James Sallis, 1944–2026.

Nathan Ashman's James Sallis:
A Companion to the Mystery Fiction

Author James Sallis died on Jan 27 at age 81. Although he might be best known for Drive (adapted as a film with Ryan Gosling and Carrie Mulligan), he had a long and distinguished career, not only in mystery fiction but also in science fiction and as a critic. There are many admirers of his Lew Griffin series (e.g., The Long Legged Fly), and he wrote a well-respected biography of Chester Himes. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Bouchercon, the Hammett Award for literary excellence in crime writing, and the Grand Prix de Littérature policière.  

He wrote to me after James Sallis: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction by Nathan Ashman had won the Edgar Award for best biographical/critical work (I edited the book), expressing his appreciation for Nathan's hard work and mentioning that his email box had been filling up with congratulations after the Edgar win (It was the first Edgar win for a book in the series, although the Ian Rankin companion and the James Ellroy companion had been Edgar nominees). He also related a funny story: when he was reading the companion, he discovered to his horror that he had forgotten about three short stories discussed by Nathan, and he was in the midst of compiling a collection of his "complete" short stories. He sent an SOS to his editor, rooted around in his files, found the stories, and managed to include them in the volume. Said he, "So Nathan, and you, have to take the blame for those three."

James Sallis' biography of Chester Himes, 
called "smart, conscientious, often stylish" 
by Robert Polito in NYT

 

Map of Dorothy L. Sayers' Britain.

New from Herb Lester Associates is Dorothy L. Sayers' Britain, a map of locations in the works of Sayers. The writer is Eric Sandberg (City University of Hong Kong), author of Dorothy L. Sayers: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction (which I edited; take 20% off the book this month with coupon code HOLIDAY25). 

Other maps:
• Ian Fleming's London 
• Maigret's Paris

December 15 Zoom event on the work of Agatha Christie.

On December 15, Nicholas Birns and his mother, Margaret Boe Birns (both NYU), will talk about their new book, Agatha Christie Under the Magnifying Glass: Close Readings of 12 Novels, in a Zoom event. I acquired the book for McFarland and Co. and will make a few remarks. A special guest will be J.C. Bernthal, author of McFarland's Agatha Christie: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction (which I edited) and editor of The Ageless Agatha Christie: Essays on the Mysteries and the Legacy.

As Birns and Birns note in the preface, they set out 

to examine how particular characters, phrases, contexts, and plot lines contribute to the success of Agatha Christie’s authorial compositions. But we will also look at them as they tear against the seams and beg for the scrutiny that goes outside the text as traditionally conceived. Rather than concentrating exclusively on overall themes, tropes, and effects in her oeuvre (as in Tison Pugh’s 2023 Understanding Agatha Christie), our emphasis on the uncertainties of particularity leads us to also concentrate on individual works by Christie.

Works covered in the book are The ABC Murders, A Murder Is Announced, At Bertram's Hotel, Curtain, Death Comes as the End, The Hollow, The Murder at the Vicarage, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Murder on the Orient Express, N or M?, Third Girl, and Towards Zero.

UPDATE, Dec. 16, 2025: If you missed the event, access the recording.

Note that there's a holiday sale at McFarland until the end of December; take 20 percent off with coupon code HOLIDAY25. 

Nathan Ashman: Edgar winner, Sallis companion.

The hardworking Nathan Ashman (University of East Anglia) nabbed the Edgar in the Best Critical/Biographical category for his book James Sallis: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction (I edit the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction). The many works of the multitalented Sallis (an author and poet active in both mystery and sci-fi) include his novel Drive (filmed with Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan), his Lew Griffin series, and his biography of African American mystery author Chester Himes.

The Sallis companion is currently on sale at McFarland.

J.C. Bernthal on Agatha Christie, Best Part of the Book podcast.

J. C. Bernthal, author of Agatha Christie: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction, will discuss the life, work, and enduring popularity of Christie as well as his experiences as a Christie fan and challenges in writing the book on the Mar 14 episode of The Best Part of the Book, McFarland and Co.'s podcast. I edit the companion series. 

Take 25% off the Christie Companion with coupon code BESTPART on the McFarland website.

Edgar nomination for Sallis companion.

James Sallis: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction by Nathan Ashman (University of East Anglia) has been nominated for an Edgar Award in the best Critical/Biographical category. This is no. 13 in the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series that I edit. Sallis may be best known for the novel Drive (filmed with Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan), although he is the author of numerous mysteries and a well-regarded book on Chester Himes, is a poet, and has been active in the science fiction community. 

Other companion volumes that have previously been nominated for an Edgar are James Ellroy (by Jim Mancall) and Ian Rankin (by Erin E. MacDonald, also a Macavity Award nominee).

Just published: James Sallis companion.

Just out from McFarland and Co. is James Sallis: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction, the latest volume in the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series that I edit. The author is University of East Anglia's Nathan Ashman. Sallis—who might be best known for Drive (adapted into the film with Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan) and his series with PI Lew Griffin—has an intriguing, cross-genre career that encompasses poetry, mystery, and sci-fi, as well as a highly regarded book on author Chester Himes and long experience as a critic (here are some samples). He's even appeared in a film with fellow mystery author Lawrence Block.

McFarland's December sale.

New from McFarland:
God and the Great Detective

If you missed McFarland's November sale, you still can save 25% on all McFarland books (including the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction) with the HOLIDAY23 coupon code. It's a good idea to place time-sensitive orders by December 16. Visit the McFarland website. 

 

McFarland bk sale (incl Companions to Mystery Fiction).

It's a good time to buy volumes in the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series that I edit; there's a 40-percent off sale on all McFarland books running through November 27, 2023 (use coupon code HOLIDAY23).

Next McFarland Companion to Mystery Fiction: James Sallis.

Volume 13 in the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series that I edit is on James Sallis (author of Drive, creator of detective Lew Griffin, biographer of Chester Himes, critic, poet, and cross-genre writer). The author is University of East Anglia's Nathan Ashman. The book is expected to be issued in fall 2023.

McFarland's 40% off sale.

McFarland is having a 40% off sale on all its titles until Nov 28 with coupon code HOLIDAY22. It's a good time to stock up on the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction that I edit; check out the full companion lineup.

Now out: Agatha Christie companion.

Just published is Agatha Christie: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction by J. C. Bernthal, vol. 12 in the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series that I edit. It is a comprehensive look at the career of the popular creator of Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple, Ariadne Oliver, Parker Pyne, and a host of other memorable mystery characters and plots. The book includes discussion of never before seen material, such as an unknown Australian adaptation of a Christie short story. 

• Print
• Kobo ebook
• Kindle ebook

The work of Mary Elizabeth Braddon.

Dover ed. of Braddon's
Lady Audley's Secret

Over at the journal Women's Writing, there is a special issue on the work of sensation author Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1835–1915), guest edited by Janine Hatter (University of Hull) and Braddon companion author Anne-Marie Beller (Loughborough University). It offers analyses of works such as Aurora Floyd, The Fatal Three, Lady Audley's Secret, and Three Times Dead as well as an exploration of Braddon's gothics and an intriguing theory regarding Braddon providing a new take on Dumas' The Three Musketeers.

Now available: Dorothy L. Sayers Companion.

Now available is Dorothy L. Sayers: A Companion to Mystery Fiction by Eric Sandberg (City University of Hong Kong), vol. 11 in the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series that I edit. It's a comprehensive guide to the mystery work of the creator of Lord Peter Wimsey and also includes info on some of Sayers's religious-related works. 

A new chapter.

On October 1, I started as a full-time editor at McFarland & Co., where I'll be helping out with production-related operations and acquisitions (particularly in popular culture). I've had a long relationship with McFarland as editor of the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series (six award nominations and one win; the next volume is vol. 11: Dorothy L. Sayers) and managing editor of Clues: A Journal of Detection (the oldest US scholarly journal on mystery, crime, and detective fiction). I'm looking forward to exploring new challenges.

I'm always interested in receiving proposals for the Mystery Companion series; prospective subjects should have a substantial body of work (loosely defined as a minimum of 25 books or a substantial combination of books, short stories, and other mystery-related works). For further details on submitting a proposal, contact me.

Another award nomination for the Ian Rankin Companion.

Ian Rankin: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction by Erin E. MacDonald and edited by me has been nominated for a Macavity Award in the Best Mystery Critical/Biographical category. This follows MacDonald's Edgar Award nomination for the same book and marks the sixth award nomination for the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series.

Available for preorder: Dorothy L. Sayers companion.

The next volume in the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series that I edit is now available for preorder. Dorothy L. Sayers: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction by Eric Sandberg (no. 11 in the series) looks at the life and work of the creator of sleuths Lord Peter Wimsey and Montague Egg.

The series has garnered Edgar nominations (Ellroy companion, Rankin companion), an Agatha nomination (Paretsky companion), and a Macavity Award (Paretsky companion).

Edgar nomination for the Rankin companion.

The Edgar Award nominations were announced on January 25, and in the Best Critical/Biographical category is Ian Rankin: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction by Erin E. MacDonald (edited by me). 

This is volume 10 in the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series. It marks the second Edgar nomination for a book in the series (the first was for the James Ellroy companion by Jim Mancall).

Ian Rankin companion published.

The latest in the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series that I edit (vol. 10) has been published. Ian Rankin: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction by Erin E. MacDonald (who wrote the companion on Ed McBain/Evan Hunter) delves into the life and works of Scottish novelist Rankin, the creator of Inspector John Rebus, and tips the scales at more than 400 pp. Booklist called it a “[f]ascinating biography…definitely belongs in mystery reference collections."

ISO: Mystery companion proposals.

I have a wishlist for proposals for the McFarland Companions to Mystery Fiction series that I edit (see below), but I also am interested in hearing from those who would like to prepare a proposal on alternative subjects. Potential subjects must have a substantial body of work (roughly defined as a minimum of 25 books).

• Further details on the elements of a proposal.
• If interested, contact me.