Category: Uncategorized

Book Review: The Hollow Man

Book Review: The Hollow Man

TG Wolff

The Hollow Man is an amateur sleuth mystery. Dr. Gideon Fell solves impossible mysteries but this time, even he has questions. A man is locked in his 3rd floor study with an uninvited guest. A gunshot is heard. The door is broken down to find the dying man – alone.

Bottomline: The Hollow Man is for you if you love locked room mysteries.

I picked up this classic after it was referenced in the 3rd Knives Out movie. I wanted to read Dr. Fell’s lecture on the art and science of the locked room mystery. Mystery lovers, it lived up to the hype!

The impossible is picked apart and reframed bit by bit. Do I have questions? Oh, heck yes. I should probably re-read it.

Warning: this is not an easy read. Written in 1935 in the UK, the language is complicated, the sentences long, and the pop culture references way over my head.

One of my favorite things about this book is you get the feeling that it’s fan fiction. Dickson Carr is as much enjoying Fell’s conundrum as we are. At one point, he breaks form and has Fell talk directly to us.

This is the only book I’ve read in the Dr. Gideon Fell series but I’ll be looking for me at a bookstore near me.

Legal Mysteries that Lead with Heart

Legal Mysteries that Lead with Heart

TG Wolff

Today is a quiet celebration of over 9 months of work. GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION, the 2nd book in the Rizk Brothers Legal Mysteries, released today from Tule Publishing. The reviews on Book 1 MURDER ON SITE have validated by storytelling style – mysteries that focus on the solving backed by often funny, sometimes challenging drama that is our lives. I was skeptical when my publisher wanted to position these stories as legal mysteries. Yes, one of my lead characters is a lawyer. Yes, the mysteries connect to a legal theme. But, they do not involve courtrooms. There are no arguement. And, importantly, they have a different feel than most “legal” stories. That worried me.

It turns out, that “different” is what readers like most. Below are some excerpts of reviews for MURDER ON SITE…

‘Murder on Site reminded me exactly why I love TG Wolff’s writing. She gives you a smart, twisty whodunit wrapped in sharp banter, political pressure, and family chaos, and somehow still makes room for laugh out loud moments when you need them most.’ – Hott Books | https://pictbooks.tours/jpXAIekY

‘What an absolute delight it is to read Murder on Site, the series starter of the Rizk Brothers Legal Mysteries. Perfect pacing, memorable characters, and liberal doses of danger and deception — and humor — will keep readers thoroughly entertained and engaged. Highly recommend.’ – Hall Ways Blog | https://pictbooks.tours/QvKQWdrj

‘Great characters and an intriguing murder mystery land this book on my list of top books of the year! While the subject, a tragic murder, is serious, the author works quite a bit of humor into the story through dialogue. I happily read this book in one sitting, riveted by its pages.’ – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read | https://pictbooks.tours/cc6fvey9

When writing stories, I get so caught up in my imagination that I’m never certain how they will resonate with readers. I want them to have as much fun reading them as I did crafting it. I know not everyone will … but some will. And that’s enough.

And the cover art is amazing. I see posters in my future 🙂

Read on!

27th Letter of the Alphabet

TG Wolff

My wandering mind recently wondered…how many words were in the English language. The answer, like so many, is … it depends. If you count every technical and archaic word, the number is around 600,000 according to co-pilot. The number in use is more like 200,000-300,000 with individuals using about 10% of that. (I’m pretty sure I don’t know 20,000 words, but we’ll go with it). So then I asked, “Hey AI, using 200,000 as the number of commonly used words in modern English, how many words could be added if a 27-letter alphabet was used?”



Now, I’m not buying either answer literally. BUT, adding a 27th letter opens up mind blowing possibilities. Maybe it can solve problems like having too many to’s. It makes you think.

M2D4 S8E6: Safe Haven (Part 1) by Jason Little

TG Wolff

Branch River Fire Fighter Barrett Turner was alone at the firehouse when an infant was abandoned in the Safe Haven box. New to the process, Barrett called the number posted on a flier for Child Protective Services. The woman who was dispatched, Tricia Vickers, took the baby and subsequently…tried to murder him! Now Barrett is working double time to keep little Davey safe and figure out why so many people have it out for the blue eyed sweetie.

Listen to Part 1 here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast

Subscribe to Mysteries to Die For new website to stay up to date on episode releases! https://m2d4podcast.com/

ABOUT Jason Little
Jason Little is a Texas-based writer with a knack for spinning tales that keep readers hooked. His contributions to Mysteries to Die For are packed with twists, suspense, and unforgettable characters. When he’s not crafting mysteries, he’s writing fiction on his blog at JasonLittleWriting.com, where you can dive into more of his stories and musings.

A life insurance agent by day, Jason is also a proud dad of two, a loving fiancé, and a dog enthusiast. He’s big on exploring VR worlds, staying active, and finding inspiration in everyday life.

Follow him on X at @jasonlwriter and stay updated on his latest projects, or drop by his blog to read more and connect—he’d love to hear from you!

About Safe Haven
We are not going to talk about infanticide but I will give you a little background on Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Many states have laws allowing for the safe and legal surrender of infants, something that was enacted to combat the abandonment of babies. Founded in 2015 by Monica Kelsey of the small city of Woodburn, Indiana, Safe Haven Baby Boxes are constructed boxes that hold a baby similar to a bassinette. These are installed in secure locations, including fire stations, with alarming to indicate to those inside that a child has been placed inside. The babies are attended to within minutes and ultimately entrusted to the local Child Protection.
https://www.shbb.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_Haven_Baby_Boxes

S8E3: Will the Real John Shady Please Stand Up? by TG Wolff

TG Wolff

Eleanon Shady is dying. She has turned to her trusted attorney, Brenda Salsbury, to find her heir, the nephew she hasn’t seen for thirty years. The problem is three men claim to be John Shady. Now Brenda and her partner in training Dylan need our help to protect Nora’s estate and transfer it to her rightful heir. Here are the candidates:

  • John Sarasota, the sunny John who would be fun to have an umbrella drink with
  • John Chicago, the impatient John who leads with attitude
  • John Spokane, the sulky John whose spirit animal is eeyore

Listen here, on our new podcast website m2d2podcast.com, or wherever you get your podcasts!

ABOUT TG Wolff

Like you, I’m not one thing. I’m a writer, an engineer, a wife, and a mother. What is first on the list depends on the day. Beyond the title I claim, I’m a person who loves learning and thoroughly enjoys a good puzzle, is creative and gets bored easily. I hold a BS in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and an MS in Civil Engineering from Cleveland State University, which gives me absolutely no background in writing, but I do it anyway. Writing mysteries and engineering isn’t as different as you’d think. Both require using logic and process to get from a starting problem to a solution.

Find me at www.tgwolff.com

Toe Tag: A Cold, Cold, World by Elena Taylor

TG Wolff

A Cold, Cold World is a cop mystery. Sheriff Bet Rivers is facing her first real challenge: the snowstorm of the century is bearing down on the small town of Collier, WA. She has a plan for keeping the main loop clear, the residents warm and healthy. Now she just needs to worry about her only deputy’s 9-months-pregnant wife and the dead body found on Iron Horse Ridge.

Bottom line: A Cold, Cold World is for you if you like classic mysteries against a background of life in action.

Listen to the first chapter and full review here or wherever you find Mysteries to Die For podcast

MEET Elena Taylor

www.ElenaTaylorAuthor.com

Elena Taylor spent several years working in theater as a playwright, director, designer, and educator before turning her storytelling skills to fiction. She writes the Sheriff Bet Rivers mysteries, featuring a female sheriff filling her late father’s rather big shoes in her small, mountain town. She also writes the quirky Eddie Shoes mysteries under the name Elena Hartwell. Elena is a senior editor with Allegory Editing, a boutique editing house, where she works one-on-one with writers to shape and polish manuscripts.  Elena’s favorite place to be is at Paradise, the property she and her hubby own south of Spokane, Washington. 

A note from the author: A Cold, Cold, World is available now in hardback, audio, and ebook. Paperback release is April 2025

A Cold, Cold World is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours, who represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com

Check out and subscribe to our new website

m2d4podcast.com

Announcing M2D4podcast.com

Announcing M2D4podcast.com

TG Wolff

Hello everyone! The break for the holidays was the perfect time to push out some changes to Mysteries to Die For. Just in time for our 8th Season: Anything but Murder, Mysteries to Die For is breaking off of TG Wolff’s writer website to a stand alone site:

m2d4podcast.com

Better organized and dedicated to the mysteries you love to solve, m2d4podcast.com is the site for:

  • Season 8 podcasts available days before it drops
  • NEW Author page with links to your favorite author’s episodes and website
  • Past seasons more readily accessible
  • UPDATED Toe Tags book reviews organized by date and by mystery type
  • Better companion anthology page

Follow the link and subscribe to m2d4podcast.com to keep receiving the (almost) weekly emails with episode and Toe Tag announcements.

Friday, January 10 it begins….

Join us for Episode 1: Who Shot Liberty’s Valence by Ed Teja where a startup pharma lab has gone up in flames. Suspected arson is the crime in this murderless whodunnit.

What’s next for TGWolff.com?

Over the coming weeks, the Mysteries to Die For content will transition out allowing tgwolff.com to focus on TG’s adventures in writing, both for podcast episode and full length mysteries.

Thanks for being a subscriber and we hope to see you on the new site and for the new season!

5-Star Book Reviews for 2024

TG Wolff

I am fortunate in that the Toe Tags I do as part of Mysteries To Die For exposes me to many authors and titles I wouldn’t ordinarily find on my own. Add to that list the books that are recommended by other readers and the ones my husband gives me and, well, I read a lot of mystery, crime fiction, and thrillers. This post contains those that I gave 5 start ratings to. To earn 5 stars from me, a story has to have flawless logic, no loose ends, great characters, and, of course, be entertaining. Happy Reading Detectives!

M2D4 S7E22: The Hangman’s Ladies by TG Wolff

TG Wolff

It’s 1895 and Payne McPherson has arrived at her professor’s home for a study session to find her hanging from her French doors. She turns to Cleveland police detective Cian Kelly for help and appoints herself his assistant. Their investigation takes a sinister twist when they find the remnants of a hangman game her professor lost. And she wasn’t the only one.

Listen here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast.

M2D4 Toe Tag: Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills

TG Wolff

Lethal Standoff is an amateur sleuth mystery. A hostage standoff by a desperate man has innocent lives in the crossfire. After a hostage crisis ends with loss of life, Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed and reporter Levy Ehrlich follow through on promises to seek answers and protect a suspect’s family. But if solving problems were that easy, they would have been solved already.   

Bottom line: Lethal Standoff is for you if you like your mysteries and thrillers woven into the life and faith of your detectives.  

MEET DiAnn Mills

diannmills.com

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels with threads of romance. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

DiAnn is passionate about helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.