CARA BLACK
Murder in the Rue de Paradis
(Soho, $24.00)

"Once again, Black has crafted a superb tale informed by current political tensions, showing how they play out in French society while suggesting larger implications. The plot itself is swift and assured, the language elegantly gritty, the characterization deft, and the end a truly satisfying surprise," said Library Journal. And Publishers Weekly said: "In Black's riveting eighth Aimée Leduc mystery, Aimée reconnects in the summer of 1995 with a former boyfriend, investigative journalist Yves Robert, while Paris still reels from the St. Michel Metro bombings... Aimée Leduc, smart, spirited and sassy, takes the reader on an action-packed ride fueled by the hidden secrets of her beloved Paris."

PARI NOSKIN TAICHERT
The Socorro Blast
(University of New Mexico Press, $24.95)

Victim or perpetrator? That's what New Mexico's favorite public relations maven, Sasha Solomon, can't figure out about her favorite niece. The daughter of Sasha's overbearing sister, Gabi is a grad student at Socorro's New Mexico Tech, where she's studying explosives technology. In town to help boost area tourism, Sasha looks forward to spending time with the young woman. But the PR pro never imagined it would be in the hospital, where Gabi lands after someone rigs her mailbox with a nasty surprise. Jewish with an Iranian surname, Gabi could be the victim of a hate crime. But as details emerge about her work and personal relationships, she begins to appear less as a victim than as a threat. The author's third novel is a blend of mystery and domestic drama, with the flawed but always engaging Sasha Solomon on center stage. Noskin Taichert has been nominated twice for the coveted Agatha Award, for The Clovis Incident and The Belen Hitch.