Welcome to 2008

Just wanted to welcome all of our customers to 2008. Mystery Lovers Bookshop finished up the year slightly ahead in sales with a big boost from holiday sales which were up over 11%. Our thanks to all you customers who contributed as well as to our wonderful staff who worked very hard during the whole year and especially during the holiday rush.

December-January MLB News available for download

The December 2007-January 2008 issue of the MLB News is available for download. The printed version is at the printer and will likely go into the mail on Monday, January 7.

For full information about the MLB News and the Masters of Mystery program, please see our Newsletter page.

Gift Certificate

Did you receive an MLB Gift Certificate this holiday? Are you wondering if you can use it online?

We can't really answer the first question but the answer to the second question is yes. Simply place your order at www.mysterylovers.com and in the special instructions note that you are using a gift certificate and tell us the amount and the control number. If your order is more than the amount of the gift certificate please provide a credit card that we can use fo the balance. If it's less, we'll issue a credit for the difference and send the credit slip with your order.

Incidentally, if you didn't receive an MLB Gift Certificate but wish you had, we invite you to forward this email to anyone who might get you one next time.

New arrivals

Just a few books in since the last email. You'll find the complete list at New Arrivals.

Bleeding Kansas by Sara Paretsky--signed copies

Sara Paretsky has a new novel out, Bleeding Kansas, and we've got a limited number of signed copies. Although her new book is not in the V.I. Warshawski series, it's not even a mystery but rather a straight novel, fans will certainly enjoy this compelling tale of two Kansas families. Set in the area of Paretsky's own birth, it reflects the history of Kansas in it's central characters: two families who have been there since the 1850's when Bloody Kansas referred to the slavery vs. anti-slavery battles of the era. The novel, however, is quite contemporary as current events batter the descendants of these pioneers and force them to face truths they would rather avoid.

Please order signed copies early as we have only a limited number.

Winter Coffee & Crime Series

Our Winter Coffee & Crime Series kicks off on January 23 with four diverse and talented authors appearing in this long-running Saturday morning author breakfast series. Here's what's coming up:

Jan. 26 - Steve Berry, a New York Times best selling author of complex thrillers rooted in history will join us with The Venetian Betrayal, a tale of the search for the lost tomb of Alexander the Great.
Feb. 16 - Leighton Gage joins us with his debut novel, set in Brazil, Blood of the Wicked.
Feb. 23 - Rosemary Harris continues the series with her debut Pushing Up Daisies, a gardening mystery
Mar. 15 - John Banville, writing as Benjamin Black, will be here with his second Dublin-set mystery, The Silver Swan
Mar. 29 - Joanne Fluke, author of the popular series with bakery owner Hannah Swensen will wrap up the series.

Upcoming Events

Jan. 26 - Coffee & Crime with Steve Berry
Feb. 5 - Rita Mae Brown

Our best wishes for a splendid New Year for you and your loved ones,
Richard, Mary Alice and the MLB Staff

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