Mysteries to Die For

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is After Pearl by Stephen G. Eoannou TG Wolff ReviewAfter Pearl is a PI Mystery. World War II is raging and private investigator Nicholas Bishop is a fighting hang over. Sometime in the days he can't remember, his .38 had been fired twice and the woman he was last seen with has gone missing. While juggling jobs that actually pay the bills, Bishop must find the woman before the police make good on their threat to hold him responsible. Bottom line: After Pearl is for you if you like private detectives in historical periods who are equally dedicated to their craft and the bottle. After Pearl was released from Santa Fe Writers Project and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.About Stephen G. EoannouStephen G. Eoannou holds an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte and an MA from Miami University. He has been awarded an Honor Certificate from The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and the Best Short Screenplay Award at the 36th Denver Film Festival. His novel Yesteryear was awarded the 2021 International Eyelands Award for Best Historical Novel, The Firebird Book Award for Biographical Fiction, and Shelf Unbound's Notable Indy Books of 2023. He lives and writes in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, the setting and inspiration for much of his work.www.SGEoannou.comWondering what to read after you finish After Pearl? Partners in Crime Tours is your ultimate destination for all things mystery, crime, thriller, and cozy! Since 2011, they've been working to fill bookshelves with gripping and heart-pounding reads. Discover new mystery series and connect with other fans. Look up Partners in Crime Tours on the web or your favorite social media -www.partnerincrimetours.com.And Authors, whether you're looking to promote your latest thriller or connect with fellow fans of the genre, PICT has you covered. Check out their promotion options that come with the personal attention of a dedicated coordinator.Join us next week for Season 8 Anything but Murder. A Missing person case is our next murderless mystery with The Florida Man Cometh by Jim Winter.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 8, where witness intimidation is the featured crime. This is Ace of Hearts by Margaret S. Hamilton“Ace of Hearts” is Margaret S. Hamilton's third published short story set in New Orleans, a city she knows and loves, from the manicured acres of City Park to the potholed streets of the Lower Garden District. New Orleans is a city defined by food: fried oyster po'boys, Abita beer, beignets, and chicory coffee. A city of haunting jazz melodies and spectacular Mardi Gras parades. A city that survives adversity and thrives, like Calliope Hebert, the main character of this story.DELIBERATIONCallie is on a tight timeline with no room for error. She needs our help if she's going to find the flash drive and save her mother. There are the potential locations for the flash drive:House of Rising Sun Dress sign, outside the door to Mama's apartmentKrewe stiletto heel, in the dining room on the shelvesPin cushion, kept on Mama's bedside tableLipstick tube, given by Mama's sisterBroken flashlight, stored in Mama's bedroom Here are the clues Callie has to work with:Ace downloaded business records from John Readon to a flash drive before he disappeared last SpringMama sold the house and moved the family to the duplex. The furniture is new. Only personal items and Mama's dress business were movedCallie saw Mama shove something into the side of the house when she was hanging up her business signCallie's aunt gave Mama the tube of lipstick when she came to the partyThe pin cushion was in the draw where Callie found the queen of hearts playing cardThe flashlight Callie tried to use when the lights went out didn't turn on and sounded like there was something loose inside.When Callie asked her mother about the things Ace left, she didn't seem to know where the information was. The only thing Ace said was “think about our wedding day.”The Reardon's reported a rumor that the flash drive was hidden in the Krewe stilettos.Where should Callie look for the flash drive? About Witness IntimidationWitness intimidation is as old as crime itself. And it actually is a crime – witness intimidation, witness tampering. From the attorney general of Pennsylvania comes the very recent case of Dushawn Ellis who was facing charges of human trafficking. While in jail, he put out a $20,000 hit on the witness. Ellis approached another inmate of the county prison who knew the witness and used that connection and the bounty to video chat with the witness and personally make the threat. The witness held their ground and Ellis was charged with two counts of felony witness intimidation and one count of obstruction of justice. He was convicted by a jury in February 2024, was sentences to 8 ½ to 22 years. The original human trafficking was ongoing as of that time.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is The Brownstone on E. 83rd by Jenny DandyThe Brownstone on E. 83rd is a caper crime story. Ronnie Charles is a street kid, a self-taught thief, and butler, cook, and errand boy to Isabelle Anderson. FBI Special Agent Frank Jankowski is after a drug dealer and his only way into the closed network is thru the lady at the top of society itself, Isabelle Anderson. When it comes to the game of cat and mouse, one thing is certain…Isabelle is all feline.Bottom line: The Brownstone on E. 83rd is for you if you like capers where the players are bold, beautiful, and brutal.About Jenny DandyJenny Dandy is a graduate of Smith College and of Lighthouse Writers Workshop Book Project. Though she has lived and worked from Beijing to Baltimore, from Northampton to Atlanta, it was New York that held onto a piece of her heart. She now lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains where she would never lift a wallet or scam her dinner guests.www.JennyDandy.comWondering what to read after you finish The Brownstone on E. 83rd? Partners in Crime Tours is your ultimate destination for all things mystery, crime, thriller, and cozy! Since 2011, they've been working to fill bookshelves with gripping and heart-pounding reads. Discover new mystery series and connection with other fans with Partners in Crime. Look up Partners in Crime Tours on the web or your favorite social media. https://partnersincrimetours.com/And Authors, whether you're looking to promote your latest thriller, discover a new mystery series, or connect with fellow fans of the genre, PICT has you covered. Check out their promotion options that come with the personal attention of a dedicated coordinator.Join us next week for Mysteries to Die For Season 8 Anything But Murder. Our story is Ace of Hearts by Margaret S. Hamilton where witness intimidation is our murderless crime.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 7, betrayal is the featured crime. This is Opera Dinner Club by Debra H. GoldsteinDELIBERATIONJessica Rothman is close to discovering who betrayed her grandparents, Helen and Wilhelm Rothman, to the Nazi's but she needs our help to figure out who from the final dinner party betrayed them. Here is the list in the order we met them:Melinda Brooks, smuggler, last of the party remainingAlbert Brooks, professor, opposed to Melinda's activitiesLloyd Edgerton, armament dealer, opposed to Victoria's activitiesVictoria Edgerton, smuggler, Melinda's usual partnerMarta Schmidt, servant to Helen's parents, now living with the RothmansHans Schmidt, servant to Helen's parents, now living with the RothmansBernard Schmidt, son to the Schmidts, working at times as a servant to the RothmansAri, Jewish man working to get children out of AustriaHere is what Jessica knows:Helen Rothman devised a scheme to smuggle valuables for Jews to England. Melinda and Victoria worked together as did Marta and Hans Schmidt.Ari is a mysterious guest who has a seat of honor at the Rothman dinner table. He with Helen proposes to smuggle children out as they are doing with money and jewels.Albert Brooks and Lloyd Edgerton did little to participate for the sake of their businesses. Both were afraid of the fallout should the scheme come to light. Eventually, they both wanted their wives to stop.The Schmidts are German. Having worked for Helen's parents and then moving in with the Rothmans, their loyalty is to the Rothman's.Bernard Schmidt participates in the Nazi youth movement because he's expected to. Like his parents, his loyalty is to the Rothmans.Upon whom do we shine the spotlight of betrayal?ABOUT Debra H. GoldsteinJudge Debra H. Goldstein is the author of Kensington's Sarah Blair mystery series that features a woman who finds being in the kitchen more frightening than murder (One Taste Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Four Cuts Too Many, and Five Belles Too Many). Her other writings include the novels Should Have Played Poker and Maze in Blue, and more than fifty short stories that have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies. Debra's work has been named as Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Claymore finalists and received IPPY, Silver Falchion, AWC, and BWR awards. She serves on the national Sisters in Crime board and previously was a national board member of Mystery Writers of America and president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters. https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is Rented Grave by Charles Philipp MartinTG Wolff ReviewRented Grave is an suspense novel. A man is dead. A boy is missing. When it comes to the crimes, three men are in it to win it. Criminal, victim, and cop. But address and title doesn't necessarily tell who is who.Bottom line: Rented Grave is for you if you like gritty stories of haves and have nots with a Hong Kong flair.About Charles Philipp MartinCharles Philipp Martin grew up in New York City's Greenwich Village in a family steeped in music and literature. After attending Columbia University and Manhattan School of Music, Martin took off for a six-year paid vacation in the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. While in Hong Kong he hung up his bow and turned to writing, spending four years as a Sunday Magazine columnist for the South China Morning Post, and writing for magazines all over Southeast Asia. His weekly jazz radio show 3 O'Clock Jump was heard every Saturday on Hong Kong's Radio 3 for some two decades. Martin now lives in Seattle with his wife Catherine. Find him at www.NeonPanic.comWondering what to read after you finish Rented Grave? Partners in Crime Tours is your ultimate destination for all things mystery, crime, thriller, and cozy! Since 2011, they've been working to fill bookshelves with gripping and heart-pounding reads. Discover new mystery series and connection with other fans with Partners in Crime. Look up Partners in Crime Tours on the web or your favorite social media - www.partnerincrime.com.And Authors, whether you're looking to promote your latest thriller, discover a new mystery series, or connect with fellow fans of the genre, PICT has you covered. Check out their promotion options that come with the personal attention of a dedicated coordinator.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrop for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 6b, attempted infanticide is the featured crime. This is Safe Haven Part 2 by Jason Little.DeliberationBarrett Turner needs our help like few others have. The elusive figurehead Sampic and his loyal SampicKnights are determined to kill Baby Davey if Barrett can't stop the insanity. Here are the people Barrett's interacted with today:Nelson Kessler, current police chief and former best friendBetty Lou Turner, Barrett's mother and social media fanaticIrene Van Horten, current FBI agent and crazy ex-girlfriendKaleb Hempstead, mail carrier who rescued Davey after his mother died Here are the facts as far as Barrett has figured them out:Based on the video evidence, an alien landed in Branch River and raped poor Mary, who weeks later gave birth to Davey. She died explosively in childbirth two days prior. Her house burned down this morning.Kaleb saved Davey and brought him home. His wife didn't want the baby, so he purchased a baby blanket and took him swaddled to the firehouse.Barrett tried to turn Davey over to the authorities, but each time, one of the SampicKnights who fought the alien intervened, determined to kill Davey.Sampic was an international sensation calling for a unified front to make earth into a safe haven. Some of his followers committed suicide. He was now calling for them to kill the baby with the birthmark over his eye.Police chief Nelson Kessler physically looks like Sampic, with his dark hair and eyes. Irene suspects he may be involved with everything going on. He is known to be grandiose with a mean streak, according to Barrett, his former friend.Betty Lou Turner was uploading Sampic videos at her home and tried to show them to Barrett, but he wouldn't watch. Barrett said Betty Lou is forgetting things, like how she called him with a “cardiac attack” on the day his wife and son died. She denies she called him but noted the accident happened the same day as the meteor.FBI agent Irene Van Horten doesn't trust Nelson Kessler. She has copies of the videos and has traced the IP to a local computer. She is eager to restart a relationship with Barrett.Kaleb has a burned arm that he claims was from a grilling accident, but Barrett isn't so sure. Who is behind Sampic and the SampicKnights' rampant attempted infanticide?ABOUT Jason LittleJason Little is a Texas-based writer with a knack for spinning tales that keep readers hooked. His contributions to Mysteries to Die For are packed with twists, suspense, and unforgettable characters. When he's not crafting mysteries, he's writing fiction on his blog at JasonLittleWriting.com, where you can dive into more of his stories and musings.A life insurance agent by day, Jason is also a proud dad of two, a loving fiancé, and a dog enthusiast. He's big on exploring VR worlds, staying active, and finding inspiration in everyday life.Follow him on X at...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is Boomsters by David MarksTG Wolff ReviewBoomsters is a farcical thriller. Newly retired David Blazen is looking for his next adventure. He finds it in a slightly used certificate and the creation of Detective Blaze. Now he's part of the good guys keeping Chicago safe. He learns the hard way that to make an omelet, you have to break some eggs. Eventually he asks the question many eggs can you break and still be considered a good guy?Bottom line: Boomsters is for you if you like your thrills off-beat and your morality ambiguous. Boomsters was released from Wheatmark and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.https://pictbooks.tours/RJhVzAbout David MarksDavid Marks spent 30 years relying on his creativity to develop some of the world's greatest impulse products. With his retirement, he went from being an innovative workaholic with a 200+ team to a man with no forum to exercise his mind, all in a day. Desperate to do something creative, he imagined a fictitious character facing the same traumatic reality of retirement. Inspired by crime stoppers on TV, David pondered the question of how much bad could be justified in the name of good. A book was never the goal. The exercise was simply meant to help keep his mind sharp. But in the process, Boomsters was born.Wondering what to read after you finish Boomsters? Partners in Crime Tours is your ultimate destination for all things mystery, crime, thriller, and cozy! Since 2011, they've been working to fill bookshelves with gripping and heart-pounding reads. Discover new mystery series and connect with other fans with Partners in Crime. Look up Partners in Crime Tours on the web or your favorite social media www.partnerincrime.comAnd Authors, whether you're looking to promote your latest mystery or connect with fellow fans of the genre, PICT has you covered. Check out their promotion options that come with the personal attention of a dedicated coordinator.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrop for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 6a, attempted infanticide is the featured crime. This is Safe Haven Part 1 by Jason Little.ABOUT Jason LittleJason Little is a Texas-based writer with a knack for spinning tales that keep readers hooked. His contributions to Mysteries to Die For are packed with twists, suspense, and unforgettable characters. When he's not crafting mysteries, he's writing fiction on his blog at JasonLittleWriting.com, where you can dive into more of his stories and musings.A life insurance agent by day, Jason is also a proud dad of two, a loving fiancé, and a dog enthusiast. He's big on exploring VR worlds, staying active, and finding inspiration in everyday life.Follow him on X at @jasonlwriter and stay updated on his latest projects, or drop by his blog to read more and connect—he'd love to hear from you!About Safe HavenWe are not going to talk about infanticide but I will give you a little background on Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Many states have laws allowing for the safe and legal surrender of infants, something that was enacted to combat the abandonment of babies. Founded in 2015 by Monica Kelsey of the small city of Woodburn, Indiana, Safe Haven Baby Boxes are constructed boxes that hold a baby similar to a bassinette. These are installed in secure locations, including fire stations, with alarming to indicate to those inside that a child has been placed inside. The babies are attended to within minutes and ultimately entrusted to the local Child Protection.https://www.shbb.org/

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is I Know She Was There by Jennifer SaderaTG Wolff ReviewI Know She Was There is a psychological thriller. Caroline Case spends her nights pushing her daughter's stroller through an upscale neighborhood. She is the friend they don't know they have. She is the eyes that see what they think they hide. One night, a woman is in an upstairs window, blood encircling her neck like a scarf. The next morning there's no body, no blood, no proof. But Caroline knows what she saw.Bottom line: I Know She Was There is for you if you like high concept thrillers with blurred lines of reality. About Jennifer Saderahttps://www.jennifersadera.com/Jennifer Sadera began as a junior copywriter at book publisher NAL before transitioning to the editorial departments of national women's magazines. She'd established herself as a freelance writer and blogger when followed her true passion: creating novels. Her writing has earned her multiple awards at Atlanta Writers Conferences and a fellowship at the Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. I Know She Was There is Jennifer's debut psychological suspense novel. When not writing, Jennifer can be found gardening, traveling, or reading anything she can get her hands on. She is blessed with her husband CJ and children Amanda and Ryan.Wondering what to read after you finish I Know She Was There? Partners in Crime Tours is your ultimate destination for all things mystery, crime, thriller, and cozy! Since 2011, they've been working to fill bookshelves with gripping and heart-pounding reads. Discover new mystery series and connection with other fans with Partners in Crime. Look up Partners in Crime Tours on the web or your favorite social media - links are in the show notes.And Authors, whether you're looking to promote your latest thriller, discover a new mystery series, or connect with fellow fans of the genre, PICT has you covered. Check out their promotion options that come with the personal attention of a dedicated coordinator.www.partnersincrimetours.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 5, safe burglary is the featured crime. This is Clipped by Robert J. BinneyDELIBERATIONHenri Beauchamp, hairdresser extraordinaire, is honor-bound to investigate the burglary of Grace McCluskey's wedding purse. Henri may have a certificate but he needs our help to tease out this whodunnit. Here is who he has met in the order presented:Annie DiChrono, Grace's best friend and maid of honor.Sean McCluskey III, eldest brother and father of the bride, a high-end family businessmanFr. Pat McCluskey, youngest brother, priest, and poor poker playerCaptain Frank McCluskey, middle brother, to honest to work undercoverFlash Masterson, wedding photographer burned by McCluskey in a business dealPam Burns, wedding caterer accused of the theftAbigail McCluskey, Frank's ex-wife who attended the weddingTony Ladro, a junior level broker and the groomAbout Safe CrackingIn June 1869, Manhattan's Ocean National Bank was robbed in a highly planned and coordinated even orchestrated by George Leonidas Leslie. Leslie was an architect by training and trade and knew his way around a set of drawings. He was a smart man, a detailed planner, and turned into a highly successful bank robber. Ocean National Bank was his first robbery. It took over three months to plan and his financier Fredericka “Marm” Mandelbaum invested $3,000 in the planning which yielded over $750,000 in return. The heist had a three day set up that included drilling from the basement to the vault, using a gadget called a “little joker” to capture the safe's combination, and returning on Sunday night, when the safe was most full, to make the extraction. According to Wikipedia, The police captain put on the case noticed that Leslie had withdrawn money but since Leslie was known as a educated architect, he did not make the connection. Reportedly, when he learned that Leslie attended Mandelbaum dinner parties, he said “this can't lead to anything good.”Leslie led planning and robbing banks from 1869 through 1878. As things often do, they got sketchy between thieves and hot for Leslie. He was juggling his young wife, gang with Mandelbaum, putting together a new gang with her primary rival John Grady, and lovers who included Babe Draper, the wife of one of his gang. On May 29, 1878, Leslie when to Murphy's Saloon where he received an envelop from Babe saying her husband found out about their affair. He left his bodyguard at the bar and went to meet her. His body was found on June 4. He had been shot once in the head and once in the heart with the gun he had previously given Babe for protection.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Leonidas_LeslieABOUT Robert J. BinneySeattle screenwriter Robert J. Binney has written about Joe Strummer, James Bond, joyriding with the Salt Lake City police, and his relationships with Peter...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Dying to Know is a paranormal mystery. Police detective Oliver “Tuck” Tucker is dead, killed in his own home. While his body is gone, his spirit remains, but to do what? Solve his murder? Protect his wife? Figure out why his best friend and partner is hiding evidence? So much to do, so little idea how to do it. Bottom line: Dying to Know is for you if you like mysteries told in a new and unexpected way.About Tj O'ConnorTj O'Connor is an award-winning author of mysteries and thrillers. He's an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat analysis—life experiences that drive his novels. As a government agent and years as a consultant, he has lived and worked throughout many countries in the European Union and the Americas. In his spare time, he's a Harley Davidson pilot, a man-about-dogs (and now cats), and a lover of adventure, cooking, and good spirits (both kinds). tjoconnor.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test in new and creative way. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 3, jewel theft is the featured crime. This is THE LAST DIAMOND by Kathleen Marple KalbDeliberation Detective Connie Mercado has landed a gem of a case and needs our help. Miss Susan Sawyer was about to auction her prized diamond when she discovered the ring in the vault was a fake. Here is a list of the people Miss Sawyer reported had access to the ring:Allison Boatwright, assistant at the auction house, sheltered, pampered, rudderlessEverett Goodwin, auction house director, butt kissing twerpDana Jones-Stann, accountant, keeper of the safe deposit box keysABOUT Kathleen Marple KalbKathleen Marple Kalb describes herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. An award-winning weekend anchor at New York's 1010 WINS Radio, she's the author of short stories and novels including the Old Stuff and Ella Shane series, and, as Nikki Knight, the Grace the Hit Mom and Vermont Radio series. Her stories, under both pen names, have been in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, and many anthologies, and short-listed for Derringer and Black Orchid Novella Awards. Active in writer's groups, she's served as Vice President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society and Co-VP of the New York/Tri-State Sisters in Crime Chapter. She, her husband, and son live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat.https://kathleenmarplekalb.com/ABOUT Diamond TheftFrom the pages of History.com and The True Crime Database comes one of the most audacious thefts. Antwerp, Belgium, February 2003. The Antwerp Diamond Center was an impregnable fortress in the diamond capital…until it wasn't. Thieves disabled the vaults heat and motion sensors and got around and/or through Doppler radar, a lock with 100 million combinations, and 2-ft thick metal doors that signaled the police if pulled apart. The industrious thieves had 4-5 hours in the vault, leaving with diamonds, gems, and cash valued at $100mil at the time and more like $160mil today. On their exit, they took the security footage. They would have gotten away cleanly…if they had only cleaned up after themselves. The bags of trash they left in the woods along the highway provided the clues that led to the arrest and conviction of Leonardo Notarbartolo, a career criminal who posed as a diamond merchant to case the diamond center, and several of his compatriots. During the trial, Notarbartolo denied being the mastermind and argued the value was a fraction of what was claimed. He served 5 years of his 10 years sentence, was paroled, and then some years later violated the parole and returned to prison to finish the sentence. Little of loot was ever found. The scale and skill of the heist captured imaginations. The Antwerp heist was featured on the first episode of The History Channel's “History's...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is Early Termination by Cindy Goyette TG Wolff ReviewEarly Termination is a crime novel. Parole Officer Casey Carson has her hands full with a stacked case load and a rookie to train. Her workload takes a twist when one of her clients is found dead with her business card stuff in his mouth. Now the cops want her, members of the Diablo gang want her, her ex-husband and her new maybe plaything, they both want her, too.Bottom line: Early Termination is for you if you like fast-paced crime stories woven with suspense, thrills, and humor.About Joyce GoyetteCindy Goyette is a former probation officer who had a front row seat to the criminal justice system. She kept her sanity by finding humor in most situations. A mix of these things helped her create The Probation Case Files Mystery Series. After spending over twenty years in Arizona, Cindy lives in Washington state with her husband and two Cocker Spaniels.CCGoyette.comPartners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 3, identify fraud is the featured crime. This is Will the Real John Shady Please Stand Up? by TG WolffAbout Identify FraudIdentity Fraud, also called Identity Theft, is when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission. This information can include names and addresses, Credit card or Social Security numbers, Bank account numbers, Medical insurance account numberIn February 2024, the Federal Trade Commission released data showing consumers reported losing more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023. This was a 14% increase over 2022. Investment scams led the fraud category with $4.6 billion, a 21% increase. The second highest loss was to imposture schemes with $2.7 billion reported.There are several ways that scammers can steal your identity, including in person, online, through social media, and by phone. Scammers may:Steal your wallet or purse to get ID, credit, or bank cardsGo through your trash to retrieve bank statements or tax documentsInstall skimmers at ATM machines, cash registers, and fuel pumps to digitally steal information from your bank cardGet personal information from your phone when you use public Wi-FiUse “phishing” to get information from you through fraudulent email, texts, or phone callsLook through your social media accounts to find identifying information in posts or photos. Or they may ask you for personal information in online quizzes and surveys.To report identity theft, contact:The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at IdentityTheft.gov or call 1-877-438-4338The three major credit reporting agencies. Ask them to place fraud alerts and a credit freeze on your accounts.The fraud department at your credit card issuers, bank, and other places where you have accountshttps://www.usa.gov/identity-thefthttps://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/02/nationwide-fraud-losses-top-10-billion-2023-ftc-steps-efforts-protect-publicABOUT TG WolffLike you, I'm not one thing. I'm a writer, an engineer, a wife, and a mother. What is first on the list depends on the day. Beyond the title I claim, I'm a person who loves learning and thoroughly enjoys a good puzzle, is creative and gets bored easily. I hold a BS in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and an MS in Civil Engineering from Cleveland State University, which gives me absolutely no background in writing, but I do it anyway. Writing mysteries and engineering isn't as different as you'd think. Both require using logic and process to get from a starting problem to a solution.Find me at

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is The Chemical Detective by Fiona ErskineTG Wolff ReviewThe Chemical Detective is a thriller. Dr. Jaqueline Silver, who answers to Jaq, is a chemical engineer putting her considerable talents to work keeping the alpine slopes avalanche free by detonating controlled explosions. When she notices an anomaly in the explosives delivery, she pulls unwittingly on a house of cards and brings down a whole lot more than snow. Bottom line: The Chemical Detective is for you if you like heroes chill and your thrills explosiveThe Chemical Detective was released in the UK in 2019 and released here in the States in August 2024, is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK.About Fiona Erskinehttps://fionaerskine.com/Fiona Erskine is a professional engineer. Based in the north of England and working internationally, she has often been the lone representative of her gender in board meetings, cargo ships and night-time factories. Her fiction offers a fascinating insight into the traditionally male world of heavy industry. Fiona's stand-alone portrait of a Scottish factory, Phosphate Rocks: A Death In Ten Objects, made the UK Literary Review's top ten crime novels of 2021. Her latest series introduces DI Cadell in a cyber thriller - Losing Control: Terror in Teesside. Fiona is passionate about music and outdoor swimming, though not generally at the same time.There will be a ONE WEEK US Kindle Countdown deal on Phosphate Rocks (my best book!). It'll be $0.99 from Sunday, February 2 to Sunday, February 9th, 2025. Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes. The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 2, dognapping is the featured crime. This is Going to the Dogs by Bonnar SpringDELIBERATIONMamie may have figured out what's going on but Evan definitely needs our help to unpack this dognapping caper for his grandfather, Gordon. Here are the suspects in the order we met them:Bonnie, the daily housekeeper with a dog of her ownLou, the down on his luck musician turned chauffeur and handy manPaul, the cousin with a checkered pastJanice Dobosh, the real estate agent who swears she had an appointmentABOUT Bonnar SpringBonnar Spring writes international thrillers and short stories with morally ambiguous protagonists. A nomad at heart, she hitchhiked across Europe at sixteen, joined the Peace Corps after college, and trekked to Machu Picchu for a significant birthday. Bonnar's short fiction has won both the AlBlanchard and Derringer Awards. She hosts the Crime Wave podcast, part of the Authors on the Air Radio Network.ABOUT DognappingDognapping has been a real thing for a long while. In Victorian times, organized gangs of dognappers stalked and stole pets from the wealthy, which wasn't categorized as a crime. The crime website Crime Reads has a story of poet Elizabeth Barrett's beloved dog Flush, who was dognapped three times. More recently, in February 2021, a dognapping turned vicious when the man walking Lady Gaga's three French Bulldogs was shot to acquire the dogs. One pup fled but the other two were captured and taken. The man, Ryan Fisher, was shot in the chest. He survived but lost a lung and, not to mention to psychological damage. Lady Gaga offered a $500,000, to questions asked reward and the dogs were returned two days later. But questions were asked and the apparent hero, Jennifer McBride, was arrested with four others and charged with attempted murder. James Jackson was sentenced to 21 years for the attempted murder of Fisher.McBride pled the charge down to receiving stolen property and was sentenced to two years' probation. But that wasn't enough for McBride, who then sued Lady Gaga for the $500,000 reward plus $1.5 mil in damages. Lady Gaga stood her ground and the judge sided with her, finding that McBride could not benefit from the wrongdoing but seeking to enforce the contract.https://crimereads.com/dognapping/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67003283WRAP UPThat wraps this episode of Mysteries to Die For. Support our show by subscribing, telling a mystery lover about us, and giving us a five-star review. Check out our NEW website m2d4podcast.com for links to this season's authors.Mysteries to Die For is hosted by TG Wolff and Jack Wolff.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is A Cold, Cold World by Elena Taylor A Cold, Cold World is a cop mystery. Sheriff Bet Rivers is facing her first real challenge: the snowstorm of the century is bearing down on the small town of Collier, WA. She has a plan for keeping the main loop clear, the residents warm and healthy. Now she just needs to worry about her only deputy's 9-months-pregnant wife and the dead body found on Iron Horse Ridge.Bottom line: A Cold, Cold World is for you if you like classic mysteries against a background of life in action.A Cold, Cold World was released from Severn House and is available in hardback, e-book, and audio. Amazon link is in the show notes. Paperback fans, mark your calendars for the April release.About Elena TaylorElena Taylor spent several years working in theater as a playwright, director, designer, and educator before turning her storytelling skills to fiction. She writes the Sheriff Bet Rivers mysteries, featuring a female sheriff filling her late father's rather big shoes in her small, mountain town. She also writes the quirky Eddie Shoes mysteries under the name Elena Hartwell. Elena is a senior editor with Allegory Editing, a boutique editing house, where she works one-on-one with writers to shape and polish manuscripts. Elena's favorite place to be is at Paradise, the property she and her hubby own south of Spokane, Washington. www.ElenaTaylorAuthor.comA Cold, Cold World is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours, who represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.comJoin us next week for the 2nd episode in Mysteries to Die For season 8: Anything but Murder. Dognapping is our murderless crime. It's “Going to the Dogs” by Bonnar Spring.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 1, suspected arson is the featured crime. This is Who Shot Liberty's Valence by Ed TejaDELIBERATIONPrivate Investigator Matt Cramer is on a hot case, doing a solid for his buddy Harry and his insurance company on an arson case. Matt knows it's somebody in the lab with an accelerant and fire. He needs our help with the ‘somebody.' Here's his shallow suspect pool in the order we met them: . Paul Larson, former Liberty researcher turned entrepreneur with ValenceTechAlexa Holder, investment manager who is reeling in the investorsRandy Cline, vaccine researcher on whose work ValenceTech is builtLeslie Elli, former assistant who mistrusted the group's ethicsJosh Walker, influencer and anti-vaxxer looking for a conspiracy.ABOUT Ed TejaEd Teja is a full-time writer and part-time martial arts instructor. His stories (which have little or no respect for genre and take place in one or more of the surreal worlds he lives in) have appeared in a variety of magazines and anthologies. His new thriller series about Tina Clarke, the world's first Storefront Assassin, is available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Betrayal-Storefront-Assassin-Ed-Teja-ebook/dp/B0D36KRZN4You can find him at: https://www.edteja.com at bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ed-tejaand twitter https://x.com/ETeja

The Ballad of the Great Value Boys is a PI Mystery. Steve Rockfish is up in central Pennsylvania, doing what is becoming a hobby, getting Raphael “Raffi” Perez out of trouble. This time, quick thinking and fast talking isn't enough and the pair limp back to Baltimore with their pockets lighter. Raffi isn't willing to let the loss stand and wants to go back in. When Steve declines, Raffi recruits the recently retired Dan Decker. Now it'll take the combined talents of Rockfish & McGee to save Raffi and Dan and stop the swarm of hornets they kicked up. Bottom line: The Ballad of the Great Value Boys is for you if you like smart ass PIs and cases close to real headlines.The Ballad of the Great Value Boys was released from Black Rose Writing and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours. The boys are releasing on February 6. Pre-order is available from all your favorite on-line retailers and is available from AMAZON and other online book retailers.About Ken Harriswww.KenHarrisFiction.comKen Harris retired from the FBI after thirty-two years as a cybersecurity executive. With over three decades writing intelligence products for senior Government officials, Ken provides unique perspectives on the conventional fast-paced crime thriller. He is the author of the “From the Case Files of Steve Rockfish” series. He spends days with his wife Nicolita, and two Labradors, Shady and Chalupa Batman. Evenings are spent playing Walkabout Mini Golf and cheering on Philadelphia sports. Ken firmly believes Pink Floyd, Irish whiskey and a Montecristo cigar are the only muses necessary. He is a native of New Jersey and currently resides in Virginia's Northern Neck.Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.comJoin us next week for the start of Season 8: Anything but Murder. First up is returning M2D4 author Ed Teja with a charred little story about flammable materials in Who Shot Liberty's Valance

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 24, a maze is the featured game. This is Amazed to Death: (Not) a Documentary by TG Wolff, an adaptation of MURDER IN THE MAZE by J.J. ConningtonAbout MURDER IN THE MAZE by J. J. ConningtonJ.J. Connington was the pen name of Alfred Walter Stewart. He was a British chemist and part-time novelist who was born in 1880 and died in 1947. As a chemist, he had a highly successful career. He earned his doctorate of science degree from Glasgow University in 1907. A year later, he wrote a textbook on organic chemistry that provide to be popular and went on to write a total of four books on advanced chemistry topics.Stewart is credited with 26 novels, many of them detective novels. MURDER IN THE MAZE was the first of 17 Chief Constable Sir Clinton Driffield mystery. Published in 1927, it is now available in the public domain through Project Gutenberg.ABOUT MAZESAccording to Smithsonian Magazine, mazes have been around for thousands of years. They can be made out of anything that provides a barrier – hedges, corn, mirrors, wood – and change in size and complexity to suit the space and the designer. Mazes began as labyrinths, which are single paths meant as a journey, not a puzzle. You couldn't get lost as your walked from one end to the other. At least some of these had spiritual meaning, a serene path to walk as you contemplated the meaning of life. Sometime during the middle ages – a long period between the fall of Rome in 476 and the start of the Renaissance between 1400 and 1450 – labyrinths evolved to be amusements, which qualifies them as games to us! England has a long tradition of mazes and the website reports over 125 are open to the public. In Indiana, Fall isn't Fall without corn mazes and followed by some hot apple cider.https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/winding-history-maze-180951998/ WRAP UPThat wraps this episode of Mysteries to Die For. Support our show by subscribing, telling a mystery lover about us, and giving us a five-star review. Check out our website TGWolff.com/Podcast for links to this season's authors.Mysteries to Die For is hosted by TG Wolff and Jack Wolff. Amazed to Death: (Not) a Documentary was written by TG Wolff, adapted from Murder in the Maze by J.J. Connington. Music and production are by Jack Wolff. Episode art is by TG Wolff. Join us next week for a Toe Tag, which is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, or thriller genre. Then come back in two weeks for the start of Season 8: Anything but Murder!

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is Elephant Safari by Peter RivaElephant Safari is a political thriller. Documentary film maker Pero Baltazar and elite guide Mbuno Waliangulu are on a walking safari when they come across a herd of elephants being terrorized by poachers. After intervening, they take on the responsibility of protecting the herd and ending the poaching, which draws them into an international conspiracy they could not imagineBottom line: Elephant Safari is for you if you like dramatically intense political thrillers and the exotic environs of East Africa.Elephant Safari was released from Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.About Peter RivaPeter Riva has traveled extensively throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe, spending many months spanning thirty years with legendary guides for East African adventurers. He created the Wild Things television series in 1995 and has worked for more than forty years as a literary agent. Riva writes science fiction and African adventure books, including the Mbuno & Pero thrillers. He lives in Gila, New Mexico.Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 23, rock, paper, scissors is the featured game. This is Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot by Jack WolffWhen you listen to the podcast, you'll hear us say this was episode 24. We were wrong. It's 23. Oh well. ENJOY!DELIBERATIONDetective Connolly is in over his head more than usual. If he doesn't get this right, some innocent heads will be squashed. Let's review who was in the room with the late Mr. Staniel Purquees:Anne Taller, the bling loving accountant;Cragly Bioth, the former British Army sharpshooter turned chef;Dion Mooster, the informant for the FBI who mostly informed for Stan; andTimothy Boberts, the drug runner with a bleeding problem.Now let's look at the facts Connolly has unearthed:Staniel Purquees, the king of fungus corn, died in his mansion named Mt. Eternity, surrounded by his faithful employees.At the time the lights went out, Cragly and Stan were playing pool. Tim was standing in a corner by himself, sucking up a head injury. Anne and Dion were sitting on the couches.When the lights went out, someone retrieved the murder weapon hidden behind the only askew picture frame and shot Stan. Berthrew entered immediately, covering his employer's body with his coat.Anne lived at Mt. Eternity doing her work as accountant with the shaky internet service. It was so unreliable she'd taken to writing letters to her sick mother.Cragly also lived at Mt. Eternity, working as the chef. The ex-army sharpshooter turned his knives to culinary purposes after rampaging the world in search of his son's killers.Dion stayed close to Stanial, a necessary part of snooping for the FBI and counter snooping for Stan.Timothy traveled, distributed Stan's more exclusive products across the mountain states and Florida, when he had a food truck craving.Each suspect was assigned a position – rock, paper, scissors, and shoot – based on their story.Who should Connolly tag as the shooter?ABOUT Rock, Paper, ScissorsInformation on Rock, Paper, Scissors, or RPS, comes from the World Rock Paper Scissors Association (WRPSA). From the official history of RPS, we learn that the game was originally mentioned in a chinese book written during the Ming dynasty, which is the period of 206 BC to 220 AD). The hand game was created in China and traveled to Japan, where they gained popularity. One version used a frog (thumb), who was defeated by the slug (pinkie finger), who was defeated by the snake (index finger), who completed the circle by losing to the frog. In the 17th century, the familiar rock, paper, and scissors were incorporated and grew in popularity. By the early 20th century, the game had spread wider, including to the US. The history names of RPS in Chinese and Japanese were beyond my ability to pronounce, so I encourage you to check out the WRPSA website and maybe sign...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is The Light Beside the Sea by Connie DiMarcoTG Wolff ReviewThe Light Beside the Sea is a cozy mystery. Julia Bonatti is an astrologer who gives guidance to others to allay fears of change and the future. Yet, she is stuck in her own past, one that won't lie quiet. A few, short years ago, her fiancé Michael was killed in a hit-and-run as he returned from an archeological expedition. Now it comes to light that he wasn't the only grad student related to the project or the professor who has died. The latest was just days ago. Now Julia is asking questions. By solving one death, she just may be able to provide closure on them all. Bottom line: The Light Beside the Sea is for you if you like cozy mysteries and a touch of the unexpected.About Connie Di MarcoConnie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries featuring San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti, a woman who never thought murder would be part of her practice. The Light Beside the Sea is the fifth novel in the series. Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the national bestselling Soup Lover's Mysteries from Penguin Random House. You can find her excerpts and recipes in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Connie is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers Association (UK) and Sisters in Crime.ConnieArcherMysteries.comPartners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.comJoin us next week for Season 8 Games People Play when our favorite maybe-detective is back with another misadventure. Its Detective Connolly in Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot by Jack Wolff

This week on M2D4, we are taking a break for Thanksgiving. Please instead enjoy a 10 second mystery written by producer Jack Wolff in the form of a 20 second radio ad. Come back next week for our next Toe Tag, and the week after for Detective Connolly, and his adventures revolving around Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot!Thanks for listening, and we hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is Map of My Escape by Cheryl L. ReedTG Wolff ReviewMap of My Escape is a crime drama novel. Anti-gun activatist Riley Keane has done the unthinkable. In a crisis situation, she shot at two men wrestling. But did she shoot the assailant or her close friend and Chicago police officer Reece Taylor? Either way, she's too hot to stay in her hometown. Now Alderman Finn O'Farrell, Riley's lover, is left to deal with the fallout of threats, accusations, and blackmail. Bottom line: Map of My Escape is for you if you like crime driven drama delivered at a pace to be savored.About Cheryl L. ReedA former staff editor and reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times and other publications, Cheryl L. Reed's stories have won multiple awards, including Harvard's Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. She has twice been awarded a U.S. Fulbright Scholar fellowship by the State Department, first in Ukraine and then in Central Asia. Reed is the author of the nonfiction book Unveiled: The Hidden Lives of Nuns and the novel Poison Girls, which won the Chicago Writers' Association Book of the Year. She splits her time between Washington, DC and her home near the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia.Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.comJoin us next week for Season 7 Games People Play. We have an adaptation for you from the early part of the 20th century. The game is a maze. The original is The Mystery of the Downs by John Watson and Arthur J. Rees. The name of the adaptation? I'm working on it.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 23, Hangman is the featured game. This is The Hangman's Ladies by TG WolffSorry the show notes are skimpy this week. Reality reared up and bit me in the butt. Ah well, it happens. ~tg

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is Lethal Standoff by Diann MillsTG Wolff ReviewLethal Standoff is an amateur sleuth mystery. A hostage standoff by a desperate man has innocent lives in the crossfire. After a hostage crisis ends with loss of life, Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed and reporter Levy Ehrlich follow through on promises to seek answers and protect a suspect's family. But if solving problems were that easy, they would have been solved already. Bottom line: Lethal Standoff is for you if you like your mysteries and thrillers woven into the life and faith of your detectives. Lethal Standoff was released from Tyndale and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from on-line and other book retailers.About Diann MillsDiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels with threads of romance. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone's story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?DiAnn is passionate about helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She's an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.diannmills.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 21, Sorry is the featured game. This is Death by Candy Land by Kyra JacobsDELIBERATIONCandy Land is in chaos and Sheriff Cantalone has to figure out who gummed up this Halloween party by killing Harry Randall. Here are the players in the order we met them:• Mic Garcia, host and Lord Licorice who was being blackmailed by Harry• Savannah Livingston, the Lollipop Fairy who Harry flashed earlier that day• Tyler Livingston, the Peppermint Forest lumberjack who owned the hardware story Harry vandalized• Cindy Flannigan, Mrs. Nutt whose garden Harry trampled nightly• Sam Flannigan, dressed as a giant peanut whose fence Harry destroyed• The three Flannigan children, M&Ms who were mad Harry ruined the bounce house• Doc Hallers, King Kandy who Harry blamed for his mother's death• Herb Smathers, Gloppy the Chocolate Blob who Harry repeatedly belittledHere's what we know:• Harry was the neighborhood bully. Everyone except Mic had lodged complaints with the sheriff and complained that nothing was done.• Mic welcomed his guests into the back yard but said he did not see Harry until he was dead.• Tyler Livingston had met Harry at the decorated fence and told him to come in through the house. Savannah Livingston saw Harry in the kitchen, staring out the window. Doc Haller saw Harry take a pill and wash it down with liquor.• Harry spilled Herb's heart pills across the floor. Herb couldn't be sure they all were found.• The Livingston children said Harry banged on the outside of the bounce house, then crawled inside and refused to move.• Harry had cuts and scratches on his arms and his lips were tinted blue. ME speculated the blue may have come from an overdose. No explanation was given on the cuts and scratches.• Cindy Flannigan's rake had red orange stains she said was from mulch. No damage or marks were noted on the other props.• No one had any knowledge of illegal drugs. Mic said Harry kept to liquor and cigarettes.It's your move, where should Sheriff Cantalone go?ABOUT Candy LandPolio was an ancient disease that hit pandemic status in the 1940s and 1950s, crippling children and young adults until a vaccine was widely administered in 1955. Children recovering were bed bound and board. Teacher Eleanor Abbott, herself a victim of the disease, invented games to entertain recovering children, including Candy Land. Encouraged by friends, Abbott submitted her idea to Milton Bradley, who picked it up to fill-in their product line. It soon became their best selling game. In 2005, Candy Land was inducted into The Strong National Museum of Play. Candy Land has continued to grow and develop, offering game variations including special character editions and electronic editions so you can get your candy on no matter where you are.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is On the Horns of Death by Eleanor KuhnsTG Wolff ReviewOn the Horns of Death is historical mystery. Sixteen-year-old Martis volunteers as a bull dancer in Knossos on the isle of Crete. An ordinary day of practice turns dark when she discovers the body of another dancer inside a bullpen. But why would he climb into the pen? Answer: murder.Bottom line: On the Horns of Death is for you if you like amateur sleuths and the rich sights, scents, and sounds of Ancient Greece. The On the Horns of Death was released from Severn House and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from on-line and other book retailers.About Eleanor KuhnsEleanor Kuhns is a previous winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel competition for A Simple Murder. The author of eleven Will Rees mysteries, she is now a full-time writer after a successful career as the Assistant Director at the Goshen Public Library in Orange County, New York.www.eleanor-kuhns.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 20, where the classic mystery game Clue is the featured game. This is Get a Clue by Chuck Brownman.Deliberation:Games are Andy Clay's life but he's stumped when he's asked to help solve the murder of Gene Dockary and then Noah Whitmore. Detective Lansing isn't helping him, so we have to. Here are the suspects in the order they were interviewed:• Ruth Dockary, Gene's wife and co-host of the weekend• Steve Joseph, a thin, nervous man• Kate Joseph, Steve's strong, domineering wife• Barbara Whitmore, Noah's wife, co-owner of the inn who worked with Ruth on planning the weekend• Paul Marcus, a nuclear bioengineer who is CEO of a medical start up.Here are the clues:• Five former Denver-area neighbors gathered at a small inn for the weekend. Ruth and Gene were hosting the getaway. Ruth worked with Barbara on the idea of the Clue game. Barbara supplied the props used by their guests.• Gene Dockary was found strangled in the library with a rope. The library was accessed only through the game room. The killer needed strength to strangle Dockary but could have been male or female.• Clue game cards Mrs. Peacock, the candlestick, and the study were found in Gene Dockery's pocket. The cards did not come from life-sized Clue game.• Gene Dockary was not playing the Clue game and was noted to be in a bad mood, going as far as snapping at Barbara Whitmore when she checked in on him.• Gene Dockery was a salesman / developer who was working to get investors for the technology Paul Marcus was developing. His friends Steve and Kate Joseph invested.• Steve and Kate Joseph were upset with Gene, who was pressuring them for additional investment funds. • Paul Marcus had argued with Gene the prior week when Gene had made promises on Marcus' technology that went beyond the terms of their agreement.• When Gene Dockary was killed, the other guests had been moving throughout the rooms. Paul Marcus did not go into the library, purposely avoiding Gene.• Noah Whitmore was found stabbed in the kitchen with one of his own cooking knives. The knife did not come from the closest knife block but one farther away. The kitchen was accessed through the sunroom and through the door to the second floor.• Whitmore was found by Ruth Dockary. Barbara and Kate were upstairs together when Ruth screamed. Steve and Paul Marcus were in the sunroom.• Noah and Barbara Whitmore claimed not to have met any of the guests prior to their arrival. The weekend was set up via email with Ruth Dockery, who thinks she picked the inn off a travel website.• Noah Whitmore was about 20 years older than his wife. They bought the inn five years ago and have had little time to do anything else. Before the inn, they owned a restaurant in Denver. Andy has rolled the dice, now who do the clues point to?ABOUT ClueThe game of Clue had a simple beginning. Anthony

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is Rogues & Patriots by Patrick H. MooreTG Wolff ReviewRogues & Patriots is an PI thriller. Los Angeles PI Nick Crane does a friend a favor by taking on the two-headed case of investigating the murder of a Confidential Informant and saving his young daughters from the horrors of the juvenile immigration. But his time isn't his own as an underground group of vigilantes are after him and something they think he possesses.Bottom line: Rogues & Patriots is for you if you like ballsy private investigators, conspiracy thrillers, and blurred lines between the good guys and the bad.The Rogues & Patriots was released from Down & Out Books and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON and other book retailers.About Patrick H. MoorePatrick H. Moore is a Los Angeles based investigator, sentencing mitigation specialist, and crime writer. In the field since 2003, he has worked in virtually all areas including drug trafficking, sex crimes, crimes of violence, and white-collar fraud. Mastering this job, which combines art, science, and intuition, has given Patrick the tools to write realistic crime fiction that depicts the unpredictable and violent world of cops, convicts, prosecutors and defense attorneys. Rogues & Patriots was the second in a three-part series in which veteran Los Angeles private investigator Nick Crane battles a group of aristocratic domestic terrorists known as the “principals.”patrickhmoorewriter.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 19, where that new sensation pickleball is the featured game. This is In a Pickle by Kaye GeorgeDELIBERATIONMelaine Hanover is in a real pickle. Her cantankerous husband, Harvey, is dead and the pink ball points back to her. We know she didn't do it, so let's give her our help to find the pickle in the middle of all of this. Here are the suspects in the order we met them:• Tony, the pickleball hating neighbor who threatened to shoot Harvey• Town Councilmen, the people who hated listening to Harvey nearly as much as Melaine• Anonymous Pickleballers, the people who are opposed to Harvey's opposition• Kai, the cop who is Melaine's lover• The pretty woman, Julie, who is something to KaiHere is what Melaine knows:• Harvey hated pickleball and everyone who played it. He was making it his mission in retirement to run the sport out of town by sabotaging pickleball courts.• Two young men, anonymous pickleballers, knew what Harvey was up to. They followed Harvey and Melaine home from the council meeting.• Harvey's and Tony's houses were vandalized, the windows painted. The Anonymous Pickleballers are suspected. Tony blamed Harvey for stirring up the trouble and threatened to shoot him if he came on his property.• Kai was one of the cops who escorted Harvey out of the council meeting. • Melaine and Kai were starting an affair. Harvey didn't seem to realize what his wife was doing. A pretty woman, suspected of being Kai's wife, seemed to lurk.• Melaine and Kai admitted they want to be together and agree to talk later. The pretty woman saw them talk.• Harvey was found in the office of his house, shot in the chest. One of Melaine's pickleballs was shoved in his mouth. He had let his killer into the house. His dog, Skitter, was the only witness.Melaine is at the line. To whom should justice be served?ABOUT PickleballFrom Wikipedia: Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two players (singles) or four players (doubles) hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball with paddles over a 34-inch-high (0.86 m) net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball is played indoors and outdoors. It was invented in 1965 as a children's backyard game in the United States, on Bainbridge Island in Washington state. In 2022, pickleball was named the official state sport of Washington. While it resembles tennis and table tennis, pickleball has separate rules, paddles, and court dimensions. ABOUT Kaye GeorgeKaye George is an award-winning novelist and short-story writer who writes cozy and traditional mysteries and a prehistory series, which are both traditionally and self-published. Her two cozy series are Fat Cat and Vintage Sweets. The two traditional series feature Cressa Carraway and Imogene Duckworthy. The People of the Wind prehistory mysteries take place within a Neanderthal tribe. She has a suspense novel coming out in early...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is The Guest House by Bonnie TraymoreTG Wolff ReviewThe Guest House is psychological thriller. Allie Dawson is on the ride of a lifetime. Her brainchild for a voice-to-caption product has received preliminary funding. But moving from Milwaukee to Silicon Valley has brought more than the expected challenges of getting a new product to market. She's moved into a guest house where the rent was too good to be true. That should have been the first clue.Bottom line: The Guest House is for you if you like female-centric stories where thrill and mystery are mechanisms for character growth. The strengths of the story are also the most unique aspects. Our hero, Allie Dawson is deaf. She uses a cochlear implant that enables her to hear. Without it, she hears nothing. Allie's deafness is presented in a way that we live it as an ordinary part of her life-which it is-similar to if she had to put in contacts each morning. I especially liked this because it felt natural. It was an important thing for us to understand, especially as to how it affects how Allie communicates, but it isn't the most important thing to know about Allie. The most important thing is that she is courageous, willing to walk away from her comfortable life to chase a dream.That leads us into the second strength, navigating the high-stakes and complicated world of the entrepreneur. Allie comes to Silicon Valley with a good idea and a prototype in development. Her job is to find someone to finish the engineering, figure out who can manufacture it, and find a few someones interested in funding all the above. This is not a field that I have seen explored in many stories, giving The Guest House a fresh feel.Traymore uses a staccato storytelling style that makes you feel as if the character is reporting on their day to you. Take this example from Chapter two: “I'm also hungry and hot. But I'm on a tight schedule, so although I'd like to chill for a while, I need to keep going. I locate the restroom and, thankfully, there's no line. When I come out, I rush up to the counter to look for my drink order. I pick up a few cups that could be mine and examine them, but my latte's not ready yet. I let out a long sigh and glance at my watch.” The Guest House is shown as a psychological thriller on the cover and listed as a techno-thriller on Amazon. The book meets most of the standards for a psychological thriller with the tension coming from mental stressors rather than physical. Overall, I found the tension to be mild as it generated more of a creepy feeling than nail-biting. This can be positive or negative, depending on a reader's thrill-scale preference. I had to look up techno-thriller, which is a subgenre where a technology is a dominant part of the story. I do not find this to be a good description. While Allie is trying to bring a technology to market, by her own admission, she doesn't understand that part. Her engineer brother is working on it away from the story, as is the grad student she hired. While the technology concept is what gets Allie to Silicon Valley, the tech itself is not central to the story.Overall, I felt The Guest House did not fit well within one genre category but was a combination of women's fiction, thriller, and mystery. Women's fiction was most dominant genre to me as the story wove growth of the alternating narrators Allie Dawson and Laura Foster. Allie's part of the story did carry the thriller element, as she becomes suspicious of her landlords and their other renter. Laura's...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 18, that original LARP game War is the featured game. This is Did Not See That Coming by Ken HarrisTWO LISTENER NOTES before we get started. First, this is a two-part Mystery to Die For. Half the story was in last week's episode with the rest of the story, the deliberation, and the big reveal in this one. So, if you missed Part 1, please go to it first.Second, murder and solving it is our thing here at Mysteries to Die For but today's story includes some real life topics that some audience members may be sensitive to including violence against children, bullying, and antisemitism. DELIBERATIONJawnie stand-in Steve Rockfish and his sidekick Estelle are chipping away at Karen Lazar's cold case, but there's still some work for us to do. Here is a list of the people living and working in Ewan, NJ back in 1976:Gladys and George Lazar, Karen's parents, who had recently moved to the small farming townMikey Hardison, the boy who had a crush on Karen and worked for CarlßonScott and Tommy, schoolyard bullies who sent Karen into the woods on a scouting missionHarry Hardison, Mikey's father, a drinker who had issues with the Lazar's Jewish faith and his own lusting after Gladys.Vern Gicobe, a friend of Hardison and loner who discovered Karen's body while huntingManfred Carlßon, German owner of Carlßon Game Processing, who kept a poster of Karen in his shopHere is what Rockfish and Estelle (and Jawnie, too) have discovered:Karen's body was found five years after she disappeared. It had not decomposed. She was killed by strangulation. While there was little documentation on the body, photos showed cuts inflicted post mortem covered her. A single large, deep cut was on her back.No autopsy was performed but DNA samples were taken and preserved. No matches were found through CODIS.The older boys Karen was playing Army with—Mikey, Tommy & Scotty—were the last to see her alive. The local police cleared the last two boys at the time, noting they were seen in town.Mikey admitted going after Karen that day and finding her next to a creek, crying. When he tried to kiss her, she punched him, sending him into the creek. She ran off and he said he didn't see her again. Rumor had it the married couples of Ewan like to trade partners. Harry Hardison was reported to be very fond of Gladys Lazar, despite him being antisemitic and she being Jewish.Hardison disapproved of his son's crush on Karen and sent him to work with Carlßon, saying the hard man would straighten Mikey out.Vern Gicobe said Mikey would stare at the missing person picture of Karen that hung in Carlßon's. Mikey gave Vern “the creeps”.Adult Mikey told his “Meemaw” about the “two peas in a pod” and that when he found Karen, she was crying over a problem with her father but didn't say what it was; she never told him.Rockfish's theory is Gicobe...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 18, that original LARP game War is the featured game. This is Did Not See That Coming by Ken Harris.TWO LISTENER NOTES before we get started. First, this is a two-part Mystery to Die For. Half the story is in this episode with the rest of the story, the deliberation, and the big reveal comes next week.Second, murder and solving it is our thing here at Mysteries to Die For but today's story includes some real life topics that some audience members may be sensitive to including violence against children, bullying, and antisemitism. DELIBERATIONNone here. Check out Part 2!ABOUT Ken HarrisKen Harris retired from the FBI, after thirty-two years, as a cybersecurity executive. With over three decades writing intelligence products for senior Government officials, Ken provides unique perspectives on the conventional fast-paced crime thriller. Ken previously participated in Mysteries to Die For seasons 5 & 6. He is the author of the “From the Case Files of Steve Rockfish” series. He spends days with his wife Nicolita, and two Labradors, Shady and Chalupa Batman. Evenings are spent playing Walkabout Mini Golf and cheering on Philadelphia sports. Ken firmly believes Pink Floyd, Irish whiskey and a Montecristo cigar are the only muses necessary. He is a native of New Jersey and currently resides in Virginia's Northern Neck.https://kenharrisfiction.com/WRAP UPThat wraps this episode of Mysteries to Die For. Support our show by subscribing, telling a mystery lover about us, and giving us a five-star review. Check out our website TGWolff.com/Podcast for links to this season's authors.Mysteries to Die For is hosted by TG Wolff and Jack Wolff. Did Not See That Coming was written by Ken Harris. Music and production are by Jack Wolff. Episode art is by TG Wolff. Join us next week for the second half, deliberation, and solution of DID NOT SEE THAT COMING by Ken Harris.

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is The Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Marple Kalb. TG Wolff ReviewThe Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Marple Kalb is an amateur sleuth cozy mystery. Dr. Christian Shaw is a mother, a widow, and the director of the historical society. She is responsible for the 17th century bible and pewter tankard used by the lead actor in a movie very loosely based on The Scarlet Letter. Then the actor dies, dramatically. Christian's old stuff is at the heart of the investigation and where they go, she goes.Bottom line: The Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Marple Kalb is for you if you like cozy mysteries, charming characters, and everyday old stuff. One of my favorite things about The Stuff of Murder is the characters. Kalb does a wonderful job of giving the primary characters distinct voices and appearances, making the story easy to read. Christian Shaw is six foot one with flaming red hair. Her son Henry is a five-foot tall third-grader with photographic memory. The fathers she should have had are Garrett the academic and his husband Ed the retired state trooper. And last but certainly not least is the handsome, philanthropic, and very tall state's attorney Joe Poli. Then there are the other parents, the society volunteers, and townspeople. This is an amazing, heartwarming cast.The setting is small town Unity, Connecticut. As with most small town cozies, the nature of the town with the tensions and conflicts of people too involved in each other's business is an amusing counterpoint to main mystery. This is the source of much of the information Christian uses as well as the bane of her busy days. Brett Studebaker is a fifty-something actor looking to launch into the next stage of his career on a period film based loosely on The Scarlet Letter. Brett is filming a pivotal scene, acting in the pulpit of church turned synagogue some ten feet above the floor. When he goes off script, only Christian and the locals with her notice the odd behavior. Brett falls from the pulpit, breaking his neck. But it isn't the simple accident someone wants everyone to believe. The leading theory is poison, introduced through the pewter mug the historical society lent to the film. This mystery is a throw back to an older style where conversations, not evidence, are the primary detection tool. Christian pieces together the small facts she learns into a chain that will catch the guilty. It's hard to discuss the logic of the mystery without giving too much away. Suffice it to say that the motives and actions of the guilty are consistent and follow logically in their minds.The Stuff of Murder is a character driven story that would be enjoyed by readers who love cozies as well as those who prefer traditional mysteries.The Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Marple Kalb was released from Level Best and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers. Book 2, The Stuff of Mayhem is coming in November 2024.About Kathleen Marple Kalb

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 17, tether ball is the featured game. This is Tethered to Drama by Karina BartowDELIBERATIONDetective Minka Avery is caught up in the drama in the death of Sheila Nevins. She needs our help to find a killer. Here are the people who she's come across in the investigation:• William Barkley, Wes's former lab partner and current middle school teacher• Superintendent Rigley, working to balance the budget while building a new middle school• Gideon Hutchins, school board member and devoted father• Axel Hutchins, high school baseball player with a shot at being recruited• Zachary Phelps, groundskeeper for the park behind the middle schoolHere are the facts Minka and Cael have unearthed:• Drama teacher Sheila Nevins was found dead on the edge of the defunct tetherball court after a groundbreaking ceremony for a new middle school. She was strangled with something like a rope or belt.• The deflated tetherball had a note inside saying “Snitches never win.” The note had a torn corner that matched a bit remaining on a lawn stake.• Minka's husband remembered that a guy from his football team, number 60, used the phrase. He was kicked off the team for using drugs.• A small camera was found recording the tetherball pole. It was on and not one owned by the city for security.• William Barkley was frustrated with Sheila because she would not put his play on. He was counting down the days until she retired. Barkley was late getting to the groundbreaking because of the bookfair, which a student's testimony contradicted.• Superintendent Rigley had a showdown with Sheila, telling her the drama budget was being cut and she needed to raise money. Sheila collected information on Rigley misusing funds and was planning to out him to the board. Rigley spoke at the groundbreaking.• Gideon Hutchins was upset with Sheila for putting his son, Axel, on the bench by failing him in drama class. Scouts were coming to look at his son, something very important to his college plans. Gideon was at the groundbreaking.• Axel Hutchins took drama for an easy grade, now he's in danger of being ineligible just when scouts are coming to check him out. He was missing his uniform belt, which he claimed broke the day before. He was not at the groundbreaking as he was picking his sister up from her school.• Zachary Phelps was mowing at the park before the groundbreaking. He left when the belt broke on his lawnmower. He knew Sheila, who ate lunch at the park and asked him for the tether pole as a prop.Who should Minka shine the spotlight of justice on?ABOUT TetherballFrom my favorite source, Wikipedia, and the website Backyard Sidekick traces tetherball back to the late 1800s and early 1900s where it was found on playgrounds. Variations have the game played with hands or with racquets while having the same rules. If you haven't played, which I

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is Knife River by Baron BirtcherTG Wolff ReviewKnife River is a cop mystery. It's 1976 and Sheriff Ty Dawson has his hands full with Meridian County's newest resident. Music producer Len Kaanan brought in rock star Ian Swann and with him came a troubled brother, an ornery producer, shady stagehands, property damage, assault, and someone with a more deadly intent. Plus, Ty's daughter is sweet on the music man.Bottom line: Knife River is for you if you like stories where you know something bad is going to happen but have no idea which direction it's coming from. This review is careful not to reveal details of Knife River that will take away from the readers own discovery and enjoyment.There are so many strengths of this story that it is hard to know where to start. The one that sticks out most to me is the storytelling style. This one unfolds thoughtfully, deliberately, and with such terrifying elegance that I was tempted to read through my fingers. Chapter by chapter, the feeling grows that something very bad has happened, was going to happen but where it would come from and who would be the target wasn't clear.The language used elevates Knife River to the top of mystery literature. Consider from chapter twenty, “By the time morning arrived, it came so softly that it felt like a eulogy, the underlayment of the clouds glowing like coal embers for only the briefest of moments, soon swallowed by a still and steely sky that stole all but the ambient glow of sunrise.” Sheriff Ty Dawson is an engaging hero who is easy to root for. A lawman, cattle rancher, and Korean vet, he is a complicated and damaged man who takes life one day at a time. He is grounded by his wife, Jesse, his college age daughter, Cricket, as well as his foreman and the deputies. The cast is close knit, a group who are positive and supportive of each other. The 1970s and rural Oregon setting of the Ty Dawson Mysteries makes it stand out from the pack. Birtcher displays his prowess by writing with historical accuracy while making it feel as though we were reading a modern telling. In his hands, we are eternally far away from reading a textbook description of the life and times in post-Vietnam. He similarly brings us into the world of cattle ranges and cowboys by taking us along, at the crack of dawn, to ride down strays.The plot of this story is wonderfully winding when read from the start, as noted. Standing at the end and looking back to page one, it is both twisted and straightforward. Thinking about the story in the days since I finished it, each detail checks back to earlier chapters, making the logic sound.When considering whether Sheriff Ty Dawson drives the story, the book divides into two parts: pre-murder and post-murder. Prior to the murder, the action of the main plot is driven by the rock star and music producer. Ty inserts himself into those plans to set up a prevent defense ahead of the invasion of ten thousand fans, but he is in a reactive position. After the murder, he shifts to a proactive role, driving the investigation. His tenacity on details is the reason why this murder is solved.As to where this story fell short of ideal, there isn't much to pick on. The logic, the pacing, the storytelling are topnotch.Knife River is the fourth book in the Ty Dawson Mystery series. I read the third, but not the first two. Knife River can be read as a stand alone. The mystery is independent from prior books. Readers who...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 16, billiards is the featured game. This is Death in the Billiards Room by TG Wolff, an adaptation of The Billiard-Room Mystery by Brian FlynnABOUT BilliardsToday we turn to the Games For Fun website to learn about billiards. Billiards includes all sports that are played with a cue stick and billiard balls. Pool (also called pocket billiards), carom billiards, and snooker are categories of billiards. Our story today referred to a billiards table, but it was more accurate to call it a pocket billiards table or a pool table. The Billiard Congress of America reports the game started as an outdoor described as similar to croquet. It was brought indoors as a tabletop game, possibly originating in France. Initially, it retained some of the hoops and sticks of the outdoor game, but those eventually faded. There are many ways to play billiards, ranging from using 3 balls to 22 balls, with and without pockets. Here's a fun fact: visitors from England taught Americans how to put a spin on the cue ball, explaining why only in America is that spin called “English.” Check out the sources https://gamesforfun.com/the-history-of-pool-who-how-where-and-billiardshttps://bca-pool.comABOUT The Billiard Room Mystery by Brian FlynnThe Billiard Room Mystery was the first case for barrister Anthony Bathurst and the first mystery for English author Brian Flynn. It was challenging to find information on an author with over 54 mysteries to his name. The best write ups were on Classic Mystery Novel blog and Crime Is Afoot blog. Born in 1885 in Essex, Flynn, like many others of that period, had a varied background. His formal education ended when he went into the civil service, serving as a special constable during WWI. He taught while he worked for the government and enjoyed acting. It was reported that he began writing mysteries because he was not impressed with much of what he read. I can believe that reading the scene where he is critiquing the styles of leading fictional detectives at the time. The Billiard-Room Mystery is now in the public domain and can be downloaded from the Project Gutenburg. Dean Street Press has been reprinting much of Brian Flynn's catalogue, which can be found at online retailers. https://classicmystery.blog/classic-bibliographies/brian-flynn/

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is FAST TIMES BIG CITY by Shelly Frome TG Wolff ReviewFFAST TIMES BIG CITY is an amateur sleuth adventure. It's the late 1950s and Bud Palmer is living his best life as a sports reporter for the Miami Herald. Then his Uncle Rick, a self-proclaimed PI, gets in hot water up to his eyeballs and clutches onto Bud as his life preserver. Now Bud has to go to cold NYC to find a girl he's never met and recover a briefcase she stole before the Chicago mob gets impatientBottom line: FAST TIMES BIG CITY is for you if you like reluctant heroes, plot driven quests, and immersion in eras gone by.It is a fun read, watching Bud get deeper into the trouble he didn't cause, and then figuring out how to dig his way out of it.The FAST TIMES BIG CITY was released from BQB Publishing and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.About Shelly FromeShelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at UConn, a former professional actor, and a writer of crime novels and books on theater and film. He also is a features writer for Gannett Publications. Fast Times, Big City is his latest foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 15, Truth or dare is the featured game. This is Dare or Truth by Frank ZafiroABOUT Truth or DareThe origins of truth or dare weren't as well documented or researched as some of the other games used this season. The Wikipedia page refers to entries as early as 1712 describing a game that is similar to truth or dare, although with one person being in control. Certainly, it isn't a leap to see this as a social party game in the era preceding television and radio. The most interesting entries I came across were on the social platform Quora where the question was asked…what's the farthest you've ever taken Truth or Dare. The posts responding themed on creative nudity and sex and not, thankfully, murder. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_or_dareABOUT Frank ZafiroFrank Zafiro writes gritty crime fiction from both sides of the badge. During his life, he has been a military intelligence linguist, a police officer (a twenty year career, retiring as a captain), and an independent consultant and instructor. He has taught both writing and police related topics at the collegiate level and professional venues. Through it all, he has been a writer. To date, he has published 48 novels, over 100 short stories, and appeared in over 50 anthologies. He lives in Redmond, Oregon, with his wife, Kristi, who is a teacher.www.frankzafiro.comWRAP UPThat wraps this episode of Mysteries to Die For. Support our show by subscribing, telling a mystery lover about us, and giving us a five-star review. Check out our website TGWolff.com/Podcast for links to this season's authors.Mysteries to Die For is hosted by TG Wolff and Jack Wolff. Dare or Truth was written by Frank Zafiro. Music and production are by Jack Wolff. Episode art is by TG Wolff. Join us next week for a Toe Tag, which is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, or thriller genre. Then come back in two weeks for an adaption of The Billard Room Mystery by Brian Flynn, where Billards is the featured game

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is The Big Lie by Gabriel Valjan. TG Wolff ReviewThe Big Lie is PI mystery. PI Shane Cleary is a popular guy. Everyone wants a favor from him. An MIA standard poodle, Latin tutoring for a mafioso's niece, pro bono work for a grand larceny defense, and a background check as SOP for getting serious. It's going to take the help of friends and enemies to keep all these balls in the air. Bottom line: The Big Lie is for you if you like stories where the pacing keeps up with the PI's fast talking. Strengths of the story. Shane Cleary is juggling four jobs plus keeping off his girlfriend's shit list. It's a lot for anyone. One of the strengths of THE BIG LIE is the skill with which author Gabriel Valjan lets us know exactly where we are at all times. He distinctly draws the characters making it easy for readers to differentiate between the cases. Shane as a character is well developed both with a full back history in Vietnam and with the Boston PD and a more recent history such as with this girlfriend, friends, cat, and answering service. He is a character readers can get behind, working from the moral high ground that lets him make hard and sometimes painful decisions. The story is set in a colorful Boston. It is not set in modern time, but I could not find reference to a year. Based on Shane having (and hating) a beeper, his having been in Viet Nam and worked for Boston PD, and a reference to punter Ray Guy, it seems to be set late 1970s to early 1980s. Shane navigating Boston's segregated Irish, Italian, Black, and Jewish communities adds a layer of complexity to his tasks that ups the stakes and heightens the entertainment. You can add the Boston PD hating Shane to the complications.This is the 5th book in the Shane Cleary Mystery series. I have not read the previous four. This can be read as a stand-alone as the mysteries Shane signs up for do not seem to be carried over from previous books. Character carryover is managed well with backstory snippets that get us what we need to know without dragging down in synopsis. When looking at the logic of the story lines and the role Shane has in resolving them, we have to look individually. Shane outsources the Latin tutoring and the background check, making his role more of a facilitator. The missing dog story had a strong, simple logic. Shane uses his talents with the missing dog case to get people beyond the fear of the dog's owner to be helpful. There was one spot that had me raising an eyebrow but the resolution is good without being predictable.The grand larceny case showed excellent detective skills and definitely would have died without Shane pushing at apparent dead ends. The logic of the criminal action is more complicated here. I ended up with a few questions about the setup, which happened before Shane was involved. The logic of Shane's actions is strong. He does his job, providing the defense with what it needs to combat a lazy if not corrupt PD, then wipes his hands, leaving it to the lawyers to pick up the work of charging the guilty party.Overall, The Big Lie, the 5th in the Shane Cleary Mysteries, was a highly enjoyable, entertaining read. Readers who prefer the fast pacing that comes with getting four stories in one book will keep the pages turning on this one.The Big Lie was released from Level Best Books - Historia and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 14, Sorry is the featured game. This is Sorry Not Sorry by Kathleen Marple KalbDELIBERATIONInstead of being out for the win, prosecutor Joe Poli wants to get the right bad guy. He's got Christian and Henry helping him…and he's got us. Let's help him figure out who killed Sandra Kule before we're the ones who are sorry. Our suspects are:• Barb Kule, the quiet sister who escaped a bad marriage with debt and health issues• Mikey Kule, the younger brother who has a gambling problem, drug issues, and no funds• Floyd Lawrence, a cousin working in the shop who also has arrests for drugs and a checking account hovering around frozen.Here is what we know:• Sandy Kule was found behind the family house / business. Her throat was cut with the knife found next to her, the one Barb used in the creamery's kitchen. Preliminary DNA tests indicated the killer was related to Sandy. • Kule Ice Cream was on hard times. The business wasn't the ice cream float it once was.• Sandy was known to love the family business, including the customers. She was keeping everyone from tripping on the rocky road.• Mikey tried selling antique glasses and other collectibles to Christian for the museum. Many of those items are not missing from the parlor, some replaced with cheap knock offs. The most valuable pieces are still in the shop.• Barb was arrested by the sheriff after she came down to meet them with blood on her Crocs and shirt and said, “I'm sorry.” The blood was confirmed to be the same type as Sandy's.• Henry noticed Floyd gave some customers sprinkles from a drawer instead of the normal cup and Sandra yelled at him, drawing his anger. He also noticed that Mikey was wearing gloves, which he didn't usually do, and had a bandage under it.Time to place your order, which flavor is your pick for murderer of the day?ABOUT SorryThe game Sorry was created in England in the late 1920s by William Henry Storey, who registered it as a trademark in the UK in 1920 and receive a US patent in Aug 1930. The patent link is in the show notes. The patents describes in detail the parts of the board, the men, the cards, and how to play. Mr. Storey went on to say “the above apparatus used as above described is calculated and has been proved by experience to be a prolific source of amusement and provides a game which calls for the exercise of a great deal of judgment while being dependent in a measure on an uncertain factor such as is calculated to add to the excitement of the game, though due to the choice of moves allowed when certain cards are turned up, the influence of the element of chance as a determining factor is much reduced in comparison with the skill exercised by a player in choosing his moves.”Several sources cite the Indian game Pachisi as inspiration or basis for Sorry. The link to the Wikipedia page is in the shownotes. Rather than a square board, Pachisi uses a...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is SOME KIND OF TRUTH by Westly Smith. SOME KIND OF TRUTH was released from Wicked House Publishing and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.TG Wolff ReviewSOME KIND OF TRUTH is a dark thriller. Pittsburgh Tribune reporter Steve James made a name for himself by digging up the kind of dirt some people want to keep buried. When a package containing a driver's license and violent video is delivered to him, it's clear some anonymous person wants him to put his skills to use. Rebecca Ann Turner was sixteen when she was last seen in 1999. Bottom line: SOME KIND OF TRUTH is for you if you like gritty mysteries where no ending could be called a good ending.Strengths of the story. The leading strength of SOME KIND OF TRUTH is the storytelling style. We readers are there alongside Steve James as sussed out clues that were overlooked, under investigated, or not available during the original investigation. With assistance by local reporter Amy Richards, Steve is able to reinterview key witnesses, giving us firsthand information. With solid pacing and excellent chapter development, I found this one to be one where I kept turning the page, wanting to learn more.SOME KIND OF TRUTH is a stand-alone novel and not part of a series. Steve James is a good, lead character. He is an established professional but one that is haunted by his capture by the Taliban after 9/11. His history has a role in his decision making, which is the flaw that makes him human. Amy Richards is more partner than assistant and, though they are of a similar (unspecified) age, she clearly lacks Steve's experience. She is a good counterpoint to Steve, having the connections and local knowledge needed to supplement his broader investigative skills. The supporting characters each play a needed role and display a range of emotions, which makes them individuals rather than flat bit players.The premise for the story is 16-year-old Rebecca Turner went to a party with a friend and wasn't seen again. The friend reported she left around midnight; her car was found in a field wiped clean. Through the course of his investigation, Steve learns five other girls were kidnapped and abused in a similar manner to Rebecca. These other girls have a connection to a S&M magazine that owned by a money launderer. It is this connection that uniquely positions Steve to solve the cases. This was a cleverly devised plot that Steve unpeeled one layer at a time. The events of 25-years ago are logical in a hard-crime sense. The modern events unfolded also are logical and are driven by Steve. The resources he has as a crime reporter, his experience in other tough investigations, and his determination to find out what happened to Rebecca drive the story forward to an unexpected but engaging end. Where the story fell short of ideal: The story as it unfolds from the first page to the last is logical and satisfying. However, I found myself with questions about actions of the supporting characters before Steve becomes involved. Questions that, depending...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 13, twister is the featured game. This is Right Hand Dripping Blood Red by Jason Little.Mysteries to Die For remains ad free. In exchange for not making you move to hit the fast forward button, support our authors by checking out their backlists and picking up a title. This week is Jason Little. He has a collection of short stories currently available on Amazon, which can be found at JasonLittleWriting.com DELIBERATIONIt isn't all fun and games for Detective Sam Carlysle. The bodies are stacking up. Ivan Romanov (aka Mister Twister), Henrick Gajewski (aka The Garbage Man), Mitch Takovich (aka The Spinner Doctor). Here are the people we've met…at least the ones that are still alive:• Peter Caruthers, reporter for the Chicago Tribune who seems to be in the wrong place at the right time• Abby Tinsdale, aka Knockout_Kitty, competitor from Dallas, Texas who intends to win• Gavin Rosenbaum, Mister Twister's manager who eats his stress• Sofi Planchette, the IBOTE event coordinator who demands things run on time• Julia Tinsdale, Abby's mother with the sometimes Texas accentHere are the facts Sam is working with:• The victims are being killed in a manner consistent with their last Twister winning move. With a $1million prize, it is a very competitive field.• Mister Twister's back was broken and his hand cut off. Odd bruising along the shoulders indicates someone went overboard on the Chiropractic readjustment. A Snickers wrapper was found at the scene.• The Garbage Man was killed with a device Peter Caruthers reported was used by the Bratva, aka the Russian mob.• The Spinner Doctor was found with his severed foot submerged in a filthy toilet with a Snickers wrapper tucked behind the basin. His last words indicated a m…m…murder mystery has yet to be solved.• Journalist / photographer Peter Caruthers appeared on the scene of each murder. His Nikon had photos of the victim's last win. He provided information on the Russian mob and pointed to the male judge being behind it.It's your turn to call the next move for Carlysle. Whose hands go in the cuffs?A reminder to mystery readers, check out our print and e-books. This season's book is being released in two parts. Part one, Opening Gambit, released in March 2024 and Part two, Final Move, will release in September. Today's story is the first in part two. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and keep Jack in tacos and headphones. ABOUT TwisterThe game Twister was created with the original name of Pretzel in 1966. Working for the Guyer Company, toy designer Charles Foley and graphic designer Neil Rabens combined ideas for a game where people were the pieces and a colorful mat concept into a game that is very much the one we know today. Foley...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is a plot setting excerpt from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is Lines of Deception by Steve Anderson TG Wolff ReviewLines of Deception is a thriller. Max Kaspar is finding a new kind of normal in post-war Munich, Germany. He has his club, he has his customers, and he has his brother's ear. In a purple box. Now Max is on a mission to save his younger brother, who is on a mission to save someone the Soviets have and the Americans want. Allies and enemies, no one can be trusted. Bottom line: Lines of Deception is for you if you like seat of your pants thrillers woven into the complicated world of post-war II Europe.Strengths of the story. The post-WWII setting takes center stage. This isn't a story generically set in 1949 or in one city but is a thriller woven through a variety cities and countries, occupied by multiple allied countries. Miles are crossed on trains, in trucks, and on foot. The food is lackluster, the PTSD rampant. Yes, Lines of Deception has an incredibly rich setting.This is the fourth book in the Kaspar Brothers series. As such, both Max and his brother Harry are well developed characters. Max leads the storytelling in this one. He stays true to his nature from start to finish. The side characters, good and bad, are well created and easy to keep track of. Max, Harry, and friends are constantly in danger of being discovered. Max drives the story until he achieves his goal of finding Harry. The baton of the decision making lead then passes to Harry. Together Max and Harry do drive the story. If at any point they made different decisions, the story would have ended.At the end, looking from back to front, the logic holds. This is a missing person type thriller without the elements of “switchbacks” that can weaken logic in political thrillers. I appreciated that at the end of the book, Max and Harry recapped the logic line, making me a very happy reader.Where the story fell short of ideal: I didn't find much to pick on here. Perhaps thriller readers who prefer fire fights, explosions, and stunt people might find this one a bit staid. I, myself, did not. The thrills were just right for the time period. The Lines of Deception was released from Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.About Steve AndersonSteve Anderson is the author of numerous novels, mostly historical thrillers about gutsy underdogs. In an earlier life he earned an MA in history and was a Fulbright Fellow in Germany. Day jobs have included busy waiter, Associated Press rookie, and language instructor. He's also written historical nonfiction and translated bestselling German novels. Lines of Deception is fourth in his Kaspar Brothers series but can be read as a standalone. A hopeless soccer addict, he lives in his hometown of Portland, Oregon with his...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. For Episode 12, Tarot Cards is the featured game. This is A Tarotfying End by TG WolffDELIBERATIONVictoria Harris did not jump from the bell tower. But who helped her? Mystic and his talented squad are collecting the evidence and checking alibis as we speak. In whose direction should Mystic focus his considerable talents? Here are the suspects in the order we met them:• Angela Harris, Victoria's older half-sister who wanted to sell their father's valuable estate• Grace Anderson, Victoria's boss who was making her professional life hell• Keisha Brown aka Darling, Victoria's ex who still wanted to make it workHere are the clues that have been revealed:• Victoria Harris was confronted by someone in St. Jane Frances church. She apparently hid in the confessional, taking off her shoes, and ended up in the bell tower, four stories above the square.• A physical altercation took place and Victoria Harris was thrown from the bell tower. Victoria's torn fingernails and an earring were found in the tower.• When found, Victoria had the chain and charm in her hand that she had given to Cici Baptiste on their anniversary. She had lipstick smeared on her cheek that matched the lipstick used to draw on the mirror in Cici's apartment. She also had three tarot cards tucked in her bra.• Angela Harris acknowledged arguing with her sister over their father's estate. She was home alone at the time of death with no witnesses. She had a cut on her hand sustained while making guacamole for the date who no-showed. No other cuts or scratches were noticed.• Grace Anderson acknowledged arguing with Victoria over the deal they were working on. Grace was in Bonbanni and went to see Victoria at the club. She does not have an alibi for the time her husband when to get the car, shortly before ten. No cuts or scratches were noticed.• Keisha “Darling” Brown was a singer and personal trainer who was convinced she and Victoria were getting back together. She had cut her arm sustained the night before loading her gear. Her clothes and scarf did not provide the opportunity to see additional injuries. Who would you arrest for this dirty deed done in a holy place?PRINT & E-BOOKSCheck out our print and e-books. The companion book for Seasons 4, 5 and 6 are available in e-book and trade paperback from online retailers. This season's book is being released in two parts. Part one, with 12 stories, released in March 2024 – the last story in it is the one you heard today. Part two releases in September. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and keep Jack in sunglasses that hold his hair back.Season Anthologies on AmazonABOUT TG WolffLike you, I'm not one thing. I'm a writer, an engineer, a wife, and a mother. What is first on the list depends on the day. Beyond the title I claim, I'm a person who loves learning and thoroughly enjoys a good puzzle, is creative and gets bored easily. I hold a BS in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and an MS in Civil...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is an excerpt from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons by CJ Abazis TG Wolff ReviewThe Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is a serial killer mystery. Death has again found Interpol Chief Data Scientist Dr. Manos Manu. Hot air balloon pilots are being murdered in the United Arab Emirates, frozen to death high above the earth. Manos is dispatched to Dubai to support analysis by a software he led the creation of. But to generate correct answers, the software needs data, data that hides in the dark traits of men.Bottom line: The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is for you if you love high-tech code nearly as much as you love mysteries. Strengths of the story. The greatest strength of this story is the expert detail presented in the development, testing, and augmentation of machine learning systems. In his day job, CJ Abazis runs a software company and his expertise shines through here. The Machine Murders isn't the typical high-level use of IT common in television shows like NCIS or Criminal Minds. Instead, the program is a rich as character as any of the humans and the language is true to life.Much of this story is set in the Emirates. I found it to be a new and fresh scene, with texture and depth that supplemented the mystery. The justaposition of the uber high-tech with the traditional Arab culture made for fascinating reading. I cannot comment on how accurate Abazis' representation of the culture was, just that it was well developed and added to the story.The Machine Murders is structured as an extended story told in two parts. The first, Island Buoys, kicks off the story of Dr. Manos Manu and the use of machine learning models to hunt for the killer. The second, this story called Desert Balloons, picks up shortly after the end of the first. I have not read the first. The author does introduce the continuing Interpol characters and software basics to new readers. I do wonder if the machine learning would have been easier to follow if I had read Island Buoys. As to how the logic stands up from the finish looking back, the result is fair. This is a mystery where the solution isn't driven by testimony or evidence. The machine does the reasoning, using the additional information Manos identifies. We aren't privy to actions or history of the suspects to be able to assess the logic of the solution and, as such, have the rely on the results from the computer system as correct. Manos confronts the killer, giving readers a satisfying end that the guilty party was found, but I was left with questions.Overall, the pacing of the story did well to hold my attention. There were a few sections where I did not follow the change from one scene to another. While these ultimately did not affect the outcome of the story, I was pulled out of it as I went back to re-read. The thriller elements were written to align with a main character that was a chief data scientist, with Manos using his brains rather than fighting he way out of situations.While the greatest strength of the story is the detail of machine learning, it is also the element that makes its less than accessible for some readers, including myself. Being an average technology end user at best, I simply could not follow the directions given to modify the code or or appreciate the results it generated. The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is unique in the mystery world for making the software itself a main character and is a must read for lovers of machine...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 11, Marco Polo is the featured game. This is Marco Mayhem by Karina BartowPRE-ROLLToday's author is Karina Bartow. “Marco! Mayhem!” is part of Karina's Unde(a)feated Detective Series, which follows deaf detective, Minka Avery. Minka's always striving to rise above her deafness—as well as her family's antics—to crack the case. To catch up on the Avery family, check out Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, and Accidental Allies, available now. For further information on Karina and her books, visit KarinaBartow.com.DELIBERATIONMinka needs our help to get Marco to his Polo. Here are the pool characters affiliated with Xavier Maccabbee:• Hope, the girlfriend who kissed and made up with Xavier• Clinton, pool manager and Hope's ex who defended her• Leon Fleming, bounty hunter who worked an alternate deal with Xavier• TC, possibly Tanner Cowen, Xavier's boss who wasn't happy with Xavier's work.Here are the facts as Minka and her partner Cael know:• Hope and Xavier went into the pool for a game of Marco Polo. In the middle of the game, Xavier left the pool and was later found dead in the pool shed from a blow to the head with a crank handle.• The facility video showed something off camera drawing Xavier out of the pool. It also showed a male in a hoodie sneaking around, later leaving, taking Xavier's car.• Clinton defended his ex, Hope, when she argued with Xavier. He later spied on the couple when they were “making up” in the hot tub. Other than that, he was working.• Clinton claims he had no linger affection for Hope. They had both moved on.• Leon Fleming recognized Xavier as a skip and approached him to apprehend him. Xavier supposedly offered him a better pay day. A dead Xavier wasn't worth any thing.• TC made demands for Xavier to finish a job. The addresses in the text chain were locations where cars were stolen from. Who should Minka and Cael set their sights on?PRINT & E-BOOKSA reminder to mystery readers, check out our print and e-books. The companion book for Seasons 4, 5 and 6 are available in e-book and trade paperback from online retailers. This season's book is being released in two parts. Part one released in March 2024 and Part two in September. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and keep Jack in tacos and headphones. Season Anthologies on AmazonABOUT Marco PoloMarco Polo, as you got from today's story, is an aqua “blind man's bluff” – the tag game, not the poker game. According...

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.Today's featured release is The Nowhere Girls by Dana Perry TG Wolff ReviewThe Nowhere Girls is a cold case, crime thriller. FBI Agent Nikki Cassidy has returned home to visit David Monroe in prison. On this 15th anniversary, her sister's killer has an agenda of his own and Nikki is the key. Bottom line: The Nowhere Girls is for you if you like serial killer crime thrillers where the past is the key to the present. Two strengths of this story lie in the complexity of the crime and the pacing of its reveal. As indicated in the backcover synopsis (i.e. not a spoiler) the crime here is the kidnapping and murder of not one young girl but several. It begins with the cold case investigation of the murder of Caitlin, Nikki's sister, 15 years ago and is ramped up with the disappearance of another 13-year-old, Natalie, on the anniversary of Caitlin's disappearance. While revisiting the site where her sister's body was discovered, Nikki and team find another body – this one from a girl who disappeared from other state. That element of cross state boundaries enables Nikki to be officially assigned to the case and her team to come in. The evolution of the mystery is deliberately paced and satisfying with nearly every chapter counting.This is the first in the Nikki Cassidy series with the next two already released. I have not read the others in the series. For a first story, Nikki is well developed. Readers can see from early on how her greatest strength is also her greatest weakness. Nikki is one of those characters wo has an abundance of confidence in her own judgement and abilities. This gives her the steadfastness to stick to a case where others would have turned away but also causes her to make poor and selfish decisions where other people pay the consequences.The supporting cast in this story are largely the characters associated Caitlin's murder including the convicted killer, his wife/lawyer, and the ME and prosecutor at the time. The characters are distinctly drawn, making it easy for me to both remember and differentiate them. The logic of the mystery holds up reasonably well when looked at from back-to-front. But. There is no evidence laid out in the story leading to the Big Bad. Instead, the Big Bad self-reveals in the culmination. While this leads to a wrap-up that is satisfying to the reader, ultimately Nikki didn't solve the mystery.When we look at how the main character, Nikki, drove the story, there are mixed results. Nikki is focused on the cold case of her sister's murder while there is an active hunt for missing 13-year-old Natalie. Understanding that Nikki has convinced herself there is a connection between Caitlin and Natalie, there is no sense of urgency on Nikki's part to find Natalie. After the first interview with Natalie's parents, she is focused on what happened 15-years ago. Nikki drives the cold case investigation, yes, but not the missing person in imminent danger. Readers will enjoy this crime thriller best if they go into it with the expectation of a cold case crime thriller rather than a missing person thriller. The discovery that there is a serial killer and answers to Caitlin's murder are the central story; the search for Natalie is not. The dynamic storytelling, dramatic pacing, and satisfying ending make THE NOWHERE GIRLS great entertainment for lovers of crime thrillers. The Nowhere Girls was released from Bookouture and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills. This is Episode 10, a scavenger hunt is the featured game. This is Hunting for Clues by Nick AndreychukPRE-ROLLThis is TG Wolff. Today we welcome author Nick Andreychuk to the podcast.Nick has written award-winning short stories for magazines and anthologies. His stories, which range from classic whodunnits to hardboiled crime to suspense thrillers. Find his work by searching for his name (Andreychuk) at your favorite on-line book retailers.DELIBERATIONWell, it doesn't seem like Chris needs our help solving the murder of Sam Jenkins, but Becker and Launek do. Here are the suspects they are working with:• Bob Wu, Seattle local who got drenched waiting for his cab• Wayne Smith, Tacoma resident who drove in for the convention• John Reddy, Seattle transplant from across the pondHere's what we know:• On Reddy's suggestion, the four newly acquainted men were working together on the scavenger hunt. Each had one last item to find. They left Sam's room together, planning to meet back up in the lobby at noon.• Jenkins was found by the other men after he did not show up at the meeting spot. He died in his hotel room, suffocated on the TV remote control.• Two front desk clerks testified that two men were seen returning around eleven. They could not tell who. Despite being different ethnicities, the men were of similar stature and style.• Jenkins had bought several expensive pieces of memorabilia as well as signed comic books and photos.• Something Jenkins had bought was discovered on each of the suspects. Reddy had the Ironman gizmo. Smith had the Panther mask, which he claimed Jenkins loaned him. Wu had signed shoes, which he also said was loaned to him.Time to use your Spidey sense. Who should Becker and Launek arrest?PRINT & E-BooksThe companion book for Season 4, 5 and 6 are available in e-book and trade paperback from online retailers. This season's book is being released in two parts. Part one released in March 2024 and Part two in September. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and keep Jack in tacos and headphones. Season Anthologies on AmazonABOUT Scavenger HuntsAccording to Britannica.com, America writer and hostess Elsa Maxwell is credited with creating scavenger hunts as a party game. Maxwell was renown for your parties both for the A-list guests and for the novelties she created to amuse them. Maxwell was an interesting, self-made woman. Born in 1883, she supported herself as a theatre pianist and accompanist while in her teens. She worked with a Shakesperean troupe, in vaudeville, and in music halls, all...