 |
 |
 |
 | ![NEWS [selected]](../_images/nav_txt_news_on.gif){kind=small} |  |  |  |  |
What could be more fun for a lover of Agatha Christie than high tea in London with the Queen of Crime’s grandson? That’s just what happened a few weeks ago to lucky librarian Lisa Jochelson, winner of our Agatha Christie Collection Librarian Sweepstakes. Lisa and her husband, who live in Maryland, flew to London, courtesy of Black Dog and Leventhal, to experience the British capital’s legendary charm as well as to share a scrumptious tea with Agatha Christie’s grandson, Mathew Prichard, and his wife, at the fabled Brown’s Hotel. “We had a great time!” Lisa reports. “My feet are still recovering from all the walking we did. Overall it was a fantastic trip and we enjoyed ourselves so much. “The tea was most definitely one of the highlights of the trip…. Matthew and his wife could not have been any nicer. He even sent David and me a copy of At Bertram's Hotel, which he inscribed.” Our Librarian Sweepstakes had more than 3,500 entrants. In addition to Lisa’s Grand Prize trip, three runners-up won the complete 24-volume hardcover Agatha Christie Collection. View the photo of Lisa and her husband with Mathew Prichard at Brown's Hotel in our Events Archive for June. Lisa Jochelson, librarian at the Trade Reference Assistance Center in Cheverly, Maryland, has won the Grand Prize in the Agatha Christie Collection Librarian Sweepstakes—a trip to London and tea for two at Brown’s Hotel with Mathew Prichard, the Queen of Crime’s grandson, courtesy of Black Dog and Leventhal. “Wow, I can’t believe I won!” Ms. Jochelson said on hearing the news. “I have been such a huge fan of Agatha Christie since I was about 11. I have been reading her books for years, and I try to catch the movies on T.V. every time they are on. The opportunity to meet her grandson is so exciting! Thank you so much!" From among more than 3,500 entrants, the names of three runners-up have also been drawn. They will each receive the complete AGATHA CHRISTIE COLLECTION, 24 hardcovers in all. They are: Susan Brown of Avon Lake Public Library in Avon Lake, OH; Gary Shane of the Gallatin Public Library in Gallatin, TN; and Torey Yates, librarian at Warren Central Junior High in Vicksburg, MS. Congratulations to all! Whodunit? New York Wednesday October 11, 2006 Barnes & Noble, Union Square, New York City: In front of more than 60 audience members in Barnes and Noble's Union Square store, an impressive panel of bestselling mystery writers and preeminent editors presented a lively dialogue on the mark that Dame Agatha Christie left upon the mystery genre. Jonathan Burnham (Senior Vice President, Publisher, HarperCollins) and Natalee Rosenstein (Vice President and Senior Executive Editor, The Berkley Publishing Group) began the discussion and were soon joined by smash mystery/crime writers Harlan Coben (Penguin) and Lisa Scottoline (HarperCollins). Ruminating on Christie’s legacy, all four spoke about her impact and lauded her as a pioneer of style and plot, not to mention the first to turn the genre of detective fiction into both compelling and bestselling material. Topics discussed were the importance of plot and character; how to connect with the reader on both an emotional and a psychological level; the phenomenon of “solving the puzzle” in mystery writing;, the evolution of detective fiction; and of course, the overarching influence Christie continues to have in all of these areas. Commented Harlan Coben, “We are in a Golden Age of crime fiction . . . it has gone in different places from where Christie started, but they are places I believe she would have gone as well if she will still here writing.” Agreed Lisa Scottoline, “Mysteries were no longer an academic exercise after Christie.” AP Photo NY636 By The Associated Press Ron Berthal 09-25-2006 14:54 NEW YORK (AP) The mystery of how to get a hardcover whodunit for only $12 has been solved. Black Dog & Leventhal has just launched "The Agatha Christie Collection," a series of classic mysteries by "the best-selling novelist of all time." Each book in the series is a full-size hardcover, with dust jacket, that retails for $12. The publisher is initially offering eight titles and plans to release a total of 24 during the next two years. The novels feature either of Christie's two famous fictional detectives -- Hercule Poirot or Miss Jane Marple. The first batch includes "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" (1920), Christie's first published book and the one that introduced Poirot, the clever Belgian sleuth and eccentric neatnik; "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" (1926), the novel that first brought Christie wide acclaim; and "Murder at the Vicarage" (1930), which introduced Marple, the unflappable crime-solver with a penchant for gossip, from the English village of St. Mary Mead. The first eight titles also includes "Murder on the Orient Express," a Poirot adventure published in 1934 and which is probably Christie's most famous work. Christie was born in Devonshire, England, in 1890. She wrote more than 75 novels and story collections. Her play "The Mousetrap" opened in 1952 and is still running -- a record for the longest continuous run. She died in 1976. On Wednesday September 27th, the Barnes & Noble store in Madison, WI will be hosting a panel, Whodunit? Madison, to coincide with this year's Bouchercon mystery convention. It will be hosted by Carolyn Hart, an Agatha Award winner and author of Dead Days of Summer and Death of the Party. Hart will be joined by Mathew Prichard, the grandson of Agatha Christie, in conversation with two other popular mystery writers: Aaron Elkins (Unnatural Selection and Where There's A Will) and M. C. Beaton (The Vicious Vet and Love, Lies and Liquor). Here's what two of the panelists have to say about Agatha Christie: M. C. BEATON: I first read Agatha Christie in my late teens. Last year in Paris, after an operation, I was very ill and all I could do was lie on the sofa. I sent my sister up to W.H.Smith on the Rue de Rivioli and asked her to buy every Agatha Christie on the bookshelves, and I re-read them one after the other. I think anyone who writes detective stories must really appreciate her. I also like her books written under Mary Westmacott. In her books, I particularly appreciate Mrs. Oliver's comments on writing, very amusing and very true. AARON ELKINS: Favorite Agatha Christie book? The ABC Murders. At what age did you discover her? At ten--but not from a book, from a movie: And Then There Were None. I absolutely loved it...far superior in plotting and suspense to the Charlie Chan movies that had been my favorites until then. Has she been an influence or inspiration to you? You bet. I've learned from her on plotting, on characterization, and especially on how to mislead the reader without actually lying to him or her. Other comments: In general, I regard Agatha Christie as the second most important figure in the 150-year-long history of the mystery. Arthur Conan Doyle would have to be first, inasmuch as he pretty much invented it (although Edgar Allan Poe did write a couple of stories in that line. But it was Christie who was the first to come up with what we now call the traditional or fair-play mystery—where the clues are openly presented to the reader...if only he or she knew how to interpret them. And of course, Christie is the originator of what we now think of as the cozy mystery. And although she rarely gets credit for it, Agatha Christie is the person who brought wit and humor to the mystery story in a big way. For more details on this event, please visit www.agathachristie.com/victims/site/events/event_information.php?id=1.
|
 ![[illustration]](../_images/side_illus_ecard.gif) Use our exclusive Poirot and Marple e-cards to send greetings, news, or gossip. >> |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| © Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc. | Terms & Conditions Contact Us | Website created by World Archipelago |