"Jeff Ziegfeld was always the exception to the rule ..."

“Mastermind” by Reed Farrel Coleman appears in Long Island Noir, an anthology of short stories set in Nassau and Suffok counties of New York, recently released by Akashic Books:

Jeff Ziegfeld was always the exception to the rule: the dumb Jew, the blue-collar Jew, the tough Jew. No matter the Zen of the ethnic group the wheel of fortune got you born into, dumb and poor was the universal formula for tough. And he had to be tough because it’s hard to be hard when your name is Jeffrey Ziegfeld. Didn’t exactly make the kids on the block shit their pants when someone said, “Watch out or Ziggy’ll kick your ass.” He was extra tough because his dad liked to smack him around for the fun of it, all the time saying, “Remember, dickhead, no matter how strong you get, I’ll always be able to kick your ass. I grew up the last white kid in Brownsville. And where’d you grow up? Lake Grove, a town with no lake and no grove. What a fucking joke. Kinda like you, huh, kid?”

You can read the whole story over at Criminal Element.

"In Pursuit of Spenser" - on Robert B. Parker

In Pursuit of Spenser: Mystery Writers on Robert B. Parker and the American Hero, edited by Otto Penzler is now available - featuring contributions from Reed, Ace Atkins, Lawrence Block, Max Allan Collins, Matthew Clemens, Brendan DuBois, Loren D. Estleman, Lyndsay Faye, Ed Gorman, Parnell Hall, Jeremiah Healy, Dennis Lehane, Gary Phillips, and SJ Rozan.

Overview:

When Robert B. Parker passed in early 2010, the world lost two great men: Parker himself, iconic American crime writer whose books have sold more than 6 million copies worldwide, and his best-known creation, Spenser. Parker's Spenser series not only influenced the work of countless of today's writers, but is also credited with reviving and forever changing the genre.

"In Pursuit of Spenser" offers a look at Parker and to Spenser through the eyes of the writers he influenced. Editor Otto Penzler— proprietor of one of the oldest and largest mystery specialist bookstores in the country, New York's The Mysterious Bookshop, and renowned mystery fiction editor whose credits include series editor for the Best American Crime Writing and Best American Mystery Stories, among many others (and about whom Parker himself once wrote, "Otto Penzler knows more about crime fiction than most people know about anything")— collects some of today's bestselling mystery authors to discuss Parker, his characters, the series, and their impact on the world.

From Hawk to Susan Silverman to Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall, from the series’ Boston milieu to Parker’s own take on his character, In Pursuit of Spenser pays tribute to Spenser, and Parker, with affection, humor, and a deep appreciation for what both have left behind.

It's available now at The Mysterious Bookshop, and at other outlets after April 24.

A Tale of Grifters Who Preach on Railroad Cars

Scoundrels, just released from Down & Out Books and edited by Gary Phillips, features fourteen "tales of greed, murder and financial crimes" - including one by Reed, and is reviewed at CriminalElement.com by Kathleen George:

Reed Farrel Coleman (“The Prophet”) takes a break from high finance and housing to tell a tall tale about grifters (or are they con men) who preach and hitch rides on railroad cars—a whole different population. They take on a boy who can perform miracles. He’s got a twisted mouth and his whole presence is unsettling.

The good fortune Barney had stumbling across the red heifer was nothing compared to the luck he’d had with the kid. The rest of it was nothing if the kid couldn’t pull off the play. And the kid Barney found was worth ten red heifers. He was born to the part. Near twelve years old but looking small and young for his years. Had the kind of blond hair that was closer to white than yellow and when the wind wasn’t blowing it this way or that, it fell in a long limp sheet to the nape of his neck. Had them cold blue eyes looked like they were made out of river ice. He was milk white complected. With his full face and soft jawline, the boy might’ve been an angel, but his gnarled mouth put the kibosh on that angel stuff. There were cottontails had prettier upper lips than this kid. Even with his mouth clamped up tight, you could see the hint of his teeth. Your child prophet always needed an affliction or deformity. That’s what sold the hustle. When Barney’d done his child prophesying for Cruelty, he’d done it with a stammer.

. . .and the peo-peo-people of the p-p-pri-prince who is to c-c-come wil de-de-de-destroy the city and the sanctuary. From Da- Da-Daniel, n-n-nine; twenty-sss-sss-six.

Worked, but it sure did get on folks’ nerves.

Always A Bridesmaid …

For the second time in his four appearances at SleuthFest, Reed was a finalist for the event’s Fla-MAN-go Award. The award is given to the sexiest man at SF and is voted on by all female attendees. Alas, Reed was trounced by first runner-up Jeff Deaver and winner Chris Grabenstein.

Don Bruns, Reed Farrel Coleman, and Michael Haskins at SleuthFest

HURT MACHINE Nominated for Best Novel Barry

Thanks to everyone who passed on congratulations on the Barry Nomination for Hurt Machine. And congratulations to all the nominees. - Reed

2012 BARRY AWARD NOMINATIONS 

The Barry Awards will be presented October 4, 2012 at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Bouchercon in Cleveland, Ohio.

Best Novel
THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES (in U.K., MERCY), Jussi Adler-Olsen
THE ACCIDENT, Linwood Barclay
HURT MACHINE, Reed Farrel Coleman
IRON HOUSE, John Hart
HELL IS EMPTY, Craig Johnson
THE TROUBLED MAN, Henning Mankell

Best First Novel
LEARNING TO SWIM, Sara J. Henry
THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X, Keigo Higashino
THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE, Lene Kaaberbol and Agnette Friis
TURN OF MIND, Alice LaPlante
THE INFORMATIONIST, Taylor Stevens
BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP, S.J. Watson

Best British (Published in the U.K. in 2011)
NOW YOU SEE ME, S.J. Bolton
HELL'S BELLS (in U.K., THE INFERNALS), John Connolly
BAD SIGNS, R. J. Ellory
THE HOUSE AT SEA’S END, Elly Griffiths
OUTRAGE, Arnaldur Indridason
DEAD MAN’S GRIP, Peter James

Best Paperback Original
THE SILENCED, Brett Battles
THE HANGMAN’S DAUGHTER, Oliver Pötzsch
A DOUBLE DEATH ON THE BLACK ISLE, A. D. Scott
DEATH OF THE MANTIS, Stanley, Michael
FUN AND GAMES, Duane Swierczynski
TWO FOR SORROW, Nicola Upson

Best Thriller
CARVER, Tom Cain
COUP D’ETAT, Ben Coes
SPYCATCHER (SPARTAN), Matthew Dunn
BALLISTIC, Mark Greaney
HOUSE DIVIDED, Mike Lawson
THE INFORMANT, Thomas Perry

Best Short Story (compiled by Marv Lachman)
Doug Allyn, "Thicker Than Blood" (AHMM September)
Jeffrey Cohen, "The Gun Also Rises" (AHMM January-February)
Mike Cooper, "Whiz Bang" (EQMM September-October)
Trina Corey, "Facts Exhibiting Wantonness" ( EQMM November)
James Powell, "Last Laugh in Floogle Park" (EQMM July)
Eric Rutter, "Purge" (AHMM December)