It Was A Dark and Stormy Book Club

We need to step away for about a month our beloved Ann Dark needs to take some time to heal. She can't wait to return to the podcast. Please join her family and freinds in wishing her well. We will be posting further updates on here or our facebook page. Thank you for your continue support and understanding.

Recommendations For Your TBRShow NotesOn today's episode, we feature six books that we recommend for our listener's TBR. These are books thathave been sent to us for review. There is no way we can read every book but we want to make sure theyare highlighted in some way.Ann reported on Good Girls Don't Die by Christina Henry (Berkeley 11/23). This is the story of threewoman with one way out.Tracey reported on The Repurposed Spy by Oliver Dowson (self 3/22) A modern spy novel filled withhumor and intrigue.Misty had Miss Blaine, The Prefect & the Weird Sisters by Olga Wojtas (Felony & Mayhem Press 3/23) Aprefect who time travels to help people.Ann's second book is The Murder of Andrew Johnson by Burt Solomon (Forge Books 10/23) An inspectorlooks to see if the president was killed in his home state of TennesseeTracey 's second book is Anna-O by Matthew Blake (Harper 1/24) The story of a woman who commitstwo murders while sleepwalking and then never wakes up again.Misty's second book is The Lies I tell by Julie Clark (Source books 12/22) The story of a con woman whobecomes what her mark needs her to be.Tracey is currently reading “the Carrow Haunt” by Darcie Coates and the “Night Circus” by ErinMorgensternAnn is currently reading “The Deepest Kill” by Lisa Black, “The Waxworks Man” by J.C. Briggs, and“The Huntress” by Kate Quinn.Misty is currently working on her new mystery series based on a diner with dead people.

1-24 WWARNew BeginningsShow NotesFor our first WWAR for 2024, we discussed three books that feature new beginnings for the protagonist orstorylMisty reported on her book “Poison Ivy” by Misty Simon. This is the first book she had published in2004. It has been re-released two more times since then and has just been again re-released. She says thebook is still a lot of fun to read.Tracey reported on her book “What Waits In the Woods.” by Kieran Scott It features a ballerina who hasto begin over when she damages her leg and has to give up her dream of ballet. On the day she arrivesback in her hometown in rural Pennsylvania, a body is found behind her father's house.Ann reported on “Conflicting Loyalties: My Life As A Mob Enforcer turned DOJ Informant” by AidenGabor. It is a true story of a teenager who is forced to become an informant for the Justice Department inorder to stay out of jail. He remained an informant for almost 20 years when he got out. He then has tostart his life over a second time when he was diagnosed with ALS.We also reported on the books we are currrently reading.Misty is reading “Writing A Cozy Mystery” by Nancy J. Cohen, and says she reads it often to make sureshe is including everything in her books.Tracey is reading “A Good House For Children” by Kate CollinsAnn is currently reading “Seed” by Anya Allborne and “Calico” by Lee Goldberg.

Edwin HillShow NotesToday we talk with Edwin Hill about his book Who To Believe. It will release today from KensingtonBooks.Monreith, Massachusetts, was once a small community of whalers and farmers. These days it's a well-to-dotown filled with commuters drawn to its rugged coastline and country roads. A peaceful, predictable place—until popular restaurateur Laurel Thibodeau is found brutally murdered in her own home. Suspicion naturallyfalls on Laurel's husband, Simon, who had gambling debts that only her life insurance policy could fix. Butthere are other rumors too . . .Among the group of six friends gathered for Alice Stone's fortieth birthday, theories abound concerningLaurel's death. Max Barbosa, police chief, has heard plenty of them, as has his longtime friend, Unitarianminister Georgia Fitzhugh. Local psychiatrist Farley Drake is privy to even more, gleaning snippets of gossipand information from his patients while closely guarding his own past.But maybe everyone in Monreith has something to hide. Because before this late-summer evening has cometo a close, one of these six will be dead. And as jealousy, revenge, adultery, and greed converge, thequestion becomes not who among these friends might be capable of such a thing, but—who isn't?

Top Five RundownShow notesOn today's episode we review our top 5 books we read over the past year.5Ann – The Last Orphan by Greg HurwitzTracey – The Devil's Chew Toy by Rob Osler4Ann - Last Known Port by Sue AngerTracey - Bone Rattler by Elliot Pattison3Ann – The Hunter by Jennifer HereraTracey – The Camp by Nancy Bush2Ann – Malibu Burning by Lee GoldbergTracey – Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey1Ann – The Bones of Birka by Cynthia SurrisiTracey – Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. CosbyWe had a few honorable mentions of books that we did not cover on the program but were so good theydeserve a mentionAnn's listThe Girl in the Eagle's Talons by Karen SchmirnoffThe Road To Station X by Sarah BaringHolly by Stephen KingTracey's listThe Only One Left by Riley SagerVerity by Coleen HooverCarrie by Stephen KingTRIVIALast week's questionWhich mystery author has a span of 29 years between the publishing of one of her mysteries?a. Mary Roberts Reinhartb. Ruth Rendellc. Mildred Davisd. Amanda CrossThe answer is c. Mildred Davis. She wrote 18 mystery novels between the years 1948 and 1977. Shedidn't publish another until 2006 when she began the Murder in Maine mystery series with her daughterKatherine Roome.This week's question is:Author Robert Barnard wrote over 40 mysteries. He wrote 4 mysteries under the name Bernard Bastable.Who was his famous protagonist?a. Wolfgang Mozartb. Thomas Wolfec. Agatha Christied. Robert Barnard

David SimmonsGhosts of E#ast BaltimoreShow NotesOn the first official episode of 2024, we talked with David Simmons about his book “Ghosts of EastBaltimore.: David was delightful. Worm, fresh out of jail, tries to make a little money to get back on his feet,and make it back to the halfway house before his 9 pm curfew. But what should be a simple drop-off, spiralsinto a nightmare. Worm is faced with a number of obstacles like Greek gangsters, gimps, mecha suits, wilddrugs, and more. This feels like the perfect cross-genre book written for me especially with the cloneconspiracy theory sprinkled in.Ghosts of East Baltimore is a wild ride and the perfect mix of elegant yet literary cosmic hood horror withtextured prose that not many could pull off. Rich with history, and a deep-seated love for Baltimore, this is afantastic crime fiction debut.TRIVIAAuthor Gary Phillips has edited several anthologies over the years. One that won particular accolades wasone that paid homage to a past president. Which one?a. Nixonb. Bushc. Washingtond. ObamaPhillips has edited a number of anthologies including Orange County Noir and The Obama Inheritance:Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir, with the latter receiving the 2018 Anthony Award for Best Anthology. TheObama Inheritance was inspired by the many conspiracy theories generated about President Barack Obama.Each story in the anthology focused on one conspiracy theory as a means to "Riff on it, take it apart and turn iton its head, and give the reader a thrill ride of weirdo, noirish, pulpy goodnessWhich mystery author has a span of 29 years between the publishing of one of her mysteries?a. Mary Roberts Reinhartb. Ruth Rendellc. Mildred Davisd. Amanda Cross

In the last of our Holiday Break short stories We read a story that Bruce Robert Coffin sent to us. It is a perfect story to end this season of giving and caring. Please enjoy!! Tune in next week for our regularly scheduled episodes.

The Noir before Christmas written and read by Ang Pompano

The second in our Holiday Vacation series, Disappear is written and performed by the author, Sue Angejr. It tells the story of a sister's love and loss over the holidays.

Dark and Stormy is off enjoying the season. Please enjoy a few weeks of Holiday stories brought to you by some of our favorite authors. We will return in January with more original episodes.

Ann reported on The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon (Anchor 2015)West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. Themost mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behindher house just months after the tragic death of her daughter.Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara's farmhouse with her mother, Alice,and her younger sister. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that hasweighty consequences when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished. Inher search for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary hidden beneaththe floorboards of her mother's bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked into the historical mystery, shediscovers that she's not the only person looking for someone that they've lost. But she may bethe only one who can stop history from repeating itself.Creepy, goosebumpy, scary ghost stories aren't only for cool fall evenings. It turns out that themiddle of January in remote Vermont when it's buried in snow is also the perfect setting for apsychological thriller filled with ghosts.Written by Jennifer McMahon, this is two stories in one with the common factor the setting of anold farmhouse on a secluded road in the very small town of West Hall, Vermont. The storiesalternate: One takes place in January 1908, including flashbacks about 20 years earlier. Theother takes place in the present day, also in January. This thickly-wooded homestead includesan outcropping of giant boulders that looks so much like a hand, the area has always beencalled Devil's Hand. Wander too far into the woods, and you might not make it out alive.Something is going on here, and those who have seen it believe there are ghosts in this spookyforest.It's January 1908. Sara Harrison Shea and her husband Martin Shea live in the farmhouse withtheir little girl, Gertie, who is 8 years old. One day she is found dead, having fallen 50 feet downa well. Sara collapses in grief, but writes her fears, anguish, and hopes into a secret diary. Saracomes to an untimely and gruesome death, which remains the stuff of legend in West Hall ahundred years later. She hid her diary in one of the hidey-holes in the old farmhouse, and manypeople want to find it because in it she supposedly left instructions on how to raise the dead tolife.Meanwhile in the present-day, Alice Washburne lives in the same farmhouse with her twodaughters, Ruthie, 19, and Fawn, 6. Alice, who is widowed, has lived off the grid for about 20years. No computer. No cell phone. No links to anyone in the world. Even in this small town, noteveryone knows who she is. On New Year's Day, Alice disappears. More than anything, Alicedislikes the police, so Ruthie knows she shouldn't call the cops. (This is one of several plotpoints—some small, some big—that make the mystery work. If Ruthie did call the cops orsomeone didn't lock her cell phone in the car so she didn't have it when she really needed it,things would have worked out quite differently. A little cheesy, perhaps.) The two stories—pastand present—converge as Ruthie discovers dark secrets about her own past and thosesurrounding this strange house.This is one of the creepiest stories I have ever read, and while the plots from both time periodsare rather farfetched, the book is a page-turner. It will keep you up past your bedtime, and if youread it then, you may very well have nightmares.Tracey's book was A Dark and Snowy Night by Sally Goldenbaum, #5 in the Seaside KnittersMystery Series (Kensington 2022)It's holiday season in the picturesque, coastal town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts! But in USAToday bestselling author Sally Goldenbaum's latest Seaside Knitters Society mystery, theknitting club sleuths will have to take a break from crafting cozy Christmas gifts to investigate amurder at the Mayor's holiday party.Winter in Sea Harbor is a feast for the senses—crackling bonfires, the scent of snow in the saltyair, carols ringing out on the village green. This year, the Seaside Knitters have a sackful ofobligations in addition to their usual Christmas preparations. Izzy is so overloaded with knittingclasses that she hires an extra salesperson, but the new addition has trouble fitting into the yarnshop's holiday spirit. Cass, juggling the stresses of running her lobster fishery, has finally founda nanny for her active toddler. Molly Flanigan seems practically perfect in every way—until shesuddenly disappears, taking Cass's beloved rescue mutt with her...Meanwhile, the holidays are kicking off in style at Mayor Beatrice Scaglia's holiday party, wherea well-dressed crowd admires the mayor's sumptuous new home and the celebrity chef cateringthe event. An additional treat for Ben and Nell Endicott at the festive affair is reconnecting with adear college friend, Oliver Bishop. But it's not just reunions and the appetizers that are to-die-for.Before the party-goers can toast the beginning of Sea Harbor's festive season, the chef—andyoung wife of the Endicott's old Harvard friend—is found dead beneath the mistletoe.Izzy, Birdie, Nell, and Cass must uncover the pattern to these mysteries to remove suspicionfrom those they love, bring a murderer to justice—and keep Sea Harbor's holiday magic fromvanishing into the chill winter air...TRIVIALast week's question was:Which mystery author was also a barrister?a. Linda Howardb. Patricia Moyesc. Eileen Dewshurstd. Nancy SpainThe answer is c. Eileen Dewhurst. She wrote the Hilary Tamar series This series of fourbooks, described as "legal whodunits", were written over a period of twenty years. Their primarysetting is the top floor of 62 New Square at Lincoln's Inn where four young junior barristers havetheir chambers: Michael Cantrip, Desmond Ragwort, Selena Jardine and Timothy Shepherd.While the last named only appears sporadically, taxes barrister Julia Larwood, who works in theadjacent premises, is a regular visitor and is in effect the fifth member of the group. Thesecharacters are in some ways thinly drawn (Selena is highly organized and efficient, Julia isclumsy and chaotic, Cantrip is casual and modern, Ragwort is elegant and conservative), nevercommunicating in anything other than an ironic tone, so that even when they are in deadlydanger the atmosphere remains uniformly light-hearted.This week's question is:Author Gary Phillips has edited several anthologies over the years. One that won particular accolades wasone that paid homage to a past president. Which one?a. Nixonb. Bushc. Washingtond. ObamaTune in next week for the answer.

Jersey GhoulsShow notesToday we talked with Marissa and Jacki, two women we met at Fright Reads They host the Jersey Ghoulspodcast which features horror movies with a feminist twist. We Are in the process of planning acollaboration with them. They primarily feature movies in the horror genre and we will do a book versusmovie episode of Dark and Stormy Book Club.We are happy we met up with the girls and look forward to working with them.TRIVIA:Last week's question wasMark Andrew Twitchell is a Canadian filmmaker. He became famous in April 2011 for what?a. He used a fictional murderer as a guideline for the crimeb. He pulled off the biggest jewel heist in historyc. He murdered his wife and 6 childrend. He murdered a man and filmed the murderThe answer is a. He used a fictional murder as a guideline for murder. He was convicted of first-degree murder in April 2011 for the murder of John Brian Altinger His trial attracted particularmedia attention because Twitchell had allegedly been inspired by the fictional characteWhich mystery author was also a barrister?A/ Linda Howardb. Patricia Moyesc. Eileen Dewshurstd. Nancy Spain

Rapid ReadsShow NotesFor our first Rapid Reads episode we gave short reviews of six different books:Militia House by John Milas“This is a beautiful horror story told masterfully and elegantly. It is a brilliant, different kind of warnovel, one that reveals the insidious ways the violences of war can tear people apart from the insideout. “Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead“a gothic Southern thriller about a killer haunting a small Louisiana town, where twooutcasts―the preacher's daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks―hold the key touncovering the truth. “Murder with Chocolate Tea by Karen Rose SmithTea shop owner and bride-to-be Daisy Swanson must solve a murder before she can say “I do”in the latest Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery set in Pennsylvania's Amish country...What Wild Women Do by Karma BrownTwo women's lives unexpectedly collide at a camp in the Adirondacks in this fascinating dual-timeline novel full of ambition, secrets, betrayal, mystery, intrigue, nature, inspiration, and a journey ofself-discovery.Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen“This is a nice take on retirement—five old spooks whose bones may ache but whose mindsremain sharp. You can expect mystery, action, and bloodshed in this exciting thriller launched straightfrom the peaceful shores of Maine.”TRIVIALast week's question was:Which mystery author used the pseudonym Mark Sadler, John Crowe, Carl Dekker and William Arden?a. Dan Brownb. John Grishamc. Mickey Spillaned. Michael CollinsThe answer is d. Michael Collins but the name Michael Collins is actually a pseudonym for Dennis Lynds.Beginning in 1968 with The Mystery of the Moaning Cave and ending in 1989 with Hot Wheels, Lynds wrotefourteen novels under the pen name William Arden for the juvenile detective series The Three Investigators,which was originated by Robert Arthur, Jr. Under this same name, he also wrote five novels featuring privateeye Kane Jackson, a former military policeman who has become an industrial security specialist after leavingthe military. The first Jackson novel, A Dark Power, appeared in 1968.Prolific, explaining that he had more ideas than he knew what to do with, in addition to his Collins name, hecreated additional series under the pseudonyms Mark Sadler, John Crowe, and Carl Dekker. For a few years,he published under three of these pseudonyms at the same time at three different publishing housesThis week's question is::Mark Andrew Twitchell (born July 4, 1979) is a Canadian filmmaker. He became famous in April 2011 forwhat?a. He used a fictional murderer as a guideline for the crimeb. He pulled off the biggest jewel heist in historyc. He murdered his wife and 6 childrend. He murdered a man and filmed the murder

Lee GoldbergMalibu Burning Show NotesToday we talked with our old friend Lee Goldberg about his bool Malibu Burning. It is the first in hisnew seriues featuring arson investigators Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker. It is published by Thomas &Mercer and was released on September 1 of this year.Hell comes to Southern California every October. It rides in on searing Santa Ana winds that blast at nearhurricane force, igniting voracious wildfires. Master thief Danny Cole longs for the flames. A tsunami of fire isexactly what he needs to pull off a daring crime and avenge a fallen friend.As the most devastating firestorms in Los Angeles' history scorch the hills of Malibu, relentless arsoninvestigator Walter Sharpe and his wild card of a new partner, Andrew Walker, a former US marshal, suspectthat someone set the massive blazes intentionally, a terrifying means to an unknown end.While the flames rage out of control, Danny pursues his brilliant scheme, unaware that Sharpe and Walker areclosing in. But when they all collide in a canyon of fire, everything changes, pitting them against anunexpected enemy within an inescapable inferno.TRIVIALast week's question was:John Dickinson Carr is famous for writing what?a. The most re-issued mysteriesb. Mysteries with hints given throughout the storyc. Impossible mysteries or locked room mysteriesd. First person mysteries.The answer is c. Impossible or locked room mysteries. John Dickinson Carr is credited with writing the first“impossible” mystery, Carr is generally regarded as one of the greatest writers of so-called "Golden Age"mysteries; complex, plot-driven stories in which the puzzle is paramount. He was influenced in this regard bythe works of Gaston Leroux and by the Father Brown stories of G. K. Chesterton. He was a master of the so-called locked room mystery, in which a detective solves apparently impossible crimes. The Dr. Fellmystery The Hollow Man (1935), usually considered Carr's masterpiece, was selected in 1981 as the bestlocked-room mystery of all time by a panel of 17 mystery authors and reviewers.[1] He also wrote a number ofhistorical mysteries.This week's question is:Which mystery author used the psynonym Mark Sadler, John Crowe, Carl Dekker and William Arden?a. Dan Brownb. John Grishamc. Mickey Spillaned. Michael CollinsTune in next week for the answer.

WWAR OctoberShow NotesOn today's episode, we selected mysteries that were set in Colonial America.Misty reported on “A Shaker Murder” by Eleanor Kuhns. It is #6 in her Will Rees mystery series.Fresh from facing allegations of witchcraft and murder, travelling weaver Will Rees, his heavily pregnant wifeLydia and six adopted children take refuge in Zion, a Shaker community in rural Maine. Shortly after theirarrival, screams in the night reveal a drowned body ... but is it murder or an unfortunate accident? The ShakerElders argue it was just an accident, but Rees believes otherwise.As Will investigates further, more deaths follow and a young girl vanishes from the community. Haunted bynightmares for his family's safety, Rees must rush to uncover the truth before the dreams can become realityand more lives are lost. Yet can the Shaker Elders be trusted, or is an outsider involved? Misty highlyrecommends this series.Ann reported on “Brutalized” by J. R. Thompson. 17th-century Dublin, Ireland, preteen Callum McCarthyis shipped to the English Colonies, where he will endure horrors of the Irish slave trade. Intense and powerful,JR Thompson's Brutalized explores ideas of greed, loneliness and despair, determination, and faith.Growing up in an area where poor Irish families are as welcome as malaria, Callum, the son of a drunkardfather and neglectful mother, already has the odds stacked against him. But when the boy is kidnapped fromhis own home, he's plunged into a living nightmare.Upon arrival in America, a cruel man by the name of Josiah Gillcrest makes Callum his ill-treated workhorse.Bone-chilling secrets Callum uncovers on the tobacco plantation force him to make difficult decisions. Shouldhe make a run for it? Kill the wicked overseer, who happens to be his master's son? Lead a slave uprising?The possibilities are endless.Mystery, brutality, and deep, dirty secrets saturate Brutalized as Thompson shares truths of white slavery fromIreland and Germany to Colonial America. Callum's detective skills could prove useful in bringing crucialchanges to the plantation if they don't kill him first.Finalkly Tracey reported on the book. Bone Rattler by Eliot Pattison. Unfairly convicted and force intoindentured servitude, young Highland Scot Duncan McCallum finds himself aboard a prisoner ship bound forthe New World. A series of mysterious deaths plagues the passengers and claims the life of Duncan's dearfriend Adam Munroe. Enlisted by his captors to investigate, a strange trail of clues leads Duncan into the NewWorld and eventually thrusts him into the bloody maw of the French and Indian War.Duncan is indentured to the British Lord Ramsey, whose estate in the uncharted New York woodlands is aHeart of Darkness where multiple warring factions―the British, rogue Scots, the French, the Huron, and theIroquois―are engaged in battle. Exploring a frontier world shrouded in danger, Duncan, the exiled chief of hisnear-extinct Scottish clan, finds that sometimes justice cannot be reached unless the cultures and spirits ofthose involved are resolved.

Dark Rideby Lou Berney9/23/23 William MorrowThis week we visited with an old friend, Lou Berney, about his new book “Dark Ride.:From Lou Berney, the acclaimed, multi award-winning author of November Road and The Long and FarawayGone, comes a Dark RideSometimes the person you least expect is just the hero you needTwenty-one-year-old Hardy “Hardly” Reed—good-natured, easygoing, usually stoned—is drifting through life.A minimum-wage scare actor at an amusement park, he avoids unnecessary effort and unrealistic ambitions.Then one day he notices two children, around six or seven, sitting all alone on a bench. Hardly checks ifthey're okay and sees injuries on both children. Someone is hurting these kids.He reports the incident to Child Protective Service.That should be the end of it. After all, Hardly's not even good at looking out for himself so the last thing hewants to do is look out for anyone else. But he's haunted by the two kids, his heart breaking for them. And themore research he does the less he trusts that Child Protective Services —understaffed and overworked—willdo anything about it.That leaves...Hardly. He is probably the last person you'd ever want to count on. But those two kids havenobody else but him. Hardly has to do what's right and help them.For the first time in his life, Hardly decides to fight for something. This might be the one point in his entire life,he realizes, that is the entire point of his life. He will help those kids.At first, trying to gather evidence that will force the proper authorities to intervene, Hardly is a total disaster.Gradually, with assistance from unexpected allies, he develops investigative skills and discovers he's smarterand more capable than he ever imagined.But Hardly also discovers that the situation is more dangerous than he ever expected. The abusive father whohas been hurting these children isn't just a lawyer—he also runs a violent drug-dealing operation. The motherclaims she wants to escape with the kids—but Hardly isn't sure he can trust her.Faced with a different version of himself than he has ever known, Hardly refuses to give up. But hiscommitment to saving these kids from further harm might end up getting the kids, and Hardly himself, killed.TRIVIALast week's question was:Isaac Asminov was a prolific author but he had one serious phobia.. What was it?a. Fear of the number 13b. Fear of Heightsc. Fear of Closed spacesd. Fear of flyingThe answer is d. Fear of Flying.. Asimov was afraid of flying, doing so only twice: once in the course ofhis work at the Naval Air Experimental Station and once returning home from Oahu In 1946. Consequently, heseldom traveled great distances. This phobia influenced several of his fiction works, such as the Wendell Urthmystery stories and the Robot novels featuring Elijah Baley. In his later years, Asimov found enjoymenttraveling on cruise ships, beginning in 1972 when he viewed the Appollo 11 launch from a cruise ship. Onseveral cruises, he was part of the entertainment program, giving science-themed talks aboard ships such asthe Queen Elizabeth 2. He sailed to England in June 1974 on the SS France for a trip mostly devoted tolectures in London and Birmingham, though he also found time to visit Stonehenge.This week's question is:Mystery author Charlotte MacLeod had a family connection to which criminala. Whitey Bulgerb. John Gottic. Al Caponed. Albert Anastasia

Here are some questions you could ask Vanessa Riley about her book Murder on Drury Lane:1. What inspired you to write a murder mystery set in the world of theater?2. What research did you do to make the setting and characters so realistic?3. What was the most challenging part of writing this book?4. What was the most rewarding part of writing this book?5. Do you have any plans to write more books in this series?6. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?In addition to these general questions, you could also ask more specific questions about thebook, such as:• What was the inspiration for the character of Lily Moore?• How did you come up with the idea for the murder plot?• What were some of the challenges of writing a mystery with a theatrical setting?• What do you hope readers will take away from this book?I hope these questions help you have a productive and insightful conversation with VanessaRiley about her book!Offering “a vibrant picture of the roles Black and mixed‐race people played in Regency life”(Publishers Weekly), this unique historical mystery series, featuring a mixed-race heroine with anotorious past, will appeal to Bridgerton fans who want a sharper edge to their drama.Pressed into a union of convenience, Lady Abigail Worthing knew better than to expect love. Her marriage toan absent lord does at least provide some comforts, including a box at the Drury Lane theater, owned by theplaywright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Abigail has always found respite at the theater, away from the ton'sjudgmental stares and the risks of her own secret work to help the cause of abolition—and her fears thatsomeone from her past wants her permanently silenced. But on one particular June evening everythingcollides, and the performance takes an unwelcome turn . . .Onstage, a woman emits a scream of genuine terror. A man has been found dead in the prop room, stabbedthrough the heart. Abigail's neighbor, Stapleton Henderson, is also in attendance, and the two rush backstage.The magistrate, keen to avoid bringing more attention to the case and making Lady Worthing more of a target,asks Abigail not to investigate. But she cannot resist, especially when the usually curmudgeonly Hendersonoffers his assistance.Abigail soon discovers a tangled drama that rivals anything brought to the stage, involving gambling debts, abeautiful actress with a parade of suitors, and the very future of the Drury Lane theatre. For Abigail the case iscomplicated still further, for one suspect is a leading advocate for the cause dearest to her heart—theabolition of slavery within the British empire. Uncovering the truth always comes at a price. But this time, itmay be far higher than she wishes to pay.

‘Do you believe Will took his own life?'The question echoed off the white tiles in the hospital's cold, cavernous morgue, and I studied my husband in peaceful repose. I leaned down and put my forehead against his. Silent tears ran down my cheeks. They felt hot, and he felt so cold. It was five days since his death, and my grief felt heavy, like a vast, dark mass pushing down on me.”When Maggie's husband, Will, is shot dead in their London home, she thinks he is the victim of a burglary until the police tell her the shocking news that Will was the one who pulled the trigger.Maggie is consumed with grief and questions. Will wasn't suicidal. He had so much to live for.After the funeral, Maggie travels to their holiday home on a small Croatian island to escape London. She finds a disturbing letter written by Will, containing clues to a dark secret.As Maggie puts the pieces together, she discovers Will's death is connected to someone from his past… Someone who will go to extreme lengths to keep Maggie silent.Three can keep a secret... If two of them are dead.The international multi-million bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice is back with his first stand-alone thriller, a heart-racing, hold-your-breath read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Desmond P. Ryan and Fright Reads RecapShow NotesOn this episode we talked with old friend Desmond Ryan. His Mary Margaret O'Shea mystery series hasfinally been published.Mary Margaret and The Case of The Lapsed Parishoner (Level Best Books 8.28.23) When Mary-MargaretO'Shea, a woman of a certain age with mildly Machiavellian tendencies, discovers a homicide scene andmeets an unimpressive lead investigator, she realizes that she has no choice but to solve the crime herself.With little help from Michael, her police-detective son, she enlists Arthur, her eccentric housekeeper, to helpher find the killer.In Mary-Margaret and The Case of The Lapsed Parishioner, a series of assumptions and misguided stepsmay lead her to the killer, or they may make her the next victim.Desmond is working on two new series and has begun a writers event at a local pub near his home inToronto. We wish him all the best and look forward to talking with him soon.We then gave a quick recap of the Fright Reads Book Convention we attended last weekend. The event hasgrown over the years and we were thrilled and had a wonderful time. We were honored to hose three authorpanels during the event. We met many new friends and were very pleased to meet the Jersey Ghouls. Theyhave a podcast which mainly covers horror movies with a feminist twist.. We are planning on having acollaboration with them next year. We thank Harry Carpenter and his team for their expertise on planning andexecuting such a great event. We can't wait for next year.Due to the length of today's episode, we will defer trivia until next week.

WWAR October 2023Show NotesToday is WWAR for October and our theme is Horror or Spooky reads.Tracey reported on Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey. Just Like Home is a darkly gothic thriller perfect forfans of Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House as well as HBO's true crime masterpiece I'll Be Gone in the Dark.“Come home.” Vera's mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of thememories ― she's come back to the home of a serial killer. Back to face the love she had for her father andthe bodies he buried there, beneath the house he'd built for his family.Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren't alone. Aparasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back and is slowly stripping Vera's childhood for spareparts. He insists that he isn't the one leaving notes around the house in her father's handwriting... but whoelse could it possibly be?There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face themand find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.She then touched on Mary by Nat Cassidy (Tor Nightfire 7/22). Mary is a quiet, middle-aged woman doingher best to blend into the background. Unremarkable. Invisible. Unknown even to herself.But lately, things have been changing inside Mary. Along with the hot flashes and body aches, she can't lookin a mirror without passing out, and the voices in her head have been urging her to do unspeakable things.Fired from her job in New York, she moves back to her hometown, hoping to reconnect with her past andinner self. Instead, visions of terrifying, mutilated specters overwhelm her with increasing regularity and shebegins auto-writing strange thoughts and phrases. Mary discovers that these experiences are echoes of aninfamous serial killer.Then the killings begin again.Mary's definitely going to find herself.Ann reported on the book Holly by Stephen King (Scribner 9/5/23). It really isn't a horror novel but itdoes have a very spooky vibe.Stephen King's Holly marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers havewitnessed Holly's gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes toBill Hodges's partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detectivein The Outsider. In King's new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved andbrilliantly disguised adversaries.When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter,Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has justdied. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl's desperate voice makes it impossiblefor Holly to turn her down.Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are thepicture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelongacademics. But they are harboring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, onethat may be related to Bonnie's disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they areup to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless.Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmaneuver the shockingly twisted professorsin this chilling new masterwork from Stephen King.Her second book is much more or a horror novel. She reported on the book Knock, Knock, Open Wide byNeil Sharpson. (Tor Nightfire 10/3/23)Knock Knock, Open Wide weaves horror and Celtic myth into a terrifying, heartbreaking supernatural tale offractured family bonds, the secrets we carry, and the veiled forces that guide Irish life.Driving home late one night, Etain Larkin finds a corpse on a pitch-black country road deep in the Irishcountryside. She takes the corpse to a remote farmhouse. So begins a night of unspeakable horror that willtake her to the very brink of sanity.She will never speak of it again.Two decades later, Betty Fitzpatrick, newly arrived at college in Dublin, has already fallen in love with thedrama society, and the beautiful but troubled Ashling Mallen. As their relationship blossoms, Ashling goes togreat lengths to keep Betty away from her family, especially her alcoholic mother, Etain.As their relationship blossoms, Betty learns her lover's terrifying family history, and Ashling's secret obsession.Ashling has become convinced that the horrors inflicted on her family are connected to a seemingly innocentchildren's TV show. Everyone in Ireland watched this show in their youth, but Ash soon discovers that no oneremembers it quite the same way. And only Ashling seems to remember its star: a small black goat puppetwho lives in a box and only comes out if you don't behave. They say he's never come out.Misty reported on the book “The 2ndGrave On the Left” by Darynda Jones. It is the second book in theCharley Davidson Mystery series. (St. Martins 8/2011)When Charley Davidson and Cookie (her best friend/receptionist) have to track down a missing woman, thecase is not quite as open and shut as they anticipate. A friend of Cookie's named Mimi disappeared five daysearlier. This friend then sends Cookie a cryptic message telling them to meet her at a nearby coffee shop. Thecoffee is brewing, but Mimi's still missing. There is, however, a clue left on the bathroom wall: a woman'sname, scribbled by Mimi. Mimi's husband explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found outan old friend of hers from high school had been murdered a couple weeks prior. The same woman Mimi hadnamed in her message.Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left hiscorporeal body and is haunting Charley. He's left his body because he's being tortured by demons who wantto lure Charley closer. But Reyes can't let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have aportal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven...well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty. Can Charleyhandle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Can she keep those sheloves out of harm's way? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel her as she does?Here is your signpost for the most hilarious read of the summer: Second Grave On The Left.TRIVIALast week's question was:Author Stephen King has become well known for appearing in film adaptations of his ownbooks. What made his first appearance in a movie notable?a. He was just passing byb. He wrote himself into the storyc. the movie was not from one of his booksd. He was highThe answer is c. The movie was not from one of his books. King appeared in George ARomero's “Knightriders”. He played Hoagie Man and would go on to appear in the adaptation ofCreepshow in 1982.This week's question is:Which mystery author was born with the name Howard Allen Frances O'Brien?a. Dick Francisb. Ann Ricec. Maureen Jenningsd. Harold PinterTune in next week for4 the answer

On today's episode, we spoke with two more of the authors who will be featured at Fright Reads. Melissa C. Annen is an author who writes a series called the Agent Raines series. There are currently two books in the series and she is working on the third. She is planning to release a stand alone book at Fright Reads titled “The Familiar Stranger.” Melissa also produces a podcast with her best friend. The podcast is called Nothing Happens In A Small Town. They grew up in a small town and, of course, things happen in a small town. It is available of Spreaker, Spotify and other podcast hosting sites. Her website is https://melissacannen.com We then talked with James Rada, Jr. Jim is an Amazon.com-bestselling author who writes non-fiction history and historical fiction. His books include the historical novels “Canawlers,” 'October Mourning,” “Between Rail and River,” and”The Rain Man.” His non-fiction books include “Battlefield Angels: The Daughters of Charity Work as Civil War Nurses” and “Looking Back: True Stories of Mountain Maryland.” Many of his books have been bestsellers in their categories on Amazon.com. He also writes fantasy, horror, and young adult fiction under the pen name J. R. Rada. You can find out more about these books under the J. R. Rada tab. He lives in Gettysburg, Pa., where he works as a freelance writer. Jim has received numerous awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, Associated Press, Maryland State Teachers Association and Community Newspapers Holdings, Inc. for his newspaper writing. His website is https://jamesrada.com

Joyce Elaube?Rosalie SpielmanToday we talk with two of the authors for Fright Reads Book Conference which will be help September30 and October 1 in Millersville, MarylandJoyce Elaine is a hard working kind of gal who loves to get out and see new thingsand have little adventures during her down time. She also loves to write. She hasenjoyed writing ever since she learned how to write. She can remember being 13years old, with a notebook, and big yard at home to sit down in and write. She wroteabout many things. Sge made up stories, kept a journal, and wrote poems. As shegot older, she realized how much she really enjoy writing and that people actuallyenjoy reading what she writes. Her dream is to be a published author and she iscurrently working on that journey! She also wants to travel – get out and see theworld. She has a side project with her husband called Marylander's Visiting. Theyhave set out to visit every single city in Maryland as time permits. They also plan tovisit more states and other countries to add to their project. You can find all myFacebook pages by simply scrolling down and clicking on the one of your choice.Check back often. Read. Comment. Share.Her book series has three books – The Gift of Death, the Gift of Death – Revenge and she is working onthe third book called The Final GiftHer website is joyceelainewrites.comWe then spoke with Rosalie Spielman. She is a contributing author for the Aloha Lagoon Mystery seriesput out by Gemma Holiday Publishing. She also writes a Hometown Mystery Series based on a retiredveteran living in a small town in Oregon. Her books are titled “Welcome Home to Murder,”“Home is Where the Murder Is” and the third book in her series will come out in November “MurderComes Home.”Originally from a tiny town in the Palouse region of Idaho, as a military brat, Army officer, andmilitary spouse (retired), Rosalie has moved more times than she has fingers to count, ond shehas just broken her record of living six years at one address.Somewhere along the way, she discovered that she could make other people laugh with herwriting. She enjoys reading to escape from the real world and hopes to give readers the samewith her stories.Her website is https://rosalie-spielman-author.Join us at Fright Reads and meet these and the other wonderful authors.TRIVIALast week's question was:Where did Carole Nelson Douglas find Midnight Louie?a. At the ASPCAb. A neighbor gave him to herc, In the newspaperd. He was found on her doorstepThe answer was C. In the newspaper. Douglas was a theater and English literature major in college. Aftergraduation, she worked as a newspaper reporter and then editor in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. During hertime there, she discovered a long, expensive classified advertisement offering a black cat named MidnightLouie to the "right" home for one dollar and wrote a feature story on the plucky survival artist, putting it into thecat's point of view. The cat found a country home but its name was revived for her feline PI mystery seriesmany years later. Some of the Midnight Louie series entries include the dedication "For the real and originalMidnight Louie. Nine lives were not enough.This week's question is:In 1991, Dutch writer Richard Klinkhamer wrote his book “Wednesday, Mince Day.” What did hedo right before he delivered the manuscript.a. murdered his wifeb. Robbed a bankc. Shot himselfd. Cashed a forged checkTune in next week for the answer.

On today's episode, we visit with Harry Carpenter, an author and the Founder and Producter of the Fright Reads Book Festival. This will be the third year for the event and it has grown over the past three years. Harry goes into the guest celebrities and authors he has lined up. The event is to be held in Millersville Maryland on September 30 and October 1. For information on the event or for tickets, visit https://frightreads.com. It was lovely talking with Harry and we look forward to the event. The next two weeks of Dark and Stormy Book Club Podcast will feature interviews with some of the authors we will meet at the event.

On today's episode, we selected libraries and librarians for our WWAR subject for this month. Misty reported on the book “Librarians and Larceny” (Book One in the Rebel Librarian Crime Fighter Mystery series by Cyndy Cypress LARCENY! KIDNAPPING! MURDER! OH MY!In the cozy college town of Kootenai Hills, Montana, a beloved librarian goes missing … right under the noses of Rebecca Fulton, the university's newest library coordinator, and Jenn Acosta, a mature grad student and aspiring librarian!And it happened in broad daylight … during homecoming weekend, no less!But that's not the only thing that's disappeared. An important historical manuscript tied to the missing librarian's past, leaves the women wondering just what Rebecca's boss and beloved mentor got himself into.What happened to Professor Clifford Smith?Rebecca and Jenn are determined to find out, but they have a few of their own challenges to work through first - a grumpy police captain being one of them.Do these two polar opposites have what it takes to break away from their quiet, campus-librarian lifestyles and make it as amateur sleuths? Can they save the professor, find the manuscript, and stop those responsible from getting away with the perfect crime? Or will their naivety and inexperience put their lives in danger and land Rebecca behind bars?There's only one way to find out.Welcome to Cascade University, where you'll meet the latest budding female detectives, along with Jenn's uncommonly intelligent canine sidekick, and an eccentric old man who lives in his motorhome.What could possibly go wrong?Enjoy this totally addictive cozy mystery. Tracey then reported on “The Librarian of Crooked Lane” (Book one in the Glass Library series) by C.J. Archer. Librarian Sylvia Ashe knows nothing about her past, having grown up without a father and a mother who refused to discuss him. When she stumbles upon a diary that suggests she's descended from magicians, she's skeptical. After all, magicians are special, and she's just an ordinary girl who loves books. She seeks the truth from a member of the most prominent family of magicians, but she quickly learns that finding the truth won't be easy, especially when he turns out to be as artless as her, and more compelling and dangerous than books.War hero Gabe is gifted with wealth, a loving family, and an incredible amount of luck that saw him survive four harrowing years of a brutal war without injury. But not all injuries are visible. Burying himself in his work as a consultant for Scotland Yard, Gabe is going through the motions as he investigates the theft of a magician-made painting. But his life changes when he unwittingly gets Sylvia dismissed from her job and places her in danger.After securing her new employment in a library housing the world's greatest collection of books about magic, Gabe and Sylvia's lives become intwined as they work together to find both the painting and the truth about Sylvia's past before powerful people can stop them.But sometimes the past is better left buried… Ann then reported on “Checked Out” (Number one in the Village Library Mystery Series) by Elizabeth Spann Craig. There are no renewals when you're permanently checked out. When librarian Ann Beckett finally reluctantly agrees to being set-up on a blind date by one of her over-eager patrons, she figures the worst that could happen would be the two of them wouldn't hit it off. Little did she know that she'd be stood up...because her date was murdered. With help from her patrons, Ann tries to find out who might be responsible in the small town of Whitby before more residents are permanently checked out.

Agatha Christie, She Watched: One Woman's Plot to Watch 201 Christie Adaptations Without Murdering the Director, Screenwriter, Cast, or Her Husband by Teresa Peschel Care to match wits with Hercule Poirot? Share tea and gossip with Miss Marple? Chase spies with Tommy and Tuppence? “Agatha Christie, She Watched” will introduce you to must-see movies (and must-avoid dogs) that prove Agatha's genius depicting the hopeful and dark sides of human nature. These movies will tantalize you, mystify you, and make you laugh at the folly of humanity. For more than a century, Agatha Christie has thrilled readers with her classic mysteries and dark dramas that explore evil such as “And Then There Were None” and “Endless Night.” with more than 200 adaptations made from her stories, Agatha has been a huge part of the world's movie and television culture. Teresa Peschel watched and reviewed 201 adaptations, from the German silent movie “Adventures, Inc.” (1929) to “See How They Run” and “Why Didn't They Ask Evans?” (2022). Each was rated for fidelity to the original material and its overall quality. Each review takes up two pages and comes with six cast photos, and a list of the major actors, and the known film locations. Foreign movies with English subtitles from India, France, Russia, China, Japan, and Germany are also reviewed. Finally, there are eight movies in which the fictional Agatha Christie solves murder mysteries, debate Hercule Poirot about killing him in “Curtain,” battle a space wasp with Doctor Who, and plot to kill her husband's mistress. “Agatha Christie, She Watched” is the only comprehensive collection of reviews about Agatha Christie adaptations. Use it to find the movies made from the novels and stories you love, fill in your movie collection, or hold an Agatha Christie festival of your own. Learn why Christie's stories of passion and pain still grip the imaginations of her readers.

The Campby Nancy BushKensington Books6/27/23There are always stories told around the fire at summer camp—tall tales about gruesome murders andunhinged killers, concocted to scare new arrivals and lend an extra jolt of excitement to those hormone-charged nights. At Camp Luft-Shawk, nicknamed Camp Love Shack, there are stories about a creeping fogthat brings death with it. But here, they're not just campfire tales. Here, the stories are real.Twenty years ago, a girl's body was found on a ledge above the lake, arms crossed over her heart. Some saidit was part of a suicide pact, connected to the nearby Haven Commune. Brooke, Rona, and Wendywereamong the teenagers at camp that summer, looking for fun and sun, sex and adventure. They've neverbreathed a word about what really happened—or about the night their friendship shattered.Now the camp, renamed Camp Fog Lake, has reopened for a new generation, and many of those who werethere on that long-ago night are returning for an alumni weekend. But something is stirring at the lake again.As the fog rolls in, evil comes with it. Those stories were a warning, and they didn't listen. And the onlyquestion is, who will live long enough to regret it?

On this episode, we talk with bestselling true crime author John Glatt about his book “Tangled Vines Power,Privilege and the Murdaugh Family Murders.” The author did a masterful job reconstructing the rise of theprestigious Murdaugh family and the shocking double murder that led to the downfall of its patriarch, AlexMurdaugh.Among the lush, tree-lined waterways of South Carolina low country, the Murdaugh name means power. Acentury-old, multimillion-dollar law practice has catapulted the family into incredible wealth and localcelebrity―but it was an unimaginable tragedy that would thrust them into the national spotlight. On June 7th,2021, prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on thegrounds of their thousand-acre hunting lodge. The mystery deepened only months later when Alex himselfwas discovered shot in the head on a local roadside.But as authorities scrambled for clues and the community reeled from the loss and media attention, darksecrets about this Southern legal dynasty came to light. The Murdaughs, it turned out, were feared as muchas they were loved. And they wouldn't hesitate to wield their influence to protect one of their own; two yearsbefore he was killed, a highly intoxicated Paul Murdaugh was at the helm of a boat when it crashed and killeda teenage girl, and his light treatment by police led to speculation that privilege had come into play. Asbombshells of financial fraud were revealed and more suspicious deaths were linked to the Murdaughs, a newportrait of Alex Murdaugh emerged: a desperate man on the brink of ruin who would do anything, even planhis own death, to save his family's reputation.

WWAR August 2023Show NotesIn our first episode together since vacation, we have 4 books that involve heat.Misty reviewed When She Gets Hot by Miriam Allenson. Tootsie Goldberg was never one to rockthe boat. Witnessing tragedy after a seemingly harmless protest taught the Jersey native tokeep her mouth shut, even when she's fuming. But when her elderly coworkers lose their radiostation jobs due to a shady business deal, this feisty fifty-year-old decides it's never too late touse her smart mouth for something other than talking in circles.Standing up for her friends lights a fire in her to confront injustice, starting with the questionablenew owners of the station. But being a sassy sleuth sometimes means tweaking the rules. Andas her fight for the little guy garners the delicious attention of a stoic and sexy cop, can Tootsietoe the line between what's right and what's legal?When She Gets Hot is the scorchingly witty first book in the Tootsie Goldberg amateur sleuthseBuy now to solve the mystery of what happens When She Gets Hot! fries. If you like strongJewish female leads, a dash of danger, and spicy heroines over fifty, then you'll love MiriamAllenson's later-in-life take on growing older and bolder.Tracey reviewed Hot Time by W. H. Flint. New York, August 1896. A “hot wave” has settled onthe city with no end in sight, leaving tempers short and the streets littered with dead horsesfelled by the heat. In this presidential election year, the gulf between rich and poor has politicalpassions flaring, while anti-immigrant sentiment has turned virulent. At Police Headquarters, thegruff, politically ambitious commissioner Theodore Roosevelt has been struggling to reform hisnotoriously corrupt department. Meanwhile, the yellow press is ready to pounce on thepeccadilloes of the Four Hundred, the city's social elite—the better to sell papers with luridstories and gossip or perhaps profit from a little blackmail on the side. When the body of TownTopics publisher William d'Alton Mann is found at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, any number ofhis ink-spattered victims may have a motive.Hot Time is an immensely entertaining, deeply researched, and richly textured historical novelset in a period that reflects our own, with cameos by figures ranging from financier J. P. Morganto muckraking journalist Jacob Riis. Our guides through New York's torrid, bustling streets areOtto “Rafe” Raphael from the Lower East Side, one of the first Jewish officers in the heavily Irishforce, who finds as many enemies within the department as outside it; Minnie Kelly, thedepartment's first female stenographer; Theodore Roosevelt himself; and the plucky orphanDutch, one of the city's thousands of newsboys, who may have seen too much. lder and bolder.Ann reviewed Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant. The heat is intense. The secrets are stifling.And there is no escape.In a tiny village in Provence, nine guests arrive at a luxury holiday home.The visitors know each other well, or at least they think they do.The only stranger among them is Lulu, the young woman catering their stay. But Lulu is notexactly the woman on the video the guests thought they'd hired. Turns out Lulu has plenty tohide—and nowhere to run as the heat rises.In this seemingly idyllic getaway, under the scorching sun, loyalties will be tested, secretsexposed, and tensions pushed to the brink . . .Dripping in intrigue, Sun Damage is a glamorous, witty, and totally riveting story chock full ofsecrets, lies and . . . more lies.Finally, Ann reviewed a second book called Death In the Sunshine by Stef Broadribb.After a long career as a police officer, Moira hopes a move to a luxury retirement community willmean she can finally leave the detective work to the youngsters and focus on a quieter life. Butit turns out The Homestead is far from paradise. When she discovers the body of a youngwoman floating in one of the pools, surrounded by thousands of dollar bills, her crime-fightinginstinct kicks back in and she joins up with fellow ex-cops—and new neighbours—Philip, Lizzieand Rick to investigate the murder.With the case officers dropping ball after ball, Moira and the gang take matters into their ownhands, turning into undercover homicide investigators. But the killer is desperate to destroy allthe evidence and Moira, Philip, Lizzie and Rick soon find themselves getting in the way—of themurderer and the police.Just when they think they can finally relax, they discover that someone has infiltrated their ‘safe'community. Can they hunt down the murderer and get back to retiring in peace? And after all theexcitement, will they want to?TRIVIA:Last week's question was:Which beloved author of children's literature also wrote songs that made the Top 100 Hits List?a. Raold Dahlb. Judy Blumec. Shel Silversteind. Dr, SeussThe answer is c. Shel Silverstein.This week's question is:Which author did not attend school full time until the age of 12?a. Margaret Atwoodb. Robin Cookc. Mary Robert Reinhartd. Charles ToddTune in next week for the answer.

WWAR August 2023Show NotesIn our first episode together since vacation, we have 4 books that involve heat.Misty reviewed When She Gets Hot by Miriam Allenson. Tootsie Goldberg was never one to rockthe boat. Witnessing tragedy after a seemingly harmless protest taught the Jersey native tokeep her mouth shut, even when she's fuming. But when her elderly coworkers lose their radiostation jobs due to a shady business deal, this feisty fifty-year-old decides it's never too late touse her smart mouth for something other than talking in circles.Standing up for her friends lights a fire in her to confront injustice, starting with the questionablenew owners of the station. But being a sassy sleuth sometimes means tweaking the rules. Andas her fight for the little guy garners the delicious attention of a stoic and sexy cop, can Tootsietoe the line between what's right and what's legal?When She Gets Hot is the scorchingly witty first book in the Tootsie Goldberg amateur sleuthseBuy now to solve the mystery of what happens When She Gets Hot! fries. If you like strongJewish female leads, a dash of danger, and spicy heroines over fifty, then you'll love MiriamAllenson's later-in-life take on growing older and bolder.Tracey reviewed Hot Time by W. H. Flint. New York, August 1896. A “hot wave” has settled onthe city with no end in sight, leaving tempers short and the streets littered with dead horsesfelled by the heat. In this presidential election year, the gulf between rich and poor has politicalpassions flaring, while anti-immigrant sentiment has turned virulent. At Police Headquarters, thegruff, politically ambitious commissioner Theodore Roosevelt has been struggling to reform hisnotoriously corrupt department. Meanwhile, the yellow press is ready to pounce on thepeccadilloes of the Four Hundred, the city's social elite—the better to sell papers with luridstories and gossip or perhaps profit from a little blackmail on the side. When the body of TownTopics publisher William d'Alton Mann is found at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, any number ofhis ink-spattered victims may have a motive.Hot Time is an immensely entertaining, deeply researched, and richly textured historical novelset in a period that reflects our own, with cameos by figures ranging from financier J. P. Morganto muckraking journalist Jacob Riis. Our guides through New York's torrid, bustling streets areOtto “Rafe” Raphael from the Lower East Side, one of the first Jewish officers in the heavily Irishforce, who finds as many enemies within the department as outside it; Minnie Kelly, thedepartment's first female stenographer; Theodore Roosevelt himself; and the plucky orphanDutch, one of the city's thousands of newsboys, who may have seen too much. lder and bolder.Ann reviewed Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant. The heat is intense. The secrets are stifling.And there is no escape.In a tiny village in Provence, nine guests arrive at a luxury holiday home.The visitors know each other well, or at least they think they do.The only stranger among them is Lulu, the young woman catering their stay. But Lulu is notexactly the woman on the video the guests thought they'd hired. Turns out Lulu has plenty tohide—and nowhere to run as the heat rises.In this seemingly idyllic getaway, under the scorching sun, loyalties will be tested, secretsexposed, and tensions pushed to the brink . . .Dripping in intrigue, Sun Damage is a glamorous, witty, and totally riveting story chock full ofsecrets, lies and . . . more lies.Finally, Ann reviewed a second book called Death In the Sunshine by Stef Broadribb.After a long career as a police officer, Moira hopes a move to a luxury retirement community willmean she can finally leave the detective work to the youngsters and focus on a quieter life. Butit turns out The Homestead is far from paradise. When she discovers the body of a youngwoman floating in one of the pools, surrounded by thousands of dollar bills, her crime-fightinginstinct kicks back in and she joins up with fellow ex-cops—and new neighbours—Philip, Lizzieand Rick to investigate the murder.With the case officers dropping ball after ball, Moira and the gang take matters into their ownhands, turning into undercover homicide investigators. But the killer is desperate to destroy allthe evidence and Moira, Philip, Lizzie and Rick soon find themselves getting in the way—of themurderer and the police.Just when they think they can finally relax, they discover that someone has infiltrated their ‘safe'community. Can they hunt down the murderer and get back to retiring in peace? And after all theexcitement, will they want to?TRIVIA:Last week's question was:Which beloved author of children's literature also wrote songs that made the Top 100 Hits List?a. Raold Dahlb. Judy Blumec. Shel Silversteind. Dr, SeussThe answer is c. Shel Silverstein.This week's question is:Which author did not attend school full time until the age of 12?a. Margaret Atwoodb. Robin Cookc. Mary Robert Reinhartd. Charles ToddTune in next week for the answer.

Spy School - Can a normal kid become a secret agent? Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he's already pegged his dream job: C.I.A. or bust. So he's thrilled when he's recruited to the C.I.A.'s top secret Academy of Espionage. Only, it turns out, Ben hasn't been brought in because the C.I.A. expects him to succeed. Instead, he's been brought in as bait to catch a dangerous enemy agent. Now, Ben needs to step up his game before he ends up dead. Can he solve the crime, get the girl and save the day? Maybe not, but it'll be fun to watch him try! Stuart Gibbs is an American author who has written mostly mystery and humor books that are aimed for tweens and teens. Gibbs' books have been described as "fun, fast-paced" and "entertaining

The third vacation episode for the summer holiday features Misty Simon reading the first chapter of the book "All That Glitters Isn't Old" by her namesake Gabby Allan published by Kensington Publishing, which releases 7/25.Whit is up to her ears in this one with Goldy wanting a friend from the past cleared of a murder Whit isn't certain he didn't commit. Things are shady on Catalina Island right now and Whit has to figure out whodunnit before they do it again.

We interrupt your bright summer to bring you another ghost story by Mr. Charles Dickens, “The Trial for Murder.” It is, perhaps, the best known of his ghost stories, second only to “A Christmas Carol,” which, by the way, had far too many happy events and helpful supernatural beings to please our own taste for the macabre and un-wonderful. Here we have it plain and simple – the quiet terror that follows seeing what we know we should not be able to see.And now, turn down the lights, and join us for “The Trial for Murder” by Charles Dickens….

This episode is the first of our Vacation Short Stories. It is read by Ann Dark and the short story is "Sand Bar" by Ang Pompano. This story was first published in "Stone Cold: The Best New England Crime Stories"

Leslie KarstShow NotesOn this episode, we take a small break from mysteries and talk with an old friend, Leslie Karst,about her book “Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, The Law, and Cooking For RBG”When Leslie Karst learned that her offer to cook dinner for Supreme Court Justice Ruth BaderGinsburg and her renowned tax law professor husband, Marty, had been accepted, she wasthrilled—and terrified. A small-town lawyer who hated her job and had taken up cooking as away to add a bit of spice to the daily grind of pumping out billable hours, Karst had never beforethrown such a high-stakes dinner party. Could she really pull this off?Justice Is Served is Karst's light-hearted, earnest account of the journey this unexpectedchallenge launched her on—starting with a trip to Paris for culinary inspiration, and ending withthe dinner itself. Along the way, she imparts details of Ginsburg's transformation from a youngJewish girl from Flatbush, Brooklyn, to one of the most celebrated Supreme Court justices in ournation's history, and shares recipes for the mouthwatering dishes she came up with as sheprepared for the big night. But this memoir isn't simply a tale of prepping for and cooking dinnerfor the famous RBG; it's also about how this event, and all the planning and preparation thatwent into it, created a new sort of connection between Karst, her partner, and her parents, andalso inspired Karst to make life changes that would reverberate far beyond one dinner party.A heartfelt story of simultaneously searching for delicious recipes and purpose in life, Justice IsServed is an inspiring reminder that it's never too late to discover—and follow—your deepestpassion.We announced that we will be on vacation for 3 weeks in July. During that time, we havedecided to record short stories that have been submitted. Each of us will have an episode andwe will return on July 28 with regular episodes.TRIVIA:Other than a prolific mystery writer, what is Susan Wittig Albert's other claim to fame?a. she writes for a gardening magazineb. She is a professor of Englishc. She writes self-help books for womend. She was appointed the first female vice president of a universityThe answer is all of them. She earned a degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and a Ph.D.in English from the University of California, Berkeley. She became aprofessor of English at the University of Texas, Austin and was a university administrator atSophie Newcomb College in New Orleans and was the first female vice president for academicaffairs at Southwest Texas State University. She also writes a column for Country LivingGardener magazine.There will be no new trivia for this week since we will be away on vacation until July 28 when wewill resume with full episodes and new trivia.

Elle MarrShow NotesOn this episode, we visit with Elle Marr to talk about her book “The Family Bones,” Thomas & Mercer.What makes a psychopath? A young woman delves into her family's shadowy legacy in a terrifyingnovel by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of Strangers We Know.Psychology student Olivia Eriksen's family is notorious among true-crime buffs. Faced with a legacy ofpsychopathy that spans generations, Olivia has spent much of her academic life trying to answer one chillingquestion: Nature or nurture?Although she's kept a safe distance from her blood relatives for years, Olivia agrees to attend a weekendreunion. After all, her fiancé is eager to meet his future in-laws, and the gathering may give her a chance tointerview her elusive grandfather about the family traits.But nothing is ever peaceful among the Eriksens for long. Olivia's favorite cousin is found dead in a nearbylake. Then another family member disappears. As a violent storm isolates the group further, Olivia's fears risefaster than the river.And an uninvited guest is about to join the party. True-crime podcaster Birdie Tan has uncovered a disturbingmystery in her latest investigation―and she's following it right to the Eriksens' mountain resort. There's adeadly twist in the family plot that even Olivia doesn't see coming.TRIVIALast week's question was:Which mystery author also writes under the pen name of Tom Johanson?a. Steig Larsonb. Jo Nesboc. Peter Hoegd. Gunnar StaalesenThe answer is b. Jo Nesbo. It was announced in October 2013 that, writing under the pen-name of TomJohansen, Nesbø had written at least two novels provisionally entitled Blood on Snow and More Blood on theWater, scheduled to be published in autumn 2014 and spring 2015. The books Blood on Snow and its sequelMidnight Sun: Blood on Snow 2 were published in 2015, but under Jo Nesbø's name.This week's question is:Other than being a prolific mystery writer, what is susan Wittig Albert's other claim to fame?a. She writes for a gardening magazineb. She is a professor of Englishc. She writes self-help books for womend. She was the first female Vice President of a UniversityTune in next week for the answer

Tove AsterdahlShow NotesOn today's episode, we visit Sweden and talk to the author Tove Asterdahl about her book “You WillNever Be Found” which was published by Harper.In the small mining town of Malmberget, north of the Arctic Circle, residents and their houses are beingrelocated. As the mine that built the town slowly swallows it street by street, building by building, thememories of the community have collapsed into the huge pit they call “the hole.” Only a few stubbornsouls cling to their homes, refusing to leave. When two workers making their final preparations hear asound coming from a basement, they break a cellar window and find a terrified man curled up in acorner.In Ådalen, 700 kilometers away, police officer Eira Sjödin is investigating the disappearance of a manreported missing by his ex-wife. Eira and her colleagues search his apartment, contact his friends andrelatives, and query local hospitals, but the man has vanished without a trace.Eira knows the pain of loss—she mourns for her mother, whose mind has been stolen by dementia. Toescape her loneliness and her memories, Eira loses herself in a casual affair. But she's whollyunprepared when her feelings deepen for GG, who is twenty years her senior–and her boss.When the diligent GG doesn't show up for work two days in a row, Eira and her colleagues quicklyrealize that something is wrong—their boss has gone missing. In the dramatic second installment of theHigh Coast Series, Eira Sjödin finds herself at the mercy of an elusive perpetrator—and of a love shecan no longer deny.TRIVIALast week's question was:We all know and love Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher is the series Murder She Wrote. Her agent atthe time advised her to accept a role in a sitcom instead of this series but she (wisely) chose thisinstead. Who is the other actress producers had chosen for the part?a. Bea Arthurb. Victoria Principalc. Jean Stapletond. Goldie HawnThe answer is c. Jean Stapelton. In 1983, Lansbury was offered two main television roles, one in asitcom and the other in a detective drama series, Murder, She Wrote. As she was unable to do both, heragents advised her to accept the former, although Lansbury chose the latter. Her decision was based onthe appeal of the series' central character, Jessica Fletcher, a retired school teacher from the fictionaltown of Cabot Cove, Maine. As portrayed by Lansbury, Fletcher was a successful detective novelist whoalso solved murders encountered during her travels. Lansbury described the character as "an AmericanMiss Marple".Murder, She Wrote had been created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson, and William Link, who hadearlier had success with Columbo, and the role of Fletcher had been first offered to Jean Stapleton, whohad declined itThis week's question is:Which mystery author also writes under the pen name of Tom Johanson?a. Steig Larsonb. Jo Nesboc. Peter Hoegd. Gunnar StaalesenTune in next week for the answer

WWAR For JuneShow NotesAs we enter summer, we have two new books to suggest.Tracey reported on DOOMSDAY MOTHER by John Glatt (St. Martin's True Crime Press).In The Doomsday Mother, bestselling true crime author John Glatt tells the twisted tale of Lori Vallow,accused of having her two children murdered to start a new life with her new husband, doomsdayprepper Chad Daybell.At first, the residents of Kauai Beach Resort took little notice of their new neighbors. The glamorous blondeand her tall husband fit the image of the ritzy gated community. The couple seemed to keep tothemselves―until the police knocked on their door with a search warrant. Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell hadfled to Hawaii in the midst of being investigated for the disappearance of Lori's children back in Idaho―Tyleeand JJ―who hadn't been seen alive in five months.For years, Lori Vallow had been devoted to her children and her Mormon faith. But when her path crossedwith Chad Daybell, a religious zealot who taught his followers how to prepare for the end-times, thetumultuous relationship transformed her into someone unrecognizable. As authorities searched for Lori'schildren, they uncovered more suspicious deaths with links to both Lori and Chad, including the death of Lori'sthird and fourth husbands, her brother, and Chad's wife. In June 2020, the gruesome remains of JJ and Tyleewere discovered on Chad's property, and the newlyweds were arrested and charged with murder. And in ashocking development, horrifying statements revealed that the couple's fanatical beliefs had convinced themthe children had become zombies--a belief that may have led to their deaths.Bestselling author and journalist John Glatt takes readers deeper into the devastating story of Lori Vallow andChad Daybell in an attempt to unravel the lethal relationship of this doomsday couple.Ann reported on ROSSI'S GAMBLE by Paul Papa, one of the Dark and Stormy Family (STACGroupLLC)When Meyer Lansky makes you an offer, how can you refuse? Even if it's one you don't want.The Highwaymen, a group of grifters and conmen, have come to town and it is up to Massimo "Max" Rossi,the Sands Hotel and Casino's newest house detective to stop them before they hit. But finding a group thatspecializes in hitting quick and getting out fast isn't as easy as it sounds. Even if Rossi does find theHighwaymen and identify the leader, is he willing to help fill a hole in the desert?Rossi is forced into a choice he doesn't want to make!Drawn into a world of sex and drugs, where every move could be his last, Rossi must navigate his way outbefore it's too late. He's got to find the head of the Highwaymen, then decide how to stop them withoutsacrificing his morals and convictions. If he can't, there might just be two holes filled in the desert.TRIVIAWhich mystery author had a stained glass window installed in her memory at the Shrewsbury Abbey?a. Edith Pargeter (Ellis Peters)b. Agatha Christiec. Josephine Teyd. Emily DickinsonThe answer is a. Edith Pargeter (Ellis Peters). She passed away from a stroke at age 82. On September14, 1997, a new stained glass window depicting St Benedict was installed in Shrewsbury Abbey and wasdedicated to the memory of Edith Pargeter, with funds raised by donations from admirers of the author.This week's question is:We all know and love Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher is the series Murder She Wrote. Her agent atthe time advised her to accept a role in a sitcom instead of this series but she (wisely) chose this instead.Who is the other actress producers had chosen for the part?a. Bea Arthurb. Victoria Principalc. Jean Stapletond. Goldie HawnTune in next week for the answer

Radiolandby Matt CahillShow NotesDead bodies are being found in Toronto; bodies that have been altered in disturbing ways. There are whisperson the streets of a murderer stalking the bars and clubs. No one knows who the killer could be. Maybe it'sKris, a troubled musician who has just reached a level of fame only to have his life collapse around him.Maybe it's Jill, a young woman cursed with a dangerous magic that calls strangers to her.As Kris struggles to deal with a childhood experience of sexual abuse he finds a strange advertisementpinned to a tree. By answering it he begins texting Jill, another lost soul reaching out for connection. In bitsand pieces, they share their stories, discovering truths about themselves and the people surrounding them,until they must face the danger that is stalking them both.TRIVIALast week's question was:Which author was a cook at the Fair Isle Bird Observatory?a. Sharon McCrumbb. Ann Cleevesc. Jeffrey Deaverd. Anthony HorowitzTune in next week for the answer and to hear from some of the authors who attended Malice this year.

Malice RecapShow NotesAnn, Tracey and Misty discuss our observations of the Malice Domestic Conference this year. We lovedevery minute of the event and the awards banquet where the Agatha Awards for 2022 were presented: Wethoroughly enjoyed every minute of the conference and look forward to next year.2022**WINNERSBest Contemporary NovelA World of Curiosities, Louise Penny (Minotaur)**Best Historical NovelBecause I Could Not Stop for Death, Amanda Flower (Berkley)**Best First NovelCheddar Off Dead, Korina Moss (St. Martin's)**Best Short Story"Beauty and the Beyotch," Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Feb.2022)**Best Non-FictionPromophobia: Taking the Mystery Out of Promoting Crime Fiction, Diane VallereEd. (Sisters in Crime)**Best Children's/YA MysteryEnola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade, Nancy Springer (Wednesday Books)**We send our sincere congratulations to all of the winners.TRIVIALast week's question was:Jeffrey Deaver was ahead of his time in 2001 when he?a. He had characters in spaceb. He had characters use social mediac. He had characters use small sized cell phonesd. He had characters cured of cancerThe answer is b. He had characters use social media. Deaver's 2001 book The Blue Nowhere featurescriminal hackers (one using social engineering to commit murder), as well as a law enforcement computercrime unit.This week's question is::Which author was a cook at the Fair Isle Bird Observatory?a. Sharon McCrumbb. Ann Cleevesc. Jeffrey Deaverd. Anthony HorowitzTune in next week for the answer

Popup Show NotesOn this episode we visit with six authors who visited our room during Malice Domestic.Lynn McPherson, is a Canadian author. She is a cozy mystery writer and author of The IzzyWalsh Mystery Series. Her books are fun, light-hearted whodunits. They pair well with a strongcoffee or a light chardonnay, and are a recommended way to spend a relaxing afternoon. Shealso writes under the name Sydney Leigh. Her newest book, The Girls Dressed For Murder...When Izzy gets a killer dress for her birthday, she isn't expecting to accessorize it with murder...It's 1958 in the cozy coastal town of Twin Oaks and amateur sleuth Isabelle Walsh is armed witha fresh perspective, two years after tragedy strikes. The first stop on her journey back to joy isthe best little dress shop in town—introduced to her by best friend and fashion fiend, AvaRussell.Izzy falls in love with the store and its style. So, when the boutique is marred by murder, Izzywants to help. But with more suspects to choose from than a spring collection, she isn't surewhere to start. Can Izzy unravel the twisted truth or will she become the victim of a deadlytrend? Find out in the third book in the Izzy Walsh Mystery Series! Lynn's website isSydneyleighbooks.comOlivia Blacke joined us to talk about her Record Shop Mysteries.She is the author of the Record Shop Mysteries, beginning with Vinyl Resting Place, andthe Brooklyn Murder Mysteries (Killer Content and No Memes of Escape), finally found a way toput her criminology degree to good use by writing quirky, unconventional, character-driven cozymysteries. Olivia is a little nerdy, a lot awkward, and just the right amount of weird. She is arecovering ex-Texan who resides with her husband, Potassium, and Baileycakes, their roly-polyrescue puggle. When not writing, reading, or spending way too much time on social media,Olivia enjoys amigurumi crochet, scuba diving, collecting tattoos, watching hockey, and bakingdog cookies. She wants to be a unicorn when she grows up. Her website is oliviablacke.comDesmond P. Ryan is a friend of the show from Canada. He is an ex-police detective andwsrites the Mike O'Shea mysteries. One of the main characters in his books is Mike O'Shea'smotheer, Mary Margaret. She is a typical Irish woman who rules the household with an iron fistand takes no prisoners. She so encompassed the Mike books that we (that's right WE)suggested that she needed a series of her own. That brought Desmond to Malice this year. Hehas a contract for both Mike O'Shea and Mary Margaret books. He can be found at the websiterealdesmondryan.comWe then talked with Marilyn Levinson who writes under the name of Allison Brook. She hasthe Haunted Library Mystery series; Allison Brook is a former Spanish teacher who grew up inBrooklyn, New York, then Long Island, off the coast of New York. She has studied in Mexico andSpain to become fluent in Spanish, and has written in the genres of mysteries, romanticsuspense, and young adult fiction. She can be found at Crooked Lane's website .We then talked with Sue Anger, a delightful author. We talked about her book Last KnownPort. While growing up in Beaufort, North Carolina, she often heard rum-running stories fromthe Prohibition era. Although fern bars, yachts, and supermarkets may have replaced the oldworking-boat waterfront, the town still values its unique Southern history. Since she became afreela nce writer in 2014, She's written short stories, essays, magazine articles, content, andblogs.She is also a bona fide, dyed-in-the-wool fan of historical fiction and mysteries. She's alsoa long-time member of Sisters in Crime and the Triangle Area Freelancers in Raleigh, NorthCarolina.Her website is sueanger.comFinally, we talked with Vicki Delany. She is a friend of the show and a prolific author. She hasover 40 books out and writes the Tea By the Sea, The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, The Year-round Christmas, The Lighthouse Library mysteries as well as several others. Her latest book isThe Game Is A Footnote. Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson are back on the case when a body isdiscovered in a haunted museum in bestselling author Vicki Delany's eighth Sherlock HolmesBookshop mystery.Scarlet House, now a historical re-enactment museum, is the oldest building in West London,Massachusetts. When things start moving around on their own, board members suggest thatGemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, might be able to get tothe bottom of it. Gemma doesn't believe in ghosts, but she agrees to ‘eliminate the impossible'.But when Gemma and Jayne stumble across a dead body on the property, they're forced toconsider an all too physical threat.Gemma and Jayne suspect foul play as they start to uncover more secrets about the museum.With the museum being a revolving door for potential killers, they have plenty of options for whomight be the actual culprit.Despite Gemma's determination not to get further involved, it would appear that once again, andmuch to the displeasure of Detective Ryan Ashburton, the game is afoot.Will Gemma and Jayne be able to solve the mystery behind the haunted museum, or will theybe the next to haunt it? Her website is Vickidelany.com

As we wrap another Malice Domestic under our belts, we announce the winners of this year;s Agatha Awards:Best Contemporary NovelA World of Curiosities, Louise Penny (Minotaur)Best Historical NovelBecause I Could Not Stop for Death, Amanda Flower (Berkley)Best First NovelCheddar Off Dead, Korina Moss (St. Martin's)Best Short Story"Beauty and the Beyotch," Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Magazine, Feb. 2022)Best Non-FictionPromophobia: Taking the Mystery Out of Promoting Crime Fiction, Diane VallereEd. (Sisters in Crime)Best Children/Young Adult NovelEnola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade, Nancy Springer (Wednesday Books)We sincerely congratulate each of the winners and also the nominees. We look forward to next year's MaliceWe talked with Verena Rose, Chair of the Board of Directors of Malice Domestic. She is a fount of knowledgeabout the history of Malice.Verena is a short story writer, an editor and co-publisher at Level Best Books. She has been the chair of theBoard of Directors of Malice for 17 years.TRIVIALast week's question was:Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil spent how many weeks on the NY Times Best Seller list?a. 52b. 100c. 150d. 216The answer is d. 216 weeks. John Berendt published Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in 1994 and itbecame an overnight success; The book spent a record-breaking 216 weeks on the New YorkTimes bestseller list[2] — still, to this day, the longest standing best seller of the Times.This week's question is:Jeffrey Deaver was ahead of his time in 2001 when he?a. He had characters in spaceb. He had characters use social mediac. He had characters use small sized cell phonesd. He had characters cured of cancerTune in next week for the answer and to hear from some of the authors who attended Malice this year.

On this episode, we talked with our longest patron, Cynthia Surrisi. She has two books thathave just come out. She is a very successful middle school novel author.The Bones of Birka: Unraveling the Mystery of A Female Viking Warrior.(Chicago ReviewPress). When archaeologist Dr. Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson discovers that the bonescontained in the most significant Viking warrior grave ever opened are, in fact, female, she andher team upend centuries of historically accepted conclusions and ignite a furious debatearound the reality of female Viking warriors and the role of gender in both ancient and moderntimes.In The Bones of Birka, author C. M. Surrisi introduces young readers to the events that led up tothis discovery and the impact it has had on scientists' and historians' views of gender roles inancient societies and today. This is the inside account of the Birka warrior grave Bj 581archaeological endeavor, including all of the dreams, setbacks, frustrations, excitement, politics,and personalities that went into this history-changing discovery.Her other book is The Unofficial Lola Bay Fan Club (G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishers). Pop starLola Bay is everything to Iris and her best friend, Leeza. Her songs speak right totheir souls and they can't wait to start a Lola Bay fan club when middle school starts. But thenmean girls take over the fan club and Leeza seems to be interested in other things.Enter Dana. She's bold and cool and not afraid to stand up for herself. Plus, she's a massiveLola Bay fan and knows how to get free merch online. She even has big ideas for getting themto a concert.When some of Dana's ideas make Iris a little nervous, she pushes the feelings down—Danaseems to know what she's doing. Only as Dana's plans get bigger and bigger, Iris feels worseand worse. And then Dana crosses a line that causes trouble for Iris's whole family.How could someone who is supposed to be a friend do that? And, Iris wonders, how did I letthings go this far?TRIVIALast week's question was:What is author Laura Lippmans familyh connection to “The Wire?”a. her brotherb. Her sisterc. Her cousind. Her husbandThe answer is D. Her husband. Lippman is married to David Simon, another former BaltimoreSun reporter, and creator and an executive producer of the HBO series The Wire.The characterBunk is shown to be reading one of her books, In a Strange City, in episode eight of the firstseason of The Wire. Lippman appeared in a scene in the first episode of the last season of TheWire as a reporter working in the Baltimore Sun newsroomThis week's question is:Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil spent how many weeks on the NY Times Best Sellerlist?a. 52b. 100c. 150d. 216

PART 2 WWAR:Tracey reported on “Operation Blackbird: A Cold War Spy Novel” by Ellen Butler. Ellen appeared onepisode 19 in August of 2018 on her book “Isabella's Painting.”October, 1952. The war is over, but for CIA officer Miriam Becker, memories of the horrors she witnessedremain jagged in her mind. While vacationing in Argentina, recovering from a mission that nearly killed her,she's seeing more ghosts from the past than the sights.When a longtime family friend and fellow operative, Jake Devlin, tracks her down, Miriam is forced to pusheverything to the back of her mind for the next mission: help a highly prized and heavily guarded rocketscientist defect from Soviet-controlled East Berlin—right out from under the KGB's nose.Well aware that one wrong move could spark World War III, Miriam, Jake, and the team plan their strategy tothe last detail. But when a betrayal brings everything crashing down, Jake's quick thinking creates thediversion to get Miriam out alive—but leaves him trapped behind the Iron Curtain.Unsure of whom she can trust, Miriam must complete the mission by relying on contacts outside of theagency, even though her heart longs to return to East Berlin to rescue the man who is the last link to hertroubled past ... before the KGB gets to him first.Last but not least, Misty reported on Cathy Ace, one of our favorite authros, whose first appearance on thepodcast was on episode 27 for her book “The Corpse With The Silver Tongue.” She has appeared severaltimes since then.Misty reported on “The Case of The Cursed Cottage: A WISE Enquiries Agent Mystery.” HenryTwyst, eighteenth Duke of Chellingworth, is convinced his mother is losing her marbles. The dowager claimsto have seen a corpse on the dining-room floor, but all she has to prove it is a bloodied bobble hat.A BODY IN THE DINING ROOM. A BEAUTIFUL OLD MANSION. FOUR LADIES WHO WILL SOLVE THEMYSTERY.Henry hires the women of the WISE Enquiries Agency. The duke wants the strange matter explained.But the truth of what happened at the Chellingworth Estate, set in the rolling Welsh countryside near thequaint village of Anwen by Wye, is more complex, dangerous, and deadly, than anyone could have foreseen .. .THE DETECTIVESThe WISE Enquiries Agency consists of Mavis, Annie, Carol and Christine. One is Welsh, one Irish, oneScottish and one English, hence the name. Drawn together by chance – and a killer – the women of the WISEEnquiries Agency turned their backs on their previous careers to work together to help others. Combining theirunique skills, and reveling in their differences, they're doing their best to make the business succeed. Butbeing private investigators isn't a bed of roses – there are bills to pay, clients to be managed, and dangers tobe faced. Can they manage to do it all, and survive?We thank our listeners and especially our patrons who support what we do and look forward to five moreyears of fun.TRIVIALast week's question was:P.D. James began her writing career while she worked where?a. A schoolb. a Law firmc. a factoryd. a hospitalThe answer is d. A hospital. She married Ernest Connor Bantry White (called "Connor"), an army doctor,on 8 August 1941. They had two daughters, Clare and Jane. White returned from the Second World Warmentally ill and was institutionalised. With her daughters being mostly cared for by Connor's parents,Jamesstudied hospital administration, and from 1949 to 1968 worked for a hospital board in London. She beganwriting in the mid-1950s, using her maiden name ("My genes are James genes")This week's question is:What is author Laura Lippmans family connection to “The Wire?”a. her brotherb. Her sisterc. Her cousinTune in next week for the answer.

5thPodiversary andWWAR For AprilShow NotesWe are celebrating our 5th“Podiversary” this month and, as a subject, we have decided to return to yearone and revisit some of the authors from our very first year.Kathy reported on Jana DeLeon who was featured on episode 8 for her book “Louisiana Longshot.”Kathy found that she has 24 books in the series now and reported on “Flame and Fortune” the 22ndbookin the series.It's New Year's in Sinful, and the competition for the New Year's Queen is heating up as the warring churchesgo head-to-head. Fortune Redding is not the sequined dress kind of woman, but reluctantly agrees to partakein the debacle so that Ida Belle and Gertie can best their nemesis, Celia, who's put up former Sinful mean girlRJ Rogers.RJ and her friend Brock Benoit left plenty of devastation in their wake when they fled Sinful after high school.So when they return and Brock is found dead, there's no shortage of suspects. Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertieknow all too well what it's like to live under suspicion of a crime with no resolution. When good people becomethe targets of gossip, they know they have to rush to unravel the tangled lives of RJ and Brock and expose akiller before the wrong person's reputation is ruined. Or worse—they're arrested for a crime they didn'tcommit.Ann then reported on “A White Hot Plan” by Michael H. Rubin. Mike appeared as our second authorwe actually interviewed on episode 9 for his book “The Cottoncrest Curse.” Michael writes his books incollaboration with his wife Ayan Rubin.A group of alt-right terrorists decides that now is the time―and New Orleans is the place―to make anexplosive statement that will force the world to acknowledge the superiority of the white supremacistmovement. Disgraced former New Orleans homicide detective Starner Gautreaux is now a poorly paidsheriff's deputy relegated to writing his weekly quota of speeding tickets in a sleepy south Louisiana parish.His mundane life is all-too-predictable until several unusual events cause him to suspect something isseriously amiss. While the local coroner classifies the resulting deaths as accidental, Starner's priorexperience leads him to believe that not only are they homicides, but also that they signal something far moresinister. Taut action bubbles up from the swamps of Louisiana to the hidden haunts of underworld bosses,from small-town life to urban grit, and from a high-speed highway shootout to a terrifying confrontation in theheart of the French Quarter. White supremacists seek to impose their will on a city swamped with carefreetourists, but Starner Gautreaux is determined not to let that happen.We broke the episode into two parts due to the length and will broadcast part 2 tomorrow.

Jennifer Chow, Rob Osler and Harini NagendraShow NotesOn this episode we finish our interviews with nominees for the Agatha Awards which will begiven at Malice Domestic this year.We first talked with Jennifer Chow who is nominated for her book “Death By Bubble Tea”(Berkley) for Best Contemporary Novel.When Yale Yee discovers her cousin Celine is visiting from Hong Kong, she is obliged to playtour guide to a relative she hasn't seen in twenty years. Not only that, but her father thinks it's awonderful idea for them to bond by running a food stall together at the Eastwood Village NightMarket. Yale hasn't cooked in years, and she hardly considers Celine's career as a social mediainfluencer as adequate experience, but because she's just lost her job at her local bookstore,she feels she has no choice.Yale and Celine serve small dishes and refreshing drinks, and while business is slow, iteventually picks up thanks to Celine's surprisingly useful marketing ideas. They're quite shockedthat their bubble tea, in particular, is a hit--literally--when one of their customers turns up dead.Yale and Celine are prime suspects due to the gold flakes that Celine added to the sweet drinkas a garnish. Though the two cousins are polar opposites in every way, they must work togetherto find out what really happened to the victim or the only thing they'll be serving is time.We talked then with Rob Osler who is nominated for a Best First Novel for his book “Devil'sChew Toy” (Level Best).Seattle teacher and part-time blogger Hayden McCall wakes sporting one hell of a shiner, withthe police knocking at his door. It seems that his new crush, dancer Camilo Rodriguez, hasgone missing and they suspect foul play. What happened the night before? And where isCamilo?Determined to find answers, pint-sized, good-hearted Hayden seeks out two of Camilo's friends—Hollister and Burley—both lesbians and both fiercely devoted to their friend. From them,Hayden learns that Camilo is a “Dreamer” whose parents had been deported years earlier, andwhose sister, Daniela, is presumed to have returned to Venezuela with them. Convinced that thecops won't take a brown boy's disappearance seriously, the girls join Hayden's hunt for Camilo.The first clues turn up at Barkingham Palace, a pet store where Camilo had taken a part-timejob. The store's owner, Della Rupert, claims ignorance, but Hayden knows something is up. Andthen there's Camilo's ex-boyfriend, Ryan, who's suddenly grown inexplicably wealthy. WhenHayden and Hollister follow Ryan to a secure airport warehouse, they make a shockingconnection between him and Della—and uncover the twisted scheme that's made both of themrich.The trail of clues leads them to the grounds of a magnificent estate on an island in PugetSound, where they'll finally learn the truth about Camilo's disappearance—and the fate of hisfamily.And Finally, we talked with Harini Nagendra who is nominated for a Best First Novel for her book:The Bangladore Detective's Club” (Constable)Solving crimes isn't easy.Add a jealous mother-in-law and having to wear a flowing sari into the mix, and you've got aproblem.When clever, headstrong Kaveri moves to Bangalore to marry doctor Ramu, she's resignedherself to a quiet life.But that all changes the night of the party at the Century Club, where she escapes to the gardenfor some peace - and instead spots an uninvited guest in the shadows. Half an hour later, theparty turns into a murder scene.When a vulnerable woman is connected to the crime, Kaveri becomes determined to save herand launches a private investigation to find the killer, tracing his steps from an illustrious brothelto an Englishman's mansion. She soon finds that sleuthing in a sari isn't as hard as it seemswhen you have a talent for maths, a head for logic and a doctor for a husband.And she's going to need them all as the case leads her deeper into a hotbed of danger, seditionand intrigue in Bangalore's darkest alleyways . . .We congratulate each and every nominee and wish them all the best of luck with their writingand in life.TRIVIALast week's question was:Which author used the following pseudonyms in their career. Deanna Dwyer, K. R. Dwyer,Aaron Wolfe, David Axton, Brian Coffey, John Hill, Leigh Nichols, Owen West, Richard Paige,and Anthony North?a. Dean Koontzb. James Pattersonc. John LeCarred. Michael ConnellyThe answer is a. Dean Koontz. Known pseudonyms used by Koontz during his career includeDeanna Dwyer, K. R. Dwyer, Aaron Wolfe, David Axton, Brian Coffey, John Hill, Leigh Nichols,Owen West, Richard Paige, and Anthony North. As Brian Coffey, he wrote the "Mike Tucker"trilogy (Blood Risk, Surrounded, Wall of Masks) in acknowledged tribute to the Parker novels ofRichard Stark (Donald E. Westlake). Many of Koontz's pseudonymous novels are now availableunder his real name. Many others remain suppressed by Koontz, who bought back the rights toensure they could not be republished; he has, on occasion, said that he might revise some forrepublication, but only three have appeared — Demon Seed and Invasion were both heavilyrewritten before they were republished, and Prison of Ice had certain sections bowdlerised.This week's question is:P.D. James began her writing career while she worked where?a. A schoolb. a Law firmc. a factoryd. a hospitalTune in next week for the answer.

Nina Wachsman and Martin EdwardsShow NotesWe talked to two more of the Agatha Nominees for this episode.First, we talked with Nina Wachsmann who is nominated for a Best First Novel for her bookThe Gallery of Beauties (Level Best Books) In the city that invented the concept of the ‘Ghetto,'it is surprising to learn that the Jews lived separately but not isolated from the culture aroundthem in the seventeenth century. Rabbis were not only leaders in the Jewish community, butscholars, mathematicians, statesmen and playwrights who were well known and respected inVenetian society and throughout Europe. The music, art and innovative foods which filled thecity, filtered into the Ghetto, finding its way into synagogues and homes.In a salon-like discussion with trustee David Sable, Nina Wachsman will bring to life this unusualcity and its unusually modern Jews, from her research for her novel of historical suspense, TheGallery of Beauties.We then talked with Martin Edwards who is nominated for Best Non-Fiction for his bookThe Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators (Harper Collins)In the first major history of crime fiction in 50 years, The Life of Crime: Detecting the History ofMysteries and Their Creators traces the evolution of the genre from the 18th century to thepresent, offering brand-new perspective on the world's most popular form of fiction.Author Martin Edwards is a multi-award-winning crime novelist, the president of the DetectionClub, archivist of the Crime Writers' Association and series consultant to the British Library'shighly successful series of crime classics, and therefore uniquely qualified to write this book. Hehas been a widely respected genre commentator for more than 30 years, winning the CWADiamond Dagger for making a significant contribution to crime writing in 2020, when he alsocompiled and published Howdunit: A Masterclass in Crime Writing by Members of the DetectionClub and the novel Mortmain Hall. His critically acclaimed The Golden Age of Murder (CollinsCrime Club, 2015) was a landmark study of detective fiction between the wars.The Life of Crime is the result of a lifetime of reading and enjoying all types of crime fiction, oldand new, from around the world. In what will surely be regarded as his magnum opus, MartinEdwards has thrown himself undaunted into the breadth and complexity of the genre to write anauthoritative—and enjoyable—study of its development and evolution. With crime fiction beingread more widely than ever around the world, and with individual authors increasingly thesubject of extensive academic study, his expert distillation of more than two centuries ofextraordinary books and authors—from the tales of E.T.A. Hoffmann to the novels of PatriciaCornwell—into one coherent history is an extraordinary feat and makes for a compelling listen.TRIVIALast week's question was:Author Harlan Coben made a deal with whom in 2016 to adapt 14 of his novels into film?a. Fox Entertainmentb. Paramoutc. Blue Sky Productionsd. NetflixThe answer is d. Netflix. In August 2018, Coben signed a multi-million-dollar five-year deal withAmerican company Netflix. Under the deal, 14 of Coben's novels would be developed intooriginal Netflix series or films, with him serving as executive producer on all projects.[30] Thefirst title released under the deal was The Stranger, based on his novel of the same name,which premiered in January 2020.[31] In October 2022, it was announced that Netflix had re-upped the deal for another four years, with the Myron Bolitar series now also available foradaptationThis week's question is:Which author used the following pseudonyms in their career. Deanna Dwyer, K. R. Dwyer,Aaron Wolfe, David Axton, Brian Coffey, John Hill, Leigh Nichols, Owen West, Richard Paige,and Anthony North?a. Dean Koontzb. James Pattersonc. John LeCarred. Michael ConnellyTune in next week for the answer.

Korina Moss and Fleur BradleyShow NotesThe first thing we did on this episode is to announce that we have a new patron in Jan H. fromIllinois and we are thrilled. We also had a donation made to our tip jar on our website from JoanLong. We are very appreciative of both.Korina Moss is nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel for her book “Cheddar OffDead.”Cheesemonger Willa Bauer is proving that sweet dreams are made of cheese. She's openedher very own French-inspired cheese shop, Curds & Whey, in the heart of the Sonoma Valley.The small town of Yarrow Glen is Willa's fresh start, and she's determined to make it a success– starting with a visit from the local food critic. What Willa didn't know is that this guy never givesa good review, and when he shows up nothing goes according to plan. She doesn't think thenight can get any worse... until she finds the critic's dead body, stabbed with one of her shop'scheese knives. Now a prime suspect, Willa has always believed life's problems can be solvedwith cheese, but she's never tried to apply it to murder...We then talked with Fleur Bradley who is nominated for An Agatha Award for Best Children orYoung Adult Novel for her book “Daybreak on Raven Island.”Tori, Marvin, and Noah would rather be anywhere else than on the seventh grade class field tripto Raven Island prison. Tori would rather be on the soccer field, but her bad grades havebenched her until further notice; Marvin would rather be at the first day of a film festival with hisbest friend, Kevin; and Noah isn't looking forward to having to make small talk with hisclassmates at this new school.But when the three of them stumble upon a dead body in the woods, miss the last ferry backhome, and then have to spend the night on Raven Island, they find that they need each othernow more than ever. They must work together to uncover a killer, outrun a motley ghost-huntingcrew, and expose the age-old secrets of the island all before daybreak.We thank both of these ladies and wish them good luck.TRIVIALast Week's question was:“High Tower Court” building had what influence on author Michael Connelly?a. He thought it was hauntedb. He featured it in his bookc. He wanted to live thered. He wanted it renamedThe answer is c. He wanted to live there.After moving to Los Angeles, Connelly went to see High Tower Court where RaymondChandler's character Philip Marlowe had lived (in his 1942 novel The High Window), and RobertAltman had used for his film The Long Goodbye(1973). Connelly got the manager of thebuilding to promise to phone him if the apartment ever became available. Ten years later, themanager tracked Connelly down, and Connelly decided to rent the place. This apartment servedas a place to write for several yearsThis week's question is:Author Harlan Coben made a deal with whom in 2016 to adapt 14 of his novels into film?a. Fox Entertainmentb. Paramoutc. Blue Sky Productionsd. Netflix

Joan Long/M.A. MoninShow notesOur first episode dedicated to the nominees for Agatha Awards begins today. Our first nomineeis Joan Long who is nominated for Best First Novel for her book “The Finalist”The Finalist (Level Best Books) Five authors, each with their own secrets, are chosen tocomplete a deceased novelist's unfinished manuscript. For single mom Risa Marr, thecompetition is the opportunity of a lifetime. At stake is a million dollars and a contract to continuethe famous novelist's bestselling thriller series.Transported to the tropical paradise of Key Island, the finalists are cut off from the world andgiven seven days to draft their best ending for the book. But when one of them turns up dead,theories and accusations abound. Accident? Suicide? Or Murder? To what lengths willcompetitors go to win? And who, if anyone, will leave the island alive?We then chatted with M.A. (Mary) Monin who is nominated for Best First Novel for her book“Death In The Aegean”Death in the Aegean (An Intrepid Traveler Mystery) Level Best Books. When private bankerStefanie Adams takes a much-needed vacation to the Greek isles, vowing to embraceopportunities as they come, instead of finding romance and adventure she is suspected ofmurdering a bride who accused her deceased father of artifact theft. Unfortunately, thenewlywed's accusation also ties Stefanie, a former archaeology student, to the robbery of anewly discovered Minoan statue, the golden Akrotiri Snake Goddess.With two high-profile crimes to solve, Greek police are under pressure, and both crimes leadstraight to Stefanie. To avoid Greek prison and maintain her career, Stefanie must identify whichof her fellow travelers is the real killer.Between the light-fingered backpacker with an eye on the bride's jewelry, the travel bloggerwhose career the dead woman ruined, a flirtatious German tourist who is after more thanromance, and the long-suffering bridegroom, Stefanie's task won't be easy. Everyone, it seems,had a motive for wanting to see the last of Emma Keller.We wish both of these lovely ladies good luck. We will have two more nominees on our podcastnext week so be sure and join us.TRIVIALast week's question was:Which author worked at a job and had to dress up as a tuxedo wearing yogurt?a. Elly Griffithsb. Sue Graftonc. Louise Pennyd. Gillian FlynnThe answer is d. Gillian Flynn. Flynn attended Bishop Miege High School and graduated in1989.. As a young woman, she worked odd jobs which required her to do things such as dressup as a giant "yogurt cone who wore a tuxedoThis week's question is:“High Tower Court” building had what influence on author Michael Connelly?a. He thought it was hauntedb. He featured it in his bookc. He wanted to live thered. He wanted it renamedTune in next week for the answer.

WWAR for March 2023Show NotesPart 1The Agatha Awards are coming up at end end of April and our next few episodes will be interviews withseveral of the nominees for this year's awards. Therfore, we decided to devote our March WWAR episodes tobooks that have been nominated for awards this year.Joan Long is nominated for an Agatha for Best First Novel for “The Finalist” (Level Best Books)Five authors, each with their own secrets, are chosen to complete a deceased novelist's unfinishedmanuscript. For single mom Risa Marr, the competition is the opportunity of a lifetime. At stake is a milliondollars and a contract to continue the famous novelist's bestselling thriller series.Transported to the tropical paradise of Key Island, the finalists are cut off from the world and given seven daysto draft their best ending for the book. But when one of them turns up dead, theories and accusations abound.Accident? Suicide? Or Murder? To what lengths will competitors go to win? And who, if anyone, will leave theisland alive?Dr. Lucy Worsley is nominated for an Agatha for Best Non-Fiction for her book “Agatha Christie: AnElusive Woman” (Pegasus Crime)"Nobody in the world was more inadequate to act the heroine than I was."Why did Agatha Christie spend her career pretending that she was "just" an ordinary housewife, when clearlyshe wasn't? Her life is fascinating for its mysteries and its passions and, as Lucy Worsley says, "She wasthrillingly, scintillatingly modern." She went surfing in Hawaii, she loved fast cars, and she was intrigued by thenew science of psychology, which helped her through devastating mental illness.So why—despite all the evidence to the contrary—did Agatha present herself as a retiring Edwardian lady ofleisure?She was born in 1890 into a world that had its own rules about what women could and couldn't do. LucyWorsley's biography is not just of a massively, internationally successful writer. It's also the story of a personwho, despite the obstacles of class and gender, became an astonishingly successful working woman.With access to personal letters and papers that have rarely been seen, Lucy Worsley's biography is bothauthoritative and entertaining and makes us realize what an extraordinary pioneer Agatha Christie was—trulya woman who wrote the twentieth century.Part 2Rob Osler is nominated for a Best First Novel for his book “The Devil's Chew Toy” (Crooked Lane Books)Seattle teacher and part-time blogger Hayden McCall wakes sporting one hell of a shiner, with the policeknocking at his door. It seems that his new crush, dancer Camilo Rodriguez, has gone missing and theysuspect foul play. What happened the night before? And where is Camilo?Determined to find answers, pint-sized, good-hearted Hayden seeks out two of Camilo's friends—Hollisterand Burley—both lesbians and both fiercely devoted to their friend. From them, Hayden learns that Camilo isa “Dreamer” whose parents had been deported years earlier, and whose sister, Daniela, is presumed to havereturned to Venezuela with them. Convinced that the cops won't take a brown boy's disappearance seriously,the girls join Hayden's hunt for Camilo.The first clues turn up at Barkingham Palace, a pet store where Camilo had taken a part-time job. The store'sowner, Della Rupert, claims ignorance, but Hayden knows something is up. And then there's Camilo's ex-boyfriend, Ryan, who's suddenly grown inexplicably wealthy. When Hayden and Hollister follow Ryan to asecure airport warehouse, they make a shocking connection between him and Della—and uncover the twistedscheme that's made both of them rich.The trail of clues leads them to the grounds of a magnificent estate on an island in Puget Sound, where they'llfinally learn the truth about Camilo's disappearance—and the fate of his family.Karen Odden is nominated for Best Historical Novel for “Under A Veiled Moon” (Crooked Lane Books)September 1878. One night, as the pleasure boat The Princess Alice makes her daily trip up the Thames, shecollides with the Bywell Castle, a huge iron-hulled collier. The Princess Alice shears apart, throwing all 600passengers into the river; only 130 survive. It is the worst maritime disaster London has ever seen, and earlyclues point to sabotage by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who believe violence is the path to restoring IrishHome Rule.For Scotland Yard Inspector Michael Corravan, born in Ireland and adopted by the Irish Doyle family, the casepresents a challenge. Accused by the Home Office of willfully disregarding the obvious conclusion, andberated by his Irish friends for bowing to prejudice, Corravan doggedly pursues the truth, knowing that if thePrincess Alice disaster is pinned on the IRB, hopes for Home Rule could be dashed forever.Corrovan's dilemma is compounded by Colin, the youngest Doyle, who has joined James McCabe's Irishgang. As violence in Whitechapel rises, Corravan strikes a deal with McCabe to get Colin out of harm's way.But unbeknownst to Corravan, Colin bears longstanding resentments against his adopted brother and scornshis help.As the newspapers link the IRB to further accidents, London threatens to devolve into terror and chaos. Withthe help of his young colleague, the loyal Mr. Stiles, and his friend Belinda Gale, Corravan uncovers theharrowing truth—one that will shake his faith in his countrymen, the law, and himself.TRIVIAC.J. Box won what award for his first novel “Open Season?”a. Anthonyb. Macavityc. Gumshoed. BarryThe answer is All of them For Open Season, Box won the Anthony Award, the Macavity Award, the GumshoeAward, and the Barry Award, all in the Best First Novel category.This week's question is:Which author worked at a job and had to dress up as a tuxedo wearing yogurt?a. Elly Griffithsb. Sue Graftonc. Louise Pennyd. Gillian FlynnTune in next week for the answer

WWAR for March 2023Show NotesPart 1The Agatha Awards are coming up at end end of April and our next few episodes will be interviews withseveral of the nominees for this year's awards. Therfore, we decided to devote our March WWAR episodes tobooks that have been nominated for awards this year.Joan Long is nominated for an Agatha for Best First Novel for “The Finalist” (Level Best Books)Five authors, each with their own secrets, are chosen to complete a deceased novelist's unfinishedmanuscript. For single mom Risa Marr, the competition is the opportunity of a lifetime. At stake is a milliondollars and a contract to continue the famous novelist's bestselling thriller series.Transported to the tropical paradise of Key Island, the finalists are cut off from the world and given seven daysto draft their best ending for the book. But when one of them turns up dead, theories and accusations abound.Accident? Suicide? Or Murder? To what lengths will competitors go to win? And who, if anyone, will leave theisland alive?Dr. Lucy Worsley is nominated for an Agatha for Best Non-Fiction for her book “Agatha Christie: AnElusive Woman” (Pegasus Crime)"Nobody in the world was more inadequate to act the heroine than I was."Why did Agatha Christie spend her career pretending that she was "just" an ordinary housewife, when clearlyshe wasn't? Her life is fascinating for its mysteries and its passions and, as Lucy Worsley says, "She wasthrillingly, scintillatingly modern." She went surfing in Hawaii, she loved fast cars, and she was intrigued by thenew science of psychology, which helped her through devastating mental illness.So why—despite all the evidence to the contrary—did Agatha present herself as a retiring Edwardian lady ofleisure?She was born in 1890 into a world that had its own rules about what women could and couldn't do. LucyWorsley's biography is not just of a massively, internationally successful writer. It's also the story of a personwho, despite the obstacles of class and gender, became an astonishingly successful working woman.With access to personal letters and papers that have rarely been seen, Lucy Worsley's biography is bothauthoritative and entertaining and makes us realize what an extraordinary pioneer Agatha Christie was—trulya woman who wrote the twentieth century.Part 2Rob Osler is nominated for a Best First Novel for his book “The Devil's Chew Toy” (Crooked Lane Books)Seattle teacher and part-time blogger Hayden McCall wakes sporting one hell of a shiner, with the policeknocking at his door. It seems that his new crush, dancer Camilo Rodriguez, has gone missing and theysuspect foul play. What happened the night before? And where is Camilo?Determined to find answers, pint-sized, good-hearted Hayden seeks out two of Camilo's friends—Hollisterand Burley—both lesbians and both fiercely devoted to their friend. From them, Hayden learns that Camilo isa “Dreamer” whose parents had been deported years earlier, and whose sister, Daniela, is presumed to havereturned to Venezuela with them. Convinced that the cops won't take a brown boy's disappearance seriously,the girls join Hayden's hunt for Camilo.The first clues turn up at Barkingham Palace, a pet store where Camilo had taken a part-time job. The store'sowner, Della Rupert, claims ignorance, but Hayden knows something is up. And then there's Camilo's ex-boyfriend, Ryan, who's suddenly grown inexplicably wealthy. When Hayden and Hollister follow Ryan to asecure airport warehouse, they make a shocking connection between him and Della—and uncover the twistedscheme that's made both of them rich.The trail of clues leads them to the grounds of a magnificent estate on an island in Puget Sound, where they'llfinally learn the truth about Camilo's disappearance—and the fate of his family.Karen Odden is nominated for Best Historical Novel for “Under A Veiled Moon” (Crooked Lane Books)September 1878. One night, as the pleasure boat The Princess Alice makes her daily trip up the Thames, shecollides with the Bywell Castle, a huge iron-hulled collier. The Princess Alice shears apart, throwing all 600passengers into the river; only 130 survive. It is the worst maritime disaster London has ever seen, and earlyclues point to sabotage by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who believe violence is the path to restoring IrishHome Rule.For Scotland Yard Inspector Michael Corravan, born in Ireland and adopted by the Irish Doyle family, the casepresents a challenge. Accused by the Home Office of willfully disregarding the obvious conclusion, andberated by his Irish friends for bowing to prejudice, Corravan doggedly pursues the truth, knowing that if thePrincess Alice disaster is pinned on the IRB, hopes for Home Rule could be dashed forever.Corrovan's dilemma is compounded by Colin, the youngest Doyle, who has joined James McCabe's Irishgang. As violence in Whitechapel rises, Corravan strikes a deal with McCabe to get Colin out of harm's way.But unbeknownst to Corravan, Colin bears longstanding resentments against his adopted brother and scornshis help.As the newspapers link the IRB to further accidents, London threatens to devolve into terror and chaos. Withthe help of his young colleague, the loyal Mr. Stiles, and his friend Belinda Gale, Corravan uncovers theharrowing truth—one that will shake his faith in his countrymen, the law, and himself.TRIVIAC.J. Box won what award for his first novel “Open Season?”a. Anthonyb. Macavityc. Gumshoed. BarryThe answer is All of them For Open Season, Box won the Anthony Award, the Macavity Award, the GumshoeAward, and the Barry Award, all in the Best First Novel category.This week's question is:Which author worked at a job and had to dress up as a tuxedo wearing yogurt?a. Elly Griffithsb. Sue Graftonc. Louise Pennyd. Gillian FlynnTune in next week for the answer