In 1995, I read my first crime fiction. I had never read in that genre. There were so many crime fiction writers coming through Dayton on book tours 30 years ago that when I began talking to authors on WYSO in 1994, I had to catch up fast. Three decades later, I have read thousands of crime novels, and they are among my favorite things to read. In 2022, I received an email from Otto Penzler's publishing house, the Mysterious Press. It was a press release for the new novel by Thomas Perry. I read it and wondered how it was possible that I was not familiar with him. I read that new one, 'Murder Book,' and I loved it. I booked an interview with Thomas Perry.
During our conversation, he seemed somewhat pleased and surprised by my enthusiasm for his work. I got the impression he didn't do many interviews. Like clockwork the following year, he put out another one: 'Hero.' I talked to him again. By then, I had gone back into his vast body of work and read a bunch of his stuff. I began right at the beginning, and I have kept reading him ever since. What an incredible writer he was. I spoke to him again early this year. Our third interview was for 'Pro Bono,' and I think it is one of his all-time best books. Thomas Perry died on Sept. 15. I was so shocked and saddened to lose him. This one's for you, Tom.
The Book Nook airs Saturdays at 7 a.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WYSO 91.3 FM and streams at WYSO.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Book Nook on WYSO is presented by the Greene County Public Library with additional support from Washington-Centerville Public Library, Clark County Public Library, Dayton Metro Library, Wright Memorial Public Library, and Tipp City Public Library.
