by Ellie Alexander

Calling all book rebels, are you ready for some rebel reading? I’m launching the Rebel Book Alliance, where we read and amplify banned books, and I’d love for you to join me.

My earliest memories are of traipsing to the library every Friday afternoon, where I would spend hours scouring the aisles and returning home with a stack of books I would devour in a few days. Reading about far-off corners of the globe and characters who had vastly different experiences than me shaped who I am as a writer and person today. Books like Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston opened my eyes to internment camps located a few miles away from where I grew up and something that my high school history classes barely touched upon. Ursula Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness redefined gender roles. At the same time, The Color Purple by Alice Walker revealed the brutalities of abuse and systemic racism with a powerful message of resiliency despite seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Without these stories and countless others, I don’t know who I would be today, so I’m starting the Rebel Book Alliance. Books like these are being banned in classrooms and libraries throughout the United States, and we can fight back with our collective reading power.

Here’s how it works. I’ll be sharing a variety of books on banned lists, from illustrated children’s books to full-length adult novels. You can buy the books, request them from your library, share them on social media, and talk about them with your book friends.

The first read for our Rebel Book Alliance is a sweet story about two penguins, Roy and Silo, who fall in love and adopt a baby penguin, And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson. We’ll chat about the book live on Instagram on the last Thursday of the month. Join in on March 30 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

If you can’t join in this month, you can start reading next month’s book pick now—Out of Darkness, by Ashley Hope Pérez.

Happy rebel reading,

Ellie

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by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Holidays & Homicides 24/7
Violet Rhinehammer was excited about reaching the next rung on the corporate ladder having arranged an interview with a national news organization. However, karma stepped in with a dead body and a rerouted plane flight, and although her involvement was key in a successful investigation, she received a “sorry, we’ve hired someone else” disappointment. However, she did claim the ultimate prize: editor and, albeit only, reporter and photographer for the Junction Journal. Despite the fact she’s new and not a big fan of holidays, especially every holiday presented on a town-wide, 24/7 scale, she found herself chosen the town’s Merry Maker, a centuries-old, very secret key role in the community’s celebrations. She, then, pegged longtime resident, bar owner, and one with whom she has a personal interest, Darren Strickland, as co-Merry Maker; it’s his punishment for having revealed her secret identity to her mother Millie Kay. But in truth, Violet truly loves her new home, but worries about the dead bodies that seem to be making the holiday headlines.

Chocolate Bunny Betrayal Earns 5/5 Bunny Tails … Clever, Engaging Cozy!

“Mama brought her hands over her mouth and screamed, “The Easter Bunny is dead!”
— Excerpt From Chocolate Bunny Betrayal

Violet’s Mama has really taken to Holiday Junction participating in the various women’s groups, planning committees, and holiday festivities. With the Hip Hop Hurray Easter Festival near, many, including Mama, are honing their baking skills for the Bake-Off. Frances Green, who won the competition last year, was Mama’s toughest competitor, but still she didn’t waver from her plan to win the top prize: the Golden Egg Trophy. Mama isn’t mean about the competition; she offers Frances a specially created chocolate bunny as a friendly gesture. Checking the clock, Mama is adamant about not being late to the Easter Bunny auditions she’s judging, so off she goes.

It’s the first spring and first Easter celebration for Violet and her mother, and they’re both reveling in all the buzz at Holiday Park: booths were being set up, the local band is rehearsing, children are milling about, and candidates for Easter Bunny are flaunting their personalities. Violet is snapping away for her front-page article, until the scream halted all activities. Everyone is in shock to see one of the Bunny candidates laying on the ground midst the decorated eggs strewn about … dead. Sadly, it’s Frances Greene. Even worse, the half-eaten chocolate bunny Mama had given her may be the murder weapon. “…your mother has been arrested for murder, again?”

Hoppity-rrific! Tonya Kappes has made the holidays special with her Holiday Cozy Mystery series, and with Easter around the corner, book five is a great read for cozy fans. Violet’s mother is quite a handful, not one to trifle with, and even Violet finds it difficult to rein in Mama’s overzealous nature. She doesn’t seem to grasp the severity of being suspected of murder or the definition of “house arrest.” Using her nose for news, an evidence board, and Darren’s input, Violet does find the victim had a few conflicts which expanded the suspect list beyond just Millie Kay. The motives seem your typical fare from getting rid of the competition to seething jealousy or downright anger, but could it be something more personal? That’s where the twist get entertaining. Using her press credentials, Violet asks questions, finds (hides) evidence, and shares (sort of) with law enforcement. But, it does get her and others into troublesome predicaments with break ins, golf cart chases, and crashes. The final conclusion, punctuated by some personal peril, had a surprise arrest. Great fun!

This series is a bit more quirky than other Kappes’ series with the idea of a town, aptly named Holiday Junction, going all out for every holiday with such fervor, but it’s a fun element with the clever names of activities, contests, and links to the crime which adds to the already clever murder mystery, mouthwatering chocolate talk, endearing romance, and a southern family dynamic. Don’t miss the Note from the Merry Maker for a fun little “note” tying up an issue or giving a tiny peek into what’s coming up.

Holiday Cozy Mystery series KRL Reviews
Four Leaf Felony (2022) Reviewed HERE
Mother’s Day Murder (2022) Reviewed HERE
Halloween Homicide (2022) Reviewed HERE
New Year’s Nuisance (2023)
Chocolate Bunny Betrayal (April, 2023)
Thanksgiving Treachery (2023)
Santa Claus Surprise (2023)

Be a Big Fan of Tonya Kappes!
“Southern Hospitality with a Smidgen of Homicide!” USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes pens a variety of series. With this Holiday Cozy Mystery series, she also has A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery and Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery along with exciting ghostly-, magical-, and caffeinated-themed series. For ghosts, she has Ghostly Southern Mystery and Kenni Lowry series. Add some magic with a Magical Cures Mystery and Spies and Spells series. And finally, get a little caffeinated with her Killer Coffee Mystery. She also has an enjoyable online presence and various events enticing fans to gather to talk, share, and partake in the fun!

Facebook – Author Tonya Kappes
Join the “Cozy Krew”
Become a Member at the Website – Tonya Kappes
YouTube — Tonya Kappes

To enter to win a print or eBook copy of Chocolate Bunny Betrayal by Tonya Kappes, either make a comment below about your Easter traditions: (1) family gathering, (2) must have in your Easter basket, or (3) Peeps or not. (winner’s choice), or simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “bunny,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 8, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. BE SURE TO STATE IF YOU WANT PRINT OR EBOOK.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode went up this week.

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the Amazon link. You can also click here to purchase the book.

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying year 2 of retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband of 26+ years.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by Lee Juslin

Fraser, a little Scottie pup, had a rough start in life. Born in Pennsylvania Amish country, he was the only puppy to survive in his litter, and he might not have continued to survive had it not been for the kindness of a stranger.

Living in an Amish home, Fraser was not getting the care or love he needed. Fortunately for this sweet, little pup, his life was about to take a positive turn.

Fraser

Visiting from New York State, Jocelyn came across a horse wandering along a road by himself. Experienced with horses, Jocelyn immediately got hold of the horse and walked him to the nearest house. As luck would have it, that was where the horse had wandered from. While she was talking to the owner, a scruffy little Scottie ran out from the backyard. When Jocelyn saw the terrible shape the little Scottie was in her heart melted. She dug through her pockets and found just $40.00, but persuaded the man to sell the pup to her.

Jocelyn took Fraser back to her home in New York State. Her plan was to improve his health and appearance and then find him a good home. After several weeks, Jocelyn called Erica of Greater NY/NJ Scottie Rescue for help with Fraser.

When the rescue took him to their vet, they discovered he had a severe case of worms. While Fraser was being treated, all the dogs in the same foster home had to be treated. This was a rather big expense for the rescue, but they knew this young pup was worth it.

It took Fraser a while to adjust to his foster home, but after a short period and a cure for his worms, he began to show his personality. At eleven months, Fraser is still very puppy-ish. He loves to play with other dogs, especially females, and he also loves toys. Having had his first grooming, it is clear he is a good-looking Scottie.

When Fraser tires out from running and playing, he likes to cuddle with his foster mom and another dog in her bed. His foster mom is working on housebreaking as well as teaching him to walk on a leash. But, whoever adopts him will need to continue his training.

Fraser will be neutered before he is offered for adoption. However, the vet wants to hold the neutering until Fraser is one year old.

A good home for Fraser would be one with another dog to play with, preferably a female. Because he is an active, puppy-like boy, he needs a single person or family young and active enough to keep up with him and to continue his training. He has never been alone, so someone who works at home or has only a part time job would be a good fit. Little Fraser just wants his own person or family with whom he can connect. With some work and lots of love, Fraser will make a wonderful little pal.

You can learn more about Fraser and all the other Scotties in Scottie Rescue, volunteer, apply to adopt a rescue, or make a very needed donation. During this time of the Covid virus rescue organizations need even more help with financial donations and volunteers. If you want to volunteer, you can become a foster parent or help with transporting. Scottie Rescue of Great NY/NJ is a 501C3 entity so donations are tax deductible.

Visit the Greater NY/NJ Scottie Rescue on their Facebook page or their website:

Web: NY/NJ Scottie Rescue site
FB: NY/NJ Scottie Rescue

Check out more animal rescue stories in our Pet Perspective section & watch for more stories. You can also keep up with our pet articles by joining our KRL Facebook group.

Want to know how to see your ad like this at the end of an article? Email KRL at kingsriverlife@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] for more info. 10% of all ad sales goes to animal rescue.

Lee Juslin is a free lance copywriter living in North Carolina with her husband, Scott, and her band of misfits: Tarquin, a Wheaten Scottish Terrier, and three handicapped cats. They can be seen on their website: Hampshire Hooligans. She owns I B Dog Gone, a small embroidery business and is the author of the Nurse Frosty books for children and Frosty’s Story: Tales of a Therapy Dog. She supports a number of national and regional terrier rescue organizations.

by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Never one to not take advantage of a marketing tool, or the ignorance of white people, Vera Wong Zhuzhu operates her beloved, but struggling, Vera Wang’s World-Famous Teahouse in San Francisco’s Chinatown. That her teahouse is neither world renowned nor she herself the iconic designer Vera Wang doesn’t bother Vera in the least, especially now that she is in a one-sided rivalry with the coffeehouse across the street. Vera has her daily routines, which involve texting her adult son at 4:31 a.m. to remind him to wake up and eat breakfast, texting him at 5:01 p.m. encouraging him to eat a healthy early dinner, and constantly updating on the status of available single women liking his TikToks. What is not in her usual schedule is finding a body in the middle of her teahouse, although that doesn’t stop her from helping herself to some of the evidence in order to conduct her own investigation.

It’s quite obvious that Vera is supremely confident in her ability to give advice (that many seem to ignore) and also conduct her own “amateur” investigation. Vera begins making her Murder List of suspects and motives, and topping the lists include the array of visitors who arrived not long after the discovery of Marshall Chen’s body. The young businessman’s browbeaten wife Julia feels like a failure as a mother and a wife, while his twin brother Oliver has always been designated as the lesser sibling who always takes the blame. The appearance by a young woman claiming to be a podcaster and another young man rather hesitating stating that he is a reporter has Vera adding them to her suspect list, but she also drags them into her growing circle of accomplices as she continues to investigate. Vera is determined to pursue her own detecting despite police declaring Marshall’s death the result of a fatal bird allergy, and nothing can stop Vera when she believes that she is in the right. If that means tampering with evidence and perhaps staging her own crime scene, so be it.

In her author’s note Jesse Q. Sutanto writes that plans for the third Aunties mystery book were derailed by Vera Wong, who refused to be set aside as a character demanding her own series. It’s easy to see why, as while Vera seems to be an unlikely and perhaps unlikable heroine, she quickly enchants both readers and her growing found family. Softening her bulldozer tendencies are chapters alternately narrated by Julia Chen, aspiring artist Sana Singh, insecure Riki Herwanto, and Oliver Chen, all of whom are slowly drawn into the overwhelming presence of the bossy but well-meaning woman. Their initial reluctance to follow Vera mirrors that of the reader, yet quickly all will be charmed by Vera’s genuine protectiveness of her friends and her own need for love. The moment when Vera is brought low and questions all of her decisions completely cements her place in readers’ hearts, as her hard exterior is seen as the fragile façade it truly is.

As with the two previous Aunties books, Asian cuisine and traditions are presented with tantalizing details that also highlight just how important they are to those raised with them. Fans of M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin will find this new series especially appealing, but all cozy and foodie book readers are advised to dive into this unexpected and extremely entertaining mystery.

To enter to win a copy of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “vera,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 8, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode goes up next month.

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the Amazon link. You can also click here to purchase the book.

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by Jackie Dale

February was a month for spending quite a bit of time on the road. Driving Nadine, the Rottweiler, to the rescue required that I ask a friend to drive us there in her roomier SUV. Nadine was very well-behaved in the car, but we think she was nervous because her last ride in a vehicle didn’t go so well. She did not want to get out. However, once out and reassured she wasn’t about to be abandoned again, her personality bounced right back.

Went to rescue

Abandoned kitten to rescue

Once neutered, the awful smell of their urine will dissipate in about 30 days. I know some folks “don’t see the point” in fixing their male cats, but that urine smell is, at least, one, very compelling reason to neuter your male cat. The other reason, and I shouldn’t have to point it out so much, is that your cat won’t be impregnating the cats of all the other irresponsible pet owners in the neighborhood.

Paxton

Then from a nearby town came another adult male. He had been wandering as a stray with kind neighbors feeding him. But, there was one neighbor who didn’t like the cat coming to his porch and threatened to shoot him. “Fred” was one sweet fellow!

I’ve been rescued!

They barely got back from the vets office when the rescue called asking for some friendly adults. They said they would take all four of my guys. Now named Gideon, Gianni, and Gerard, the three brothers and Fred took a ride.

I enjoyed the brief respite from all those boys and had the time to thoroughly clean all the cages.

Went to rescue

I put a lot of miles on my car in the past month, but it is so worth it. I’m going to enjoy this bit of a lull because it is not going to last. That is a certainty.

DONATIONS ARE ALWAYS GREATLY APPRECIATED!
I can’t operate without them. If you would like to make a donation, I have a PayPal account steamodale@gmail[dot]com. You can also send donations via good old snail mail to Jackie Dale, P O Box 1859, Reedley, CA 93654. Questions? jackiejoy@hotmail[dot]com.

You can check out more animal rescue articles in KRL’s animal rescue section! Join our Pets Facebook group to help keep up with our pet articles.

Jackie Dale is a freelance writer who lives in Reedley with her husband of 27 years, Frank, and their 2 children. A former ballerina, Jackie now teaches yoga and fitness classes privately and at local area gyms in addition to her cat related duties.

by Kathleen Costa

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries experienced some changes with the departure of a few established stars, but they didn’t just sit around pining for the good ol’ days; they started looking forward. Their newest Signature Mystery, The Cases of Mystery Street, just aired starring Aimee Garcia, known for many roles including Dexter and Lucifer, and Paul Campbell, a popular Hallmark lead actor with many roles including the recently aired Three Wise Men and a Baby. Together they portray a crime-solving couple.

Some married couples try to put the “magic” back into their marriage, but Alden and Birdie Case are putting in the “mystery.” Birdie is an ambitious attorney, working at a firm headed by her mother (although she’s not mom during work hours). Alden is struggling to find a stable career after a serious crypto debacle which still impacts the couple’s finances, so he promised his wife he’d take advanced accounting classes at the local community college to become a CPA. However, they are both keeping something from each other: Birdie has yet to tell her husband she loves online poker at which she’s pretty good, and Alden has yet to tell his wife he’s really taking PI classes at which he’s pretty good.

Alden’s first field assignment is surveillance: pick a subject, monitor said subject, and log activities while maintaining the utmost secrecy. Alden’s bright idea is to follow Kyle, his wife’s co-worker and one with whom he harbors a bit of jealousy. The evening is going well as he follows Kyle to the cleaners, the gym, and back to the law firm’s offices, but after only a couple of minutes pass, he sees Kyle running out of the office. Curious about what could have spooked him, Alden sneaks into the offices. The answer might be the body of Tim Grant, one of the law firm’s partners, hanging from his office ceiling, dead. Alden is not convinced of the official determination of suicide, so he starts his own investigation to uncover the truth. Is he looking at some extra credit marks in class?

Learning her husband lied about the type of classes he was taking, is acting as a private investigator, was tailing her friend and colleague, and found a dead body, effects the couple’s marital bliss, but soon, they start to discover some enjoyment working together to find answers. Their efforts reveal some lies, secret relationships, gossip and rumors, threats (even to themselves), and several legal issues that could be motives for murder. Birdie’s job is in jeopardy with all her extracurricular activities and resulting tardiness at work, which greatly frustrates her mother/boss, but their success is undeniable … can you say “You’re under arrest?”

Hallmark is going forward with several new signature mysteries, and for me, The Cases of Mystery Street earns 5/5 PI Notebooks! The actors, main and supporting, were well cast in their roles: from snarky to meek, demanding to acquiescing, secretive to bold as brass. I am not familiar with Aimee Garcia, and despite her petite appearance, she did do well to portray strength in the starring role. The murder mystery circled around several interesting scenarios, all with legitimate evidence and suspects: the discovery of a mob boss’s body, keeping secrets secret, retribution, or stopping the victim’s participation in a legal matter. The amateur manner the two employed was realistic, bumbling at times, but the couple found their strengths worked well as a team, but of course, their partnership was not devoid of husband/wife disagreements and a night sleeping on the couch. The two come to the same conclusion from different directions resulting in one in a ‘tied to the chair’ confrontation. But, all’s well that ends well, and the final, final twist sets up the premise of the next movie.

Nothing, however, is perfect. There were some incidents that had me rolling my eyes. The twirling, fake mustaches, accents, and a little too immature with puns at inappropriate times. Birdie’s mother is…wow, a boss-zilla, demanding a lot of her employee/daughter, but not really showing an equal amount of a mother’s concern. But, I recognize that it is a cozy mystery and quirky humor and amateur foibles are legitimate elements. It does work itself out, and I was entertained and looking for more.

Keep informed and updated!
Facebook: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
Website: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
Twitter @hallmarkmovie

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode goes up next month.

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying year 2 of retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband of 26+ years.

by Sunny Frazier

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of Cheddar Late Than Dead by Linda Reilly mentioned in a past Coming Attractions column.

Do we really need April showers? This year we were saturated. Better to stay dry with a good mystery.

Have we ever seen a mystery set in a hospice? Jennifer Wright-Berryman’s debut novel, The Dying Five, is the first in her new Hospice Heroes Mysteries. When the CEO of a start-up company is gunned down, the Five and their social worker are dying to investigate. Between naps and nurses, they become entangled in a plot of greed, power, and peril. While collecting clues, another CEO is murdered. And, it turns out, there are also a few secrets among the Five. Set in the rolling hills of Southern Indiana, this series is one to die for.

Do I see a theme developing here? Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust is Mindy Quigley’s second Deep Dish Mystery. Pizzeria owner Delilah O’Leary is determined to keep her restaurant in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, afloat. She enters a culinary contest for the prize money and is betting on her Pretzel Crust Deep-Dish Bratwurst Pizza for the win. But, when her ex’s new squeeze is found dead by a poisoned smoothie, she becomes one of the suspects.

When Lucy Stone, reporter of the Tinker’s Cove newspaper in Maine, is invited to her daughter’s surprise wedding in France, of course she says “Oui.” But when a young woman’s body is found floating in the chateau moat, rumors spread about the family her daughter is marrying into.There’s also the fear that the bride’s ex-boyfriend may might show up and make a scene. Mother of the Bride Murder is the twenty-ninth Lucy Stone Mystery by Leslie Meier. ?

Another wedding is on the horizon in the New England town of Greyborne Harbor. Addie is about to slip into her wedding dress when a startling find in her attic reveals things in the past. As the owner of Beyond the Page Books and Curios, she’s delighted to find a rare collection of classic children’s books, including a first edition of The Velveteen Rabbit. A handwritten inscription gives a clue to unraveling a mystery in Addie’s family. It’s a Dedication to Murder in the ninth Beyond the Bookstore series by Lauren Elliott.

Little Shop of Murders is a collection of fifteen short stories by a variety of authors. All profits go to children’s charities.
Don’t Toy with Me by Diane Kelly
A Man With No Imagination by Millie Ravensworth
The Forget-Me-Not Antiques Mystery by Victoria Tait
It Was Our Song by Nikki Knight
Always and Furever by Eryn Scott
Wild Irish Dreams by Lise McClendon
Architect of a Murder by Carlene O’Connor
Blooms and Blackmail by London Lovett
Secondhand Murder by J. New
The Lady of the House by Flora McGowan
Requiem for a Violin by Geraldine Byrne
Nightly Nuisance by Kathryn Mykel
The Gift of Dragons by ACF Bookens
Nowhere to Hide by Debbie Young
Murder in the Bookshop by Rachel McLea

Best of the Rest

Kathryn Mykel — Threading Trouble: A Quilting Cozy #4

To enter to win a copy of Cheddar Late Than Dead by Linda Reilly, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “April” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 8, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Be sure to check out our new mystery podcast too with mystery short stories, and first chapters read by local actors. A new episode goes up next month.

Or click on this link to take you to Mysterious Galaxy’s website where you can purchase any of these books & a portion will go to help support KRL:

Sunny Frazier worked with an undercover narcotics team in Fresno County for 17 years before turning her energies to writing the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries. Based in the San Joaquin Valley of California, the novels are inspired by real cases and 35 years of casting horoscopes.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases.

by Terrance Mc Arthur

The 2023 Fresno Rogue Performance Festival has come and gone, but the memories remain. For The Great Food Search, some of the best memories are of food. As I went from venue to venue, reviewing strange and amazing shows, one thing became obvious: even reviewers need to eat! Since the venues for the Rogue were in the Tower District, restaurants in that area were the obvious choice for the hungry reviewer. Therefore, here is a selection of where I went and what I got for Rogue ’23.

That’s not Mac & Cheese, it’s Creamy Cajun Penne with Chicken from Aromas Restaurant in the Tower District

Holy Cannoli! Chocolate dipped and pistachio-coated at Frosted Cakery in the Tower District

Whole colorful Pesto Chicken Pizza from Pacifica Pizza in the Tower District!

The Verdict
What to choose? Cajun pasta? Cannoli with chocolate and pistachios? Pesto Pizza? I am definitely a pesto fan, but … The Frosted Cakery is my winner for the month. They made me understand why the mobster in The Godfather movie said, “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”

Check out more food articles and more of Terrance’s Great Food Search column in our Food Fun section. And check out a KRL staff profile this week on Terrance!

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.

by Cynthia Chow

This week we have a review of the second book in the Bookbinding Mystery Series by Harper Kincaid, along with a fun interview with Harper. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

A Midsummer’s Night Scheme: A Bookbinding Mystery by Harper Kincaid
Review by Cynthia Chow

Having settled down back in her hometown of Vienna, Virginia, former English teacher and current bookbinder Quinn Caine is happily embracing her love of books while working in her family’s bookshop. Now that she’s recovered from the traumatic murder investigation that left her with a broken arm, Quinn and her fellow Prose & Scones employees are looking forward to the summer’s outdoor festivities. The arrival of another former high school classmate shatters their peace, as the hometown-boy-made-good Chad Frivole left more than a few shattered hearts in his wake. The Tony award-winning Broadway star intends on opening his own theater company in Vienna, but a Mean Girl cabal with their own Shakespearean witch vibe stirs up a hostile vibe with their threats to bring him down. So, when Chad veers off the road and crashes his car filled with a bag of venomous snakes and a written Shakespearean warning inside, Michelin-starred chef Ella Diaz is immediately pinpointed as the culprit. Not only does her boundary-pushing restaurant feature snakes on the menu, she was one of those wronged by the womanizing Chad back in his high school days and who vociferously vowed revenge.

Although Quinn promises her longtime crush Detective Aiden Harrington that she will stay out of his investigation, threats against another former playboy make that impossible. Quinn’s brother Bash may have also once broken Ella’s heart during his immature phase, but he has since reformed his ways and is now about to be engaged. As much as a home break-in and poisonous spiders left behind jeopardize the happy couple’s happiness, it’s the Caine family dinner that really casts a cloud over the festivities. Quinn’s parents might adore Bash’s girlfriend Rachel, but the news that Bash is converting his religion to that of his fiancée – and not the other way around – leaves them heartbroken and results in an evening of hurt feelings and estrangement. As distracting as the family drama is for Quinn and her novitiate sister Sister Daria, their policy of asking for forgiveness and not permission means that they will be delving into the late Broadway star’s life and the wake of disappointment and anger he left behind.

The mystery of this second of the series proves to be fun and fascinating, but the truly compelling aspect is in how it approaches the topic of religion. Many will relate to the uncomfortable family dinner when an engagement is announced between a multi-faith family, and the true reasons behind the confusion and hurt are compelling. Even though Quinn leads this series and is genuinely likable as she attempts to bring her family together while also solving a murder, her sister proves to be just as intriguing with her own personal journey. As much as Sister Daria –the wild child formerly known as Elizabeth Caine – denies that she is using the Church as an escape from her problems, it quickly becomes obvious that a devastating heartbreak led towards her distrust of relationships and why she avoids them at all costs. Training therapy dogs and closing herself off from romance is a safe alternative to risking another emotional loss, and it’s apparent that the independently minded and very spirited novitiate may not be the best candidate for a sheltered life. As Quinn settles down and finds her happiness amidst the books she loves, a next adventure following Sister Daria and the choices she needs to make could prove to be a worthy installment in this charming food-and-book-loving series.

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Interview with Harper Kincaid:

KRL: How long have you been writing?

Harper: I’ve been writing since I was four years old, but I had to wait forty more years until I was published.

KRL: When did your first novel come out, what was it called, and would you tell us a little about it?

Harper: My first was a novella called Rule Breaker. I think it was released almost ten years ago. It was an erotic romance with more of a rom-com premise: a young woman goes against a list of rules, given by her Southern mama, on how to land the man of her dreams. Such a ridiculously old-fashioned idea, but of course, she meets her man breaking every single one.

Harper Kincaid

KRL: What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book/series??

Harper: Actually, I was looking to break into this genre and my agent told me she knew of an editor who was looking for a cozy mystery based in the South, with a feminist lead-with dogs and nuns! I liked the writing challenge. Ironically, that editor was the first to pass-which ended up being a blessing because that publishing house folded.

KRL: Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to experience?from your work?

Harper: For this series, I am primarily looking to entertain, but if you think a little along the way, that’s okay too.

KRL: Do you have a schedule for your writing or just work whenever you can?

Harper: I wish I did. My ADHD makes scheduling hard for me – plus the day job.

KRL: I can totally relate. What is your ideal time to write?

Harper: Anytime someone isn’t asking me for something lol.

KRL: Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it???

Harper: I absolutely outline. It’s the only way I can keep track of all that’s happening.

KRL: Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning???

Harper: I did not, but only because I came into publishing right when e-books were taking off and the romance publishing industry couldn’t keep up with the demand. I didn’t even need an agent back then. I look at my old romance novels as my gateway in-and a bit like my writing school. I’ve learned a lot since then.

KRL: Do you have a great rejection/critique or acceptance story you’d like to share?

Harper: Well, when I sent out the novella, Rule Breaker, I picked about a half dozen publishers. Four said no, Samhain Publishing said yes. Entangled Publishing also said no, but they said they liked my voice and signed me for another series as an add on. That book, Bind Me Before You Go, still sells well.

KRL: Most interesting book signing story-in a bookstore or other venue?

Harper: They are ALL interesting. Book lovers are the wildest characters. I’ve signed people’s body parts. I’ve gotten some of the best gifts. It’s a wild ride.

KRL: What are your future writing goals?

Harper: I’m developing a TV series. I’d also like to write some more edgy material.

KRL: How exciting! You will have to keep us posted on the TV series.
Who are your writing heroes?

Harper: My writing heroes are the women who’ve lifted me up along the way. Too many to name.

KRL: What kind of research do you do?

Harper: I do a lot of research, especially local history for the town of Vienna, Virginia where my story is based. I also did research on how to book bind.

KRL: What do you like to read?

Harper: I read everything. I tend to gravitate towards memoirs though.

KRL: What are your favorite TV shows or movies?

Harper: I’m a big mafia fan – Goodfellas, The Godfather I and II, The Sopranos, Casino. I am a huge fan of documentaries. As far as TV shows, I love Call the Midwife, Downton Abbey, that Indian matchmaking show, it depends on my mood.

KRL: Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

Harper: Get involved in your local writing community. They offer classes and workshops, advice and critiques aligned with your interests.

KRL: What?is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Harper: I don’t know. I’m pretty much an open book.

KRL: Do you have any pets?

Harper: Yes! I have two dog babies. They’re adorable rascals.

KRL: Is there anything you would like to add?

Harper: Thank you for having me!

KRL: Thank you for chatting with us! Website? Twitter? Facebook? Instagram?

Harper: Come to my website HarperKincaid.com and sign up for my newsletter. That’s where I share writing tips, upcoming events, and giveaways. I’m on IG @HarperKincaid and on Facebook my page is Author Harper Kincaid. I hope to see everyone there!

To enter to win a copy of A Midsummer’s Night Scheme, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “midsomer,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 8, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode goes up next month.

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Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by Mary Jo Robertiello

Enjoy this never before published mystery short story. Trigger warning for sexual assault and attempted rape.

Boston, Massachusetts

Kali pulled down the sexual harassment notice in Judson High School’s all gender restroom used by boys and taped it in the cheerleaders’ locker room. She placed it over the middle of the south wall where guys watched them.

Valentina, Lalli, Tracy, Harper, Zendaya, Emma, Sofia, Martha, and Kali stared at the notice. They were Black, Brown, and White, ranged in age from sixteen to seventeen, were between 5’4” and 5’8”, and weighed between 98 lbs. and 105 lbs. had blonde, brown, chestnut, black, red hair flecked with blue, green, and pink layers. Four were good at math, one was good at Spanish, three loved Visual Arts. One hated school. All nine were passionate about cheerleading.

“Violating private spaces.” Tracy read from the notice.

“See, it’s right there. It’s like telling us we have to do something,” Kali said in a low voice.

“Can they hear us?” Harper jerked her head toward the wall.

“At least they can’t see us.” Kali raised her voice and threw a middle finger at the wall.

“I told the coach maybe there are other holes,” Valentina said.

“What did he say?”

“Do you have proof?” Valentina imitated Coach Davis’ judgmental tone.

“Let’s tell Fanning,” Zendaya said, the cheerleader captain.

Principals had come and gone, but Miss Plum had been the Judson School’s head secretary for thirty years. She was hooked once Zendaya described the boys gawking at the girls in their locker room.

“Girls, Principal Fanning will see you now.” They had a twenty-minute two p.m. appointment.

The cheerleaders took a quick look in their mirrors, patted their hair, licked their lips, and walked quietly into Principal Fanning’s office. They remained standing since there weren’t any chairs.

“Hi, Judsonites.” He gave them a big smile. “Excited about the big day? Only four days to go.”

Everyone in Boston knew the Saturday before Thanksgiving was the big football game.

“Principal Fanning, can we talk to you?” Zendaya said.

“That’s why you’re here.” Another big smile. “Drop the principal stuff, okay? It’s Mister Fanning.”

What a cool guy. So real, like us.

Mr. Fanning was thirty-five, over six feet, lots of black hair, had a deep voice, and used to teach math.

Valentina replaced her habitual scowl with a sweet, innocent smile. She loved math.

Mr. Fanning’s eyes flitted over the nine girls. The cheerleaders waited for one another to speak up.

“You’ve talked to Coach Davis about some incidents?” Mr. Fanning prompted.

The girls hesitated.

“Yeah,” Zendaya said.

“You’re embarrassed?” The deep voice began. “Don’t be. We’re here to help you, but you have to help us. What do you think is going on?”

“It’s like the guys are sneaking looks at us in our locker room.”

“Not all the guys,” Emma interrupted, sticking up for her fifteen-year-old brother.

“Maybe not all the guys but which ones?” snarled Kali.

“Go on,” Mr. Fanning said.

“There’s a hole in our locker room wall.”

“Go on.”

“We heard laughing.”

“Perry said he liked what I had on,” Valentina said.

“Perry? He’s a liar,” Kali hissed.

“What did he say?” Mr. Fanning’s wrinkled brow frightened and reassured the cheerleaders. “We have to get to the bottom of this.”

“I bet he got hot over her lacy bra,” Martha blurted.

Mr. Fanning pressed a button. “Miss Plum, have Coach Davis come to my office now.”

Minutes late Coach Davis, short and stocky, came in and closed the door.

He nodded at Mr. Fanning and the girls. “You’re telling Mr. Fanning about the locker room?”

The girls nodded.

“Good. I’ve quizzed the guys. They claim they don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You warned them about lewd remarks?” Mr. Fanning said.

“Of course,” the coach answered.

“About inappropriate touching? About violating private spaces?”

“It goes without saying,” Coach Davis said oddly.

Had Mr. Fanning memorized the notice?

“Let’s get the wall examined,” Mr. Fanning said.

That afternoon the plumber examined the wall on both sides. In the boys’ restroom, he dug out a wad of gum shoved into a crack.

Fanning bent over to take a look. “All I see is their locker room ceiling.”

Following the principal, Coach Davis said, “Me too.”

“Seal it and keep checking,” Mr. Fanning told the plumber.

Wednesday 9 a.m.

“Surprise,” Coach Davis said at practice the next morning. “The big game’s on Saturday, so the guys want to practice in the gym and on the field 24/7.”

“What about us? What about the wall?” Kali said.

“Oh, yeah.” Coach Davis sunk his hands into his trouser pockets. “No big deal. The plumber found one little crack. Mr. Fanning and I checked it out.”

“So?” Several cheerleaders chimed in.

“All we saw was about two inches of your locker room ceiling.”

The girls circled him.

“What are you doing about it?” Kali said.

“I don’t like that tone, Kali. We’re in this together.”

Always willing to challenge, Kali said, “When are we getting a woman coach?”

“We’re working on it. Want back Ms. Sally?” The coach snarled. Visions of the ex-coach showing up, if at all, and reeking of gin flashed across the girls’ minds.

“Maybe the guys can have a female coach since we have a guy,” Kali countered.

“As I was about to say, the plumber sealed up the crack and checked both sides of the wall.”

“He went into our locker room?” Zendaya said.

“With me and Mr. Fanning.” the coach blew out his breath, a signal to the girls that his patience was running thin.

“What about our practice?”

“We’ll practice at my place.” Catching their surprised look, he said, “It wasn’t my idea, but I think it’s great.”

“Your place? What’s that mean?” Kali said.

“I was about to say.” Captain Davis glared at Kali. “My place is a farm in Dedham. We’ll go early.” He raised his voice. “I said early, nine a.m. sharp, tomorrow morning, and come back on Friday afternoon.”

“You mean we’ll stay overnight?” Sofia’s eyes bulged the way they always did when she was scared. The other girls hid their concern by waving their heads at Sofia like disapproving aunts.

“Unless anybody wants to vault or spin in the spare room.” Mr. Davis laughed. The spare room was a dingy school space where ancient cleaning equipment and old t-shirts were tossed.

“What about our routines?” Zendaya said. “What about our stuff? We have to practice with poms.”

“We’ll take landing mats, First aid kits, poms. Miss Plum checked your uniforms?”

The cheerleaders frowned and nodded.

“If we had a woman coach,” Kali began.

“Enough. I want to see your outfits shipshape Saturday morning.” The coach handed them permission slips. “I’m messaging your parents but I need their permission in writing. If I don’t get it, you don’t go.”

The girls shifted between putting up with Mr. Davis and tolerating him. Good points: got cheerleading moves, didn’t play favorites and knew Ed Sheeran was the greatest singer who ever lived. Bad points: real strict, very punctual, unfunny jokes about weight.

Wednesday evening The Phillips’ dinner table

“Coach Davis says you’re spending Thursday night at his house?” Valentina’s mom didn’t hide the surprise in her voice.

Pop looked up from his scallops. “First time, isn’t it? It’s near Dedham.”

“We’re driving up in his SUV, tomorrow morning at nine a.m. sharp.” Valentina got a laugh from her parents imitating the coach’s insistence on punctuality.

“You can’t practice at school?” Pop said.

“The guys get the field and the gym 24/7.”

“We have to practice so we’ll do it at coach’s,” Valentina said. Her parents exchanged a look, surprised by their usually contentious daughter’s acceptance of going to Coach Davis’s. “Miss Plum is the chaperone.”

“Poor Miss Plum,” Pop said.

Mom continued reading the permission slip. She signed it and handed it to her husband.

Thursday 7 a.m. The Phillips’s breakfast

While flipping the pancakes, Mom said, “The coach doesn’t mention his wife. She’ll be there?”

“Diana, how should I know?” Since her sixteenth birthday, Valentina called her mother by her first name. No more babyish mami stuff.

Mom noticed the eyeliner. Pop took a long look then dived back into the Boston Globe.

“Am I crazy?” Mom sniffed at her husband who had just showered.

“Is Mami crazy?” Ben, the nine-year-old, laughed as he snuck a scrap of buttered pancake to Shaggy, their pet.

Valentina jumped up and tucked at her skirt.

Darling, that skirt is so short. You’re not wearing it to school, Mom thought but didn’t say, also not mentioning the heavy eyeliner.

Valentina slung her backpack over her shoulder, kissed the top of pop’s head and pecked mom’s cheek. “Please, please press my uniform. See you tomorrow.” She headed for the door.

Again, Mom smelled a faint whiff of aftershave. Valentina babysat for the Fannings the night before. “Honey, did Mr. Fanning give you a lift home? Pop saw a blue Chevy.”

“I thought Jake Fanning had an Audi,” Pop said over his paper.

“He said something about a rental. How should I know?” Valentina said.

“Valentina, call me the minute you arrive,” Mom called as their kids ran out to the bus.

Judson School Thursday

Promptly at 8:45 a.m. Coach Davis parked in front of the school and waited while Miss Plum collected the Judsonites’ permission slips.

Kali gestured at Miss Plum, indicating the seat next to Mr. Davis. Miss Plum’s raised her eyebrows and shook her head. Car-crazy Kali grabbed the empty seat while the other girls piled into the back of the SUV.

“Watch out for the kids’ stuff,” the coach shouted as he accelerated the motor like a plane’s engine and headed to the countryside ten miles from Boston.

Sofia chirped in the back seat: “I still think there’s a way the guys can see us.”

“Shut up, Sofia,” Tracy said, followed by a chorus of “Yeah, Sofia.” Eyes pointed to the back of the coach’s head.

Coach Davis headed northwest on Cambridge Street toward Sudbury Street. Emma pointed at the Bank of America on the right. “There’s dad’s bank.”

“Always pointing it out,” Tracy hissed.

The other girls ignored Emma’s and Tracy’s mutual dislike.

Kali inspected the dashboard, running her hands over the smooth surface.

“Hey, Kali, no offense but don’t touch everything,” Coach Davis said.

Kali placed her hands in her lap and her eyes on the different dials. “So what’s the schedule, Coach?”

“Practice, practice, practice all day Thursday and Friday morning.”

“When’s Miss Plum coming?” Kali said.

“Later.”

“Your kids are so cute. They were great at the holiday party,” Valentina said from the back seat.

Coach Davis took a right on Memorial toward Cambridgeport.

“Mr. Fanning ..” Tracy began and stopped when the others waved their heads back and forth.

“There’s one hole in the bathroom. I’m sure of it,” Valentina said.

“You’re taking my eyes off the road, girls. Discuss later, okay?” Coach Davis eyed them in the rearview mirror.

Valentina picked up a teddy bear and cuddled it. “Can’t wait to see them.”

They turned onto Route 2.

“The kids are with their mom at her mom’s. I’m on my lonesome,” the coach said.

The girls groaned. They had expected to see the twins and friendly Mrs. Davis.

Coach Davis pulled into Dedham’s Whitman Avenue. “Who’s helping me with the groceries?”

The two leaders, Zendaya and Tracy, jumped out.

Watching the girls trail Coach Davis into the supermarket, Sophia said, “My mom thought she’d be here,” referring to Mrs. Davis.

“Mine did, too,” several answered.

Most of the girls watched the coach and girls carrying boxes toward the car.

Valentina had her eyes on the road. She thought she saw the dark blue Chevy rental. If only. She kept her mouth shut, avoiding Kali gawking out the window.

A few minutes later they turned into the coach’s property.

“You have a lot of land,” Harper said.

“A few acres,” the coach answered, pleased.

He parked in front of the family saltbox, a white frame house with two stories in front and one in back.

“Come on, everyone. Bring your stuff. I’ll grab the food.” Coach Davis jumped out of the car and the girls followed.

Instead of opening the front door, the coach circled around the saltbox. Half an acre away was a brick cottage.

“That’s where you guys are bunking.” He glanced at his cell. “Take a half hour, I said a half hour, to get settled. Practice at 10:30 a.m. on the dot. Be in front of your dorm at 10:30.”

“Who are they?” Kali asked. Young guys in khakis and jeans were planting Christmas trees.

“We’re planting along the border,” the coach said. “Have our very own Christmas tree farm. The kids will love it.”

At ten the cheerleaders in practice and warmup clothes were stretching, jogging, and dialing their cellphones.

The coach carried a small table from his house and placed it near the cottage porch. He pointed at the table, “Phones here and now.” The girls were used to this. There was some heavy breathing as they separated from their cells, but they weren’t getting kicked off a routine for complaining.

“Mindset is everything.” With a straight face, Kali quoted the coach.

The girls got in formation. Sofia, the shortest, was on the far left followed by the eight other girls lined up according to height.

Coach Davis was all business. A recording blasted out “Shape of You.”

“Let’s go. Twenty Straight Jumps.” He clapped his hands. The girls’ leg muscles shone in the morning sunlight. “Okay. Thirty Tucks.” The girls jumped, bringing their knees to their chest. “Sofia, don’t kick your legs behind you. “Twenty clasps, twenty high-Vs.”

“Emma, tuck those elbows. You too, Martha.”

The guys planting the trees watched the girls bending and folding and somersaulting.

Twenty minutes later, the cheerleaders got a break. Several of them grabbed their cells as they ducked into the cottage bathroom. Others whispered into theirs, jogging around the lawn.

Some of the guys joined them. “Emma, tuck those elbows,” one of the guys imitated said, imitating the coach. “You too, Martha.” Despite themselves the girls burst out laughing.

The coach came out his back door. “Back to work. You too, guys.” He pointed at the row of Christmas trees.

Kali came out of the cottage and approached the coach. She whispered, “It’s that time of month for Valentina.”

He held up his hand, not wanting to hear more. “She has twenty minutes to pull herself together,” he said loud enough for Valentina to hear.

In the bedroom Valentina shared with Kali, she stared out the window at her cell. Seeing Kali, she held up her thumbs.

Kali nodded as she checked the time: two minutes until her cell had to be back on the table. She ran behind an elm and dialed the school. Miss Plum answered. Kali steadied her voice; “Hi, Miss Plum, the coach wants to know when you’re getting here.”

“Kali?” Miss Plum said. “Let me speak to Coach Davis.”

“Kali, your cell on the table now,” the coach barked.

She hung up and ran back to the group. The coach’s cell rang. He turned his back on the girls for privacy. All Kali heard was, “No problem,” before he disconnected.

Down the cottage hall Valentina heard the landline and ran to answer it. “Why aren’t you answering?” the deep voice said.

“Coach makes us put the cells on a table and not go near them during practice.”

“Got it. Out the back door now.”

Valentina felt a rush stream through her body. She remembered Tuesday night, snuggling in the cozy interior of the Chevy rental. His tender gentle kiss made nothing else matter. Almost nothing. “If I don’t go to practice…”

“Taken care of, Honey. Come to the car now. Out the back door. Shut it quietly,” he said, as if he were talking to a five-year-old.

Who took care of what? Contradicting her sexy principal scared her.

He held open the car’s side door, giving her a little squeeze and a gentle shove. He wrapped an old blanket around her, whispering into her ear, “Keep yourself covered.”

Valerie got in and sat on the back seat.

“Not there.” He lowered his voice. “Get on the floor. More private.”

“A special place for a special girl,” he said from the driver’s seat. “We’ll be there in ten minutes. You okay?” He sang “No Estás Sola” off key.

God, it was a song her parents liked.

“Love it, Carina?”

“Yeah,” She mumbled under the blanket.

“Say it in Spanish.”

“Si.”

“That’s it?”

He sounded old. Valentina fought her nervous laugh. She slumped down on the rental’s back seat floor and peeked out from the old blanket he’d thrown over her.

The rental rocked along. She shifted, pulling her long legs under her.

“Here we are.”

She sat up.

“Get down.”

“Where are we?”

“Someplace special.”

She glanced out the window before pulling the blanket over her head and read on a large sign WILSON MOUNTAIN RESERVATION.

He pulled to a stop. He was parking, she guessed. I want to go home. I want to be with the other kids. I want to cheerlead. Am I still a Judsonite flyer? Valentina was the cheerleader who twisted mid-air, trusting her team to safely catch her.

He opened the back door and pulled back the blanket. He looked down at her as she awkwardly crawled out of the back seat and pulled herself up by holding onto the door. He stood close to her. She ducked her head to the left and right to see beyond him.

“Look at me.” He smiled down at her, his eyes burning with mischief. “Look what I have for you.” He handed her a visor cap. “Put it on.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “My beautiful brown baby.” She stared up him as he shoved it on her head.

“Remember your sunglasses?”

She pulled them out of her tummy pack. After she put them on, he lifted her head and sank into a deep kiss. She didn’t know what to do with her hands so she placed them on his jacket, above the pockets. She felt a bunch of keys and a cell. She took her hand away, scared of him, scared of being accused of stealing. His aftershave made her recall Mami saying, “Am I crazy?”

No, Mami, you aren’t crazy.

He rolled his tongue around her mouth. Underneath the toothpaste, she tasted booze.
After he kissed her forehead and locked the car doors, he whispered, “Come on, Honey. Walk behind me.”

Walk behind you? Valentine watched the back of his head flitting from one side then the other, scared someone would see him with her.

He led them up a narrow trail surrounded on both sides by a dense forest.

Valentina realized they were coming to the special trees. On a fourth-grade trip, the spigots and buckets identified the maples. She licked her lips, remembering the syrup’s taste.

Edging up a steep hill he kept climbing and humming “No Estás Sola.” Valentina started to call to him to tell him about the maples. She stopped, realizing she’d rather keep things from him. Better he doesn’t know I’ve been here.

Why am I here? She stopped walking and turned in the opposite direction. He turned around.

“Didn’t hear your little footsteps.”

She forced a smile. “Tying my shoe.”

She knew he knew she was lying.

“Come on, Honey. Walk with me.”

She gritted her teeth, forcing another fake smile and a fake compliment: “Can’t keep up with you.”

“We’re here.” He walked to the edge of a steep rock and put out his hand for hers. She stepped forward and stood a few feet away from him. He swung his head from left to right, scanning the woods. Seeing no one he reached out his left arm and grabbed her. She reared back. His big arms surrounded her.

He laughed. “You’re going to love this.”

He steered her to a large rock hanging over the precipice. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap. He cupped her head in his large hand and tilted it upwards, downwards and sideways, laughing. “You beautiful doll.” She nuzzled against his broad muscular chest. The only alternative was to fall off the cliff.

“What’s this about a lacy bra?” He gave her his know-it-all smile.

“Huh?” Valentina felt a new wave of horror, recalling Perry, the world-famous liar.

He held her in a gentle vise, unbuttoned her shirt and ran his large hands up her shaking torso. “Calm down,” he growled.

He slipped a capsule out of his shirt pocket, ripped off the top, clenched her jaw and poured a liquid into Valentina’s mouth. She slammed shut her mouth but not before she’d swallowed a few drops. She strapped her hand across her mouth, afraid he’d force more of that stuff.

“Come on, Sugar. This is for us.”

This is for us? Sex with my principal, a married thirty-five-year-old man forcing something into my mouth? Tears welled in her eyes. She bit her lips to keep her mouth closed.

“What beautiful eyes. Cry more often. Only kidding.”

Valentina’s thoughts were bombarded with Mami and Pop trusting her.

“Can I use your phone?”

“Sure, later.”

She slid her hand toward it. He smacked her hand. Then raised it to his lips and kissed it. Valentina sat in shock. The principal hit her.

“Surprise.” He reached in his jacket’s inside pocket and pulled out a photo. Valentina looked at herself standing in the Judsonites’ locker room in the lacy bra.

“I only choose the best,” he whispered into her ear.

She forced herself to say, “Any others?”

“Gentlemen never reveal that,” he snickered.

“I meant the pictures,” she stuttered.

“Maybe I’ll show you later.” He turned her over and stroked her. “I knew you’d like it.”

Valentina kept still. She couldn’t keep the tears from running down her face. Dizziness was folding into her head. Was it that stuff he forced into her mouth?

“This is what you want.” He grabbed her ass.

Valentina opened her mouth and bit his right hand. He jumped. She grabbed at his side pocket. His keys fell out. She snatched his cell, rolled off him and ran. Wasn’t there another trail used by more people? Yanking up her shorts and clutching his phone, she ran toward it. He found his keys, ran after her, stumbled, picked himself up, deep red in the face and caressed his right hand in his left hand.

“You little bitch.”

Valentina threw herself between bushes. Where was the other trail?

His sneakers crunched leaves. If it was him.

“Over here, Honey.”

She clutched his cell. So near, so useless. What’s his password?

Someone was calling him. Miss Plum.

Can I answer? He’ll hear me. I’ll text. Do I say Principal Fanning is raping me, and I’m hiding in a bush?

Instead, Valentina texted Wilson Mountain Reservation. Tell my mom, pop, Kali. Hurry please Miss Plum.

Shit, I didn’t put my name. That will show up automatically. Won’t it? Valentine threw up her arms in despair and lowered them fast. Did he see them? Sweat washed over her.

She heard nothing, his silence was as terrifying as his presence. She stifled a sneeze, then another one.

I have to get out of here.

Bugs liked her. They crawled up her legs. She swatted at them. More kept coming. She started to part the bushes then stopped. The rustle will alert him.

Over to her left she heard some kids. Seconds later, a tired dad’s voice yelled: “Get over here. I’m not saying it again.”

It dawned on her she was a cheerleader.

Valentine sprinted out of the bushes, did a roll then a jump onto the precipice. She steadied herself, feeling dizzy.

Was it that crap he forced me to drink?

“Hi, kids. Where’s your dad?” She held herself steady and flashed a smile at the five-year-olds.

Shaking their heads in wide-eyed wonder, the kids obeyed their dad and ran after him down a trail.

The principal was closer than she’d expected.

He grabbed at her legs. She sidestepped him. With an angry grace he mounted the foot-wide precipice. He moved his feet inch by inch toward her. Dizziness swept over her. She forced herself to take deep breaths. It dawned on her he was afraid of heights. It made her feel right at home. Valentina extended her arms above her head, her hands in fists. She circled slowly so he faced her with his back to the edge. His lusty look was replaced by confusion. He steadied himself, bunched his own fists and grabbed her.

“Touchdown,” she shouted, springing her arms forward and pushing him back.

He swayed, letting go of her and pinwheeling his arms for balance. Too late, he stumbled off the cliff.

Valentina screamed. She edged herself to the cliff’s edge and forced herself to look down at the still body 400 feet below. Behind her, she heard running footsteps and kids shouting.

“Young lady!”

Valentina recognized the tired father’s voice: “Get off the rock this instant. My five-year-olds told me you were on a cliff.”

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode goes up next month.

During the past year, I’ve published short stories in the Level Best Books anthology, Justice for All, Kings River Life Magazine and Purple Wall Publishing. The Lemrow Mystery is my novel about a posh and deadly New York City museum. I’m nuts about dogs and plan on making a collie my next detective. My weekly blog is NYMYSTERIES.COM. I’m an active member of the Short Fiction Mystery Society, Sisters in Crime and MWA.

by staff

Tennessee is a state known for its music and country life. While this is true, it also offers a wealth of exciting activities and attractions that are sure to appeal to a wide range of travelers.

One common misconception about Tennessee is that it’s primarily a destination for country music lovers or history buffs. While the state has a rich musical heritage and is home to several significant historical sites, there is much more to discover here.

From the adrenaline-pumping thrills of whitewater rafting and skydiving to the breathtaking natural beauty of the Smoky Mountains and the fun-filled attractions of Dollywood and Gatlinburg, Tennessee truly has something for everyone.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the top adrenaline-pumping activities the state offers, so buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life!

1- Go Rock Climbing:
Rock climbing is an exhilarating sport, and Tennessee is a haven for adventure enthusiasts because of its towering cliffs, breathtaking scenery, and over 400 climbing routes.

From beginners to advanced climbers, Tennessee has routes that cater to every skill level. With easy and challenging multi-pitch challenges requiring both skill and strength, climbers will find something to suit their skill level. Visitors will also find the climbing community in Tennessee supportive and friendly. The state has a variety of climbing groups and clubs that climbers can join to connect with other enthusiasts.

2- Enjoy rafting like never before:
Water rafting is an excellent way to experience the beauty of nature while getting an adrenaline rush at the same time.

Whitewater rafting is incomplete without the Ocoee River. Stretched for miles and surrounded by the scenic beauty of Cherokee National Forest, the Ocoee River in Tennessee is known for over 20 Class III and Class IV rapids that offer a thrilling experience for both beginners and experienced rafters. It was also the host site for kayaking during the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. Some of the world’s finest athletes paddled through the river’s challenging rapids, solidifying its reputation as a premier destination for whitewater rafting.

While the Ocoee River is a year-round destination for rafting, summer is truly the most enjoyable time. With warm weather, crystal-clear waters, and sunshine, summer provides the right conditions for a memorable whitewater rafting adventure. And the good news is that the Ocoee River is suitable for a wide range of ages and skill levels. Children over 12 can join in the fun, making it an exciting activity for families.

3- Zipline through the Smoky Mountains:
The Smoky Mountains are one of Tennessee’s most beautiful and iconic natural wonders. Spanning over 800 square miles and attracting 10 million visitors annually, the area has a wide variety of plant and animal life as well as a great deal of cultural significance.

For thrill-seekers, there’s no better way to experience the beauty of the Smoky Mountains than by ziplining through the trees. Soaring high above the forest floor, you’ll have a bird’s eye view of the mountains and valleys below and a rush of adrenaline that’s nearly impossible to match.

With the variety of zipline tours, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a first-time zipliner or a seasoned pro. And with experienced guides to ensure your safety and comfort, you can relax and enjoy the ride.

4- Ride a roller coaster in Dollywood:
Dollywood is one of the most popular destinations in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Family-friendly rides, shows, and attractions await you at this theme park with something for everyone.

The thrilling roller coaster rides will have your heart pounding and your adrenaline pumping as you soar through the air and around tight curves. Roller coasters at Dollywood range from the classic wooden Thunderhead to the modern steel Lightning Rod.

But Dollywood isn’t just about roller coasters. The park also offers a range of other exciting rides and attractions, including water rides, kiddie rides, and family-friendly attractions like the Dollywood Express steam train.

5- Cross the Bridge in Gatlinburg:
Gatlinburg, a small town in the heart of the Smoky Mountains, is one vacationing spot that should be on every traveler’s list. This charming town is known for its natural beauty, outdoor adventures, and unique attractions that delight visitors of all ages.

One of the most popular attractions in Gatlinburg is SkyLift Park. This park offers stunning views of the mountains from its scenic chairlift ride, which takes visitors up to the top of Crockett Mountain. Once at the top, visitors can enjoy a breathtaking view of the surrounding area from the SkyBridge, North America’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge.

But Gatlinburg isn’t just about SkyLift Park. The town is also home to other attractions, including the Gatlinburg Space Needle, Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, and the Gatlinburg Arts and Crafts Community, which features local artisans and craftsmen.

In addition to its attractions, Gatlinburg offers plenty of outdoor adventures for visitors, including hiking and fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

6- Tennessee Caves:
You will find some of the most incredible caves in the country here. The state’s topography, characterized by its porous limestone rock, has created an extraordinary landscape of underground caves, sinkholes, and springs.

Cumberland Caverns, for instance, is the second-longest cave in Tennessee. It is a show cave located in the town of McMinnville. Visitors can explore over 32 miles of underground passageways featuring stunning rock formations, underground waterfalls, and even an underground concert venue.

Another popular caving destination in Tennessee is Lost Sea Adventure. This incredible cave features the largest underground lake in the country, which visitors can explore by boat.

7- Take a Sky Dive:
If you’re looking for an adrenaline-pumping adventure in Tennessee, skydiving is a must-try experience. With its scenic landscapes and favorable weather conditions, Tennessee offers some of the most spectacular skydiving experiences in the country.

Several reputable skydiving centers in the state offer skydiving experiences for first-time jumpers, as well as options for more experienced skydivers. Imagine the rush of jumping out of a plane and freefalling through the air before gliding gently back down to earth with stunning views of Tennessee’s landscapes below.

Conclusion:
So, if you’re looking for a destination that offers adventure, relaxation, culture, and entertainment all rolled into one, be sure to add Tennessee to your bucket list. Trust us, you won’t regret it!

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by Terrance Mc Arthur

The deputy mayor of New York City is bleeding in the upstairs bedroom. His wife and the kitchen staff are missing, the dinner is not prepared, and the guests for their tenth-anniversary party are sharing gossip and trying to cover over the facts in Rumors, a madcap farce by the late great Neil Simon, now playing in a Good Company Players’ production at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater through May 7.

Cast of GCP’s production of “Rumors”

Eric Bako, as Ken Gorman, turns from slick lawyer to unhinged control freak as he tries to hide facts and manufacture cover stories. Going from the kindly Papa of last year’s I Remember Mama is quite a leap, which he manages nimbly. His accidental hearing problems compound the character’s confusion, and multiply the audience’s glee.

As Chris Gorman, a lawyer trying to handle her husband’s contradictory orders while she loses her cool, Valerie Munoz has a Cheri Oteri quality. She starts in one character arc, then has to make mental U-turns on a moment’s notice. It’s about as un-Nurse Ratched (a part she has played) as a performer can get.

Cast of GCP’s production of “Rumors”

Elizabeth Fiester carries an earthy wispiness as Cookie Cusack, a gourmet chef with a bad back. The character’s explanation of her name is priceless. She crawls on all fours, wears yards of gauze bandages, and endears herself to the audience.

Cast of GCP’s production of “Rumors”

Benjamin Geddert is swept-hair cool as Glenn Cooper, a candidate for a seat in Albany, whose political career could be put in jeopardy by being at this party. Glenn has a seamy side, and Geddert straddles the Jekyll/Hyde qualities with smoothness. As Cassie Cooper, Lori Hickey is the perfect wife until she explodes over infidelity and the strangeness of the evening.

Cast of GCP’s production of “Rumors”

David Pierce’s sturdy set takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Ginger Kay Lewis-Reed knows how to do 1988-chic and how to make men in tuxes look good. Denise Graziani must use a stopwatch to get the comedy up to a feverish pace. If you’re looking for a cure for the Covid Blues, Rumors is the laugh-filled vaccine you should take—No hypodermics required.

The show plays at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater, 1226 N. Wishon, in Fresno. Tickets can be purchased on their website or by calling the box office at (559) 266-9494.

If you love local theatre, be sure to check out Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast, which features mysteries read by local actors. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and also on podbean.

Check out more theatre reviews & other local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. You can also find more theatre coming up on KRL’s Local Theatre event page.

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.

by Michelle Corbier

Before I begin a new mystery, I decide on the mechanism of death. In Murder Is Revealing, I chose a gun. Guns are straightforward, but like anything, require research. Size of weapon and caliber of bullet affect the narrative because they determine how you will commit the homicide. How would the murderer bring the weapon to the crime scene without being discovered? Would the bullet remain in the wound or exit clear through? Could a neighbor or passerby hear the shot? And finally, how the murderer escapes and eludes the police. An author must answer these questions to develop a coherent story.

However, in Murder In Gemini, I employed a poison. There are numerous poisons available. But a mystery writer must explain how the killer would procure the poison and understand its use. The difficult part is hiding the poison from the authorities. It can hide in food, drink, or a pill. Disguise its symptoms to mimic a medical condition. By delaying discovery of the poison, the author gives readers time to uncover the method of death. This adds suspense and raises the stakes for the novel’s protagonist and detectives.

For my current WIP, I made a rookie mistake in not first investigating the properties of the poison. Initially, it was going to be administered in a beer bottle. After research, I learned the poison wasn’t soluble in alcohol. Oops. Time to start over.

Readers expect a clear, believable story. They will investigate your poison and call out your mistakes in reviews, social media, and any other available medium. Do your research.

Red herrings constitute a significant component of a good mystery. How do you reliably mislead readers? Smokescreens can be simple or complicated.

It sounds maniacal, but I relish leading readers down an obvious trail and surprising them in the end. Authors should play fair, though. Authenticity matters. I provide clues for the presumed murderer and the correct killer. This way the reader participates in solving the crime. It’s irritating when the crime’s conclusion has no connection to the story. Don’t make the mystery’s solution impossible to deduce.

A puzzle requires pieces. Sprinkle those pieces throughout your story. Part of enjoying a mystery is unraveling the solution. Covering red herrings takes finesse. Because I don’t plot my stories, misleading clues develop as I work through the manuscript. The first draft may not include any. Several revisions are necessary to weave in intrigue and suspense. A mystery author crafts a captivating story to keep their audience guessing. Readers appreciate intrigue and reward complex narratives.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode went up last month.

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the Amazon link. You can also click here to purchase the book.

Born in Illinois, as a military dependent, Michelle moved between San Diego, California and Charleston, South Carolina. She enrolled at the University of California Santa Cruz before attending Michigan State University where she completed a Pediatric residency program. After over twenty years in clinical medicine, Michelle now works as a medical consultant. As a member of Crime Writers of Color, Sisters in Crime and Capitol Crimes, her writing interests cover many genres—mystery, paranormal, and thrillers. If not writing, you can find her outside gardening or bicycling.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by staff

If you lead a busy lifestyle, you might find it hard to relax when you’re home. Even if you have a room set aside as your own personal sanctuary, the colors and items around you can influence the atmosphere of the space. To help keep your home filled with a calmer and more peaceful vibe, there are several simple ways to transform the look and feel of any room. Here are a few ways to help make your home into a sanctuary.

Choose Relaxing Furniture
Nothing is better than physically sinking into a comfortable couch or chair and letting all your stress melt away. Choosing furniture that is inviting and cozy can help create an environment of relaxation, making it easier to wind down when you get home. Make sure to choose furniture that’s high-quality and lasts for a while. High-quality wood furniture can last up to 14 years.

Choose Comforting Colors
Your home’s paint colors can significantly improve your comfort. Choose calming colors like blues, greens, and grays to help create a soothing atmosphere. You can also opt for warmer shades if you want a cozy and inviting setting. By using warm or calming colors, you can create an atmosphere of peace and relaxation in your home. What’s more, you can rest assured that you’re getting a return on investment. According to Open Door, painting the inside of your home gives a 107% ROI.

When choosing colors, consider how they will look in different lighting and with the furniture you have. If you’re not sure, try mixing colors or using different shades of a single color to create a unique but unified look. Experimenting with the colors can help you find the perfect palette for your home and give it a more calming vibe.

Add Soft Lighting
The lighting in a room can have an effect on the atmosphere and mood. To create a more inviting space, add some soft lighting throughout your home by adding window treatments like curtains or Roman shades. Upgrading your windows can save you up to 15% on your monthly energy bills, but the right curtains can also have a big impact. Other soft lighting options include floor or table lamps that have a dimmer switch. This can give you more control over the lighting in your home, allowing you to set the perfect atmosphere for relaxation.

Consider home automated lighting as well. Smart light bulbs can be controlled via your smartphone, giving you complete control over the brightness and color of your home’s lighting. You can also find lights that change the mood. These LED bulbs save energy and can change colors to set the perfect atmosphere in any room.

Decorate With Plants and Flowers
Plants have a calming effect on people, so adding some greenery to your home can help promote feelings of peace and relaxation. Choose plants that are easy to maintain and don’t require a lot of care. You can also fill your home with fresh-cut flowers, which provide a pleasant aroma and can add brightness to any room.

Consider adding plants to your bathroom, too! Doing so can add a calming aroma and help you unwind during your daily showers. For instance, Eucalyptus plants have a refreshing scent, making them the perfect choice for bathrooms.

Adding these simple decorative items to your home can create an atmosphere of peace and serenity that can help you relax. A calmer vibe in your home can make it easier to unwind, so you can start the next day ready to tackle anything that comes your way.

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by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

When attorney Andy Carpenter doesn’t have a case in court, his investigative team gets restless. The team consists of Andy’s wife, Lorie, an ex-cop, Sam who is a computer genius, Marcus who is their muscle, Corey, also an ex-cop, and Simon Garfunkle who is Corey’s retired K-9 partner. They call themselves the K Team.

The police department has hired them to look into cold cases – cases that happened years ago, where there are no new clues, and no one was ever convicted of the crime. This time it’s personal.

Jimmy Dietrich was a mentor to a lot of newbie cops, including Corey. When Jimmy retired, he couldn’t stand being off the job. He tried to rejoin the force, but there are rules about that. He drank, split up with his wife (her idea), and tried but failed to be a civilian.

Then two bodies washed up from the Passaic River. One of them was Jimmy, the other Susan Avery. There’d been a case, the case being, Susan’s husband, accused postmortem of being a dirty cop. People thought Jimmy started seeing Susan after that and maybe Susan and Jimmy’s deaths were a murder-suicide, Jimmy being the killer. Corey never believed it.

The biggest problem with cold cases is, even after just a few years, memories fade, people move, die, or just want to forget the whole thing. When cops are involved, dirty or otherwise, that goes double.

This is book four in the spinoff series. Corey is still seeing Denise and is getting comfortable with that, not ready to bolt at the first sign of a relationship. That’s new for him. Simon Garfunkle is a delight as always. Marcus rarely says anything but is a force to be reckoned with — just ask any of the mobsters he’s encountered. Lorie keeps them all in line.

Rosenfelt is a prolific writer with four K-9 Team mysteries, twenty-seven books in the Andy Carpenter series, and non-fiction books as well. His tales always manage to make my Best of List each year.

To enter to win a copy of Good Cop, Bad Cop, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “cop” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen March 25, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If you are entering via email please include you mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the Amazon link. You can also click here to purchase the book.

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s editor for Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s, with twenty-two cozy stories. She also edited A Murder of Crows, twenty-one stories featuring animals and crime (no animals were harmed). She also writes for magazines, newsletters, and the occasional guest blog. Both anthologies are available at the usual outlets, print or ebook.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by Lupe Gore

Feral Paws Rescue Group in Fresno shares with us some of their animal rescue adventures every month. Check out KRL’s article about Feral Paws to learn more about them and check out their website.

Golden years. Those years when one is supposed to be living a life of leisure without a care in the world, secure in their life situation, and secure in their home. This month, we will profile three cats who thought they were in such circumstances but were sadly surrendered to the CCSPCA by the humans they trusted. Two of them are ten-year-old siblings who were put into separate kennels while at the shelter. The third one felt so betrayed he was starting to shut down. Feral Paws Rescue saved them all.

This is their story.

Mamas and Papas

Johnny

Feral Paws Rescue understands that people’s lives and circumstances change and sometimes people are unable to keep their beloved pets, and those people think the best thing they can do is to take them to the shelter. These senior cats are usually not adoptable from the shelter, however, and that is where and when a rescue must come forward to save them. All pets have emotions, and when they are taken from the homes they are familiar with and end up in a metal kennel in a building with people they don’t know, they can react differently, mostly depending how long they have been in their previous home and their own natural disposition. And likewise, when they come under the care of Feral Paws Rescue, they are placed accordingly to give them the best life possible. Even cats deserve to be secure in their golden years.

EMAIL: fprg.org@gmail[dot]com
Phone: 559-412-7226

Check out more animal rescue stories in our Pet Perspective section & watch for more stories from Feral Paws every other month, and we would love to have you join our KRL Pets Facebook group. Advertise in KRL and 10% of your advertising fees can go to Feral Paws.

by Matt Lubbers-Moore

A friend of mine messaged me the other day almost in tears because an author they love and adore replied to their email in a contemptuous way. My friend is a fan of male/male romances which are very commonly written by straight women for straight women, and the author in question has a very feminine name and looks very feminine, and therefore, my friend made the assumption that the author in question is female. Hell, I made the assumption the author was female.

The author derided my friend for misgendering him and treated him like he was scum of the Earth. My friend is heartbroken because he is very active in the LGBTQ+ community, performs drag shows, raises money for LGBTQ+ causes, hosts community get togethers, and so much else. I was upset that the author would attack my friend. Now, I have friends that are transgender and nonbinary and being misgendered and having your identity questioned can be and is hurtful when intentional, but when it comes out of a place of ignorance, it is a place to correct and move on.

For example, I was at a comic con yesterday, and I heard someone nearby call someone else Ashley, and they corrected the person by saying that they go by Zoe now, the first person apologized, and they moved on. It can be as simple as that.

I am no saint. I have a very good friend who I am having to correct myself when I misgender them. It is a quick correction and move on. It is not spiteful, or intentional, nor a willful refusal to use they/them as singular, it is simply a habit that I have to break so that I can stop hurting my friend.

Back to the author. I am going to make an assumption that could be wrong but perhaps he was having a bad day and had been misgendered at the grocery store, by the clerk at the bank, while having dinner by the waitstaff, and gotten home to find an email from a supposed fan that couldn’t even take the time out of their own day to learn their correct pronouns before sending the email and had enough. I have not seen the email and can only take my friend’s word for the way they were spoken to. Reading text is subjective. While in a bad mood, an email could come off as angry, yet the same email when read in a good mood could be read as helpful or playful.

I will say this, though, as a celebrity with fans, stop, take time before responding to emails, texts, messages, and reviews, and think about how you want to be seen by the world. My friend might never buy his books again, I know that I won’t, and I’m sure I am not the only person my friend told. It only takes one person to bring down your brand, and when in print, it is very easy to spread and difficult to refute.

And fans, do some research before reaching out to your favorite author for basic information. Misgendering, spelling their name wrong, misspelling a favorite character, or getting a plot wrong, can irritate and annoy an author who may chose not to respond to you or send a “Thanks for contacting me but…” email. Accidents happen, especially if we’ve been putting off that email for a long time, and finally worked up the nerve to write it, you type out a super amazing fan letter and only notice after sending it there were tons of typos. Groan!

Ultimately however, my friend should not have made an assumption about the author, and the author should not have made assumptions about my friend. Mistakes were made on both sides, but replying to a fan letter with overwhelming force is never a good idea.

On with the books!

Nothing to Lose: Film is a Four Letter Word and Killing Machine by Julian Grant
Out March 31 and April 1 respectively
Books one and two in the Hollyweird North series.

Book One: While a low-budget alcoholic/drug-addled producer cranks out his latest kickboxing picture, he finds himself battling Eurotrash, drug-dealing, snuff-movie psychopaths, angry local cops, bottom-of-the-barrel crew members, and a has-been cast designed to drive him insane. It doesn’t help that he’s got crippling substance abuse problems, is running the show on his last credit card, and been arrested for two horrific murders he didn’t commit.

Book Two: Pansexual Producer JG is back; fighting, filming, and screwing his way through his latest low budget movie, but not without some big issues. His latest business partner is a lunatic and his office bathroom just got blown up. The bigger problem is he’s being hunted by an arts and craft killer determined to take him off the picture as soon as possible. Forever.

A Kind of Death by Josh Aterovis
Out April 4, 2023, DSP Publications LLC
Cav Crawford has a lot going on. He’s a college student. He has a side gig as a PI. Oh yeah — and he sees ghosts. When four teenage boys disappear while ghost hunting but only one reappears days later (covered in blood and with no memory of what happened), the police point the finger at the boy. The boy’s parents hire Cav to prove his innocence, and it doesn’t take him long to realize he’s in over his head. To complicate matters, Cav unintentionally summons the ghost of his dead boyfriend, who can’t seem to move on. As the investigation deepens, Cav unearths disturbing similarities between his current case and a decades-old murder-suicide. By the time he realizes the power of the dark forces at work, it’s too late. He’s caught the attention of the killer, and he’ll soon learn there’s more than one kind of death.

The Winter Knight by Jes Battis
Out April 4, 2023, ECW Press
The knights of the round table are alive in Vancouver, but when one winds up dead, it’s clear the familiar stories have taken a left turn. Hildie, a Valkyrie and the investigator assigned to the case, wants to find the killer and maybe, figure her life out while she’s at it. On her short list of suspects is Wayne, an autistic college student and the reincarnation of Sir Gawain, who these days is just trying to survive in a world that wasn’t made for him. After finding himself at the scene of the crime, Wayne is pulled deeper into his medieval family history while trying to navigate a new relationship with the dean’s charming assistant, Burt, who also happens to be a prime murder suspect. To figure out the truth, Wayne and Hildie have to connect with dangerous forces: fallen knights, tricky runesmiths, the Wyrd Sisters of Gastown, and a hungry beast that stalks Wayne’s dreams.

Secret Dangers and Lethal Silence by John Preston
Out April 11, 2023, ReQueered Tales
Book One: Psychopathic terrorist targeting gays in Philadelphia.
Book Two: The final adventure of Alex Kane, crime fighter and avenger of gay men.

Heartlines by Shireen Magedin
Out April 15, 2023, AUSXIP Publishing
Doctor Sarah Shah and Agent Tanya Kareem embark on a perilous mission; one that will take them to the edges of their courage and ingenuity. Beginning with a mission to aid earthquake victims, their journey quickly escalates into a whirlwind of action, betrayal, kidnapping, and chases infused with a dash of the paranormal.

Tragic Vol 2 by Dana Mele
Out April 18, 2023, Legendary Comics YA
What was the question? With her head spinning and the ghost of her father continuing to haunt her, Harper’s list of murder suspects grows as she grapples with new revelations about her family. With Talia, Holden, and now Liam by her side, Harper must face the unthinkable as she delves further into the mystery of who killed her father with the suspects all around her… and closing in.

Drew Leclair Crushes the Case by Katryn Bury
Out April 18, 2023, Clarion Books
After breaking school rules the last time she solved a mystery, Drew Leclair has a new mission: get good grades, stay under the radar, and do not get suspended. But, when Drew finds out that there’s a thief breaking into the P.E. lockers and leaving behind cryptic ransom notes, it’s hard to resist cracking a new case. Especially when one of the victims is her best friend Shrey’s crush, and he’s practically begging her to get involved.

Light Carries On by Ray Nadine
Out April 18, 2023, Dark Horse Books
When Leon’s camera unexpectedly breaks, he is forced to borrow a used one from his mom’s antique store. As he snaps the first picture, the ghost of the camera’s former owner is released, and the two are inexplicably linked. After taking Leon’s body for an accidental joy ride, the ghost introduces himself as Cody, a queer punk rocker who died decades ago. Of course, he doesn’t remember how he wound up dead, but the two decide investigating might be the only way to end the haunting.

Chasing Rembrandt by Richard Stevenson
Out April 25, 2023, ReQueered Tales
This is the final title in the Donald Strachey series by Richard Stevenson and completed shortly before the author’s death in 2022. Foreword written by Stevenson’s son Zack Lipez.

Strachey is hired to track down artwork that had been stolen roughly thirty years prior when a Massachusetts woman finds a clue to their current hiding place. Strachey travels the Eastern coast as he investigates and hopes to cash in on the large cash reward!

Other notable releases:

The Rebel Candidate by Isobel Starling; Out March 31, 2023 An MM thriller

The Inspector by Harrison Kitteridge; Out April 4, 2023 A novella in a series of novellas

Of Blood, Bones, and Truth by T. M. Ledvina, out April 4, 2023 A science fiction/fantasy

The Pattagony Puppeteer by Theodore Bradshaw; out April 14, 2023 An MM historical

Defying Logic by Nicky James; out April 14, 2023 Book five in the Valor and Doyle series

Blood Pumping by Rhiannon D’Averc; out April 16, 2023 An MM hard boiled

Justice Prevails by Morticia Knight; out April 21, 2023 An MM police procedural

This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham; out April 25, 2023 A YA zombie-ish thriller

Murder in Shades of Blue and Green by Liz Ripley Hayes, out in April 2023

Editor’s Note: Over on TikTok there is going to be a Trans Rights Readathon next week to raise awareness of trans authors and books and also to raise money for trans charities. Simply search for #TransRightsReadathon

Click on this link to take you to Mysterious Galaxy’s website where you can purchase many of these books & a portion will go to help support KRL:

Matt Lubbers-Moore has two graduate degrees in library science and history. He is the co-owner of ReQueered Tales and author of Murder and Mayhem: An Annotated Bibliography of Gay and Queer Males in Mystery; 1909-2018

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by Tom Sims

Through the years, I have followed and reported on many food entrepreneurs, people with vision, skill, talent, flair, and a great idea. Some have succeeded and some have failed. All have faced similar challenges: location, or buying equipment without having to invest more money than they have for acquisition and maintenance. But what if a common location existed for creating culinary masterpieces with adequate equipment, storage space, support, and 24-hour access?

Now that I am mentoring and coaching these bright people, I have been looking for a solution to the location problem, especially for people whose goal is to produce innovative products that can be marketed online, to other businesses, or in some mobile model. It turns out that I have been sleeping through a revolution, because I was unaware of the Clovis Culinary Center.

A few months ago, I was at the Fresno Women’s Conference representing Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). SCORE is an organization that is made up of thousands of volunteers who help visionary entrepreneurs plan and begin new business ventures. We do so through webinars, seminars, dissemination of information, and mostly through mentoring.

As I have mentored hundreds of people over the last couple of years, I realized that there is a need for kitchens where creative people can cook. At the Conference I discovered that an organization is already meeting the need.

If you prepare food to sell, you need a place to prepare it legally so that your food products can be marketed, and a place where you can prepare foods and other consumable products that require health department regulations to be met. The kitchens that are already approved, enable people who are either working within the cottage food industry, or want to take it beyond what they can do, to create a viable business to support their families, and people who are caterers, people who otherwise cannot afford the rent on a restaurant kitchen.

Lisa and Miguel Segura

Their business is large, mobile, and growing, and their salsa is very popular. It is on store shelves and in restaurants flowing through multiple distribution channels. It could not have happened without the Clovis Culinary Center.

I asked where they were producing this delicious salsa—and that’s when I learned about the Center.
The Clovis Culinary Center is the answer to my prayers, and it is the answer to the dreams of many people with whom I am working who have bright ideas and great skills in baking, cooking, food preparation and other culinary arts. There are so many people who have ideas, recipes, and gifts. You may have met them, and encouraged them to get into the food service business. Then, they face the barriers to entry.

Community Group

The Center is such a place.

Clovis Culinary Center

It is a place where the equipment is provided, classes can be offered, and dreams can come true. Lisa has been in the food service and marketing business for many years, even though she is still very young. Miguel is a seasoned chef who knows how to prepare his food. They have big dreams, a sophisticated plan, and goals for expansion. In recent years they moved to Fresno from the Bay Area and what a blessing that is to the food scene in Fresno. Shawn Miller says that they are like poster children for the Culinary Center. Their business is a success story, but there are several success stories of people who have used the Clovis Culinary Center.

The Brichoche Lady

Shawn Miller is Business Development Director for the City of Clovis. He was a prime mover in the center’s birth and growth. He has been with the project since the earliest planning stages. They have had time to establish a track record. He explained to me that, while the Center began as an arm of the City of Clovis, it soon became apparent the best model for growth was a separate nonprofit organization. Their mission statement is:

“Our vision is to provide kitchen space and create a business incubator to help assist and facilitate commercial culinary success. It’s the ideal facility to support local chefs, entrepreneurs, and foodies with their goals. Learn more about what’s coming soon by watching the video!”

Because it is open 24/7, people who are working and building a business “on the side” can find time to work at their dreams.

Chef Aaron Nielsen

Aaron’s philosophy is simple: Honor the Central Valley and all the wonderful bounty it produces.

I like that. I love that!

As a matter of fact, food entrepreneurship is something that is growing here in the Central Valley. It is a vital and life-giving force, and it is fueling the imagination of many young (and older) entrepreneurs. It is also being fueled by the agricultural culture of the Central Valley and by the growing interest in healthy eating and locally produced food.

Group Event

It is a good thing I met Lisa and Miguel Segura or I might not have been made aware of a resource I have been saying our community needs. Lisa and Miguel were able to take the next steps of success with a great idea and a strong work ethic. Many others have and many others will.

Clovis Culinary Center
3185 Willow Ave., Suite F
Clovis CA 93612
(559) 765-1016
clovisculinarycenter.com
Download their brochure:
pastortomsims.typepad.com/CCUL60468_CulinaryBrochure_FNL-Revised2.pdf
Fresh Start Video on Clovis Culinary Center: youtube.com/watch?v=-z7clm0N-Uc

Tom Sims is a local pastor (and Grandpa!), writer, and blogger. Pastor Tom Sims spends time pastoring Granny’s Park Community church, leading 4141 Ministries with his wife, Andrea Sims, writing, teaching, and hosting various websites, blogs The Dream Factory where Ideas can be given room to grow, and Facebook pages such as The Politics of Compassion. You can also find him on Facebook.

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by Sandra Murphy & Margaret Mizushima

This week we have a review of the latest Timber Creek K-9 Mystery by Margaret Mizushima along with an interesting guest post by Margaret about a dog’s sense of smell. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Standing Dead: Timber Creek K-9 Mystery by Margaret Mizushima
Review by Sandra Murphy

Last summer, Deputy Mattie Cobb found her mother living in Mexico. Mattie wanted to let her know, the Cobb brothers, the ones who killed Mattie’s father, were both dead. Her mother still doesn’t feel safe. When Mattie and her sister, Julia, go to visit, they find their mother and stepfather have disappeared. Something or someone spooked them. Now it’s up to Mattie to find them again.

It’s not going to take long. It seems the killer has her mother and stepfather and is coming for Mattie. Now, it’s a game of cat and mouse as threatening notes with hints of what’s next are discovered at crime scenes. Each one brings the killer closer.

A body is found tied to a dead tree in a burned-out area, one of the law enforcement officers is shot, there are two maybe-poisoned horses, a litter of sickly puppies, and a cat who ate something he shouldn’t. Hunting and camping season means a lot of suspects. Mattie and her search dog, Robo, like the rest of the team, are nearing exhaustion.

In her personal life, she’s agreed to marry Cole, the veterinarian and sometimes member of the Sheriff’s posse. He’s in charge of the horses, puppies, and cat — and hoping none of their owners is the killer.

The only way Mattie can save her birth family, her work family, and her to-be family, is to let the killer come for her.

This is book eight in the series. Mattie is coming to terms with a childhood trauma, is more open to having friends, and accepting love into her life. Robo, of course, is the hero of every scene. I love learning more about how they work together. Mizushima’s description of the area is sharp enough you can hear the twigs snap as they walk through the deadened woods. Mattie is surely someone you’d want in your corner, and if you’re lost, Robo can find you. Be prepared to read it in one sitting. The suspense and desire to know what happens next makes that a must. Then read it again, to savor it.

This is a series I look forward to each year. I hope there will be many more tales of Mattie and Robo’s exploits.

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s editor for Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s, with twenty-two cozy stories. She also edited A Murder of Crows, twenty-one stories featuring animals and crime (no animals were harmed). She also writes for magazines, newsletters, and the occasional guest blog. Both anthologies are available at the usual outlets, print or ebook.

Smell Ya Later
By Margaret Mizushima

It is well known that dogs have a keen sense of smell. According to Scent, Training to Track, Search and Rescue by Milo D. Pearsall and Hugo Verbruggen, M.D., large breeds of dogs have 150 to 220 million olfactory receptor cells compared to a human’s measly five million.

Cave paintings have shown humans and domesticated wolves working together to hunt in prehistoric times. Today, dogs aid humans in many ways including, but not limited to, Search and Rescue missions, human remains detection, narcotics and explosives detection, and the detection of illegal smuggling of goods or animals. Dogs assist humans with disabilities and are even being trained to detect when their person is about to experience a seizure. There seems to be no end to them using their special abilities to help us.

Margaret Mizushima with her dogs

Scent memory exists in humans as well, although to a lesser degree and certainly not as well defined and catalogued as that of dogs. Scent might spark powerful and vivid memories, depending on the situation under which that memory has been stored. One of the scents I recall best is that of my grandmother’s home, a unique combination of the stone walls that made up her porch, hundreds of African violets potted in rich soil, and the lye soap she used to launder everything: curtains, linens, and clothing. Although that home no longer exists, having been destroyed in the tornado of 2007 that demolished the town of Greensburg, Kansas, I can still conjure up the smell of it today.

When your dog appears to recognize someone he met years ago, or if he seems to know the scent of his mother or littermates, you can rest assured that he actually does remember through his nose and his powerful scent memory. And when you leave home in the morning to go to work, you can imagine him saying “smell ya later” because he’ll be there Johnny-on-the-spot to greet you as you come back home through the door.

To enter to win a copy of Standing Dead, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “standing” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen March 25, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If you are entering via email please include you mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the Amazon link. You can also click here to purchase the book.

Margaret Mizushima writes the award-winning and internationally published Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. She serves as past president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and was elected 2019 Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She and her husband recently moved from Colorado, where they raised two daughters and a multitude of animals, to a home in the Pacific Northwest. Find her on Facebook/AuthorMargaretMizushima, Twitter @margmizu, Instagram @margmizu, and her website www.margaretmizushima.com.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by Kathleen Costa

This week we have a review of the first 3 books in the On Pointe Mystery series by Lori Robbins along with an interesting interview with Lori. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win ebook copies of all 3 books, and a link to purchase the newest one from Amazon.

An On Pointe Mystery By Lori Robbins

Lori Robbins premiered the On Pointe Mystery series with Murder in First Position in 2020, following up with Murder in Second Position (2021) and Murder in Third Position (2022). With the world of ballet as the backdrop, she introduced Leah Siderova who only ever cared about ballet. Her parents supported her dreams sending her to the best schools, but after they divorced early in her life, her mother, believing her Russian ancestry would fare better than Feldbaum on the marquee, changed their name to Siderova. The rest of the family (a sister Melissa, step-parents, aunts and uncles as well as her best friend and former dancer Gabi) also provide a great deal of support with insights into legal matters, philosophy, life as a dancer, and literary detective novels. But, beyond the tutus, pointe slippers, and choreography, she finds herself entangled in professional jealousies, two-faced relationships, and more than one suspicious death.

Murder in First Position Earns 5+/5 Pirouettes … Engaging & Entertaining Gem!
Leah Siderova’s talent was praised by many in the community putting her at the pinnacle of an international dancing career, until a dancer’s worst nightmare … knee surgery. But, ballet is her life, so she has no plans for early retirement. Instead, she’s vying for a comeback, ready to call in a few favors, but sadly, she finds herself navigating the heartache of being overlooked, replaced, and put into an “understudy” role. She was not featured in the article Times critic Greyson Averin had promised or selected as the lead in Bryan Leister’s new production commissioned by the American Ballet Company; both honors went to Arianna Bonneville, a talented rising star. It’s well known the world of ballet is filled with cutthroat competition, “zilla” personalities, and backstabbing, so when Leah finds Arianna literally stabbed in the back and her last words implicate Leah, professing her innocence to the police is met with skepticism. Leah had witnessed, as well as received, Arianna’s physical and verbal cruelty, but despite the gossip Leah was jealous, a physical altercation seen by many, and testimony and real forensic evidence, the difference of opinion among the detectives is not enough; Leah will not be railroaded.

Take a Bow! Lori Robbins had me immediately hooked with the murder of Leah’s dancing nemesis revealed in the first chapter; I couldn’t put it down! The investigation took center stage with previous incidents revisited along with raising connections to attacks in Paris where Leah had also been in attendance. There’re few confidants in the American Ballet Company to support Leah’s claim of innocence since one less dancer to compete with is a plus in everyone’s mind, but her dancing partner Daniel, a young dancer Olivia resigned to the corps de ballet, and dancing coach Madame Maksimova offer some insights. The motives are varied and cause Leah quite a dilemma: another diva dancer, usurpers within the ballet troupe, hidden agendas, and rumors of plenty of affairs. Of course, the “Don’t get involved” scheme means everyone is uncooperative and worried their own careers could be jeopardized. Add a shadowy stalker, alibis hard to crack, a trio of helpful ladies, and another attack to ramp up the intensity exploding with a nail-biting chase. I was fascinated by the inner workings of the ballet company which brought to mind the movie The Turning Point. Cheers!

Murder in Second Position Earns 5+/5 Toile Tutus … Complex & Clever Gem!
The ballet world is an enigma. The dancers, choreographers, and behind-the-scenes creative forces work together like a well-oiled machine, but separately, it’s advised you don’t turn your back on anyone. Pavel Baron, artistic director for the American Ballet Company, has been more tyrannical as of late: eyeing the dancers, barking orders, and allowing too many concessions to new management, Artistic Solutions. Bobbie York is furious “AS” has infiltrated her costume department, young dancer Olivia is frustrated to still be an understudy, and Leah is shocked to find the new health and wellness coach is her step-mother. Leah also feels deliberately slighted with a demotion in the list of primary dancers, so taking a cue from her new dance partner’s confrontation with Pavel’s overzealous rehearsal, she goes to see Pavel to find out why. Savannah Collier, his assistant and “AS” employee, says he’s left already hoping to avoid the incoming storm. Well, he didn’t make it … Pavel is dead at the bottom of the stairs! The stigma of having been considered a murderer before has the assistant accusing Leah of murder and demanding her arrest. The detectives are again conflicted; Leah’s friend Detective Sobol acquiesces to protocol, but Detective Farrow is more actively suspicious.

Curtain Call Applause! Lori Robbins did well to grab my immediate interest laying out several conflicts between the corporate side and the ballet side, some #MeToo incidents, and more diva antics that could well be motive for murder, but as the drama continues, additional attacks, accusing remarks, shocking connections, and surprise revelations literally had me gasp! I like the fact that early in the story, Leah has her “wrong place, wrong time” moment and police are again conflicted over her involvement. Despite the victim being a good karmic choice, the story offers others who need a bit of karmic intervention as well from employees of Artistic Solutions and ABC alumni to a plethora of dancers. The hierarchy between the principal dancers and the corps de ballet does not go without a mention; it was so well depicted that many might see their own personal experiences, depending where you fall on the corporate ladder, and many it seems have very long memories. Leah’s step-mother’s surprise appearance and concerns of a conflict of interest along with her mother taking her own role to protect her daughter added well to the drama. Brava!

Murder in Third Position Earns 5+/5 Fouettés … Intriguing & Intense Gem!
Brett Cameron thought less on putting Leah in physical danger with Maurice Kaminsky’s new stage contraption, and more on his choreography career that depends on the success of his first feature-length ballet, The Nutcracker. Maurice, his husband and well-known artist, sees his creation as center to the original story and relishes being showcased in a film about his life and art by indie filmmaker Nelson Merrill. Merrill is known more for his true crime documentaries, but for this project, he seems more interested in gossip, of which there is plenty. Rumors have it that Brett is slated as the new artistic director, but there are cracks in the marital bliss between Brett and Maurice, and courtesy of Brett, Leah’s most scheming competitor appears poised to emerge from her understudy role and challenge Leah for Romeo and Juliet. But, problems are compounded by an anonymous delivery of a box of chocolates, a scream, discovery of Maurice’s dead body, Leah’s friend and dance partner Joaquin Texeira found covered in blood, and Olivia, Leah’s friend, yelling “It was an accident! He didn’t do it!”

Standing Ovation! Lori Robbins has set up an exciting drama punctuated with personal and professional relationships at the center of murder, and with the victim having a life outside the world of ballet, the avenues to explore go beyond the theater. There’s no delay in getting together the Choreographers of Crime (a misleading moniker, Leah adds) to hatch a plan for nosing around, and having a different rationale for involvement or perspective makes for an wide-ranging discussion. Of course, it all heats up with an additional homicide, questionable accidents, and personal peril complicating an already intriguing scenario. And again … couldn’t put it down! Adding to the complexity, Leah’s Aunt Rachel makes an appearance revealing serious sibling rivalry with her mother, a bit of narcissism, and some interference to their plans. The connection with Dr. Zach has cooled, and with Detective Sobol she’s experiencing some relationship pitfalls: suspicions, miscommunications, and the demands of their job. Encore!

Series Box Office Hit! Lori Robbins brings an intriguing view of the inner workings of the ballet community with its creative forces, professional conflicts, food issues, physical stress, and an eclectic troupe of personalities. She weaves in clever murder mysteries of a diva dancer, a demanding artistic director, and an egotistical set designer along with a few pesky witnesses or co-conspirators. She provides an elaborate investigation revealing the complexities of relationships, politics of the ballet, motives and personal agendas, as well as the temporary nature of so many relationships … this week one, next week another, repeat. There are plenty of perilous moments, misunderstandings, and collateral damage to complicate the issues. Robbins presents a fascinating family dynamic and connection to close friends, and although not always constructive and endearing, it does come in handy when Leah requires advice, some extra snooping, a distraction, or a ticket out of jail. One thing is certain, nothing always goes as planned.

Romance is an element I always enjoy mixed in with the mystery, and for Leah, there’s two viable candidates. “Team Doctor” is her family’s choice, especially her mother, but Leah’s unsure about actually saying “boyfriend,” and his job, an ex-wife, and a daughter complicate matters. Then, there’s my choice “Team Detective” with whom she says they are just friends citing some awkwardness being “amorous” with someone who thought her a killer, but despite missteps and obstacles with his job, her physical reactions to his proximity makes him worth overlooking any glitch. All and all, it’s a comfortable, and evolving, triangle.

Robbins writing style is entertaining and solicits a variety of emotions from me. I was intrigued, angry, worried, and thrilled by the end. Her descriptive language clearly illustrated the different environments and an eclectic cast of which I’d love to be apart, and the realistic banter showcased the different personalities from morally true to morally wicked and those in the middle. Ballet is an area I have little knowledge beyond seeing The Nutcracker Suite when I was young, but I found references to particular performances, unique vocabulary, and plight of the dancers fascinating and well worth learning more. I love chapter titles, and using a quote from many well-known figures helped illustrate the mood, provide background, or offer insights into the world of dance. Cheers! Brava! Encore!

On Pointe Mystery
Murder in First Position (2020)
Murder in Second Position (2021)
Murder in Third Position (2022)
Murder in Fourth Position (2023)

Leah takes a leave of absence from the American Ballet Company to dance in a new Broadway musical choreographed by Bryan Leister, but she’s secretly cast in a double role. She is officially collaborating with the NYPD hoping to prevent an online predator from executing real life violence.

Be a Big Fan of Lori Robbins!
Lori Robbins is a former dancer herself having performed with several modern dance and ballet companies which gives her a unique insight for her On Pointe Mystery series. Currently there are three On Pointe Mystery books with a fourth book set for an October release, and she has a contract for two more tentatively titled Murder in Fifth Position and Murder in Parallel Position. Using her experiences as an English teacher, she penned Master Class Mystery with Lesson Plan for Murder. Experience is key!

As Robbins posted on Facebook in November, 2021, about contributing to The Secret Ingredient: Mystery Writers Cookbook, “Although ballerina Leah Siderova doesn’t cook anything more complicated than coffee, her perfectly wonderful sister Melissa provided a recipe for Spinach Noodles.”

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying year 2 of retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband of 26+ years.

Interview with Lori Robbins:

KRL: How long have you been writing?

Lori: I began writing long-form fiction about eight years ago. Before that, it was mostly character sketches and short stories, which I shared with an audience of no one.

KRL: When did your first novel come out, what was it called, and would you tell us a little about it?

Lori: Lesson Plan for Murder is an academic mystery, in which an English teacher investigates the murder of one of her colleagues. The chapter headings are titles of famous novels and provide both clues and a running commentary for the amateur sleuth’s investigation. It was released in 2017, by a publisher that has since folded. Level Best Books will re-release it in May 2023 as the opening work in a three-part Master Class series.

Lesson Plan for Murder won the Silver Falchion for Best Cozy Mystery in 2018, and I’m excited that this book is getting another chance at publication.

KRL: Have you always written mysteries/suspense and if not, what else have you written?

Lori Robbins

KRL: What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book/series?

Lori: The On Pointe mystery series, which takes place in a New York City ballet company, is very much informed by my career as a dancer. The plots are pure fiction, but the details of a dancer’s life and the ruthless nature of ballet are all real.

I grew up in New York City and lived there for many years, and it’s such a rich setting for a murder mystery. The ballet company functions as a small town within that big city, so I get to enjoy the opportunities both setting offers.

The protagonist is a ballerina on the wrong side of thirty who, over the course of the series learns there’s more to life and to her, than being onstage. Rather than make the main character an ingenue who rises to stardom, I found it more interesting to address the challenges of a ballerina who’s battling to stay on top in an increasingly hostile environment. There’s nothing like a murder to facilitate personal growth.

KRL: Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to experience from your work?

Lori: My goal is to entertain my readers, but the books don’t take place in a vacuum. The pressure to conform to a seemingly impossible ideal of perfection isn’t confined to the world of dance, and that’s something that receives considerable weight in my writing, even if it does come in the form of humor. The protagonists of both series struggle with unrealistic expectations that are as much inner-directed as they are societal. My characters are sharp-tongued, but they’re as likely to turn that wit against themselves as wield it against their rivals.

KRL: Do you have a schedule for your writing or just work whenever you can?

Lori: I still take ballet classes most mornings, so I begin writing in the early afternoon and continue into the evening. I aim for one thousand words a day, although when I’m editing one manuscript while writing another, I don’t always reach that goal. It’s rare for me to take a day off, because it’s easy to lose the flow of the narrative, and because my characters have a disturbing habit of showing up in my dreams if I ignore them for longer than a day or so.

KRL: Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it?

Lori: I begin a book by sketching out the action in each chapter, an activity that doesn’t rise to the level of a fully formed outline. I usually get stuck halfway through, at about chapter seventeen. That’s when I stop worrying about what’s going to happen and start writing. Characters show up, things happen, and from there we’re off to the races. I know who the primary victim is, who the killer is, and the motivation behind the crime, but things don’t always evolve in the way that the initial plan envisions.

KRL: Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning?

Lori: Not that I’m counting, but I got forty-nine rejections before getting two offers. I know now there’s nothing remarkable about that number, but at the time it was…trying.

KRL: Do you have a great rejection/critique or acceptance story you’d like to share?

Lori: Where do I begin?! I suppose the worst rejection I got wasn’t from an agent or publisher, but from a writer in my first critique group. She was positive the book would never get published, because the protagonist was too unlikeable. This all happened before unreliable and possibly lethal female characters gained traction through books like Gone Girl. I did end up softening the edges of my very sarcastic English teacher, but I’m now reveling in writing a suspense novel in which the main character is, well, let’s call her difficult. In her defense, she probably didn’t set the fire that killed two people.

KRL: Most interesting book signing story-in a bookstore or other venue?

Lori: I was on my way to a book signing at the Brooklyn Book Festival when two women stopped me to say how much they loved my writing. It would have been quite flattering, if not for the fact that they mistook me for someone else. I have to give them credit, though, they followed me to my table and bought my books anyway.

KRL: What are your future writing goals?

Lori: I’ve got a secret hankering to write a multi-generational historical novel that begins in Odessa, in 1919, and ends in New York City, in 2019. But that’s very much on the back burner for now.

KRL: Who are your writing heroes?

Lori: Setting aside the usual suspects for a former English teacher [Jane Austen, George Eliot, and Anthony Trollope] my favorite mystery/suspense writers are Alison Gaylin, Carol Goodman, Wendy Corsi Staub, and Judith Flanders. Their thorough and compelling stories never overtake character and setting, and they all deal with challenging and thought-provoking issues.

KRL: What kind of research do you do?

Lori: For all things technical, I pay a team of experts to provide advice. Those four years of college tuition, times six kids, really paid off for all concerned. We’ve also got a doctor in the house for questions about stab wounds or poison. I do like to keep things in the family, and so for all other issues, I rely on Uncle Google.

KRL: What do you like to read?

Lori: For suspense, the aforementioned authors never disappoint. For non-genre fiction, my tastes are pretty eclectic. I went through a long period of reading the more obscure Victorian female writers like Maria Edgeworth and Elizabeth Gaskell. On the contemporary side, I’m a huge fan of Richard Russo and Madeline Miller. My favorite writer is A.S. Byatt. I think I’ve read Possession a dozen or more times.

KRL: What are your favorite TV shows or movies?

Lori: Astrid is one of my favorites. It’s about a Parisian police detective who teams up with a neuro-diverse worker in the Criminal Records division. The partnership between these two very different women is rendered with great warmth and sensitivity, and the plots are both intricate and compelling.

KRL: Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

Lori: Long before I had a finished manuscript, I told myself, and anyone else who might be interested, that I was writing a book. Saying it out loud was a commitment to follow through, and I recommend taking that leap of faith.

On a less abstract note: Joining Sisters in Crime was one of the best moves I made as a beginning writer. I’m a member of the NY/Tristate chapter, and the friendship, advice, and support I got continues to sustain me. Nationally, Sisters in Crime offers so much through their virtual write-ins, workshops, and lectures. Writing takes place in a solitary space, but organizations like Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America offer a supportive and educational community.

KRL: I agree with you about Sisters in Crime. What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Lori: My childhood ambition was to be an international spy. Reading and writing have gone a long way in consoling me for that missed opportunity.

KRL: Do you have any pets?

Lori: I no longer have any pets, but Leah, the protagonist of the On Pointe series, is thinking about committing to a long-term relationship with a plant. Animals and people are still too challenging for her, despite the presence of a certain homicide detective.

KRL: Is there anything you would like to add?

Lori: I solemnly swear none of my evil characters is based on anyone I know, although I may have given them one or two traits from people in a past life.

KRL: Website? Twitter? Facebook? Instagram?

Lori: linktr.ee/lorirobbinsmysteries
lorirobbins.com
instagram.com/lorirobbinsmysteries
facebook.com/lorirobbinsauthor
twitter.com/lorirobbins99

To enter to win an ebook copy of all 3 books, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “dance,” or by commenting below about a childhood memory: (1) your literary hero, (2) a class in which you participated, or (3) experiences with dance. A winner will be chosen March 25, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter.You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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