Observations from the Balcony

I finally got around to creating the list of authors that were new to me in 2009. The Rap Sheet kicked it off this year. Not every book listed was published in 2009 but I’m always surprised to see just how many new writers I try and which ones have been around for a long time that I finally got around to.

I tried increasing my crime comics coverage this year so the list is in two parts with comics bringing up the rear.

2009 debuts are bolded.

Winterland by Alan Glynn (2010 release in the U.S.)
Sweets and other stories by Andre Williams
Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
The Devil’s Staircase by Helen Fitzgerald
The Singer by Cathi Unsworth
Poisonville by Massimo Carlotto
The Jerusalem File by Joel Stone
Hound by Vincent McCaffrey
The Water’s Edge by Karin Fossum
The Longshot by Katie Kitamura
A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield
Worst Nightmares by Shane Briant (U.S. debut)
The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville
Scorch Atlas by Blake Butler
The Midnight Room by Ed Gorman
Big Machine by Victor LaValle
Chaos by Escober
Printer’s Devil and Senseless both Stona Fitch
Dope Thief by Dennis Tafoya
Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous
I-5 by Summer Brenner
Private Midnight by Kris Saknussemm
Almost Gone by Stan Richards
While the Devil Waits by Jackson Meeks
In the Devil’s Territory by Kyle Minor (story collection)
All That I Have and Go With Me: A Novel Castle Freeman both by Castle Freeman Jr.
In the Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami
Lowboy by John Wray
The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry
American Rust by Philipp Meyer
The City in These Pages by John Grant
The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay
Havana Lunar by Robert Arellano
Very Mercenary by Rayo Casablanca
Dooley Takes The Fall by Norah McClintock
Borderlands by Brian Mcgilloway
The Foreigner by Francie Lin
Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
Pyres by Derek Nikitas
Knockemstiff by Donald Ray Pollock (story collection)
The Pilo Family Circus by Will Elliot

Comics

Wish You Were Here: Vol. 2 They Found the Car and Volume 1: Innocents by Gipi
Calvario Hills Vol. 1 by Marti
Leo Pulp by Claudio Nizzi
Ball Peen Hammer by Adam Rapp
Strongman by Charles Soule
Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry
The Red Monkey Double Happiness Book by Joe Daly
West Coast Blues by Jean-Patrick Manchette
You Have Killed Me by Jamie S. Rich
Dark Entries by Ian Rankin
MPD-Psycho Volume 1 by Eiji Otsuka
Low Moon by Jason
8-9-3 by Jack Hsu
Incognegro by Mat Johnson