(Prior Interview: January 26, 2005)

This week's guest is Thomas H Cook, one of our country's finest crime writers. RED LEAVES, Mr. Cook's new novel, has recently been published by Harcourt Brace. It is a beautifully written story of a family dealing with a great tragedy.

RED LEAVES contains all of the elements of a classic Thomas H Cook novel; interesting characters, tightly constructed plot, and a surprising ending.
I put RED LEAVES in the same category as THE CITY WHEN IT RAINS, BREAKHEART HILL, and THE CHATHAM SCHOOL AFFAIR, three of my all-time favorite crime novels.

This is the first novel in the new Otto Penzler imprint with Harcourt Brace. I look forward to reading the others in the series.

I've always said that Jim Harrison has the most beautiful dust jackets on my bookshelf (thanks to Russell Chatham). The dust jacket of RED LEAVES joins that category, you can't miss it.

I hope you enjoy our interview, and that you go out and buy RED LEAVES after you hear it. You won't be sorry.