Shall I read you a story? Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine has a free podcast and the March one has me, Liza Cody and Peter Lovesey all reading stories. We talk about how we came to write them and, as a bonus, you get to hear a piano piece written and played by my son.


Click here to go to the magazine's podcast page. If you click on "download" at the bottom of the episode 7 page, you'll be on your way...


Or there are other ways to download the podcast. You can, for instance, go to iTunes, search for "Ellery Queen" and then click on podcasts.

The sound on the 3-way conversation is a little blurred because the microphone was moved around during the recording, but the stories are clear. And so is "Roger's Blues." And - as I said - it's free...


If you like my short stories, two appear in recent Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines. Check my "Works" pages for the editione covers and the first pages of both stories.

Just so's you know, I look in at this site most days and frequently change or add bits here and there. Which is not to say I never let things get out of date... Don't you be rude now and say I'm talking about myself. MZL

I'm delighted to announce a new edition of EYE OPENER, in paperback and as a Kindle book. The publisher is The Mystery Company and itt's just out - ISBN 1932325131 for the book form. If you want to go to the Mystery Company site, click here.
Odd to think that after the first Albert Samson novel I wrote almost all of the others while living in this English town, Frome (pronounced to rhyme with broom.)

On a different subject entirely, may I read to you? Click here to go to a site that includes my rendering of an early version of a Rover story, "The Hand That Feeds Me". Sorry my reading is on the slow side, but the project is for people learning English

People sometimes ask me to sell them books - which is cool and I can now send books to people unable to pay in US dollars or UK pounds.

I now have an account with PayPal, the money transfer system associated with eBay. PayPal can be used to send money in almost any currency.

Click here to email me about books you might want. As well as copies in English I have some extras in Japanese and German. Please make clear in the subject line what your email is about - give the title of a book, say - so your email isn't deleted as spam
I've put a new old picture from my British basketball days on the Bio/​biblio page. If you scroll down it, see if you can spot the mystery writer.


Why a website?

Well, this writing’s a strange ol’ game. There is no natural place in the cycle of idea-write-publish to meet the people who read (and buy) what I do for a living. Or to tell them about anything that isn’t between the book covers. I hope that this site will fill a bit of that void, just as my occasionally visiting libraries, bookstores, universities, festivals and conferences already does. I can also be booked for weddings and children's parties...

The Events page is where I’ll post details of my occasional venturings out in public, so you’ll know where to find me if you want to tell me in person how much better other people’s books are than mine.

There’ll also be an occasional newsletter that will include updates along with whatever else takes my fancy at the time.

There’s also a page for you guys to talk among yourselves - Chit & Chat.

What more could you want?

A way to contact me? Done! A way to buy books from me? That too. Help keep my grandchildren in shoes.

I don't check these pages every day, but I haven't launched this project lightly. I consider a website to be a long term commitment. You may be fickle and never call to let me know when you’re going to be late, but I’ll be here. Well, they do call this the home page.

Welcome

I hope to have a little news about some of my writings soon but meanwhile here's a picture from a night out in Bath.

I went to the post office and ran into these blokes taking a picture of the football held in front of the Bath Post Office sign. It's for a friend, currently on his fourth tour in Afghanistan, and the football features in weekly emails to him from wherever they happen to be. It shows that they haven't forgotten him. And till he gets home the football will never touch the ground.

Whatever one might feel about the current wars, the fortitude and strength of feeling of the people immersed in them isn't in question. Good luck to you, guys.


But I guess that's now what you clicked on this site for, so let us move on. And, truly, thanks for clicking in.

2009 marked the 40th anniversary of many things - first men on the moon, the Miracle Mets, PBS, Woodstock, Monty Python, Nancy Banks-Smith's first wicked TV reviews, the forerunner of the internet, Sesame Street. And Albert Samson.

Albert Samson? you say. Although the first Samson novel was published in 1971, I began writing it in November of '69. Recently I discovered the manuscript of those first few pages. This is what page one looked like:

Can you spot a line or two that survived intact in the published edition?

If you don't have a copy of the book to compare this with, there are a lot available from second-hand sources. However before long it will also be possible to buy a new edition of ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION from backinprint.com. I'll put an accurate link here as soon as I know the book is out and available.

On this site I hope to provide a combination of accurate information about my current and past writing along with some less work-focussed bits and pieces. I normally have a look at the site each day.

So, look around and then, if you care to, comment on the Chit & Chat page, sign up for a very occasional newsletter, or contact me with the links provided.

And in any case, thanks for checking in.

A special greeting to my Japanese readers:



I'm proud of the beautiful falcon that I was so fortunate to receive when I won the Maltese Falcon Society's award for Best Foreign Novel in 1987. It's here in my living room - along with another prized possession, my 1992 "Marlowe" from the Raymond Chandler Society in Germany. And some tulips from my patio garden.

SELECTED WORKS
Click on the title for more information.

A - Short Stories on offer
SHORT STORIES ON OFFER - direct from the author...
These include packs of stories with some of my series characters - Leroy Powder, the Lunghi family, and Rover. Some stories are set in Indianapolis and others in England. One includes an unpublished story and another pack is of basketball stories that aren't mysteries. Click on the blue section above for more information.
B - Albert Samson Novels
EYE OPENER and the earlier Albert Samson novels - ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION, THE WAY WE DIE NOW, THE ENEMIES WITHIN, THE SILENT SALESMAN, MISSING WOMAN, OUT OF SEASON, CALLED BY A PANTHER
Samson, an Indianapolis PI, was one of the first regional detectives. Click on the titles for more information.
C - Short story collection
THE RELUCTANT DETECTIVE and Other Stories
Stories written over a period of twenty years or so, along with an introduction - by me - about writing stories and an extensive bibliography of my crime writing. Click on the blue title for more information.
D - Leroy Powder Novels
NIGHT COVER, HARD LINE, LATE PAYMENTS
The three Lt Leroy Powder novels. Click on the blue titles for more information.
E - The Lunghi family private detective novels
FAMILY BUSINESS and FAMILY PLANNING
Three generations of an Italian family run a private detective agency in Bath, England. Ever seen a detective agency run as a family business? I don't think so. Click on the titles for more information.
F - other Indianapolis novels
UNDERDOG, AND BABY WILL FALL/CHILD PROOF and OUTSIDE IN
A homeless "entrepreneur" in Indianapolis gets more than he bargains for when he sees an opportunity in UNDERDOG. Albert Samson's woman friend gets a book of her own in AND BABY WILL FALL. A mystery writer finds himself compelled to participate in a real life mystery in OUTSIDE IN. Click on the titles for more information.
G - a historical mystery
CUTTING LOOSE
A young woman pursues her best friend's killer in 19th Century US and England. Click on the title for more information.
H - stories told by Rover
ROVER'S TALES and TELLING TAILS
Rover, a stray dog, describes his live as a crusader on behalf of downtrodden dogs. Click on the titles for more information.
I - novelization of a film script and non-fiction book
THE NEXT MAN and HOW TO BEAT COLLEGE TESTS
Sean Connery starred in the movie THE NEXT MAN and I wrote the book while it was being filmed. HOW TO BEAT COLLEGE TESTS was my first book. Click on the titles for more information.
J - with WANTED FOR MURDER my colleagues and I produced this CD
TAKE-OUTS
Songs, stories and discussion featuring Michael Z. Lewin, Liza Cody and Peter Lovesey.Click on the title for more information.

Quick Links

E-mail me by clicking here.

But please put something in the subject line to let me know you're emailing from the site. I get a lot of spam on this address.
Reader's Circle Looking for a group of congenial readers? This non-profit organization might be able to help. Click here.
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