If You Care About Milwaukee’s History, Read This…

If You Care About Milwaukee’s History, Read This…

 

Regular readers of this blog know that I’m part of an effort to save some priceless works of historical importance.  The Milwaukee Public Museum is currently planning to move to a new location, and many of the brilliant nature dioramas, and the magnificent recreation of Milwaukee’s past, The Streets of Old Milwaukee, may be destroyed.

 

But it’s not too late to stop this.  The organization SaveMPM is investigating what’s going on behind the scenes, and it’s covering the situation in a collection of terrific blog posts.  Please take a look, and if you live in Milwaukee, let your elected representatives know that you don’t want Milwaukee’s history and culture destroyed! 

 

 

–Chris Chan

 

 

 

Chris Chan’s history of Agatha Chritie’ And Then There Were None, Absolute Justice, was published on March 10^th!   His flash fiction collection 156 Homicides will be published soon! His book Sherlock Poems retells the entire Sherlock Holmes Canon in verse.  He is also the author of the CWA Dagger Long Listed The Autistic Sleuth, written with the professional guidance of his mother Dr. Patricia Meyer Chan, and he has also written the Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony-nominated book on the Columbo killers, Some of My Best Friends Are Murderers! He is the author of the Funderburke and Kaiming novels Ghosting My Friend and She Ruined Our Lives and Well-Behaved Children Seldom Make History, released by Level Best Books.  He is also the author of the comedic novels Sherlock’s Secretary and Nessie’s Nemesis, published by MX Publishing, as was his anthology Of Course He Pushed Him and Other Sherlock Holmes Stories Volumes 1 & 2.  His Agatha-nominated book Murder Most Grotesque: The Comedic Crime Fiction of Joyce Porter was published by Level Best Books.  His first non-fiction book, Sherlock & Irene: The Secret Truth Behind “A Scandal in Bohemia” is available for sale at Amazon.com and the MX Publishing website, as well as at Book Depository (with free worldwide shipping there).  It is also available in a Kindle edition.

 

 

Announcing Teachers Who Hate Students!

Announcing Teachers Who Hate Students!

 

Absolute Justice was just released this week, and already I have another book announcement to make!  The fourth book in the Funderburke and Kaiming series, Teachers Who Hate Students, will be released later this spring or early summer!

 

Here’s the book’s description!

 

Is Funderburke’s fourteen-year-old half-sister Blaze an arsonist?  Blaze has been kicked out of three schools, and all of her teachers say she’s a troubled, angry, potentially dangerous girl.  So when multiple cars are set aflame in a school parking lot, and a witness identifies Blaze as the culprit, the authorities are poised to toss Blaze into an institution for disturbed children.  Funderburke is inclined to think the worst about the half-sibling he’s never met, but when their mother begs him to take the case, he and his girlfriend/investigative partner Nerissa Kaiming start digging, and quickly discover a mountain of secrets that influential people hoped would stay buried forever.  As scandals are revealed and bodies pile up, Funderburke and Nerissa try to clear Blaze’s name despite the efforts of some powerful enemies. Unfortunately, this case may not just wreck their careers… it could destroy the Kaiming family.

 

And here’s the cover art!

 

 

 

–Chris Chan

 

 

 

Chris Chan’s history of  Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Absolute Justice, was published on March 10^th!   His flash fiction collection 156 Homicides and his novel Teachers Who Hate Students will be published soon! His book Sherlock Poems retells the entire Sherlock Holmes Canon in verse.  He is also the author of the CWA Dagger Long Listed The Autistic Sleuth, written with the professional guidance of his mother Dr. Patricia Meyer Chan, and he has also written the Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony-nominated book on the Columbo killers, Some of My Best Friends Are Murderers! He is the author of the Funderburke and Kaiming novels Ghosting My Friend and She Ruined Our Lives and Well-Behaved Children Seldom Make History, released by Level Best Books.  He is also the author of the comedic novels Sherlock’s Secretary and Nessie’s Nemesis, published by MX Publishing, as was his anthology Of Course He Pushed Him and Other Sherlock Holmes Stories Volumes 1 & 2.  His Agatha-nominated book Murder Most Grotesque: The Comedic Crime Fiction of Joyce Porter was published by Level Best Books.  His first non-fiction book, Sherlock & Irene: The Secret Truth Behind “A Scandal in Bohemia” is available for sale at Amazon.com and the MX Publishing website, as well as at Book Depository (with free worldwide shipping there).  It is also available in a Kindle edition.

Absolute Justice is an Amazon #1 New Release!

Absolute Justice is an Amazon #1 New Release!

 

Absolute Justice will be released by Level Best Books this Tuesday, the 10th! And right now, it's the #1 New Release on Amazon for both "20th Century Literary Criticism" AND "Drama & Plays Literary Criticism" for three straight days!  Thanks to everybody who has supported Absolute Justice so far! 

 

–Chris Chan

 

 

 

Chris Chan’s history of  Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Absolute Justice, will be published on March 10^th!   His flash fiction collection 156 Homicides will be published soon! His book Sherlock Poems retells the entire Sherlock Holmes Canon in verse.  He is also the author of the CWA Dagger Long Listed The Autistic Sleuth, written with the professional guidance of his mother Dr. Patricia Meyer Chan, and he has also written the Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony-nominated book on the Columbo killers, Some of My Best Friends Are Murderers! He is the author of the Funderburke and Kaiming novels Ghosting My Friend and She Ruined Our Lives and Well-Behaved Children Seldom Make History, released by Level Best Books.  He is also the author of the comedic novels Sherlock’s Secretary and Nessie’s Nemesis, published by MX Publishing, as was his anthology Of Course He Pushed Him and Other Sherlock Holmes Stories Volumes 1 & 2.  His Agatha-nominated book Murder Most Grotesque: The Comedic Crime Fiction of Joyce Porter was published by Level Best Books.  His first non-fiction book, Sherlock & Irene: The Secret Truth Behind “A Scandal in Bohemia” is available for sale at Amazon.com and the MX Publishing website, as well as at Book Depository (with free worldwide shipping there).  It is also available in a Kindle edition.

 

The Enduring Mystery of Agatha Christie from Page to Stage

 The Enduring Mystery of Agatha Christie from Page to Stage

 

On Tuesday, April 7^th, I’ll be at Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee talking about Agatha Christie!  Here’s the official announcement:

 

 

 

The Enduring Mystery of Agatha Christie from Page to Stage

Tuesday, April 7, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Boswell Book Company
| Free

Boswell Book Company hosts a special evening exploring the tantalizing world of Agatha Christie.

Christopher Chan, International Goodwill Ambassador for Agatha Christie Ltd, joins Laura Braza, director of Milwaukee Rep’s And Then There Were None, for a lively conversation on Christie’s intrigue, iconic characters and enduring appeal.

 

The event is free, but please RSVP.  

 

Take a look at all of these other events for Milwaukee’s Agatha Christie Festival this spring! 

 

–Chris Chan

 

 

 

Chris Chan’s history of  Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Absolute Justice, will be published on March 10^th!   His flash fiction collection 156 Homicides will be published soon! His book Sherlock Poems retells the entire Sherlock Holmes Canon in verse.  He is also the author of the CWA Dagger Long Listed The Autistic Sleuth, written with the professional guidance of his mother Dr. Patricia Meyer Chan, and he has also written the Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony-nominated book on the Columbo killers, Some of My Best Friends Are Murderers! He is the author of the Funderburke and Kaiming novels Ghosting My Friend and She Ruined Our Lives and Well-Behaved Children Seldom Make History, released by Level Best Books.  He is also the author of the comedic novels Sherlock’s Secretary and Nessie’s Nemesis, published by MX Publishing, as was his anthology Of Course He Pushed Him and Other Sherlock Holmes Stories Volumes 1 & 2.  His Agatha-nominated book Murder Most Grotesque: The Comedic Crime Fiction of Joyce Porter was published by Level Best Books.  His first non-fiction book, Sherlock & Irene: The Secret Truth Behind “A Scandal in Bohemia” is available for sale at Amazon.com and the MX Publishing website, as well as at Book Depository (with free worldwide shipping there).  It is also available in a Kindle edition.

 

 

Absolute Justice Will be published on March 10th!

Absolute Justice Will be published on March 10^th!

 

We have a release date for Absolute Justice!  My history of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None will be published on March 10^th, in just under two weeks!  It’s available for pre-order on Kindle now! 

 

 

–Chris Chan

 

 

 

Chris Chan’s history of  Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Absolute Justice, will be published on March 10^th!   His flash fiction collection 156 Homicides will be published soon! His book Sherlock Poems retells the entire Sherlock Holmes Canon in verse.  He is also the author of the CWA Dagger Long Listed The Autistic Sleuth, written with the professional guidance of his mother Dr. Patricia Meyer Chan, and he has also written the Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony-nominated book on the Columbo killers, Some of My Best Friends Are Murderers! He is the author of the Funderburke and Kaiming novels Ghosting My Friend and She Ruined Our Lives and Well-Behaved Children Seldom Make History, released by Level Best Books.  He is also the author of the comedic novels Sherlock’s Secretary and Nessie’s Nemesis, published by MX Publishing, as was his anthology Of Course He Pushed Him and Other Sherlock Holmes Stories Volumes 1 & 2.  His Agatha-nominated book Murder Most Grotesque: The Comedic Crime Fiction of Joyce Porter was published by Level Best Books.  His first non-fiction book, Sherlock & Irene: The Secret Truth Behind “A Scandal in Bohemia” is available for sale at Amazon.com and the MX Publishing website, as well as at Book Depository (with free worldwide shipping there).  It is also available in a Kindle edition.

 

 

Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem: City of Angels is Out!

Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem: City of Angels is Out!

 

The new issue of Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem, with a noir detective theme, is out on Kindle!   The paperback edition will be coming soon!

 

I have two pieces in it: a true crime profile of Frances Glessner Lee, the woman who revolutionized forensic science education in America, and my Funderburke short story “The Man Who Forgot He Was a Murderer,” set during his training days as a private investigator, before he started working for Cuthbertson Hall.

 

Please take a look!

 

 

 

 

–Chris Chan

 

 

 

Chris Chan’s flash fiction collection 156 Homicides will be published soon! His book Sherlock Poems retells the entire Sherlock Holmes Canon in verse.  He is also the author of the CWA Dagger Long Listed The Autistic Sleuth, written with the professional guidance of his mother Dr. Patricia Meyer Chan, and he has also written the Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony-nominated book on the Columbo killers, Some of My Best Friends Are Murderers! He is the author of the Funderburke and Kaiming novels Ghosting My Friend and She Ruined Our Lives and Well-Behaved Children Seldom Make History, released by Level Best Books.  He is also the author of the comedic novels Sherlock’s Secretary and Nessie’s Nemesis, published by MX Publishing, as was his anthology Of Course He Pushed Him and Other Sherlock Holmes Stories Volumes 1 & 2.  His Agatha-nominated book Murder Most Grotesque: The Comedic Crime Fiction of Joyce Porter was published by Level Best Books.  His first non-fiction book, Sherlock & Irene: The Secret Truth Behind “A Scandal in Bohemia” is available for sale at Amazon.com and the MX Publishing website, as well as at Book Depository (with free worldwide shipping there).  It is also available in a Kindle edition.

A Preview of Absolute Justice

 A Preview of Absolute Justice

 

Here is a snippet from the introduction of Absolute Justice: The History and Legacy of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None!

 

"I read a story once – about two judges that came to a small American town - from the Supreme Court. They administered justice - Absolute Justice. Because - they didn't come from this world at all..."

                                    ­                        –Vera Claythorne, And Then There Were None[1]

 

And Then Then Were None is the world’s bestselling mystery novel, written by the world’s bestselling novelist.  Agatha Christie (1890–1976) produced scores of books, short stories, and plays over more than fifty-five years as a professional writer, shattering publishing and box-office records along the way.  Few authors have achieved this much success, let alone maintained it for so long.  While other prolific crime writers have gone out of print and faded into obscurity, Christie remains a cultural force to be reckoned with nearly half a century after she passed away.  Having been translated into over a hundred languages, Christie has fans around the world.  The twenty-first century has seen an explosion in adaptations of her work for film, television, stage, and radio, some of which have won or been nominated for major awards.

A commonly-cited estimate from the Guinness Book of World Records  claims that Christie has sold over two billion books, half in English, half in other languages combined, and approximately one hundred thousand copies of And Then There Were None alone have been purchased since its publication in 1939.  With over ninety books to her credit, it’s surprising that just one novel makes up a disproportionate five percent of her total sales.[2]   

As a global bestseller with widespread recognition, And Then There Were None is a cultural phenomenon.  Few other novels have had such a widespread readership, and for so long.  Like many influential creative works, And Then There Were None has developed a story of its own, reaching far beyond the confines of a book binding.  It has been adapted, parodied, and shaped literary boundaries ranging from the crime genre and beyond.

 

 

The release date will be announced soon!

 

 

–Chris Chan

 

 

 

Chris Chan’s flash fiction collection 156 Homicides will be published soon! His book Sherlock Poems retells the entire Sherlock Holmes Canon in verse.  He is also the author of the CWA Dagger Long Listed The Autistic Sleuth, written with the professional guidance of his mother Dr. Patricia Meyer Chan, and he has also written the Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony-nominated book on the Columbo killers, Some of My Best Friends Are Murderers! He is the author of the Funderburke and Kaiming novels Ghosting My Friend and She Ruined Our Lives and Well-Behaved Children Seldom Make History, released by Level Best Books.  He is also the author of the comedic novels Sherlock’s Secretary and Nessie’s Nemesis, published by MX Publishing, as was his anthology Of Course He Pushed Him and Other Sherlock Holmes Stories Volumes 1 & 2.  His Agatha-nominated book Murder Most Grotesque: The Comedic Crime Fiction of Joyce Porter was published by Level Best Books.  His first non-fiction book, Sherlock & Irene: The Secret Truth Behind “A Scandal in Bohemia” is available for sale at Amazon.com and the MX Publishing website, as well as at Book Depository (with free worldwide shipping there).  It is also available in a Kindle edition.

---

[1] Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None.  HarperCollins, 1939, 2009 ed.  Kindle.

[2] Christie, And Then There Were None.  Due to inadequate sales tracking, no standard global means of collecting worldwide sales statistics, bootleg copies of Christie’s work for which she received no royalties, and the chaos resulting from WWII, it’s impossible to produce an exact number of sales, so this number ought to be viewed as an educated estimate. For much of her life, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was Christie’s bestselling novel, but And Then There Were None has since overtaken it.