The perception is that mystery/crime is geezer fiction. Its old. Its lame. If it were a dude, itd have ED and a bum ticker. If it were a broad, itd have sagging support hose and a house full of mousers.
Now meet authors Theresa Schwegel and Megan Abbott, a couple of hip, young things whove brought brains and a breath of fresh air to the bedridden genre with their post-millennial neo-noir. Schwegel (pictured) and Abbott write whip-smart, character-driven shit like 2005s Officer Down (in Schwegels case) and 2008s Queenpin (in Abbotts). Chicagos Schwegel attended film school and graduated magna cum laude from Loyola; Queens-based Abbott has a Ph.D. in English and American lit from NYU. These chicks couldve done most anything, but against all odds, they chose mystery writing, mostly for the noir element. Exit Agatha Christie, reenter Raymond Chandler with boobs.
In conjunction with the Noir segment of Poisoned Pens (Book)Fest in the West Conference, the two sign their latest (Schwegels Last Known Address, Abbotts Bury Me Deep) at the Pen.
Thu., July 16, 7 p.m., 2009