DAY OF THE DEAD CRIME FICTION

What holiday could be more fitting to Crime Fiction than El Dia de los Muertos: Day of the Dead? 

Día de los Muertos is celebrated every year on November 1st and 2nd. On these days, it is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit their living family members. Many people celebrate the holiday by visiting the graves of deceased loved ones and setting up altars with their favorite foods, drink, and photos.

Here's my updated list of Day of the Dead Crime Fiction. Be sure and check my Halloween Crime Fiction list for other mysteries that start on Halloween and include Day of the Dead. I've also added a short list of Day of the Dead episodes on some popular TV series, as well as some of my favorite Day of the Dead movies!

And, on a personal note, several years ago I was mugged in a cemetery in Havana, Cuba, on Day of the Dead. I was alone (I was young and dumb). However, it seemed like an appropriate day and place.

Let me know if I'm missing any titles/authors.

Day of the Dead Crime Fiction

Day of the Day by Victoria A. Brownworth

Day of the Dead by R. Allen Chappell

The Day of the Dead by John Creed
The Day of the Dead: The Autumn of Commissioner Ricciardi by Maurizio de Giovanni

Trick or Treason by Kathi Daley
Catering to the Dead by Kim Davis

Deadly Diamonds by M.M. Deluca

Day of the Dead by Brenda Donelan

A Cemetery, a Cannibal, and the Day of the Dead by CC Dragon 

Day of the Dead Mystery Movie by Raymond Embrack

Day of the Dead by Drew Golden

Days of the Dead by Barbara Hambly
Sugar Skull by Denise Hamilton
Dios De Los Muertos by Kent Harrington
The Wrong Goodbye by Chris Holm
Death Arts by Melanie Jackson
Day of the Dead by J.A. Jance
Depth of Winter by Craig Johnson
In Big Trouble by Laura Lippman

Devil's Kitchen by Clark Lohr
Weave Her Thread with Bones by Claudia Long
Day of the Dead by Manuel Luis Martinez
Hurrican Season by Fernanda Melchor

Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore

Day of the Dead: Armchair Mystery by Cromwell Murray (1946)

Bread of the Dead by Ann Myers

Day of the Dead by Mark Roberts 

Murder Marigolds & Mezcal by Greta Sinclair
The Day of the Dead by Bart Spicer

Mrs. Morris and the Day of the Dead by Traci Wilton

Children and YA:

Loulou and Pea and the Mural Mystery by Jill Diamond; Illustrations by Lesley Ramos

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier  (Graphic Novel)

Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas

The Day of the Dead Mystery (The Boxcar Children Mysteries) by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Any titles missing?

***

Some Day of the Dead episodes on your favorite mystery TV series:

The Brokenwood Mysteries: Day of the Dead, Season 10, Episode 2.

Murder She Wrote: Day of the Dead, Season 8, Episode 19

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Day of the Dead, Episode 10

Death in Paradise: Murder on the Day of the Dead, Series 7, Episode 5

Inspector Ricciardi: Il giorno de morti/The Day of the Dead, Season 1, Episode 4

Movies:

I love to watch Coco on The Day of the Dead. It's not a mystery, but it's a fantastic animated film featuring the holiday!!

The James Bond movie Spectre opens with a great take on Mexico's Day of the Dead! 

The Book of Life is another great animated film, that takes place on the Day of the Dead.

What are your favorites? Any titles missing?

 
 

Cartoon of the Day: The Halloween Report

Cartoon of the Day: Halloween

BLOODY COCKTAILS & DEADLY WINES: Halloween

Looking for some Bloody Cocktails and Deadly Wines for your Halloween Celebration? I've got you covered! 

BLOODY COCKTAILS

Here's an awesome cocktail? Make Nick and Nora proud! They always loved a good party. Throw in some rubber spiders or eyeballs as garnish. Want to make your own Halloween Cocktail Garnish--some eyeballs and fingers?  Click HERE.

Blood Bath
1 Part Tequila Silver
1 Part Strawberry Liqueur

Shake with ice, and strain into shot glass.

Blood Test
1 Part Tequila Reposado
1 Part Grenadine

Shake with ice and strain into shot glass

Blood Shot
1 part Iceberg Vodka
1 part peach schnapps
1 part Jagermeister
1 part cranberry juice

Chill all ingredients. Combine in shaker with ice. Strain into shot glass. shoot!

Bloody-Tini
2 oz VeeV Acai Spirit
1 oz acai juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
Top with fresh champagne
lime wedge for garnish

Combine VeeV, Acai juice and fresh lime with fresh ice in a cocktail shaker and shake.
Strain into chilled martini glass and top with champagne.
Serve with fresh lime wedge.

Blood and Sand
3/4 ounce Scotch
3/4 ounce cherry liqueur
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
3/4 ounce orange juice
1 thin strip orange zest

In cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the liquids. Strain into martini glass, then garnish with the strip of zest. (recipe from Bank Cafe & Bar in Napa)

Corpse Reviver
1 ounce gin
1 ounce Lillet (blanc)
1 ounce triple sec
Juice of half a lemon
5 drops of absinthe
1 thin slice orange

In cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the liquids. Strain into martini glass, then garnish with the orange slice.
(Recipe from Epic Roasthouse in San Francisco)
 
Vampire Blood Punch
4 cups cranberry raspberry juice (or cranberry juice cocktail)
2 cups natural pineapple juice (100% juice)
2 cups raspberry-flavored seltzer water
wormy ice cubes (optional)

Mix all ingredients together, and pour into large, decorative punch bowl.
Serve punch with wormy ice cubes, if desired

Corzo Bite
1-1/2 parts Corzo Silver Tequila
1/2 parts Campari
1 part fresh blood orange juice
1/4 parts blood (aka home-made grenadine) **
2 parts Jarritos Tamarindo Soda

Build all ingredients into highball glass filled with ice. Add “blood” at the end.
Garnish: Blood orange wheel and strawberry syrup

** Home-made grenadine: Add equal parts white sugar and POM pomegranate juice together and dissolve sugar over high on stove-top

Midori Eye-Tini (from Rob Husted of Florida)
1-1⁄4 parts Midori Melon liqueur
3⁄4 parts SKYY Infusions Citrus
1⁄2 part Finest Call Agave Syrup
2 parts of Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger Ale
2 parts Finest Call Sweet & Sour Mix
3 Orange Wedges
2 Fresh Ripped Basil Leaves
Strawberry Sundae Syrup

In shaker glass combine Midori Melon liqueur, SKYY infusions Citrus, Finest Call Agave Syrup, 3 Orange Wedges and 2 Fresh Ripped Basil Leaves.
Muddle ingredients together. Add ice and Finest Call Sweet & Sour Mix.
Shake for 10 seconds.
Add Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger Ale and roll drink back and forth between your mixing tin and shaker glass.
Strain into a chilled martini glass drizzled with Strawberry Sundae Syrup to give an effect of a bloodshot eye.

Garnish: Chilled red seedless grape at bottom of glass (to look like an eyeball) and bruised basil leaf floated on top of cocktail for aroma.

Black Martini

The Black Martini replaces vermouth with either blackberry brandy or black raspberry liqueur.

3 1/2 oz gin or vodka
1/2 oz blackberry brandy or black raspberry liqueur
lemon twist or black olive for garnish or gold flakes

Pour the ingredients into cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake vigorously.
Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist or black olive or sprinkle in gold flakes.

DEADLY WINES

Chateau Du Vampire Wines Bordeaux Style Cabernet Blend (Vampire Vineyards – Paso Robles, California): blend of cabernet sauvignon (60%) with cabernet franc (30%), and 10% malbec to finish it off.

Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon (Vampire vineyards – Paso Robles, California): Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from several small-berry clones of this traditional Bordeaux varietal, grown in the Paso Robles region of California’s Central Coast.

Dracula Wines: Zinfandel and Syrah (originally the grapes for this wine were grown on the Transylvanian plateau, now they're made from California grapes).

Trueblood Napa Valley Syrah: This wine will "bruise your soul" with its palate crushing cherry, plum smoke and spice.

Ghost Block: 100% cabernet from Rock Cairn Vineyard in Oakville, next to Yountville's Pioneer Cemetery.

Twisted Oak 2011 River of Skulls in Calaveras County. Limited production vineyard mouvedre (red wine grape). Label has a bright red skull. English translation of calaveras is "skulls."

Ghostly White Chardonnay and Bone Dry Red Cabernet Sauvignon. Elk Creek Vineyards in Kentucky

Poizin from Armida Winery in Healdsburg is a 'wine to die for..". This Zinfandel sold in little wooden coffins

Big Red Monster  Red wine made from Syrah, Zinfandel and Petite Syrah.

Spellbound 2012 Merlot. Full Moon on the label.  

Ravenswood 2013 Besieged Red Blend. Ravens on the label.

Michael David 2012 Freakshow Cab. 

Other Wines, Beers and Ales: Witches Brew, Evil (upside down and backwards label), Sinister Hand, Toad Hollow Eye of the Toad, Zeller Schwarz Katz.

Want to give the personal touch to your Halloween wines? Add ghoulish labels or rebottle in cool jars with apothecary labels from Pottery Barn (or make them yourself). For a great article, go to Spooky Halloween Bottle & Glass Labels.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! BOO!

Cartoon of the Day: Halloween Group Therapy

HALLOWEEN NON-FICTION

Here's my updated Halloween Non-Fiction List. Be sure and check out my 2026 Halloween Crime Fiction List, too.

Halloween Non-Fiction

Halloween Merrymaking: An Illustrated Celebration Of Fun, Food, And Frolics From Halloweens Past by Diane C. Arkins
Halloween: An American Holiday, an American History; Halloween Nation: Behind the Scene's of America's Fright Night by Lesley Pratt Bannatyne
Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols by Edna Barth, Illustrated by Ursula Arndt

Sundays with Vlad: From Pennsylvania to Transylvania, One Man’s Quest to Live in the World of the Undead by Paul Bibeau
October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween edited by Richard Chizmar and Robert Moorish
The Pagan Book of Halloween by Gerina Dunwich
Frankenstein: A Cultural History by Susan Tyler Hitchcock
The Book of Halloween by Ruth E. Kelley

The True History of Halloween by Kurt LeRoy
The Pagan Mysteries of Halloween: Celebrating the Dark Half of the Year by Jean Markale
The Halloween Handbook by Ed Morrow
The Halloween Encyclopedia; Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween  by Lisa Morton
The Dead Travel Fast: Stalking Vampires from Nosferatu to Count Chocula by Eric Nuzum
Halloween: Customs, Recipes & Spells by Silver RavenWolf
Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night by Nicholas Rogers
Death Makes a Holiday by David J. Skal

The Better Days Books Vintage Halloween Reader by Various Authors.

And don't forget to check out my Halloween Mystery List!