historical mystery category. We never know where our Way-Back machine will stop; it could be the early 1900's or Ancient Rome. All we know is that if you're stuck in the past, we're happy to accommodate you.

'Mystorical' May: WILLIAM DIETRICH - The Rosetta Key (HarperCollins, $25.95).

Publishers Weekly said: "Last seen in Dietrich's Napoleon's Pyramids, fleeing the forces of evil in a runaway hot-air balloon over Egypt, Ethan Gage undergoes further life-threatening adventures in this rollicking sequel. Nine months before the balloon incident, Gage arrived in the Holy Land with his benefactor, Napoleon Bonaparte... Ever the incorrigible gambler and all-around scamp, Gage makes an irresistible antihero. The ending promises more volumes in what one hopes will be a long series." And Library Journalconcluded: "Historical fiction meets thriller here, with plenty to interest fans of both genres. The action is nearly nonstop, the humor is plentiful, and the intrigue is more than enough to keep the pages turning."

Previous Selections:

April: LAURA JOH ROWLAND - The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte (Penguin, $24.95)
March: STEPHANIE BARRON - A Flaw in the Blood (Bantam, $24.00)
February: LAWRENCE GOLDSTONE - The Anatomy Of Deception (Delacorte, $24.00)
January: SUZANNE ARRUDA - The Serpent's Daughter (NAL, $23.95)
December: BARBARA CLEVERLY - The Tomb of Zeus (Delta, $13.00 trade paperback original with SIGNED bookplate)
November: JASON GOODWIN - The Snake Stone (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $25.00)

BOOK-BY-THE-MONTH GIFT PROGRAM

The 'Book-by-the-Month' gift program is meant to be the answer to the question "What's a great birthday or holiday gift for that special book-lover in your life?" We'll choose the titles and send, and all we need from you -- or your gift recipient -- is a clue as to kinds of mysteries and/or authors preferred. Prepay by cash, check or credit card. We send a special gift notification card to your giftee, if you desire. Choose from the following options, and we'll take care of the rest. It's that easy!

The following subscription prices include shipping & handling:

6 months Mass Market Paperback: $60.00
12 months Mass Market Paperback: $120.00

6 months Trade Paperback: $110.00
12 months Trade Paperback: $220.00

6 months Hardcover: $185.00
12 months Hardcover: $370.00

The hardcover option can be combined with one of the 'Signed and Selected' programs.

STORE HOURS:
MONDAY through SATURDAY from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM,
SUNDAY from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM,
and evenings until approximately 9:00 PM when an author is scheduled to appear at 7:00 PM.

Email your comments, orders or suggestions to
info@MforMystery.com

"M" is for Mystery Homepage

86 East Third Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94401
www.MforMystery.com
Phone: 650-401-8077
Toll free outside the Bay Area: 888-405-8077
Fax: 650-401-8079

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