USA Fiction Challenge 2014-

Here am I signing up, and even organising, yet another challenge.
State by State in 2014

Although you are meant to read a title for each state I will probably read many titles connected to one state, and struggle to read any for another.

The challenge is an ongoing one even though it says "state by state in 2014". I think it is going to take me more than a year to complete.

All my books will be crime fiction and connected to the state either by setting or by author, and I'll mention that in my list.

Here is my personalised map from World66
[P.S. I've decided to "backdate" my efforts a little by including the books I've read in 2013, so I'll add them soon]

The home for the challenge is at USA Fiction Challenge: state by state in 2014. 
However the challenge is ongoing (until you complete it actually).


create your own personalized map of the USA

Here is my easy reference list
Current total of states covered: 34/51
  1. ALABAMA: 4.5, THE WIFE UPSTAIRS, Rachel Hawkins (setting)
  2. ALASKA
    A COLD DAY FOR MURDER, Dana Stabenow (setting, author's birthplace)
  3. ARIZONA
  4. ARKANSAS
    4.4, THE WITNESS, Nora Roberts (set in the Ozarks)
  5. CALIFORNIA:
    TURN OF MIND, Alice LaPlante
    (author's residence)
    BAMBOO AND BLOOD, James Church (author's birthplace)
    PRIMAL, D.A. Serra (author residence)
    THE BIG SLEEP, Raymond Chandler - setting
    4.4, ANGLE OF INVESTIGATION, Michael Connelly - setting
    4.6, PAYING THE PIPER, Simon Wood - setting
    4.5, A IS FOR ALIBI, Sue Grafton - setting
    4.3, MURDER IN THE FAMILY, Paula Bernstein - setting
    4.3, THE DROWNING POOL, Ross Macdonald - setting
    4.4, THE CASE OF THE VELVET CLAWS, Erle Stanley Gardner - setting4.2, DYING FOR A TASTE, Leslie Karst - setting
    4.4, PAST TENSE, Margot Kinberg
    - setting
    4.4, BANNERLESS, Carrie Vaughn - setting, 100 years into the future
    4.3, IN THE SHADOW OF AGATHA CHRISTIE, Leslie S. Klinger (author residence)
    4.1, THE NEVER GAME, Jeffery Deaver ( Silicon Valley)
    4.5, THE POET, Michael Connelly (L.A.)
    4.6, WE BEGIN AT THE END, Chris Whitaker
    4.5, THE BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS, Amy Myerson
    4.5, FAIR WARNING, Michael Connelly
    4.3, ANGEL FIRE, Lisa Unger
    4.5, THE FLIGHT, Julie Clark
    4.4, THE NIGHT BIRD, Brian Freeman
    4.6, OLD BONES, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child  
  6. COLORADO
    4.4, MIDNIGHT AT THE BRIGHT IDEAS BOOKSTORE, Matthew Sullivan (setting)
  7. CONNECTICUT
    4.4, THE RULES OF THE GAME, Georges Simenon (setting)
    4.4, A NOISE DOWNSTAIRS, Linwood Barclay (setting)
  8. DISTRICT of COLUMBIA
    4.5, THE KIZUNA COAST, Sujata Massey (author residence)
    4.4, THE FIX, David Baldacci (setting)
    4.1, THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, Marie Benedict
  9. DELAWARE
    4.7, HUNTING SHADOWS, Charles Todd (author residence)
  10. FLORIDA:
    EVERY BITTER THING, Leighton Gage
    (author residence)
    BUNDORI, Laura Joh Rowland - author residence
    4.7, YOU WILL KNOW ME, Megan Abbott - setting
    4.4, THE BLUE EDGE OF MIDNIGHT, Jonathon King - setting
    4.4, A KILLING NIGHT, Jonathon King - setting
  11. GEORGIA
    4.7, DARKTOWN, Thomas Mullen (setting)
    3.2, PLAY DEAD, Anne Frasier (setting)
  12. HAWAII
  13. IDAHO
  14. ILLINOIS
    4.4, THE BOOK CLUB, Mary Alice Monroe (setting)
    4.7, SHARP OBJECTS, Gillian Flynn (setting)
    4.6, THE WOMAN IN DARKNESS, Charlie Donlea
  15. INDIANA
    4.3, LAST WORDS, Michael Koryta (setting)
    4.5, CITY OF THE SUN, David Levien (setting)
    4.5, WHERE THE DEAD LAY, David Levien (setting)
  16. IOWA
  17. KANSAS:
    4.4, NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH, James Hadley Chase (setting)
    4.5, DARK PLACES, Gillian Flynn (setting)
  18. KENTUCKY
  19. LOUISIANA
  20. MAINE
    4.3, THE GIRLS SHE LEFT BEHIND, Sarah Graves
  21. MARYLAND
    4.6, DREAM GIRL, Laura Lippman (setting)
  22. MASSACHUSETTS:
    NORWEGIAN BY NIGHT, Derek B. Miller (author birthplace)
    4.5, CHRISTINE FALLS, Benjamin Black (setting)
    4.5, MISSING GIRL, Tess Gerritsen (setting)
    4
    .9, THE NEIGHBOUR, Lisa Gardner (setting)
    4.5, THE SWITCH, Joseph Finder (setting)
    4.8, RULES FOR PERFECT MURDERS, Peter Swanson(setting)
    4.4, THE PERFECT ROOMMATE, Minka Kent (setting)
  23. MICHIGAN
    4.4, THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER, Karen Dionne (setting)
    4.7, COMPANY MAN, Joseph Finder (setting)
  24. MINNESOTA
    4.2, VENGEANCE IS MINE, Joanne Fluke
    4.5, THE LAST ACT OF HATTIE HOFFMAN, Mindy Mejia
    (setting)
    4.7, GIRL, 11, Amy Suiter Clarke (setting)
  25. MISSISSIPPI:
    4.4, A TIME TO KILL, John Grisham (setting)
    4.5, A SPARK OF LIGHT, Jodi Picoult (setting)
    4.4, THE INVISIBLE HOST, Gwen Bristow & Bruce Manning
  26. MISSOURI:
    GONE GIRL, Gillian Flynn
    (setting)
  27. MONTANA
  28. NEBRASKA
  29. NEVADA
  30. NEW HAMPSHIRE
    THE LAST POLICEMAN, Ben H. Winters (setting)
    4.2, THE UNFUR-TUNATE VALENTINE'S SCAM, Alannah Rogers (setting)
  31. NEW JERSEY
    DEATH IN A STRANGE COUNTRY, Donna Leon (author birthplace)
    4.8, THE WATERS OF ETERNAL YOUTH, Donna Leon
    4.3, FINAL CURTAIN, Ed Ifkovic (setting)
    4.6, THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, A. J. Finn (setting)
    4.5, NEED TO KNOW, Karen Cleveland (setting)
    4.3, DON'T LET GO, Harlan Coben (setting)
    4.5, THE WOODS, Harlan Coben (setting)
    4.5, HAVE YOU SEEN ME? Kate White (setting)
  32. NEW MEXICO
  33. NEW YORK:
    PAGO PAGO TANGO, John Enright (author birthplace)
    MRS POLLIFAX AND THE LION KILLER, Dorothy Gilman (author residence)
    4.6, VISITATION STREET, Ivy Pochoda (setting)
    3.7, THE FOOTPRINTS ON THE CEILING, Clayton Rawson (setting)
    3.8, THAT AFFAIR NEXT DOOR, Anna Katherine Green (setting)
    3.8, ROSEMARY'S BABY, Ira Levin (setting)
    3.6, DEAD RECKONING, Michael B. Smart (author origin)
    4.6, THE SINS OF THE FATHERS, Lawrence Block (setting)
    4.2, THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER, Stuart Palmer (setting)
    4.1, LOST IN NEW YORK, J.J. Henderson (setting)
    4.4, DEAD LETTERS, Caite Dolan-Leach (setting)

    4.4, THE WIFE BETWEEN US, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
    (setting)
    4.5, RUN AWAY, Harlan Coben (setting)
    4.7, LOCK EVERY DOOR, Riley Sager (setting)
    4.4, THE DARKNESS GATHERS, Lisa Unger (setting)
    4.6, TODAY A WOMAN WENT MAD IN THE SUPERMARKET, Hilma Wolitzer (setting)
    4.2, THE NEXT GIRL, Pip Drysdale (setting)
  34. NORTH CAROLINA
    3.8, LIQUID FEAR, Scott Nicholson (author residence)
    4.7, HUNTING SHADOWS, Charles Todd (author residence)
    4.7, THE DARK ROAD TO MERCY, Wiley Cash- setting
    4.6, THE GIRL IN KELLERS WAY, Megan Goldin - setting
    4.6, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, Delia Owens - setting
  35. NORTH DAKOTA
    4.3, SEE ALSO MURDER, Larry D. Sweazy (setting)
  36. OHIO:
    MURDER IN A BASKET, Amanda Flower
    (author works in a college near Cleveland)
    4.8, MEMORY MAN, David Baldacci (setting)
  37. OKLAHOMA:
    KINGDOM OF STRANGERS, Zoe Ferraris
    (author birthplace)
  38. OREGON:
    4.6, HIDE OUT, Louisa Luna (setting)
  39. PENNSYLVANIA
    4.5, IRREPARABLE HARM, Melissa F. Miller (setting)
    4.0, DEATH-WATCH, John Dickson-Carr (author birth-place)
    3.9, THE CIRCULAR STAIRCASE, Mary Roberts Rinehart (author birth-place)
    4.3, DADDY'S GIRL, Lisa Scottoline (setting)
    4.5, DOWNFALL, Margot Kinberg (setting)
    4.4, TWIST OF FAITH, Ellen J. Green (setting)
    4.5, STREETS OF GOLD, Margot Kinberg
  40. RHODE ISLAND
  41. SOUTH CAROLINA
    4.3, THE HOUSE ON FRIPP ISLAND, Rebecca Kauffman
    4.4, THE BONE CODE, Kathy Reichs
  42. SOUTH DAKOTA
  43. TENNESSEE
  44. TEXAS:
    THE SOUND OF BROKEN GLASS, Deborah Crombie
    (author birthplace)
    5.0, LIFE OR DEATH, Michael Robotham (setting)
    4.3, THE LAST MOVE, Mary Burton (setting)
  45. UTAH
  46. VERMONT
    4.4, A SPOONFUL OF MURDER, Connie Archer (location)
  47. VIRGINIA:
    4.3, BROKEN BONE CHINA, Laura Childs (Charleston)
  48. WASHINGTON:
    THE MADONNAS OF LENINGRAD, Debra Dean
    (author birthplace)
    4.3, MASTERMIND, Helen Goltz  - setting
    4.5, MURDER ONE, Robert Dugoni - setting
    4.2, TROUBLE IN ROOSTER PARADISE, T. W. Emory - setting
    4.4, PAST CRIMES, Glen Erik Hamilton - setting
    4.8, THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING, Bill Clinton & James Patterson
    4.6, OLD BONES, Aaron Elkins (author residence)
  49. WEST VIRGINIA
  50. WISCONSIN
  51. WYOMING:
    ICE COLD, Tess Gerritsen
    (setting)

3 comments:

TracyK said...

Kerrie, I am glad you are including multiples for each state here, if you have read, them, more ideas for me to try.

Kiwicraig said...

Steve Hamilton is an Edgar Award-winning Michigan author with some good novels set there Kerrie. For Alabama try Jack Kerley's Carson Ryder series (very good), Arizona you could give Tony Hillerman's Navajo detective tales a go (also great), Georgia you have Karin Slaughter's excellent Will Trent tales, Louisiana is obviously James Lee Burke, Montana is the setting for some CJ Box novels (most are Wyoming, but Back of Beyond is in Yellowstone). That's a few tips off the top of my head :)

Katy McCoy said...

Whew - I have to get going! I finished all 50 last year, by the skin of my teeth! But I've only got two so far this year, although somehow I managed to three from New York already. I'm somewhat stuck on Scandinavian crime so it's cutting into my "state" time!

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