Erin here, posting LB’s newsletter sent from somewhere in the North Atlantic. He didn’t have time to insert hyperlinks, so I’ve added them.

The Crime of Our Lives, that is—my collected articles, essays, introductions and reminiscences, born of fifty-plus years of reading and writing in the genre, and about as many hanging out with some of its foremost practitioners. I brought out TCOOL a few months back in hardcover and trade paperback and ebook, and it delights me to report that it’s crossed the sales threshold into profitability. Along with some bracingly good reviews, the book has secured the most important approval of all. Y’all have been buying it.

So I’ve lowered the price.

See, the sales to date justify it. The book’s surged into the black, and that means I can now afford to price it to reach the greatest possible number of readers. So the ebook, originally $9.99, is now available for Kindle and Nook and Apple and Kobo for only $4.99.   The trade paperback’s also reduced in price, but less dramatically. When you’re dealing with paper and ink, you’ve got fixed costs that don’t apply in the eWorld. I’d priced it initially at $16.99, and we’re now able to cut that to $14.99.

But wait—there’s more!

Hey, I know that voice. Over the years it’s sold me no end of knives and cookwear. And yes, Ron Popeil, there is more—for the Kindlegartners  among you. If you’ve already bought the printed book from Amazon, or if you buy it now, you can add the ebook for the bargain-basement price of $1.99. The deal’s yours for the taking via Kindle’s MatchBook option, and you don’t have to be an Amazon Prime member or enrolled in Kindle Unlimited to get it. All it takes is a couple of clicks.

What about the hardcover?

The price is unchanged on the hardcover edition, and if anything I probably ought to raise it. We only printed 1000 copies, and won’t be going back to press, so the TCOOL hardcover becomes scarcer every time somebody snags a copy. The book’s available at LB’s eBay Bookstore (which is closed until Labor Day) or at Amazon. It’s priced the same at both outlets—$24.99 plus shipping. But Amazon Prime members get free shipping on this title from Amazon. OTOH, copies from our eBay store are autographed, as are copies in stock at The Mysterious Bookshop and VJ Books.

And, you know, I’d provide hyperlinks to all of these sites, and probably tart things up with some pretty pictures, but I’m daft enough to be getting out this newsletter while on a Holland America cruise ship en route to Zeebrugge, Dublin, Torshavn, and points west. We’re sailing in open waters, and I’m cobbling this newsletter together while the ship’s wi-fi gobbles up my overpriced minutes, and all I can do is pray the connection holds long enough for me to launch this sucker into cyberspace, and on to you.  

And yes, it’s been a wonderful trip, and has put me into such a good mood that I’m practically giving TCOOL away. So take advantage of the price break before I come to my senses and raise it back again.   And one further request, which I hope you’ll take in the nicest possible way. DON’T WRITE BACK! I’d love to hear from all of y’all, but not until September; if you write before then, what you’ll get is an automatic canned reply.

Cheers!