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Dear %%First Name%%,

This Week's Special

We're in the midst of a bit of a cold snap here in Western Pennsylvania (thanks alot, Canada) so we couldn't think of a better Weekly Special (at 20% off) than a comic mystery set in Florida. A nice way to stay warm and enjoy a good read.

Edgar Award nominations announced

The Mystery Writers of America have announced their nominations for the Edgar Award 2008. We've got the full list of nominees for Best Novel, Best First Novel and Best Paperback Original along with the nominees for the Mary Higgins Clark Award on our Edgar 2008 page.

Looking through the nominees we see some interesting choices including Benjamin Black, a pseudonym for John Banville, nominated for his debut mystery Christine Falls. John will be at MLB on March 15 for a Coffee & Crime event. If you'd like a signed copy of his new books, The Silver Swan, we'll be happy to take care of it.

Also nominated was Michael Chabon for The Yiddish Policeman's Union which we enjoyed immensely. We've got signed copies of that if you're interested.

John Hart was nominated for his second book, Down River. His debut, now in paperback, King of Lies, was excellent.

I would also single out Blood of Paradise by David Corbett, a powerful and deeply felt novel set in El Salvador which lays out the situation in that country in unsparing detail.

Please check out the full list on our Edgar 2008 page.

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

A number of new arrivals including two Edgar Nominees now in paper: Christine Falls and Priest along with new books by Joanne Fluke, Isis Crawford, Stephen King, Robert Crais and others. 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.

Rita Mae Brown - February 5

We're getting set for our event on February 5 at 7 pm with Rita Mae Brown. She'll be here with The Purrfect Murder, latest in her Sneaky Pie series. Tickets are $5 and the event is a benefit for Animal Friends, a no-kill animal shelter here in Pittsburgh. They'll be bringing cats, dogs and rabbits that are available for adoption.

If you can't make it to the event but would like a signed book, you can order it on the website and we'll be sure to get it signed and even personalized if you wish.

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:

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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