Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Lesa's Book Critiques: Author Interview with Allyson Johnson

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Author Interview with Allyson Johnson

Mystery Fanfare: MURDER IN WARTIME: Veterans Day

Mystery Fanfare: MURDER IN WARTIME: Veterans Day: For Veterans Day , I thought I'd post a link to  Mystery Readers Journal: Murder in Wartime . Check out the Table of Contents and li...

Jim Nesbitt Reviews: An Ink-Stained Killing: Greed, Betrayal, Murder And A New York Tabloid

 Jim Nesbitt Reviews: An Ink-Stained Killing: Greed, Betrayal, Murder And A New York Tabloid

Happiness Is A Book: A Reader’s Guide to the Classic British Mystery by Susan Oleksiw

 Happiness Is A Book: A Reader’s Guide to the Classic British Mystery by Susan Oleksiw

SleuthSayers: BAMS BSP

SleuthSayers: BAMS BSP: Opening my computer signaled a typical day. A radio station in England and a book club in Hartford, Connecticut, threw electronic elbows, jo...

Jerry's House of Everything: OVERLOOKED FILM: THE UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX (1999)

Jerry's House of Everything: OVERLOOKED FILM: THE UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX (1999):  Emily Pollifax, widow and senior citizen, decides to leave her comfortable and predictable life and joins the CIA.  Through a misunderstand...

Publication Day Review: The Taken Ones: A J.P Beaumont Novel by J. A. Jance


The Taken Ones: A J.P Beaumont Novel by J.A. Jance features a large cast of characters, a horrible multistate missing person case, and a slow-moving tale of greed and deceit. One also wonders if this is the last one in the series. If so, it ends well.

 

It is late May 2025 as the book opens with J.P. Beaumont and his family in Bellingham, Washington. His wife, Melissa Socmes, has just retired from being chief of police for the city of Bellingham. His grandson, Kyle Cartwright, was one of the rookies sworn in by the police chief yesterday shortly before her duties ended. The public side of things is over. Today is for a private party that is part family reunion and part retirement celebration. Everything is to be kept from Mel and Kyle and J.P. might have pulled it off. After the party, Mel and J.P. will head out to Calgary, Cananda, on a vacation trip.

 

At the same time, a friend that J.P. met awhile back while working a case in Alaska, has a lot going on in her life as well. Twinkle Winkleman is at home, running her auto repair business, taking care of her grandson and more. A long-time client, Art Holt, comes to see her.

 

He does not need a mechanic; he needs an investigator and help. His granddaughter, Regina, has gone missing.  Everybody calls her Gina. A brilliant student, she is in college, and went to Seattle where she is supposed to have an internship. It’s been several days since she allegedly arrived at the airport in Seattle and subsequently vanished. The police have been zero help. Because of what Twinkle was able accomplish when she went through something similar a few years back, Art Holt has come to see her to seek her advice on what to do next.

 

She has some ideas. After promising Art she will help before sending him on his way, she reaches out to J.P. Beaumont, former detective and current private investigator, and ask him to help.

 

He does and reaches out for help through his contacts. Beaumont still has contacts and through those contacts he is able to get the ball rolling on the case. What gradually evolves is a tale of multiple brilliant young women being taken for some unknown purpose. The cases are spaced out and occurring all over the country. So local law enforcement has no idea that their solitary case is part of a nationwide network of cases. Until J.P. and his wife, Mel, start putting pieces together.

 

The Taken Ones: A J.P Beaumont Novel by J.A. Jance is a complicated tale full of a large cast of characters, each with their own point of view. Those points of view shift with each chapter as pieces of the tale are related to the reader by the investigators, the captive women, and others. That and all the exposition and backstory of several characters, makes for a very slow moving read for nearly two thirds of this book. The last third is a rocket trip to a finish and a satisfying conclusion.

 

While not one of the best reads in this long running series, the overall read is  enjoyable if you stick with it. It also ends well and provides a nice cap to the series if this is the final book.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4dVYACo 

 

Make sure you read Aubrey's review here. 


My digital ARC was provided by the publisher, William Morrow, through NetGalley, with no expectation of a positive review.

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2026

Monday, November 09, 2026

Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2026

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – The Best American Mystery and Suspense 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 Oscar winne...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Fetal Position by Carolyn Huynh (Advance Review)

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Fetal Position by Carolyn Huynh (Advance Review):   Fetal Position by Carolyn Huynh (publication date 12-1-26) Reviewed by Kristin Imagine if in just a few generations the global birth ...

Bitter Tea and Mystery: My Books from the 2026 Book Sale

Bitter Tea and Mystery: My Books from the 2026 Book Sale:   The Planned Parenthood Book Sale is held in September every year, and we have attended the sale for many years. The sale lasts ten days, a...

Jerry's House of Everything: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY TRAVERS!

Jerry's House of Everything: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY TRAVERS!: I am a child of the Sixties.  Little wonder that my idols are those show compassion, kindness, empathy, and common sense.  Mary Travers (193...

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: The Taken Ones: A J.P. Beaumont Novel by J. A. Jance

 

The prolific Judy Jance, who has four distinct crime fiction series to her credit, started with a book about Seattle homicide detective J. P. Beaumont in 1985. The 27th case of the retired detective turned private investigator is due to be released on 10 November 2026.

In The Taken Ones (Morrow, 2026) Beau’s network of former colleagues and associates gets a workout in this story of disappearing women kidnapped from various parts of the United States. The police do not take the missing persons reports from their families seriously, since all of them are responsible adults and there were no indications of violence. Beau is first contacted by a grandmother who is also an excellent vehicle mechanic in Alaska who had helped Beau when he was in the area on a missing person case years earlier. She had known Gina Holt, the granddaughter of close friends, since she was a child. The news that Gina had disappeared after traveling to Seattle for a summer internship at a prestigious architectural engineering firm stunned her. Then she thought to call Beau for help. On vacation in Calgary, Beau can still make a few phone calls to Seattle to jumpstart a search and to find someone in law enforcement to take the grandparents’ concerns seriously. He learns that the airport camera footage showed the young woman in the terminal after landing. What happened after that required more work to discover.

A knowledgeable IT friend sorted the thousands of missing persons reports filed across the nation, identifying all of the victims who were about Gina’s age. More filtering winnowed out a group of young women who disappeared in much the same way as Gina, giving Beau and his active law enforcement buddies the distinct impression some sort of mass kidnapping or trafficking ring was at work.

The revolving changes in narrative perspective from Beau to the kidnapped young women to one of the kidnappers to the Alaska vehicle mechanic who first alerted Beau and back again is a little distracting but the various points of view help fill in the background leading up to the kidnappings. A fast-moving story with a satisfying ending. A good addition to the series.

 


·         Publisher: ‎William Morrow

·         Publication date: ‎November 10, 2026

·         Language: ‎English

·         Print length: ‎368 pages

·         ISBN-10: 0063413124

·         ISBN-13: ‎978-0063413122

 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://link.amazon/B08DcObvH

 

 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2026

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.

Sunday, November 08, 2026

Lesa's Book Critiques: Is it Too Late to Make a Run for It? by Judi Dench with Brendan O’Hea

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Is it Too Late to Make a Run for It? by Judi Dench with Brendan O’Hea

Kathleen Kalb: Step Up Your Game

 Kathleen Kalb: Step Up Your Game

Little Big Crimes: How to Find a Lost Dog in the Woods, by Steve Hamilton

Little Big Crimes: How to Find a Lost Dog in the Woods, by Steve Hami...:  "How to Find a Lost Dog in the Woods," by Steve Hamilton, in The Strand Magazine, Issue 77, 2026. The magazine says this is Issu...

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: A Cornucopia of Great Reads from the Short Mystery Fiction Society

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: A Cornucopia of Great Reads from the Short Mystery...: The past few weeks have seen a virtual explosion of great new publications from the talented writers of the Short Mystery Fiction Society! L...

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Double Death of Frédéric Belot (1932) by Claude Aveline

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Double Death of Frédéric Belot (1932) by Claud...: Evgen Avstine was a French editor, poet, publisher and writer born to Russian-Jewish parents who wrote everything from non-fiction, poetry, ...

Deadline Extension: Hookers and Handguns: Crime Fiction Solved by Strippers, Streetwalkers and Other People of the Night

 

After a thorough review of all submissions, the submission period for Hookers and Handguns: Crime Fiction Solved by Strippers, Streetwalkers and Other People of the Night has been reopened. The new submission window deadline is 12/31/2026. The submission call at the website link below will be updated as soon as possible to reflect the new date. This is being done in order to, hopefully, be able to publish this anthology next year. To do that, there must be enough submissions that meet expectations.

 

Reminder….

 

Short stories should be between 3-5K though slightly longer would be considered.

Short stories submitted must have a beginning, middle, and end.

The sex worker(s) in the tale must be portrayed in a positive light. As expressly noted in the guidelines: “No strung out meth addicts, alcoholics, etc.”

There must be at least one sex worker in the tale and his or her job must be a vital aspect of the short story.

Any sex act in the tale should not be described in graphic detail. Erotica, within limits, is one thing, but X-Rated type stuff will not be accepted for publication.

 

For the complete guidelines, please read the posting at https://www.mistimedia.com/hah/

Saturday, November 07, 2026

Dru's Book Musings: New Releases ~ Week of November 8, 2026

 Dru's Book Musings: New Releases ~ Week of November 8, 2026 

Lesa's Book Critiques: Once Upon a Christmas Spell by Nora Roberts

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Once Upon a Christmas Spell by Nora Roberts

The Rap Sheet: Revue of Reviewers: 11-7-26

 The Rap Sheet: Revue of Reviewers: 11-7-26

KRL Update

Up on KRL this week reviews and giveaways of 3 more fun cozies for your fall tbr-"Murder at the Toy Soldier" A Cozy Capers Book Club Mystery by Maddie Day, "Death on the Books" A Blue Ridge Library Mystery by Victoria Gilbert, and "The Quilt Whisperer Investigates" by Peggy Ehrhart https://kingsriverlife.com/11/07/more-fun-cozies-for-your-fall-tbr/

And a review and giveaway of the latest Matthew Venn mystery novel from Ann Cleeves, "The Dying Light" https://kingsriverlife.com/11/07/the-dying-light-by-ann-cleeves/52


And a review and giveaway of "The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies" by Kate Westbury along with an interesting interview with Kate https://kingsriverlife.com/11/07/the-oxford-guide-to-scandal-and-lies-by-kate-westbury/


We also have the latest Mystery Coming Attractions from Victoria Fair https://kingsriverlife.com/11/07/mystery-current-coming-attractions-november-2026/


Up during the week we posted another special midweek guest post, this one by mystery author Kirill Khrestinin about writing their new book "Via Dolorosa" https://kingsriverlife.com/11/04/writing-redemption/


And another special midweek guest post. In this one mystery author Joe Cosentino interviews one of his main characters in his new book "Oh, Detective!" https://kingsriverlife.com/11/04/joe-cosentino-interviews-leading-character-detective-reese-franco-for-the-release-of-oh-detective/


Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and ebook giveaway of "No Bones About It" by Annie McEwen- https://www.krlnews.com/2026/11/no-bones-about-it-by-annie-mcewan.html


And a review and giveaway of "The Woman Who Wouldn't Die Quietly" by Katarina Bivald https://www.krlnews.com/2026/11/the-woman-who-wouldnt-die-quietly-by.html


And a review of "Twig's Traveling Tomes" by Gryffin Murphy. It's a fun a cozy fantasy with a touch of mystery and a little romance about a book witch with a traveling bookstore https://www.krlnews.com/2026/11/twigs-traveling-tomes-by-gryffin-murphy.html

 

Happy Reading,

Lorie 

Mystery Fanfare: GUY FAWKES MYSTERIES

Mystery Fanfare: GUY FAWKES MYSTERIES: Remember, remember!  The fifth of November  Another holiday, another list! We may not celebrate Guy Fawkes Night here in the...

SleuthSayers: YESes Are Like Buses

SleuthSayers: YESes Are Like Buses: Long ago I heard the following expression:  Opportunities are like buses. You wait for ages for one to come along, and then three show up at...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Some People by Parini Shroff

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Some People by Parini Shroff:   Reviewed by Jeanne Nathan Whitlock is startled to receive a call from the hospital about his mother-in-law, Malti Patel.   Well, soon ...

The Rap Sheet: Osman Earns Widespread Gratitude

 The Rap Sheet: Osman Earns Widespread Gratitude

Jerry's House of Everything: GREEN HORNET COMICS #7 (JUNE 1942)

Jerry's House of Everything: GREEN HORNET COMICS #7 (JUNE 1942): If you are a certain age, you cannot listen to Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee  without thinking of the Green Hornet. The Gree...

Scott's Take: Magik and Colossus: Bound by Blood by Ashley Allen, illustrated by German Peralta, Cover Design by David Nakayama


Magik and Colossus: Bound by Blood by Ashley Allen, illustrated by German Peralta, Cover Design by David Nakayama, collects the miniseries, Magik and Colossus. This is the latest Magik series by Ashley Allen who has done several of the Magik series to date.  

 

In this one, Colossus (Magik’s older brother) is dealing with the fallout of being mind controlled for several months. He was forced to kill his girlfriend, betray his friends, and pretty much destroy everything he has ever loved. He has always been big on self-sacrifice and seems to think death would be welcome at this point in his life. In this deep depression, he decides to return to his home country of Russia.

 

Magik just happens to return to Russia at the same time. The siblings reunite and soon stumble across monsters terrorizing Russia. Old creatures, myths, and more have returned to Russia. Instead of retreating to gather more X-Men (even though Magik is a teleporter and could return with back up in minutes) they two decide to handle this together. The estranged siblings are going to save Russia and, hopefully, deal with their issues.

 

Colossus has never forgiven himself for not saving Magik from being kidnapped by a demon. Because she was captured, she spent a number of years pf her life in Hell. Magik is mad still at Colossus that he has not accepted that she is part demon now whether they like it or not. She is also tired of Colossus willingness to die.

 

This is action packed adventure with Russian myths at the heart that also dives deep into both characters. Colossus has found his import reduced since the Juggernaut has become a hero,  thus most writers are picking the Juggernaut over Colossus as a team member. Then there is the fact that Colossus’s popularity, and relevance, has been eclipsed by his younger sister. So, this is a much-needed spotlight for the character. Additionally, Magik has broken out of her niche character status by becoming mainstream by playing prominent roles in several video games and being a core character in a lot of modern X-Men stories.

 

I really enjoyed this team up book and, as a fan of both characters, I am glad they got to team up. They are parting again, but hopefully future writers will continue their relationship.  This miniseries was good.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4hubBEj


 

I read this through Marvel Unlimited months ago. The trade was just released earlier this week.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2026

Friday, November 06, 2026

Lesa's Book Critiques: Chantelle Aimee Osman, Rest in Peace

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Chantelle Aimee Osman, Rest in Peace

SleuthSayers: James M. Cain

SleuthSayers: James M. Cain: James M. Cain was my gateway drug into crime fiction. Before Cain, I’d read Nelson Algren, whose novels, while often featuring criminals, wo...

Writer Beware: Anthropic Copyright Settlement: Some Things We’ve Learned

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Happiness Is A Book: Friday’s Forgotten Book: The Code-Letter Mystery by David Sharp

 Happiness Is A Book: Friday’s Forgotten Book: The Code-Letter Mystery by David Sharp

In Reference to Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books - This Rough Magic

In Reference to Murder: Friday's "Forgotten" Books - This Rough Magic: Mary Stewart (1916-2014) was born in Sunderland, County Durham, England and graduated from Durham University, later serving as a lecturer in...

Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: THE COBRA

Jerry's House of Everything: FORGOTTEN BOOK: THE COBRA: The Cobra  by "Maxwell Grant" (Walter B. Gibson)  (from The Shadow Magazine , April 1934; reprinted in The Shadow #7:  "The C...

Patricia Abbott: FFB: BLACK WATER, Joyce Carol Oates

 Patricia Abbott: FFB: BLACK WATER, Joyce Carol Oates

Lesa's Book Critiques: What Are You Reading?

 Lesa's Book Critiques: What Are You Reading?

In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange

In Reference to Murder: Mystery Melange: There's still time to register for the New England Clam Bake conference this weekend, November 7-8, in Dedham, Massachussetts, outside ...

Review: Thunderbird Ranch by Laura Griffin

 

When I realized that Laura Griffin, author of the very good Innocence Road, had a new book coming out, I put my request in on NetGalley. I would not have noticed if not for the awesome Lesa Holstine who brought it to my attention. She did, I went and looked, and soon was approved. While I liked that book more, this one is also a solidly good read.

 

Like Innocence Road, Thunderbird Ranch has a strong female detective being marginalized by her boss. The read also has a lot going on and gets very complicated very fast.

 

As Thunderbird Ranch opens, Lilian Lasko is going with her boyfriend, Will, to meet the family. It is a Friday, deep in the searing heat of a Texas summer, and the day before a birthday party for his widowed mom. Faye’s birthday also will mark the one-year anniversary since her husband, Will’s father, died. It has been a horrible year, the ranch has major issues that some point on the old barn will not fix, and the drought that is searing Texas is taking a toll everything. At least part of the place is still looking good thanks to the reach of a spring fed creek.

 

Faye Bowen McCann is a strong-willed woman and certainly does not seem to be devasted by grief, no matter what Will said. Faye McCann is not impressed with Lilian and has the resources to address that issue. She also has big plans for the ranch. Plans that Will’s brother and sister do not like at all. They also do not seem to care for Lilian at all.

 

Then there is Sheriff’s Deputy Kate Graham. Late one day she has been out at Mason’s Quarry chasing away beer drinking kids from an adjoining county. Dispatch calls her on her cell phone to tell her that the sheriff wants her to get out to Thunderbird Ranch immediately. He won’t say why, but did tell dispatch to tell her to keep it off the radio.

 

Once Deputy Graham gets out there and finds the sheriff, she realizes he said to keep it off the radio for good reason. There has been a murder.

 

Before long, Sheriff Bruce Hard has made her the lead detective of the case. A case that gets more and more complicated as the pressure from the Sheriff as well as the District Attorney demand it be solved. This is her first murder case, and it easily could be her last, for more than one reason.

 

A complicated read full of interesting characters, Thunderbird Ranch is well worth your time.

 


 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://link.amazon/B0eWgiHxl

 

 

My digital ARC came from the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, through NetGalley, with no expectation of a positive review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2026

Thursday, November 05, 2026

Thursday Treats 11/05/2026

Some reading opportunities of interest this week.

 


Black Cat Weekly #270 is out. This final issue includes short stories by SMFS list members Michael Bracken (Zombie Girl’s Temporary Agency and Spare Parts Emporium), Barb Goffman (Just One Twist) and Paula Messina (The Closer). The cover story is by SMFS list member  Robert Jeschonek (The Biggest Grudge of All). You can pick up the final issue here.

 

Personal note: I am very sad to see this end. John Bentacourt was great to work with and I wish I had submitted more to him. My short story, A Plan Comes Together, appeared in BCW #254. You can pick up the issue here.

 

Speaking of stuff I have been involved with, Santa Rage II: Another Killer Claus Compendium, is on the way and available for preorder. I announced the TOC Sunday, but thought I would mention it here as well. In alphabetical order,  John T. Aquino (The Bad Side of Santa Claus), Madison Blackwell (The Contract), Ron Clyburn (Jingle Bell Justice), Michael Ferreter (Get What You Need), John M. Floyd (Up On The Roof), Tom Haftmann (Christmas Week at the North Pole), Geoff Holder (All l Want For Christmas Is An Ass Tattoo), April Kelly (The Devil's In The Details), Beverle Graves Myers (Slay Ride), Pat Remick (The Throuple Claus(e)), Kevin R. Tipple (Second Contact),  and Christine Verstraete with “Nick's Secrets.”

 


SMFS list member Pam Ebel announced that her short story, The Thrill is Gone!, was published online at Kings River Life Magazine. A Halloween related tale, you can read it for free here. While there, you can also read fellow SMFS list member Debra Bliss Saenger’s short story, Knocking on a Heathen’s Door, here.

 


Speaking of KRL, the most recent Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast was Halloween themed and featured SMFS list member  Leslie Budewitz. The mystery short story, Pepper Reece and the Ghost of Arthur Goodwin, runs a little over 12 minutes. You can listen, for free, here.

 


SMFS list member Abe Margel announced that his short story, Weather Report, was published online at Mystery Tribune. You can read it, for free, here.

 



Another free online read is Umbrea Magazine. SMFS list member John M. Floyd announced that his short story, Rainbow's End, had been published here. Fellow SMFS list member Martin Hill Ortiz also announced his short story, Eyetooth, had been published and was free to read here.

 


SMFS list member H.K. Slade announced that his short story, Dodging a Train, had been published by Close to the Bone Magazine. You can read the tale, for free, here. You can also read some background on the story at the author’s website.

 

SMFS list member James Patrick Focarile announced that his short story, Some Other Time, appeared at the substack, Rat Bag. You can read the 300 word story, for free, here.

 


SMFS list member
Veronica Leigh announced that her novel, Eye For An Eye: A Lady Sheriff Mystery, had been published. The first of a planned trilogy, the read was released by Level Books-Historia, and is available at Amazon and other vendors.

 


Author J. R. Lindermuth announced on Facebook that his novel, A Favored Child: A Sheriff Syl Tilghman Book, was now out. This is the fifth read in the Sheriff Syl Tilghman series and is published by Sunbury Press. You can pick it up at Amazon , where it is also part of the Kinlde+ program or direct from the publisher.

 


A reminder that Mystery Fanfare: Mystery Readers Journal: Cross-Genre Mysteries is now available for purchase. SMFS list members Kaye George (My Ghost Mystery) and donalee Moulton (Trials and Tribulations of Researching Life -- and Death -- in 1734) publicly announced on the list their presence in the read. Lots of other familiar names contributed pieces to the read. Learn more at the website.

 



Also, Crimeucopia - Objection! Overruled!! is now out from Murderous Ink Press. The anthology includes short stories by Wil A. Emerson (Three Strikes—You’re Out) and John M. Floyd (Nothing but the Truth). The read is available at Amazon and other vendors.

 


Author Maryann Miller announced on Twitter that her new book, Second Chances And Other Stories, is now available for preorder. Published by MCM Enterprises, the read is about characters experiencing life in many different ways. Scheduled to be published on November 24rth, when it will also be available on Kindle+, the read can be purchased now on Amazon.

 

 

Until  next time…

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2026

Wednesday, November 04, 2026

Lesa's Book Critiques: The Devilish Duke’s Rejected Wife by Eloisa James

 Lesa's Book Critiques: The Devilish Duke’s Rejected Wife by Eloisa James

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Mystery of Hunting's End (1930) by Mignon G. Eberhart

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Mystery of Hunting's End (1930) by Mignon G. E...: Last year, I reviewed Mignon G. Eberhart ' s From This Dark Stairway (1931), fourth in the Nurse Keath and Lance O'Leary series, wh...

SleuthSayers: What Are You Wearing?

SleuthSayers: What Are You Wearing?: What are you wearing? Such an interesting question. Or at least it can be. It could be asked in a horrified tone--imagine a mom seeing her...

The First Two Pages: “Randy Scouse Git” by Holly West

 The First Two Pages: “Randy Scouse Git” by Holly West

George Kelly: WEDNESDAY’S SHORT STORIES #295: THE LADY WAS A TRAMP: THE PET RAFFIGAN STORIES By Harry Whittington

 George Kelly: WEDNESDAY’S SHORT STORIES #295: THE LADY WAS A TRAMP: THE PET RAFFIGAN STORIES By Harry Whittington

Jerry's House of Everything: SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: PARLOUR TRICKS

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Happiness Is A Book: And One Cried Murder by Lee Thayer

 Happiness Is A Book: And One Cried Murder by Lee Thayer

Lesa's Book Critiques: Have Courage: Longmire Stories by Craig Johnson

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Have Courage: Longmire Stories by Craig Johnson

Short Story Wednesday Review: A Dark Place and Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories by Linda Castillo


A Dark Place and Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories by Linda Castillo opens with every parent’s nightmare. 12-year-old Aaron Kuhns and 11-year-old Kevin Dennison are missing. As the night goes on and the weather gets worse, it is all hands-on deck for the small police force in Painter’s Mill, Ohio, led by Kate Burkholder.  The kids have to be found.

 

A missing child is also  in play in “Disappeared.” The youngest child of Joseph and Emma Kline, a toddler, is missing. The child might have wandered outside and could have easily gotten to the nearby Painters Creek. Or be lost elsewhere on their Amish farm.

 

Merle Beachy was just trying to get home in “Blood Moon.” The buggy is on the way home down backroads as the fog gets thicker when everything goes wrong. The horse got spooked and bolted, the buggy crashed, he got attacked, and now dispatch is waking up the chief with the call for help out at the Levi Miller Farm.

 

Eddie Chupp is harvesting pumpkins as “Hallowed Ground” begins. The harvest is a good one. He’s happy and enjoying the day until his dog gets into something in the field.  The dog won’t stop digging. Eddie goes to see what the dog has found and thinks that it is a human bone.

 

And arsonist has done their work as “Dark Storm Rising” begins. Just days later, Kate Burkholder and John Tomasetti, BCI agent, are on the way to their honeymoon cabin somewhere close to Lake Erie. Sugar Maple Cabins is owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Nisley. They are also having some trouble as one of their cabins was burned down recently.

 

A derecho is a terrifying and destructive weather event. Here in NE Dallas, we are blasted by one a few years ago. The result was a multi-day power outage that made me sick from the heat and widespread damage. They are far more common in the Midwest, places like Ohio. One has hit “A Dark Path” and people are missing. It might not be just the fault of the weather either.

 

I have long been a fan of the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo. I was onboard long before she was famous and winning awards. Like the late Steven F. Havill, her books are set in a small town, feature diverse and complicated characters, and build upon each other. The primary characters become like family to the read as they go through their lives. The series is fluid and the same can be said of her latest short story collection.

 

If you are a new to this author, A Dark Path and Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories is a very good start. And if you are an old hand at the series, reading this is like coming home. Truly a balm for the soul and what ails you.

 


Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://link.amazon/B04oKRVqN

 

After being denied by the publisher, Minotaur Books last summer  on NetGalley, Lesa Holstine sent me her paperback review copy several months ago. I am grateful to her for sending me her copy to read and review. You should read her review as well.

 

Kevin R. Tipple  © 2026