Lesa's Book Critiques: The Perp Wore Pumpkin ed. by J. Alan Hartman

 Lesa's Book Critiques: The Perp Wore Pumpkin ed. by J. Alan Hartman

Short Story Wednesday Review: The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank

  

With Jay Hartman’s post below on Facebook last week, I thought I would run again my review of this volume. By the way, my short story, Chocked on Love, appears in the new volume coming soon.

 

“With so many federal employees going without paychecks and the number of people losing SNAP benefits, I thought it would be a good time to remind people about our anthology THE PERP WORE PUMPKIN, where 100% of the net proceeds from both the ebook and paperback go to Second Harvest Food Bank and Feeding America. Buying from our website or DriveThruFiction allows us to donate those funds immediately. Any other reseller we have to wait three months until the funds are paid to us. The second volume is arriving shortly!”

 

Edited by J. Alan Hartman, the recently released Misti Media anthology, The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, is a highly entertaining read. This is especially true if you like puns and slap stick humor. The book also includes four Thanksgiving related recipes offered by Jay’s sister, Lisa Lynn.

After a short introduction by Jay explaining why he did a charity anthology, and how it will help give back in many locations, it is on to the stories.

“The Thanksgiving Parade” by Sandra Murphy begins where two people are working undercover in a holiday parade. Both are very much undercover as one is costumed as a baked potato with fixings and the other as jellied cranberry sauce. They are not the only ones dressed as food items. They also may not be the only ones Arlo in a certain bank, the First Federal Bank of Orlo.

The Finley Family Thanksgivings are a notorious deal going back many years. It is happening again in “The Vic Wore Yams” by Heidi Hunter. The kitchen fire had caused a delay in meal prep. Then the narrator’s dad lacerated the heck out of a finger as he tried to carve the turkey. The dog got the meat the blood hit. But, the death at the table, and the resulting family commotion really brought things to a halt.

Janet saw the stumbling man from her third-floor window as “A Regular Harvest Moon Blowout” by Daniel Sohn begins. It is only as he gets closer to her apartment building in Columbia, Missouri, she realizes he is bleeding. She goes to help and he has been stabbed. Stanley Tiller appreciates the help. He also just wants to get back to his hotel room where he is supposed to be hosting the annual holiday dinner. She agrees to give him a ride and things get even more interesting.

“A Diverse Thanksgiving” by Debra H. Goldstein comes next where Warden Oscar P. Weiner is just trying to make it through his final two weeks to retirement without any problems. That includes never having to deal with inmate Joshua Randall ever again. While on paper he is an absolute model prisoner, Randall is always stealing from his office as he negotiates on behalf of his fellow inmates. This year, the annual thanksgiving dinner is not enough as he wants more than the usual fare. The latest round of negotiations is soon underway with Warden Weiner doing his best to control the damage and the outcome.

The rich tradition of hobos riding the rails is the background of “Hobo Hannah and the Great Pumpkin Heist” by Lesley A. Diehl. Hanna, her friend, Lily, and their Maine coon cat, T-rex, gave up the hobo life to go to home to where Hannah came from all those years ago. They did. Soon after, Hannah was elected sheriff and replaced the high school bully and sheriff, Hiram Noggins. The guy is still a bully and did not take losing well. He has made threats to expose her for being incompetent. Now pumpkins are vanishing from fields right before harvest and pumpkin products are being stolen from stores. The loss of everything pumpkin related could ruin Thanksgiving for everyone miles around.

 

The first two stories that specifically reference Texas author Earl Staggs come next with and begin with Barry’s Ergang’s groaner filled tale, “Buffet, the Umpire Slayer.” Normally, Hardy Boyle stays home on Thanksgiving eating tacos, drinking beer, and watching football. But, he was recently involved in the hunt for and rescue of the daughters of the managing partners of the talent agency, Binthair-Dunthat. Second rate actor, Macdonald Adamia, took them in misguided attempt to get acting jobs. Hardy Boyle solved the case and got the daughters rescued and back home. Now, one of the partners, Lucas Binthair, is having a holiday meal and celebration at a closed public restaurant and Hardy Boyle is in attendance. Good thing as when death strikes, Boyle’s friend, Detective Lieutenant Paul Ohnius handles the case at the Belladonna. An entertaining mystery that is packed full of groaners which is why Earl frequently referred to the author as the “Guru of Groaners.”

Bennet is less than thrilled to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He isn’t surprised his new son-in-law has screwed up and there is no turkey in “The Last Turkey in Tulsa” by Jim Fusilli. His daughter, Cammy, is quite upset. With her being married to a man that never even asked for her hand in marriage, Bennet thinks her new husband, Owen, should deal with it. Bennet’s wife, Charlene, thinks Daddy (Bennet) should help. So, like many a smarty married man before him, after some grumbling, Bennett sets out trying to help by trying to find a turkey for the holiday dinner. Far easier said than done at this late hour.

Dinner at Ann Marie’s is clearly going to be problematic and not just because the sister-in-law is not at all hygienic in “The Chile Pumpkin Pie Rebellion” by Linda Kay Hardie. Though that is now going to help our narrator deal with her verbally abusive husband, Jamie. How she goes about it, and all that she has to deal with to make things happen, is the crux of this short story that also references the late Texas author, Earl Staggs.

Every year Aunt Sadie makes pumpkin whoopie pies. The things are horrible because she substitutes ingredients at random giving them a horrible taste. In “Making Woopie” by Shari Held, it is that time of year again. The newest member of the family, Trevor, is about to experience the annual nightmare Hopefully this year great-great Aunt Sadie has not decided to substitute pickle chunks for pecans again or use salt instead of sugar. Something is coming and once again everybody assembled will just have to deal with it.

The final story is “Pie à la Poison: A Vermont Radio Mystery” by Nikki Knight and one with a far more serious tone and subtle humor. Jaye Jordan is divorced, a single mom, and back home in Vermont at the radio station, WSV. She first started out there just after college, and when everything went so wrong in NYC, she came back home and bought the station. With her daughter with her dad and his family on this Thanksgiving night, she is alone in the station and handling everything including the request line. The same phone line where an elderly woman has confessed to setting up a double murder. The question is whether Jaye Jordan can get authorities involved in enough time to stop it in this very good mystery tale.

One final recipe and the often extensively detailed bios of the authors brings this entertaining holiday anthology to a close. If you read the previous holiday anthologies edited by Jay Hartman and you liked them, you will definitely like this one. Many of the same authors are involved as are the usual elements of puns and slapstick humor. As always, the recipes are a nice touch for those cooking at home.

The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank is a fun and entertaining quick read. It features plenty of humor, action, and mystery, and thus leaves the reader well fed at the end.

Amazon Associates Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/48eP4Gq

 

My review copy came from the publisher, Misti Media, with no expectation of a review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2023, 2024, 2025

Short Story Wednesday Review: A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow Editor J. Alan Hartman

 

A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow was a read that stirred up a lot of feelings for me. As a writer, I knew there was absolutely no way I could conceive, write, and submit a story for consideration for this project as my late wife’s love for all things Barry Manilow made it impossible.

 

One small example of that reality for me—Back in the day, I changed the song “Mandy” to “Sandi.” I would often slow dance with her in our apartment kitchen when it came on and I would sing the song to her. I’m no singer—as a certain Junior High School music teacher made clear when she very loudly pronounced me “hopeless” and publicly gave up on me in front of everyone during the mandatory music class one day—so, I only did it for her in private. That would include coming home from chemo when it came on the radio as she slept on the nearly hour long drive home.

 

She was a huge fan and his music, along with Elton John, Neil Diamond, and a few others, was interwoven thickly into the fabric of our lives. With her gone, music remains pretty much dead to me as it is way too upsetting. The music of the 70s to the early 2000s was the us and Barry Manilow was a huge part of us. It all seems like a lifetime ago now.

 

This anthology by Editor J. Alan Hartman, published by White City Press earlier this year, plays homage to his music. There are sixteen short stories in the read. The Copacabana is directly referenced in several of the tales and briefly mentioned in a couple of others. Diversity on terms of characters and writing styles is present throughout the read. While all the tales are good ones, I did have some personal favorites. As always, my brief explanation of my favorite ones is written in such a way as to not generate spoilers. You can be assured that I just skim the surface and the tales are far more complicated than they may appear by my brief description. You can also be assured that, no doubt, your personal favorites may vary quite a but from mine. Such is the case with any anthology or short story collection.

 

Linda Kay Hardies’s “Rain as Cold as Ice” takes readers to Reno, Nevada, where the falling water from the sky is nasty. A conversation on a bus stop bench leads the reader to an unexpected event.

 

Adam Gorgoni’s “Radical Boys” is a tale of regret, pain, and what might have been if a different choice was made decades ago. It is also a redemption story, of sort, and a chance for a new beginning.

 

“I Write the Songs” by Maya St. Clair takes readers on an exploration of a long since abandoned club. At one time, the place was filled with music legends and patrons. Now it is full of water, rot and decay, and possibly something more in this highly atmospheric story.

 

A police procedural is at work in “The Daybreak Killer” by Matt McGee. The 30 something and very dead woman in the Los Angles club, “Flamenco,” is the latest case for Detectives Parmenter and Bernal. She even has yellow feathers in her hair. A reference that Detective Parmenter is not picking up on or any of the others that his far younger partner is pointing out.

 

“Ready to Take a Chance Again” by Kurtis Rupé makes extensive use of the current pollical climate to tell a tale that ius all too realistic. Bad things are happening in Marina Vista, California, and Geri is slowly putting the pieces together.

 

There are some short story writers that always make the read better by their presence. John M. Floyd is one of those rare breed. “Lonely Together” opens with a Russian and an American in a crowded nightclub in Moscow. The music and the vodka flows, as does their conversation that touches on Aristotle’s six elements of drama, and a lot more.

 

As you can see, my personal favorites make up nearly half of the read. That is not to say the others were not good. They are. I just happened to like these seven a bit more.

 

A nice touch here is the fact that each story has a header that explains what song inspired the tale and what album includes that song. The book closes with a detailed bio of each of the contributing authors.

 

A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow, edited by J. Alan Hartman, is an interesting and entertaining crime fiction read. For those of us of a certain age who can mentally hear each song as a story unfurls, we probably get more out of the book thanks to the memories of what were often better days than the here and now. There is plenty to read and enjoy here and the book is well worth your time.

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

 

Digital Review copy provided by the publisher sometime in March with no expectation of a review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Short Story Wednesday Review: The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank

With Jay Hartman’s recent Facebook announcement and I quote, “From now through November 30th, 100% of the net royalties of paperback and ebook sales through our store will be donated to Second Harvest Food Banks located in NW North Carolina where some of the worst damage was done from Hurricane Helene. Folks there still need your help!,” it seemed a good time to remind folks of this enjoyable read. Besides, we are about a month out from Thanksgiving, so there is that too. If you pick it up at the publisher, the Misti Media Bookstore, you can save a little bit and make your purchase dollars go further.

 

Edited by J. Alan Hartman, the recently released Misti Media anthology, The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, is a highly entertaining read. This is especially true if you like puns and slap stick humor. The book also includes four Thanksgiving related recipes offered by Jay’s sister, Lisa Lynn.

After a short introduction by Jay explaining why he did a charity anthology and how it will help give back in many locations, it is on to the stories.

“The Thanksgiving Parade” by Sandra Murphy begins where two people are working undercover in a holiday parade. Both are very much undercover as one is costumed as a baked potato with fixings and the other as jellied cranberry sauce. They are not the only ones dressed as food items. They also may not be the only ones Arlo in a certain bank, the First Federal Bank of Orlo.

The Finley Family Thanksgivings are a notorious deal going back many years. It is happening again in “The Vic Wore Yams” by Heidi Hunter. The kitchen fire had caused a delay in meal prep. Then the narrator’s dad lacerated the heck out of a finger as he tried to carve the turkey. The dog got the meat the blood hit. But, the death at the table, and the resulting family commotion really brought things to a halt.

Janet saw the stumbling man from her third-floor window as “A Regular Harvest Moon Blowout” by Daniel Sohn begins. It is only as he gets closer to her apartment building in Columbia, Missouri, she realizes he is bleeding. She goes to help and he has been stabbed. Stanley Tiller appreciates the help. He also just wants to get back to his hotel room where he is supposed to be hosting the annual holiday dinner. She agrees to give him a ride and things get even more interesting.

“A Diverse Thanksgiving” by Debra H. Goldstein comes next where Warden Oscar P. Weiner is just trying to make it through his final two weeks to retirement without any problems. That includes never having to deal with inmate Joshua Randall ever again. While on paper he is an absolute model prisoner, Randall is always stealing from his office as he negotiates on behalf of his fellow inmates. This year, the annual thanksgiving dinner is not enough as he wants more than the usual fare. The latest round of negotiations is soon underway with Warden Weiner doing his best to control the damage and the outcome.

The rich tradition of hobos riding the rails is the background of “Hobo Hannah and the Great Pumpkin Heist” by Lesley A. Diehl. Hanna, her friend, Lily, and their Maine coon cat, T-rex, gave up the hobo life to go to home to where Hannah came from all those years ago. They did. Soon after, Hannah was elected sheriff and replaced the high school bully and sheriff, Hiram Noggins. The guy is still a bully and did not take losing well. He has made threats to expose her for being incompetent. Now pumpkins are vanishing from fields right before harvest and pumpkin products are being stolen from stores. The loss of everything pumpkin related could ruin Thanksgiving for everyone miles around.

The first two stories that specifically reference Texas author Earl Staggs come next with and begin with Barry’s Ergang’s groaner filled tale, “Buffet, the Umpire Slayer.” Normally, Hardy Boyle stays home on Thanksgiving eating tacos, drinking beer, and watching football. But, he was recently involved in the hunt for and rescue of the daughters of the managing partners of the talent agency, Binthair-Dunthat. Second rate actor, Macdonald Adamia, took them in misguided attempt to get acting jobs. Hardy Boyle solved the case and got the daughters rescued and back home. Now, one of the partners, Lucas Binthair, is having a holiday meal and celebration at a closed public restaurant and Hardy Boyle is in attendance. Good thing as when death strikes, Boyle’s friend, Detective Lieutenant Paul Ohnius handles the case at the Belladonna. An entertaining mystery that is packed full of groaners which is why Earl frequently referred to the author as the “Guru of Groaners.”

Bennet is less than thrilled to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He isn’t surprised his new son-in-law has screwed up and there is no turkey in “The Last Turkey in Tulsa” by Jim Fusilli. His daughter, Cammy, is quite upset. With her being married to a man that never even asked for her hand in marriage, Bennet thinks her new husband, Owen, should deal with it. Bennet’s wife, Charlene, thinks Daddy (Bennet) should help. So, like many a smarty married man before him, after some grumbling, Bennett sets out trying to help by trying to find a turkey for the holiday dinner. Far easier said than done at this late hour.

Dinner at Ann Marie’s is clearly going to be problematic and not just because the sister-in-law is not at all hygienic in “The Chile Pumpkin Pie Rebellion” by Linda Kay Hardie. Though that is now going to help our narrator deal with her verbally abusive husband, Jamie. How she goes about it, and all that she has to deal with to make things happen, is the crux of this short story that also references the late Texas author, Earl Staggs.

Every year Aunt Sadie makes pumpkin whoopie pies. The things are horrible because she substitutes ingredients at random giving them a horrible taste. In “Making Woopie” by Shari Held, it is that time of year again. The newest member of the family, Trevor, is about to experience the annual nightmare Hopefully this year great-great Aunt Sadie has not decided to substitute pickle chunks for pecans again or use salt instead of sugar. Something is coming and once again everybody assembled will just have to deal with it.

The final story is “Pie à la Poison: A Vermont Radio Mystery” by Nikki Knight and one with a far more serious tone and subtle humor. Jaye Jordan is divorced, a single mom, and back home in Vermont at the radio station, WSV. She first started out there just after college, and when everything went so wrong in NYC, she came back home and bought the station. With her daughter with her dad and his family on this Thanksgiving night, she is alone in the station and handling everything including the request line. The same phone line where an elderly woman has confessed to setting up a double murder. The question is whether Jaye Jordan can get authorities involved in enough time to stop it in this very good mystery tale.

One final recipe and the often extensively detailed bios of the authors brings this entertaining holiday anthology to a close. If you read the previous holiday anthologies edited by Jay Hartman and you liked them, you will definitely like this one. Many of the same authors are involved as are the usual elements of puns and slapstick humor. As always, the recipes are a nice touch for those cooking at home.

The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank is a fun and entertaining quick read. It features plenty of humor, action, and mystery, and thus leaves the reader well fed at the end.

 

Amazon Associates Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/48eP4Gq

 

My review copy came from the publisher, Misti Media, with no expectation of a review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2023, 2024

Short Story Wednesday Review: Moon Shot: Murder And Mayhem On The Edge Of Space Editor J. Alan Hartman

While I have read something that I thought I would have reviewed today, I did not get the review done with the book signing events over the weekend and the toll it took on me. So, I decided that if I was going to offer a repeat for Short Story Wednesday, I would offer you my most popular review ever. Also rather fitting as the astronauts aboard the space station are doing space walks this week while a Chinese lander is on the way back to Earth after retrieving samples from the far side of the moon. While the book is no longer listed on the Untreed Reads website due to the change in ownership, Amazon still has it listed in digital format. I have the link for this great book at the bottom of the review.

 

As long as humans are involved in space exploration, crime is a distinct possibility. It is a common occurrence in this anthology of 14 short stories. Recently released by Untreed Reads, Moon Shot: Murder And Mayhem On The Edge Of Space proves that in space they may not hear you scream, but thanks to surveillance cameras and other technology they often see you kill.

 

 

 

According to editor Jay Hartman, the inspiration for the anthology was a story submitted by Suzanne Berube Rorhus several months ago. That story set abroad the International Space Station titled “A Murder Far From Home” starts off the anthology.  Chrissie Isaac is very much dead thanks to the slit in her carotid artery. With Atlantis docked to the station there are nine possible suspects on board and not one of them is a homicide detective. The beautiful Chrissie had been possibly borderline at her job, but she definitely was far better at creating drama and sexual tension. The ISS doctor has to determine who did the deed in a case where almost everyone had plenty of motive.

 

Beauregard wasn’t supposed to die. But, he did after what would have been routine surgery on Earth. Surgery at the Lunar Base is a far different thing in “Virtual Crimes, Real Consequences” by Elizabeth Hossang. An investigation is launched and Commander Ortiz is going to have to make some tough decisions.

 

Jack Bates is up next with “Rocket Garden” set at the NASA complex in Florida. It is night and the visitor center is closed. That is part of Jacob’s plan to deal with problem and the easiest part. Everything else is kind of up in the air including the large moon that illuminates all.

 

 

Mars make the first appearance in the anthology in “Where Egos Collide” by Laird Long.  Dr. Lazar wants to surrender to the warden of the “Martian Territory Correctional Facility.” He claims to be the same Dr. Lazar that is, according to reports, the one who has threatened to move the Earth from its orbit unless the United States pays him ten billion dollars. This Dr. Lazar wants protective custody. Unfortunately for him, they already have in protective custody another Dr. Lazar who seems to know everything.

 

Homicide Detectives as well as cops in general are nearly obsolete thanks to advances in technology and computers. Those few homicide detectives left are referred to as “Fedoras.”  In this story of the same name by Jeremy K. Tyler Detective Stone is human with a few cybernetic enhancements. Something bad had happened onboard The Caledonia that has resulted in four fatalities. What happened is just one of the things Detective Stone has to figure out.

 

“Mayhem on Mars” by E. Lynn Hooghiemstra features a crew that is slipping over the edge. Things are going wrong with critical systems and Saskia hasn’t been able to fix the problems on a permanent basis. The personnel involved are also failing at important times and despite all their training are having emotional crises. If Saskia can’t figure out what is happening everyone will be dead –-one way or another. 

 

Michael has a serious problem in “At the Corner of Night and Nowhere” by Toby Speed. His wealthy wife wants out of the marriage and to return to Earth. Mary Beth has it all planned out and makes it very clear she is done with the marriage as well as life on Mars. Now, Michael has to figure out what to do as the clock ticks down to her departure.

 

Pickpocketing is just one of the things at work in “On Gossamer Wings” by Wenda Morrone.  Little J knows how to move things through Penn Station and bypass the cops. The guy wearing the Star Trek pin would do well to listen. An upcoming moon shot could be at stake in this alternative history story.

 

It is supposed to be a relaxing evening at home. A little wine, a little music, and off to bed in “Crime of Passion” by Suzanne Derham Cifarelli. That was until the intercom buzzed and ruined things for Amelia McGhee. At least she is still alive. According to detectives from the settlement police, Mr. Henry Watkins, colleague at the high school, has been murdered.  Just like on Earth, on Mars, the cops want you down to the station immediately and answer questions.

 

Being the great grandson of the wealthy founder of the Moon colony has its privileges. The very privileged Henry Compton, Junior, has a problem and would like Mr. Tybalt Kenyon to help him in “The Case of Frankenstein and Spanish Nun” by Andrew MacRae.  The family put Henry Compton in charge of the only library on the moon and, despite their attempt to put Junior somewhere he would do no harm, a book has gone missing. Not just missing, but stolen for ransom. With over twenty thousand people at the base, finding the suspect or suspects and retrieving the book without paying the ransom first may be impossible.

 

Detective Ba has a strange case in “Downhill Slide” by Jeff Howe. Six weeks out from an automatic promotion a return to Earth, the detective has a murder mystery to solve at the deep space mining operation known as Ceres Station One. The beautiful Eliso Espinosa has killed her husband according to the records and her confession. But, she didn’t.

 

For the past eight years a special day for killing has been designated in this tale from Percy Spurlark Parker. “Death Day” is about to happen again and private investigator Max Pomeroy doesn’t have a target in mind. That is until Roget Byoyack walks in and wants to hire Pomeroy to keep him alive. It’s going to be a challenge and one the first vice president of finance for the Mars Mineral Mines Corporation can well afford.

 

It is a huge discovery in “Goodbye Moon” by Mary McCarroll White and Jay Taylor made it.  While Jay’s personal life is a mess this space scientist knows what is happening on the moon.  An object that has fascinated him for years and one with that he is going to share one final link.

 

Sneezing can be a problem in space when one is in the suit. It should not be a problem when one is working inside the moon base. In “Moon Dust” a simple sneeze has proven fatal for Robert Egan who has been ejected out an air lock. Parker Morgan and Cassidy Diaz have to figure out what went wrong and put a stop to it in this story by Lance Zarimba. After all, “In Space, no one can hear you sneeze.”

 

The book closes with brief biographies of each of the authors.

 

The fourteen stories in this anthology are all good ones and showcase a lot of variety in the book. Some are harder edged mystery reads than others while some lean heavily on technology as compared to other ones. Moon Shot: Murder And Mayhem On The Edge Of Space makes it clear that wherever humans go, murder and mayhem will follow. It is only a question of time---and opportunity.

 

 

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

 

 

Material supplied by the Editor in exchange for my objective review.

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013, 2024

Little Big Crimes: Come On Eileen, by Joseph S. Walker

Little Big Crimes: Come On Eileen, by Joseph S. Walker:  "Come On Eileen," by Joseph S. Walker, in (I Just) Died in Your Arms, edited by J. Alan Hartman, White City Press, 2024. Minor c...

Short Story Wednesday Review: The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank

 

Edited by J. Alan Hartman, the recently released Misti Media anthology, The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, is a highly entertaining read. This is especially true if you like puns and slap stick humor. The book also includes four Thanksgiving related recipes offered by Jay’s sister, Lisa Lynn.

After a short introduction by Jay explaining why he did a charity anthology and how it will help give back in many locations, it is on to the stories.

“The Thanksgiving Parade” by Sandra Murphy begins where two people are working undercover in a holiday parade. Both are very much undercover as one is costumed as a baked potato with fixings and the other as jellied cranberry sauce. They are not the only ones dressed as food items. They also may not be the only ones Arlo in a certain bank, the First Federal Bank of Orlo.

The Finley Family Thanksgivings are a notorious deal going back many years. It is happening again in “The Vic Wore Yams” by Heidi Hunter. The kitchen fire had caused a delay in meal prep. Then the narrator’s dad lacerated the heck out of a finger as he tried to carve the turkey. The dog got the meat the blood hit. But, the death at the table, and the resulting family commotion really brought things to a halt.

Janet saw the stumbling man from her third-floor window as “A Regular Harvest Moon Blowout” by Daniel Sohn begins. It is only as he gets closer to her apartment building in Columbia, Missouri, she realizes he is bleeding. She goes to help and he has been stabbed. Stanley Tiller appreciates the help. He also just wants to get back to his hotel room where he is supposed to be hosting the annual holiday dinner. She agrees to give him a ride and things get even more interesting.

“A Diverse Thanksgiving” by Debra H. Goldstein comes next where Warden Oscar P. Weiner is just trying to make it through his final two weeks to retirement without any problems. That includes never having to deal with inmate Joshua Randall ever again. While on paper he is an absolute model prisoner, Randall is always stealing from his office as he negotiates on behalf of his fellow inmates. This year, the annual thanksgiving dinner is not enough as he wants more than the usual fare. The latest round of negotiations is soon underway with Warden Weiner doing his best to control the damage and the outcome.

The rich tradition of hobos riding the rails is the background of “Hobo Hannah and the Great Pumpkin Heist” by Lesley A. Diehl. Hanna, her friend, Lily, and their Maine coon cat, T-rex, gave up the hobo life to go to home to where Hannah came from all those years ago. They did. Soon after, Hannah was elected sheriff and replaced the high school bully and sheriff, Hiram Noggins. The guy is still a bully and did not take losing well. He has made threats to expose her for being incompetent. Now pumpkins are vanishing from fields right before harvest and pumpkin products are being stolen from stores. The loss of everything pumpkin related could ruin Thanksgiving for everyone miles around.

The first two stories that specifically reference Texas author Earl Staggs come next with and begin with Barry’s Ergang’s groaner filled tale, “Buffet, the Umpire Slayer.” Normally, Hardy Boyle stays home on Thanksgiving eating tacos, drinking beer, and watching football. But, he was recently involved in the hunt for and rescue of the daughters of the managing partners of the talent agency, Binthair-Dunthat. Second rate actor, Macdonald Adamia, took them in misguided attempt to get acting jobs. Hardy Boyle solved the case and got the daughters rescued and back home. Now, one of the partners, Lucas Binthair, is having a holiday meal and celebration at a closed public restaurant and Hardy Boyle is in attendance. Good thing as when death strikes, Boyle’s friend, Detective Lieutenant Paul Ohnius handles the case at the Belladonna. An entertaining mystery that is packed full of groaners which is why Earl frequently referred to the author as the “Guru of Groaners.”

Bennet is less than thrilled to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He isn’t surprised his new son-in-law has screwed up and there is no turkey in “The Last Turkey in Tulsa” by Jim Fusilli. His daughter, Cammy, is quite upset. With her being married to a man that never even asked for her hand in marriage, Bennet thinks her new husband, Owen, should deal with it. Bennet’s wife, Charlene, thinks Daddy (Bennet) should help. So, like many a smarty married man before him, after some grumbling, Bennett sets out trying to help by trying to find a turkey for the holiday dinner. Far easier said than done at this late hour.

Dinner at Ann Marie’s is clearly going to be problematic and not just because the sister-in-law is not at all hygienic in “The Chile Pumpkin Pie Rebellion” by Linda Kay Hardie. Though that is now going to help our narrator deal with her verbally abusive husband, Jamie. How she goes about it, and all that she has to deal with to make things happen, is the crux of this short story that also references the late Texas author, Earl Staggs.

Every year Aunt Sadie makes pumpkin whoopie pies. The things are horrible because she substitutes ingredients at random giving them a horrible taste. In “Making Woopie” by Shari Held, it is that time of year again. The newest member of the family, Trevor, is about to experience the annual nightmare Hopefully this year great-great Aunt Sadie has not decided to substitute pickle chunks for pecans again or use salt instead of sugar. Something is coming and once again everybody assembled will just have to deal with it.

The final story is “Pie à la Poison: A Vermont Radio Mystery” by Nikki Knight and one with a far more serious tone and subtle humor. Jaye Jordan is divorced, a single mom, and back home in Vermont at the radio station, WSV. She first started out there just after college, and when everything went so wrong in NYC, she came back home and bought the station. With her daughter with her dad and his family on this Thanksgiving night, she is alone in the station and handling everything including the request line. The same phone line where an elderly woman has confessed to setting up a double murder. The question is whether Jaye Jordan can get authorities involved in enough time to stop it in this very good mystery tale.

One final recipe and the often extensively detailed bios of the authors brings this entertaining holiday anthology to a close. If you read the previous holiday anthologies edited by Jay Hartman and you liked them, you will definitely like this one. Many of the same authors are involved as are the usual elements of puns and slapstick humor. As always, the recipes are a nice touch for those cooking at home.

The Perp Wore Pumpkin: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank is a fun and entertaining quick read. It features plenty of humor, action, and mystery, and thus leaves the reader well fed at the end.

Pick it up at Amazon, at other vendors, or at the publisher where the price is a little lower. Also check out Jay's short video regarding the book here on the Misti Media YouTube page. 

 

My review copy came from the publisher, MistiMedia, with no expectation of a review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2023

Short Story Wednesday Review: Flash And Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology Edited by J. Alan Hartman

From the massive archive…

 

After watching the success of anthologies from other writers groups have had in recent months, the members of the Short Mystery Fiction Society embarked on their own anthology. Over three hundred entries were whittled down to the final nineteen tales showcased in the book. Variety is the key in Flash And Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology. Edited by J. Alan Hartman, the read features tales that cross time as well as space in terms of geographic locations.

 

After a short introduction by current SMFS President Jan Christensen, it is on to the stories. Herschel Cozine leads things off with his flash tale “The Perfect Crime.”  Imagine, if you will, all of the great fictional detectives gathered together to discuss one case.

 

Bobbie A. Chukran comes next with “The Conflagration at the Nameless Cotton Gin.” The title easily enough explains what happened, but the why of the event is a bit more complicated.

 

“Murder on Elm Street” by Su Kopil comes next with a tale where a power outage on a brutally cold night drives nearby neighbors to the one house that has power. It is fitting on a night such as this that it is time for a twenty-two year old cold case to be finally solved.

 

P. A. Devoe takes readers back in time to a China of long ago in “Fireworks (From Judge Lu’s Ming Dynasty Case Files)". During the annual celebration of the monk Li Tian and his invention of fireworks, Lu is informed there has been a death at the nearby shop of the Lie brothers out on Xiao Di Road. The accident requires the immediate attention and investigation by Judge Lu.

 

Receiving unwanted attention from a bag lady is not a good thing. Even if she does give good advice in “The Bag Lady” by Laurie Stevens.

 

The chaos of a rapidly moving wildfire might be the perfect time to murder someone and get away with it. Tim Wohlforth examines the possibilities in “Sierra Noir.”

 

The Vikings have harnessed steam power in this alternative history mystery titled “Thor’s Breath” by Suzanne Berube Rorhus. It is the year of the Christian Lord 627, and this small area of coastal Norway has one mechanical healer by the name of Hamarr. He is possession of a magical new material from the Far East that has wonderfully intriguing possibilities if it can be harnessed.

 

Debbie and her companion, Arthur, have a job to do at Detweiller Industries. “Arthur” by Sandra Murphy is a clever and fun story that takes a little while to figure out.

 

The morning after is rough for Keith in “Fractured Memories” by Julie Tollefson. Andrea’s latest Fourth of July party was a real blast and Keith is paying the price. Somebody else paid a far bigger price due to last night’s events in this complicated tale.

 

A hostage situation that is gradually getting worse is at work in “Don’t Let the Cop into the House” by O’Neil De Noux. The small brick home in Lakeview was flooded during Katrina and was put back together. Somehow the police now have to save homeowner Mike Agrippa, who is drowning in his own way.

 

When men want protection money the elderly grandmother has few choices in “Rosie’s Choice” by John M. Floyd. These are not the kind of customers she needs in the store the day before Independence Day.

 

Readers again go back in time in the next story. “Don’t Be Cruel” by Joanne Lucas takes readers to June 1957 in Fresno, California where Homicide Detective Frank Ransom has a new case. Ransom thinks of movies quite a lot and sees the world as a movie scenario. Before he can make it all fade to black he needs to figure out who killed the woman in the diner and why.

 

Brigid Morgan is the client and she claims somebody is blackmailing her over some very adult pictures that were taken 15 years ago. As the new CEO of an internet search engine company she knows that once she starts paying it will never end in “A Simple Job” by Andrew MacRae. She has a plan and first she needs the identity of the blackmailer.

 

Twenty years later, Carly is back to the Quick ‘N Slow Diner located close to the nearby cabins. As a child, she came there with her family when they rented out one of the cabins. In trying to find herself, Carly unwittingly finds much more about others in “Beautiful Killer” by Judy Penz Sheluk.

 

Being a hooker is a tough job, but finding your client dead in a bed is a real problem. So too is the female already in the room in “The Fruit of Thy Loins” by Albert Tucher. Good thing Diana can fight and knows at least one good cop.

 

The small town of Sentry, Texas is the location for “The Raymond Chandler Con” by Earl Staggs. Murder is not supposed to happen in a small town such as Sentry, which is why Police Chief Harry Phillips left the job in Dallas and came here. The murder victim’s best friend, Martha Robinson, has no police experience, but she reads a lot of mysteries. She has an idea how to solve the case with or without Harry’s help.

 

No one ever takes notice of the janitor as he or she goes about doing a very necessary job. The person doing the cleaning blends into the background. Such is the case here in “The Wrong Girl” by Barb Goffman, where the janitor overhears a plot by three teens at an elite private school.

 

It has been three weeks, the ransom was paid quite some time ago, and the child still has not been returned in “Silent Measures” by BV Lawson. Scott Drayco, a private consultant, has been brought in to help find the boy who vanished from his boarding school.

 

A tale translated by Willem Verhulst is the final entry in the anthology. “A Day Like No Other” by Walter A. P. Soethoudt follows a Lieutenant Belloc as he goes through his day in Antwerp while thinking about the past and the many changes in the city.

 

Short author bios for the contributors bring the read to a close.

 

While not every story in the book is an actual obvious mystery, all of the stories have a mystery at the core. Some are more mysteries of the mind where characters think about their past actions and the resulting ramifications, while other tales are very much in the moment where one can smell the blood on the floor and the cordite in the air. Filled with interesting tales of complicated characters dealing with events in their lives, Flash And Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology brings a pleasant read by way of a variety of stories. As in other anthologies, each reader will have his or her own personal favorites among the 170 pages, but all the tales presented are good ones in their own way.

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

 

While I am a writer as well as a member of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, I did not submit a story for this anthology. Material supplied by the publisher in exchange for my objective review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2022

FFB Review: Flash And Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology Edited by J. Alan Hartman

From the massive archive…

 

After watching the success of anthologies from other writers groups have had in recent months, the members of the Short Mystery Fiction Society embarked on their own anthology. Over three hundred entries were whittled down to the final nineteen tales showcased in the book. Variety is the key in Flash And Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology. Edited by J. Alan Hartman, the read features tales that cross time as well as space in terms of geographic locations.

 

After a short introduction by current SMFS President Jan Christensen, it is on to the stories. Herschel Cozine leads things off with his flash tale “The Perfect Crime.”  Imagine, if you will, all of the great fictional detectives gathered together to discuss one case.

 

Bobbie A. Chukran comes next with “The Conflagration at the Nameless Cotton Gin.” The title easily enough explains what happened, but the why of the event is a bit more complicated.

 

“Murder on Elm Street” by Su Kopil comes next with a tale where a power outage on a brutally cold night drives nearby neighbors to the one house that has power. It is fitting on a night such as this that it is time for a twenty-two year old cold case to be finally solved.

 

P. A. Devoe takes readers back in time to a China of long ago in “Fireworks (From Judge Lu’s Ming Dynasty Case Files)". During the annual celebration of the monk Li Tian and his invention of fireworks, Lu is informed there has been a death at the nearby shop of the Lie brothers out on Xiao Di Road. The accident requires the immediate attention and investigation by Judge Lu.

 

Receiving unwanted attention from a bag lady is not a good thing. Even if she does give good advice in “The Bag Lady” by Laurie Stevens.

 

The chaos of a rapidly moving wildfire might be the perfect time to murder someone and get away with it. Tim Wohlforth examines the possibilities in “Sierra Noir.”

 

The Vikings have harnessed steam power in this alternative history mystery titled “Thor’s Breath” by Suzanne Berube Rorhus. It is the year of the Christian Lord 627, and this small area of coastal Norway has one mechanical healer by the name of Hamarr. He is possession of a magical new material from the Far East that has wonderfully intriguing possibilities if it can be harnessed.

 

Debbie and her companion, Arthur, have a job to do at Detweiller Industries. “Arthur” by Sandra Murphy is a clever and fun story that takes a little while to figure out.

 

The morning after is rough for Keith in “Fractured Memories” by Julie Tollefson. Andrea’s latest Fourth of July party was a real blast and Keith is paying the price. Somebody else paid a far bigger price due to last night’s events in this complicated tale.

 

A hostage situation that is gradually getting worse is at work in “Don’t Let the Cop into the House” by O’Neil De Noux. The small brick home in Lakeview was flooded during Katrina and was put back together. Somehow the police now have to save homeowner Mike Agrippa, who is drowning in his own way.

 

When men want protection money the elderly grandmother has few choices in “Rosie’s Choice” by John M. Floyd. These are not the kind of customers she needs in the store the day before Independence Day.

 

Readers again go back in time in the next story. “Don’t Be Cruel” by Joanne Lucas takes readers to June 1957 in Fresno, California where Homicide Detective Frank Ransom has a new case. Ransom thinks of movies quite a lot and sees the world as a movie scenario. Before he can make it all fade to black he needs to figure out who killed the woman in the diner and why.

 

Brigid Morgan is the client and she claims somebody is blackmailing her over some very adult pictures that were taken 15 years ago. As the new CEO of an internet search engine company she knows that once she starts paying it will never end in “A Simple Job” by Andrew MacRae. She has a plan and first she needs the identity of the blackmailer.

 

Twenty years later, Carly is back to the Quick ‘N Slow Diner located close to the nearby cabins. As a child, she came there with her family when they rented out one of the cabins. In trying to find herself, Carly unwittingly finds much more about others in “Beautiful Killer” by Judy Penz Sheluk.

 

Being a hooker is a tough job, but finding your client dead in a bed is a real problem. So too is the female already in the room in “The Fruit of Thy Loins” by Albert Tucher. Good thing Diana can fight and knows at least one good cop.

 

The small town of Sentry, Texas, is the location for “The Raymond Chandler Con” by Earl Staggs. Murder is not supposed to happen in a small town such as Sentry, which is why Police Chief Harry Phillips left the job in Dallas and came here. The murder victim’s best friend, Martha Robinson, has no police experience, but she reads a lot of mysteries. She has an idea how to solve the case with or without Harry’s help.

 

No one ever takes notice of the janitor as he or she goes about doing a very necessary job. The person doing the cleaning blends into the background. Such is the case here in “The Wrong Girl” by Barb Goffman, where the janitor overhears a plot by three teens at an elite private school.

 

It has been three weeks, the ransom was paid quite some time ago, and the child still has not been returned in “Silent Measures” by BV Lawson. Scott Drayco, a private consultant, has been brought in to help find the boy who vanished from his boarding school.

 

A tale translated by Willem Verhulst is the final entry in the anthology. “A Day Like No Other” by Walter A. P. Soethoudt follows a Lieutenant Belloc as he goes through his day in Antwerp while thinking about the past and the many changes in the city.

 

Short author bios for the contributors bring the read to a close.

 

While not every story in the book is an actual obvious mystery, all of the stories have a mystery at the core. Some are more mysteries of the mind where characters think about their past actions and the resulting ramifications, while other tales are very much in the moment where one can smell the blood on the floor and the cordite in the air. Filled with interesting tales of complicated characters dealing with events in their lives, Flash And Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology brings a pleasant read by way of a variety of stories. As in other anthologies, each reader will have his or her own personal favorites among the 170 pages, but all the tales presented are good ones in their own way.

 

 

  

While I am a writer as well as a member of the Short Mystery Fiction Society I did not submit a story for this anthology. Material supplied by the publisher in exchange for my objective review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2021