Prefer a jigsaw puzzle to a sliding one? Presenting the Murder Next Door jigsaw puzzle. A few tips if you find yourself getting stuck: Once a puzzle piece is in the right place (even if it’s in the middle of the puzzle) it will “snap” in place and you won’t be able to move it. […]
Town of Redemption
“Murder Next Door” Cover Reveal and Puzzle!
I can’t think of a better way to reveal the new cover for Murder Next Door, Book 3 in The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, than with a puzzle! And, if you really want to challenge yourself, try solving the puzzle without checking out the cover first. (No peeking!) To move the pieces, all you have to […]
The Story Behind the Story: “Ice Cold Murder”
When the concept for The Murder Before Christmas dropped into my head, it didn’t come alone. It brought more ideas with it, including Ice Cold Murder and A Grave Error, which is a novella prequel. So, from the beginning, it was clear this was supposed to be a series. That doesn’t mean I didn’t resist […]
Excerpt: “Ice Cold Murder”
Chapter 1 “Are you out of your mind?” Pat’s hand paused mid-air, chocolate chip cookie halfway to her mouth as she stared at me, eyes wide. Forsaking her cookie like that, I knew she was serious. “She asked,” I said matter-of-factly. “I’m being a good friend.” “You’re being insane,” Pat muttered as her hand finally completed […]
“Ice Cold Murder” Jigsaw Puzzle
Ready to take on the Ice Cold Murder cover puzzle challenge? A few tips if you find yourself getting stuck: Once a puzzle piece is in the right place (even if it’s in the middle of the puzzle) it will “snap” in place and you won’t be able to move it. It helps to move […]
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at “The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries”
If you’re new to the world of Charlie Kingsley, you may be wondering how we ended up here (as it is a rather strange path) so I thought I’d take a moment to clear a few things up. The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries takes place in Redemption, Wisconsin, and is a spin-off of my Secrets of […]
Florence’s Pecan Fingers Cookie Recipe
Let me begin by saying I have no idea who Florence is. This was another Christmas cookie tradition, along with the Merry Christmas Butter Cookies, Mom would also make pecan fingers. Mom didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, and these cookies aren’t as sweet as other Christmas cookies, so they might be a good […]
Merry Christmas Butter Cookie Recipe
My mother would have been delighted with this blog post. Three of her favorite things in life were: Mystery books Baking Christmas She was an avid reader of all things mystery, but she vastly preferred cozy mysteries over the psychological thrillers I was writing at the time. (Although to her credit, and much to my […]
Cover Reveal: “Ice Cold Murder”
It’s here! Ice Cold Murder, which is Book 2 in the brand new Charlie Kingsley Mystery series! Check it out: It’s on preorder and set for a Jan 25, 2022 release. Here’s a sneak peek at the description: When Charlie agrees to accompany her friend Claire to her late grandmother’s reading of the will, she assumes […]
Excerpt: “The Murder Before Christmas”
Chapter 1 “So, Courtney, is it?” I asked with what I hoped was a comforting and nonthreatening smile. I set the mug holding my newest tea blend I’d created for the Christmas season—a variety of fresh mint and a couple of other secret ingredients— down on the kitchen table. I called it “Candy Cane Concoctions,” […]