Arts
Sunday morning, the quiet kind that I don’t get enough of. Until a minute ago I’d been on my second cup of coffee, reading Dreamland and starting to think about breakfast. Hopalong, dozing at my feet, stirred briefly as my phone went off. I saw from caller ID it was Burke Cunningham. I almost didn’t answer, and not just because I liked listening to my new ringtone. A call from Cunningham on a Sunday morning was like the cluck of a dentist as she works on your teeth. The news can’t be good. On the other hand, because he’s one of the most sought-after defense attorneys in Columbus, Ohio, the news would probably involve a job, which I could use right at the moment. But it also meant an end to a quiet Sunday morning of the kind I don’t get enough of. I answered anyway. Unlike my conscience, my bank balance always gets the better of me. “What’d the cops say?” “They said it was a good thing I didn’t get my ass shot.” “They did not.” “Perhaps I’m paraphrasing.” “Any leads?” “Not at the moment. They took the info. Put out a news release.” “I saw the coverage. You’re a hero, again.” “Slow news day. A zoo baby would have bumped me off the lineup in a heartbeat.” -- Andrew Welsh-Huggins, The Third Brother Andrew Welsh-Huggins is a crime reporter and author of the Andy Hayes private eye mystery series. You can sign up for his newsletter on his website and keep up with him on Twitter and Facebook. And you can follow his recommendations for some of his own favorite PI reads, including Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone series (and whenever the wonderful Sue Grafton is mentioned, I like to give a plug for the work of her father, C.W. Grafton, The Rat Began to Gnaw the Rope and The Rope Began to Hang the Butcher, two of my all-time favorite mysteries). Andrew also gives a shout out to Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series, and authors Dashiell Hammett, Ross Macdonald, and John D. MacDonald as masters of the PI genre. Here are Andrew's own Andy Hayes books, in order: 1 - Fourth Down and Out 2 - Slow Burn 3 - Capitol Punishment 4 - The Hunt 5 - The Third Brother We talk about his nonfiction book on the death penalty, but neglect to mention the title. Let me correct that oversight: it is No Winners Here Tonight, and you can learn more through this link to the write up on Andrew's website. As always, if you'd rather read than listen, the transcript is below. Enjoy! -- Laura ************************************************** Transcript of interview with Andrew Welsh-Huggins Laura Brennan: Andrew Welsh-Huggins is a reporter for the Associated Press whose beat includes crime, the death penalty, and politics -- an explosive combination. He has translated that experience into two non-fiction books and five crime novels featuring Andy Hayes, an ex-Ohio State and Cleveland Browns quarterback and current private eye. Andy has a wisecracking attitude and an affinity for trouble. Andrew, thank you for joining me. Andrew Welsh-Huggins: Thank you for having me. Great to be with you. LB: So you are a career reporter. What was the draw of journalism? AWH: Well, I'd always wanted to be a writer. Early in my career after college, I think it was a natural transition to get into writing professionally. I'd worked for both my high school newspaper and my college paper, and grew up reading -- there was actually a time and we got two newspapers a day in my house growing up and the New York Times every Sunday. It just sort of made sense for me to follow journalism. And I also saw that as a path into fiction writing as well. It just took me a while to get there. LB: Were you always writing fiction on the side? AWH: Yes. I'm one of those kids who was writing stories at a very young age, usually mystery short stories as a young man. But just was always trying my hand at fiction, and particularly I was always attracted to the private eye ge...