Props for Laukkanen, plus an aside on Bouchercon book bags
Owen Laukkanen's second novel, Criminal Enterprise, has me wanting to read his first, The Professionals, and his third, due out next year. Criminal Enterprise does some familiar crime-fiction tricks well, and it rings refreshing changes on others. It manages the considerable feat of keeping all its subplots interesting, and its twists are surprising but plausible.
I had heard of Laukkanen, but it was Eric Beetner's Noir at the Bar-style open readings at Bouchercon that got me reading him, and he's my top discovery of Bouchercon 2103 so far.
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Don 't laugh, but the Bouchercon book bag, given to each attendee and containing programs, award ballots, and books, was pretty cool this year. After six years of attending conventions, I'll never need to buy a shopping, beach, or laundry bag again. But this year's model was shaped like a miniature duffel bag or an enlarged version of those old-time flight bags that airlines used to give passengers. It's perfect for carrying a computer, one's lunch, and a few books.© Peter Rozovsky 2013
Labels: Bouchercon, Bouchercon 2013, Canada, conventions, Criminal Enterprise, Eric Beetner, Owen Laukkanen
posted by Peter Rozovsky at 5:24 PM
7 Comments:
I added Owen to my TBR list, as well.
You're right about the bags. They are the nicest I've received at a conference.
I think the nicest-bag award still may go to Bouchercon 2008. But the Alabany bag breaks new ground. It's the Demoiselles d'Avignon of book bags.
Laukkanen is now on my HBR list, for has been read. But I'll soon look for his first book.
Peter, Dana
I nearly always give the book bags away for 2 reasons: 1. If its been promoted by the big publishing houses in this manner usually its the books themselves are very uninteresting. 2. If I was to carry a bunch of books home with me I'd have to bring more than 1 piece of hand luggage or god forbid check a bag and my cheap tickets usually dont permit that.
Not to worry because: 1) These bags bear the logo of the Mystery Writers of America, rather than the name of a book or an author, and 2) I travelled by bus, so I had a more liberal baggage allowance.
Peter
Ahh but you're not going to bus all the way to LA are you? And if you are you're a braver man than me.
You can't stump me that easily. Last time I visited No Alibis, I shipped two boxes of books home from the nearest post office. I did the same thing after Crimefest this year. I can do the same from California.
Meanwhile, you might try this Owen Laukkanen if you want an exciting, well-done crime thriller. His agent is the same woman who signed Allan Guthrie, Declan Burke, and John McFetridge back when she was an editor. So you know Laukkanen is good.
Adrian: Did you see that two Marine generals are being forced out over a Taliban attack in Afghanistan two years ago? Shades of relief!
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