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The Head Start: Embracing the Journey


1 Sweat and Resilience: Balancing Chronic Migraine with Fitness Goals 35:02
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The healing power of fitness goes far beyond physical benefits—for today’s guest, it’s a form of self-expression and a celebration of what the body can do. In this episode, host Nora McInerny sits down with fitness personality Ivylis Rivera, who shares her deeply personal journey of navigating life with Chronic Migraine while holding onto her passion for movement. Ivylis opens up about the struggle of staying active while facing the fear of triggering a headache or migraine attack and the resilience it takes to keep pushing forward—a resilience that carried her through the challenging journey of finding a Chronic Migraine treatment plan that worked for her. Join Nora and Ivylis as they explore the concept of “soft living,” a philosophy Ivylis embraces—staying active, listening to your body, and building trust in oneself. Click here for Product Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide, or visit https://abbv.ie/prescribing_info See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…
Our Tribute to Black Mystery Authors
Manage episode 285693221 series 2257008
Content provided by Dark and Stormy Book Club and Stormy Book Club. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Dark and Stormy Book Club and Stormy Book Club or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
We each chose an author we wanted to highlight.
What You Don't Know by Bianca Sloane
From the author of "Killing Me Softly" comes a terrifying thriller that will make you think twice before you open the front door…
It’s Saturday morning. April Fool’s Day to be exact. Malcolm Gilbert is on his way to play golf. His wife, Blair, is headed to the hair salon.
That’s the plan anyway.
Then the doorbell rings.
And their nightmare begins.
For the next forty-eight hours, the Gilberts are at the mercy of sadists who unleash a seemingly unending campaign of terror against them.
But the question isn’t who would attack the Gilberts.
The question is why . . .
The next time your doorbell rings, will you answer it?
A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley .
In the first of a thrilling new series, one woman's extraordinary psychic gift plunges her already-troubled present into chaos--and puts her future in someone's deadly sights...
Until now, Odessa Jones' inherited ability to read emotions and foretell danger has protected her. But second sight didn't warn her she would soon be a widow--and about to lose her home and the catering business she's worked so hard to build. The only things keeping Dessa going are her love for baking and her sometimes-mellow cat, Juniper. Unfortunately, putting her life back together means taking a gig at an all-kinds-of-shady real estate firm run by volatile owner Charlie Risko...
Until Charlie is brutally killed--and Dessa's bullied co-worker is arrested for murder. Dessa can't be sure who's guilty. But it doesn't take a psychic to discover that everyone from Charlie's much-abused staff to his long-suffering younger wife had multiple reasons to want him dead. And as Dessa follows a trail of lies through blackmail, dead-end clues, and corruption, she needs to see the truth fast--or a killer will bury her deep down with it.
Trouble Is What I Do (Leonid McGill #6) by Walter Mosley
Leonid McGill's spent a lifetime building up his reputation in the New York investigative scene. His seemingly infallible instinct and inside knowledge of the crime world make him the ideal man to help when Phillip Worry comes knocking.
Phillip "Catfish" Worry is a 92-year-old Mississippi bluesman who needs Leonid's help with a simple task: deliver a letter revealing the black lineage of a wealthy heiress and her corrupt father. Unsurprisingly, the opportunity to do a simple favor while shocking the prevailing elite is too much for Leonid to resist.
But when a famed and feared assassin puts a hit on Catfish, Leonid has no choice but to confront the ghost of his own felonious past. Working to protect his client and his own family, Leonid must reach the heiress on the eve of her wedding before her powerful father kills those who hold their family's secret.
Joined by a team of young and tough aspiring investigators, Leonid must gain the trust of wary socialites, outsmart vengeful thugs, and, above all, serve the truth -- no matter the cost.
…
continue reading
What You Don't Know by Bianca Sloane
From the author of "Killing Me Softly" comes a terrifying thriller that will make you think twice before you open the front door…
It’s Saturday morning. April Fool’s Day to be exact. Malcolm Gilbert is on his way to play golf. His wife, Blair, is headed to the hair salon.
That’s the plan anyway.
Then the doorbell rings.
And their nightmare begins.
For the next forty-eight hours, the Gilberts are at the mercy of sadists who unleash a seemingly unending campaign of terror against them.
But the question isn’t who would attack the Gilberts.
The question is why . . .
The next time your doorbell rings, will you answer it?
A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley .
In the first of a thrilling new series, one woman's extraordinary psychic gift plunges her already-troubled present into chaos--and puts her future in someone's deadly sights...
Until now, Odessa Jones' inherited ability to read emotions and foretell danger has protected her. But second sight didn't warn her she would soon be a widow--and about to lose her home and the catering business she's worked so hard to build. The only things keeping Dessa going are her love for baking and her sometimes-mellow cat, Juniper. Unfortunately, putting her life back together means taking a gig at an all-kinds-of-shady real estate firm run by volatile owner Charlie Risko...
Until Charlie is brutally killed--and Dessa's bullied co-worker is arrested for murder. Dessa can't be sure who's guilty. But it doesn't take a psychic to discover that everyone from Charlie's much-abused staff to his long-suffering younger wife had multiple reasons to want him dead. And as Dessa follows a trail of lies through blackmail, dead-end clues, and corruption, she needs to see the truth fast--or a killer will bury her deep down with it.
Trouble Is What I Do (Leonid McGill #6) by Walter Mosley
Leonid McGill's spent a lifetime building up his reputation in the New York investigative scene. His seemingly infallible instinct and inside knowledge of the crime world make him the ideal man to help when Phillip Worry comes knocking.
Phillip "Catfish" Worry is a 92-year-old Mississippi bluesman who needs Leonid's help with a simple task: deliver a letter revealing the black lineage of a wealthy heiress and her corrupt father. Unsurprisingly, the opportunity to do a simple favor while shocking the prevailing elite is too much for Leonid to resist.
But when a famed and feared assassin puts a hit on Catfish, Leonid has no choice but to confront the ghost of his own felonious past. Working to protect his client and his own family, Leonid must reach the heiress on the eve of her wedding before her powerful father kills those who hold their family's secret.
Joined by a team of young and tough aspiring investigators, Leonid must gain the trust of wary socialites, outsmart vengeful thugs, and, above all, serve the truth -- no matter the cost.
381 episodes
Manage episode 285693221 series 2257008
Content provided by Dark and Stormy Book Club and Stormy Book Club. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Dark and Stormy Book Club and Stormy Book Club or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
We each chose an author we wanted to highlight.
What You Don't Know by Bianca Sloane
From the author of "Killing Me Softly" comes a terrifying thriller that will make you think twice before you open the front door…
It’s Saturday morning. April Fool’s Day to be exact. Malcolm Gilbert is on his way to play golf. His wife, Blair, is headed to the hair salon.
That’s the plan anyway.
Then the doorbell rings.
And their nightmare begins.
For the next forty-eight hours, the Gilberts are at the mercy of sadists who unleash a seemingly unending campaign of terror against them.
But the question isn’t who would attack the Gilberts.
The question is why . . .
The next time your doorbell rings, will you answer it?
A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley .
In the first of a thrilling new series, one woman's extraordinary psychic gift plunges her already-troubled present into chaos--and puts her future in someone's deadly sights...
Until now, Odessa Jones' inherited ability to read emotions and foretell danger has protected her. But second sight didn't warn her she would soon be a widow--and about to lose her home and the catering business she's worked so hard to build. The only things keeping Dessa going are her love for baking and her sometimes-mellow cat, Juniper. Unfortunately, putting her life back together means taking a gig at an all-kinds-of-shady real estate firm run by volatile owner Charlie Risko...
Until Charlie is brutally killed--and Dessa's bullied co-worker is arrested for murder. Dessa can't be sure who's guilty. But it doesn't take a psychic to discover that everyone from Charlie's much-abused staff to his long-suffering younger wife had multiple reasons to want him dead. And as Dessa follows a trail of lies through blackmail, dead-end clues, and corruption, she needs to see the truth fast--or a killer will bury her deep down with it.
Trouble Is What I Do (Leonid McGill #6) by Walter Mosley
Leonid McGill's spent a lifetime building up his reputation in the New York investigative scene. His seemingly infallible instinct and inside knowledge of the crime world make him the ideal man to help when Phillip Worry comes knocking.
Phillip "Catfish" Worry is a 92-year-old Mississippi bluesman who needs Leonid's help with a simple task: deliver a letter revealing the black lineage of a wealthy heiress and her corrupt father. Unsurprisingly, the opportunity to do a simple favor while shocking the prevailing elite is too much for Leonid to resist.
But when a famed and feared assassin puts a hit on Catfish, Leonid has no choice but to confront the ghost of his own felonious past. Working to protect his client and his own family, Leonid must reach the heiress on the eve of her wedding before her powerful father kills those who hold their family's secret.
Joined by a team of young and tough aspiring investigators, Leonid must gain the trust of wary socialites, outsmart vengeful thugs, and, above all, serve the truth -- no matter the cost.
…
continue reading
What You Don't Know by Bianca Sloane
From the author of "Killing Me Softly" comes a terrifying thriller that will make you think twice before you open the front door…
It’s Saturday morning. April Fool’s Day to be exact. Malcolm Gilbert is on his way to play golf. His wife, Blair, is headed to the hair salon.
That’s the plan anyway.
Then the doorbell rings.
And their nightmare begins.
For the next forty-eight hours, the Gilberts are at the mercy of sadists who unleash a seemingly unending campaign of terror against them.
But the question isn’t who would attack the Gilberts.
The question is why . . .
The next time your doorbell rings, will you answer it?
A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley .
In the first of a thrilling new series, one woman's extraordinary psychic gift plunges her already-troubled present into chaos--and puts her future in someone's deadly sights...
Until now, Odessa Jones' inherited ability to read emotions and foretell danger has protected her. But second sight didn't warn her she would soon be a widow--and about to lose her home and the catering business she's worked so hard to build. The only things keeping Dessa going are her love for baking and her sometimes-mellow cat, Juniper. Unfortunately, putting her life back together means taking a gig at an all-kinds-of-shady real estate firm run by volatile owner Charlie Risko...
Until Charlie is brutally killed--and Dessa's bullied co-worker is arrested for murder. Dessa can't be sure who's guilty. But it doesn't take a psychic to discover that everyone from Charlie's much-abused staff to his long-suffering younger wife had multiple reasons to want him dead. And as Dessa follows a trail of lies through blackmail, dead-end clues, and corruption, she needs to see the truth fast--or a killer will bury her deep down with it.
Trouble Is What I Do (Leonid McGill #6) by Walter Mosley
Leonid McGill's spent a lifetime building up his reputation in the New York investigative scene. His seemingly infallible instinct and inside knowledge of the crime world make him the ideal man to help when Phillip Worry comes knocking.
Phillip "Catfish" Worry is a 92-year-old Mississippi bluesman who needs Leonid's help with a simple task: deliver a letter revealing the black lineage of a wealthy heiress and her corrupt father. Unsurprisingly, the opportunity to do a simple favor while shocking the prevailing elite is too much for Leonid to resist.
But when a famed and feared assassin puts a hit on Catfish, Leonid has no choice but to confront the ghost of his own felonious past. Working to protect his client and his own family, Leonid must reach the heiress on the eve of her wedding before her powerful father kills those who hold their family's secret.
Joined by a team of young and tough aspiring investigators, Leonid must gain the trust of wary socialites, outsmart vengeful thugs, and, above all, serve the truth -- no matter the cost.
381 episodes
All episodes
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Dark and Stormy Book Club

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Dark and Stormy Book Club

We need to step away for about a month our beloved Ann Dark needs to take some time to heal. She can't wait to return to the podcast. Please join her family and freinds in wishing her well. We will be posting further updates on here or our facebook page. Thank you for your continue support and understanding.…
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Recommendations For Your TBR Show Notes On today's episode, we feature six books that we recommend for our listener's TBR. These are books that have been sent to us for review. There is no way we can read every book but we want to make sure they are highlighted in some way. Ann reported on Good Girls Don't Die by Christina Henry (Berkeley 11/23). This is the story of three woman with one way out. Tracey reported on The Repurposed Spy by Oliver Dowson (self 3/22) A modern spy novel filled with humor and intrigue. Misty had Miss Blaine, The Prefect & the Weird Sisters by Olga Wojtas (Felony & Mayhem Press 3/23) A prefect who time travels to help people. Ann's second book is The Murder of Andrew Johnson by Burt Solomon (Forge Books 10/23) An inspector looks to see if the president was killed in his home state of Tennessee Tracey 's second book is Anna-O by Matthew Blake (Harper 1/24) The story of a woman who commits two murders while sleepwalking and then never wakes up again. Misty's second book is The Lies I tell by Julie Clark (Source books 12/22) The story of a con woman who becomes what her mark needs her to be. Tracey is currently reading “the Carrow Haunt” by Darcie Coates and the “Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern Ann is currently reading “The Deepest Kill” by Lisa Black, “The Waxworks Man” by J.C. Briggs, and “The Huntress” by Kate Quinn. Misty is currently working on her new mystery series based on a diner with dead people.…
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1-24 WWAR New Beginnings Show Notes For our first WWAR for 2024, we discussed three books that feature new beginnings for the protagonist or storyl Misty reported on her book “Poison Ivy” by Misty Simon. This is the first book she had published in 2004. It has been re-released two more times since then and has just been again re-released. She says the book is still a lot of fun to read. Tracey reported on her book “What Waits In the Woods.” by Kieran Scott It features a ballerina who has to begin over when she damages her leg and has to give up her dream of ballet. On the day she arrives back in her hometown in rural Pennsylvania, a body is found behind her father's house. Ann reported on “Conflicting Loyalties: My Life As A Mob Enforcer turned DOJ Informant” by Aiden Gabor. It is a true story of a teenager who is forced to become an informant for the Justice Department in order to stay out of jail. He remained an informant for almost 20 years when he got out. He then has to start his life over a second time when he was diagnosed with ALS. We also reported on the books we are currrently reading. Misty is reading “Writing A Cozy Mystery” by Nancy J. Cohen, and says she reads it often to make sure she is including everything in her books. Tracey is reading “A Good House For Children” by Kate Collins Ann is currently reading “Seed” by Anya Allborne and “Calico” by Lee Goldberg.…
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Edwin Hill Show Notes Today we talk with Edwin Hill about his book Who To Believe. It will release today from Kensington Books. Monreith, Massachusetts, was once a small community of whalers and farmers. These days it’s a well-to-do town filled with commuters drawn to its rugged coastline and country roads. A peaceful, predictable place— until popular restaurateur Laurel Thibodeau is found brutally murdered in her own home. Suspicion naturally falls on Laurel’s husband, Simon, who had gambling debts that only her life insurance policy could fix. But there are other rumors too . . . Among the group of six friends gathered for Alice Stone’s fortieth birthday, theories abound concerning Laurel’s death. Max Barbosa, police chief, has heard plenty of them, as has his longtime friend, Unitarian minister Georgia Fitzhugh. Local psychiatrist Farley Drake is privy to even more, gleaning snippets of gossip and information from his patients while closely guarding his own past. But maybe everyone in Monreith has something to hide. Because before this late-summer evening has come to a close, one of these six will be dead. And as jealousy, revenge, adultery, and greed converge, the question becomes not who among these friends might be capable of such a thing, but—who isn’t?…
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Dark and Stormy Book Club

Top Five Rundown Show notes On today's episode we review our top 5 books we read over the past year.\ 5 Ann – The Last Orphan by Greg Hurwitz Tracey – The Devil's Chew Toy by Rob Osler 4 Ann - Last Known Port by Sue Anger Tracey - Bone Rattler by Elliot Pattison 3 Ann – The Hunter by Jennifer Herera Tracey – The Camp by Nancy Bush 2 Ann – Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg Tracey – Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey 1 Ann – The Bones of Birka by Cynthia Surrisi Tracey – Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby We had a few honorable mentions of books that we did not cover on the program but were so good they deserve a mention Ann's list The Girl in the Eagle's Talons by Karen Schmirnoff The Road To Station X by Sarah Baring Holly by Stephen King Tracey's list The Only One Left by Riley Sager Verity by Coleen Hoover Carrie by Stephen King TRIVIA Last week's question Which mystery author has a span of 29 years between the publishing of one of her mysteries? a. Mary Roberts Reinhart b. Ruth Rendell c. Mildred Davis d. Amanda Cross The answer is c. Mildred Davis. She wrote 18 mystery novels between the years 1948 and 1977. She didn't publish another until 2006 when she began the Murder in Maine mystery series with her daughter Katherine Roome. This week's question is: Author Robert Barnard wrote over 40 mysteries. He wrote 4 mysteries under the name Bernard Bastable. Who was his famous protagonist? a. Wolfgang Mozart b. Thomas Wolfe c. Agatha Christie d. Robert Barnard…
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1 David Simmons Interview - Ghosts of East Baltimore 31:19
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David Simmons Ghosts of E#ast Baltimore Show Notes On the first official episode of 2024, we talked with David Simmons about his book “Ghosts of East Baltimore.: David was delightful. Worm, fresh out of jail, tries to make a little money to get back on his feet, and make it back to the halfway house before his 9 pm curfew. But what should be a simple drop-off, spirals into a nightmare. Worm is faced with a number of obstacles like Greek gangsters, gimps, mecha suits, wild drugs, and more. This feels like the perfect cross-genre book written for me especially with the clone conspiracy theory sprinkled in. Ghosts of East Baltimore is a wild ride and the perfect mix of elegant yet literary cosmic hood horror with textured prose that not many could pull off. Rich with history, and a deep-seated love for Baltimore, this is a fantastic crime fiction debut. TRIVIA Author Gary Phillips has edited several anthologies over the years. One that won particular accolades was one that paid homage to a past president. Which one? a. Nixon b. Bush c. Washington d. Obama Phillips has edited a number of anthologies including Orange County Noir and The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir, with the latter receiving the 2018 Anthony Award for Best Anthology. The Obama Inheritance was inspired by the many conspiracy theories generated about President Barack Obama. Each story in the anthology focused on one conspiracy theory as a means to "Riff on it, take it apart and turn it on its head, and give the reader a thrill ride of weirdo, noirish, pulpy goodness Which mystery author has a span of 29 years between the publishing of one of her mysteries? a. Mary Roberts Reinhart b. Ruth Rendell c. Mildred Davis d. Amanda Cross…
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1 St Nicholas -Short Story by Bruce Robert Coffin 13:45
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In the last of our Holiday Break short stories We read a story that Bruce Robert Coffin sent to us. It is a perfect story to end this season of giving and caring. Please enjoy!! Tune in next week for our regularly scheduled episodes.
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Dark and Stormy Book Club

The Noir before Christmas written and read by Ang Pompano
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Dark and Stormy Book Club

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

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

Ann reported on The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon (Anchor 2015) West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter. Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara’s farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that has weighty consequences when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished. In her search for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother's bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked into the historical mystery, she discovers that she’s not the only person looking for someone that they’ve lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself. Creepy, goosebumpy, scary ghost stories aren't only for cool fall evenings. It turns out that the middle of January in remote Vermont when it's buried in snow is also the perfect setting for a psychological thriller filled with ghosts. Written by Jennifer McMahon, this is two stories in one with the common factor the setting of an old farmhouse on a secluded road in the very small town of West Hall, Vermont. The stories alternate: One takes place in January 1908, including flashbacks about 20 years earlier. The other takes place in the present day, also in January. This thickly-wooded homestead includes an outcropping of giant boulders that looks so much like a hand, the area has always been called Devil's Hand. Wander too far into the woods, and you might not make it out alive. Something is going on here, and those who have seen it believe there are ghosts in this spooky forest. It's January 1908. Sara Harrison Shea and her husband Martin Shea live in the farmhouse with their little girl, Gertie, who is 8 years old. One day she is found dead, having fallen 50 feet down a well. Sara collapses in grief, but writes her fears, anguish, and hopes into a secret diary. Sara comes to an untimely and gruesome death, which remains the stuff of legend in West Hall a hundred years later. She hid her diary in one of the hidey-holes in the old farmhouse, and many people want to find it because in it she supposedly left instructions on how to raise the dead to life. Meanwhile in the present-day, Alice Washburne lives in the same farmhouse with her two daughters, Ruthie, 19, and Fawn, 6. Alice, who is widowed, has lived off the grid for about 20 years. No computer. No cell phone. No links to anyone in the world. Even in this small town, not everyone knows who she is. On New Year's Day, Alice disappears. More than anything, Alice dislikes the police, so Ruthie knows she shouldn't call the cops. (This is one of several plot points—some small, some big—that make the mystery work. If Ruthie did call the cops or someone didn't lock her cell phone in the car so she didn't have it when she really needed it, things would have worked out quite differently. A little cheesy, perhaps.) The two stories—past and present—converge as Ruthie discovers dark secrets about her own past and those surrounding this strange house. This is one of the creepiest stories I have ever read, and while the plots from both time periods are rather farfetched, the book is a page-turner. It will keep you up past your bedtime, and if you read it then, you may very well have nightmares. Tracey's book was A Dark and Snowy Night by Sally Goldenbaum, #5 in the Seaside Knitters Mystery Series (Kensington 2022) It’s holiday season in the picturesque, coastal town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts! But in USA Today bestselling author Sally Goldenbaum’s latest Seaside Knitters Society mystery, the knitting club sleuths will have to take a break from crafting cozy Christmas gifts to investigate a murder at the Mayor’s holiday party. Winter in Sea Harbor is a feast for the senses—crackling bonfires, the scent of snow in the salty air, carols ringing out on the village green. This year, the Seaside Knitters have a sackful of obligations in addition to their usual Christmas preparations. Izzy is so overloaded with knitting classes that she hires an extra salesperson, but the new addition has trouble fitting into the yarn shop’s holiday spirit. Cass, juggling the stresses of running her lobster fishery, has finally found a nanny for her active toddler. Molly Flanigan seems practically perfect in every way—until she suddenly disappears, taking Cass’s beloved rescue mutt with her... Meanwhile, the holidays are kicking off in style at Mayor Beatrice Scaglia’s holiday party, where a well-dressed crowd admires the mayor’s sumptuous new home and the celebrity chef catering the event. An additional treat for Ben and Nell Endicott at the festive affair is reconnecting with a dear college friend, Oliver Bishop. But it’s not just reunions and the appetizers that are to-die-for. Before the party-goers can toast the beginning of Sea Harbor’s festive season, the chef—and young wife of the Endicott’s old Harvard friend—is found dead beneath the mistletoe. Izzy, Birdie, Nell, and Cass must uncover the pattern to these mysteries to remove suspicion from those they love, bring a murderer to justice—and keep Sea Harbor’s holiday magic from vanishing into the chill winter air... TRIVIA Last week's question was: Which mystery author was also a barrister? a. Linda Howard b. Patricia Moyes c. Eileen Dewshurst d. Nancy Spain The answer is c. Eileen Dewhurst. She wrote the Hilary Tamar series This series of four books, described as "legal whodunits", were written over a period of twenty years. Their primary setting is the top floor of 62 New Square at Lincoln's Inn where four young junior barristers have their chambers: Michael Cantrip, Desmond Ragwort, Selena Jardine and Timothy Shepherd. While the last named only appears sporadically, taxes barrister Julia Larwood, who works in the adjacent premises, is a regular visitor and is in effect the fifth member of the group. These characters are in some ways thinly drawn (Selena is highly organized and efficient, Julia is clumsy and chaotic, Cantrip is casual and modern, Ragwort is elegant and conservative), never communicating in anything other than an ironic tone, so that even when they are in deadly danger the atmosphere remains uniformly light-hearted. This week's question is: Author Gary Phillips has edited several anthologies over the years. One that won particular accolades was one that paid homage to a past president. Which one? a. Nixon b. Bush c. Washington d. Obama Tune in next week for the answer.…
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Jersey Ghouls Show notes Today we talked with Marissa and Jacki, two women we met at Fright Reads They host the Jersey Ghouls podcast which features horror movies with a feminist twist. We Are in the process of planning a collaboration with them. They primarily feature movies in the horror genre and we will do a book versus movie episode of Dark and Stormy Book Club. We are happy we met up with the girls and look forward to working with them. TRIVIA: Last week's question was Mark Andrew Twitchell is a Canadian filmmaker. He became famous in April 2011 for what? a. He used a fictional murderer as a guideline for the crime b. He pulled off the biggest jewel heist in history c. He murdered his wife and 6 children d. He murdered a man and filmed the murder The answer is a. He used a fictional murder as a guideline for murder. He was convicted of first- degree murder in April 2011 for the murder of John Brian Altinger His trial attracted particular media attention because Twitchell had allegedly been inspired by the fictional characte Which mystery author was also a barrister? A/ Linda Howard b. Patricia Moyes c. Eileen Dewshurst d. Nancy Spain…
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Dark and Stormy Book Club

Rapid Reads Show Notes For our first Rapid Reads episode we gave short reviews of six different books: Militia House by John Milas “This is a beautiful horror story told masterfully and elegantly. It is a brilliant, different kind of war novel, one that reveals the insidious ways the violences of war can tear people apart from the inside out. “ Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead “a gothic Southern thriller about a killer haunting a small Louisiana town, where two outcasts―the preacher's daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks―hold the key to uncovering the truth. “ Murder with Chocolate Tea by Karen Rose Smith Tea shop owner and bride-to-be Daisy Swanson must solve a murder before she can say “I do” in the latest Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery set in Pennsylvania’s Amish country... What Wild Women Do by Karma Brown Two women's lives unexpectedly collide at a camp in the Adirondacks in this fascinating dual- timeline novel full of ambition, secrets, betrayal, mystery, intrigue, nature, inspiration, and a journey of self-discovery. Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen “This is a nice take on retirement—five old spooks whose bones may ache but whose minds remain sharp. You can expect mystery, action, and bloodshed in this exciting thriller launched straight from the peaceful shores of Maine.” TRIVIA Last week's question was: Which mystery author used the pseudonym Mark Sadler, John Crowe, Carl Dekker and William Arden? a. Dan Brown b. John Grisham c. Mickey Spillane d. Michael Collins The answer is d. Michael Collins but the name Michael Collins is actually a pseudonym for Dennis Lynds. Beginning in 1968 with The Mystery of the Moaning Cave and ending in 1989 with Hot Wheels, Lynds wrote fourteen novels under the pen name William Arden for the juvenile detective series The Three Investigators, which was originated by Robert Arthur, Jr. Under this same name, he also wrote five novels featuring private eye Kane Jackson, a former military policeman who has become an industrial security specialist after leaving the military. The first Jackson novel, A Dark Power, appeared in 1968. Prolific, explaining that he had more ideas than he knew what to do with, in addition to his Collins name, he created additional series under the pseudonyms Mark Sadler, John Crowe, and Carl Dekker. For a few years, he published under three of these pseudonyms at the same time at three different publishing houses This week's question is:: Mark Andrew Twitchell (born July 4, 1979) is a Canadian filmmaker. He became famous in April 2011 for what? a. He used a fictional murderer as a guideline for the crime b. He pulled off the biggest jewel heist in history c. He murdered his wife and 6 children d. He murdered a man and filmed the murder…
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Lee Goldberg Malibu Burning Show Notes Today we talked with our old friend Lee Goldberg about his bool Malibu Burning. It is the first in his new seriues featuring arson investigators Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker. It is published by Thomas & Mercer and was released on September 1 of this year. Hell comes to Southern California every October. It rides in on searing Santa Ana winds that blast at near hurricane force, igniting voracious wildfires. Master thief Danny Cole longs for the flames. A tsunami of fire is exactly what he needs to pull off a daring crime and avenge a fallen friend. As the most devastating firestorms in Los Angeles’ history scorch the hills of Malibu, relentless arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his wild card of a new partner, Andrew Walker, a former US marshal, suspect that someone set the massive blazes intentionally, a terrifying means to an unknown end. While the flames rage out of control, Danny pursues his brilliant scheme, unaware that Sharpe and Walker are closing in. But when they all collide in a canyon of fire, everything changes, pitting them against an unexpected enemy within an inescapable inferno. TRIVIA Last week's question was: John Dickinson Carr is famous for writing what? a. The most re-issued mysteries b. Mysteries with hints given throughout the story c. Impossible mysteries or locked room mysteries d. First person mysteries. The answer is c. Impossible or locked room mysteries. John Dickinson Carr is credited with writing the first “impossible” mystery, Carr is generally regarded as one of the greatest writers of so-called "Golden Age" mysteries; complex, plot-driven stories in which the puzzle is paramount. He was influenced in this regard by the works of Gaston Leroux and by the Father Brown stories of G. K. Chesterton. He was a master of the so- called locked room mystery, in which a detective solves apparently impossible crimes. The Dr. Fell mystery The Hollow Man (1935), usually considered Carr's masterpiece, was selected in 1981 as the best locked-room mystery of all time by a panel of 17 mystery authors and reviewers.[1] He also wrote a number of historical mysteries. This week's question is: Which mystery author used the psynonym Mark Sadler, John Crowe, Carl Dekker and William Arden? a. Dan Brown b. John Grisham c. Mickey Spillane d. Michael Collins Tune in next week for the answer.…
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WWAR October Show Notes On today's episode, we selected mysteries that were set in Colonial America. Misty reported on “A Shaker Murder” by Eleanor Kuhns. It is #6 in her Will Rees mystery series. Fresh from facing allegations of witchcraft and murder, travelling weaver Will Rees, his heavily pregnant wife Lydia and six adopted children take refuge in Zion, a Shaker community in rural Maine. Shortly after their arrival, screams in the night reveal a drowned body ... but is it murder or an unfortunate accident? The Shaker Elders argue it was just an accident, but Rees believes otherwise. As Will investigates further, more deaths follow and a young girl vanishes from the community. Haunted by nightmares for his family’s safety, Rees must rush to uncover the truth before the dreams can become reality and more lives are lost. Yet can the Shaker Elders be trusted, or is an outsider involved? Misty highly recommends this series. Ann reported on “Brutalized” by J. R. Thompson. 17th-century Dublin, Ireland, preteen Callum McCarthy is shipped to the English Colonies, where he will endure horrors of the Irish slave trade. Intense and powerful, JR Thompson’s Brutalized explores ideas of greed, loneliness and despair, determination, and faith. Growing up in an area where poor Irish families are as welcome as malaria, Callum, the son of a drunkard father and neglectful mother, already has the odds stacked against him. But when the boy is kidnapped from his own home, he’s plunged into a living nightmare. Upon arrival in America, a cruel man by the name of Josiah Gillcrest makes Callum his ill-treated workhorse. Bone-chilling secrets Callum uncovers on the tobacco plantation force him to make difficult decisions. Should he make a run for it? Kill the wicked overseer, who happens to be his master’s son? Lead a slave uprising? The possibilities are endless. Mystery, brutality, and deep, dirty secrets saturate Brutalized as Thompson shares truths of white slavery from Ireland and Germany to Colonial America. Callum’s detective skills could prove useful in bringing crucial changes to the plantation if they don’t kill him first. Finalkly Tracey reported on the book. Bone Rattler by Eliot Pattison. Unfairly convicted and force into indentured servitude, young Highland Scot Duncan McCallum finds himself aboard a prisoner ship bound for the New World. A series of mysterious deaths plagues the passengers and claims the life of Duncan’s dear friend Adam Munroe. Enlisted by his captors to investigate, a strange trail of clues leads Duncan into the New World and eventually thrusts him into the bloody maw of the French and Indian War. Duncan is indentured to the British Lord Ramsey, whose estate in the uncharted New York woodlands is a Heart of Darkness where multiple warring factions―the British, rogue Scots, the French, the Huron, and the Iroquois―are engaged in battle. Exploring a frontier world shrouded in danger, Duncan, the exiled chief of his near-extinct Scottish clan, finds that sometimes justice cannot be reached unless the cultures and spirits of those involved are resolved.…
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Dark Ride by Lou Berney 9/23/23 William Morrow This week we visited with an old friend, Lou Berney, about his new book “Dark Ride.: From Lou Berney, the acclaimed, multi award-winning author of November Road and The Long and Faraway Gone, comes a Dark Ride Sometimes the person you least expect is just the hero you need Twenty-one-year-old Hardy “Hardly” Reed—good-natured, easygoing, usually stoned—is drifting through life. A minimum-wage scare actor at an amusement park, he avoids unnecessary effort and unrealistic ambitions. Then one day he notices two children, around six or seven, sitting all alone on a bench. Hardly checks if they’re okay and sees injuries on both children. Someone is hurting these kids. He reports the incident to Child Protective Service. That should be the end of it. After all, Hardly's not even good at looking out for himself so the last thing he wants to do is look out for anyone else. But he's haunted by the two kids, his heart breaking for them. And the more research he does the less he trusts that Child Protective Services —understaffed and overworked—will do anything about it. That leaves...Hardly. He is probably the last person you’d ever want to count on. But those two kids have nobody else but him. Hardly has to do what's right and help them. For the first time in his life, Hardly decides to fight for something. This might be the one point in his entire life, he realizes, that is the entire point of his life. He will help those kids. At first, trying to gather evidence that will force the proper authorities to intervene, Hardly is a total disaster. Gradually, with assistance from unexpected allies, he develops investigative skills and discovers he’s smarter and more capable than he ever imagined. But Hardly also discovers that the situation is more dangerous than he ever expected. The abusive father who has been hurting these children isn’t just a lawyer—he also runs a violent drug-dealing operation. The mother claims she wants to escape with the kids—but Hardly isn't sure he can trust her. Faced with a different version of himself than he has ever known, Hardly refuses to give up. But his commitment to saving these kids from further harm might end up getting the kids, and Hardly himself, killed. TRIVIA Last week's question was: Isaac Asminov was a prolific author but he had one serious phobia.. What was it? a. Fear of the number 13 b. Fear of Heights c. Fear of Closed spaces d. Fear of flying The answer is d. Fear of Flying.. Asimov was afraid of flying, doing so only twice: once in the course of his work at the Naval Air Experimental Station and once returning home from Oahu In 1946. Consequently, he seldom traveled great distances. This phobia influenced several of his fiction works, such as the Wendell Urth mystery stories and the Robot novels featuring Elijah Baley. In his later years, Asimov found enjoyment traveling on cruise ships, beginning in 1972 when he viewed the Appollo 11 launch from a cruise ship. On several cruises, he was part of the entertainment program, giving science-themed talks aboard ships such as the Queen Elizabeth 2. He sailed to England in June 1974 on the SS France for a trip mostly devoted to lectures in London and Birmingham, though he also found time to visit Stonehenge. This week's question is: Mystery author Charlotte MacLeod had a family connection to which criminal a. Whitey Bulger b. John Gotti c. Al Capone d. Albert Anastasia…
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Today we visited wi6h Vanessa Riley about her bnook Murder at Drury Lane. Portraying the true diversity of the Regency-era and the hidden intrigue of England’s abolitionist movement, this vibrant, inclusive new historical mystery from acclaimed author Vanessa Riley features an engaging heroine with an independent streak, a notorious past, and a decided talent for sleuthing… Pressed into a union of convenience, Lady Abigail Worthing knew better than to expect love. Her marriage to an absent lord does at least provide some comforts, including a box at the Drury Lane theater, owned by the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Abigail has always found respite at the theater, away from the ton ’s judgmental stares and the risks of her own secret work to help the cause of abolition—and her fears that someone from her past wants her permanently silenced. But on one particular June evening everything collides, and the performance takes an unwelcome turn . . . Onstage, a woman emits a scream of genuine terror. A man has been found dead in the prop room, stabbed through the heart. Abigail’s neighbor, Stapleton Henderson, is also in attendance, and the two rush backstage. The magistrate, keen to avoid bringing more attention to the case and making Lady Worthing more of a target, asks Abigail not to investigate. But she cannot resist, especially when the usually curmudgeonly Henderson offers his assistance. Abigail soon discovers a tangled drama that rivals anything brought to the stage, involving gambling debts, a beautiful actress with a parade of suitors, and the very future of the Drury Lane theatre. For Abigail the case is complicated still further, for one suspect is a leading advocate for the cause dearest to her heart—the abolition of slavery within the British empire. Uncovering the truth always comes at a price. But this time, it may be far higher than she wishes to pay.…
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‘Do you believe Will took his own life?’ The question echoed off the white tiles in the hospital’s cold, cavernous morgue, and I studied my husband in peaceful repose. I leaned down and put my forehead against his. Silent tears ran down my cheeks. They felt hot, and he felt so cold. It was five days since his death, and my grief felt heavy, like a vast, dark mass pushing down on me.” When Maggie’s husband, Will, is shot dead in their London home, she thinks he is the victim of a burglary until the police tell her the shocking news that Will was the one who pulled the trigger. Maggie is consumed with grief and questions. Will wasn’t suicidal. He had so much to live for. After the funeral, Maggie travels to their holiday home on a small Croatian island to escape London. She finds a disturbing letter written by Will, containing clues to a dark secret. As Maggie puts the pieces together, she discovers Will’s death is connected to someone from his past… Someone who will go to extreme lengths to keep Maggie silent. Three can keep a secret... If two of them are dead. The international multi-million bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice is back with his first stand-alone thriller, a heart-racing, hold-your-breath read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.…
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1 Desmond P Ryan Interview and Fright Reads recap 32:12
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Desmond P. Ryan and Fright Reads Recap Show Notes On this episode we talked with old friend Desmond Ryan. His Mary Margaret O'Shea mystery series has finally been published. Mary Margaret and The Case of The Lapsed Parishoner (Level Best Books 8.28.23) When Mary-Margaret O'Shea, a woman of a certain age with mildly Machiavellian tendencies, discovers a homicide scene and meets an unimpressive lead investigator, she realizes that she has no choice but to solve the crime herself. With little help from Michael, her police-detective son, she enlists Arthur, her eccentric housekeeper, to help her find the killer. In Mary-Margaret and The Case of The Lapsed Parishioner, a series of assumptions and misguided steps may lead her to the killer, or they may make her the next victim. Desmond is working on two new series and has begun a writers event at a local pub near his home in Toronto. We wish him all the best and look forward to talking with him soon. We then gave a quick recap of the Fright Reads Book Convention we attended last weekend. The event has grown over the years and we were thrilled and had a wonderful time. We were honored to hose three author panels during the event. We met many new friends and were very pleased to meet the Jersey Ghouls. They have a podcast which mainly covers horror movies with a feminist twist.. We are planning on having a collaboration with them next year. We thank Harry Carpenter and his team for their expertise on planning and executing such a great event. We can't wait for next year. Due to the length of today's episode, we will defer trivia until next week.…
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WWAR October 2023 Show Notes Today is WWAR for October and our theme is Horror or Spooky reads. Tracey reported on Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey. Just Like Home is a darkly gothic thriller perfect for fans of Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House as well as HBO's true crime masterpiece I'll Be Gone in the Dark. “Come home.” Vera’s mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of the memories ― she's come back to the home of a serial killer. Back to face the love she had for her father and the bodies he buried there, beneath the house he'd built for his family. Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren’t alone. A parasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back and is slowly stripping Vera’s childhood for spare parts. He insists that he isn’t the one leaving notes around the house in her father’s handwriting... but who else could it possibly be? There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes. She then touched on Mary by Nat Cassidy (Tor Nightfire 7/22). Mary is a quiet, middle-aged woman doing her best to blend into the background. Unremarkable. Invisible. Unknown even to herself. But lately, things have been changing inside Mary. Along with the hot flashes and body aches, she can’t look in a mirror without passing out, and the voices in her head have been urging her to do unspeakable things. Fired from her job in New York, she moves back to her hometown, hoping to reconnect with her past and inner self. Instead, visions of terrifying, mutilated specters overwhelm her with increasing regularity and she begins auto-writing strange thoughts and phrases. Mary discovers that these experiences are echoes of an infamous serial killer. Then the killings begin again. Mary’s definitely going to find herself. Ann reported on the book Holly by Stephen King (Scribner 9/5/23). It really isn't a horror novel but it does have a very spooky vibe. Stephen King’s Holly marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries. When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl’s desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down. Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelong academics. But they are harboring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie’s disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless. Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmaneuver the shockingly twisted professors in this chilling new masterwork from Stephen King. Her second book is much more or a horror novel. She reported on the book Knock, Knock, Open Wide by Neil Sharpson. (Tor Nightfire 10/3/23) Knock Knock, Open Wide weaves horror and Celtic myth into a terrifying, heartbreaking supernatural tale of fractured family bonds, the secrets we carry, and the veiled forces that guide Irish life. Driving home late one night, Etain Larkin finds a corpse on a pitch-black country road deep in the Irish countryside. She takes the corpse to a remote farmhouse. So begins a night of unspeakable horror that will take her to the very brink of sanity. She will never speak of it again. Two decades later, Betty Fitzpatrick, newly arrived at college in Dublin, has already fallen in love with the drama society, and the beautiful but troubled Ashling Mallen. As their relationship blossoms, Ashling goes to great lengths to keep Betty away from her family, especially her alcoholic mother, Etain. As their relationship blossoms, Betty learns her lover's terrifying family history, and Ashling's secret obsession. Ashling has become convinced that the horrors inflicted on her family are connected to a seemingly innocent children's TV show. Everyone in Ireland watched this show in their youth, but Ash soon discovers that no one remembers it quite the same way. And only Ashling seems to remember its star: a small black goat puppet who lives in a box and only comes out if you don’t behave. They say he’s never come out. Misty reported on the book “The 2nd Grave On the Left” by Darynda Jones. It is the second book in the Charley Davidson Mystery series. (St. Martins 8/2011) When Charley Davidson and Cookie (her best friend/receptionist) have to track down a missing woman, the case is not quite as open and shut as they anticipate. A friend of Cookie's named Mimi disappeared five days earlier. This friend then sends Cookie a cryptic message telling them to meet her at a nearby coffee shop. The coffee is brewing, but Mimi's still missing. There is, however, a clue left on the bathroom wall: a woman's name, scribbled by Mimi. Mimi's husband explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old friend of hers from high school had been murdered a couple weeks prior. The same woman Mimi had named in her message. Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He's left his body because he's being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can't let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven...well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty. Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Can she keep those she loves out of harm's way? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel her as she does? Here is your signpost for the most hilarious read of the summer: Second Grave On The Left. TRIVIA Last week's question was: Author Stephen King has become well known for appearing in film adaptations of his own books. What made his first appearance in a movie notable? a. He was just passing by b. He wrote himself into the story c. the movie was not from one of his books d. He was high The answer is c. The movie was not from one of his books. King appeared in George A Romero's “Knightriders”. He played Hoagie Man and would go on to appear in the adaptation of Creepshow in 1982. This week's question is: Which mystery author was born with the name Howard Allen Frances O'Brien? a. Dick Francis b. Ann Rice c. Maureen Jennings d. Harold Pinter Tune in next week for4 the answer…
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On today's episode, we spoke with two more of the authors who will be featured at Fright Reads. Melissa C. Annen is an author who writes a series called the Agent Raines series. There are currently two books in the series and she is working on the third. She is planning to release a stand alone book at Fright Reads titled “The Familiar Stranger.” Melissa also produces a podcast with her best friend. The podcast is called Nothing Happens In A Small Town. They grew up in a small town and, of course, things happen in a small town. It is available of Spreaker, Spotify and other podcast hosting sites. Her website is https://melissacannen.com We then talked with James Rada, Jr. Jim is an Amazon.com-bestselling author who writes non-fiction history and historical fiction. His books include the historical novels “ Canawlers ,” ' October Mourning ,” “ Between Rail and River,” and” The Rain Man .” His non-fiction books include “ Battlefield Angels: The Daughters of Charity Work as Civil War Nurses” and “ Looking Back: True Stories of Mountain Maryland .” Many of his books have been bestsellers in their categories on Amazon.com. He also writes fantasy, horror, and young adult fiction under the pen name J. R. Rada. You can find out more about these books under the J. R. Rada tab. He lives in Gettysburg, Pa., where he works as a freelance writer. Jim has received numerous awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, Associated Press, Maryland State Teachers Association and Community Newspapers Holdings, Inc. for his newspaper writing. His website is https://jamesrada.com…
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1 Fright Reads Spotlight Joyce Elaine and Roasalie Spielman 28:04
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Joyce Elaube ?Rosalie Spielman Today we talk with two of the authors for Fright Reads Book Conference which will be help September 30 and October 1 in Millersville, Maryland Joyce Elaine is a hard working kind of gal who loves to get out and see new things and have little adventures during her down time. She also loves to write. She has enjoyed writing ever since she learned how to write. She can remember being 13 years old, with a notebook, and big yard at home to sit down in and write. She wrote about many things. Sge made up stories, kept a journal, and wrote poems. As she got older, she realized how much she really enjoy writing and that people actually enjoy reading what she writes. Her dream is to be a published author and she is currently working on that journey! She also wants to travel – get out and see the world. She has a side project with her husband called Marylander’s Visiting. They have set out to visit every single city in Maryland as time permits. They also plan to visit more states and other countries to add to their project. You can find all my Facebook pages by simply scrolling down and clicking on the one of your choice. Check back often. Read. Comment. Share. Her book series has three books – The Gift of Death, the Gift of Death – Revenge and she is working on the third book called The Final Gift Her website is joyceelainewrites.com We then spoke with Rosalie Spielman. She is a contributing author for the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series put out by Gemma Holiday Publishing. She also writes a Hometown Mystery Series based on a retired veteran living in a small town in Oregon. Her books are titled “Welcome Home to Murder,” “Home is Where the Murder Is” and the third book in her series will come out in November “Murder Comes Home.” Originally from a tiny town in the Palouse region of Idaho, as a military brat, Army officer, and military spouse (retired), Rosalie has moved more times than she has fingers to count, ond she has just broken her record of living six years at one address. Somewhere along the way, she discovered that she could make other people laugh with her writing. She enjoys reading to escape from the real world and hopes to give readers the same with her stories. Her website is https://rosalie-spielman-author. Join us at Fright Reads and meet these and the other wonderful authors. TRIVIA Last week's question was: Where did Carole Nelson Douglas find Midnight Louie? a. At the ASPCA b. A neighbor gave him to her c, In the newspaper d. He was found on her doorstep The answer was C. In the newspaper. Douglas was a theater and English literature major in college. After graduation, she worked as a newspaper reporter and then editor in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. During her time there, she discovered a long, expensive classified advertisement offering a black cat named Midnight Louie to the "right" home for one dollar and wrote a feature story on the plucky survival artist, putting it into the cat's point of view. The cat found a country home but its name was revived for her feline PI mystery series many years later. Some of the Midnight Louie series entries include the dedication "For the real and original Midnight Louie. Nine lives were not enough. This week's question is: In 1991, Dutch writer Richard Klinkhamer wrote his book “Wednesday, Mince Day.” What did he do right before he delivered the manuscript. a. murdered his wife b. Robbed a bank c. Shot himself d. Cashed a forged check Tune in next week for the answer.…
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On today's episode, we visit with Harry Carpenter, an author and the Founder and Producter of the Fright Reads Book Festival. This will be the third year for the event and it has grown over the past three years. Harry goes into the guest celebrities and authors he has lined up. The event is to be held in Millersville Maryland on September 30 and October 1. For information on the event or for tickets, visit https://frightreads.com. It was lovely talking with Harry and we look forward to the event. The next two weeks of Dark and Stormy Book Club Podcast will feature interviews with some of the authors we will meet at the event.…
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On today's episode, we selected libraries and librarians for our WWAR subject for this month. Misty reported on the book “Librarians and Larceny” (Book One in the Rebel Librarian Crime Fighter Mystery series by Cyndy Cypress LARCENY! KIDNAPPING! MURDER! OH MY! In the cozy college town of Kootenai Hills, Montana, a beloved librarian goes missing … right under the noses of Rebecca Fulton, the university's newest library coordinator, and Jenn Acosta, a mature grad student and aspiring librarian! And it happened in broad daylight … during homecoming weekend, no less! But that's not the only thing that's disappeared. An important historical manuscript tied to the missing librarian's past, leaves the women wondering just what Rebecca's boss and beloved mentor got himself into. What happened to Professor Clifford Smith? Rebecca and Jenn are determined to find out, but they have a few of their own challenges to work through first - a grumpy police captain being one of them. Do these two polar opposites have what it takes to break away from their quiet, campus-librarian lifestyles and make it as amateur sleuths? Can they save the professor, find the manuscript, and stop those responsible from getting away with the perfect crime? Or will their naivety and inexperience put their lives in danger and land Rebecca behind bars? There's only one way to find out. Welcome to Cascade University, where you’ll meet the latest budding female detectives, along with Jenn’s uncommonly intelligent canine sidekick, and an eccentric old man who lives in his motorhome. What could possibly go wrong? Enjoy this totally addictive cozy mystery. Tracey then reported on “The Librarian of Crooked Lane” (Book one in the Glass Library series) by C.J. Archer. Librarian Sylvia Ashe knows nothing about her past, having grown up without a father and a mother who refused to discuss him. When she stumbles upon a diary that suggests she’s descended from magicians, she’s skeptical. After all, magicians are special, and she’s just an ordinary girl who loves books. She seeks the truth from a member of the most prominent family of magicians, but she quickly learns that finding the truth won’t be easy, especially when he turns out to be as artless as her, and more compelling and dangerous than books. War hero Gabe is gifted with wealth, a loving family, and an incredible amount of luck that saw him survive four harrowing years of a brutal war without injury. But not all injuries are visible. Burying himself in his work as a consultant for Scotland Yard, Gabe is going through the motions as he investigates the theft of a magician-made painting. But his life changes when he unwittingly gets Sylvia dismissed from her job and places her in danger. After securing her new employment in a library housing the world’s greatest collection of books about magic, Gabe and Sylvia’s lives become intwined as they work together to find both the painting and the truth about Sylvia’s past before powerful people can stop them. But sometimes the past is better left buried… Ann then reported on “Checked Out” (Number one in the Village Library Mystery Series) by Elizabeth Spann Craig. There are no renewals when you’re permanently checked out. When librarian Ann Beckett finally reluctantly agrees to being set-up on a blind date by one of her over-eager patrons, she figures the worst that could happen would be the two of them wouldn’t hit it off. Little did she know that she’d be stood up...because her date was murdered. With help from her patrons, Ann tries to find out who might be responsible in the small town of Whitby before more residents are permanently checked out.…
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1 Teresa Peschel "Agatha Christie She Watched" 30:43
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Agatha Christie, She Watched: One Woman's Plot to Watch 201 Christie Adaptations Without Murdering the Director, Screenwriter, Cast, or Her Husband by Teresa Peschel Care to match wits with Hercule Poirot? Share tea and gossip with Miss Marple? Chase spies with Tommy and Tuppence? “Agatha Christie, She Watched” will introduce you to must-see movies (and must-avoid dogs) that prove Agatha’s genius depicting the hopeful and dark sides of human nature. These movies will tantalize you, mystify you, and make you laugh at the folly of humanity. For more than a century, Agatha Christie has thrilled readers with her classic mysteries and dark dramas that explore evil such as “And Then There Were None” and “Endless Night.” with more than 200 adaptations made from her stories, Agatha has been a huge part of the world’s movie and television culture. Teresa Peschel watched and reviewed 201 adaptations, from the German silent movie “Adventures, Inc.” (1929) to “See How They Run” and “Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?” (2022). Each was rated for fidelity to the original material and its overall quality. Each review takes up two pages and comes with six cast photos, and a list of the major actors, and the known film locations. Foreign movies with English subtitles from India, France, Russia, China, Japan, and Germany are also reviewed. Finally, there are eight movies in which the fictional Agatha Christie solves murder mysteries, debate Hercule Poirot about killing him in “Curtain,” battle a space wasp with Doctor Who, and plot to kill her husband’s mistress. “Agatha Christie, She Watched” is the only comprehensive collection of reviews about Agatha Christie adaptations. Use it to find the movies made from the novels and stories you love, fill in your movie collection, or hold an Agatha Christie festival of your own. Learn why Christie’s stories of passion and pain still grip the imaginations of her readers.…
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The Camp by Nancy Bush Kensington Books 6/27/23 There are always stories told around the fire at summer camp—tall tales about gruesome murders and unhinged killers, concocted to scare new arrivals and lend an extra jolt of excitement to those hormone- charged nights. At Camp Luft-Shawk, nicknamed Camp Love Shack, there are stories about a creeping fog that brings death with it. But here, they’re not just campfire tales. Here, the stories are real. Twenty years ago, a girl’s body was found on a ledge above the lake, arms crossed over her heart. Some said it was part of a suicide pact, connected to the nearby Haven Commune. Brooke, Rona, and Wendywere among the teenagers at camp that summer, looking for fun and sun, sex and adventure. They’ve never breathed a word about what really happened—or about the night their friendship shattered. Now the camp, renamed Camp Fog Lake, has reopened for a new generation, and many of those who were there on that long-ago night are returning for an alumni weekend. But something is stirring at the lake again. As the fog rolls in, evil comes with it. Those stories were a warning, and they didn’t listen. And the only question is, who will live long enough to regret it?…
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1 John Glatt -Tangled Vines Vines Power, Privilege and the Murdaugh Family Murders 33:41
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On this episode, we talk with bestselling true crime author John Glatt about his book “Tangled Vines Power, Privilege and the Murdaugh Family Murders.” The author did a masterful job reconstructing the rise of the prestigious Murdaugh family and the shocking double murder that led to the downfall of its patriarch, Alex Murdaugh. Among the lush, tree-lined waterways of South Carolina low country, the Murdaugh name means power. A century-old, multimillion-dollar law practice has catapulted the family into incredible wealth and local celebrity―but it was an unimaginable tragedy that would thrust them into the national spotlight. On June 7th, 2021, prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on the grounds of their thousand-acre hunting lodge. The mystery deepened only months later when Alex himself was discovered shot in the head on a local roadside. But as authorities scrambled for clues and the community reeled from the loss and media attention, dark secrets about this Southern legal dynasty came to light. The Murdaughs, it turned out, were feared as much as they were loved. And they wouldn’t hesitate to wield their influence to protect one of their own; two years before he was killed, a highly intoxicated Paul Murdaugh was at the helm of a boat when it crashed and killed a teenage girl, and his light treatment by police led to speculation that privilege had come into play. As bombshells of financial fraud were revealed and more suspicious deaths were linked to the Murdaughs, a new portrait of Alex Murdaugh emerged: a desperate man on the brink of ruin who would do anything, even plan his own death, to save his family’s reputation.…
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Dark and Stormy Book Club

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

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

Spy School - Can a normal kid become a secret agent? Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he’s already pegged his dream job: C.I.A. or bust. So he’s thrilled when he’s recruited to the C.I.A.’s top secret Academy of Espionage. Only, it turns out, Ben hasn’t been brought in because the C.I.A. expects him to succeed. Instead, he’s been brought in as bait to catch a dangerous enemy agent. Now, Ben needs to step up his game before he ends up dead. Can he solve the crime, get the girl and save the day? Maybe not, but it’ll be fun to watch him try! Stuart Gibbs is an American author who has written mostly mystery and humor books that are aimed for tweens and teens. Gibbs' books have been described as "fun, fast-paced" and "entertaining…
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1 Vacation Episode 3: Misty Simon Reads "All That Glitters" 20:30
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The third vacation episode for the summer holiday features Misty Simon reading the first chapter of the book "All That Glitters Isn't Old" by her namesake Gabby Allan published by Kensington Publishing, which releases 7/25. Whit is up to her ears in this one with Goldy wanting a friend from the past cleared of a murder Whit isn't certain he didn't commit. Things are shady on Catalina Island right now and Whit has to figure out whodunnit before they do it again.…
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1 Vacation Short Stories Charles Dickens The Trial for Murder 32:40
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We interrupt your bright summer to bring you another ghost story by Mr. Charles Dickens, “The Trial for Murder.” It is, perhaps, the best known of his ghost stories, second only to “A Christmas Carol,” which, by the way, had far too many happy events and helpful supernatural beings to please our own taste for the macabre and un-wonderful. Here we have it plain and simple – the quiet terror that follows seeing what we know we should not be able to see.And now, turn down the lights, and join us for “The Trial for Murder” by Charles Dickens….…
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This episode is the first of our Vacation Short Stories. It is read by Ann Dark and the short story is "Sand Bar" by Ang Pompano. This story was first published in "Stone Cold: The Best New England Crime Stories"
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Dark and Stormy Book Club

Leslie Karst Show Notes On this episode, we take a small break from mysteries and talk with an old friend, Leslie Karst, about her book “Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, The Law, and Cooking For RBG” When Leslie Karst learned that her offer to cook dinner for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her renowned tax law professor husband, Marty, had been accepted, she was thrilled—and terrified. A small-town lawyer who hated her job and had taken up cooking as a way to add a bit of spice to the daily grind of pumping out billable hours, Karst had never before thrown such a high-stakes dinner party. Could she really pull this off? Justice Is Served is Karst’s light-hearted, earnest account of the journey this unexpected challenge launched her on—starting with a trip to Paris for culinary inspiration, and ending with the dinner itself. Along the way, she imparts details of Ginsburg’s transformation from a young Jewish girl from Flatbush, Brooklyn, to one of the most celebrated Supreme Court justices in our nation’s history, and shares recipes for the mouthwatering dishes she came up with as she prepared for the big night. But this memoir isn’t simply a tale of prepping for and cooking dinner for the famous RBG; it’s also about how this event, and all the planning and preparation that went into it, created a new sort of connection between Karst, her partner, and her parents, and also inspired Karst to make life changes that would reverberate far beyond one dinner party. A heartfelt story of simultaneously searching for delicious recipes and purpose in life, Justice Is Served is an inspiring reminder that it’s never too late to discover—and follow—your deepest passion. We announced that we will be on vacation for 3 weeks in July. During that time, we have decided to record short stories that have been submitted. Each of us will have an episode and we will return on July 28 with regular episodes. TRIVIA: Other than a prolific mystery writer, what is Susan Wittig Albert's other claim to fame? a. she writes for a gardening magazine b. She is a professor of English c. She writes self-help books for women d. She was appointed the first female vice president of a university The answer is all of them. She earned a degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana– Champaign and a Ph.D.in English from the University of California, Berkeley. She became a professor of English at the University of Texas, Austin and was a university administrator at Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans and was the first female vice president for academic affairs at Southwest Texas State University. She also writes a column for Country Living Gardener magazine. There will be no new trivia for this week since we will be away on vacation until July 28 when we will resume with full episodes and new trivia.…
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Elle Marr Show Notes On this episode, we visit with Elle Marr to talk about her book “The Family Bones,” Thomas & Mercer. What makes a psychopath? A young woman delves into her family’s shadowy legacy in a terrifying novel by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of Strangers We Know. Psychology student Olivia Eriksen’s family is notorious among true-crime buffs. Faced with a legacy of psychopathy that spans generations, Olivia has spent much of her academic life trying to answer one chilling question: Nature or nurture? Although she’s kept a safe distance from her blood relatives for years, Olivia agrees to attend a weekend reunion. After all, her fiancé is eager to meet his future in-laws, and the gathering may give her a chance to interview her elusive grandfather about the family traits. But nothing is ever peaceful among the Eriksens for long. Olivia’s favorite cousin is found dead in a nearby lake. Then another family member disappears. As a violent storm isolates the group further, Olivia’s fears rise faster than the river. And an uninvited guest is about to join the party. True-crime podcaster Birdie Tan has uncovered a disturbing mystery in her latest investigation―and she’s following it right to the Eriksens’ mountain resort. There’s a deadly twist in the family plot that even Olivia doesn’t see coming. TRIVIA Last week's question was: Which mystery author also writes under the pen name of Tom Johanson? a. Steig Larson b. Jo Nesbo c. Peter Hoeg d. Gunnar Staalesen The answer is b. Jo Nesbo. It was announced in October 2013 that, writing under the pen-name of Tom Johansen, Nesbø had written at least two novels provisionally entitled Blood on Snow and More Blood on the Water, scheduled to be published in autumn 2014 and spring 2015. The books Blood on Snow and its sequel Midnight Sun: Blood on Snow 2 were published in 2015, but under Jo Nesbø's name. This week's question is: Other than being a prolific mystery writer, what is susan Wittig Albert's other claim to fame? a. She writes for a gardening magazine b. She is a professor of English c. She writes self-help books for women d. She was the first female Vice President of a University Tune in next week for the answer…
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Tove Alsterdal Show Notes On today's episode, we visit Sweden and talk to the author Tove Alsterdal about her book “You Will Never Be Found” which was published by Harper. In the small mining town of Malmberget, north of the Arctic Circle, residents and their houses are being relocated. As the mine that built the town slowly swallows it street by street, building by building, the memories of the community have collapsed into the huge pit they call “the hole.” Only a few stubborn souls cling to their homes, refusing to leave. When two workers making their final preparations hear a sound coming from a basement, they break a cellar window and find a terrified man curled up in a corner. In Ådalen, 700 kilometers away, police officer Eira Sjödin is investigating the disappearance of a man reported missing by his ex-wife. Eira and her colleagues search his apartment, contact his friends and relatives, and query local hospitals, but the man has vanished without a trace. Eira knows the pain of loss—she mourns for her mother, whose mind has been stolen by dementia. To escape her loneliness and her memories, Eira loses herself in a casual affair. But she’s wholly unprepared when her feelings deepen for GG, who is twenty years her senior–and her boss. When the diligent GG doesn’t show up for work two days in a row, Eira and her colleagues quickly realize that something is wrong—their boss has gone missing. In the dramatic second installment of the High Coast Series, Eira Sjödin finds herself at the mercy of an elusive perpetrator—and of a love she can no longer deny. TRIVIA Last week's question was: We all know and love Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher is the series Murder She Wrote. Her agent at the time advised her to accept a role in a sitcom instead of this series but she (wisely) chose this instead. Who is the other actress producers had chosen for the part? a. Bea Arthur b. Victoria Principal c. Jean Stapleton d. Goldie Hawn The answer is c. Jean Stapelton. In 1983, Lansbury was offered two main television roles, one in a sitcom and the other in a detective drama series, Murder, She Wrote. As she was unable to do both, her agents advised her to accept the former, although Lansbury chose the latter. Her decision was based on the appeal of the series' central character, Jessica Fletcher, a retired school teacher from the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine. As portrayed by Lansbury, Fletcher was a successful detective novelist who also solved murders encountered during her travels. Lansbury described the character as "an American Miss Marple". Murder, She Wrote had been created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson, and William Link, who had earlier had success with Columbo, and the role of Fletcher had been first offered to Jean Stapleton, who had declined it This week's question is: Which mystery author also writes under the pen name of Tom Johanson? a. Steig Larson b. Jo Nesbo c. Peter Hoeg d. Gunnar Staalesen Tune in next week for the answer…
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WWAR For June Show Notes As we enter summer, we have two new books to suggest. Tracey reported on DOOMSDAY MOTHER by John Glatt (St. Martin's True Crime Press). In The Doomsday Mother, bestselling true crime author John Glatt tells the twisted tale of Lori Vallow, accused of having her two children murdered to start a new life with her new husband, doomsday prepper Chad Daybell. At first, the residents of Kauai Beach Resort took little notice of their new neighbors. The glamorous blonde and her tall husband fit the image of the ritzy gated community. The couple seemed to keep to themselves―until the police knocked on their door with a search warrant. Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell had fled to Hawaii in the midst of being investigated for the disappearance of Lori’s children back in Idaho―Tylee and JJ―who hadn’t been seen alive in five months. For years, Lori Vallow had been devoted to her children and her Mormon faith. But when her path crossed with Chad Daybell, a religious zealot who taught his followers how to prepare for the end-times, the tumultuous relationship transformed her into someone unrecognizable. As authorities searched for Lori’s children, they uncovered more suspicious deaths with links to both Lori and Chad, including the death of Lori’s third and fourth husbands, her brother, and Chad’s wife. In June 2020, the gruesome remains of JJ and Tylee were discovered on Chad’s property, and the newlyweds were arrested and charged with murder. And in a shocking development, horrifying statements revealed that the couple’s fanatical beliefs had convinced them the children had become zombies--a belief that may have led to their deaths. Bestselling author and journalist John Glatt takes readers deeper into the devastating story of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell in an attempt to unravel the lethal relationship of this doomsday couple. Ann reported on ROSSI'S GAMBLE by Paul Papa, one of the Dark and Stormy Family (STACGroup LLC) When Meyer Lansky makes you an offer, how can you refuse? Even if it's one you don't want. The Highwaymen, a group of grifters and conmen, have come to town and it is up to Massimo "Max" Rossi, the Sands Hotel and Casino's newest house detective to stop them before they hit. But finding a group that specializes in hitting quick and getting out fast isn't as easy as it sounds. Even if Rossi does find the Highwaymen and identify the leader, is he willing to help fill a hole in the desert? Rossi is forced into a choice he doesn't want to make! Drawn into a world of sex and drugs, where every move could be his last, Rossi must navigate his way out before it's too late. He's got to find the head of the Highwaymen, then decide how to stop them without sacrificing his morals and convictions. If he can't, there might just be two holes filled in the desert. TRIVIA Which mystery author had a stained glass window installed in her memory at the Shrewsbury Abbey? a. Edith Pargeter (Ellis Peters) b. Agatha Christie c. Josephine Tey d. Emily Dickinson The answer is a. Edith Pargeter (Ellis Peters). She passed away from a stroke at age 82. On September 14, 1997, a new stained glass window depicting St Benedict was installed in Shrewsbury Abbey and was dedicated to the memory of Edith Pargeter, with funds raised by donations from admirers of the author. This week's question is: We all know and love Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher is the series Murder She Wrote. Her agent at the time advised her to accept a role in a sitcom instead of this series but she (wisely) chose this instead. Who is the other actress producers had chosen for the part? a. Bea Arthur b. Victoria Principal c. Jean Stapleton d. Goldie Hawn Tune in next week for the answer…
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Radioland by Matt Cahill Show Notes Dead bodies are being found in Toronto; bodies that have been altered in disturbing ways. There are whispers on the streets of a murderer stalking the bars and clubs. No one knows who the killer could be. Maybe it’s Kris, a troubled musician who has just reached a level of fame only to have his life collapse around him. Maybe it’s Jill, a young woman cursed with a dangerous magic that calls strangers to her. As Kris struggles to deal with a childhood experience of sexual abuse he finds a strange advertisement pinned to a tree. By answering it he begins texting Jill, another lost soul reaching out for connection. In bits and pieces, they share their stories, discovering truths about themselves and the people surrounding them, until they must face the danger that is stalking them both. TRIVIA Last week's question was: Which author was a cook at the Fair Isle Bird Observatory? a. Sharon McCrumb b. Ann Cleeves c. Jeffrey Deaver d. Anthony Horowitz Tune in next week for the answer and to hear from some of the authors who attended Malice this year.…
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Malice Recap Show Notes Ann, Tracey and Misty discuss our observations of the Malice Domestic Conference this year. We loved every minute of the event and the awards banquet where the Agatha Awards for 2022 were presented: We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the conference and look forward to next year. 2022 **WINNERS Best Contemporary Novel A World of Curiosities, Louise Penny (Minotaur)** Best Historical Novel Because I Could Not Stop for Death, Amanda Flower (Berkley)** Best First Novel Cheddar Off Dead, Korina Moss (St. Martin’s)** Best Short Story "Beauty and the Beyotch," Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Feb. 2022)** Best Non-Fiction Promophobia: Taking the Mystery Out of Promoting Crime Fiction, Diane Vallere Ed. (Sisters in Crime)** Best Children's/YA Mystery Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade, Nancy Springer (Wednesday Books)** We send our sincere congratulations to all of the winners. TRIVIA Last week's question was: Jeffrey Deaver was ahead of his time in 2001 when he? a. He had characters in space b. He had characters use social media c. He had characters use small sized cell phones d. He had characters cured of cancer The answer is b. He had characters use social media. Deaver's 2001 book The Blue Nowhere features criminal hackers (one using social engineering to commit murder), as well as a law enforcement computer crime unit. This week's question is:: Which author was a cook at the Fair Isle Bird Observatory? a. Sharon McCrumb b. Ann Cleeves c. Jeffrey Deaver d. Anthony Horowitz Tune in next week for the answer…
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Popup Show Notes On this episode we visit with six authors who visited our room during Malice Domestic. Lynn McPherson, is a Canadian author. She is a cozy mystery writer and author of The Izzy Walsh Mystery Series. Her books are fun, light-hearted whodunits. They pair well with a strong coffee or a light chardonnay, and are a recommended way to spend a relaxing afternoon. She also writes under the name Sydney Leigh. Her newest book, The Girls Dressed For Murder... When Izzy gets a killer dress for her birthday, she isn’t expecting to accessorize it with murder... It’s 1958 in the cozy coastal town of Twin Oaks and amateur sleuth Isabelle Walsh is armed with a fresh perspective, two years after tragedy strikes. The first stop on her journey back to joy is the best little dress shop in town—introduced to her by best friend and fashion fiend, Ava Russell. Izzy falls in love with the store and its style. So, when the boutique is marred by murder, Izzy wants to help. But with more suspects to choose from than a spring collection, she isn’t sure where to start. Can Izzy unravel the twisted truth or will she become the victim of a deadly trend? Find out in the third book in the Izzy Walsh Mystery Series! Lynn's website is Sydneyleighbooks.com Olivia Blacke joined us to talk about her Record Shop Mysteries. She is the author of the Record Shop Mysteries, beginning with Vinyl Resting Place, and the Brooklyn Murder Mysteries (Killer Content and No Memes of Escape), finally found a way to put her criminology degree to good use by writing quirky, unconventional, character-driven cozy mysteries. Olivia is a little nerdy, a lot awkward, and just the right amount of weird. She is a recovering ex-Texan who resides with her husband, Potassium, and Baileycakes, their roly-poly rescue puggle. When not writing, reading, or spending way too much time on social media, Olivia enjoys amigurumi crochet, scuba diving, collecting tattoos, watching hockey, and baking dog cookies. She wants to be a unicorn when she grows up. Her website is oliviablacke.com Desmond P. Ryan is a friend of the show from Canada. He is an ex-police detective and wsrites the Mike O'Shea mysteries. One of the main characters in his books is Mike O'Shea's motheer, Mary Margaret. She is a typical Irish woman who rules the household with an iron fist and takes no prisoners. She so encompassed the Mike books that we (that's right WE) suggested that she needed a series of her own. That brought Desmond to Malice this year. He has a contract for both Mike O'Shea and Mary Margaret books. He can be found at the website realdesmondryan.com We then talked with Marilyn Levinson who writes under the name of Allison Brook. She has the Haunted Library Mystery series; Allison Brook is a former Spanish teacher who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, then Long Island, off the coast of New York. She has studied in Mexico and Spain to become fluent in Spanish, and has written in the genres of mysteries, romantic suspense, and young adult fiction. She can be found at Crooked Lane's website . We then talked with Sue Anger, a delightful author. We talked about her book Last Known Port. While growing up in Beaufort, North Carolina, she often heard rum-running stories from the Prohibition era. Although fern bars, yachts, and supermarkets may have replaced the old working-boat waterfront, the town still values its unique Southern history. Since she became a freela nce writer in 2014, She's written short stories, essays, magazine articles, content, and blogs.She is also a bona fide, dyed-in-the-wool fan of historical fiction and mysteries. She's also a long-time member of Sisters in Crime and the Triangle Area Freelancers in Raleigh, North Carolina.Her website is sueanger.com Finally, we talked with Vicki Delany. She is a friend of the show and a prolific author. She has over 40 books out and writes the Tea By the Sea, The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, The Year- round Christmas, The Lighthouse Library mysteries as well as several others. Her latest book is The Game Is A Footnote. Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson are back on the case when a body is discovered in a haunted museum in bestselling author Vicki Delany's eighth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery. Scarlet House, now a historical re-enactment museum, is the oldest building in West London, Massachusetts. When things start moving around on their own, board members suggest that Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, might be able to get to the bottom of it. Gemma doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she agrees to ‘eliminate the impossible’. But when Gemma and Jayne stumble across a dead body on the property, they’re forced to consider an all too physical threat. Gemma and Jayne suspect foul play as they start to uncover more secrets about the museum. With the museum being a revolving door for potential killers, they have plenty of options for who might be the actual culprit. Despite Gemma's determination not to get further involved, it would appear that once again, and much to the displeasure of Detective Ryan Ashburton, the game is afoot. Will Gemma and Jayne be able to solve the mystery behind the haunted museum, or will they be the next to haunt it? Her website is Vickidelany.com…
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As we wrap another Malice Domestic under our belts, we announce the winners of this year;s Agatha Awards: Best Contemporary Novel A World of Curiosities, Louise Penny (Minotaur) Best Historical Novel Because I Could Not Stop for Death, Amanda Flower (Berkley) Best First Novel Cheddar Off Dead, Korina Moss (St. Martin’s) Best Short Story "Beauty and the Beyotch," Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Magazine, Feb. 2022) Best Non-Fiction Promophobia: Taking the Mystery Out of Promoting Crime Fiction, Diane Vallere Ed. (Sisters in Crime) Best Children/Young Adult Novel Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade, Nancy Springer (Wednesday Books) We sincerely congratulate each of the winners and also the nominees. We look forward to next year's Malice We talked with Verena Rose, Chair of the Board of Directors of Malice Domestic. She is a fount of knowledge about the history of Malice. Verena is a short story writer, an editor and co-publisher at Level Best Books. She has been the chair of the Board of Directors of Malice for 17 years. TRIVIA Last week's question was: Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil spent how many weeks on the NY Times Best Seller list? a. 52 b. 100 c. 150 d. 216 The answer is d. 216 weeks. John Berendt published Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in 1994 and it became an overnight success; The book spent a record-breaking 216 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list[2] — still, to this day, the longest standing best seller of the Times. This week's question is: Jeffrey Deaver was ahead of his time in 2001 when he? a. He had characters in space b. He had characters use social media c. He had characters use small sized cell phones d. He had characters cured of cancer Tune in next week for the answer and to hear from some of the authors who attended Malice this year.…
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1 Cynthia Surrisi Interview - Patron Spotlight 37:23
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On this episode, we talked with our longest patron, Cynthia Surrisi. She has two books that have just come out. She is a very successful middle school novel author. The Bones of Birka: Unraveling the Mystery of A Female Viking Warrior.(Chicago Review Press). When archaeologist Dr. Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson discovers that the bones contained in the most significant Viking warrior grave ever opened are, in fact, female, she and her team upend centuries of historically accepted conclusions and ignite a furious debate around the reality of female Viking warriors and the role of gender in both ancient and modern times. In The Bones of Birka, author C. M. Surrisi introduces young readers to the events that led up to this discovery and the impact it has had on scientists’ and historians’ views of gender roles in ancient societies and today. This is the inside account of the Birka warrior grave Bj 581 archaeological endeavor, including all of the dreams, setbacks, frustrations, excitement, politics, and personalities that went into this history-changing discovery. Her other book is The Unofficial Lola Bay Fan Club (G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishers). Pop star Lola Bay is everything to Iris and her best friend, Leeza. Her songs speak right to their souls and they can’t wait to start a Lola Bay fan club when middle school starts. But then mean girls take over the fan club and Leeza seems to be interested in other things. Enter Dana. She’s bold and cool and not afraid to stand up for herself. Plus, she’s a massive Lola Bay fan and knows how to get free merch online. She even has big ideas for getting them to a concert. When some of Dana’s ideas make Iris a little nervous, she pushes the feelings down—Dana seems to know what she’s doing. Only as Dana’s plans get bigger and bigger, Iris feels worse and worse. And then Dana crosses a line that causes trouble for Iris’s whole family. How could someone who is supposed to be a friend do that? And, Iris wonders, how did I let things go this far? TRIVIA Last week's question was: What is author Laura Lippmans familyh connection to “The Wire?” a. her brother b. Her sister c. Her cousin d. Her husband The answer is D. Her husband. Lippman is married to David Simon, another former Baltimore Sun reporter, and creator and an executive producer of the HBO series The Wire.The character Bunk is shown to be reading one of her books, In a Strange City, in episode eight of the first season of The Wire. Lippman appeared in a scene in the first episode of the last season of The Wire as a reporter working in the Baltimore Sun newsroom This week's question is: Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil spent how many weeks on the NY Times Best Seller list? a. 52 b. 100 c. 150 d. 216…
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PART 2 WWAR : Tracey reported on “Operation Blackbird: A Cold War Spy Novel” by Ellen Butler. Ellen appeared on episode 19 in August of 2018 on her book “Isabella's Painting.” October, 1952. The war is over, but for CIA officer Miriam Becker, memories of the horrors she witnessed remain jagged in her mind. While vacationing in Argentina, recovering from a mission that nearly killed her, she’s seeing more ghosts from the past than the sights. When a longtime family friend and fellow operative, Jake Devlin, tracks her down, Miriam is forced to push everything to the back of her mind for the next mission: help a highly prized and heavily guarded rocket scientist defect from Soviet-controlled East Berlin—right out from under the KGB’s nose. Well aware that one wrong move could spark World War III, Miriam, Jake, and the team plan their strategy to the last detail. But when a betrayal brings everything crashing down, Jake’s quick thinking creates the diversion to get Miriam out alive—but leaves him trapped behind the Iron Curtain. Unsure of whom she can trust, Miriam must complete the mission by relying on contacts outside of the agency, even though her heart longs to return to East Berlin to rescue the man who is the last link to her troubled past ... before the KGB gets to him first. Last but not least, Misty reported on Cathy Ace, one of our favorite authros, whose first appearance on the podcast was on episode 27 for her book “The Corpse With The Silver Tongue.” She has appeared several times since then. Misty reported on “The Case of The Cursed Cottage: A WISE Enquiries Agent Mystery.” Henry Twyst, eighteenth Duke of Chellingworth, is convinced his mother is losing her marbles. The dowager claims to have seen a corpse on the dining-room floor, but all she has to prove it is a bloodied bobble hat. A BODY IN THE DINING ROOM. A BEAUTIFUL OLD MANSION. FOUR LADIES WHO WILL SOLVE THE MYSTERY. Henry hires the women of the WISE Enquiries Agency. The duke wants the strange matter explained. But the truth of what happened at the Chellingworth Estate, set in the rolling Welsh countryside near the quaint village of Anwen by Wye, is more complex, dangerous, and deadly, than anyone could have foreseen . . . THE DETECTIVES The WISE Enquiries Agency consists of Mavis, Annie, Carol and Christine. One is Welsh, one Irish, one Scottish and one English, hence the name. Drawn together by chance – and a killer – the women of the WISE Enquiries Agency turned their backs on their previous careers to work together to help others. Combining their unique skills, and reveling in their differences, they’re doing their best to make the business succeed. But being private investigators isn’t a bed of roses – there are bills to pay, clients to be managed, and dangers to be faced. Can they manage to do it all, and survive? We thank our listeners and especially our patrons who support what we do and look forward to five more years of fun. TRIVIA Last week's question was: P.D. James began her writing career while she worked where? a. A school b. a Law firm c. a factory d. a hospital The answer is d. A hospital. She married Ernest Connor Bantry White (called "Connor"), an army doctor, on 8 August 1941. They had two daughters, Clare and Jane. White returned from the Second World War mentally ill and was institutionalised. With her daughters being mostly cared for by Connor's parents,James studied hospital administration, and from 1949 to 1968 worked for a hospital board in London. She began writing in the mid-1950s, using her maiden name ("My genes are James genes") This week's question is: What is author Laura Lippmans family connection to “The Wire?” a. her brother b. Her sister c. Her cousin Tune in next week for the answer.…
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5 th Podiversary and WWAR For April Show Notes We are celebrating our 5th “Podiversary” this month and, as a subject, we have decided to return to year one and revisit some of the authors from our very first year. Kathy reported on Jana DeLeon who was featured on episode 8 for her book “Louisiana Longshot.” Kathy found that she has 24 books in the series now and reported on “Flame and Fortune” the 22nd book in the series. It’s New Year’s in Sinful, and the competition for the New Year’s Queen is heating up as the warring churches go head-to-head. Fortune Redding is not the sequined dress kind of woman, but reluctantly agrees to partake in the debacle so that Ida Belle and Gertie can best their nemesis, Celia, who’s put up former Sinful mean girl RJ Rogers. RJ and her friend Brock Benoit left plenty of devastation in their wake when they fled Sinful after high school. So when they return and Brock is found dead, there’s no shortage of suspects. Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie know all too well what it’s like to live under suspicion of a crime with no resolution. When good people become the targets of gossip, they know they have to rush to unravel the tangled lives of RJ and Brock and expose a killer before the wrong person’s reputation is ruined. Or worse—they’re arrested for a crime they didn’t commit. Ann then reported on “A White Hot Plan” by Michael H. Rubin. Mike appeared as our second author we actually interviewed on episode 9 for his book “The Cottoncrest Curse.” Michael writes his books in collaboration with his wife Ayan Rubin. A group of alt-right terrorists decides that now is the time―and New Orleans is the place―to make an explosive statement that will force the world to acknowledge the superiority of the white supremacist movement. Disgraced former New Orleans homicide detective Starner Gautreaux is now a poorly paid sheriff’s deputy relegated to writing his weekly quota of speeding tickets in a sleepy south Louisiana parish. His mundane life is all-too-predictable until several unusual events cause him to suspect something is seriously amiss. While the local coroner classifies the resulting deaths as accidental, Starner’s prior experience leads him to believe that not only are they homicides, but also that they signal something far more sinister. Taut action bubbles up from the swamps of Louisiana to the hidden haunts of underworld bosses, from small-town life to urban grit, and from a high-speed highway shootout to a terrifying confrontation in the heart of the French Quarter. White supremacists seek to impose their will on a city swamped with carefree tourists, but Starner Gautreaux is determined not to let that happen. We broke the episode into two parts due to the length and will broadcast part 2 tomorrow.…
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