Dear Burning Questions,
Robert Crais is one of my favorite authors. Is his latest book, The Last Detective, the last we're to see of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike? I hope not!

Denise Seigler
St. Charles, Missouri

Don't be misled by the title—The Last Detective is far from the last you'll hear of the Cole/Pike detecting duo. Doubleday will publish The Forgotten Man on February 17. Former script-writer Robert Crais says his inspiration for the new book came from Elvis Cole's past. "The Forgotten Man grew out of my realization that Cole's driving reason for being a detective is that, first and foremost, the detective must find himself," Crais told BQ. "The Forgotten Man continues the journey that began in The Last Detective as Elvis continues the search upriver for his own 'heart of darkness.' "

Crais, a Louisiana native, now lives in Santa Monica with his family and three cats.

BIRD IS THE WORD

Dear Burning Questions,
I was wondering if Robert McCammon is still writing. He is my favorite horror writer, and it's been a long time.

Jean D. Jones
Fort Myers, Florida

Author of the acclaimed novel Swan Song, McCammon ended his 10-year hiatus when Speaks the Nightbird was released in 2002 by River City Publishing. The second volume in the series, Speaks the Nightbird: Evil Unveiled, was published by Pocket in October. Set in colonial America, the story begins when Rachel, a mysterious young woman, is accused of witchcraft. The magistrate's assistant, Matthew, believes in Rachel's innocence, but the small Carolina town becomes increasingly certain of her guilt.

TICKLED TO DEATH

Dear Burning Questions,
I love reading BookPage each month. My favorite light mystery author is Valerie Wolzier. When is she coming out with something new?

Diana Parker
Lake Forest, Illinois

Valerie Wozier is the author of two "cozy" mystery series, both starring female sleuths. Her latest book, A Fashionable Murder, was published in April by Fawcett. There's another murder on the way from this prolific writer: Death in a Beach Chair, featuring amateur detective Sarah Templeton, will appear in March 2004.

YOU ASKED FOR IT

We've received many reader in-quiries about Judith Michael, the pen name of husband-and-wife collaborators Judith Barnard and Michael Fain. BQ has recently learned that William Morrow will publish their next romance, The House on Webster Street, in early 2005. Our top-secret sources describe the book as the story of a Chicago woman who is raising her younger brothers and sisters. As she juggles family crises, she meets a man who just might be right for her.

LOVE AND MARRIAGE

Dear Burning Questions,
Can you answer my question? It is really a burning one. Has Anne Tyler quit writing novels? I have started to re-read the ones that are on the shelf, because I haven't found any new ones.

Maryann Schloss
Fairview, Pennsylvania

Put down those paperbacks—Anne Tyler's next novel, The Amateur Marriage, will be published by Knopf in January. Like most of her work, which has been compared to the writing of Jane Austen, the book is a sophisticated observation of the lives of everyday families. Pauline and Michael have always second-guessed their hasty, WWII-era marriage. When their teenaged grandson, abandoned by his irresponsible mother, comes to live with them, the couple must find a way to work through their problems.

Tyler was born in Minneapolis, but her North Carolina upbringing lends a distinctly Southern flavor to her books. She's best known for the Pulitzer Prize- winning novel Breathing Lessons (1988), a poignant exploration of the ups and downs of a couple's 28-year marriage.

BOOK DETECTIVES

Think you know books? BQ's new Book Detectives challenge gives you the chance to prove it. Here's how to test your skills:
Every other month, BQ will print a question about a reader's long-lost book. We'll randomly choose one winner from among the correct answers. The winner will receive a book featured in BookPage, so be sure to include your full name and address with your responses, which can be e-mailed or mailed to BQ at the above address. Ready? Here's the first question.

Dear Burning Questions,
I read a book at least 10 or 12 years ago about a woman on the run from both the police (FBI?) and the mob. She has the number of a bank account containing lots of the mob's money, and both parties want that number. She's running for her life when she escapes on a boat owned by a man that she doesn't know. At first they can't stand each other, but of course later, they fall in love. The book was written by a man and was published probably in the late '80s.

Any idea on the title and/or author?

Ken Kowalski
Redford, Michigan