THURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 9
Lush Life by Richard Price
After a night of barhopping on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, three men are approached by two muggers. One man is shot to death and Detective Matty Clark is called to find the killer. Price’s knowledge of the city and gift for realistic dialogue make for a powerful representation of the dark side of New York City.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14

The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum
It used to be that poisoners could get away with murder. In this gripping true crime tale, New York City’s first medical examiner and the first toxicologist are cast as detectives in search of the poisons responsible for so many bodies in the city’s morgue. Each chapter tells the story of another murder, then details the methods devised that would forever change the relationship between science and crime.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11

All the Flowers are Dying by Lawrence Block
Matt Scudder, a former cop turned private eye, investigates the grisly death of his wife’s best friend. The murder weapon is a unique letter opener sold exclusively at the art store owned by his wife, meaning that she and the murderer were face to face. To make matters worse, a deranged killer seems to be after Scudder and his wife.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13

China Trade by S.J. Rozan
New York City’s Chinatown, an exotic world-within-a-world, provides the setting for an intriguing mystery filled with mysteries. Investigator Lydia Chin begins by searching for a rare set of porcelains stolen from the Chinatown Museum and ends up discovering an unlikely relationship between the ruthless gangs that run the neighborhood and black market art. Chin’s traditional Chinese family thinks her line of work isn’t suitable for a woman but readers will agree that she is one tough cookie.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8

The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green
Long before Sherlock Holmes, there was Ebenezer Gryce. America’s first detective series was also one of the first mysteries written by a woman. Wealthy merchant Horatio Leavenworth is murdered in his 5th Avenue mansion, and his beloved nieces are the prime suspects. The determined yet humble Gryce works tirelessly to solve this case, despite surprises at every turn.