There are no spoilers for the top part of this post – the beginning of this post is only a repeat of the information provided about the book that was provided at the start of the month, before the meeting. But….. Near the bottom of the page, there is a place for our participants to leave comments about the book, and spoilers will likely be included. Don’t scroll down to … Continue reading
The first book in Paul Doiron‘s excellent mystery series featuring Maine Game Warden Mike Bowditch was used as a class text in a sophomore English class at Dexter Regional High School in Dexter, Maine. Then the teacher and school librarian invited Mr. Doiron to speak to the students and answer questions about the book and writing in general. I say, “Three Cheers” to the teachers who chose the book and … Continue reading
by Michael O’Connor Franklin Delano Roosevelt was not assassinated on the South Portico of the White House in 1941. That is a historical fact and this is not a mystery. But, it can be read as a mystery if you go along with William Martin and willingly suspend your disbelief. What if? What if, indeed? That is Martin’s premise to a masterful tale of suspense in December ’41! He weaves … Continue reading
I started eighth grade in 1959; during the year I started a new club at Westwood Junior High – a lawyer’s club. I doubt any other school had such a club, but it was due in part to my fascination with the TV show, Perry Mason. The show motivated me to read the actual books by Erle Stanley Gardner. I have been fascinated by books with courtroom drama or legal … Continue reading
A steadfast group of mystery book fans in our book club read all 17 of the existing Inspector Gamache books. This is not the only indication of the popularity of Louise Penny and her famous book series set in the fictional town of Three Pines, Quebec. Last year’s book, The Madness of Crowds, was at the top of the NY Times best selling hardcover fiction list for 5 weeks straight. … Continue reading
This is a follow up to the previous post about the live Zoom interview of mystery-thriller writer Lynne Reeves on the evening of Wednesday November 9. I discovered today that she is also the subject of a written interview in The Big Thrill online magazine. It is called an UP CLOSE (with an author) feature. I would say it is more like an introduction to Reeves, useful to read, but … Continue reading
A “Heartfelt” Mystery Thriller is my way of describing what happens when a mystery-suspense thriller is written by a family counselor, not a cop, journalist, lawyer, politician, medical doctor, or retired spy. Nor is it simply a “psychological thriller” with a new plot twist to keep you turning the pages. The closest I can come to that idea (for those who read it) is Ordinary Grace, by William Kent Krueger) … Continue reading
Wealthy Men and their Multiple Divorces (Cartoon) List of Main Characters for SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES by Sheldon Siegel Download printable version of the following List of Characters shown below. THE PROTAGONIST FAMILY Mike Daley – The Lead Protagonist Rosie – Rosita Carmela Fernandez – Mike’s ex-wife, legal colleague, & love partner Grace – Mike & Rosie’s 6 yr old daughter Pete – Mike’s younger brother, a solo PI THE GIANT LAW … Continue reading
Very few of the many crime fiction conferences are totally for the fans. Usually, such events give 50%-100% of the conference time to helping writers (and lots of wannabe writers) learn to write and get published. NoirCon is a huge exception. It’s all for the fans and followers of the genre. It takes place every 2 years in Philadelphia, but like all conferences, it has been shut down during the … Continue reading
To my knowledge, Baltimore has the only other full-bodied sculpture of Edgar Allan Poe – the other being in Boston. In a September 2022 trip to Baltimore, I was able to see this sculpture and some other Poe sites. The sculpture is located at Gordon Plaza at University of Baltimore (1415 Maryland Ave.). The statue was commissioned in 1911 by the Edgar Allan Poe Memorial Association of Baltimore and was … Continue reading
LET'S PLAY CLUE: Was it MBC member Dick Goutal, in the garden, using the poisonous plant, Black Henbane?
