{"product_id":"blunt-instrument-dell-chandler-mysteries-1","title":"Blunt Instrument (Dell Chandler Mysteries #1)","description":"\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"productDetailSmallElements\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Witty . . . Bloom draws on her own experience with the dog-eat-dog world of academia to depict the brusque, irascible Dell's winding journey toward the truth. . . . It's a blast. A sequel would be welcome.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"A glorious whodunit set in the brutal world of academia. Droll, erudite, with a plot like a coiled spring. I love it and I wish I'd written it.\"-- \"Tom Mead, author of the Joseph Spector Locked-Room Mysteries\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Sexy, scary, and sharp-tongued, Amy Bloom's spin on PI noir stings like a bee.\"-- \"Val McDermid, international number one bestselling author of the Karen Pirie series\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\" \n\u003ci\u003eBlunt Instrument\u003c\/i\u003e is a pleasure to read.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003eFirstCLUE\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"With mischievous finesse, Bloom brings every character to full and intriguing life, while Dell, a whirlwind of rueful self-deprecation, toughness, and droll wit, vamps her way to the truth. Readers will be pleased with the conclusion's nod to future Dell Chandler mysteries.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiographical Note\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAmy Bloom\u003c\/b\u003e is the \n\u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of novels, short stories, memoir, and nonfiction. She has written for magazines such as \n\u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eNew York Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eVogue\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eElle\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eSlate\u003c\/i\u003e, and \n\u003ci\u003eSalon\u003c\/i\u003e. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages. \n\u003ci\u003eBlunt Instrument\u003c\/i\u003e is her first crime novel. Amy resides in Connecticut and recently retired as Wesleyan University's Shapiro-Silverberg Professor of Creative Writing, while continuing to work as a psychotherapist and a novelist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"[A] winning first mystery from novelist and memoirist Bloom . . . This entertaining, sexy adventure in not-so-dark academia checks all the classic detective-story boxes. Keep 'em coming.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Bloom's first foray into crime fiction nails the genre's conventions while her bona fides as a recently retired professor of English and psychotherapist in mid-state Connecticut make this book resonate as spot-on, hilarious truth.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003eLA Times\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"As Dell wends her way through this backbiting den of academic iniquity, she ends up with more suspects than you can shake a bust of Nathaniel Hawthorne at, and some hot extracurricular activities as well. We look forward to her further adventures in what promises to be a detective series of rare wit and intelligence.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003eOprah Daily\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Dell is an appealing investigator . . . Fans of mysteries in academic settings will enjoy.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher Marketing\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAn \u003ci\u003eOprah Daily\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book of Summer 2026\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA failed professor solves a murder on campus in this new whodunit from bestselling author Amy Bloom.\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe case of the bludgeoned lecturer has all of Cromwell University reeling, even though the elderly Professor Bullfinch wasn't particularly well-liked. His ornery nature and Old World approach to campus politics ruffled more than a few feathers over the years, and present tensions within his department mean there are more suspects than mourners in the wake of his death. And the murder weapon--a bronze bust of Nathaniel Hawthorne--does seem to indicate that the attack may have been academically motivated... \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Enter Dell Chandler, the failed English professor turned self-taught private detective whom Dr. Cutty calls in to investigate the crime. She has the background to tease out the motives among the staff and just enough experience to conduct a thorough inquiry. If she solves the case before the cops do, the university could keep the whole thing quiet, avoiding sensational media about the dark side of campus life. But to do so, she'll have to dodge her own demons from her past life as a disgraced academic. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Written with the same depth of character and insight that readers have come to expect from author Amy Bloom's novels and memoirs, \n\u003ci\u003eBlunt Instrument \u003c\/i\u003eis an engaging and entertaining mystery with a clever, complex protagonist at its core.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/span\u003e 03\/16\/2026 (EAN 9781613167601, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/span\u003e 04\/10\/2026 pg. 1 (EAN 9781613167601, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eBooklist\u003c\/span\u003e 05\/01\/2026 (EAN 9781613167601, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/span\u003e 05\/15\/2026 (EAN 9781613167601, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/span\u003e 12\/30\/0001 (EAN 9781613167601, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContributor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003eBloom, Amy\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAmy Bloom\u003c\/b\u003e is the \n\u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of novels, short stories, memoir, and nonfiction. She has written for magazines such as \n\u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eNew York Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eVogue\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eElle\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eSlate\u003c\/i\u003e, and \n\u003ci\u003eSalon\u003c\/i\u003e. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages. \n\u003ci\u003eBlunt Instrument\u003c\/i\u003e is her first crime novel. Amy resides in Connecticut and recently retired as Wesleyan University's Shapiro-Silverberg Professor of Creative Writing, while continuing to work as a psychotherapist and a novelist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n","brand":"Mysterious Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51496232976662,"sku":"9781613167601","price":33.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0857\/9910\/8886\/files\/9781613167601.jpg?v=1783057811","url":"https:\/\/lusper.myshopify.com\/products\/blunt-instrument-dell-chandler-mysteries-1","provider":"Lusperbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}