By For 
those of us who love to read novels, the Word Nerds blog is a true delight, despite its intriguingly strange name. But as the blog’s motto announces: “No pocket protectors here; just don’t break the spines on the books.”
Thus I was flattered when they asked me to write a guest blog post in connection with the publication of my new novel, Face Value.
Thinking back to one of my recent posts on how and where authors get their ideas (available here), I realized that I could trace the origins of Face Value to an old paperback collection o![9780062085740_p0_v1_s260x420[1]](https://michaelakahn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/9780062085740_p0_v1_s260x4201-204x300.jpg)
f Sherlock Holmes short stories that I just happened to come across in my bookshelf last summer.
From Sherlock Holmes to Stanley Plotkin to Rachel Gold was a long and winding road–and a challenging one, as I try to explain in my Word Nerds blog post.
I hope you enjoy it.
Face ValueRachel GoldSherlock Holmes
Eric Welch
June 10, 2014Hi Mr. Kahn/Baron:
I’ve purchased all of the Rachel Gold books and, after reading #6 first decided to read them in order. I got thrown off a bit when one list had Due Diligence before Sheer Gall, but I’ve now started the latter one. I’ve enjoyed all of them. i especially like the character of Benny and I suppose all the males in your audience are in love with Rachel. I am puzzled by something, however, and that’s the case mentioned in Sheer Gall of the fashion mogul who sues over return if the dress. I could swear that case is in one of the other, too. I review all the books I read so I’m sure I haven’t just already read it, but I’m always reading a bunch of books simultaneously, so perhaps I’m getting confused. Have I lost my mind or do I need to hire Rachel to get to the bottom of it.
Eric Welch, a fan
Forreston, Il
btw, nice picture of the family
Michael Kahn
June 16, 2014Good memory, Eric! A version of that fashion mogul lawsuit first appeared in one of my short stories, “Truth in a Plain Brown Wrapper,” which was originally published in Criminal Kabbalah (Jewish Light Publishing), a collection of mystery short stories by various authors, and is also included in the Kindle edition of Rachel Gold short stories entitled “A Handful of Gold.”
Thanks for your kind words.