Fall and Halloween go hand in hand, but at Tule Mystery, we believe this duo works better as a trio. That’s why we add readers to the mix, too!
So bring out your pumpkins, your colored leaves, your ghosts, your costumes, your hot cider and s’mores to celebrate September and October with these crisp mysteries:
You are cordially invited to the Halloween Tuxes and Tails fundraiser, complete with a one-eyed pirate, a flirty waitress, a real live scarecrow—and a murder at the dance. But Sunny Shaw and her cat, Jasper, will untangle the lies from the truth alongside of you, so bring your heels to this Mind Chocolate Chip Mystery installment.
College classes have started, making it the perfect time for Angel Warren to build up local tourism for her curiosities gift shop in Stonebridge, Pennsylvania. But a walk in the woods uncovers a body and a murder that leaves the town buzzing. A cozy Shop ‘Round the World mystery that will leaf you guessing.
Ah, something to cheer about: a fall carnival to raise funds for the local high school drama club. What’s not so fun for Rainbow Falls newcomer Annie Abbott: stumbling across the body of an unpleasant teacher. She really needs these clues to add up because the police have pinned her as the suspect!
The past becomes a haunting place for Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow when the notorious rivalry between York’s iconic ghost walk tour guides spirals out of control this Halloween. Shadow finds the body of one guide hanging from a tree, a la highwayman Dick
Turpin, and the assistant is killed by an explosion of gunpowder just like Guy Fawkes. Are the murders a business feud or the work of a madman?
It’s chilling déjà vu for Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit when her department is called in on a copycat murder from 25 years ago, when the victim was Benoit’s best friend. It’s time to finally nail the crooked ex-sheriff up to his elbows in these young women’s blood—but only if Benoit can keep her emotions under control after her sister, too, goes missing …
We asked our cozy authors what made them tuck tail and run, and their answers might surprise you. From heights, to bugs, to footsteps in the dark, let’s find out which author you just might share a fear with. Happy Summerween!
Jody Holford
“I don’t like having people follow me up the stairs, I don’t like people in my space in public places, I dislike walking into a dark room especially if the door has been closed.”
Jody Holford is the author of the Wannabe Sleuth series. You can find her books here.
Geri Krotow
“When I get injured or am bleeding. I can handle yours, no problem. Mine, not so much.”
Geri Krotow is the author of the Shop Round’ The World series. You can find her books here.
J.C. Kenney
“I’m not a fan of heights. Six-legged bugs creep me out, too. The weird thing is that spiders don’t bother me. I don’t know what to make of that off factoid, other than maybe I watched too many horror flicks with cockroaches in them when I was younger.”
J.C. Kenney is the author of the Elmo Simpson Mysteries series.You can find his books here. His first book, Panic in the Panhandle is releasing next month! Don’t miss out! Pre-order it today!
Kaz Delaney
“Footsteps echoing on the pavement behind me if I’m walking down a dark street (obviously at night) alone. That’ll do it. But then again, I think as mystery/crime writers, any situation can appear dangerous because our heads are always on the job. My occasionally eccentric husband once decided to bring me a cup of tea in bed, and brough two for himself. Crazy I know. His argument was that he knew he’d want a second, so made it in advance. (Don’t ask – the male brain is tricky to decipher). Anyway, I was convinced (very big tongue in cheek here) MY tea was poisoned because then he’d still have two cups beside the bed. He could get rid of mine containing the vestiges of poison and the police would find two perfectly innocent cups. No dregs of poison. He still tells people, thirty years later. Actually, I’m wondering who comes out worse in this story? The crazy husband or the paranoid mystery writer? (Caveat – obviously I didn’t really believe I was being poisoned but it was fun watching him splutter his innocence and yes, with more than a touch of the frustration that I have caused in his life. Good thing he loves me.)”
Kaz Delaney is the author of the Hart of Texas Murder Mysteries series. You can find her books here.
Candace Havens
“Parking garages late at night freak me out. I am not a fan. I’ve seen far too many television shows and movies. Nothing good ever happens late at night in a parking garage.”
Candace Havens is the author of the Ainsley McGregor series. You can find her books here. Her first book in the series, A Case for the Winemaker, is coming to screen October 5th and you won’t want to miss it! Read the first book now to get ready for it!
So, dear readers, what is the one thing that gives you the creeps?
*Feel free to email your responses to jaidencolling@tulepublishing.com to be featured in one of our articles!
As I was plotting MAID OF DISHONOR, Maddie Bell’s mother/Jenna Bell’s grandmother, Gloria “Gigi” Phillips burst onto the scene and jumped into the plot of MAID OF DISHONOR. During the first three books, Gigi lived in California and didn’t appear on the page, but after the death of her fourth husband, she decided to move back to Hemlock, NC, to be closer to Maddie and Jenna. Suddenly she wanted to be part of the Wedding Bell Mysteries.
Gigi came mostly fully formed (she’s a Betty White lookalike and an eternal optimist), but I still had to ask some “what if” questions.
The first question was where has she been all this time? I thought what if she was married to a man who lived in California? That’s a good distance away and could explain her absence. Then I wondered, what if Gigi had been married more than once? What if she’d outlived four husbands?
For the record, all of Gigi’s husbands died of natural causes. There’s nothing sinister afoot where she’s concerned, but I digress. Despite being widowed four times, Gigi is still in love with the idea of love. What if now that she was back in Hemlock, this hopeless romantic, joined her daughter and granddaughter in the wedding business? But what could she do? She didn’t seem the type who would be content tending Maddie’s bridal show. Since Maddie owns the bridal boutique and Jenna plans the weddings… the only thing missing in their bridal trifecta is a fabulous venue with a storied history.
What if Gigi purchased and renovated a storied mansion after she sold her Malibu beachfront home, and moved east to Western North Carolina?
Enter Gracewood Hall.
Of course, Gracewood Hall needed an enticing history. So, I imagined its origin…
Those who know me well know I’m enamored with Biltmore Estate, in Asheville, NC. We live a short drive from it. So, I make a point to tour it several times a year. Its history and the stories surrounding the estate always leave me wistful and wondering what it was like to be a guest in that magnificent home during such a glamorous age. What if the venue in Hemlock was like the Biltmore? Well… as much as I love the Biltmore, it was just too big… But what if it was the inspiration for Gracewood Hall?
During the Gilded Age, George Vanderbilt visited Asheville, NC, frequently and fell in love with western North Carolina’s beautiful landscape and temperate weather. The story goes that in 1889 he endeavored to build his own “summer house” in Asheville. After six years of construction, George finally welcomed family and friends to his new place on Christmas Eve of 1895.
What if the man who built Gracewood Hall – Let’s call him Mr. Wood — was one of George Vanderbilt’s first guests at the Biltmore Estate that Christmas Eve? What if Mr. Wood was so impressed with Biltmore House that he was inspired to build his own grand mountain retreat on a piece of property thirty miles south of Asheville in Hemlock, NC?
Of course, Mr. Woods’s pockets weren’t as deep as his friend George, but Mr. Wood was willing to settle for something a bit more modest – say, a third of the size of the opulent 135,280 sq ft Biltmore.
Of course, that meant Gracewood Hall was still a staggering forty-five thousand square feet. What if poor Mr. Wood died as he was moving into his dream house and he never got to enjoy it? Poor Mr. Wood.
That was a good start, but it needed more history…
What if we fast-forwarded a few decades… Enter 1940s-era movie star Carter Stanton (think Cary Grant). What if leading man Carter was staring in a film that was being made at the Biltmore Estate when he met Linda Conti, a pretty waitress at a diner in downtown Asheville. It was love at first sight. After a whirlwind romance, the two married in June of 1944.
What if the public loved Carter and Linda together. Linda was the perfect every woman. If a man like Carter could fall in love with a girl-next-door like Linda, it gave every woman hope that a handsome man like Carter would fall in love with them. The public was obsessed. Carter and Linda became American royalty.
What if the couple spent their honeymoon at Gracewood Hall. Linda fell in love with the place, and Carter bought it for her. They planned to live there and raise their family.
What if their fairy tale was short-lived?
What if after their honeymoon, Carter joined the war effort and died later that year. After his death, Linda moved out of Gracewood Hall but couldn’t bring herself to part with the place that was meant to be her fortress. So, it sat vacant until her death (a few months before MAID OF DISHONOR starts) and the Linda Conti-Stanton estate put the place on the market. Our Gigi knew someone who knew someone, and she managed to purchase Gracewood Hall before it even hit the market, renovated it, and opened it as an events venue.
With this history, it stands to reason that Gracewood Hall’s tragic past would foster rumors that the place was cursed. So, when the maid of honor at the mansion’s inaugural event is murdered before the ceremony, the tragedy resurrects the curse of Gracewood Hall. Of course, the rumors of a curse don’t bother Gigi because she believes love can conquer all.
That’s the basic rundown of how I came up with Gigi and Gracewood Hall, both newcomers to the Wedding Bell Mysteries. I hope you’ll read MAID OF DISHONOR and enjoy it as much as I loved writing it. While it’s book four in the Wedding Bell Mystery cozy mystery series, it does stand on its own. So don’t worry if you haven’t read the first three books in the Wedding Bell Mysteries series. Reviewer Kair says, “Although this is the fourth book in the series, the author does a great job filling in the characters’ backstories so you can read this book as a standalone and not be confused about all the characters.”
If you’re starting with MAID OF DISHONOR, after you finish it, I hope you’ll go back and read the first three books in the series.
If you’ve already read books one – three, welcome back to Hemlock!
Advanced praise for MAID OF DISHONOR:
“Once again, Ms. Thompson drew me into Maddie and Jenna’s world that now includes Maddie’s mom, Gigi, who is delightful! No one draws characters quite as deftly as Ms. Thompson…” ~ Nan Reinhardt – Goodreads
“The storyline has many twists and turns… I highly recommend you read this book.” ~ Kair – Goodreads
“I got caught up in the fuss and enjoyed it immensely.” ~ Beverly – Goodreads
“Super book!” ~ G. Terenzio – Goodreads
“…keeps you guessing right up until the end.” ~Renee – Goodreads
About The Author
Award-winning and USA Today Bestselling Author Nancy Robards Thompson has worked as a newspaper reporter, television show stand-in, production and casting assistant for movies, and in fashion and public relations. She started writing fiction seriously in 1997. Five years and four completed manuscripts later, she won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award for unpublished writers and sold her first book the following year. Since then, Nancy has sold more than 50 books and found her calling doing what she loves most – writing mysteries, romance, and women’s fiction full-time.
Tis the season for No. 2 pencils, notebooks, crayons, and glue sticks, hopefully all at great prices as you raid the big box stores for deals. But why do students get all the fun? Those of us who have long left school buses in our dust still deserve a back-to-the-routine treat. So throw these titles into your cart (they cost less a pack of topper erasers, so your budget won’t notice) and study up on these whodunnits:
#1. Have You Seen Sarah Baker?, TA Cruz
High school English teacher Sarah Baker is at the center of a large manhunt after her husband reports her as missing. But is she in trouble or did she run from the events stacking up in her classroom? The twists in this psych thriller will leave everyone guessing. An A rating with Amazon reviewers:
“I have never wanted to hunt down an author before I read this! TA Cruz, how could you? We’ve been warned, but still unprepared for the roller coaster ride!”
“It has been a while since I last enjoyed a mystery thriller book, and this one will make it to my top favorites of 2024. The book has so many unexpected twists and turns that it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Every chapter keeps you guessing, and just when you think you’ve figured out who did it, TA Cruz throws in another clue that makes you doubt everything you know.”
#2. A Corgi Conundrum, M. Alfano
Leslie Winters is back in the fourth book in this Pecan, Texas Pet Groomer cozy series, with a loyal corgi who helps her sniff out the villain that murdered the middle-school secretary and left her body in the ag barn. Leslie moonlights as a substitute agriculture teacher herself, so she’s not just in the wrong place at the right time. This time, her involvement is personal.
Releasing October 23, 2024—preorder your copy now!
#3. Tangle of Lies, CJ Carmichael
Once a teacher, always a teacher. Bobbie Galloway may have retired as the high school science teacher, but when one of her former students is murdered and another is the prime suspect, she’s not one to take a recess. She’s suspicious of everyone and she won’t stop until she gets justice. An A rating with Amazon reviewers:
“A strong, diverse cast drew me into this interesting and unique setting of a Canadian border town. I appreciated the realistic mix of characters—strong & weak, resilient & flawed, clever & dangerous. Add a lovely plot twist or three and you have a rock solid whodunnit.”
#4. Homecoming and Homicide, Jody Holford
How do you make friends in a new community? Volunteer to help with the local high school drama club’s fundraising event! It’s all fun and games until a crusty teacher turns up dead after the carnival event—and newcomer Annie Abbott and her boyfriend look guilty. Now her homework is to clear her name. An A rating with Amazon reviewers:
“This series is a new favorite … Holford did a fantastic job of tying everything up in a nice bow at the end. I was blown away by the murderer. I’m still shocked I missed the clues.”
You’ve created three successful mystery series: The Allie Cobb Mysteries, The Darcy Gaughan Mysteries, and The Elmo Simpson Mysteries. What inspired you to create these diverse characters and their unique worlds?
Allie came about when my literary agent challenged me to try writing cozy mysteries. I was writing in another genre at the time, and decided, “why not?” I decided Allie had earned a break from solving crime after six books. It was great fun spending time with her and the residents of Rushing Creek, Indiana but after “A Parting Shot,” it was time for a new group of characters. That led me to Darcy, my record store manager turned amateur sleuth. Music has always been a big part of my life and I love the vibe I get when visiting an independent record store. When you add the fact that my younger kiddo was studying Music Education at the time, writing a series with a strong musical influence was a total no-brainer. Elmo and the Paradise Springs oddballs introduced themselves to me in a completely different way. I was on vacation with my wife in Panama City Beach, Florida when the idea came to me to write a cozy mystery along the lines of Catriona McPherson’s Last Ditch Mystery Series with a healthy serving of Carl Hiaasen Florida craziness and Jimmy Buffett tropical seasoning. When it comes to Elmo’s stories, I try to push that envelope every chance I get and have a blast doing so!
As a co-host of The Bookish Hour webcast, how has discussing books with other authors and readers influenced your own writing?
The Bookish Hour is so much fun because I’m a reader and fan every bit as much as I am a writer. I think the biggest personal takeaway is how much creative energy there is in the world. And that everyone crafts their stories in their own way, which is completely okay. That helps remind me to keep an open mind and be open to possibilities when I’m writing.
IndyCar racing is a passion of yours. Have you ever incorporated this interest into your mystery novels, and if so, how?
My Allie and Darcy books are set in small towns in Indiana, so the Indy 500 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been mentioned more than once. That’s been it, so far. A mystery series set in an IndyCar-type world would be so much fun to write. A driver by day who solves mysteries by night. The stories practically write themselves. They do in my head, at least.
Music seems to be a significant part of your life. Does it play a role in your writing process, and do you have any favorite genres or artists that inspire your work?
Music is truly a huge part of my life, and I am so grateful for that. I’ll listen to instrumental music when I’m writing. Jazz and calypso are my go-to genres. They help keep the energy up without being too distracting. Overall, Jimmy Buffett is far and away the individual with the most influence on my writing, especially the Elmo Simpson Mysteries. His music provides a perfect backdrop for Elmo’s fictional hometown of Paradise Springs, Florida. More than that, though, Jimmy’s books, especially Tales from Margaritaville and Where is Joe Merchant?, taught me so much about writing stories filled with unique characters in bizarre situations.
Living in Indianapolis, how does the city and its surroundings influence your storytelling and the settings of your mysteries?
During the more temperate months, I love being able to write outside. Listening to the birds and the wind rustling through the trees relaxes me, which helps get the creative thoughts going. I’m fortunate to live in an old neighborhood with a lot of mature trees. Having said that, I also appreciate the lure of the small-town vibe so prevalent in cozy mysteries. The change in scenery from city to smaller community is like taking a vacation without having to leave the house.
What do you find most rewarding about writing mystery novels, and what do you find most challenging?
The most rewarding thing is when people tell me they enjoy my stories. I write because it makes me happy. And I mean that literally. I live with depression and writing helps keep that ever present black cloud at arm’s length. While having something to help me manage my depression is huge, knowing that my stories have a positive impact, even a tiny one, on someone’s life is the most gratifying thing ever. The most challenging thing as a mystery writer is walking that tightrope between writing an engaging whodunnit while playing fair. When readers finish one of my stories, I hope they are surprised by the reveal, but also think the ending makes sense. On the other side of the coin, I don’t want to make clues so obvious that it takes all the fun out of trying to figure out who the murderer is.
You have two grown children. Have your family experiences or relationships influenced any characters or plots in your books?
Absolutely. My older kiddo lives with a number of physical and mental health conditions. Between their challenges and my depression, it’s become natural for me to include a character or a subplot involving mental health. I’m trying to do what I can to erase the stigma associated with mental health diagnoses. On a happier note, my younger kiddo is a music teacher. I tap into his knowledge of all things musical to make sure I get certain things right. My wife is a genetic counselor who loves genealogy, so the plot of one of my Allie Cobb books involved a twenty-year-old unsolved murder. Getting the genetics and forensic genealogy correct in that book was a challenge, and I couldn’t have done it without her.
Your cat likely provides some unique company while you write. Does your feline friend ever inspire any aspects of your characters or stories?
A total lap cat, Maria is my constant companion. Since I work from home for my day job, constant is not an exaggeration! In one way or another, she’s been the basis for all three cats in my books; Ursula, Ringo, and Oscar. My goal is to convey the idea that, despite their reputation to the contrary, cats can be very attentive and loving companions. That’s Maria. Well, that and the fact that she’s always ready for her next meal!
As a bestselling author, what do you think are the key elements to writing a compelling mystery that keeps readers hooked until the last page?
To me, it all boils down to having characters the readers find compelling. As a cozy mystery author, my amateur sleuths and their friends and family need to be people readers care about and want to root for. Next, the mystery needs to be interesting enough to keep readers following along while also providing enough clues to make the story fair. At the story’s conclusion, I want a reader to be either surprised when the whodunnit is revealed or pleased that they figured it out. A unique setting is a big plus, too.
What advice would you give to aspiring mystery writers who are looking to build their own successful series?
Remember that writing is a long game. You need time to build a following, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t sell a boatload of books right away. It’s also important to surround yourself with people who will lift you up when you’re having a tough day, tell you the truth when you need it, and care about you as a person. Also, the only competition you have as a writer is with yourself to write the best story you can.
BONUS: What is one book that you would consider to be your comfort read that you will always reach for?
When I’m in a reading funk, I go to Agatha Christie. I got my start with mysteries when I read And Then There Were None when I was in high school. Murder At the Vicarage and Evil Under the Sun are my personal favorites. I enjoy historical mysteries because they really take me away from the here and now. And you can’t beat a whodunnit by the Queen of Crime Fiction.
About The Author
J.C. Kenney is the bestselling author of The Allie Cobb Mysteries, The Darcy Gaughan Mysteries, and The Elmo Simpson Mysteries. He’s also the co-host of The Bookish Hour webcast. When he’s not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. He has two grown children and lives in Indianapolis with his wife and a cat.
