Being frantic is not a good thing. I move too fast, and I don’t think things through. That can be a dangerous combination and, frankly, overwhelming. Why have I been feeling swamped? Well, because I’ve got too much on my plate. Do you ever do that? Load up with chores and obligations and think, what in the heck have I gotten myself into? Here’s what lays ahead that has me breathing high in my chest. The Summer Blooms Festival, for one. For three days, Carmel-by-the-Sea will close four blocks of Junipero. There will be vendors selling plants and flowers, and there will be live music and delicio ..read more

Sudden riches lead to a world of trouble… Newly widowed Charlotte McLaughlin is adrift following the sudden death of her husband of twenty years and the shocking discovery of the lavish double life he’d lived while purportedly traveling for business. Dru’s Short Musing: Mischief and mayhem await our protagonist on a cruise that leads to murder. When Charlotte’s nephew’s bride is murdered, he becomes the prime suspect and his aunts (Char and Jane) begin an investigation to clear his name on a cruise ship where the murderer is roaming free. This was a fast-paced and well written whodunit that ha ..read more

“Today we have Andi Grace Scott with us sharing tips about avoiding pet scams. Welcome, Andi Grace.” Podcaster Allison Blake smiled at me over the video screen. She had suggested we’d be more comfortable if we could look at each other, and I suppose she was right. I returned her smile. “Thanks for having me. In my life, I’ve learned that our love of dogs can be used against us. So, please use caution when searching for your next pet.” “Can you give us some specific tips?” “Of course, I’m happy to share. Many pet scams begin when you look online for free or cheap pets. Often the scammer claims ..read more

Here is a list of over 70 new titles representing major genres such as cozy mysteries, traditional mysteries, historical mysteries, and others releasing this month, with eight debut series. As always, I hope there is a new title to suit everyone’s personal taste. Enjoy the adventure!   MAY 1 The Bootlegger’s Daughter by Nadine Nettmann MAY 2 Death at Castle Wolf by Anna Penrose (Golden Murder Mystery Book #3) MAY 6 The Light Beside the Sea by Connie DiMarco (Zodiac Mystery Book #5) The 24th Hour by James Patterson (New Women’s Murder Club Thriller Book #24) MAY 7 Easier Dead Than Dr ..read more

It is my pleasure to share with you the cover reveal for Farewell Performance, coming June 2024 and now up for preorder. Publication Date: June 25, 2024 Publisher: Ravenhill Press Format: Print (June 4, 2024), Digital (June 25, 2024) Name of Series: Ginger Barnes, Book #6 Genre: Cozy Mystery Author Website: donnahustonmurray.com Book Synopsis Returning home to star in a movie about going home, Jan Fairchild stirs up old resentments galore. When the actress is found dead the morning after a nostalgic pajama party, several of her former high school girlfriends become suspects—including Ginger B ..read more

Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .   Why do you write the genre that you write? I write traditional mysteries because of my mom, who gave me my first Nancy Drew book. My mom is also the one who got me hooked on Phyllis A. Whitney, Mary Higgins Clark, Velda Johnston and Doris Miles Disney ‘cause I used to steal her library books when she wasn’t looking. Later, reading Naomi Hirahara, Jan Burke and Sujata Massey planted the idea of writing a traditional mystery about an Asian American reporter. What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has? PoPo believes her ..read more

One of the joys of my job with the Clarion newspaper is that every day is different. I’m lucky, when so many people have lost their jobs following the Wall Street Crash. To be a chief crime correspondent when I’m still the right side of thirty is a dream come true. And I’ve notched plenty of scoops, having been first on the scene after several bizarre murders. Some of my rivals on Fleet Street reckon I’ve made a pact with the devil. Actually, I collaborate with Rachel Savernake, which isn’t quite the same thing. When I take part in the morning conference of the Clarion’s journalists, I’m on th ..read more

As I’ve already told my friend, Dru, my life as a retiree in English Village is a simple one. Like others in my small circle of friends, I volunteer at the library and play a weekly game of mahjong. We’re senior citizens now. Honestly, no one pays any attention to women with graying hair. We are nearly invisible in our tiny town – though we do try to keep up on the local events, and we’ve named ourselves the Mahjong Mavens. Isn’t that fun? I only took the assignment as a freelance reporter because I missed the action of my former life in the big city, where I spent years as a crime reporter tu ..read more

It’s so cold out today I’m longing for a hot flash. That’s often the case because I live in the town of Hallock, a Scandinavian-Lutheran farming community of fewer than 1,000 people in the Red River Valley of northwestern Minnesota. In other words, it’s usually too cold to get heartburn. I’ve lived outside of Hallock my entire life, just like my dad, dontcha know. My mother, on the other hand, immigrated from Sweden in the early 1950s, as a young women. She fell in love with all things American, particularly the stars of the silver screen. That’s why I was christened Doris Day Anderson when I ..read more

“You won’t believe what we’ve done with this old place, Avery,” Mark Hawkins’ deep voice boomed from the speaker on my cell phone. “The transformation is truly incredible.” “Everything you’ve ever wanted?” I asked, kicking my feet under the sparkling water in a swimming pool that was bigger than the New York City apartment where I’d grown up. “And then some,” Mark said. “Though I think it’ll really be complete once you get here.” I smiled. In all the years I had worked for Mark at Hawkins Tech, we’d managed to keep our relationship professional. But I didn’t work for Mark anymore. “I’m countin ..read more