Guest Post: The Inspiration Behind "Murder on Vacation" Wasn't Murder After All by Gerald Elias

 

Please welcome author Gerald Elias to the blog today. As I recently noted in a “Thursday Treats” post, Mr. Elias’ latest book is his short story collection. Published by White City Press, Murder on Vacation: Stories from the Case Files of Maury Gross, NYPD (Ret.), is available at the publisher, Amazon, and other vendors in digital and print formats.

 

Where does an author get ideas for a story? From personal experience? Deep contemplation? From a passing comment or casual glimpse? From other authors? Totally from out of the blue?

 

How about by accident?

 

Eight years ago, my wife and I stayed at a modest motel on the beach in the cozy coastal town of Cambria, California, in order to attend our niece’s ritzy wedding in wine country. During our stay, which lasted only a long weekend, three curious things popped out to me. (Maybe they were curious only to me because murder mysteries run in my blood.)

 

The first was an elderly couple strolling along the beach’s boardwalk. What was curious about that? Not that they were elderly—Who isn’t these days?—but that the gentleman in question was dressed in what his wife—who I imagined determined his attire–– probably considered appropriate for a California vacation: a 1950s style pair of Bermuda shorts and a gaudy Hawaiian shirt. And ankle-length, black socks—Don’t forget those—to round out the eye-catching ensemble.

 

The second curiosity was a state-of-the-art Porsche sportscar in the motel’s parking lot, which might have cost more than the motel itself.

 

The third and final item was the colony of dozens of elephant seals lolling on the beach about 10 miles north of us. In your mind’s eye, do not mistake an elephant seal for a sea lion. They’re twice as big, up to 4,000 nasty pounds, with a protruding proboscis which gives them their name. They only spend about a month per year out of the water, and you can imagine what they do while on shore leave, like most seafarers: rest, fight, and screw. And when they fight, it’s not for play. It’s for keeps: to become king of the hill or, more appropriately, king of the beach. Why? To win the dear damsel of choice, of course. Why else?

 

As my wife and I observed elephant seal festivities safely ensconced on a bluff with a chain link fence high above the beach, I got an idea to package curiosities one and two together with number three and write a short mystery. What emerged after a few days of resharpened pencils and crumpled paper was a draft of a story I initially called “Elephant Seals,” starring retired NYPD Police Chief Maury Gross and his wife Bobbi (the couple on the boardwalk).

 

I wrote this story only to amuse my wife and myself, with no further thoughts about where it might end up. But I really liked my two protagonists, and so did my wife, so on our next vacation I gathered more curiosities for a story. And the next. And the next…

 

Fifteen Maury Gross stories later, I had spanned the wonders of our great nation from sea to shining sea and decided they were worthy candidates for a collection. There is a great saga to be told how I ultimately found the perfect publisher in White City Press, but that’s another story in its entirety.

 

Suffice it to say that Maury Gross is the nicest, most unassuming and thoughtful cop you’d ever want to meet, and Bobbi is not only his longtime soulmate but also his astute partner in crime solving. And they’re both sharp as a tack.

 

The title of the first story, “Elephant Seals,” was changed to “Murder on Vacation” and, appropriately, is the name of the whole collection. If you’re looking for entertaining summer reading, here’s my advice: get an ice-cold beverage, a comfortable chair or lounge, a shady spot, and Murder on Vacation. As Maury would say, “What’s not to like?”  

 

 

Amazon Associates Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4alkqNN

 

 

Gerald Elias ©2026

 

Silver Falchion finalist Gerald Elias can’t help writing about everything that interests him, from his Daniel Jacobus mystery series (and audiobooks) set in the dark corners of the classical music world, to his Western mystery, Roundtree Days. His short story collections, It’s a Crime! and Murder on Vacation (May, 2026, White City Press) cover everything from spies to sea elephants.

 

A former Boston Symphony musician, Elias is an internationally recognized violinist, conductor, and composer. He spends his free time enjoying the outdoors, travel, coffee, good food, and most of all, being a devoted grandpa. https://www.mysteriesandmusic.com/

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

 

The Perp Wore Pumpkin II: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank is the new release from White City Press, an imprint of Misti Media. Published by J. Alan Hartman, edited by Sandra Murphy, the anthology contains eleven tales of the season where crime, food, and humor are in large supply. There are also three recipes from the Mr. Hartman’s sister, Lisa Lynn.

 

It should be noted that the anthology includes the short story, Choked on Love, by yours truly. I am breaking my long-standing policy of not reviewing books I am in because this is a charity anthology. The mission here, and one I believe in, is to help others with food insolvency in some way. I am unable to do much, but I can do this, and so I am.  

 

After an introduction from the publisher, J. Alan Hartman, it is on to the stories. “A Trifle Too Far” by Shari Held kicks things off where Aunt Sadie is well known for bringing inedible concoctions to the holiday dinner. For example, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without her pumpkin whoopie pies. She soon arrives in her red Mustang with yet more surprises for this year. She isn’t the only one with surprises.

 

Editor Sandra Murphy is next with “And a Thanksgiving Turkey Names John Glenn.” Ronnie and Buddy are private detectives and on a stakeout. Neither one of them wants a repeat of last year when Buddy got shot. Though that did bring Sharon into his life and a lot of other changes.

 

My story, Choked on Love, is next. Enough said about that.

 

After a recipe for “Easy Poultry, Rice, and Carrot Soup” it is back to the stories with “What Cranberry Relish Can Add to Your Holiday” by Vicki Erwin. Like the main character in the last story, she had plans to for dinner, a bit of reading, and television at home. But, little sister Jenna refuses to take no for an answer and knows her weak spots.

 

Fedora Amis is up next with “A Faery Tale Thanksgiving” where Rodney and his buddy have significant expenses. They have bills to cover as professional criminals and the lifestyle is not cheap. Grabbing the daughter of a rich guy sounds like just the ticket.

 

Alice and Lorna are going to spend time with Lorna’s family in “The Turducken Murder” by Lisa Krystosek. Upon arrival, they discover the police and a lot more is already going on at the house of Lorna’s parents. They also still have to participate in all the family traditions that some folks would also consider crimes.

 

After a recipe for “Quick Black Beans” it is on to “Easy as Pie” by Mike Rusetsky. Big brother Dusty Bruiser and Davey have the huge bag of potatoes after it fell off a farmer’s truck with nobody the wiser. Now, if they could just get their hands on some pies. Dusty Bruiser has a plan.

 

He wants no part of the Rehabilitation Center in “Gelatin and Soda” by Stephen M. Pierce. But, his mom in in the place after a bad fall. Sandra King is also now missing a shoe. There will be no peace for him or anyone else until his mom’s shoe is found.

 

Ruth Harper used to be an attorney. She retired, got bored, and took a job as a sales rep for New Orleans Naughty and Nice. Basically, she sells erotica products at small parties in homes. The latest event was a fun evening. Until it wasn’t in “Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler” by donalee Moulton.

 

After a recipe for “Fruit Crumble” it is back to the stories with “Great Aunt Martha’s Pumpkin Pie” by Sally Milliken. Instead of the annual football game, these folks play a soccer game. They also do it full costumes. Dad might be having cognitive issues and some folks might be trying to take advantage of that fact.  

 

NYPD Officer Sumi Lin is a rookie and working her first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in “What the Dicken’s Is Going On?” by Wendy Harrison. She is pretty sure there is some criminality going with the folks on the float she has been assigned to be with, but Sergeant Arlo Harris won’t listen to her at all.

 

The list of authors and their short bios bring the enjoyable anthology to a close.

 

A fun read full of crimes, hijinks, shenanigans, foods, and more, The Perp Wore Pumpkin II: A Humorous Crime Anthology to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, delivers in all aspects. It definitely will make you laugh and it will make you hungry as food is everywhere in the read.

 

Publisher Purchasing Link: https://whitecitypress.com/product/perp2/

 

Amazon Purchasing Link: https://amzn.to/4pfI5nV 

 

My reading copy was several proofs during the editing process because of my contribution as well as a digital ARC.

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

SleuthSayers: Funny Business

SleuthSayers: Funny Business: I've always been interested in hearing about about the origin of a short story--the idea that first puts a particular story into a writ...

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

Sample Sunday: Excerpt: First Contact in Santa Rage: A Killer Claus Compendium

Normally, I would have been on top of this, but I’m not doing too well. Earlier this month, the anthology, Santa Rage: A Killer Claus Compendium. Edited by Jay Hartman, published by White City Press, it includes my short story, First Contact. It is available at the publisher in both digital and paperback versions and at other platforms.

 

 

First Contact

 

It was 2 A.M. and the blood was still warm because the old AC in the Waffle House was barely working. It had been 112 just hours ago for the official high at the big airport and it was still 97 there this hour. My little part of NE Dallas always ran hotter year-round than DFW Airport, so I was pretty sure we might still be over 100. Summer in Texas, record heat and drought, sucks, and it was doing nothing to help my ever-present insomnia.

 

I’d always had it. But, after the kids moved out, and then a few months later my wife passed, it got way worse. I didn’t want pills as they did not work and made things worse. Years earlier, I had an intense love affair with alcohol and it had helped some, but it also damn near destroyed my marriage. I was not a happy drunk. An ultimatum was laid down and thank god I had the good sense to stop. I also had the good sense that without her, if I started drinking again, I might never to stop.

 

So, on the nights it was really bad when I could not sleep and felt like I was coming out of my own skin, I got in my car and drove around a little while before going to the nearby Waffle House. I’d hang out awhile, eat, and surf on the iPad or bring a print book. This was one of those bad nights. I was a semi regular late-night denizen so my presence did not stir up the regulars or the two employees. Being the middle of the week meant it was also far safer than the Friday and Saturday night crowd, dominated by drunks, and folks who want to fight for no reason at all.

 

Jesse was on the grill, as usual, and had brought me a burger with everything on it and fries earlier which has vanished pretty fast. He was back trying to pick up Shelly, despite the fact that I was pretty sure she played for the other team. It wasn’t ever going to happen. He was in the friend zone and would never get out.

 

The two regulars finished their meals and headed out into the night. A DPD car rolled through the nearby intersection with its flashers going and then they went dark. Anything to not stop for the red light that went far longer than it should. A typical Texas summertime night.

 

I shifted a little more in my usual back booth as the paltry AC wheezed above me spewing what it could to ease the temp downwards. I’d had enough of social media and got off in order to read the latest Terry Shames book. Texas author Bill Crider had Sheriff Dan Rhodes. Shames had Sheriff Samuel Craddock. Both had gotten me through many a dark period. Craddock was out talking a case over with his cows. As usual, they seemed far more interested in eating than helping. It came to mind that maybe I needed some cows to talk to when things were working me over. I doubted that my northeast Dallas neighbors would be too happy with that idea.

 

As I always did, I was sitting facing the door when he walked into the place. Dressed all in black, the man had black sunglasses on over his eyes too. Dressed in a black t-shirt, black pants, and black boots was one thing, but the accompanying black jacket seemed totally ridiculous in this heat. I could barely stand the heat and humidity and I was in a t-shirt and jeans.  

 

Not that I had much time to think about any of it as this guy, who looked like something out of Hollywood casting for a tough guy in a direct to digital release movie, came straight at me. At a little after 2 A.M. in the morning, with the searing drought in full effect and that had meant 70 something plus days in a row with no rain at all, he looked like he was here to rob the place.

 

Or kill me.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3ZEZjzV

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2024 

Multiple term past President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, Kevin R. Tipple reviews books and short stories, watches way too much television, and offers unsolicited opinions on anything. His short fiction has appeared in magazines such as Lynx Eye, Starblade, Show and Tell, and The Writer’s Post Journal, among others. Mystery Weekly Magazine published his story, The Damn Rodents Are Everywhere, in May of 2021 and soon had to change their name to Mystery Magazine. His short story, The Beetle’s Last Fifty Grand, appears in the 2022 anthology, Back Road Bobby and His Friends, and everyone involved seems to have survived the experience unscathed. His short story, Visions of Reality, appears in Crimeucopia-Say It Again. Earlier this year, the Notorious in North Texas: Metroplex Mysteries Volume III anthology was released and includes his short story, Whatever Happened To…? Also released earlier this year is the anthology, Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, which includes his crime fiction short story, The Hospital Boomerang. Fully trained before marriage, Kevin can work all major appliances and, despite a love of nearly all sports, is able to clean up after himself.

Little Big Crimes: Hole in my Soul, by John M. Floyd

Little Big Crimes: Hole in my Soul, by John M. Floyd:   "Hole in my Soul," by John M. Floyd, in Janie's Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Aerosmith, edited by Mich...

The First Two Pages: “Drop Dead Gorgeous” by M.E. Proctor

 The First Two Pages: “Drop Dead Gorgeous” by M.E. Proctor

Guest Post: Main Line by Tom Milani

  

Please welcome SMFS list member Tom Milani to the blog today as he explains the background of his short story in the new anthology, Janie’s Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Aerosmith. Published by White City Press, the book is edited by SMFS list member Michael Bracken.

 

Main Line

 

Good friend Stacy Woodson alerted me to a call on Facebook by editor Michael Bracken for a crime fiction anthology based on the songs of Aerosmith. The parameters were straightforward: the anthology would contain stories based on one song from each album. Several of the band’s hits I was familiar with had already been picked (“Dream On,” “Dude Looks Like a Lady”), but I was aware of Honkin’ on Bobo, a blues album they did some years back. A quick search on Apple Music let me preview some of the songs. The last, “Jesus Is on the Main Line,” is their version of a traditional gospel song as arranged by Fred McDowell. The Aerosmith song consists of two verses and three versions of the chorus (arrangements by other artists have additional verses). There isn’t much of a story (“Jesus is on the main line, tell Him what you want”), but the second verse has a line I latched onto: “If you’re sick and you can’t get well, just tell Him what you want.” The idea of an illness became a plot point, and I was also struck by the wording, which isn’t in the form of a plea but more a request.

Some forty years ago, I helped a friend deliver patio furniture to a woman who lived on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The trip was mostly a bust for my friend—the truck rental company failed to include padded blankets; the fuel gauge didn’t work, and we ran out of gas; the woman didn’t tip—but I was happy simply to hang out with him. While we were driving down a rural road, a church stood off the side. The building was a husk of itself, a stone ruin overgrown with vines. Its presence made a strong impression on me; even at the time, I wanted to go back someday and check it out.

I never did, but I resurrected my memory of it for this story. Here, two women, Gail and Mary, needing money for Mary’s medical care, are to deliver drugs hidden in a truck filled with patio furniture to a church on the Eastern Shore. What happens next strays into the mystical, where past and present collide in the visions of a priest.

Achieving the balance between past and present, sacred and profane, shaped the structure of the story and caused me to look at religious themes in a new light.

Tom Milani ©2024

Tom Milani’s short fiction has appeared in Groovy Gumshoes: Private Eyes in the Psychedelic Sixties, Illicit Motions, Black Cat Weekly, and Urban Pigs Press. His crime fiction novella, Barracuda Backfire, was released earlier this year. His website is https://www.tommilani.com/ 

Short Story Wednesday Review: Sex & Violins: An Erotic Crime Anthology

 

Sex & Violins: An Erotic Crime Anthology features exactly what the title states. There is crime. There is music as a backdrop to every short story. There is a lot of sex. The sex is graphic and detailed which makes this anthology from White City Press very much an adults only read. The book isn’t for everybody. It is a good one and well worth your read.

After an introduction by Editor Sandra Murphy explaining the history of the project, it is on to the stories.

 

Jack Bates gets the book started with “A Legacy for Murder.” Rachel McKinnon is in town to appear with the Port Pinnebog Symphony Orchestra. Internationally recognized, she is a legendary vocalist. She also likes to toy with the men in an orchestra. She has her target selected and wheels are in motion that could alter opening night.

 

“Winter Performance” by Lara Hazzan follows where, Anna, the Maestro of the Baltimore Symphony, has been called to the performance hall as there has been a murder on the premises. David, the symphony librarian, is dead on the premises. Anna saw him very late the night before. What they were doing and a lot more is about to come out.

 

Her husband is a pianist and is playing in the symphony. But, he does not feel challenged by the pieces he has been told to play for the concert. He is also a bit down lately in “Piano Tuning” by Anna V. Nelson. There are also issues in the bed room. The new celloist could make things worse as men are seriously attracted to her. Other women are annoyed by how she plays her instrument.

 

Nico Benedetto wants to hire the private investigator to tail his wife in “The Tail” by Chandler Christie. His wife goes somewhere every Thursday night. He just wants to know where she is going and what she is doing. Joelle is the principal cello for the Pacific Heights Chamber Orchestra and Thursday nights are supposed to be rehearsal night. He wants to know what is going on and wants to know now.

 

Diana is with Tom Bradshaw as he goes to meet Stephanie in “The Law of Stephanie” by Albert Tucher. Stephanie will play cello at the swingers party and Tom wants Diana to help get close to her. Diana is used to working, professionally, one on one, but Tom is paying handsomely, so she is going to work. That is until a murder brings the event to a halt and a new complication.

 

Shari Held is up next with “Concerto for Harp and Homicide.” Hannigan play the harp superbly well and is a prima donna. The orchestra is on their annual outreach tour in various small towns where they will give free concerts. Harry Hannigan plans his own personal outreach with Millie Mason. She is also looking forward to it. She has a plan to change him too.  

 

They had been practicing Beethoven’s Fifth for weeks, but things are not going well in “What’s Love Got to do With It?” by Karen Keeley. Our narrator plans to commit murder for her fellow musician Leonard Giovanni and Rosa. Her plan is well thought out and already in motion.

 

She figured out a major piece of herself back in college in “Ruby Wants to Watch” by Joseph S. Walker. Porn does not work for her. It has to be real people, imperfections and all. Her friend Carmen also has some of the same desires. She also has a plan on how to take their voyeurism to a totally new level.

 

It was May 2022 in downtown Reno when our narrator found the cello in the local pawn shop. She bought it and took it home in “The Cello of Monkey Pawn Shop” by Linda Kay Hardie. It is a beautiful looking instrument and it plays beautifully. It is also trouble.

 

Grant Fuchs is massively hated in Chamberlain County and for good reason. He is the local art critic and just ripped to shreds the first outdoor concert of the season by Riverton Symphony. He is also soon dead in “Reed Between the Lines” by Steve Lisko. Now the cops are talking to everyone. Including Trask who has a long history of ruins with Grant Fuchs in his role as coordinator of the city arts events. Mr. Trask also knows at least two of the possible murder suspects intimately.

 

It is about to be time for the 2019 holiday concert and the semiprofessional, the Porta Larga Symphony Orchestra, is doing their best they can.  Conductor Vall Hall is trying to get their best, but intimate relationships between musicians are a bad thing when those relationships collapse with hard feelings. Siggy Hagen is the rock star of the Orchestra. He is supremely confident of his abilities on stage and in the bedroom. The trail of carnage in his wake proves his bedroom powers. Now he is dead and his murder case needs to be solved.

 

“Rescue Me” by Editor Sandra Murphy is the final story in the anthology. The woman’s clothing is ripped as she comes into his room and locks the door. She tells him two men are after her. They are planning to kill her because of what she saw. Dave helps her to hide, gets rid of the thugs, and then gets his reward. What seems to be an all too predictable short story, has a lot more going on as it unfolds.

 

Short bios in the “Our Orgasmic Orchestra” section follows and brings the read to the final note.

 

Edited by Sandra Murphy, Sex & Violins: An Erotic Crime Anthology provides quite the read. The twelve stories included are entertaining with plenty of crime, music, and graphic sex. The anthology lives up to the title and then some. Well worth your time, though you may wish to pace yourself a bit as you make your way through the reads.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3YEKTkg 

  

My reading copy was an ARC from Publisher Jay Hartman of White City Press with no expectation of a review. The book releases tomorrow, October 31^st.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©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...