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Our first email of 2011: plenty-of-news edition

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Dear %%First Name%%,

Our weekly special...from a popular Pittsburgh author

Our first Weekly Special of 2011 features the start of a new series by a Pittsburgh author. Although the paperback has a different title from the hardcover, this is the first in the series. You can save 20% on this week's Special, get free shipping, and start off the year right with this tasty new mystery.

Our Weekly Special for Kids...a supersize lift-the-flap

We usually think of lift-the-flap books as strictly for younger kids but our Weekly Special for Kids is a gorgeous, oversize volume that will appeal not only to somewhat older kids but adults as well. Check out this week's Special for Kids and save 20% with free shipping.

The rovers return

Mary Alice and Richard wrapped up their marathon journey through the south last Sunday. We had a marvelous time on the road with many, varied experiences and no bad weather to speak of.

While we loved our trip we're glad to be home, too.

Edgar Award nominations announced

The Mystery Writers of America have announced the nominees for the 2011 Edgar Awards. We've got the full list of nominees for Best Novel, Best First Novel and Best Paperback Original.

We're very happy to see that Laura Lippman was nominated for I'd Know You Anywhere. Special congrats also to nominees Tana French for Faithful Place and Steve Hamilton for The Lock Artist both of whom have visited MLB in the past.

MLB Best Sellers of 2010

We've compiled the list of MLB Best Sellers for 2010 and we're ready to share the results.

Our hardcover list is topped by two Pittsburgh authors: Nancy Martin for Our Lady of Immaculate Deception (now in paperback as Foxy Roxy) and Kathleen George for her Edgar-nominated The Odds. Michael Ayoob and Dennis Palumbo, both with books set in Pittsburgh also made the list.

Unsurprisingly, all three of Stieg Larsson's novels made it onto the list but Brigid of Kildare by Heather Terrell was the number one trade paperback. The last of Kathy Haines's Rosie Winter novels, When Winter Returns, was number 4. Although that series is finished, Kathy will be back in July with a young adult mystery with a wartime setting.

We had so many paperback best sellers that in addition to the top 10 we added another section of paperbacks that had significatn sales.

We hope you enjoy our MLB Best Sellers of 2010 and use it to find many new authors to try.

Help is here

By which we mean Kathryn Stockett's marvelous book The Help. We're pleased to offer Brtiish editions of the paperback at $15.95. US edition available May.

During our epic journey just completed we listened to the unabridged audio version which is a wonderful production involving three narrators. We were entranced by this book which tells some marvelous stories of life in Mississippi in 1961 as the civil rights movement begins to upend everyone's assumptions about life and their place in it.

Need books? Now is a good time to order.

With the holidays just finished everyone is afflicted with shopping exhaustion but that makes January a rough time of year for us. In addition to the post-holiday period we've got weather to contend with that further reduces traffic in the store.

If you're thinking about some books you'd like to order please do it now and help us through a slow period. Remember, too, that we'll happily order and ship any book you might like whether it's a mystery or not. If you don't find what you want on our website just email or call us and we'll take care of it.

First Staff Picks of 2011

Thanks to our Staff Pick Maven, Judi, we are far ahead of schedule and have actually posted our Staff Picks for January 2011.

Take a look at our list and start your reading off right in 2011.

New Arrivals

Naturally we received a slew of New Arrivals since our last email in December. Most January books are here with a few early February deliveries as well.

New books arrive every day. Check our New Arrivals page often for everything new at MLB.

Michael Sims launches 2011 Coffee & Crime

Our 2011 season of Coffee & Crime author breakfasts begins with Michael Sims on Saturday, February 5 at 10 am.

Sims is the editor of the Penguin Book of Victorian Women in Crime, a fascinating anthology that features now-forgotten female heroines of crime stories of the era. You'll meet Loveday Brooks, Lady Molly of the Yard and dozens of other feisty sleuths in this entertaining collection that also sheds light on the changing role of women in the Victorian period.

Cost of the event is $5 and includes breakfast, talk and signing. You can purchase tickets online, by phone or at the store.

Linda Fairstein on March 9

We're pleased to welcome Linda Fairstein to MLB on Wednesday, March 9 at 7 pm. Linda will be here with the latest of her Alexandra Cooper novels, Silent Mercy.

Linda's event will be held at the Oakmont Carnegie Library, three blocks from the store. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased online, by phone or at the store.

We will have all of Linda's books available for sale at the event. Please do not bring copies of Silent Mercy purchased elsewhere to our event.

Signed first editions

What's on the website now

Here's what you can find at www.mysterylovers.com:

A milestone on our Facebook page

We've broken the 900 fan barrier on our Facebook page.

Come visit us at facebook.com/mysterylovers where you can join the 916 folks who are already our fans.

Upcoming Events

Feb. 5 - Michael Sims
Mar. 9 - Linda Fairstein
More events...

Our best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year

Richard, Mary Alice and the MLB Staff

Did we mention that we won a Raven Award?

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