” . . . there are matters of which no jest can be made:” THE RED DEATH MURDERS

Well, it was bound to happen! A pandemic comes along, and you stop teaching. There’s nothing to do but stare at the walls, studiously avoid that mountain of books comprising  your TBR pile, and desultorily post in your blog about this or that mediocre novel that you read in Book Club. And then – inspiration! You … Continue reading ” . . . there are matters of which no jest can be made:” THE RED DEATH MURDERS

RISING (FROM THE UNDEAD) CLIMAX: Murder on the Way – The End

It’s the moment that you’ve both all been waiting for: the chance to see me (and hear Flex and Herds, fellow sleuths and hosts of the Aussie podcast Death of the Reader) prove our mettle as armchair sleuths – or fall on our faces before the annoying superiority of blogger, podcaster and two-time book editor JJ McJJ of The … Continue reading RISING (FROM THE UNDEAD) CLIMAX: Murder on the Way – The End

“MURDER ON THE WAY” PLAY-ALONG: Chapters 6 – 9

“The whole thing was as unbelievable as Episode Six of The Perils of Pauline.” Greetings, ghoul lovers! If you were with me at this same time last week, you know that I am playing along with Flex and Herds, the genial and tack-sharp hosts of Death of the Reader, the Australian podcast dedicated to reading and unpacking … Continue reading “MURDER ON THE WAY” PLAY-ALONG: Chapters 6 – 9

AT PLAY WITH FLEX, HERDS AND JJ: Murder on the Way

Yesterday at Book Club, we made mincemeat short work of our latest selection and got down to talking. I meet monthly with a distinguished group of folks. There’s Kate, from Cross Examining Crime, who has published two insanely enjoyable puzzle books through the British Library. And we have the Puzzle Doctor, from Classic Mysteries, who single-handedly has … Continue reading AT PLAY WITH FLEX, HERDS AND JJ: Murder on the Way

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS: Death Among the Undead

Like the holiday displays at Hallmark Cards, Locked Room International has delivered the perfect Halloween murder mystery two months early. Publisher John Pugmire and translator Ho-Ling Wong have teamed up to unleash the latest example of shin honkaku mystery fiction on the English-speaking world. And this one is something extra special. It’s another debut novel along the lines of … Continue reading IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS: Death Among the Undead