Another Thriller Of a Year

Books

By OTTO PENZLER
January 9, 2008

One would have to be a bit dim to assert that every year is simply wonderful and perfect. Indeed, saying it about a single year will get one a raised eyebrow, a skeptical sneer, and a mildly (if you have nice friends) smart-aleck response. Okay, folks — give me your best shot! I have a gajillion reasons to say that 2007 was a truly terrific year.

Who could say it hasn't been a fine year when an espionage thriller as brilliant as the understated "The Lives of Others" is released? I'm not one of those intellectual snobs who thinks foreign films are better than American. I loathe reading my movies. But this German espionage story, set in East Germany before re-unification, written, directed, and acted with what approaches genius, is memorable for its tragedy, redemption, and inspiration.

More reasons to celebrate this banner year:

The publication of "Tin Roof Blowdown" by James Lee Burke, the near-perfect storm memorialized by the near-perfect author in a near-perfect book.

My wife Lisa selling the first poem she ever submitted to an unlikely periodical: Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine.

The lobster tempura at Park Avenue Autumn.

Stephen King being named Grand Master for lifetime achievement by the Mystery Writers of America. Though best known for his dark fantasy thrillers, Mr. King has produced some truly chilling tales of terror that are totally lacking in supernatural elements, including "Misery," the story on which "The Shawshank Redemption" was based, and "Cujo."

Sloane Crosley, the publicist at Vintage Books, almost singlehandedly getting my anthology, "The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps," on the extended New York Times best-seller list.

"Christopher's Ghost," the most recent espionage novel by the great Charles McCarry. It's really two connected novellas featuring his memorable series character, Paul Christopher, in one of the most beautiful and poignant pieces of fiction I've read in years.

The dismal box office performance of "Redacted" and "Lions for Lambs."

A sign in the Union Square Greenmarket advertising "Kosher Honey for Christmas"; this is not a typo.

Sharing Mary Higgins Clark's 80th birthday celebration with her wonderful family and friends. She's been referred to — without irony — as "Saint Mary" in my home for more than 20 years, and it warmed the heart of everyone present to see the outpouring of love for one of the kindest, most generous, and thoroughly decent people I've ever known.

"Silence" by Thomas Perry, perhaps the best suspense novel yet in the career of one of the world's finest suspense writers, featuring a husband-and-wife hit team that remains seared into the memory bank.

Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera signing new contracts with the Yankees.

The editor of The New York Sun, Seth Lipsky, generously taking the time to come to my holiday party, even with four children waiting for him at home. It is for this party that my wife fixed her hair to look like a glamorous 1940s movie star, maybe Lana Turner. No kidding.

The creativity of the editors at Morrow, who managed to make a book, "10 Rules of Writing," out of a newspaper column by Elmore Leonard. Each of the 90 pages is printed on card stock, with no more than one paragraph to a page. If it were by anyone other than Mr. Leonard, a buyer would feel ripped off. However, it's about quality, not quantity, so the $14.95 is a bargain. And speaking of "Dutch" Leonard, it was definitely cool to have a character in his most recent novel, "Up in Honey's Room," named after me — even if it was an S.S. Major from Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps.

General Petraeus.

The release on DVD of television's best mystery series of the 21st century, "Foyle's War," set on the English coast during World War II. All 16 episodes are models of good old-fashioned detective stories.

"The Dark Page," the most gorgeous book ever devoted to crime fiction, covering every American noir film of the 1940s and the books on which they were based. This is just scratching the surface, with so much more to celebrate. I hope your year was as good, and let's look forward to an even better one in 2008.

Mr. Penzler is the proprietor of the Mysterious Bookshop and the series editor of the annual "Best American Mystery Stories." He can be reached at ottopenzler@mysteriousbookshop.com.

Another Thriller Of a Year

Books

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