When Melissa wrote the post on writers of the West this summer, a number of customers mentioned the numerous authors of mysteries set in the west as being worthy of note as well.  One friend/customer in particular pointed out Michael McGarrity as being a mystery writer who addresses the connection between a character and his/her landscape well, while also writing a great police procedural mystery.  I have stumbled on a few McGarrity novels and appreciated them as well – set in the mountains and cities of New Mexico, the characters and landscape both are recognizable and authentic.  So…. this friend/customer just recently brought in his whole McGarrity collection and we are well stocked!  For a little while at least, because they  may go fast!  His other recommendations include James Lee Burke and CJ Box if you get here a little late….

The brief bio on Fantastic Fiction website has the following info on McGarrity:

   “Michael’s debut novel,”Tularosa” was nominated for an Anthony Award, a Dilys Award and a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America, and was selected as one of the best books of the year by “Publishers Weekly”. “Serpent Gate”, the third novel in the Kevin Kerney series, was a “Booklist” top-ten crime novel of 1998-1999. “Under the Color of Law” garnered kudos as a Top 10 bestseller list for 2001 of the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. It was also judged as one of the best books of 2001 by Deadly Pleasures Magazine. Deadly Pleasures also gave a nod to the cover art as a top book cover of 2001. In 2003, Michael was nominated for two awards, the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, and the Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Western Novel, his second Spur nomination and in 2004, Michael was not only nominated but was awarded the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts — Literature.”