Eoin Colfer Turns to Crime: PLUGGED On Sale September 1

Eoin Colfer's crime fiction debut Plugged goes on sale tomorrow with a loud round of applause from Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Associated Press.

Bestselling mystery writer Lisa Scottoline, writing in the Washington Post, notes: “Great writers can write anything, and Plugged is proof. Its author is Eoin (pronounced “Owen”) Colfer, a name you might recognize because he wrote the best-selling “Artemis Fowl” books for young adults, as well as a sequel to Douglas Adams’s “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Taken together, those books feature fairies, unemployed gods, a boy genius, a green alien and a galactic president, which means it’s not easy to categorize Colfer or his writing. That’s a good thing. Because now he’s produced a bang-up crime novel for adults. This might lead you to think you’re in Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiaasen or even Damon Runyon country, but you’re not. Although there are echoes of all three writers in Plugged, Colfer’s novel is dominated, driven and fully animated by a refreshingly original voice. . .Colfer has the deftest of touches, so he underplays them at every opportunity, which makes the reader care all the more. Plugged packs a powerful dramatic wallop for such a slim volume, like a flyweight with a knockout punch. And Daniel McEvoy becomes a knight errant in a sensitively wrought study of the effects of war on the human soul. As I said, great writing.”

Susan Carpenter profiles Colfer for The Los Angeles Times: "Irish author Eoin Colfer has been "doing leprechaun stuff" for a decade. Better known as the bestselling "Artemis Fowl" series for middle-grade readers, Colfer's self-described "leprechaun stuff" is the delightfully sordid story of a 12-year-old criminal mastermind who'll let nothing — least of all fairies — stop him from reclaiming his family's lost fortune. The seven books in the series have been translated into 40 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Yet despite his success, there comes a time when a writer just wants to write about something more adult, like a down-on-his-luck Irish doorman at a cut-rate New Jersey casino who repeatedly finds himself an accessory to murder. The book is called "Plugged," and the comedic crime noir, due out Thursday, is Colfer's first novel for readers who prefer whiskey to milk."

And here's a look at what some of the early reviewers are saying:

“Channeling noir stylists from Raymond Chandler to Elmore Leonard, Eoin Colfer the Irish author of the million-selling “Artemis Fowl” series for teens, goes a little crazy in his head-spinning, hilarious first novel for adults. “Plugged” (Overlook, $24.95) introduces us to the charismatic Daniel McEvoy, who uses the lethal skills he learned in the Irish army as a strip-club doorman who finds himself in deep sewage with the cops and the Irish mob — thanks to his best friend, a crooked doctor who is giving him hair implants.” – San Antonio Express-News

“Colfer has put aside his wildly popular Artemis Fowl YA fantasy series for Plugged, grown-up noir tale — with a wink. The hero of this humorous crime thriller is Daniel McEvoy, an Irish bouncer with bad hair implants who works at a seedy New Jersey casino. Among his troubles (besides the hair) are the death of his girlfriend, disappearance of his doctor and mobsters from the Old Country.” – New York Post

“Irish author Colfer, best known for his middle-grade Artemis Fowl series, makes his much anticipated crime novel debut with this pitch-perfect comic noir. Outrageous characters, uproariously funny plot twists, and brutal, monstop action make this a sure-fire winner.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Plugged is a miles-apart transition for the acclaimed young adults’ author, as he makes the brave leap to adult fiction—not the easiest of leaps to make, especially if that leap is the wide and dangerous canyon of hardboiled crime where safety nets are as scarce as a Tony Soprano’s diet. Thankfully, Mr. Colfer’s leap of faith has him landing expertly and solidly on his feet with page-turning ease. Funny, acerbic, crazed, riveting, sardonic—with just the right amount of hard-boiled dialogue—Plugged is everything you want in a summer read.” – New York Journal of Books


“Eoin Colfer makes his crime fiction debut with a bang. With swift pacing and plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end, Colfer’s crime caper has all the makings of a classic thriller. Daniel tries to hide his insecurities and chivalrous weak spot behind his wry, self-deprecating humor, and his witty voice deftly blends comedy with the noir storytelling. A clever ending leaves room for a sequel and fans clamoring for more of this sensitive Irish rogue.” – ForeWord Magazine

“Colfer’s adult crime-fiction debut—after his bestselling Artemis Fowl YA series—introduces a big, brash, bawdy, balding anti-hero. Transplanted from Ireland to the picaresque vale of Essex County, N.J., sharp-witted, hair-challenged, ex-professional soldier Dan McEvoy finds he must cope with a nonstop barrage of problematic issues, all with pain and suffering potential. It’s a considerable step from the world of YA to this novel’s extreme raunchiness, and some in the fan base—new readers as well—may view it with alarm. Others will find the goings-on funny enough to forgive anything.” – Kirkus Reviews


“If Carl Hiaasen married Raymond Chandler and engaged Dave Barry to be a surrogate mother, Plugged would be the progeny. Oh, grow up! This is a zany crime caper where such things are possible. With the unlikely title—redolent of Chandler’s characters being “plugged” with lead bullets—the bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series makes his hilarious crime fiction debut á la Elmore Leonard. Incredible imagination won’t suffice to solve this who-what-and-whydunnit. This five-star story in the vein of Robert Coover’s Noir has more twists than a box of rotini pasta.” –L. Dean Murphy


“Colfer makes his adult crime fiction debut with this tale of Daniel McEvoy, who might be a doorman at a low-rent casino in Cloisters, NJ, but who once upon a time served two tours of active duty in the Irish army. . . The body count rises steadily as Daniel gets himself into various situations both dangerous and hilarious involving good and bad cops, crooked lawyers, barrels of steroids, and assorted mayhem. Carl Hiaasen and Elmore Leonard fans should enjoy this hard-boiled novel with a dash of humor.” – Library Journal


“Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl youth series, employs similar techniques in this one—breathless plotting, humor, and wordplay—but he adds a diverse armory of guns, grenades, and stilettos. Fans of Ken Bruen’s hilarious odes to murderous psychopaths will want to get Plugged.” — Booklist

THE YELLOW EMPEROR'S CURE receives a starred reivew from Kirkus!

We loved The Yellow Emperor's Cure when we first read it, and Kirkus does too, awarding it a starred review and calling it a “richly painted literary novel ... a deeply satisfying tale mixing history, cultural clashes, violence and love.”

Kirkus Reviews
September 15, 2011
THE YELLOW EMPEROR'S CURE [STARRED REVIEW!]
Author: Basu, Kunal

This richly painted literary novel brings a Portuguese doctor to 19th-century China to find a cure for syphilis.

In 1898, Doctor Antonio Maria is one of Portugal’s best doctors, but when his widowed father becomes desperately ill with syphilis Doctor Maria will do anything, go anywhere to find a cure to save his father’s life. With reason to believe the Chinese have a cure, he leaves his fiancée behind and sails to China, devoting himself to learning medical secrets from a man named Xu. The trouble is that Doctor Maria must live in China for four seasons and learn the ways of qi before Xu will teach him what he wants to know. In the meantime he falls in love with Fumi, a mysterious woman with close ties to the Empress Dowager. Will he find the cure in time to return home and save his father? Or find it and return to Portugal before the West-hating Boxers kill him and all the other foreigners? Does Xu even know the cure, or is he simply stringing Doctor Maria along for his own purposes? Can he meet the Empress and enlist her help? People are not who they seem as Doctor Maria immerses himself deeply in a strange and complex culture. Readers will get vicarious pleasure as he learns an array of sexual positions from Fumi. Occasional passages are briefly confusing as the narrative dips in and out of nightmares, but ultimately they help the story. For a man with an urgent mission, Doctor Maria seems incredibly patient, even distracted, as he navigates the ways of a world in which he is often the unwelcome outsider.
Many people suffer losses in this novel, a deeply satisfying tale mixing history, cultural clashes, violence and love. Fortunately, it’s the readers who win.

More reviews for DAUGHTER OF PROVIDENCE!

As summer wanes (and torrential downpours send us inside to curl up with good books!), here are a few new reviews for Julie Drew's debut novel, DAUGHTER OF PROVIDENCE. We're loving the great response to this gorgeous book, and we're giving away three autographed copies--leave a comment to win!

Praise for DAUGHTER OF PROVIDENCE:

"Although Drew's haunting, mesmerizing debut focuses on a Rhode Island fishing town, in the summer of 1934, make no mistake: this is no "beach book.".... Social and personal turmoil cloud the story, as class and race conflict, the Great Depression, and labor strikes combine with intrigue and murder. Verdict: This atmospheric and compelling historical tale will surely sweep the reader into the past as Drew's word artistry paints a perfect poignant portrait of a bygone era."—Library Journal (starred review), full review here

"A sweeping drama ... Drew perfectly captures the old New England feel of her shore-town setting and lavishes attention on the period details that transport readers back to the 1930s. Anne Dodge is a richly drawn protagonist, caught in the conflicting responsibilities of early adulthood, and the secondary characters who populate the close-knit community give the novel further complexity. Fans of Tara Hyland and Elizabeth Bard will love this poignant page-turner that portrays the delicate intersections of loss, love, loyalty, betrayal, family, and identity."—Booklist, full review here

"The novel has a nice story and the writing and descriptive language helped readers visualize the story scene by scene. The description of the characters and, particularly, the budding relationship between the two sisters helped bring the words off the page and into the heart.... This book can be recommended for the poignant story with its not so fairytale unhappy ending. It reminds us of our own mortality and how the decisions we make truly affect the lives of those around us."—The Narragansett Times, full review here

"The themes of class relations and, especially, troubled economic times are relevant. Daughter of Providence is a great summer read."—The Akron Beacon Journal, full review here

"Anne is a sympathetic heroine, and Drew's storytelling is compelling."—The Cleveland Plain Dealer, full review here

It's Viva Las Vegas for ELVIS WEEK 2011

It's Elvis Week in Memphis, the annual gathering of Elvis fans from around the word who come to Graceland to pay respects to the King, who died on August 16, 1977.

In 2008, Overlook published the most definitive and all-encompassing book on Elvis Presley, The Elvis Encyclopedia, by Adam Victor. This critically-acclaimed and truly monumental document is an essential part of every Elvis fan's library.

But there's more! Coming in November is a brand new volume, Elvis in Vegas, which concentrates on the many years Elvis spent in Las Vegas. The author, Paul Lichter, is one of the world's leading authorities on the subject of Elvis Presley. Featuring more than 300 full-color and black-and-white photographs – many of which have never been seen – Elvis in Vegas is the only book to focus exclusively on the Vegas years, which ran from the late 1960s (he married Priscilla in 1967 at the Aladdin) to his death in 1977. Over the years, Elvis performed over 800 sold-out shows in Vegas, mostly at the International, which later became the Hilton. This was the era of Elvis in jump suits, 25 piece bands, state of the art sound and stage design, and of course the mighty spectacle of the King performing on stage. Lavishly illustrated and beautifully produced, Elvis in Vegas also includes a comprehensive overview of Elvis’s life in Vegas – concerts, set lists, news clippings, interviews, and details about his legendary month-long hotel engagements.

Elvis in Vegas will be published on October 27, 2011, and available in fine bookstores and through online booksellers.

Win a signed copy of Julie Drew's DAUGHTER OF PROVIDENCE!

It's August--the perfect time to curl up with a great new novel. Enter DAUGHTER OF PROVIDENCE, the debut novel from Julie Drew, on sale today.

DAUGHTER OF PROVIDENCE is the story of Anne Dodge, raised by her old-money father in a small town in Rhode Island. When Maria Cristina, the half-sister she never knew she had, comes to live with them, Anne sets off on a journey of discovering truths about her family--and herself.

A wonderful read for book clubs or anyone looking for a beautifully written novel told by a character that Publishers Weekly called "a memorable heroine and narrator."

TO WIN ONE OF THREE SIGNED COPIES OF DAUGHTER OF PROVIDENCE:
- comment on our blog
- like or comment on our Facebook
- retweet or reply on Twitter

You can also find Julie at www.juliedrew.com and @JulieDrewAuthor.

Good luck! Winners announced next Thursday.

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Praise for DAUGHTER OF PROVIDENCE

"[A] terrific debut novel...a great summer read." --The Akron Beacon Journal

"Set in a decaying industrial town during the Great Depression, Daughter of Providence is an engrossing story of discovery, tragedy and redemption. Julie Drew is not just a skilled storyteller. She's an historian who creates a rich background of a city in the throes of unionism, class breakdown, and social and sexual upheaval. This is a book that stays with you." --Sandra Dallas, New York Times best-selling author of The Bride's House

"In real life, binding societal expectations take over the show. ‘Success' is first class, and the heart is second class. In this moving tale, Daughter of Providence , we get to see the first class price tag is paid with those hearts." --Carolyn Chute, author of The Beans of Egypt, Maine

"First novelist Drew draws a careful portrait of both social and family problems." --Kirkus

"With a dead body in the opening pages, the upward sweep of a family drama, and assured, lyrical prose, Julie Drew leads us deep into a time and place -- Depression-era New England -- and takes us through an unforgettable summer of loss and understanding. The story is brisk and compelling, channeled through Drew's magnetic protagonist, 24-year-old Anne Dodge, a charming, confident focal point for this exceptional debut novel." --David Giffels, author of All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-down House

Irony of Humanity: Jim Nisbet's LETHAL INJECTION

James Ellroy called it "unheralded masterpiece of the noir genre." It is widely regarded as one of the finest achievements of moder noir - a classic that stands with the best of Jim Thompson and Charles Willeford. It is Lethal Injection, by Jim Nisbet.

And now, almost twenty-five years after its orginal publication (1987), critics and reviewers are still taking about Lethal Injection. Here's a new assessment on the German publication of the original novel.

Irony of Humanity. A short 20 years later, Jim Nisbet's 1987 novel Lethal Injection belongs to the classic noir book inventory.
Franklyn Royce hasn't achieved much in his life. His wife hates him because he's not ambitious enough to provide her with the standard of living she thinks she deserves. Frustrations with his marriage and job have made him an alcoholic. His own doctor's practice is lousy, so he has to earn an extra couple hundred dollars each month as a prison doctor in Huntsville, TX. Witnessing death sentences is one of the responsibilities that goes with the job. And so he meets the young, black Robert Mencken. During the robbery of a small shop in Dallas, for a whole $9, Mencken supposedly shot the shop keeper in the face several times. When the poison of the lethal injection is already in his veins, he confides in Royce that he's innocent of the crime, but prepared to die. His confession is an awakening for the doctor, and shortly before dying the condemned men seals the experience with a kiss.

Lethal Injection has long been a timeless, insider tip for those who know the genre. For Sandro Veronesi, whose article out of La Repubblica serves as forward to the new German translation, author Nisbet is a "phantom genius", little known and admired by few… but these readers are spread out all over the entire world and all in all aren't so few in number.

But don't expect that the new German edition of Nisbet's classic from 1987 will be a huge hit. That it ought to be is barely more than a fervent wish. In the local, not so badly stocked book store the Pulp-Master titles - after "Dark Companion", “Lethal Injection" is the second Nisbet novel for the Berlin publisher Frank Nowatzki in his highly praised enterprise - are seldom requested. Too literary? Too depressing? In the truest sense of the word, too "noir"?

In any case, for Franklyn Royce the encounter with Bobby Menken starts a new and for him final phase of life. Nothing holds him in his relationship any longer. Convinced of Menken's innocence, Royce sets out on a search for the real killer. He quickly lands with the two people who were there as the murder occurred, for which Mencken was executed. Eddie Lamark is a psychopath capable of anything; Colleen Valdez a heroin addict and sometime prostitute who doesn't need to do much to totally bewitch the sexually frustrated Royce.

The reader only notices at the very end of the book the sophistication Nisbet used in composing this early masterpiece. And that the path of Franklin Royce is already laid out in the path of the man the doctor feels called to revenge. Royce won't survive his search for the truth either. The connections he finally reconstructs and tragically gets wrong is at the very end simply repeat the irony of human destiny that Mencken made Royce aware of: that it was in the hour of death that Royce finally encountered the compassion for humanity he'd spent his whole life seeking.

With Jean Genet the novel itself mentions one of the witnesses whose work pops up in one’s mind when reading "Lethal Injection". Bobby Mencken's prison nickname is Harmacone, after a figure from Jean Genet's "The Miracle of the Rose” whose chains turn into roses in the fantasy of the narrator and give the murderer the aura of a saint. For Sandro Veronesi, it's like Nisbet's beloved Samuel Beckett, Oe, Josef Škvorecky and Fjodor Dostojewski, whose voices he heard when reading the novel. Occasional associations with the famous Malcolm Lowry impose themselves on the reviewer. These few names, no matter how clearly they might be woven into the intertextual network of "Lethal Injection" show the caliber you have with Nisbet. No one who reads the first 50 pages, which force the reader into the cold light of a Texas execution chamber, will argue with the fact that this novel can be understood as vehement plea against the death penalty, practiced again in the USA since 1976."

The Overlook Press has published three of Jim Nisbet's classic works in paperback - Lethal Injection, Dark Companion, The Damned Don't Die - and a 2010 novel in hardcover, Windward Passage.