After two deaths make headlines on Chestnut Street, Meadow Jackson, the building manager at The Abbey: Senior Living, sees an opportunity to build community by hosting an open house Halloween event. The residents decorate the lobby and first floor and set up trick-or-treating stations and games for guests to enjoy. While a few cranks hide out on the second floor (off-limits because not everyone’s up for a party), Sister Bernadette Ohlson dresses up like her namesake, Saint Bernadette, a French peasant, and hands out candy to trick-or-treaters near the main entrance. Everyone’s in costume and the open house is a hit. People are all talking about one particular room filled with creepy old dolls and a gruesome surprise, which sends a chill down everyone’s spine, even Bernie’s!
When I started writing Dropped Like a Bad Habit, I couldn’t resist including a Halloween party. My middle son is an October baby, and his birthday parties always had a Halloween theme. Kids love an excuse to wear costumes and over the years we kept adding to the experience, resulting in bins and bins of spooky decorations that I later used to decorate my classroom at our local high school. The ghosts and ghouls and gravestones and cobwebs were always a big hit, and best of all was the cauldron for candy that slapped a bony hand down on anyone trying to sneak a piece!
The best party we ever threw for Brent pulled out ALL the stops. Our basement became a haunted house with a fog machine (which forced us to disable all the smoke detectors in the house) and eerie music playing. Rats, snakes, and spiders lurked along the baseboards. Ravens, bats, and ghosts swung from the ceiling. A few well-placed zombies and witches added to the…charm. I even dug up some twisted and gnarly root vegetables and put them in mason jars with dry ice for a mad scientist effect. The kids played relay games, reassembled a skeleton’s bones, raced to wrap each other up as mummies using toilet paper, and we capped off the event with Zombie Soccer in the back yard.
Who can wrap their partner up like a zombie the FASTEST?
Hilarious tombstones!
The fog machine made the party spooky—and IMPOSSIBLE to photograph!
I recycled some of my Halloween party ideas for the open house event at The Abbey: Senior Living, but I added an even bigger fright for Chestnut Street. Find buy links to here grab your copy of Dropped Like a Bad Habitand discover what shocking surprise awaited Bernie and her neighbors!
Have you had a memorable Halloween party experience? I’d love to hear about it!
About the author
Melissa Westemeier grew up around the edge of nerd culture, but marriage and motherhood with three sons immersed her in it. She’s fluent in Marvel, DC, Dr. Who, Star Wars, Godzilla, and more thanks to their influence. Her fiction work includes rom-com and a trilogy loosely based on her experience tending bar on the Wolf River in Wisconsin. She’s thrilled to realize her childhood dream of writing murder mysteries. Her books blend her humor and appreciation for nerd culture while tackling serious themes and unpacking the puzzle of whodunnit (and how and why!). In her spare time, Melissa needs to be outside or near a window. Her passions include hiking, swimming, biking, reading, and fantasizing about her next vacation destination.
Ever had a relationship you wish you could just delete from your memory? Wouldn’t it be amazing to skip the breakup blues and fast-forward straight to the “Who? Never heard of him” phase when people ask?
Ever Wish You Could Forget Your Ex? Same!
This is like the Carly Simon song – You’re So Vain – this sentiment I have otwards ex’s, doesn’t actually apply to one particular individual but a combination of all of them!
The ex who thought “Netflix and chill” meant I cook and clean while he scrolled social media and pointed out hot chicks to me, disguised as outfit ideas for improving my wardrobe
The ex who borrowed my car and returned it on empty. Every. Single. Time.
The ex who gave me workout equipment for Valentine’s Day. (Nothing says romance like unsolicited dumbbells.)
The ex who thought “quality time” meant me watching him play video games for six hours
The ex who wore socks to bed and still somehow managed to get cold feet about commitment
That’s exactly where The Witch Wears Prada was born. Sakara is a witch done wrong by her ex and she doesn’t want to waste one more second thinking about him. Unfortunately, for Sakara, her forgetting potion works a little too well and she forgets everything, including the fact that she’s a witch. So when she wakes up and her cat is talking to her, she’s not sure if she’s going crazy or hit her head on something!
Of course, because this is Clover Creek and it’s Halloween, forgetting your powers isn’t just inconvenient, it’s dangerous. There’s a murder to stop, a would-be assassin to dodge, and only the world’s sassiest talking cat (plus one cousin and some very skeptical cops) to help.
So yes, The Witch Wears Prada is about witches, small-town murder, and spooky Halloween vibes but at its heart, it’s about that universal fantasy: wouldn’t it be nice to forget the people who weren’t worth your time in the first place?
The Breakup Cure No One Tells You About (Until Now)
Here’s the exact recipe that Sakara uses to forget her ex!
Ingredients for Root Beer Float Forgetting Potion
• 2 heaping scoops of French Vanilla Ice Cream
• Root Beer
• 4 Maraschino Cherries
• Frozen glass mug
Directions
1. Scoop ice cream into frozen mug
2. Pour in root beer
3. Add cherries
Incantation
Make sure to repeat this twice: once before drinking and again right after drinking your potion and then close your eyes and count backwards in multiples of 3 from 100 down to one. By the time you’re done, you’ll have forgotten all about what troubles you.
Memories that trouble me
Trouble me no more
Be gone
Float away
Far, far away
To a place where you can bother me no more
About the author
Lisa Siefert is a USA Today Bestselling Mystery Author who writes humorous cozy mysteries. She dedicates all of her free time to testing out different latte flavors at every coffee shop she comes across and has never once skimped on dessert because life is too short not to. She lives in San Diego with Lucky, her own devious but adorable Abyssinian kitten. She excels at recounting every Hallmark Movie plot ever conceived and can also whip up a mean batch of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Her books feature amateur women sleuths that always believe in silver linings despite all of the murderous clouds surrounding them. Be sure to check out her website: www.lisasiefert.com.
When the days grow shorter and the nights stretch long, there’s nothing better than curling up with a cozy mystery. Add in a jack-o-lantern glow, a cup of cider, and the sound of leaves scratching at the windows, and you’ve got the perfect October setting.
It’s no wonder Halloween feels like it was made for mystery lovers.
Think about it—so many of the tropes we love in cozy mysteries pair perfectly with this spooky season:
The Small Town with Secrets: Everyone knows everyone… or so they think. (And in October, those secrets feel just a little darker.)
The Amateur Sleuth: Armed with curiosity, a dash of courage, and maybe a costume party alibi, our sleuth always ends up in the wrong place at the right time.
The Haunted House (or B&B): Drafty staircases, unexplained footsteps, and flickering candlelight—whether the ghosts are real or just rumors, the setting makes you shiver.
The Unlikely Sidekick: From nosy neighbors to mischievous pets, someone always seems to dig up a clue right when it’s needed most.
And for those of us who love a paranormal twist? Talking pets, helpful spirits, and haunted heirlooms slip so naturally into the Halloween atmosphere that it feels like they were meant to be here all along. So this October, as you’re lighting pumpkins and dodging candy wrappers, don’t forget to also stock up on cozy mysteries—the kind that keep you turning pages while the wind rattles the windows. A special treat from my Haunted Kitchen:
Witch’s Brew Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Every Halloween needs a signature snack. These cookies are soft, spiced, and drizzled with a ghostly glaze—perfect for nibbling while you solve (or create) a little mischief.
Ingredients 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp ground cloves ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup brown sugar, packed 1 cup pumpkin purée 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract Ghostly Glaze 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tbsp milk (plus more if needed) ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
In another bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Mix well.
Slowly blend dry ingredients into wet until just combined.
Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared sheets. Bake 12–14 minutes, until edges set.
While cooling, whisk glaze ingredients. Drizzle over cookies like ghostly cobwebs. Serve on a dark plate with a few candy eyeballs scattered around… and you’ve got a haunted treat worthy of October.
Click here for a printable version of Witch’s Brew Pumpkin Spice Cookies Happy reading!
About the author
Emmie Lyn grew up in a small town in New England, much like the towns where her female characters live—scenic, quaint and filled with colorful characters. She loves to create mysteries with twists and unexpected turns that draw readers in and capture their imagination.
Emmie lives in rural Massachusetts with her husband, a rescue terrier, and a black cat with a bad attitude. She shares twelve acres with a wide variety of wildlife including deer, bunnies, turkeys, and many songbirds. When she’s not busy thinking of ways to kill off a character (for a book, of course!) she enjoys a cup of tea and chocolate in her flower garden, hiking, or spending time near the ocean.
If my book were a Halloween movie…it would be Garfield’s Halloween Adventure! Wait, wait, I promise it makes sense!
This gem of children’s animation first came out in 1985. Back then, my grandmother taped it off of the television and for years I could pop in the VHS tape into the VCR whenever I wanted to watch it. Fun fact, as a kid one year I dressed up as Garfield for Halloween because I loved this movie so much. Sadly, this show hasn’t been broadcast on tv since 1999, but you can watch it on Youtube. Of course, that version won’t have the classic Campbell’s soup, McDonald’s Halloween McBoo Buckets, or Double Mint gum ads that I can also quote by heart… With music sung by Lou Rawls and the typical Garfield hijinks and humor, this movie was a fall staple in my household growing up. To this day, I sometimes find myself singing “This is the night!” or quoting random lines from it (“Garfield, you are a genius! I know that.”).
So, how is Garfield’s Halloween Adventure anything like Murder, She Rolled? Let’s break it down (without spoilers!):
First, the obvious similarity: both take place in fall with Halloween right around the corner. And while Garfield may be lazy, my protagonist, Wren Winters, is anything but. She and her friends are busily preparing for the Hollow’s Way Harvest Festival, planning out a hay maze and outdoor games for folks to play.
Garfield discovers that, unlike other holidays that might involve him getting pine needles in his paws, if he dresses up in costume on Halloween, he can get candy, candy, candy! In Murder, She Rolled, Wren and her friends are about to play a tabletop roleplaying game, the kind of collaborative storytelling game where you pretend you’re someone else – very Halloween appropriate.
After a montage of trying on different costumes (“What should I be? There’s so many sides to me.”) Garfield and Odie go out dressed up as pirates. It’s all fun and games, but danger lurks when they enter a run-down mansion that they thought was abandoned. Similarly, when Wren and her friends sit down to play a game, one of them collapses, sending the group spiraling and running headlong into danger at every turn.
Ultimately, Garfield and Odie survive because of their friendship and the sacrifices they make for one another. In Murder, She Rolled, Wren and her friends are put to the test, but ultimately they need to rely on one another in order to figure out whodunit and how to put things right before it’s too late…
About the author
Shelly Jones is a professor by trade and a nerd by design. Woefully introverted, their pockets are full of post-it notes and their head is full of (unsaid) witty come-backs and un-won arguments from years past. When they aren’t grading papers or writing new cozy mysteries, Shelly can often be found hiking in the woods or playing a board game while their cats look on. Connect with Shelly on her website: shellyjonesauthor.com.
Greetings, victims, I mean, friends, and welcome to my not-so-spooky Tule Halloween Festival post. If you’ve read any of my Elmo Simpson Mysteries, you know the town of Paradise Springs, Florida is filled with unusual characters. If you haven’t, there’s no better time to change that as all three are on sale this month for the bargain price of $1.99 for Kindle readers.
Among the denizens of the Springs is Abraham Longfellow, a dashing recluse who might be a vampire. Then there’s Idira Maradona, who’s known to many as The Black Widow due to the unusually large number of deceased former spouses. I’d be remiss if I failed to mention the Farrell Sisters, local entertainment magnates who may also be witches.
So, it was no surprise when I started working on a timeline for Dead in the Ditch, book 3 in the series, that Halloween had to play a key part.
The story opens on Halloween night and features trick-or-treating and one whale of a Halloween costume party. A dead body turns up, too. I mean, I write murder mysteries. How could there not be one?
I’ve always loved Halloween. When I was a kid, I spent the night of October 31 dashing from house to house with my friends knocking on doors and shouting, “trick or treat.” It was great fun, and I treasure those memories.
When my kids were young, I took them trick or treating and had as much fun enjoying the spookiness of the evening as they did. We also had a great time decorating the house with jack o’ lanterns, spider webs, and all kinds of other not scary decorations.
Over the years, there have been trips trough haunted houses, strolls through Halloween-themed zoos, and viewings of too many scary movies to count. Not to mention the annual viewing of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!”
So, yeah, I love Halloween. To me, it’s a time of fun, friendship, and goodwill. I mean, children going house to house to receive treats from people they don’t know? That’s an act of trust and belief in community that can’t be beat.
That’s why, when the opportunity presented itself, I wasn’t going to pass on giving Dead in the Ditch a Halloween theme. And I can’t wait until the timing works to write another Halloween story.
Until next time, stay spooky, friends and keep reading Tule mysteries!
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.
Mistletoe, mochas, and murder. When a Christmastime killer strikes, can one amateur sleuth save the festivities from chocolate-covered ruin?
Ava Decker craves clarity. Stuck in limbo while her maybe-boyfriend takes flight overseas, the sarcastic pastry chef buries her insecurities inside her cupcakes. But as her town immerses itself in yuletide cheer, she pushes herself to re-enter the world and celebrate… only to discover a fellow confectioner’s body floating in a lake of fudge.
Grieving and prepping for the magical winter festival, the witty entrepreneur is dumbfounded by the news that she’s inherited the cocoa master’s decadent empire. And as a disgruntled relative contests the will and traces of embezzlement surface, Ava mixes a batch of relentless sleuthing with a pinch of help from her forensic accounting background.
Will refusing to walk away get her yule cake crumbled or put a grinch behind bars? Candy Canes and Crimes is the quirky sixth book in the Frosted Misfortunes Mysteries culinary cozy series. If you like strong female leads with self-deprecating humor, loveable animal sidekicks, and small-town holiday charm, then you’ll adore Lisa Siefert’s entertaining adventure.
Lisa Siefert is a USA Today Bestselling Mystery Author who writes humorous cozy mysteries. She dedicates all of her free time to testing out different latte flavors at every coffee shop she comes across and has never once skimped on dessert because life is too short not to. She lives in San Diego with Lucky, her own devious but adorable Abyssinian kitten. She excels at recounting every Hallmark Movie plot ever conceived and can also whip up a mean batch of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Her books feature amateur women sleuths that always believe in silver linings despite all of the murderous clouds surrounding them.
