In honor of St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), think about reading an Irish author or about Irish history.

Curl up by the fire, sip some eggnog, and read a Christmas mystery novel. We have a variety of Christmas mysteries to help you ring in the holiday season.

Visions of sugar plums by Janet Evanovich — Christmas is right around the corner and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is on a mission to track down Sandy Claws, a toymaker in trouble with the law. There is also a strange and handsome man in her kitchen. Can he help her find Sandy Claws and a Christmas tree before Christmas? Fans of the humorous Stephanie Plum series will enjoy this special Christmas treat.

The beginner's goodbye [large print] by Anne Tyler

Breakdown [large print] by Sara Paretsky

Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden cookbook: [large print] Hannah Swensen's recipes from the cookie jar by Joanne Fluke

At Bertram's hotel [large print]: a Miss Marple mystery by Agatha Christie

The case of the deadly desperados by Caroline Lawrence — The setting of this new historical fiction mystery is the Wild West, where desperados, gamblers and gunmen abound. In this western, P.K. Pinkerton is on the run from a ruthless gang, determined to hold on to his families last priceless possession. Relying on disguises, P.K. must outwit the outlaws in this fast-paced, fun adventure.

Are you looking for something new? Short Story collections are the perfect way for Mystery fans to try new authors.

A study in Sherlock: stories inspired by the Holmes Canon edited by Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger

The best American mystery stories 2011 edited and with an introduction by Harlan Coben

Hook, line & sinister edited by T. Jefferson Parker

A complete list of the Agatha Christie Awards 2011 winners and nominees is available at Malice Domestic.

Best Novel: Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny
Best First Novel: The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames
Best Non-fiction: Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks: 50 Years of Mysteries in the Making by John Curran
Best Short Story: “So Much in Common,” by Mary Jane Maffini, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine — Sept./Oct. 2010
Best Children’s/Young Adult: The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith

Come join us for Wine & Mysteries on the third Tuesday of each month from 7:00-8:00PM for our book discussion at Vintner's Winery.

On Monday, November 29 from 10:00-11:00AM, CPL librarian Joyce Simowski takes the mystery out of finding a great mystery book during the Barnes & Noble Northville Book Fair. Use your B & N voucher for books, games, CDs, and DVDs at Barnes & Noble Northville (17111 Haggerty @ Six Mile Road) and the Canton Public Library will get a percentage of your sale on nearly everything B&N sells, including the Nook and Nook accessories, plus coffee and snacks from the B&N cafe. The offer does exclude textbooks, ebooks, video games and gift cards. Stop by for reading suggestions. No registration necessary.

The Wolfe Pack, a New York-based fan organization, has announced its nominees for the 2010 Nero Award, "presented each year to an author for the best mystery written in the tradition of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe stories." The contenders are:

The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch

The Crack in the Lens by Steve Hockensmith

Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks

The following books and authors have won the 2010 Shamus Awards, bestowed by the Private Eye Writers of America in recognition of the private eye genre and its writers.

Best Hardcover P.I. Novel

Locked in by Marcia Muller — (Grand Central)

Also nominated

The silent hour by Michael Koryta — (Minotaur)

Just a reminder that this coming Sunday, August 1, will mark the end of Crimespree Magazine’s nominating period for the 2010 Crimespree Awards. You are invited to choose as many as five mystery/crime novels in each of three categories:

• Favorite Book of the Year
• Favorite First Book of the Year
• Best Book in an Ongoing Series

All novels must have been published in 2009.

So don’t wait. Send your nominations to jon@crimespreemag.com. Winners will be announced during opening night ceremonies at Bouchercon in San Francisco< (October 14-17).

Eleanor Taylor Bland died this past week at the age of 65. Ms. Bland was the author of 13 mystery novels featuring female African-American Chicago homicide detective Marti MacAlister. A Dark and Deadly Deception was her most recent book, released in 2005. With Marti as her protagonist, Eleanor Taylor Bland attempted to give voice to the homeless, mentally ill, elderly, and children.

Bouchercon 2010 is a memory now. Named in honor of the late Anthony Boucher — mystery writer, mystery critic and mystery fan — this largest world mystery convention met in San Francisco and has been dubbed "Bouchercon by the Bay." Bouchercon emphasizes the best in mystery fiction by providing the setting for the presentation the Macavity Awards, the Barry Awards, the Shamus Awards, Bouchercon’s own Anthony Awards, and the Crimespree and Derringer awards. Carol Thomas' Mystery Series Examiner column has a complete list of the nominees and awards.

Bouchercon 2011 — Spirits of St. Louis will meet September 15-18 in St. Louis, Missouri.

[Logo: Private Eye Writers of America 2010]

I just finished reading Library Journal's recent first authors of the season reviews ('First Novels Forecast a Lush Spring'; 3/15/09) and CPL has six of the new mystery selections on our shelves for your reading enjoyment: Hangman Blind by Cassandra Clark, Posed for Murder by Meredith Cole, Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings