The Jungle Red Writers!

So thrilled and honored to be joining officially the group The Jungle Red Writers, a group of mystery writers who blog on books and, well, pretty much everything.

The group is described as: "8 Smart and Sassy Crime Writers Dish on Writing and Life. It's The View. With bodies."

The Reds are bestselling novelists Julia Spencer Fleming, Lucy Burdette, Hallie Ephron, Rhys Bowen,  Hank Phillippi Ryan, and Deborah Crombie. And now me, too!


Do drop in and visit!

Churchill's Reaction to Reported Gay Scandal

Winston Churchill's reaction to a reported gay scandal: "Makes you proud to be British, doesn't it?"

Read the full story, narrated by the magnificent Stephen Fry, here. 

Winning the Barry Award, and Remembering Barry Gordon

Thank you so much to Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine for awarding Mr. Churchill's Secretary the  Barry Award for Best Paperback Original at Bouchercon 2013 in Albany on September 19th.

I didn't have the privilege of knowing Mr. Barry Gordon, but from the esteem the mystery writing community holds him in, I can only imagine what a kind and generous person he must have been.

It's a true honor to accept this award in his name.

SNEAK PEEK: The Cover of The Prime Minister's Secret Agent, Maggie Hope Mystery #4!

The cover art for The Prime Minister's Secret Agent is by amazing illustrator Mick Wiggins, who has created the art for all the Maggie Hope novels. Check out his fabulous website here. (In awe of his talents, as I can barely manage stick figures....)

The setting is Arisaig House, a manor house on the coast of Western Scotland, which was a SOE spy training camp during World War II. Now it's a Bed and Breakfast, and I was privledged to stay there last January, to do research. Here's a photo of the outside of the house:

The Prime Minister's Secret Agent is scheduled for release in June of 2014.

Announcing Maggie Hope Books #5 and #6!

Thrilled to announce that Maggie Hope will continue her adventures, begun in Mr. Churchill's Secretary, with as-yet-untitled books #5 and #6!

Thank you, Levine-Greenberg Literary Agency and Random House!

(Sesame Street's "Queen of Six" to celebrate....)

Nominated for Two Macavity Awards — Holy Jellicle Cats!

See the list of this year's nominees here, including the marvelous Daniel Friedman (Don't Ever Get Old) — we share one very proud literary agent, Victoria Skurnick at the Levine Greenberg Literary Agency!

(Of course, now have the T.S. Eliot/Andrew Lloyd Webber song, Macavity the Mystery Cat, stuck in my head....)

Maggie Hope's a Cover Girl!

Thank you Mystery Scene Magazine and Oline Cogdill for the sneak preview!

Mr. Churchill's Secretary Nominated for a Barry Award!

Thrilled to announce that MR. CHURCHILL'S SECRETARY has been nominated for a Barry Award, given by Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine.

The award is named in honor of the late mystery reviewer Barry Gardiner. From the Deadly Pleasures web site:

In 1997, the editorial staff of Deadly Pleasures decided that since one of the magazine's stated goals was to search out and report on the best works being published in the field of crime fiction each year, it would be a natural fit to present awards for excellence. Then came the dilemma of what to name the award. At the time all associated with the magazine were still reeling from the untimely death of Barry Gardner, who was arguably the best fan reviewer on the planet, so it was decided to name the award after him so as to keep his memory alive (not unlike what Bouchercon and its Anthony awards have done for writer/critic Anthony Boucher, who also suffered an untimely and early death). 

First Review of HIS MAJESTY'S HOPE

This. This is why I write.

"[MacNeal] doesn’t shy away from showing humanity at its most flawed.  There is love and desperation all through this story, and I adored every moment of it, even as I sat on the edge of my seat, worried for the characters who had become real to me."

Read the full review by Rebecca Lane Beittel here. 

Thank you again, Oprah!

Thank you, Oprah.com for selecting Princess Elizabeth's Spy as one of your "7 Compulsively Readable Mysteries (for the Crazy-Smart Reader)!

Honored to be in such amazing company.

Mr. Churchill's Secretary Nominated for a Dilys Award!

Delighted to say that Mr. Churchill's Secretary has been nominated by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association as the mystery title of the year independent mystery booksellers love hand-selling.

Holy cats!

Thank you!

Mr. Churchill's Secretary Nominated for an Edgar Award!

Delighted to announce that Mr. Churchill's Secretary has been nominated for an Edgar Award, in the category of "Best First Novel by an American Author"!

The Edgars (formally known as the Edgar Allan Poe Awards) are awarded each year by the Mystery Writers of America, for distinguished work in the mystery genre: novels, television, and motion pictures. 

This year's ceremony will be on Thursday, May 2, 2013 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. Dress is "dress to kill."

I'm humbled and honored to be in such distinguished company.