Wife, mother, and detective, Minka Avery showed up at the new middle dedication as a wife supporting her husband. When her daughter wanted some playground time, she put on her mom hat and chaperoned. And when she found the body of the drama teacher, Detective Avery was on the job.
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ABOUT Tetherball From my favorite source, Wikipedia, and the website Backyard Sidekick traces tetherball back to the late 1800s and early 1900s where it was found on playgrounds. Variations have the game played with hands or with racquets while having the same rules. If you haven’t played, which I haven’t, it is a two player game. Players stand on opposite sides of the pole. One player hits clockwise, the other hits back, counterclockwise. The game ends when one player wraps the line around the pole. There were a surprising number of rules and variations for what seems like a simple game.
ABOUT Karina Bartow KarinaBartow.com Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her. Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. Her works include Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, Accidental Allies, Forgetting My Way Back to You, and Wrong Line, Right Connection. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!
It’s December 2012 and Adam and Jessica Bozena are celebrating the world NOT coming to an end along with the Mayan calendar by throwing a party. A 1980s themed customer party. But the party isn’t the celebration of the good old days. Instead, Byron Cates is dead. River City Detectives Peter Elias and Joseph Finch crash the party where everyone had a motive to kill.
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ABOUT Truth or Dare The origins of truth or dare weren’t as well documented or researched as some of the other games used this season. The Wikipedia page refers to entries as early as 1712 describing a game that is similar to truth or dare, although with one person being in control. Certainly, it isn’t a leap to see this as a social party game in the era preceding television and radio. The most interesting entries I came across were on the social platform Quora where the question was asked…what’s the farthest you’ve ever taken Truth or Dare. The posts responding themed on creative nudity and sex and not, thankfully, murder.
ABOUT Frank Zafiro Frank Zafiro writes gritty crime fiction from both sides of the badge. During his life, he has been a military intelligence linguist, a police officer (a twenty year career, retiring as a captain), and an independent consultant and instructor. He has taught both writing and police related topics at the collegiate level and professional venues. Through it all, he has been a writer. To date, he has published 48 novels, over 100 short stories, and appeared in over 50 anthologies. He lives in Redmond, Oregon, with his wife, Kristi, who is a teacher. www.frankzafiro.com
An international Twister competition is drawing the game’s elite to Schamberg, IL. Among the headliners are the returning champion The Garbage Man, Mister Twister, Knockout_Kitty, and The Spinner Doctor. When one of the competitors is found murdered, his right hand in a pool of blood, Detective Sam Carlisle has to separate fact from bravado to bring a killer to justice.
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ABOUT Twister The game Twister was created with the original name of Pretzel in 1966. Working for the Guyer Company, toy designer Charles Foley and graphic designer Neil Rabens combined ideas for a game where people were the pieces and a colorful mat concept into a game that is very much the one we know today. Foley and Rabens, with the support of their employer, applied for and received a patent, which was granted in 1969. Milton Bradley was approached for production, who took on the project but renamed it to Twister. Twister faced some controversy from critics claiming it was “sex in a box.” Twister withstood challenges, expanding sales throughout the world. In 2015, Twister was inducted into The Strong National Museum of Play. Fun fact from the museum of play website, The official Guinness Book of World Records temporarily banned the Twister category “most contestants” after the University of Massachusetts in Amherst’s massive Twister game involving 4,160 players in 1987. Guinness cited “evidence of officiating inconsistencies.”
ABOUT Jason Little JasonLittleWriting.com Jason Little has spent the majority of his working years in sales and marketing. He currently sells life insurance, where he gets to talk to people about their imminent demise for a steady paycheck. He loves to delve into the human condition and writes in a variety of genres from science fiction and horror to mystery and suspense. When he isn’t writing, Jason has a VR headset strapped to his face or he is sweating to a fitness challenge like 75 Hard. He actively discusses work/life/writing balance, the writing process and other miscellany at JasonLittleWriting.com. He is a native of Michigan and currently resides in Texas.
In the town of Bonbanni, Louisianna, magic is a way of life. When murder intrudes, Lt. Pierre-Luc “Mystic” Fountineau uses the vast skills at his disposal to determine who or what caused a young woman to fall to her death.
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ABOUT Tarot Tarot cards date back to the 15th century where they were used in various parts of Europe to play card games. The earliest references date to the 1440s and 1450s and the region of the northern cities of Venice, Milan, Florence, and Urbino. According to a 2016 article posted by Tim Husband, curator, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloister with the Met Museum, the complicated nature of the tarot game points to the origins of the game being decades older. Tarot is a trick taking game and the rules have not changed significantly since the 15th century. According to Wikipedia, it was in the late 18th century that tarot gained its association with fortune-telling thanks to French occultists. Unsubstantiated claims began being made about the meaning of the cards. These cards began with Antoine Court and Jean-Baptiste Alliette in Paris. Alliette, who also went by the name Etteilla, is credited with first creating an adapted tarot set specifically for occult purposed around 1789. Modern derivatives of these decks are the only ones available in English speaking countries. There is a lot to learn about both types of tarot cards. Check out the links to dive down your own rabbit hole.
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.
A special thank you to Ed Teja whose work editing this episode made it better. Find me at www.tgwolff.com
Wet, Warm & Noisyis an psychological thriller. Alaska State Trooper Jake Ward is stuck on light duty and a polygraph assignment is welcome break from the monotony. A woman was arrested breaking into a warehouse. Her defense: she was kidnapped. Ward’s job is to determine if she is a suspect or a victim. As he is realizing something is out of the ordinary, she is broken out of jail. Now a court services officer is fighting for his life, the woman is on the run with the shooter, and there is no way in hell Ward is staying out of the case.
Bottom line: Wet, Warm & Noisy is for you if you like psychological thrillers with a side of medical sci-fi.
Listen to the chapters one and two here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast
Strengths of the story. The premise of the story is simple and intriguing. There was something wrong with Belle Anderson. Any drugs would have worked out of her system, so what was the explanation for the way she would freeze up? She was alternately oblivious and hyperly aware. A mix of curiosity and duty drive Ward to investigate Anderson, leading him into a world of study on the brain and human consciousness. This is a psychological thriller, but if it were a mystery, it would be a whatisgoingon. Willson does an excellent job of grabbing the reader by the curiosity and never letting go.
Jake Ward is a likeable character. He’s a thinking man, not an action hero. He has survived surgery and treatments for pancreatic cancer and is determined to get the rest of his life back. Ward is a normal guy, sometimes making decisions that put his back in a corner. He drives the story, continually pushing on who Belle Anderson is and what her circumstances are. If Ward would have backed off, the story would have ended. His actions challenge the bad guys (BG) world, forcing BG to react and Ward to overcome another obstacle.
Belle Anderson is not a stereotypical character. She is the narrator in a few chapters, giving us a peak into the BG world that Ward doesn’t have. She will challenge readers to decide if she is a criminal or a victim. Belle went into the BG world willingly but, Unlike Ward, was not able to drive her narrative, becoming a victim. I cheered for Belle but other readers could easily go the other way. Just recognizing this means Willson did an excellent job crafting her.
The Alaskan setting is richly described, showing the challenges of protecting the peace in such a large territory. The supporting characters are well developed and act true to their nature. I especially liked that the other Alaska State Troopers acted as a professional and supportive organization. Meaning, I liked that there was not the trope of the a-hole boss who the hero is battling.
Where the story fell short of ideal: There isn’t much to pick on in this one. The logic, when examined from the backend forward, is a pretty straight line with no breaks. That’s not always the case with thrillers as they seek to surprise the reader with a twist. Ward put in the time and sweat equity to unearth the clues, using the technology and other resource available to the troopers. The story largely avoided use of coincidences. There was one, single scene where I didn’t follow how the BGs got to a certain place. Could have been convenient for the story or me just missing a key detail.
Willson’s pacing is deliberate, allowing the story to unfold. There were times when I wanted it to move faster, but that was primarily driven by my curiosity wanting to know what the heck was going on.
The medical elements of the story are beyond my expertise to comment on. From a civilian standpoint, the scenes were well told, enabling me to understand and picture what was going on without having either an MD or a PhD.
Days after I finished Wet, Warm, & Noisy, I found myself thinking about the sci-fi premise and Ward’s actions. This only happens when a story really catches me and my own wet, warm, and noisy brain wants to know more.
David A. Willson, a retired Alaska State Trooper with more than two decades of service, brings unmatched authenticity to his crime fiction. During his career, he served as a certified police instructor, polygraph program coordinator, court-certified computer forensics expert and supervisor of both Major Crimes and Technical Crimes units. With over a decade in an investigative capacity, he supervised thousands of felony cases, chasing Alaska’s most dangerous criminals. https://davidawillson.com
Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com
A series of windshields shattered by projectiles had California drivers nervous. In the most recent attack, the driver lost control and died. To protect people attending the popular Fun Day at the Park event, Chief Rollins amped up police presence on area streets. That left just himself and Detective Stephens, frest from maternity leave, inside the park. As she watches the marbles tournement, she starts to wonder if there was more to the mibsters than just their marbles.
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ABOUT Marbles
Tombs of ancient Egyptians, ashes in Pompeii, Native American archeology, marbles have been found literally everywhere. They date back so far and to so many places, that the origins of marbles has yet to be discovered. According to the website Mental Floss, the earliest marbles were stones polished smooth by rivers. Artists made marbles from clay, stone, and glass. For centuries, these were made by hand. In 1884, mass production of clay marbles began in Akron, Ohio. The manufacturing invention lowered the price of marbles from about a penny each to a bag of 30 for a penny. Mass manufacturing of glass marbles was also an Akron, Ohio invention, this time in 1915. There’s a link in the shownotes to the article with a video of how they’re made.
When it comes to the game, Mental Floss gives us the conundrum that there is no single game called “marbles” and any game played with marbles can me called “marbles”. There are a lot of games, including the one described in today’s story.
Judge Debra H. Goldstein is the author of Kensington’s five book Sarah Blair mystery series, Should Have Played Poker, and IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue. Her novels and short stories, which have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies, have been named Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, Claymore, and Silver Falchion finalists and received Silver Falchion, Bethlehem Writers Roundtable, and Alabama Writers Conclave awards. She serves on the national board of Sisters in Crime and previously was a national board member of Mystery Writers of America and president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters. Find out more about Debra on her website: https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com
Eddie Shoes’ latest client is the worst. She lies. She cheats. And now, just after the body of her husband’s mistress is found, she’s gone missing. Eddie has to go find her…it’s the only way she’s going to get paid.
Bottom line: One Dead, Two To Go is for you if you like comedic PI mysteries where good sleuthing goes toe to toe with bad luck.
Listen to the first chapter here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast
Strengths of the story. The storytelling style is the first thing I noticed. It’s fun, free, and fast-paced. Written in the same vein as Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, Hartwell’s Eddie Shoes is serious about her work. She has to be to manage the chaos around her.
Eddie Shoes, born Edwina Zapata Shultz, is the daughter of card shark and a mafioso. She’s a woman who uses her brains to make a living as a PI. She isn’t a fighter but she is tenacious and willing to go where good sense doesn’t tread. She was well developed and an easy character to cheer for.
Eddie’s mother drops in for an uninvited extended visit and decides to help out. Chava is different from most mother characters. She was 16 when Eddie was born, so this mama is only in her mid-forties. She is a slight of hand pro in addition to card player and has the same tenacity as her daughter. Chava becomes Eddie’s ad hoc assistant, bringing her own skills and connections to the case.
The story has a murder but the plot is focused on the disappearance of Eddie’s client, Kendra Hallings. Between a cheating husband and a mystery man, it seems all but certain that Kendra was kidnapped. Before Eddie can put the pieces together…she has to find them. Kendra’s life isn’t what she painted it to be. Her husband isn’t what she thought he was. And then there’s that mystery man again.
Where the story fell short of ideal: With comedic style stories, it’s often hard to check all the boxes, but this one does. The bones of the kidnapping mystery are strong with the actions of the parties being consistent with their motivations. I thought about the end for several days after reading it, following each thread to see if they stood up, and they do.
Eddie drives her part of the plot and, in doing so, forces the bad guys to act. She could have stopped looking for Kendra, and the story would have ended. Eddie, with the help of Chava, pushed this story to a satisfying end.
About Elena Hartwell. Elena Hartwell spent several years working in theater as a playwright, director, designer, and educator before turning her storytelling skills to fiction. In addition to writing the Eddie Shoes Mysteries, she writes the Sheriff Bet Rivers mysteries under the name Elena Taylor. She is also a senior editor with Allegory Editing, a developmental 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. Find her at www.elenahartwell.com
Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com
In the middle of a live action D&D game, Darrell “The Dungeonator” Mahoney is dead. The audience saw the virtual Catstaff points his cat staff at The Dungeonator and electrocute him. Mary Watson and her BOT Doyle are investigating worlds real and imagined to see if Catstaff did the impossible or if something else was at play.
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ABOUT Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a role-playing game originally developed and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. First publication was in 1974, which means this is the 50th anniversary of the game that launched the modern role-playing industry. According to Wikipedia, D&D was an advancement in traditional wargaming that allowed players to create their own characters and take on adventures in a fantasy setting. Other games on the market in the mid to late 1900s had elements of character-based role playing, game-world simulations, fantasy scenes designed. D&D was the first to put it all together. Early on, D&D experienced criticism from some religious groups for alleged promotion of witch craft, murder, satanic theme, and the presence of barely contained breasts. While the game made changes to reduce the controversial content, the controversy worked to increase sales in defiance of the outrage. D&D is playable now on table tops and online.
Erica Obey is the author of The Brooklyn North Murder, the first full-length Watson & Doyle mystery, as well as five other novels set in the Hudson Valley, including the award-winning The Curse of the Braddock Brides. Erica is the Past President of the MWA-NY chapter, and a frequent reviewer and judge. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and published academic work on female folklorists before she decided she’d rather be writing the stories herself.
It’s August, 1968 and the rural community of Titus Town, South Carolina is looking forward to the cow bingo fundraiser. But before Katie Hammet’s Jersey cow can do her thing, Deputy Sandy Buford has to figure out who snuffed out the local hip-pocket lender and emptied his till.
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About Paul.
Paul A. Barra is a chemistry teacher, a former newspaper reporter, and Naval officer. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V and other decorations for his service on the rivers of the Mekong Delta. He is married and has eight children with his wife, the former Joni Lee. They reside in Columbia, South Carolina.
Help support Paul and make writing for Mysteries to Die For the best decision he’s ever made by going to his website and buying his books. Then write a review and help other mystery lovers find him.
California, 1849. Captain Rake Caldeen is searching for an army deserter when he arrives at a gold mine camp. What he finds is a dead man who stole from his neighbor, swindled his friend, abused his claim workers, probably killed a woman and, yeah, he cheated at faro. You and Caldeen need to figure which of the victims is now a killer
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TG Wolff 