Thursday, August 13, 2026
In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange
In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange: The National Bouchercon Board has selected author and Sisters in Crime Executive Director Julie Hennrikus as recipient of the 2026 David Th...
Thursday Treats: 8/13/2026
Some reading opportunities of interest this week.
SMFS
list member Scott McKinnon
announced that his tale, The Proposition, went up earlier this month at The
Yard: Crime Blog. You can read it for free here.
The
latest issue of Starlight Pulp Review is now out. Starlight
Pulp Review #8 features 13 short stories, including one by SMFS list
member Mark Coggins (Liverjack). Available at the publisher
website as well as at Amazon.
.
Black
Cat Weekly #258 is out and includes the cover short
story by SMFS list member N.M. Cedeño (The Case of the Cabochon Ring) and more.
You can pick up the latest issue here.
A
reminder that that my short story, A Plan Comes Together, is in issue 254.
Folks seem to have really enjoyed it too. If you have not read it yet, go here, and grab a copy.
As
I said before, I have long been a fan of Larry D. Sweazy. He has announced on Facebook that the Literary Garage is publishing his short story, A Knock at the Door, on August 13th.
So, today! And go get his books. Great reads.
I
have also long been a fan of the Sheriff Hank Worth Mysteries
series by Claire
Booth. I knew the new one was coming and
have been eagerly awaiting its arrival on NetGalley. That finally happened last
week. Hidden Currents: A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery is now up for
preorder at Amazon. It comes out in September 1st and will also be
part of their Kindle Unlimited program. Published by Severn House, it is also available on other platforms.
By
the way, the Kindle Unlimited program is a great deal. The downside is that one
is limited to twenty titles out at a time. When you share the account, as I do
with Scott, that is limiting. At the same time, that could be for the best as
we both tend to see a book, --oh, shiny--- and add it to the pile. Which
is why I have 100 titles here that are checked out from the Dallas
Library. He has 90.
The
Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine: September/October 2026 issue is now out and includes short stories by SMFS list
members. Nick Guthrie (The Silent
Partner) and Floyd E. Sullivan (The Wedding Photographer) are in the issue as
is past SMFS President Robert Lopresti (Was
That So Hard?). I have long been a fan of the work of Dallas area author Harry
Hunsicker. His short story, The Basement Girl, also
appears in the issue. Mr. Hunsicker also has a new book, Mother May I,
coming out in October from Oceanview Publishing. The book is up for preorder at
Amazon.
The
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine: September/October 2026 issue is also now out. It includes short stories by SMFS list
members Ashley-Ruth
M. Bernier (Sabotage Can’t Stop de Shower), Richard Helms
(The
Million Dollar Legs Matter), Anna Scotti
(When Bright Angels Beckon) and Dave
Zeltserman (Julius Katz’s Ex Returns). Joseph
Goodrich, Josh
Pachter, and Anna
Scotti have essays in the 85th anniversary issue. Mr. Pachter
also has another short story, Farewell to Baytown, in collaboration with the
late William Bankier.
Last
week, after my previous column was set up, I got an email alert from the
publisher that Four on the Floor: A Shane Cleary Mystery by Gabriel
Valjan was available. Published in late July
by Level
Best Books, the mystery read is available at Amazon and other vendors.
Edited
by SMFS list member Michael Bracken, Sleuths Just Wanna Have Fun: Private
Eyes in the Material World, is again in print. The new publisher is Crimson Gate
Books. Also in the read are SMFS list members, John M. Floyd (Redwood Creek), Debra H. Goldstein (Who Shot J.R.?), Kathleen Marple Kalb (Diana and the Princess), and SMFS President Joseph S. Walker (The Right
Size of Favor). The read is available at Amazon.
.jpg)
Also,
later this month, The Tipping Floor, comes out. This is the
latest in the 509 Crime Stories series by Colin Conway.
Published by High Speed Creative, LLC., the read is available for preorder on Amazon.
Until next time….
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: DOWN SONORA WAY
Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: DOWN SONORA WAY: "Down Sonora Way" by Louis L'Amour (first published in Five Western Novels Magazine , December 1951; reprinted in L'Amou...
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Stories from Midsummer Mysteries
Bitter Tea and Mystery: Short Story Wednesday: Stories from Midsummer Myst...: I was initially attracted to Midsummer Mysteries: Short Stories , edited by Martin Edwards, because of its striking cover and the lovely spr...
Review: One Good Eye: A Jeep Mullane Novel by Kevin Wade
One Good Eye: A Jeep Mullane Novel
by Kevin Wade is the second read in the series that began with Johnny
Careless. I very much liked that first book and was glad to be
approved for an ARC the week before publication on the Edelweiss platform.
Tropical Storm Kyle is headed inbound and Centre
Brookville Chief of Police Jeep Mullane is out and about on Long Island’s North
Shore. He is handing out batteries and bottled water and checking on folks as
the storm comes ever closer. So, he’s already fairly close by when he gets an
urgent text from Nicole. She drives for Jenny Racine and has requested Jeep
come to the house. Jeep has known Jenny Racine since high school.
Without revealing spoilers, they have a very tight
bond and a complicated history that goes back to those high school days. In the
here and now, she is fairly famous for good and bad reasons, is wealthy, and is
in real trouble though she does not want any help. Nicole is ex-Suffolk County
PD and carries, but Jenny needs on duty cops and more assistance than her longtime
driver and friend can provide.
Even if Nicole had not filled in Jeep Mullane on his
arrival, one look at Jenny’s face makes her need for help clear. She’s been
punched in the face and is visibly marked. She’s also been hit hard in her rib
cage on her right side. She says the masked man was in her master bedroom when
she walked in, never said a word, hit her, and fled. She has an idea who did it,
and even knows why, but makes it very clear that she isn’t going to tell him or
anyone. Jenny isn’t going to file a police report. She wants him to leave it
alone as she plans on continuing to handle everything privately.
But, this is Jenny. Jeep Mullane isn’t going to let
her take a beating and do nothing.
Jeep Mullane starts poking around and then the feds
show up. Soon after they make their presence known, the killing starts in, One
Good Eye: A Jeep Mullane Novel. Complicated with plenty of
flashbacks to explain the deep relationship between Jenny and Jeep, this is a
compelling and fast moving read that keeps the reader (at least this one)
rapidly turning pages.
There is quite a lot going on in One Good Eye:
A Jeep Mullane Novel by Kevin
Wade. Many of the things cannot be explained without creating spoilers. I can
say that the book is a mighty good read and well worth your time. Strongly
recommended.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3U6uDIK
My digital ARC came from the publisher, Celadon
Books, through Edelweiss, with no expectation of a positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
SleuthSayers: Finding Markets
SleuthSayers: Finding Markets: Where, oh where, can I submit all these stories? This past Saturday, Josh Pachter, fellow SleuthSayer Barb Goffman, and I were panelists for...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Cardula and the Locked Rooms (2026) by Jack Ritchie
Beneath the Stains of Time: Cardula and the Locked Rooms (2026) by Jack Ritchie: Back in 2024, I posted " Locked and Loaded, Part 5: A Selection of Short Impossible Crime and Locked Room Mystery Stories , " a s...
Jerry's House of Everything: OVERLOOKED FILM: THE LAST OF MRS. CHENEY (1929)
Jerry's House of Everything: OVERLOOKED FILM: THE LAST OF MRS. CHENEY (1929): A pre-Code early talkie with Norma Shearer her most glamorous and Basil Rathbone at his most dashing. "[T]his witty and stylish caper f...
Publication Day Review: The Tailor: A DS George Cross Mystery by Tim Sullivan
Who would kill a bespoke tailor?
That is the initial central question for DS George
Cross of the Avon and Somerset police in The Tailor: A DS George Cross
Mystery by Tim Sullivan. This eighth book in the series opens with a
murder on a train. There is absolutely no question it was a murder.
The deceased man was found in the first-class
bathroom of a passenger train headed from Bristol to Paddington Cross in London.
Apparently, the plastic bag over his head did not fully do the job, so the
killer deeply slashed the victim’s throat. He cut so deeply that the killer
almost severed the head from the body.
That got the job done.
He also got away with it with nobody noticing
anything at all.
Because the victim was wearing a bespoke suit with
the label of “Titcomb & Titcomb’s of Park Street,” Detective Sergeant George
Cross believes there is a good chance that the deceased is one of their
clients. Within a short period of time, they learn that the deceased is one
William Titcomb.
Not a client, but one of the owners of a long
running family business. A third-generation tailor, William Titcomb was married
to Min, and had two small children. His twin sister, Gwen, is also heavily involved
in the business.
According to Gwen, he was headed to Heathrow Airport
to board a flight to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for fittings with two
clients. Then he was to travel on to Xiamen, China, where they have a tailoring
operation and check in there. Min comes from China, has contacts, and the facility
in China has been a huge boost to the family business. Mr. Titcomb was
traveling with two suitcases, presumably full with the suits for the clients in
Dubai. Those suitcases and their
contents are missing.
Where are the suitcases? Who killed the bespoke
tailor? Was he killed for the suits?
Just some of the questions that DS George Cross and
the assembled team must answer in The Tailor: A DS George Cross Mystery by Tim
Sullivan. If the case was not enough, Cross and several others have to deal
with professional and personal upheaval in their lives. For one thing, as long-time
readers know, Josie Ottey, has been promoted. That means she is now superior in
rank to Cross.
An issue that Cross is slowly adjusting to as it has
been very hard for him as social situations are very difficult. Ottey’s
promotion means that she will no longer be with him in the field conducting
interviews and gathering information. That fact also means that she won’t be
around to manage him or smooth over awkward situations with those he talks to
as he goes about investigations. That has the potential to be a real problem
for Cross and a huge problem for the next person in that role.
Then there is a family situation for Cross that is
best left to the reader to discover. I don’t want to reveal more as it could be
construed as a spoiler as it is a major piece of the plot. However, for those readers,
like me, who have gone through the death of a loved one due to cancer and absolutely
hate cancer storylines, it is not that. In fact, the issue here is not remotely
medically related in any way, shape, or form. You can rest easy on that aspect
of the read.
The Tailor: A DS George Cross Mystery
by Tim Sullivan is a complicated, fast moving, and highly entertaining read.
Much is going on in many different ways in the latest book in this long running
series. This review just skims the surface of this very good book.
Strongly Recommended.
Author Website: https://timsullivanusa.com/
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4fjUNAD
My digital ARC came from the publisher, Grove Atlantic, of Atlantic Crime,
through NetGalley, with no expectation of a positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Monday, August 10, 2026
In Reference to Murder: Media Murder for Monday
In Reference to Murder: Media Murder for Monday: It's the start of a new week and that means it's time for a brand-new roundup of crime drama news: THE BIG SCREEN/MOVIES Jason Clark...
Little Big Crimes: A Lost Dream, by Dave Zeltserman
Little Big Crimes: A Lost Dream, by Dave Zeltserman: "A Lost Dream," by Dave Zeltserman, in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, July/August 2026. This is the second story by Zelts...
Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Freight: A Novel by Ryan Lowell
Ryan Lowell
worked in the trucking industry for more than 10 years and he turned to his
knowledge of the work and the people for the context of his debut novel. Freight
(Little, Brown, August 2026) is a dynamic piece of noir, set in an anonymous
Maine long distance trucking company and told from the perspective of multiple
employees. Lowell doesn’t believe in back story, the reader is plunged headlong
into the life of Billy Trask, an amoral piece of work always on the make. He
complains early that the lady who’d cut his hair for 16 years had selfishly
died and left him to the mercies of someone he doesn’t like. Trask has decided
moving illicit drugs by the box isn’t generating income fast enough and plans
to steal a truck full of pills from a Canadian pharmaceutical company. He enlists
the assistance of another truck driver named Jimmy, who simply follows Trask
without questioning.
Curtis, the
night shift dispatcher, is juggling his job responsibilities just barely well
enough to keep his paycheck. Curtis wants to be a writer and tries to crank out
a few pages at night when things are quiet but they rarely are. Phil is broke
and bitter after a divorce and is driving to stay busy. Theo is having an
affair and hopes his wife Lauren doesn’t find out. He takes Sarah along with
him on his trip, against company policy, and he hopes the company doesn’t find
out. Sarah is her own kind of crazy which is well concealed until she’s backed
into a corner. People underestimate Sarah at their peril. Sarah does not tell
anyone she will be away for a few days when she leaves with Theo, and her
family and coworkers search for her frantically, believing she is in danger.
The quick
changes of speakers and perspectives give the overall narrative a scattered
feeling. They also offer fascinating insight into the logistics that move our
consumables from factory to distributor. With a riveting theft that seems all
too realistic, this original debut is a thought-provoking read.
·
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
·
Publication date: August 11, 2026
·
Language: English
·
Print length: 224 pages
·
ISBN-10: 0316596515
·
ISBN-13: 978-0316596510
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4hW0gyw
Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2026
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal
It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, August 09, 2026
Review: Death at a Scottish Halloween: A Scottish Isle Mystery by Lucy Connelly
This comes out Tuesday....
As I noted long ago when I reviewed the
first book of this series, An American in Scotland: A Scottish Isle
Mystery by Lucy Connelly, I am not a cozy mystery kind of guy. I lean
more towards police procedurals as well as grittier mystery and crime fiction.
But, I enjoyed that first book quite a lot and have enjoyed every read since.
That includes the latest book, fifth in the series, Death at a Scottish
Halloween: A Scottish Isle Mystery.
Dr. Emilia McRoy left it all behind to
move to Sea Isle, Scotland, and she could not be happier. As the book begins,
she is working on her room in an extensive haunted house. Halloween, or as the locals
refer to it, All Hallows Eve, is a big deal. Doctor McRoy missed it last year due
to attending a wedding so her and her assistant, Abigail, are going all out to
create the spookiest doctor’s office ever. Their room is one of several that
people will walk through and experience scares a plenty.
It is a fun evening until, after nearly
everyone has left, they discover a body in the room across the hall from their
own. Not only is Duncan, a man they just met a few hours earlier, dead, a butcher
knife is planted in his chest. The same butcher knife that Dr. Emilia McRoy had
brought from home and was using as a prop in their horror scene. With all the
people that came through and the loud commotion these past hours, neither the
good doctor nor Abigail noticed who took it or when it went missing. But, it is
definitely is now planted in the dead man’s chest. Probably right through his
heart.
Despite the fact it was her knife that
is the murder weapon, and their multi hour close proximity to the victim, they
are never considered as suspects by Constable Ewan or the other locals.
Instead, as part of their jobs, they handle this situation as they have before
with other murders and get to work with the removal of the body, the autopsy,
and the investigation of the crime.
So, if they did not do it, then who did?
That is the question that Constable Ewan
and his team, along with the good doctor and Abigail must answer. A second
murder soon happens and that ratchets up the pressure. At the same time, other things
are going on and the good doctor is getting threats and more.
The latest in the series is another good
read. I recommend reading the series in order from the beginning as significant
character development has happened over the course of the series and relationships
have changed and evolved. Those who are fans of Halloween, or All Hallows Eve,
will get far more out of this read than those of us who don’t care for any of
it at all.
A very good read in a very good cozy
mystery series, Death at a Scottish Halloween: A Scottish Isle Mystery
by Lucy Connelly is well worth your time.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4eFU5wu
Entire Series Amazon Associate Purchase
Link: https://amzn.to/4uA7nj6
My digital ARC came from the publisher, Crooked
Lane Books, through NetGalley, with no expectation of a positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
Saturday, August 08, 2026
KRL Update
Up on KRL this week the latest Mystery Coming Attractions from Victoria Fair https://kingsriverlife.com/08/08/mystery-current-coming-attractions-august-2026/
And a review and giveaway of "The Lies Between the Lines" by Sheila Lowe https://kingsriverlife.com/08/08/the-lies-between-the-lines-by-sheila-lowe/
And a review and giveaway of "A Delicious Deception" by Lucy Burdette, along with a yummy recipe for Snickerdoodles from Lucy https://kingsriverlife.com/08/08/a-delicious-deception-by-lucy-burdette/
We also have a review and giveaway of "Invitation to Murder" by Carol Floriani, along with an interesting interview with Carol https://kingsriverlife.com/08/08/invitation-to-murder-by-carol-floriani/
Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and ebook giveaway of "Murder by Meringue" by Greta Sinclair https://www.krlnews.com/2026/08/murder-by-meringue-by-greta-sinclair.html
And a review and ebook giveaway of "Sifting Through Secrets" by Catherine Bruns https://www.krlnews.com/2026/08/sifting-through-secrets-by-catherine.html
Happy reading,
Lorie
Beneath the Stains of Time: She Walks at Night (1948) by Seishi Yokomizo
Beneath the Stains of Time: She Walks at Night (1948) by Seishi Yokomizo: Back in May, Pushkin Vertigo released their eighth Kosuke Kindaichi novel, Yoru aruku ( She Walks at Night , 1948), written by the patriarc...
Scott's Take: Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher (The Saint of Steel series)
Paladin’s Grace
by T. Kingfisher is the first book in the series, The Saint of Steel. It is also
set in the overarching “The World of the White Rat” universe that covers
several different series.
Stephen, the main male character, is a Paladin that
has fallen in to depression. What is a Paladin, you ask? A Paladin is usually a
heroic figure that derives their powers from a god. They are the knights of a
God. For want of a better way of putting it, they have a sort of psychic spiritual
connection to a god that gives them powers, guidance, and support.
The Saint of Steel (a god) is considered dead since
his prescence is no longer felt by his followers. Many of those psychically
connected followers having lost that connection, became adrift, and could not
handle the loss of the presence of the god. Some died in battle. Some went completely
insane. Many of them killed themselves.
As the book opens three years later, Stephen and 6
others remain, and have united together to survive. Stephen stumbles into an assassination
plot that involves a local perfume maker named Grace. Soon Stephen and others
are attempting to uncover the truth of what is going on. Additionally, Stephen
is also involved in the secondary storyline involving murders and decapitation.
This is a romance fantasy book that follows
Kingfisher’s usual plot beats. So, you get a lot of character development,
action, comedy, romance, and characters dealing with their past. As expected,
the read is a fantasy featuring romance type characters in their mid-thirties or
so in a medieval style world. Her books are a little repetitive and follow a sort
of template that applies across multiple series.
It usually takes me to Chapter Five before I start
liking the characters enough to stay with the read. Despite what you read on
the synopsis on Goodreads and elsewhere, the idea of the god being dead is not
a substantial part of the book. Some plot threads lead into the next book, Paladin’s Strength.
There are currently 4 books out in this series and 3
more planned. There are also several other
series that tie into this series. So, there is a lot to read if you are
interested in this type of book.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3T0RIMw
I read this in digital format by way of the Libby/Overdrive
App through the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2026
Friday, August 07, 2026
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Puck by Samantha Allen
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Puck by Samantha Allen: Reviewed by Kristin Puck is a queer non - binary thirty-year-old who has made great strides in their career as the producer of “Homewreck...
In Reference to Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books: The Spoilt Kill
In Reference to Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books: The Spoilt Kill: Mary Theresa Coolican Kelly (1927-2017) was born in London but ended up a Scotland gal. She received an M.A. degree from University of Edinb...
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: DEAD AND GONE
Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: DEAD AND GONE: Dead and Gone by Andrew Vachss (2000) In addition to being a child protection consultant and an attorney exclusively representing children...
In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange
In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange: This Saturday, August 8, award-winning short crime fiction writers Barb Goffman, Josh Pachter, and Michael Bracken will lead the free online...
Review: Dark Harbor: A Detective Justice Novel by Bruce Robert Coffin
Dark Harbor: A Detective Justice
Novel
by Bruce Robert Coffin is the latest read in an excellent police procedural series
that began with Crimson
Thaw. As
always, it is best to read in order though one could start here if you really
wanted to do so.
Granville Warren III is wealthy and one
of those guys who has to make sure everyone knows he has the best of everything.
He has the best house, the best car, the best boat, and certainly the best wife.
The former Lily Marshall is his third wife and is far younger and very beautiful.
After a day of sailing, they have returned to their mansion in Maine and are
planning on going out to dinner.
That plan died, along with Granville
Warren III, within minutes of their arrival home thanks to the intruders in the
mansion. He died, as did one of the intruders, and that is the latest case for
Maine State Police Detective Brock Justice and his partner, Detective Chole
Wright, and the rest of their team.
According to the wife who was found by
local responding police officers wearing a bloody bathrobe and holding a gun,
she shot and killed the intruder after he had shot her husband. The Warren’s
were very wealthy and the local power brokers in the community. Everyone knew
them and often had jobs because of them or some other very strong connection.
That includes the local police chief who was very tight with them as the couple
routinely donated funds and equipment to the local small department.
That local dynamic makes the
investigation more difficult. One of several difficulties that will rear their
ugly heads in Dark Harbor: A Detective Justice Novel.
This is a great police procedural series. Led by the main character, Brock Justice, and numerous returning secondary characters, the read is complicated and a real page turning pleasure to read. Every book gives a little more on the background of Justice and others and this one is no exception.
Highly recommended, as is the entire series. This
read and the others are available on Kindle Unlimited.
Amazon Associate Series Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4bfNpTR
My digital ARC came directly from the
publisher, Severn River Publishing, with no expectation of a positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
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