 | 8 Feb 12 |
Today it is my great pleasure to welcome friend and fellow mystery author Kate Carlisle! Kate and I met at Bouchercon a few years ago and hit it off immediately. I no longer remember which of our mutual friends introduced us, but the lovely thing about Kate is that she’s at home in any crowd. She’s a true lady, as gracious as the day is long, so naturally one of my favorite things to do is to make faces at her from the audience to try to get her to crack up. Looking forward to seeing you in Northern California later this month, Kate!
Thank you so much for hosting me here at Murder She Writes, Sophie! It’s always a pleasure to visit with fellow whodunit lovers.
I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately to what it is that we mystery readers love about mystery novels. For me, one of the biggest draws of mystery novels is that, with a lot of them, I can learn something while being entertained. What a concept! I especially love reading amateur sleuth mysteries, in which the hero or heroine is not a detective or a cop, but is in a completely non-crime related career field and somehow gets caught up in solving mysteries. The best of these books include passages that show the protagonist doing the work at which she excels, so that we don’t think she’s a bumbling fool all the time.
The Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters are an excellent example of this. Amelia is a wealthy heiress and scholar, a “confirmed spinster” at the start of book 1 (Crocodile on the Sandbank) but married by the end of it. From that point on, she, her husband, their baby, and their menagerie of friends, travel annually to archaeological digs, mostly in Egypt, taking the reader along for the fascinating journeys. The Amelia Peabody books teach the reader not just about the world of archaeology, but also about history – the ancient history of Egypt and the more recent history of what it meant to be a late 19th-century woman who didn’t want to stay home and make babies.
I hear from a lot of readers who enjoy a glimpse into Brooklyn Wainwright’s job as one of the world’s top experts in restoring old books. I have a passion for the subject myself, and have taken bookbinding classes as a hobbyist for many years. (Yes, I’m a book geek!) Most of the books are centered around solving a murder, but I do take time to show the reader that Brooklyn is an expert in a truly fascinating field. Here’s a brief excerpt from the latest Bibliophile Mystery, ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE:
Closing the cover, I turned the book over and carefully began to thumb through the gilded pages. That’s when I discovered the fore-edge painting.
“Oh, my God,” I whispered. Was the entire collection painted? If so, the books were beyond priceless. The set belonged in a museum. I wondered if Grace would consent to donating them to the Covington Library.
The technique of fore-edge painting came into popular practice in the 1800s, and it was done by fanning the pages and clamping the book tightly. Then an artist would paint a watercolor painting on the fanned edge. When dry, the book would be clamped at its normal angle and the fore edge would be gilded in the typical way.
So when the book was closed, it would appear to be a normal, gilt-edged book. The painting couldn’t be seen unless the fore edge was fanned. It was a charming surprise for any antiquarian book lover.
What interesting tidbits have you learned from reading mystery novels? Has one of the characters in your favorite mystery series inspired you to take up a new hobby?
By the way, for you puzzle aficionados, I’m holding a contest right now on my website. Two lucky members of my mailing list will win this 513-piece jigsaw puzzle featuring the beautiful cover of ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE! Visit www.katecarlisle.com and join the mailing list for your chance to win!
Kate Carlisle is the New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mystery series, which launched in 2009 with HOMICIDE IN HARDCOVER. The latest Bibliophile Mystery is ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE (Bibliophile Mystery book 5). The Bibliophile Mystery series follows San Francisco-based book expert Brooklyn Wainwright as she restores classic texts to their former glory, and solves contemporary murders linked to each book. Visit Kate online at www.katecarlisle.com.
© 2012, Sophie Littlefield. All rights reserved.
Sophie grew up in central Missouri, daughter of a history professor father and an artist mother. She earned a degree in computer science and made very little use of it. After living in Chicago for ten years, she and her husband packed up the kids and moved to Northern California in 1998.
Most important influences on Sophie's work? The critique group she's belonged to for a decade; her brother, writer Mike Wiecek; and members of the romance and mystery writing communities, who have made for excellent company along the road.
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Welcome, Kate! This post is fascinating. I am a book geek too and I had never heard about fore-edge painting. How cool! I once went to Dublin and visited some beautiful illuminated manuscripts, including the Book of Kells, at Trinity College. Have you been there? It is amazing.
Congratulations on ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE. I will have to pick up a copy. I’ve never read a bibliophile mystery but it sounds right up my alley.
by Laura Griffin February 8th, 2012 at 6:38 amSorry, Laura, I answered you in the wrong place. My response is below!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 9:31 amI had never heard of this practice either and I wish I could see it up close. My dad loves illuminated manuscripts and used to take us to see them in museums. I am enchanted by the idea of artists creating such works one by one, and in miniature. Hope you’re enjoying release week, Kate!
by Sophie Littlefield February 8th, 2012 at 7:11 amSo far, so good, Sophie! (And thank you again for hosting me here today! Blog tours are one of the things that make release week so fun!) Last night, Avery Aames and I had a dual launch party at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in Redondo Beach last night. So. Much. FUN!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 7:39 amHi, Laura! Thank you so much for the warm welcome! Aren’t those fore-edge paintings incredible? I try with every Bibliophile Mystery to reveal another cool insider tidbit about rare and precious books, and some of the things that make a book more collectible.
The Book of Kells is incredible. I haven’t set a book yet in Ireland, but the second Bibliophile Mystery is set in Edinburgh. With the Old City beneath the modern day city, it was a great, moody setting for a murder.
I hope you’ll enjoy the Bibliophile Mystery series, Laura! Thanks for picking up a copy of ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 7:11 amWelcome to MSW! Congrats on the new release
I’ve never heard of fore-edge painting either — how cool!
by Lori Armstrong February 8th, 2012 at 8:45 amThank you so much, Lori! It’s always very exciting to have a new book out. I’ve already been hearing from readers on my Facebook page who started reading ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE and couldn’t put it down. I’ll take that as a very good sign (even if their bosses didn’t feel the same way. LOL!)
Aren’t the fore-edge paintings spectacular?! Love them!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 9:27 amHi, Kate! I’m so glad you brought up the Ameila Peabody series — one of my absolute favorites. I love both that she’s such an entertaining amateur sleuth, and also that I’ve learned so many fun things over the years from her books. I love Elizabeth Peters’ Vicky Bliss series, too, full of European art history.
Congrats on the new book! I hope to make it to the San Mateo book signing.
by Gigi Pandian February 8th, 2012 at 8:59 amThank you, Gigi! I knew I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed learning something while reading a good story! Smart fiction… love!
Hope to see you in San Mateo! I have a special little gift I’m giving away at my book signings this year – a Bibliophile Mystery Time Killer word search booklet. There’s a word search from each of the books… and, by the way “fore-edge painting” is one of the words in the word search for ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 9:29 amInteresting post Kate. Congrats on your new release. I am really looking forward to reading it. I really enjoy your books.
by Quilt Lady February 8th, 2012 at 9:22 amThank you so much! That means the world ot me. I hope you enjoy ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 9:30 am*waves madly* Hi, Kate! I’m such a glutton for the Brooklyn Wainright mysteries that I ordered a paper copy for my keeper shelf and a digital copy for ease of reading!
I’d have to go old school on series and revisit Ellis Peters’ and her Brother Cadfael series. I learned quite about about herbal lore of the time. I do love how much research you put into Brooklyn’s avocation for bookbinding, too!
by Silver James February 8th, 2012 at 9:42 amHiiiii!!!!!
So fun to hear that some readers are buying the books in both paperback and ebook form. I’m glad that readers seem to adore Brooklyn as much as I do, because I am nowhere near through with her!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 12:04 pmMy mind is BLOWN by the foreedge painting. I have to see one! Thanks for this! (And personally, I’m a sucker for reading anything cooking related — I don’t really cook, but I love to read about it.)
by Rachael Herron February 8th, 2012 at 9:58 amRachael, oh, that sounds so much like me! I really enjoy watching other people cook much more than I enjoy cooking. I order a mean meal, though, I can tell you that. I’m a great orderer. First rate!
Thanks for celebrating ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE release week with me!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 2:36 pmKate, love the fore-edge painting. I knew absolutely NOTHING about bookbinding until I stared reading your series. I’m going to B&N tomorrow to buy ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE. Can’t wait!
by Jennifer Lyon February 8th, 2012 at 10:16 amThank you, Jen!!!! And thanks for stopping by today. I hope you’ll love ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE. Always so much fun to have a new book on the shelves. I have heard from a lot of people who really love getting those insider tidbits into the world of bookbinding.
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 2:39 pmHi Kate and welcome to our blog! What an awesome post! Color me fascinated by fore-edge painting. That is so cool. Congrats on your book and thanks so much for sharing that with us! xo
by Roxanne St. Claire February 8th, 2012 at 10:51 amThanks so much for the warm welcome, Roxanne! I love visiting Murder She Writes! You’re a fun group and always so friendly!!!
I love how enthusiastic everyone is about fore-edge painting. It’s such an amazing artform. I’d love it if a talented painter would create a fore-edge painting for one of my books.
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 2:40 pmYou’re absolutely right about learning something new! It’s one of my favorite parts about reading (and writing) mysteries. Congrats on the new release!
by wendy roberts February 8th, 2012 at 10:53 amThank you so much, Wendy! I take that as a real compliment. I love the Ghost Dusters series. So fun!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 2:41 pmWelcome to MSW, Kate! I love the fore-edge painting! It makes me wonder what other secrets can be found in old books…
by Karin* Tabke aka Harlow! February 8th, 2012 at 12:57 pmKarin, the fore-edge painting is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. True collectors know all the things to look for, beyond just the “first edition” tag that is familiar to most people. It’s a lot of fun to learn the intricacies of rare book collecting.
Thanks so much for the warm welcome!
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 2:45 pmI’ve always had a soft spot for libraries and with mystery books it makes me want to visit some old-world libraries across the world and see if a treasure can be found. I’m thinking along the lines of the movie National Treasure. It would be pretty cool to find a long-lost message or letter in an old book.
by Na S. February 8th, 2012 at 5:33 pmNa, I was going to say that we were just talking about that very thing yesterday on the Romance Bandits… then I saw your name and I realized that it was YOU and I who were talking about that very thing yesterday. LOL!!!! Thanks so much for stopping by, and for celebrating release week with me. I just found out that ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE is at #3 on the Mystery bestsellers list at Amazon, so I’m over the moon. I’m right behind Stieg Larsson and Stieg Larsson. LOL
by Kate Carlisle February 8th, 2012 at 6:17 pmI thought the post wasw so interesting but then I saw the contest. I think the puzzle is so cool. I love puzzles. Such a cool post!
by Jen B. February 8th, 2012 at 7:34 pmThank you so much, Jen! Be sure to join my mailing list for a chance to win the puzzle. It’s really gorgeous!
by Kate Carlisle February 9th, 2012 at 4:52 amGreat to see you again, Kate! What an awesome book and contest!
by Debra Webb February 8th, 2012 at 7:46 pmThanks, Debra! Great to see you again, too! I hope you’ll enjoy ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE!
by Kate Carlisle February 9th, 2012 at 4:53 amWhat a fun hobby! Your book sounds very good. The picture of the book was very pretty.
by bn100 February 8th, 2012 at 7:55 pmThank you for stopping by to help celebrate ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE release week!
by Kate Carlisle February 9th, 2012 at 4:58 amI do love mystery novels. I find the quirks of any society seem to come to the fore in mystery novels. I’m looking forward to reading ore of your work.
by Mary Preston February 8th, 2012 at 11:35 pmThank you so much, Mary! I hope you’ll enjoy the Bibliophile Mystery series. You can read a free excerpt of each of the books on my website, http://www.katecarlisle.com. That way, you can “try before you buy.” And while you’re there, you can sign up for my mailing list for a chance to win the jigsaw puzzle!
by Kate Carlisle February 9th, 2012 at 5:00 amHi, Kate,
Super post!
I so enjoy authors who write historical mysteries. Talk about combining two personal areas of fascination!
Thanks for making us think outside the box.
– Josie
by Josie Brown, author, THE HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN'S HANDBOOK February 9th, 2012 at 9:02 am