Faye and Jonathan Kellerman have conspired to produce four children and lots of the other good stuff that comes from an enduring, happy marriage. After some deliberation, they decided to write something together. The end result was good fun.
The best-selling husband-and-wife crime writers kick off a new joint venture with these two short novels, published in a single reversible volume with two different covers. In "Still Life," Santa Fe detectives Darrel Two Moons and Steve Katz investigate the murder of an art gallery owner who made enemies as quickly as art sales. Set in Boston, the reverse novel, "In the Land of Giants," follows detectives Dorothy Breton and Michael McCain as they probe the apparent shooting death of a college basketball player. Sure to appeal to new readers as well as established fans, the stories are complementary but distinctly separate and without crossover characters. In both novels, the Kellermans' collaborative writing style drives home gritty drama, compelling dialog, and believable characters. Highly recommended for most public libraries. The Kellermans live in Southern California. [See Mystery Prepub, LJ 4/1/04; the next book in the series will be published by Ballantine, Jonathan's publisher. Ed.] Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L., NY for most public libraries. The Kellermans live in Southern California. [See Mystery Prepub, LJ 4/1/04; the next book in the series will be published by Ballantine, Jonathan's publisher. Ed.] Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L., NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Those who admire risk, take note: two authors at the top of their game have done something quite new. Those who fear change, take heart: the results are just fine. Faye and Jonathan Kellerman, each with a slew of bestsellers, have collaborated on a volume comprising two mystery novellas. Each stands on its own, with separate settings (Santa Fe and Boston) and separate pairs of homicide detectives. To further heighten the distinction, the book has two front covers, with the authors alternating first billing and a "flip" format. It's intriguing to imagine how these two pros went about writing together, but it's even more fun just to jump in and enjoy. The characters are all new, and so are the locales; that in itself is worthy of admiration. Surprisingly, the two novellas are uneven in quality. The Boston piece, about the mysterious death of a young basketball star, suffers from wordiness and a somewhat murky plot, troubles that short works can ill afford. But the strong Santa Fe story more than compensates, with its fully rounded characters and evocative sense of place. The final scene, haunting and heartbreaking, shows the assured hand of a master. (One-day laydown Oct. 5) Forecast: With a 300,000-copy first printing and the unusual husband-wife pairing, expect plenty of media attention and a run on bestseller lists. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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