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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
This is Episode 18, that original LARP game War is the featured game. This is Did Not See That Coming by Ken Harris.
TWO LISTENER NOTES before we get started. First, this is a two-part Mystery to Die For. Half the story is in this episode with the rest of the story, the deliberation, and the big reveal comes next week.
Second, murder and solving it is our thing here at Mysteries to Die For but today’s story includes some real life topics that some audience members may be sensitive to including violence against children, bullying, and antisemitism.
DELIBERATION
None here. Check out Part 2!
ABOUT Ken Harris
Ken Harris retired from the FBI, after thirty-two years, as a cybersecurity executive. With over three decades writing intelligence products for senior Government officials, Ken provides unique perspectives on the conventional fast-paced crime thriller. Ken previously participated in Mysteries to Die For seasons 5 & 6. He is the author of the “From the Case Files of Steve Rockfish” series. He spends days with his wife Nicolita, and two Labradors, Shady and Chalupa Batman. Evenings are spent playing Walkabout Mini Golf and cheering on Philadelphia sports. Ken firmly believes Pink Floyd, Irish whiskey and a Montecristo cigar are the only muses necessary. He is a native of New Jersey and currently resides in Virginia’s Northern Neck.
https://kenharrisfiction.com/
WRAP UP
That wraps this episode of Mysteries to Die For. Support our show by subscribing, telling a mystery lover about us, and giving us a five-star review. Check out our website TGWolff.com/Podcast for links to this season’s authors.
Mysteries to Die For is hosted by TG Wolff and Jack Wolff. Did Not See That Coming was written by Ken Harris. Music and production are by Jack Wolff. Episode art is by TG Wolff. Join us next week for the second half, deliberation, and solution of DID NOT SEE THAT COMING by Ken Harris.
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is The Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Marple Kalb.
TG Wolff Review
The Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Marple Kalb is an amateur sleuth cozy mystery. Dr. Christian Shaw is a mother, a widow, and the director of the historical society. She is responsible for the 17th century bible and pewter tankard used by the lead actor in a movie very loosely based on The Scarlet Letter. Then the actor dies, dramatically. Christian’s old stuff is at the heart of the investigation and where they go, she goes.
Bottom line: The Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Marple Kalb is for you if you like cozy mysteries, charming characters, and everyday old stuff.
One of my favorite things about The Stuff of Murder is the characters. Kalb does a wonderful job of giving the primary characters distinct voices and appearances, making the story easy to read. Christian Shaw is six foot one with flaming red hair. Her son Henry is a five-foot tall third-grader with photographic memory. The fathers she should have had are Garrett the academic and his husband Ed the retired state trooper. And last but certainly not least is the handsome, philanthropic, and very tall state’s attorney Joe Poli. Then there are the other parents, the society volunteers, and townspeople. This is an amazing, heartwarming cast.
The setting is small town Unity, Connecticut. As with most small town cozies, the nature of the town with the tensions and conflicts of people too involved in each other’s business is an amusing counterpoint to main mystery. This is the source of much of the information Christian uses as well as the bane of her busy days.
Brett Studebaker is a fifty-something actor looking to launch into the next stage of his career on a period film based loosely on The Scarlet Letter. Brett is filming a pivotal scene, acting in the pulpit of church turned synagogue some ten feet above the floor. When he goes off script, only Christian and the locals with her notice the odd behavior. Brett falls from the pulpit, breaking his neck. But it isn’t the simple accident someone wants everyone to believe. The leading theory is poison, introduced through the pewter mug the historical society lent to the film.
This mystery is a throw back to an older style where conversations, not evidence, are the primary detection tool. Christian pieces together the small facts she learns into a chain that will catch the guilty. It’s hard to discuss the logic of the mystery without giving too much away. Suffice it to say that the motives and actions of the guilty are consistent and follow logically in their minds.
The Stuff of Murder is a character driven story that would be enjoyed by readers who love cozies as well as those who prefer traditional mysteries.
The Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Marple Kalb was released from Level Best and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers. Book 2, The Stuff of Mayhem is coming in November 2024.
About Kathleen Marple Kalb
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Eksik bölüm mü var?
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
This is Episode 17, tether ball is the featured game. This is Tethered to Drama by Karina Bartow
DELIBERATION
Detective Minka Avery is caught up in the drama in the death of Sheila Nevins. She needs our help to find a killer. Here are the people who she’s come across in the investigation:
• William Barkley, Wes’s former lab partner and current middle school teacher
• Superintendent Rigley, working to balance the budget while building a new middle school
• Gideon Hutchins, school board member and devoted father
• Axel Hutchins, high school baseball player with a shot at being recruited
• Zachary Phelps, groundskeeper for the park behind the middle school
Here are the facts Minka and Cael have unearthed:
• Drama teacher Sheila Nevins was found dead on the edge of the defunct tetherball court after a groundbreaking ceremony for a new middle school. She was strangled with something like a rope or belt.
• The deflated tetherball had a note inside saying “Snitches never win.” The note had a torn corner that matched a bit remaining on a lawn stake.
• Minka’s husband remembered that a guy from his football team, number 60, used the phrase. He was kicked off the team for using drugs.
• A small camera was found recording the tetherball pole. It was on and not one owned by the city for security.
• William Barkley was frustrated with Sheila because she would not put his play on. He was counting down the days until she retired. Barkley was late getting to the groundbreaking because of the bookfair, which a student’s testimony contradicted.
• Superintendent Rigley had a showdown with Sheila, telling her the drama budget was being cut and she needed to raise money. Sheila collected information on Rigley misusing funds and was planning to out him to the board. Rigley spoke at the groundbreaking.
• Gideon Hutchins was upset with Sheila for putting his son, Axel, on the bench by failing him in drama class. Scouts were coming to look at his son, something very important to his college plans. Gideon was at the groundbreaking.
• Axel Hutchins took drama for an easy grade, now he’s in danger of being ineligible just when scouts are coming to check him out. He was missing his uniform belt, which he claimed broke the day before. He was not at the groundbreaking as he was picking his sister up from her school.
• Zachary Phelps was mowing at the park before the groundbreaking. He left when the belt broke on his lawnmower. He knew Sheila, who ate lunch at the park and asked him for the tether pole as a prop.
Who should Minka shine the spotlight of justice on?
ABOUT Tetherball
From my favorite source, Wikipedia, and the website Backyard Sidekick traces tetherball back to the late 1800s and early 1900s where it was found on playgrounds. Variations have the game played with hands or with racquets while having the same rules. If you haven’t played, which I
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is Knife River by Baron Birtcher
TG Wolff Review
Knife River is a cop mystery. It’s 1976 and Sheriff Ty Dawson has his hands full with Meridian County’s newest resident. Music producer Len Kaanan brought in rock star Ian Swann and with him came a troubled brother, an ornery producer, shady stagehands, property damage, assault, and someone with a more deadly intent. Plus, Ty’s daughter is sweet on the music man.
Bottom line: Knife River is for you if you like stories where you know something bad is going to happen but have no idea which direction it’s coming from.
This review is careful not to reveal details of Knife River that will take away from the readers own discovery and enjoyment.
There are so many strengths of this story that it is hard to know where to start. The one that sticks out most to me is the storytelling style. This one unfolds thoughtfully, deliberately, and with such terrifying elegance that I was tempted to read through my fingers. Chapter by chapter, the feeling grows that something very bad has happened, was going to happen but where it would come from and who would be the target wasn’t clear.
The language used elevates Knife River to the top of mystery literature. Consider from chapter twenty, “By the time morning arrived, it came so softly that it felt like a eulogy, the underlayment of the clouds glowing like coal embers for only the briefest of moments, soon swallowed by a still and steely sky that stole all but the ambient glow of sunrise.”
Sheriff Ty Dawson is an engaging hero who is easy to root for. A lawman, cattle rancher, and Korean vet, he is a complicated and damaged man who takes life one day at a time. He is grounded by his wife, Jesse, his college age daughter, Cricket, as well as his foreman and the deputies. The cast is close knit, a group who are positive and supportive of each other.
The 1970s and rural Oregon setting of the Ty Dawson Mysteries makes it stand out from the pack. Birtcher displays his prowess by writing with historical accuracy while making it feel as though we were reading a modern telling. In his hands, we are eternally far away from reading a textbook description of the life and times in post-Vietnam. He similarly brings us into the world of cattle ranges and cowboys by taking us along, at the crack of dawn, to ride down strays.
The plot of this story is wonderfully winding when read from the start, as noted. Standing at the end and looking back to page one, it is both twisted and straightforward. Thinking about the story in the days since I finished it, each detail checks back to earlier chapters, making the logic sound.
When considering whether Sheriff Ty Dawson drives the story, the book divides into two parts: pre-murder and post-murder. Prior to the murder, the action of the main plot is driven by the rock star and music producer. Ty inserts himself into those plans to set up a prevent defense ahead of the invasion of ten thousand fans, but he is in a reactive position. After the murder, he shifts to a proactive role, driving the investigation. His tenacity on details is the reason why this murder is solved.
As to where this story fell short of ideal, there isn’t much to pick on. The logic, the pacing, the storytelling are topnotch.
Knife River is the fourth book in the Ty Dawson Mystery series. I read the third, but not the first two. Knife River can be read as a stand alone. The mystery is independent from prior books. Readers who...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
This is Episode 16, billiards is the featured game. This is Death in the Billiards Room by TG Wolff, an adaptation of The Billiard-Room Mystery by Brian Flynn
ABOUT Billiards
Today we turn to the Games For Fun website to learn about billiards. Billiards includes all sports that are played with a cue stick and billiard balls. Pool (also called pocket billiards), carom billiards, and snooker are categories of billiards. Our story today referred to a billiards table, but it was more accurate to call it a pocket billiards table or a pool table. The Billiard Congress of America reports the game started as an outdoor described as similar to croquet. It was brought indoors as a tabletop game, possibly originating in France. Initially, it retained some of the hoops and sticks of the outdoor game, but those eventually faded. There are many ways to play billiards, ranging from using 3 balls to 22 balls, with and without pockets. Here’s a fun fact: visitors from England taught Americans how to put a spin on the cue ball, explaining why only in America is that spin called “English.” Check out the sources
https://gamesforfun.com/the-history-of-pool-who-how-where-and-billiards
https://bca-pool.com
ABOUT The Billiard Room Mystery by Brian Flynn
The Billiard Room Mystery was the first case for barrister Anthony Bathurst and the first mystery for English author Brian Flynn. It was challenging to find information on an author with over 54 mysteries to his name. The best write ups were on Classic Mystery Novel blog and Crime Is Afoot blog. Born in 1885 in Essex, Flynn, like many others of that period, had a varied background. His formal education ended when he went into the civil service, serving as a special constable during WWI. He taught while he worked for the government and enjoyed acting. It was reported that he began writing mysteries because he was not impressed with much of what he read. I can believe that reading the scene where he is critiquing the styles of leading fictional detectives at the time. The Billiard-Room Mystery is now in the public domain and can be downloaded from the Project Gutenburg. Dean Street Press has been reprinting much of Brian Flynn’s catalogue, which can be found at online retailers.
https://classicmystery.blog/classic-bibliographies/brian-flynn/
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is FAST TIMES BIG CITY by Shelly Frome
TG Wolff Review
FFAST TIMES BIG CITY is an amateur sleuth adventure. It’s the late 1950s and Bud Palmer is living his best life as a sports reporter for the Miami Herald. Then his Uncle Rick, a self-proclaimed PI, gets in hot water up to his eyeballs and clutches onto Bud as his life preserver. Now Bud has to go to cold NYC to find a girl he’s never met and recover a briefcase she stole before the Chicago mob gets impatient
Bottom line: FAST TIMES BIG CITY is for you if you like reluctant heroes, plot driven quests, and immersion in eras gone by.
It is a fun read, watching Bud get deeper into the trouble he didn’t cause, and then figuring out how to dig his way out of it.
The FAST TIMES BIG CITY was released from BQB Publishing and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.
About Shelly Frome
Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at UConn, a former professional actor, and a writer of crime novels and books on theater and film. He also is a features writer for Gannett Publications. Fast Times, Big City is his latest foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
This is Episode 15, Truth or dare is the featured game. This is Dare or Truth by Frank Zafiro
ABOUT Truth or Dare
The origins of truth or dare weren’t as well documented or researched as some of the other games used this season. The Wikipedia page refers to entries as early as 1712 describing a game that is similar to truth or dare, although with one person being in control. Certainly, it isn’t a leap to see this as a social party game in the era preceding television and radio. The most interesting entries I came across were on the social platform Quora where the question was asked…what’s the farthest you’ve ever taken Truth or Dare. The posts responding themed on creative nudity and sex and not, thankfully, murder.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_or_dare
ABOUT Frank Zafiro
Frank Zafiro writes gritty crime fiction from both sides of the badge. During his life, he has been a military intelligence linguist, a police officer (a twenty year career, retiring as a captain), and an independent consultant and instructor. He has taught both writing and police related topics at the collegiate level and professional venues. Through it all, he has been a writer. To date, he has published 48 novels, over 100 short stories, and appeared in over 50 anthologies. He lives in Redmond, Oregon, with his wife, Kristi, who is a teacher.
www.frankzafiro.com
WRAP UP
That wraps this episode of Mysteries to Die For. Support our show by subscribing, telling a mystery lover about us, and giving us a five-star review. Check out our website TGWolff.com/Podcast for links to this season’s authors.
Mysteries to Die For is hosted by TG Wolff and Jack Wolff. Dare or Truth was written by Frank Zafiro. Music and production are by Jack Wolff. Episode art is by TG Wolff. Join us next week for a Toe Tag, which is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, or thriller genre. Then come back in two weeks for an adaption of The Billard Room Mystery by Brian Flynn, where Billards is the featured game
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is The Big Lie by Gabriel Valjan.
TG Wolff Review
The Big Lie is PI mystery. PI Shane Cleary is a popular guy. Everyone wants a favor from him. An MIA standard poodle, Latin tutoring for a mafioso’s niece, pro bono work for a grand larceny defense, and a background check as SOP for getting serious. It’s going to take the help of friends and enemies to keep all these balls in the air.
Bottom line: The Big Lie is for you if you like stories where the pacing keeps up with the PI’s fast talking.
Strengths of the story. Shane Cleary is juggling four jobs plus keeping off his girlfriend’s shit list. It’s a lot for anyone. One of the strengths of THE BIG LIE is the skill with which author Gabriel Valjan lets us know exactly where we are at all times. He distinctly draws the characters making it easy for readers to differentiate between the cases.
Shane as a character is well developed both with a full back history in Vietnam and with the Boston PD and a more recent history such as with this girlfriend, friends, cat, and answering service. He is a character readers can get behind, working from the moral high ground that lets him make hard and sometimes painful decisions.
The story is set in a colorful Boston. It is not set in modern time, but I could not find reference to a year. Based on Shane having (and hating) a beeper, his having been in Viet Nam and worked for Boston PD, and a reference to punter Ray Guy, it seems to be set late 1970s to early 1980s. Shane navigating Boston’s segregated Irish, Italian, Black, and Jewish communities adds a layer of complexity to his tasks that ups the stakes and heightens the entertainment. You can add the Boston PD hating Shane to the complications.
This is the 5th book in the Shane Cleary Mystery series. I have not read the previous four. This can be read as a stand-alone as the mysteries Shane signs up for do not seem to be carried over from previous books. Character carryover is managed well with backstory snippets that get us what we need to know without dragging down in synopsis.
When looking at the logic of the story lines and the role Shane has in resolving them, we have to look individually. Shane outsources the Latin tutoring and the background check, making his role more of a facilitator. The missing dog story had a strong, simple logic. Shane uses his talents with the missing dog case to get people beyond the fear of the dog’s owner to be helpful. There was one spot that had me raising an eyebrow but the resolution is good without being predictable.
The grand larceny case showed excellent detective skills and definitely would have died without Shane pushing at apparent dead ends. The logic of the criminal action is more complicated here. I ended up with a few questions about the setup, which happened before Shane was involved. The logic of Shane’s actions is strong. He does his job, providing the defense with what it needs to combat a lazy if not corrupt PD, then wipes his hands, leaving it to the lawyers to pick up the work of charging the guilty party.
Overall, The Big Lie, the 5th in the Shane Cleary Mysteries, was a highly enjoyable, entertaining read. Readers who prefer the fast pacing that comes with getting four stories in one book will keep the pages turning on this one.
The Big Lie was released from Level Best Books - Historia and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
This is Episode 14, Sorry is the featured game. This is Sorry Not Sorry by Kathleen Marple Kalb
DELIBERATION
Instead of being out for the win, prosecutor Joe Poli wants to get the right bad guy. He’s got Christian and Henry helping him…and he’s got us. Let’s help him figure out who killed Sandra Kule before we’re the ones who are sorry. Our suspects are:
• Barb Kule, the quiet sister who escaped a bad marriage with debt and health issues
• Mikey Kule, the younger brother who has a gambling problem, drug issues, and no funds
• Floyd Lawrence, a cousin working in the shop who also has arrests for drugs and a checking account hovering around frozen.
Here is what we know:
• Sandy Kule was found behind the family house / business. Her throat was cut with the knife found next to her, the one Barb used in the creamery’s kitchen. Preliminary DNA tests indicated the killer was related to Sandy.
• Kule Ice Cream was on hard times. The business wasn’t the ice cream float it once was.
• Sandy was known to love the family business, including the customers. She was keeping everyone from tripping on the rocky road.
• Mikey tried selling antique glasses and other collectibles to Christian for the museum. Many of those items are not missing from the parlor, some replaced with cheap knock offs. The most valuable pieces are still in the shop.
• Barb was arrested by the sheriff after she came down to meet them with blood on her Crocs and shirt and said, “I’m sorry.” The blood was confirmed to be the same type as Sandy’s.
• Henry noticed Floyd gave some customers sprinkles from a drawer instead of the normal cup and Sandra yelled at him, drawing his anger. He also noticed that Mikey was wearing gloves, which he didn’t usually do, and had a bandage under it.
Time to place your order, which flavor is your pick for murderer of the day?
ABOUT Sorry
The game Sorry was created in England in the late 1920s by William Henry Storey, who registered it as a trademark in the UK in 1920 and receive a US patent in Aug 1930. The patent link is in the show notes. The patents describes in detail the parts of the board, the men, the cards, and how to play. Mr. Storey went on to say “the above apparatus used as above described is calculated and has been proved by experience to be a prolific source of amusement and provides a game which calls for the exercise of a great deal of judgment while being dependent in a measure on an uncertain factor such as is calculated to add to the excitement of the game, though due to the choice of moves allowed when certain cards are turned up, the influence of the element of chance as a determining factor is much reduced in comparison with the skill exercised by a player in choosing his moves.”
Several sources cite the Indian game Pachisi as inspiration or basis for Sorry. The link to the Wikipedia page is in the shownotes. Rather than a square board, Pachisi uses a...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is SOME KIND OF TRUTH by Westly Smith. SOME KIND OF TRUTH was released from Wicked House Publishing and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.
TG Wolff Review
SOME KIND OF TRUTH is a dark thriller. Pittsburgh Tribune reporter Steve James made a name for himself by digging up the kind of dirt some people want to keep buried. When a package containing a driver’s license and violent video is delivered to him, it’s clear some anonymous person wants him to put his skills to use. Rebecca Ann Turner was sixteen when she was last seen in 1999.
Bottom line: SOME KIND OF TRUTH is for you if you like gritty mysteries where no ending could be called a good ending.
Strengths of the story. The leading strength of SOME KIND OF TRUTH is the storytelling style. We readers are there alongside Steve James as sussed out clues that were overlooked, under investigated, or not available during the original investigation. With assistance by local reporter Amy Richards, Steve is able to reinterview key witnesses, giving us firsthand information. With solid pacing and excellent chapter development, I found this one to be one where I kept turning the page, wanting to learn more.
SOME KIND OF TRUTH is a stand-alone novel and not part of a series. Steve James is a good, lead character. He is an established professional but one that is haunted by his capture by the Taliban after 9/11. His history has a role in his decision making, which is the flaw that makes him human. Amy Richards is more partner than assistant and, though they are of a similar (unspecified) age, she clearly lacks Steve’s experience. She is a good counterpoint to Steve, having the connections and local knowledge needed to supplement his broader investigative skills. The supporting characters each play a needed role and display a range of emotions, which makes them individuals rather than flat bit players.
The premise for the story is 16-year-old Rebecca Turner went to a party with a friend and wasn’t seen again. The friend reported she left around midnight; her car was found in a field wiped clean. Through the course of his investigation, Steve learns five other girls were kidnapped and abused in a similar manner to Rebecca. These other girls have a connection to a S&M magazine that owned by a money launderer. It is this connection that uniquely positions Steve to solve the cases. This was a cleverly devised plot that Steve unpeeled one layer at a time.
The events of 25-years ago are logical in a hard-crime sense. The modern events unfolded also are logical and are driven by Steve. The resources he has as a crime reporter, his experience in other tough investigations, and his determination to find out what happened to Rebecca drive the story forward to an unexpected but engaging end.
Where the story fell short of ideal: The story as it unfolds from the first page to the last is logical and satisfying. However, I found myself with questions about actions of the supporting characters before Steve becomes involved. Questions that, depending...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
This is Episode 13, twister is the featured game. This is Right Hand Dripping Blood Red by Jason Little.
Mysteries to Die For remains ad free. In exchange for not making you move to hit the fast forward button, support our authors by checking out their backlists and picking up a title. This week is Jason Little. He has a collection of short stories currently available on Amazon, which can be found at JasonLittleWriting.com
DELIBERATION
It isn’t all fun and games for Detective Sam Carlysle. The bodies are stacking up. Ivan Romanov (aka Mister Twister), Henrick Gajewski (aka The Garbage Man), Mitch Takovich (aka The Spinner Doctor). Here are the people we’ve met…at least the ones that are still alive:
• Peter Caruthers, reporter for the Chicago Tribune who seems to be in the wrong place at the right time
• Abby Tinsdale, aka Knockout_Kitty, competitor from Dallas, Texas who intends to win
• Gavin Rosenbaum, Mister Twister’s manager who eats his stress
• Sofi Planchette, the IBOTE event coordinator who demands things run on time
• Julia Tinsdale, Abby’s mother with the sometimes Texas accent
Here are the facts Sam is working with:
• The victims are being killed in a manner consistent with their last Twister winning move. With a $1million prize, it is a very competitive field.
• Mister Twister’s back was broken and his hand cut off. Odd bruising along the shoulders indicates someone went overboard on the Chiropractic readjustment. A Snickers wrapper was found at the scene.
• The Garbage Man was killed with a device Peter Caruthers reported was used by the Bratva, aka the Russian mob.
• The Spinner Doctor was found with his severed foot submerged in a filthy toilet with a Snickers wrapper tucked behind the basin. His last words indicated a m…m…murder mystery has yet to be solved.
• Journalist / photographer Peter Caruthers appeared on the scene of each murder. His Nikon had photos of the victim’s last win. He provided information on the Russian mob and pointed to the male judge being behind it.
It’s your turn to call the next move for Carlysle. Whose hands go in the cuffs?
A reminder to mystery readers, check out our print and e-books. This season’s book is being released in two parts. Part one, Opening Gambit, released in March 2024 and Part two, Final Move, will release in September. Today’s story is the first in part two. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and keep Jack in tacos and headphones.
ABOUT Twister
The game Twister was created with the original name of Pretzel in 1966. Working for the Guyer Company, toy designer Charles Foley and graphic designer Neil Rabens combined ideas for a game where people were the pieces and a colorful mat concept into a game that is very much the one we know today. Foley...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is a plot setting excerpt from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is Lines of Deception by Steve Anderson
TG Wolff Review
Lines of Deception is a thriller. Max Kaspar is finding a new kind of normal in post-war Munich, Germany. He has his club, he has his customers, and he has his brother’s ear. In a purple box. Now Max is on a mission to save his younger brother, who is on a mission to save someone the Soviets have and the Americans want. Allies and enemies, no one can be trusted.
Bottom line: Lines of Deception is for you if you like seat of your pants thrillers woven into the complicated world of post-war II Europe.
Strengths of the story. The post-WWII setting takes center stage. This isn’t a story generically set in 1949 or in one city but is a thriller woven through a variety cities and countries, occupied by multiple allied countries. Miles are crossed on trains, in trucks, and on foot. The food is lackluster, the PTSD rampant. Yes, Lines of Deception has an incredibly rich setting.
This is the fourth book in the Kaspar Brothers series. As such, both Max and his brother Harry are well developed characters. Max leads the storytelling in this one. He stays true to his nature from start to finish. The side characters, good and bad, are well created and easy to keep track of. Max, Harry, and friends are constantly in danger of being discovered.
Max drives the story until he achieves his goal of finding Harry. The baton of the decision making lead then passes to Harry. Together Max and Harry do drive the story. If at any point they made different decisions, the story would have ended.
At the end, looking from back to front, the logic holds. This is a missing person type thriller without the elements of “switchbacks” that can weaken logic in political thrillers. I appreciated that at the end of the book, Max and Harry recapped the logic line, making me a very happy reader.
Where the story fell short of ideal: I didn’t find much to pick on here. Perhaps thriller readers who prefer fire fights, explosions, and stunt people might find this one a bit staid. I, myself, did not. The thrills were just right for the time period.
The Lines of Deception was released from Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.
About Steve Anderson
Steve Anderson is the author of numerous novels, mostly historical thrillers about gutsy underdogs. In an earlier life he earned an MA in history and was a Fulbright Fellow in Germany. Day jobs have included busy waiter, Associated Press rookie, and language instructor. He’s also written historical nonfiction and translated bestselling German novels. Lines of Deception is fourth in his Kaspar Brothers series but can be read as a standalone. A hopeless soccer addict, he lives in his hometown of Portland, Oregon with his...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. For Episode 12, Tarot Cards is the featured game. This is A Tarotfying End by TG Wolff
DELIBERATION
Victoria Harris did not jump from the bell tower. But who helped her? Mystic and his talented squad are collecting the evidence and checking alibis as we speak. In whose direction should Mystic focus his considerable talents? Here are the suspects in the order we met them:
• Angela Harris, Victoria’s older half-sister who wanted to sell their father’s valuable estate
• Grace Anderson, Victoria’s boss who was making her professional life hell
• Keisha Brown aka Darling, Victoria’s ex who still wanted to make it work
Here are the clues that have been revealed:
• Victoria Harris was confronted by someone in St. Jane Frances church. She apparently hid in the confessional, taking off her shoes, and ended up in the bell tower, four stories above the square.
• A physical altercation took place and Victoria Harris was thrown from the bell tower. Victoria’s torn fingernails and an earring were found in the tower.
• When found, Victoria had the chain and charm in her hand that she had given to Cici Baptiste on their anniversary. She had lipstick smeared on her cheek that matched the lipstick used to draw on the mirror in Cici’s apartment. She also had three tarot cards tucked in her bra.
• Angela Harris acknowledged arguing with her sister over their father’s estate. She was home alone at the time of death with no witnesses. She had a cut on her hand sustained while making guacamole for the date who no-showed. No other cuts or scratches were noticed.
• Grace Anderson acknowledged arguing with Victoria over the deal they were working on. Grace was in Bonbanni and went to see Victoria at the club. She does not have an alibi for the time her husband when to get the car, shortly before ten. No cuts or scratches were noticed.
• Keisha “Darling” Brown was a singer and personal trainer who was convinced she and Victoria were getting back together. She had cut her arm sustained the night before loading her gear. Her clothes and scarf did not provide the opportunity to see additional injuries.
Who would you arrest for this dirty deed done in a holy place?
PRINT & E-BOOKS
Check out our print and e-books. The companion book for Seasons 4, 5 and 6 are available in e-book and trade paperback from online retailers. This season’s book is being released in two parts. Part one, with 12 stories, released in March 2024 – the last story in it is the one you heard today. Part two releases in September. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and keep Jack in sunglasses that hold his hair back.
Season Anthologies on Amazon
ABOUT TG Wolff
Like you, I’m not one thing. I’m a writer, an engineer, a wife, and a mother. What is first on the list depends on the day. Beyond the title I claim, I’m a person who loves learning and thoroughly enjoys a good puzzle, is creative and gets bored easily. I hold a BS in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and an MS in Civil...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is an excerpt from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons by CJ Abazis
TG Wolff Review
The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is a serial killer mystery. Death has again found Interpol Chief Data Scientist Dr. Manos Manu. Hot air balloon pilots are being murdered in the United Arab Emirates, frozen to death high above the earth. Manos is dispatched to Dubai to support analysis by a software he led the creation of. But to generate correct answers, the software needs data, data that hides in the dark traits of men.
Bottom line: The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is for you if you love high-tech code nearly as much as you love mysteries.
Strengths of the story. The greatest strength of this story is the expert detail presented in the development, testing, and augmentation of machine learning systems. In his day job, CJ Abazis runs a software company and his expertise shines through here. The Machine Murders isn’t the typical high-level use of IT common in television shows like NCIS or Criminal Minds. Instead, the program is a rich as character as any of the humans and the language is true to life.
Much of this story is set in the Emirates. I found it to be a new and fresh scene, with texture and depth that supplemented the mystery. The justaposition of the uber high-tech with the traditional Arab culture made for fascinating reading. I cannot comment on how accurate Abazis’ representation of the culture was, just that it was well developed and added to the story.
The Machine Murders is structured as an extended story told in two parts. The first, Island Buoys, kicks off the story of Dr. Manos Manu and the use of machine learning models to hunt for the killer. The second, this story called Desert Balloons, picks up shortly after the end of the first. I have not read the first. The author does introduce the continuing Interpol characters and software basics to new readers. I do wonder if the machine learning would have been easier to follow if I had read Island Buoys.
As to how the logic stands up from the finish looking back, the result is fair. This is a mystery where the solution isn’t driven by testimony or evidence. The machine does the reasoning, using the additional information Manos identifies. We aren’t privy to actions or history of the suspects to be able to assess the logic of the solution and, as such, have the rely on the results from the computer system as correct. Manos confronts the killer, giving readers a satisfying end that the guilty party was found, but I was left with questions.
Overall, the pacing of the story did well to hold my attention. There were a few sections where I did not follow the change from one scene to another. While these ultimately did not affect the outcome of the story, I was pulled out of it as I went back to re-read. The thriller elements were written to align with a main character that was a chief data scientist, with Manos using his brains rather than fighting he way out of situations.
While the greatest strength of the story is the detail of machine learning, it is also the element that makes its less than accessible for some readers, including myself. Being an average technology end user at best, I simply could not follow the directions given to modify the code or or appreciate the results it generated.
The Machine Murders: Desert Balloons is unique in the mystery world for making the software itself a main character and is a must read for lovers of machine...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
This is Episode 11, Marco Polo is the featured game. This is Marco Mayhem by Karina Bartow
PRE-ROLL
Today's author is Karina Bartow. “Marco! Mayhem!” is part of Karina’s Unde(a)feated Detective Series, which follows deaf detective, Minka Avery. Minka’s always striving to rise above her deafness—as well as her family’s antics—to crack the case. To catch up on the Avery family, check out Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, and Accidental Allies, available now. For further information on Karina and her books, visit KarinaBartow.com.
DELIBERATION
Minka needs our help to get Marco to his Polo. Here are the pool characters affiliated with Xavier Maccabbee:
• Hope, the girlfriend who kissed and made up with Xavier
• Clinton, pool manager and Hope’s ex who defended her
• Leon Fleming, bounty hunter who worked an alternate deal with Xavier
• TC, possibly Tanner Cowen, Xavier’s boss who wasn’t happy with Xavier’s work.
Here are the facts as Minka and her partner Cael know:
• Hope and Xavier went into the pool for a game of Marco Polo. In the middle of the game, Xavier left the pool and was later found dead in the pool shed from a blow to the head with a crank handle.
• The facility video showed something off camera drawing Xavier out of the pool. It also showed a male in a hoodie sneaking around, later leaving, taking Xavier’s car.
• Clinton defended his ex, Hope, when she argued with Xavier. He later spied on the couple when they were “making up” in the hot tub. Other than that, he was working.
• Clinton claims he had no linger affection for Hope. They had both moved on.
• Leon Fleming recognized Xavier as a skip and approached him to apprehend him. Xavier supposedly offered him a better pay day. A dead Xavier wasn’t worth any thing.
• TC made demands for Xavier to finish a job. The addresses in the text chain were locations where cars were stolen from.
Who should Minka and Cael set their sights on?
PRINT & E-BOOKS
A reminder to mystery readers, check out our print and e-books. The companion book for Seasons 4, 5 and 6 are available in e-book and trade paperback from online retailers. This season’s book is being released in two parts. Part one released in March 2024 and Part two in September. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and keep Jack in tacos and headphones.
Season Anthologies on Amazon
ABOUT Marco Polo
Marco Polo, as you got from today’s story, is an aqua “blind man’s bluff” – the tag game, not the poker game. According...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is The Nowhere Girls by Dana Perry
TG Wolff Review
The Nowhere Girls is a cold case, crime thriller. FBI Agent Nikki Cassidy has returned home to visit David Monroe in prison. On this 15th anniversary, her sister’s killer has an agenda of his own and Nikki is the key.
Bottom line: The Nowhere Girls is for you if you like serial killer crime thrillers where the past is the key to the present.
Two strengths of this story lie in the complexity of the crime and the pacing of its reveal. As indicated in the backcover synopsis (i.e. not a spoiler) the crime here is the kidnapping and murder of not one young girl but several. It begins with the cold case investigation of the murder of Caitlin, Nikki’s sister, 15 years ago and is ramped up with the disappearance of another 13-year-old, Natalie, on the anniversary of Caitlin’s disappearance. While revisiting the site where her sister’s body was discovered, Nikki and team find another body – this one from a girl who disappeared from other state. That element of cross state boundaries enables Nikki to be officially assigned to the case and her team to come in. The evolution of the mystery is deliberately paced and satisfying with nearly every chapter counting.
This is the first in the Nikki Cassidy series with the next two already released. I have not read the others in the series. For a first story, Nikki is well developed. Readers can see from early on how her greatest strength is also her greatest weakness. Nikki is one of those characters wo has an abundance of confidence in her own judgement and abilities. This gives her the steadfastness to stick to a case where others would have turned away but also causes her to make poor and selfish decisions where other people pay the consequences.
The supporting cast in this story are largely the characters associated Caitlin’s murder including the convicted killer, his wife/lawyer, and the ME and prosecutor at the time. The characters are distinctly drawn, making it easy for me to both remember and differentiate them.
The logic of the mystery holds up reasonably well when looked at from back-to-front. But. There is no evidence laid out in the story leading to the Big Bad. Instead, the Big Bad self-reveals in the culmination. While this leads to a wrap-up that is satisfying to the reader, ultimately Nikki didn’t solve the mystery.
When we look at how the main character, Nikki, drove the story, there are mixed results. Nikki is focused on the cold case of her sister’s murder while there is an active hunt for missing 13-year-old Natalie. Understanding that Nikki has convinced herself there is a connection between Caitlin and Natalie, there is no sense of urgency on Nikki’s part to find Natalie. After the first interview with Natalie’s parents, she is focused on what happened 15-years ago. Nikki drives the cold case investigation, yes, but not the missing person in imminent danger.
Readers will enjoy this crime thriller best if they go into it with the expectation of a cold case crime thriller rather than a missing person thriller. The discovery that there is a serial killer and answers to Caitlin’s murder are the central story; the search for Natalie is not.
The dynamic storytelling, dramatic pacing, and satisfying ending make THE NOWHERE GIRLS great entertainment for lovers of crime thrillers.
The Nowhere Girls was released from Bookouture and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
This is Episode 10, a scavenger hunt is the featured game. This is Hunting for Clues by Nick Andreychuk
PRE-ROLL
This is TG Wolff. Today we welcome author Nick Andreychuk to the podcast.
Nick has written award-winning short stories for magazines and anthologies. His stories, which range from classic whodunnits to hardboiled crime to suspense thrillers. Find his work by searching for his name (Andreychuk) at your favorite on-line book retailers.
DELIBERATION
Well, it doesn’t seem like Chris needs our help solving the murder of Sam Jenkins, but Becker and Launek do. Here are the suspects they are working with:
• Bob Wu, Seattle local who got drenched waiting for his cab
• Wayne Smith, Tacoma resident who drove in for the convention
• John Reddy, Seattle transplant from across the pond
Here’s what we know:
• On Reddy’s suggestion, the four newly acquainted men were working together on the scavenger hunt. Each had one last item to find. They left Sam’s room together, planning to meet back up in the lobby at noon.
• Jenkins was found by the other men after he did not show up at the meeting spot. He died in his hotel room, suffocated on the TV remote control.
• Two front desk clerks testified that two men were seen returning around eleven. They could not tell who. Despite being different ethnicities, the men were of similar stature and style.
• Jenkins had bought several expensive pieces of memorabilia as well as signed comic books and photos.
• Something Jenkins had bought was discovered on each of the suspects. Reddy had the Ironman gizmo. Smith had the Panther mask, which he claimed Jenkins loaned him. Wu had signed shoes, which he also said was loaned to him.
Time to use your Spidey sense. Who should Becker and Launek arrest?
PRINT & E-Books
The companion book for Season 4, 5 and 6 are available in e-book and trade paperback from online retailers. This season’s book is being released in two parts. Part one released in March 2024 and Part two in September. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and keep Jack in tacos and headphones.
Season Anthologies on Amazon
ABOUT Scavenger Hunts
According to Britannica.com, America writer and hostess Elsa Maxwell is credited with creating scavenger hunts as a party game. Maxwell was renown for your parties both for the A-list guests and for the novelties she created to amuse them. Maxwell was an interesting, self-made woman. Born in 1883, she supported herself as a theatre pianist and accompanist while in her teens. She worked with a Shakesperean troupe, in vaudeville, and in music halls, all...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is Rise to Rebellion by Julie Bates
TG Wolff Review
Rise to Rebellion is a historical mystery. July 1776. Jeremy Butler is called to investigate threats to the Congress delegation. The attacks seem to come from nowhere and everywhere at once and no one within the households are safe. Jeremy finds an unlikely ally in Hannah White, a Quaker, a widow, and a businesswoman. Together, they unknowingly corner the villain, only to have to fight their way out.
Bottom line: Rise to Rebellion is for you if you like mysteries equally braided with historical and women’s fiction
Strengths of the story. The premise of the story is one of the shining stars. Set in July 1776, the war for Independence is palpable to all. Everyone has a side and being on the side of the patriots isn’t the easy decision history leads us to believe. Bates shows us the working class side of Philadelphia through the household of Hannah Payne White and the farm where Faith Payne Clarke has returned to. The storytelling of the life of unmarried women, freed persons, and enslaved persons humanizes the history, showing us strong, capable people doing what they can to not just survive, but live and thrive.
Bates certainly did her research in the history and culture of the era. It, too, is a shining star. A note from the author talked about her commitment to historical accuracy and the one liberty she took with the story to make it doable for Jeremy. She apologizes to history buffs who may be confused by the change. As someone who calls out unreasonable timeframes, I appreciate she noted it and took steps to make the story plausible.
Jeremy Butler’s story is the mystery. As described, he has gone to Philadelphia to investigate incidents affected members of the Continental Congress. John Hancock and Benjamin Franklin believe someone is working to subvert their cause.
Faith Clark’s story is women’s fiction. Faith returns home to visit her dying mother, reuniting with the father and siblings she left behind when she married and moved to Virginia. There is some intrigue—the discovery of a murdered neighbor and of an unknown oldest sister—but the story arc is focused on Faith coming to terms with her upbringing and her mother.
Hannah Clark’s story is a mix of drama, romance, and mystery. She picks up with question of an unknown sister and follows down leads as she is juggling running her business selling china settings and taking care of her guest, Jeremy Butler, who returns far too often bleeding form some place or another.
All three characters are engaging and likeable. I am sure readers will vary on which character and storyline is their favorite.
This is the third book in the Faith Clarke Mystery series. I have not read the first two. This story stands alone, being set a year after the second, and is a different location.
Where the story fell short of ideal:
There are a few places where RISE TO REBELLION falls short of an ideal historical mystery. While this is part of the Faith Clarke mystery series, Faith’s storyline is women’s fiction and is only present for about half the book. At that point, her sister Hannah picks up the storytelling, taking it in a different direction. The mystery would be more accurately characterized as a Jeremy Butler mystery. The story alternates chapters between Jeremy and Faith/ Hannah. Mystery lovers may be left wanting more. Readers who like multi-faceted stories will enjoy the mystery, historical, and women’s fiction weave of the story....
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.
This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
This is Episode 9, Headbands is the featured game. This is A Head for Murder by Rick Ollerman
PRE-ROLL
Rick Ollerman is the author of four novels, Turnabout, Shallow Secrets, Truth Always Kills, and Mad Dog Barked, as well as the non-fiction collection, Hardboiled, Noir and Gold Medals. He was also the editor of Down & Out: The Magazine and has written numerous short stories and edited several crime fiction anthologies.
DELIBERATION
Detectives Spencer and Flores have a club house classic on their hands to figure out who strangled Lindsay Strauss. Let’s pull out our caddy skills and read this green. Here are the suspect by couples:
• Jeff Actone, Lindsay’s boyfriend who flew in from their home in Milwaukee
• Chad Willette, flew to the party from a business trip
• Nancy Willette, flew to the party from their Chicago home
• William ‘Trip’ Marten, flew in from Worcester, MA
• Jill Marten, flew in with her husband from Worcester, MA
Here is what we know:
• Lindsay Strauss was expected to arrive at the golf resort around 8pm. Her boyfriend, Jeff, and her friends repeatedly tried to reach her with no luck.
• Hotel staff report Lindsay did arrive around 8pm, but instead of going to the room she shared with Jeff, she opted to stow her bags and go to the bar to find her friends.
• The next morning, her body was discovered in the golf cart barn. She had been strangled and was somewhat hidden behind fallen bags of mulch. Despite the rain, her hair and clothes were dry. No umbrella was found.
• While waiting for Lindsay, a game of headbands was played. Trip was the leader. Jill, Jeff, and Nancy played throughout. Chad went to the buffet for snacks and played after he returned.
• On Jill’s first turn, ‘Jeff’ had been written on the Post-It. In guessing, Jill revealed that she saw Jeff at the cart barn the previous night. He had been soaking wet from the rain.
• On the evening in question, Jill had walked along the paths using a golf umbrella. Nancy stayed inside the resort, first going to her room with Chad, then going to the bar without him. Trip went to the pro shop and talked with the staff. Jeff wandered without a destination or umbrella.
• Nancy thought something was “off” about Jeff, suspecting he was dealing with something personal.
• Jill reported during their last conversation, Lindsay indicated this wasn’t going to be a happy trip for two of the couples.
Whose story is soaking wet?
PRINT & E-BOOKs
A reminder to mystery readers, check out our print and e-books. The companion book for Seasons 4, 5 and 6 are available in e-book and trade paperback from online retailers. This season’s book is being released in two parts. Part one released in March 2024 and Part two in September. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and...
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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.
I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.
Today’s featured release is Wet, Warm & Noisy by David A. Willson.
TG Wolff Review
Wet, Warm & Noisy is an psychological thriller. Alaska State Trooper Jake Ward is stuck on light duty and a polygraph assignment is welcome break from the monotony. A woman was arrested breaking into a warehouse. Her defense: she was kidnapped. Ward’s job is to determine if she is a suspect or a victim. As he is realizing something is out of the ordinary, she is broken out of jail. Now a court services officer is fighting for his life, the woman is on the run with the shooter, and there is no way in hell Ward is staying out of the case.
Bottom line: Wet, Warm & Noisy is for you if you like psychological thrillers with a side of medical sci-fi.
Strengths of the story. The premise of the story is simple and intriguing. There was something wrong with Belle Anderson. Any drugs would have worked out of her system, so what was the explanation for the way she would freeze up? She was alternately oblivious and hyperly aware. A mix of curiosity and duty drive Ward to investigate Anderson, leading him into a world of study on the brain and human consciousness. This is a psychological thriller, but if it were a mystery, it would be a whatisgoingon. Willson does an excellent job of grabbing the reader by the curiosity and never letting go.
Jake Ward is a likeable character. He’s a thinking man, not an action hero. He has survived surgery and treatments for pancreatic cancer and is determined to get the rest of his life back. Ward is a normal guy, sometimes making decisions that put his back in a corner. He drives the story, continually pushing on who Belle Anderson is and what her circumstances are. If Ward would have backed off, the story would have ended. His actions challenge the bad guys (BG) world, forcing BG to react and Ward to overcome another obstacle.
Belle Anderson is not a stereotypical character. She is the narrator in a few chapters, giving us a peak into the BG world that Ward doesn’t have. She will challenge readers to decide if she is a criminal or a victim. Belle went into the BG world willingly but, Unlike Ward, was not able to drive her narrative, becoming a victim. I cheered for Belle but other readers could easily go the other way. Just recognizing this means Willson did an excellent job crafting her.
The Alaskan setting is richly described, showing the challenges of protecting the peace in such a large territory. The supporting characters are well developed and act true to their nature. I especially liked that the other Alaska State Troopers acted as a professional and supportive organization. Meaning, I liked that there was not the trope of the a-hole boss who the hero is battling.
.Where the story fell short of ideal: There isn’t much to pick on in this one. The logic, when examined from the backend forward, is a pretty straight line with no breaks. That’s not always the case with thrillers as they seek to surprise the reader with a twist. Ward put in the time and sweat equity to unearth the clues, using the technology and other resource available to the troopers. The story largely avoided use of coincidences. There was one, single scene where I didn’t follow how the BGs got to a certain place. Could have been convenient for the story or me just missing a key detail.
Willson’s pacing is deliberate, allowing the story to unfold. There were times when I wanted it to move faster, but that was primarily driven by my curiosity wanting to know...
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