Brian Abbott

LATEST ARTICLES ( 306 )

• 15 Years of Mysteries

  

  Working at my local library over the years has been a perfect fit for my varied interests, particularly literary ones. In 2004, I began a book discussion group... Read more

  Posted on 23 October 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Friday Cocktail: Chrysanthemum

  

  Chrysanthemum cocktailLooking for a fall-themed cocktail to try? This Friday, sample a Chrysanthemum.This classic cocktail dates back to an appearance in a... Read more

  Posted on 19 October 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Friday Cocktail – Corpse Reviver No. 1

  

  Corpse Reviver no. 1The Poisoned Martini’s Friday Cocktail feature revives with the Corpse Reviver no. 1.There were several corpse reviver recipes that sprang u... Read more

  Posted on 12 October 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Friday Cocktail: Corpse Reviver No. 1

  

  Corpse Reviver no. 1The Poisoned Martini’s Friday Cocktail feature revives with the Corpse Reviver no. 1.There were several corpse reviver recipes that sprang u... Read more

  Posted on 12 October 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• CNY Literary Festival 2019

  

  The Community Library of DeWitt Jamesville is hosting its 2nd CNY Literary Festival, featuring more than 30 local authors from the Central New York area. Read more

  Posted on 27 September 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writing Challenge 67

  

  It’s summer! What better time for catching up on some reading and writing?Whether indoors or outdoors, it’s sometimes a challenge to think up what to write. Read more

  Posted on 01 July 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Spy Who Came in From the Cold

  

  Published in 1963Is it the greatest spy thriller ever written? The Spy Who Came in From the Cold certainly ranks highly on best crime/mystery lists and is... Read more

  Posted on 12 April 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• By Its Cover: Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge

  

  Book by Paul KruegerA woman holds up a glowing martini glass in front of a green-lit bar. The mix of light and shadow draw the eye, but it’s the subject matter... Read more

  Posted on 22 March 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Aaron Elkins’ Old Bones

  

  An ingenious murder kicks off this award-winning Gideon Oliver mystery.The story opens with a man exploring the tidal pools of Mont St. Michel Bay, but who... Read more

  Posted on 08 March 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Third Man

  

  Published in 1949Graham Green’s The Third Man has the aura of familiarity about it. It’s one of those works that’s part of the collective consciousness, much... Read more

  Posted on 01 March 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent

  

  Radicals, extremists, anarchists, terrorists… they’ve been around in some form since the dawn of civilization.Adolf Verloc would seem an unlikely agent of... Read more

  Posted on 01 February 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Classic Spy Thrillers

  

  Begin a new year by reading some of the best crime novels from years past. I invite readers of The Poisoned Martini to join me—online that is—in reading... Read more

  Posted on 08 January 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Top 10 Fantasy Novels of 2018?

  

  Following a look at last year’s top mysteries, it’s time to check out the fantasy novels that were the most popular in 2018. Based on circulation figures at my... Read more

  Posted on 05 January 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Top 10 Mysteries of 2018?

  

  With the advent of a new year, it’s time to take one last look at 2018 and the most popular mysteries that readers picked up. Based on circulation figures at th... Read more

  Posted on 04 January 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writing Challenge 66

  

  Begin the new year with a renewed commitment to writing! Reserve some time to write each day. Perhaps that’s what action will happen in the photo below? Read more

  Posted on 02 January 2019 BOOKS, CULTURE

• CNY Literary Festival

  

  The Community Library of DeWitt Jamesville is hosting its 1st CNY Literary Festival on Friday, November 30 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm, featuring more than 30... Read more

  Posted on 27 November 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Writing Challenge 65

  

  NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) has arrived once again, and to get the creative juices flowing, it’s time for a writing challenge! Read more

  Posted on 06 November 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Friday Cocktail: Bijou

  

  Bijou cocktailEnjoy a jewel of a cocktail this Friday with the elegant Bijou!The Bijou is a classic cocktail dating back to the 1890s. Read more

  Posted on 18 August 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• John Polidori’s The Vampyre

  

  Before the arrival of Bram Stoker’s Dracula on the literary scene in 1897, there was Lord Ruthven, “a nobleman, more remarkable for his singularities, than his... Read more

  Posted on 09 August 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Friday Cocktail: Barbary Coast

  

  Barbary CoastThis Friday, experience the Barbary Coast in a glass.The Barbary Coast was the European term used from the 16th to 19th centuries for the coastal... Read more

  Posted on 30 June 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE