Mysterious Memoranda

Books

By OTTO PENZLER
April 2, 2008

Your first response to this sad news might be surprise that she was still alive, as she had not published a book in more than a decade, but Phyllis A. Whitney, the queen of romantic suspense fiction, died last month at the age of 106.

Her first novel, "Red Is for Murder," was published in 1943, and she produced both adult novels and books for young readers at a steady pace for more than a half-century after that, virtually all of them resting on national best-seller lists with evocative dust jackets of romantic mansions with the moon behind them and a beautiful woman in a flowing gown in front of them.

Because she flourished in a time when mystery writers did not customarily tour or do book signings, it is only remotely possible that you ever had the pleasure of meeting the gentlest woman I have ever known, but it was a tradition for her to be driven up from her home in Virginia to attend the Edgar Allan Poe Awards banquet in New York every spring, with a visit to my office with her dearest friend, Helen Wells, the creator of Cherry Ames (for those of you who read something besides Nancy Drew as young readers).

We would have a glass of champagne and some tea, Miss Whitney skipping the champagne, I skipping the tea, and chat about the mystery world until it was time to dress for the big event. All the while, she sipped from her glass of water while swallowing vitamin pills — as many as 80 or so a day — which she was convinced would keep her healthy and long-lived. She was evidently right.

Phyllis Whitney was honored with the Grand Master Award by the Mystery Writers of America for lifetime achievement in 1988. She had produced more than 70 books, being nominated for the Edgars for young adult novels four times, winning twice. Her last book, "Amethyst Dreams," was published in 1997 when she was 94.

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If you are a fan of dark, hardboiled fiction and/or film noir, you might like to take a little trip down to Philadelphia for Noir-Con, a three-day celebration (April 3-5) of everything that is dark, ugly, violent, and hopeless in the world of mystery fiction. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

What makes it most tempting is that the two guests of honor are the author Ken Bruen, who writes in this genre, and Dennis McMillan, who publishes it.

Mr. Bruen, the creator of the Jack Taylor series and much else in a noir universe so bleak that he makes James M. Cain and Jim Thompson seem like Mary Poppins and Beatrix Potter, will be one of the two honorees and speakers on opening night, along with Mr. McMillan, whose small but active house has published the work of such cheerful writers as Kent Anderson, Cornell Woolrich, George Pelecanos, Charles Willeford, and the comparatively sunshiney Michael Connelly.

Visit the website www.Noircon.com for times, schedule, locations, etc.

Then be prepared to open your veins.

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Here's a book that is properly titled and, if you are at all serious about the mystery genre, you need on your shelves: "The Essential Mystery Lists" (Poisoned Pen Press, 574 pages, $39.95), edited by Roger M. Sobin.

Trying to tell you all that can be found between the covers would be like trying to summarize an almanac, but here are a few highlights: Edgar Allan Poe Awards — not just the winners in every category, but the nominees — as well as all the other honors presented by the Mystery Writers of America since it was founded 62 years ago.

Ditto for the Crime Writers' Association (UK), and for Australia; also, the Arthur Ellis Award for Canada.

Awards given by various magazines and conventions, such as the Agatha by the Malice Domestic Convention; the Anthony, by the Bouchercon; the Barry, by Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine and Mystery News, and, heaven help us, the Lovey Award by the Love Is Murder Conference.

"Best" lists of authors or books by such scholars and/or authors as Ellery Queen, Isaac Asimov, Robert Barnard, Jacques Barzun, Lawrence Block, Sue Grafton, Tony Hillerman, Elmore Leonard, Michael Malone, Sara Paretsky, Robert B. Parker, Peter Straub, Donald E. Westlake, and Phyllis Whitney. Classic lists such as Queen's Quorum, the Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone Library, MWA's top 100 mysteries of all time, etc., etc., etc. Once you to start browse in this book, it will slit the throat of any other plans you might have had.

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