Cartoon of the Day: At the Feline Museum of Modern Art

 Happy Caturday

Cartoon of the Day: The Shocking Truth of What's Going on in our Public Libraries!

 

IRISH INDEPENDENT CRIME FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR

The winners of the An Post Irish Book Awards were announced yesterday. There are multiple categories, but of interest to mystery readers, here is the winner of the:

2024 Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year

A Stranger in the Family, by Jane Casey (Hemlock Press)

Cartoon of the Day: The Inquest

Be Thankful You Don’t Have These Families: Guest Post by Barb Goffman

Ahh, Thanksgiving. A wonderful time of year when family gets together. You hug and bond and share happy memories.

At least that’s what the Hallmark Channel movies want you to think. But, c’mon, you know the truth. Every family has one member that everyone else just can’t stand. The brother who chews with his mouth open. On purpose. The cousin who won’t stop talking. The aunt who snoops around the house and then tells everyone what she found. Yep, after a few hours of wonderful family togetherness, you just might want to kill someone.

And that’s why mystery writers love Thanksgiving so much. The essence of a good story is conflict. And nothing provides more conflict than family. 

Take my character, Dotty, from my short story “Biscuits, Carats, and Gravy.” She’s a grandmother who loves Thanksgiving. The whole family comes to her home, and she gets to show off her gorgeous crystal, her perfect decorations, and her Martha Stewart-like dishes. So far so good. But then throw into the mix a twenty-year-old airhead intent on marrying into the family—and on getting her hands on Dotty’s deceased mother’s engagement ring—and now you have conflict.

Will Dotty let the airhead get her way? Are you kidding? Dotty comes up with a plan to save the ring involving cunning, deception, and some horrible, horrible gravy. Things start out okay, but sometimes the best laid plans ... well, you know.

I had a story published in 2009, “The Worst Noel,” in The Gift of Murder anthology, that started at Thanksgiving and ended at Christmas. In between was a holiday season filled with so much family-togetherness that my main character, Gwen, was pushed right over the edge. When a narcissistic mother clearly loves one sister more the other, you shouldn’t be surprised when the less-favored daughter decides to seek a little personal justice, should you?

Dotty and Gwen aren’t the only devious character running around these days. The anthology The Killer Wore Cranberry, where “Biscuits, Carats, and Gravy” appears, is comprised of nine Thanksgiving stories, each with memorable characters. Mobsters. Felons. Even turkeys and spuds. Each story is funny, and each one involves a Thanksgiving food, which is perfect, because the only thing better than mysteries with conflict are mysteries with conflict and good hearty laughs. 

Six books in total were published in The Killer Wore Cranberry series. I had stories in the first four. My story in volume two, "Murder a la Mode," involves a murder mystery during Thanksgiving at a nudist colony. My story in volume three, "Operation Knock Her Down a Peg," has cousins who work together on a cooking show despite hating each other—and then they spend Thanksgiving together. And my story in volume four, "It's A Trap!" involves estranged sisters who get together for Thanksgiving to please their dying mother. By the end, Mama might have wished she hadn’t pushed so hard. To find these anthologies, click here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Barb-Goffman/author/B00CC5NC1K/allbooks. You also can buy “Biscuits, Carats, and Gravy” as a standalone story.

So when you’re on your last nerve this week, with the children screaming and the pots overflowing, and you’re about to beat your husband with your turkey baster, stop, download, and relax. I promise, in the few minutes it takes to read one of these short stories, you’ll regain your sanity and your smile. And then you’ll be ready to spend time with your family. Well, as ready as you can be.

Happy Thanksgiving!

***

Barb Goffman has been nominated for major crime-fiction short story awards forty-three times and has won the Agatha three times, the Macavity twice, and the Anthony and Ellery Queen Readers Award once each. She is this year’s recipient of the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer Award, which is the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s lifetime achievement award. Barb makes her living as a freelance editor, especially enjoying working on traditional and cozy mysteries. She’s also an associate editor of Black Cat Weekly and has edited or co-edited fourteen published anthologies with two more forthcoming. Barb blogs every third Tuesday at www.SleuthSayers.org. Learn more atwww.barbgoffman.com

SISTER BONIFACE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2024

The Sister Boniface 2024 Christmas Special: "Once Upon a Time" premieres on Britbox on December 17. I love all these Christmas specials. They're usually the first episode of the next season. So look for Season 4 of the Sister Boniface Mysteries in early 2025.

Don't have Britbox? The Sister Boniface Mysteries, Seasons 1-3, will be available on PBS, on December 16, but not this Christmas special. 

Pantomime season in Great Slaughter takes a deadly turn when a cast member of the Great Slaughter Amateur Dramatics Society is mysteriously killed during rehearsals. Sister Boniface (Lorna Watson) steps in to solve the case as the local constabulary join the production of Cinderella. The drama begins when Tibbles the cat delivers a grisly surprise—a human eyeball—and escalates when an actor is found stabbed in the back. As another cast member meets a grim fate, Sister Boniface must race to catch the murderer before they strike again. But can she unravel the mystery in time to save both lives and the town’s much-anticipated Christmas pantomime?

The Story Behind the Story of my Latest Dot Meyerhoff Mystery, Call Me Carmela: Guest Post by Ellen Kirschman

It was the pandemic. I was stuck, uninspired and searching for ideas for a fifth Dot Meyerhoff book. I was also itching to try my hand at something new—a standalone based more on character development than plot. An idea had been rolling around in my head for several years, prompted by a news story about an adopted teenage girl who was searching for her birth parents. It was a compelling tale, filled with twists and turns. Reading it, I felt like I was walking through a big house, encountering a new scene in every room I entered. 

I said goodbye to Dot and hello to Aggi, my new protagonist. She came to life quickly, surly and determined to find her birth parents without regard to who she hurt in the process. Especially her adoptive parents who lived in fear that they were losing her. 

The writing went easily. Plotting is my biggest challenge and now I had a complete plot to embellish and deepen. No agonizing over who did it or why. At 83,000 words I put a final polish on the draft and sent it to my beta readers. 

To a person, they hated it. More specifically, they hated Aggi. Found her to be mean, bitter, unlikeable, and whiny. They didn’t care what happened to her and they hated how she treated her adoptive parents. No one wants to read a book if the main character doesn’t have at least one relatable redeeming quality. 

My reaction was alliterative: I was devastated, deflated, disappointed yet determined to forge ahead. This was a great story with lots of complexity. My magnum opus. I would use the feedback to make it even better. 

I went back to the drawing board. I made Aggi more likeable, the other characters more complex, and got rid of some implausible coincidences. I turned the POV from first to third and back again. I brought in more of Aggi’s ordinary world. Created more change, more nuance and sent it back to my beta readers. They were not impressed. Aggi was softer but still too mean. My secondary characters were better developed, but still needed work. This time, I felt like giving up. 

The last of my beta readers finished the manuscript a month after the others. We met for a glass of wine. The air was warm. The pandemic was still roaring. We clinked glasses and I waited for her to give me the bad news. “This isn’t a standalone, Ellen,” she said, “it’s another Dot Meyerhoff mystery.” 

Another Dot Meyerhoff? I was flummoxed. Was she suggesting I toss away 83,000 words and close to two years of hard work? I felt like collapsing. Or ordering another glass of wine. I think I said something like “Thanks a lot. You just ruined my life.” 

I told my husband what she said. He didn’t know what to say. Neither did my other beta readers or my agent. I told myself she was only trying to help. The least I could do was play with her idea. It wasn’t like I would be starting from scratch. I knew Dot well. I knew what she thought and how she felt. I knew badge-heavy Eddie in his wobbly sobriety. I knew Fran, every cop’s surrogate mother. I knew Dot’s nemesis Chief Pence, who threatens to fire her every other week. And I was just getting to know Frank, Dot’s patient yet wary husband. 

I went through the manuscript and highlighted scenes I thought were salvageable. Scenes that might transfer well. Problems popped up right away. Dot is a police psychologist. She works with cops, not temperamental teenagers and illegal adoptions. How was I going to get her involved in Aggi’s search? An amateur sleuth in a mystery series needs a reason to be involved. 

My fans expect to read about cops and their problems. Would they be interested in Aggi’s plight? Would they care about her adoptive parents who are falling apart in anticipation that when Aggi finds her “real” parents, she’ll love them more? 

There were geographical problems too. Aggi, now renamed as Ava, lives in Iowa. Dot lives in Silicon Valley, California. How was I going to get them in the same room? 

It was at this point that I started having fun. I felt happy to be back with the characters I had come to love. The problems that arose became less hindrance than puzzles to be solved. I compressed people. Turned Perky into Fran, Hiram into Lonny, and gave Cody and Iliana bigger, more nuanced back stories. I discovered Sheriff Bergen and his doting assistant, Marge. I made room for Ava to grow out of her teenage angst and bad behavior. I found a way to make Fran the linchpin connecting Ava to Dot and a plausible rationale to move the whole shebang out of Iowa back to California. Dot went along for the ride. Even Eddie got involved as did Chief Pence, although he wasn’t happy about it. 

My new and improved novel, Call Me Carmela, is now up for pre-order and launches on 11/26. Please join me to celebrate by checking my events page at www.ellenkirschman.com. 

***

Ellen Kirschman is an award-winning police and public safety psychologist. She is the author of three non-fiction books and the Dot Meyerhoff mystery series. Ellen finds writing fiction to be therapeutic because she gets to take potshots at nasty cops, incompetent psychologists, and two ex-husbands. Dot is too dedicated for her own good, takes orders from no one, including her chief, and persists in solving crimes when she should be counseling cops— often using methods that would have cost a real psychologist her license. Ellen lives in Redwood City, California with her husband, whose entire life she has plagiarized for Dot’s love interest, Frank. She adores Zumba, dogs, cats and ice cream. Sign up for her occasional newsletter at www.ellenkirschman.com.

Cartoon of the Day: Bedtime

 From Rhymes with Orange

BEYOND PARADISE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Beyond Paradise (the spin-off from Death in Paradise) premieres on Christmas Day (12/25) on BritBox. It's a one-hour episode.  

Beyond Paradise stars Kris Marshall, Sally Bretton, Zahra Ahmadi, Dylan Llewellyn, Felicity Montagu, and Barbara Flynn

The story follows Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman (Marshall) after he and his fiancée (Bretton) move to her hometown and he joins the small town’s police force Beyond Paradise stars Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman who left Saint Marie, the setting of Death In Paradise, to move to his partner Martha’s (Sally Bretton) hometown of Shipton Abbott near the Devon coast. Not long after arriving, Humphrey joins the small local police force, where he quickly makes an impression on the local officers. 

Catch up on Seasons 1-2 on BritBox. The Christmas Special is Episode 1 of Season 3. Future episodes should drop early in 2025. Update soon. 

Cartoon of the Day: Our Book Club

 

NOIR CITY XMAS: Who Killed Santa Claus?

NOIR CITY Xmas is on its way! Join host Eddie Muller on Wednesday, December 18, 7:30 pm, at Oakland's historic Grand Lake Theatre for NOIR CITY Xmas! To darken your Yuletide spirit, the Film Noir Foundation is presenting Who Killed Santa Claus? (L'Assassinat du père Noël), a 1941 French mystery. The evening will also feature the unveiling of the program (and poster!) for NOIR CITY 22, the 22nd year of the world's most popular film noir festival, coming to the Grand Lake Theatre January 24 - February 2, 2025. 

Tickets for NOIR CITY Xmas are available online from Eventbrite for $15 and can also be purchased at the theatre box office on the day of the show. Doors will open at 6:30 pm on the day of the event. What a Great Deal!!!

LUCY WORSLEY’S HOLMES VS. DOYLE - PBS

LUCY WORSLEY’S HOLMES VS. DOYLE: a three-part series featuring the popular British historian and lifelong Sherlock Holmes fan who seeks to answer why author Arthur Conan Doyle came to despise the character that made him rich and famous. 

Throughout the series, Worsley explores the parallel lives of Doyle and Holmes in the historical context of their times. From the dying years of Victorian England, through the imperial crisis of the Boer war, the optimism of the early Edwardian years, to the trauma of the First World War, Arthur and Sherlock lived through them all. 

LUCY WORSLEY’S HOLMES VS. DOYLE premieres Sundays, December 8-22, 2024, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS App. 

Featured in over 60 original stories and countless film and television adaptions, Sherlock Holmes has intrigued and excited fans with his intellect and powers of deduction for more than a century. Over the course of three episodes, Worsley investigates the curious relationship between detective and author. 

In Episode 1, “Doctor and Detective” (December 8), Lucy unearths Holmes’ origins in Doyle’s early life as a medical student in Edinburgh. She unpacks the early stories, revealing the dark underbelly of late Victorian Britain, from drug use to true crime. She explores how Doyle infused his stories with cutting-edge technological developments and traces the author’s growing disenchantment with his detective, heading to Switzerland to visit the site of one of the most famous deaths in literature. 

In Episode 2, “Fact and Fiction” (December 15), Lucy explores Doyle’s desire to distance himself from Sherlock after the detective’s apparent death at the Reichenbach Falls. From the delights of the ski slopes to the horrors of the Boer War, she reveals how far Doyle went to make himself the hero of his own story. He even took on the role of detective himself in one of the most important legal cases of the 20th century.  

In the finale, “Shadows and Sleuths” (December 22), Lucy investigates the return of Sherlock. Doyle began the Edwardian age delighting in all it had to offer, but as the First World War approached, the darkness of the later stories mirrored the reality of Doyle’s life. After losing his eldest son, he became an evangelist for spiritualism, and his star declined after a public spat with a famous magician. Sherlock Holmes, in contrast, found a life beyond his author on stage and screen. 

LUCY WORSLEY’S HOLMES VS. DOYLE will stream simultaneously with broadcast and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS app.

Cartoon of the Day: Writer

Bookstore Sign of the Day

THE CHELSEA DETECTIVE SEASON 3 NEWS!

Well this is good news! I've been waiting for the return of The Chelsea Detective, one of my favorite detective shows. Acorn TV has announced that the Christmas episode, starring Adrian Scarborough, will drop on December 16. This special will also serve as the start of Season 3, which will be comprised of four 90 minute episodes that will continue into 2025. (Not enough, but I'll take them!) 

Also reprising their roles in Season 3 are Peter Bankolé (DI Ray, Bodkin) as DC Connor Pollock, Lucy Phelps (Grace) as DC Jess Lombard, Sophie Stone (Shetland) as Chief Forensics Officer Ashley Wilton, and Frances Barber (Whitstable Pearl) as Max’s Aunt Olivia. 

 

THANKSGIVING MYSTERIES // THANKSGIVING CRIME FICTION

Thanksgiving is next week, so you'll want to get reading these Thanksgiving crime novel and short stories. This is an updated Thanksgiving Crime Fiction list, but let me know if I've missed any titles. It's quite the mix of cozy, noir, and whodunit.  

As Thanksgiving approaches, I give thanks for my family, my friends, and the wonderful mystery community.

I'm posting daily recipes for Chocolate Thanksgiving desserts, sides, and main courses (Chocolate Turkey Rub!) on DyingforChocolate.com.

Thanksgiving Mysteries

Victoria Abbott The Wolfe Widow

Susan Wittig Albert Bittersweet
Laura Alden Foul Play at the PTA
Dianne Ascroft Thanksgiving and Theft
Deb Baker Murder Talks Turkey
S.H. Baker The Colonel's Tale
Mignon Ballard, Miss Dimple Disappears
Sandra Balzo Hit and Run
Richard Bausch Thanksgiving Night 

Cindy Bell Fatal Festivities

Kate Bell, Kathleen Suzette Thankfully Dead
Bob Berger The Risk of Fortune
William Bernhardt, Editor, Natural Suspect
Kate Borden Death of a Turkey
Amy Boyles Southern Magic Thanksgiving
Ali Brandon Twice Told Tail

JJ Brass The Turkey Wore Satin
Lilian Jackson Braun The Cat Who Went into the Closet, The Cat Who Talked Turkey
Lizbie Brown Turkey Tracks
Catjerine Bruns In the Blink of a Pie
Carole Bugge Who Killed Mona Lisa?

Lucy Burdette A Deadly Feast
Lynn Cahoon A Very Mummy Holiday
Sammi Carter Goody Goody Gunshots
Lowell Cauffiel Dark Rage
Jillian Chance The Fall of the Sharp Sisters
Joelle Charbonneau Skating Under the Wire

George C. Chesbro Bleeding in the eye of a Brainstorm
Jennifer Chiaverini A Quilter's Holiday 
Laura Childs Scones & Bones 
Bobbi A. Chukran Short mystery stores in her Nameless, Texas series

Leena Clover Turkeys and Thanksgiving
Christine E. Collier A Holiday Sampler
Sheila Connolly A Killer Crop
Cleo Coyle Murder by Mocha
Isis Crawford A Catered Thanksgiving
Bill Crider with Willard Scott Murder under Blue Skies
Jessie Crockett Drizzled with Death
Amanda Cross A Trap for Fools
Barbara D'Amato Hard Tack, Hard Christmas
Mary Daheim Alpine Fury, Fowl Prey, The Alpine Vengeance
Kathi Daley Turkeys, Tuxes and Tabbies; The Trouble with Turkeys; The Thanksgiving Trip: The Inn at Holiday Bay, Pilgrim in the Parlor; Thanksgiving in Paradise; The Catsgiving Feast; Cottage on Gooseberry Bay: Thanksgiving Past
Jeanne Dams Sins Out of School
Claire Daniels Final Intuition
Evelyn David Murder Takes the Cake
Mary Janice Davidson Undead and Unfinished
Krista Davis The Diva Runs Out of Thyme; A Good Dog's Guide to Murder

Robert Davis Stuffed
Devon Delaney Double Chocolate Cookie Murder
Vicki Delany (aka Eva Gates) Silent Night, Deadly Night
Jana Deleon Cajun Fried Felony
Wende and Harry Devlin Cranberry Thanksgiving
Michael Dibdin Thanksgiving
Leighann Dobbs Thanksgiving Dinner Death; Turkey Tragedy 

Joanne Dobson Raven and the Nightingale

Alice Duncan Thanksgiving Angels
Christine Duncan Safe House
Susan Dunlap No Footprints
Kaitlyn Dunnett Overkilt
Lauren Elliott To the Tome of Murder

Alex Erickson Death by Hot Apple Cider
Janet Evanovich Thanksgiving (technically a romance)*
Nancy Fairbanks Turkey Flambe
Christy Fifield Murder Ties the Knot
Maureen Fisher Deadly Thanksgiving 
Courtney Flagg Criminally Ungrateful

Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain Murder She Wrote: A Fatal Feast
Amanda Flower Peanut Butter Panic
Joanne Fluke Raspberry Danish Murder
Katherine V. Forrest The Beverly Malibu
Shelley Freydont Cold Turkey
Heather Day Gilbert Cold Drip 

Noreen Gilpatrick The Piano Man
Martin H. Greenberg (editor) Cat Crimes for the Holidays
Jane Haddam Feast of Murder
Janice Hamrick Death Rides Again
Susannah Hardy A Killer Kebab
Lee Harris The Thanksgiving Day Murder
Ellen Hart The Grave Soul
J. Alan Hartman, editor, The Killer Wore Cranberry; The Killer Wore Cranberry: A Second Helping; The Killer Wore Cranberry: Room for Thirds; The Killer Wore Cranberry: A Fourth Meal of Mayhem; The Perp Wore Pumpkin 
Robin Hathaway The Doctor Makes a Dollhouse Call
Richard Hawke Speak of the Devil
Victoria Houston Dead Hot Shot
Dorothy Howell Fanny Packs and Foul Play
Linda Joffe Hull Black Thursday
Carolyn Q. Hunter Killer Thanksgiving Pie

Ellen Elizabeth Hunter Murder on the ICW
Melanie Jackson Death in a Turkey Town; Cornucopia
Sue Ann Jaffarian Cornucopia, Secondhand Stiff
J. A. Jance Shoot Don't Shoot
Madison Johns The Great Turkey Caper

Gin Jones & Elizabeth Ashby Deadly Thanksgiving Sampler

Tonya Kappes Trapping, Turkeys, & Thanksgiving 
Karin Kaufman At Death's Door
Alex Kava Black Friday
Marvin Kaye My Son, the Druggist
Faye Kellerman Serpent's Tooth
Harry Kemelman That Day the Rabbi Left Town
John Lescroat The Keeper
Clyde Linsley Death of a Mill Girl
Georgette Livingston Telltale Turkey Caper
M. Louisa Locke Pilfered Promises
Nial Magill Thanksgiving Murder in the Mountains
G.M. Malliet Wicked Autumn
Margaret Maron Up Jumps the Devil
Evan Marshall Stabbing Stefanie
K. L. McCluskey Three for Pumpkin Pie
Robert McDavis: Stuffed

Shawn McGuire Silent Secrets

Ralph McInerny Celt and Pepper
Catriona McPherson Scot in a Trap

Leslie Meier Turkey Day Murder; Turkey Trot Murder; Gobble, Gobble Murder
Wendy Meadows Turkey, Pies and Alibis
Addison Moore Thanksgiving Day Murder

Deborah Morgan The Marriage Casket
Meg Muldoon Roasted in Christmas River 

Joan Lowery Nixon The Thanksgiving Mystery (children's)
Carla Norton The Edge of Normal
Carol O'Connell Shell Game
Jack Pachuta Gobble, Gobble, Death and Trouble
Nancy J Parra Murder Gone A-Rye
Louise Penny Still Life

Cathy Pickens Southern Fried
Michael Poore Up Jumps the Devil 
Craig Rice The Thursday Turkey Murders
Ann Ripley Harvest of Murder
J.D. Robb Thankless in Death
Delia Rosen One Foot in the Gravy
M.L. Rowland Zero Degree Murder
Ilene Schneider Chanukah Guilt
Maria E. Schneider Executive Retention
Willard Scott and Bill Crider Murder under Blue Skies
Sarah R. Shaber Snipe Hunt
Sharon Gwyn Short, Hung Out to Die
Paullina Simons, Red Leaves

Page Sleuth Thanksgiving in Cherry Hills
Alexandra Sokoloff The Harrowing
Rex Stout Too Many Cooks
Denise Swanson Murder of a Barbie and Ken; Murder of a Botoxed Blonde

Kathleen Suzette Roast Turkey and a Murder; Pumpkin Pie Peril
Marcia Talley Occasion of Revenge
Sharon Burch Toner Maggie's Brujo
Teresa Trent Burnout
Lisa Unger In the Blood
Jennifer Vanderbes Strangers at the Feast
Debbie Viguie I Shall Not Want
Auralee Wallace Haunted Hayride with Murder
Livia J. Washburn The Pumpkin Muffin Murder
Leslie Wheeler Murder at Plimoth Plantation
J.A. Whiting Sweet Thanksgiving
Rachel Wood Gobble, Gobble Murder
Angela Zeman The Witch and the Borscht Pearl

***

For the Younger Set:

Thanksgiving Thief: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew
Ron Roy and John Steven Gurney: November Night
Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Mitchell Sharmat Nate the Great Talks Turkey

Julie Campbell: Trixie Belden and the Mystery Off Glen Road  (Trixie Belden #5)

***

Let me know if I've forgotten any authors and titles!

THE CHELSEA DETECTIVE: Christmas Special & Season 3 News!

Well this is good news. I've been waiting for the return of The Chelsea Detective, one of my favorite detective shows. Acorn TV has announced that the Christmas episode, starring Adrian Scarborough, will drop on December 16. 

This special will also serve as the start of Series 3, which will be comprised of four 90 minute episodes that will continue into 2025.  (Not enough, but I'll take them!)

Also reprising their roles in Season 3 are Peter Bankolé (DI Ray, Bodkin) as DC Connor Pollock, Lucy Phelps (Grace) as DC Jess Lombard, Sophie Stone (Shetland) as Chief Forensics Officer Ashley Wilton, and Frances Barber (Whitstable Pearl) as Max’s Aunt Olivia.

Watch the Trailer:

Thank You, Miss Valley, for Everything: Guest Post by David Freed

Some writers are born to write. Others have the craft cultivated in them. I hail decidedly from the second camp.

When I was growing up, I never imagined that my livelihood would come from the printed word. My ambition was to go into medicine—heart surgery, to be specific. That was my go-to answer, anyway, whenever an adult asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I can still remember how impressed they always were by my response. How I ended up earning my living not by cracking chests but by crafting sentences can be explained in part by the fact that I never had a burning desire to be a surgeon to begin with. In truth, I wasn’t entirely sure back then what I wanted to do with my life. But that was before I had the good fortune of encountering someone who would alter my path forever—my high school English teacher, Aurelia Valley.

Miss Valley was what many people back then called a "spinster” and what some today might refer to as a "Big Beautiful Woman", only without the "beautiful" part. Her dark hair was short and styled in an outdated bob. She wore plain, flat-soled shoes, thin wire-rimmed glasses, and house dresses that hung on her girthy frame like potato sacks. Her small, upturned nose had a piggish quality, and I remember her breathing mostly through her mouth. Smiling didn’t seem to be in her repertoire. Some of her less-kind students would mock her appearance. Full disclosure: I probably did too at times, if only to fit in with the crowd.

The small high school I attended could best be described as blue-collar. We had no honors classes, though our football team was always formidable. Few students went on to four-year colleges. The most common path for graduates was to get a steady job—often at places like the post office. The classics—Shakespeare, Beowulf, The Last of the Mohicans—were not exactly subjects that bedazzled the majority of my bored, unmotivated classmates. But that didn’t stop Miss Valley. She possessed the two essentials of every great instructor: she knew her stuff, and she was deeply passionate about it.

One day during the spring semester of my senior year, after the bell rang and everybody spilled out of her classroom like it was on fire, as they always did, Miss Valley asked me to stay behind for a few minutes. I froze. What would my friends think? That Miss Valley had a thing for me? I wanted desperately to get out of there, but she had positioned herself in front of the exit, effectively blocking my escape. “You should think about being a writer,” she said. “You have an aptitude for it.”

The rest of our conversation that day has since faded into the distant, haze-gray recesses of my memory, but her advice stuck with me. It was the first time I could recall anyone telling me I had a knack for anything other than complaining about having to do chores at home.

Fast forward a year later. I was a college freshman at a state university with a dismal 2.2 GPA. By then, I’d discovered beer and girls, and I knew that attending medical school was out of the question even if I had wanted to. As I sat in my dorm room one night, flipping through the course catalog, trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life, I stumbled upon the requirements for a journalism degree. In that instant, I swear I heard Miss Valley’s voice in my head as if she were standing next to me. “You should think about being a writer. You have an aptitude.”

So that’s what I did. I became a writer.

After graduation, I landed a job as a newspaper reporter in Colorado Springs. It was there that I met a smart, beautiful young woman who would later become my wife. We’ve now been happily married for over forty years. We have two grown children, three grandchildren, and a fourth on the way. We live in a lovely home by the Pacific. My career as a journalist would lead me to far-flung places, and eventually to opportunities as a screenwriter in Hollywood, as a contributor to major magazines like The Atlantic and Air & Space Smithsonian, and even to work with the CIA. My background as a reporter ultimately influenced my earning a master’s degree from Harvard University. It also played a crucial role in helping me land a publishing deal, which led to the release in 2012 of Flat Spin, the first book in my best-selling Cordell Logan mystery series. The seventh book in the series, Deep Fury, will be out in December.

None of this would’ve been possible without Miss Valley, who saw potential in one of her students, took the time to pull him aside, and encouraged him to become a writer.

Aurelia Valley passed away in 1996. I regret that I never took the opportunity to thank her for the role she played in my life. I hope this serves as a small tribute to her legacy.

Thank you, Miss Valley. For everything.

*** 

David Freed is an instrument-rated pilot, a former Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the Los Angeles Times, and author of the Cordell Logan mystery series. He teaches creative writing to graduate students at Harvard University’s Extension School. 

 

Cartoon of the Day: Cats

Happy Caturday!

CALL FOR ARTICLES: Mystery Readers Journal: London; Extended Deadline Monday, November 18, 2024

EXTENDED DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 18, 2024

While the Deadline for the London issue of Mystery Readers Journal (40:4) is actually November 15, some of you might need the weekend to polish off your articles, reviews, and author essays. Therefore, we have extended the deadline for Articles, Reviews, and Author essays for the London issue of Mystery Readers Journal (40:4) until November 18, 2024. Send to  janet @ mysteryreaders. org

Mystery Readers Journal is looking for Articles, Reviews, and Author essays about Mysteries set in London. 

Author Essays: First person, about yourself, your books, and the "London" connection. Reviews and articles can include books both in and out of print that are set in London. 500-1000 words. Treat this as if you're chatting with friends and other writers in the bar or cafe (or on zoom) about your work and the London setting in your mysteries. Be sure and cite specific titles, as well as how you use the London setting in your books. Add title and 2-3 sentence bio. 

Reviews: 50-250 words/each. 

Articles: 500-1000 words.

Deadline for Mysteries in London (40:4) articles, reviews, author essays: November 18, 2024: Send to: Janet Rudolph, Editor.  janet @ mysteryreaders . org

Please let us know if you're planning to send an article, review, or author essay! Subject Line: London Mysteries

SUBSCRIBE TO MYSTERY READERS JOURNAL for 2024: Mysteries set in Southern California; Murder Takes a Holiday (Mysteries that take place while on vacation); Partners in Crime; London.

2025 Themes: Retail Mysteries; Northern California; Thrillers; one more theme TBA.

Many back issues of Mystery Readers Journal are available as single copies in hardcopy or PDF. 

Historical Mysteries I: Available as PDF or Hardcopy.

Murder in Wartime: Available as PDF or Hardcopy.

Animals in Mysteries I: Available as PDF or Hardcopy.

Animals in Mysteries II: Available as PDF or Hardcopy.

Private Eyes I & Private Eyes II : Available as PDF or Hardcopy.

Extreme Weather Mysteries: Available as PDF or Hardcopy

Italian Mysteries:  Available as PDF or Hardcopy

Senior Sleuths: Available as PDF or Hardcopy.

Gardening Mysteries: Available as PDF or Hardcopy.

Have titles, articles, or suggestions for upcoming issues? Want to write an Author! Author! essay? contact:   janet @ mysteryreaders . org

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Dying for Chocolate

SHETLAND, SEASON 9: BritBox

I miss Jimmy Perez on Shetland. Nevertheless, I'm still watching the series. And, here's the latest news! Shetland, Season 9, will premiere on Britbox on December 11. There will be one episode a week through January 15, 2025. Ashley Jensen and Alison O'Donnell return as Detectives Ruth Calder and Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh. 

Season 9 features a double missing person’s case that “blurs the lines between the personal and the professional, as Calder and Tosh are drawn into a labyrinthine investigation,” the official synopsis tells us. “When Tosh’s friend, Annie Bett (Sarah MacGillivray), goes missing, Ruth Calder — now living in Shetland — has no time to recover from a life-threatening ordeal of her own, and instead teams with Tosh to search for Annie and her young son, Noah (Jacob Ferguson).

Previous seasons of Shetland are available to stream on BritBox. Of course, you can read the Shetland mystery series by Ann Cleeves. It's a great series. 

2024 Petrona Award: Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year

The Winner of the 2024 Petrona Award for the Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year: 

DEAD MEN DANCING by Jógvan Isaksen translated from the Faroese by Marita Thomsen and published by Norvik Press. 

Jógvan Isaksen will receive a trophy, and both the author and translator will receive a cash prize. 

The judges’ statement on DEAD MEN DANCING: 

Similar to the story of the ancient god Prometheus, a man has been shackled to rocks on the Faroe Islands, and left to drown on the beach. The discovery of his body throws the local community into an unsettling chaos, and as the journalist Hannis Martinsson investigates, he comes across evidence of similar deaths. He realises they are linked to the events in Klaksvík in the 1950s, and a local revolt which tore the community apart. As Martinsson digs into the troubled past, he learns about his country’s history, and also gives the reader a chance to discover what makes the Faroes intriguing and spellbinding. Being a largely unknown territory to most, Dead Men Dancing includes a useful introduction to the modern reality of these islands by the CEO of the Faroese Broadcasting Corporation, mirrored by the social commentary that lies at the heart of the book itself, and the portrayal of the relationship with Denmark throughout the years. 

This is only Isaksen’s second novel to be translated into English following Walpurgis Tide. This contemporary Faroese crime fiction writer places his characters in the wild, beautiful, and unforgiving environment and allows them to search for truth. The judges found the location to be absolutely integral to the unfolding of the plot, and how the raw natural beauty of the Faroes served as a reflection of the thoughts and actions of the characters.

Dogged and uncompromising, Martinsson is a superb creation, similar in his ‘detective’ thinking and approach to Gunnar Staalesen's lonely wolf PI Varg Veum, which the judging panel found very appealing. Martinsson's gloomy demeanour and natural cynicism was beautifully balanced throughout with the more empathetic side of his nature, and in the age-old tradition of crime fiction his personal and professional relationships are fraught with tension. 

The translation by Marita Thomsen is both accomplished and a little unusual, drawing as she does on the vernacular and intonation of the Scottish dialect. Again, the judges found this to be refreshingly different, and enjoyed the unique cadence and rhythm this gave to the book overall, an essential quality of any book in translation. 

The judges agreed that in Dead Men Dancing the balance between location, plot and characteriaation worked well, incorporating some of the familiar tropes of crime fiction, but also providing a refreshingly different reading experience. This was achieved by the depiction of the Faroes themselves and their history, working in symmetry with the narrative, and also by the characterisation of Martinsson, reminiscent of the traditional spare style in Nordic crime fiction. The assured and distinctive translation was also a significant factor in the judges' overall decision. 

Flavia, the Movie!

And this news from BV Lawson's In Reference to Murder, one of my favorite mystery sites. We've been waiting a long time for this. I'm so excited--to see the film--and for Alan Bradley, author of the Flavia books! Congratulations, Alan! What a great cast! I'll keep you posted!

Can't wait for the movie, catch up on Alan Bradley's Flavia series. 13 books so far!

The upcoming feature film, Flavia, based on the books by Alan Bradley, has started principal photography and released a first-look image. The project features Sherlock star Martin Freeman opposite Molly Belle Wright (Deep Water) as the precocious 11-year-old detective, Flavia, Toby Jones (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Karan Gill (The Decameron), Annette Badland (Ted Lasso), and Jonathan Pryce (Slow Horses) also star. 

The storyline is set in motion when Flavia finds a dead body at her decaying British manor house and her father is accused of the murder. Flavia dives into her own wild and fearless investigation, unearthing long held family secrets and pitting herself against the true killer.

DALGLIESH, SEASON 3 News!

DALGLIESH, SEASON 3, PREMIERES MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, ON ACORN TV

I'm looking forward to series 3. 

The six-episode season includes three two-part stories: Death in Holy Orders, Cover Her Face, and Devices and Desires. Each story is based on a novel by the Queen of Crime, British author P.D. James.

Dalgliesh Season 3 starts on Acorn TV on December 2. Detective Adam Dalgliesh, played by Bertie Carvel, is back to solve complicated crimes in England in the 1970s, ranging from a murder in a seminary to a plot to attack a terrorist target. 

New cast members and well-known ones, like Carlyss Peer’s Kate Miskin, join him. 

CRIME FICTION LOVER AWARDS 2024 SHORTLISTS

Crime Fiction Lover and its readers are celebrating the best in the genre with their awards. Following are the shortlists for 2024. Crime fiction lovers everywhere can vote. Congratulations to all!

CRIME FICTION LOVER AWARDS SHORTLISTS

Best Crime Novel of 2024 Shortlist 

Midnight and Blue by Ian Rankin 

The Mercy Chair by MW Craven 

Guide Me Home by Attica Locke 

The Examiner by Janice Hallett 

The Death Watcher by Chris Carter 

All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker 

Best Crime Debut of 2024 Shortlist 

 

Helle and Death by Oskar Jensen 

The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey 

Knife Skills for Beginners by Orlando Murrin 

Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney 

Crow Moon by Suzy Aspley 

A Reluctant Spy by David Goodman 

Best Crime Novel in Translation of 2024 Shortlist 

 

Black Wolf by Juan Gómez-Jurado, translated by Nicolas Caistor 

The Snow Angel by Anki Edvinsson, translated by Paul Norlen 

The Lover of No Fixed Abode by Carlo Fruttero and Franco Lucentini, translated by Gregory Dowling Death at the Sanatorium by Ragnar Jonasson, translated by Victoria Cribb 

The Kitchen by Simone Buchholz, translated by Rachel Ward 

The Night of Baba Yaga by Akira Otani, translated by Sam Bett 

Best Indie Crime Novel of 2024 Shortlist 

 

The Corpse with the Pearly Smile by Cathy Ace 

A Killer of Influence by JD Kirk 

Bronco Buster by AJ Devlin 

Westerwick by George Paterson 

Namaste Mart Confidential by Andrew Miller 

Dying For Crystal by Katherine Black 

Best Crime Show of 2024 Shortlist 

Bad Monkey 

Ludwig 

Slow Horses, Season 4

Nordic Murders, Season 5 

Rebus 

True Detective, Season 4 

 

Best Crime Author of 2024 Shortlist 

Tana French 

Ian Rankin 

Attica Locke 

Ace Atkins 

Janice Hallett 

Abir Mukherjee

An Post Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year Shortlist

The shortlists have been announced for the An Post Irish Book Awards. There are multiple categories, but here's the 

2024 Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year

Shortlist

A Stranger in the Family, by Jane Casey (Hemlock Press)

Witness 8, by Steve Cavanagh (Headline)
Where They Lie, by Claire Coughlan (Simon & Schuster)
Someone in the Attic, by Andrea Mara (Bantam)
Somebody Knows, by Michelle McDonagh (Hachette Ireland)
When We Were Silent, by Fiona McPhillips (Bantam)

Winners will be announced during in Dublin on Wednesday, November 27. 

HT: The Rap Sheet