Sunday, April 12, 2026
Beneath the Stains of Time: Inspector De Klerck and Tears for Valentine (2026) by P. Dieudonné
The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Announcing HOT SHOTS: CELEBRATING THIRTY YEARS OF CELEBRATING THIRTY YEARS OF THE SHORT MYSTERY FICTION SOCIETY
Publishing News from Barry Ergang
My friend Barry Ergang, has a new poem published in the latest issue of Yellow Mama Webzine. His poem, Centerfold, appears in Yellow Mama #115 and is free to read.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
Mystery Fanfare: GRANTCHESTER FINAL SEASON: PBS
Mystery Fanfare: Mystery Readers Journal: Fairs, Fêtes, & Festivals in Mysteries (42:1)
KRL Update
Up on KRL this week reviews and giveaways of 3 fun cozies-"Booking for Trouble" by Jenn McKinlay, "If Books Could Kill" A Tea and Tomes Mystery by Karen Rose Smith, and "Murder at an Irish Session" An Irish Village Mystery by Carlene O'Connor https://kingsriverlife.com/04/11/three-bookish-matchmaking-cozies-for-spring-reading/
And the latest Mystery Coming Attractions from Victoria Fair https://kingsriverlife.com/04/11/mystery-current-coming-attractions-april-2026/
Up during the week, another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author DS Lang about her historical mysteries involving golf https://kingsriverlife.com/04/08/mystery-mud-memories-and-masters-week/
We also have another special midweek guest post, this one an excerpt from "Two Truths and a Lie" by Mark Stevens https://kingsriverlife.com/04/08/excerpt-from-two-truths-and-a-lie-by-mark-stevens/
Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and ebook giveaway of "Diet of Death" by Ang Pompano, along with an interesting interview with Ang https://www.krlnews.com/2026/04/diet-of-death-by-ang-pompano.html
And a review of "The Delivery" by Andrew Welsh-Huggins https://www.krlnews.com/2026/04/the-delivery-by-andrew-welsh-huggins.html
And a review and ebook giveaway of "The Case of the Devious Daughter" by Cathy Ace https://www.krlnews.com/2026/04/the-case-of-devious-daughter-by-cathy.html
And a review and giveaway of "A Honeymoon of Havoc" by Victoria Tait https://www.krlnews.com/2026/04/a-honeymoon-of-havoc-by-victoria-tait.html
Happy reading,
Lorie
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Body in the Kelp by Katherine Hall Page
Jerry's House of Everything: SLAM-BANG COMICS #7 (SEPTEMBER 1940)
Scott's Take: The Death of Captain America by Larry Hama
The Death of Captain America by Larry Hama
is a novel that adapts the same story arc in the comics from the Marvel
Universe. In this book, set after the events of the superhero Civil War, Captain
America is murdered through a conspiracy by the Red Skull. This novel explores
various characters attempting to uncover the truth and stop the Red Skull from
destroying the United States. But with Steve dead, who will pick up his legacy,
and stop the Red Skull?
This book is told from the point of view
of Bucky, Sharon Carter, The Falcon, Iron Man, Red Skull, and others. Steve is
in it for a bit, but this book deals mostly with how his life impacted others.
There is action, humor, Nazis, and sex. There is also a miscarriage which could
be triggering for some readers.
Overall, I enjoyed this adaption of the
comics books story arc.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4u4pIFJ
I read this through Hoopla, by way of
the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2026
Friday, April 10, 2026
Beneath the Stains of Time: Cross Marks the Spot (1933) by James Ronald
SleuthSayers: Richard Estes and the Art of Seeing
In Reference to Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books - The Port of London Murders
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: TYLER CROSS: ANGOLA
FFB Review: The Crossing Places: A Ruth Galloway Mystery by Elly Griffiths
Author Elly Griffiths has several
different series. While I never could get into her other ones, despite a lot of
trying on my part, her Ruth Galloway series is incredibly good and a
favorite of mine. I keep hoping we will get another one. I remind you today
that this excellent series begins here with The Crossing Places: A Ruth
Galloway Mystery. From the archive….
Archeologist Ruth Galloway lives alone
in a small cottage on the edge of an area known as “the Saltmarsh.” It is a
coastal land of desolation where the sky and sea meet. It is a treacherous and
dangerous land of stark beauty and one that few people enjoy. She is far from
her south London upbringing as well as her parents. Considering her
observations about them distance is a very good thing.
When she isn’t at her small cottage with
her cats she is at the University of North Norfolk where she teaches forensic
archeology. It is there, thanks to her department chair Phil, she first meets
Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson. The inspector wants her to inspect some
bones that have been found out near the bird sanctuary in another part of the
Saltmarsh.
He hopes that the bones might be a
missing child who vanished ten years ago. Her name was Lucy Downey. Since her
disappearance a decade ago the inspector has been receiving strange letters
from someone. A person who uses quotes from the Bible, Shakespeare, T. S.
Eliot, and other sources to taunt the inspector with clues. If Ruth Galloway
can verify that the bones are of the missing child, he might just have the
first solid piece of evidence to advance the case.
What follows is a complex and highly
atmospheric read as Ruth Galloway gets drawn deeper and deeper in the mystery
of the Lucy Downey case. At the same time, a bond begins between her and the
inspector creating additional stress. It isn’t surprising when Ruth herself
becomes a target as the case proceeds.
Character complexity is at work here
from the beginning. In some senses Ruth is the classic clichéd spinster--
overweight, cats as her companions, no romantic interest, and a job that that
fills her days. It is her observations on her parents, life, the world around
her, and much more that fill the character with depth and meaning. The same is
true to a lesser extent with the inspector though most of the book is told from
watching Ruth.
The Crossing Places: A Ruth
Galloway Mystery
by Elly Griffiths is a solidly good start to what could be a very intriguing
series. At least in this book, history, archaeology, and more take prominent
roles resulting in the subtle education of the reader as the pages move by. A
mystery that encourages the reader to think while also quietly teaching is a
book that is very much worth reading.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4tg5g3F
Go wild and get the entire 15 book
series: https://amzn.to/41zKIHq
Material was obtained via the Plano
Public Library System to read and review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2021, 2026
Thursday, April 09, 2026
In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange
In Reference to Murder: 30 Years of Short Crime Fiction Excellence
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Secret Societies, Devil’s Bones, Six Feet Deep Dish
Thursday Treats: 4/9/2026
The latest reading opportunities…
SMFS list member Anna Scotti announced that
her short story, The Intruder, was published online at the Chautauqua
Journal. You can read the story for free here.
SMFS list member Sandra J. Cady announced that
her novel, A Game of Luck: A Sam Roma Detective Mystery, will be
released on 4/30/2026. Published by Black Rose Writing, the read is
available for preorder in eBook or paperback formats at Amazon.
Author Beau Johnson announced on Threads that his books, out of print due to the demise last year of the previous publisher, are coming back into print. Shotgun Honey will first release, A Better Kind of Hate: Stories, tomorrow in both eBook and print format. More coming from the Bishop Rider series will be released later. You can get your copy of this first book at the publisher.
Author Eric Beetner announced on Facebook that his latest book, A Wound That Will Not Heal, is now out from Level Best Books. This final book in the Carter McCoy series will be out in print and audio formats later. You can pick up the eBook, as well as the two preceding novels of the trilogy, at Amazon.
SMFS members Jon Matthew Farber (The
Italian Cufflink Mystery) and Tom Milani (Riley Walker) have short stories in the
latest issue of Black Cat Weekly. You can pick up Black Cat Weekly #240
here.
A reminder that the new book, Kansas City
Breakdown, is about to be released by Cowboy Jamboree Press. The
book by M. E. Proctor and Russell Thayer is a sequel to their Bop City Swing of
last year. It is up at Amazon for preorder in advance of the publication day of
next Tuesday. M. E. Proctor’s guest
post on this blog explains the origin story for the new read. You can also read a
chapter from the book at The Literary Garage,
for free, as well as a lot of other cool stuff.
Finally, as noted last week, the short
story collection, Hot Shots:
Celebrating Thirty Years of the Short Mystery Fiction Society is now out. Editor
Josh Pachter has culled through all of the Derringer winning stories over the
decades to select one for each year to highlight. Published by Level Best Books
- Level Short, the book is currently available to in eBook and paperback format
at Amazon.
Until next time….
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Wednesday, April 08, 2026
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: BY MOONLIGHT
Short Story Wednesday Review: Beat On The Brat (And Other Stories) by Nigel Bird
The collection
opens with the signature story “Beat On The Brat” where Stevie Boyle makes
balloon animals for the kids. These days he is far from his days of playing for
the New York Yankees, but he can bring some joy to the neighborhood kids by
making anything they want with the balloons. But he can't change their reality
or his own. As the story shifts in point of view through various characters,
readers learn quite a lot about life and justice in this award-winning story.
Dr. Chrome has a
room in the basement in “Mind Your Step” and Jess is willing to go down there
and participate in whatever medical research he is conducting. The plan is for
Jess to shock an unseen person when the Dr. tells her to for as part of a
research project for the psychology department. As soon as they are done Dr.
Chrome intends to take her out to eat. Things don't go as planned…. or maybe
they did.
“Too Much Too
Young” comes next where a recently released man is home from prison just in
time to be there when his mom is buried. Johnny is not really welcome by what
is left of his family and certainly not by his neighbors. Nobody really wants
him around and considering his history they have very good reason.
A snowstorm made
getting to work difficult, but made for quite the snowball fight after the
visit to the bar. It escalates quickly into something for more in “Snow Angel.”
The fireworks his uncle has will work nicely in what he is planning.
Some kids are
not made of “Sugar And Spice,” and you know it as soon as they come out of the
womb. Tommy Atkins has always been one of those. So too was Bruce Robertson who
did the muscle work for Tommy. Killing Barnsey and his wife was pretty typical
of them. But, Bruce didn't kill their kid like he was supposed to and, instead,
let her live. Now, thanks to the fact that the young girl has identified both
of them, the police aren’t the only ones looking.
John Champion is
back in “Hoodwinked” and this time to legendary bs artist has company with him
in the form of a female film director. Supposedly a movie is planned based on
his novel and the locals are going to be in it. Plans are made and certain
expectations on and off set are created.
“Regret” is a
poem mixing history with reality where a crime was committed. A crime that will
have to be answered.
If you ever
watched that famous bounty hunter reality series of the last few years or any
of the numerous imitators, you may have noticed many episodes were devoted to
chasing the same person again and again as they move into and out of the
justice system. Such is the case here in “Dance With Me” told from the
perspective of the person being chased by bounty hunter Eddie Mailman. Willie
is very tired of being caught--especially by such a man as Eddie Mailman.
“Killer Haiku” comes next to close the book and is open to more than one interpretation.
This is an
interesting collection of mostly previously published works as well as three
pieces that appeared to have never been published before. The nine pieces share
a common theme of folks on the lower end of society looking to right wrongs.
They don't wait for the legal system to dispense justice. These are folks who
settle scores amongst themselves using whatever means and weapons are at hand.
That theme that runs throughout Beat On The Brat (And Other Stories)
is one of justice in this good read.
Amazon Associate
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4cvWwkc
The author
supplied a PDF of the book a very long time ago in exchange for my objective
review.
Kevin R. Tipple
©2014, 2022, 2026
Tuesday, April 07, 2026
SleuthSayers: Oh, What a Tangled Web(site) We Weave
In Reference to Murder: Media Murder for Monday
Publication Day Review: Revenge Prey: A Lucas Davenport Novel by John Sandford
Revenge Prey: A Lucas Davenport
Novel
by John Sandford finds Lucas Davenport and Shelly White at a house on a
cul-de-sac in a rural area. It is February in Minnesota as a cold overcast day
is working steadily closer to what will be a brutally cold night. It is a safe
house and the two Deputy U. S. Marshals are awaiting the arrival of a defecting
Russian and his family under escort by Witness Protection Marshals and others.
The defector used to be a very high-ranking
person in the Russian spy agency. Now his name is Leonard Summers and he and
his family have spent the last eighteen months hidden in a CIA facility near
Washington. They worked on learning and perfecting English while the CIA and
others squeezed them for intelligence. The plan is for them to hide out in the
house for the next two weeks or so to see if everything is okay.
It isn’t.
Within minutes of their arrival, a
Russian kill team makes their presence known by firing shots into the house. A
chase and resulting gun battle is on and so is the hunt for the elusive kill
team.
What follows is an intense and fast
moving read as Lucas and others chase the assassins. Assassins who have to try
again or be executed by Putin’s regime.
The name of the game here is action and Revenge
Prey: A Lucas Davenport Novel by John Sandford delivers in every way
possible. It also has several laugh out loud dialog moments that may or may not
include Virgil Flowers.
A fast and fun read, Revenge Prey: A Lucas Davenport Novel, by John Sandford is very much worth your time.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4orOUls
I received this as a digital ARC from
the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, through NetGalley, in late October 2025,
with no expectation of a positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Monday, April 06, 2026
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Hit List: 10 More Non-English Detective Novels That Need to Be Translated
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: From the Dust: A Novel by David Swinson
I am a huge fan of David Swinson’s Frank Marr
trilogy about a former DC cop turned private investigator and drug addict.
Swinson himself is a retired police detective from the DC Metropolitan Police
Department and his writing speaks with an insider’s knowledge of police
operations.
In his newest book, released
by Mulholland Books at the end of March, Swinson leaves the big city for a
small town in rural upstate New York, south of the midpoint between Rochester
and Syracuse. Graham Sanderson’s father has died and Sanderson has come to stay
with his younger brother Tommy who has PTSD and severe agoraphobia, such that
he has not left his father’s house for years. Sanderson’s wife died three years
previously and he’s still grieving. The death of his father and his retirement
from his long-time job only heightens his general sense of loss.
Police chief Bill Finn had
been friends with the elder Mr. Sanderson and dropped in on the brothers a few
days after the funeral. In passing he mentioned a local homicide, a rarity in
the area, and his lack of trained personnel to investigate and dearth of staff
in general. Days later the second murder occurred and Finn asked Sanderson to
assist his newly hired detective. The victims both had the local dive and
druggie hangout in common but not much came from questioning the regulars at
the bar who were reluctant to rat on their buddies. By the time the third
murder occurred, both Finn and Sanderson realized they had a bona fide serial
killer at work in their tiny town.
This book is a significant
departure from Swinson’s earlier books, which were all set in large cities. In
a small town everyone knows everyone else and the killer almost inevitably is
part of the closed village social circle. Swinson shows Sanderson slowly shifting
into a new phase of his life as he adapts to the relaxed pace of life and the
rural environment as well as beginning to move past the loss of his wife and
his career. Fans of regional mysteries will enjoy the strong descriptions of
rural New York, an area that does not get nearly as much attention in crime
fiction as the metropolis in the southern part of the state.
For fans of regional mysteries and small-town police procedurals. Starred review from Publishers Weekly.
·
Publisher:
Mulholland Books
·
Publication
date: March 31, 2026
·
Language:
English
·
Print
length: 320 pages
·
ISBN-10:
031652865X
·
ISBN-13:
978-0316528658
Amazon Associate Purchase
Link: https://amzn.to/4ccY7vQ
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2026
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
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