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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 Lethal Standoff by Diann Mills
TG Wolff Review
Lethal Standoff is an amateur sleuth mystery. A hostage standoff by a desperate man has innocent lives in the crossfire. After a hostage crisis ends with loss of life, Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed and reporter Levy Ehrlich follow through on promises to seek answers and protect a suspect’s family. But if solving problems were that easy, they would have been solved already.
Bottom line: Lethal Standoff is for you if you like your mysteries and thrillers woven into the life and faith of your detectives.
Lethal Standoff was released from Tyndale and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from on-line and other book retailers.
About Diann Mills
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels with threads of romance. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?
DiAnn is passionate about helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.
diannmills.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 21, Sorry is the featured game. This is Death by Candy Land by Kyra Jacobs
DELIBERATION
Candy Land is in chaos and Sheriff Cantalone has to figure out who gummed up this Halloween party by killing Harry Randall. Here are the players in the order we met them:
• Mic Garcia, host and Lord Licorice who was being blackmailed by Harry
• Savannah Livingston, the Lollipop Fairy who Harry flashed earlier that day
• Tyler Livingston, the Peppermint Forest lumberjack who owned the hardware story Harry vandalized
• Cindy Flannigan, Mrs. Nutt whose garden Harry trampled nightly
• Sam Flannigan, dressed as a giant peanut whose fence Harry destroyed
• The three Flannigan children, M&Ms who were mad Harry ruined the bounce house
• Doc Hallers, King Kandy who Harry blamed for his mother’s death
• Herb Smathers, Gloppy the Chocolate Blob who Harry repeatedly belittled
Here’s what we know:
• Harry was the neighborhood bully. Everyone except Mic had lodged complaints with the sheriff and complained that nothing was done.
• Mic welcomed his guests into the back yard but said he did not see Harry until he was dead.
• Tyler Livingston had met Harry at the decorated fence and told him to come in through the house. Savannah Livingston saw Harry in the kitchen, staring out the window. Doc Haller saw Harry take a pill and wash it down with liquor.
• Harry spilled Herb’s heart pills across the floor. Herb couldn’t be sure they all were found.
• The Livingston children said Harry banged on the outside of the bounce house, then crawled inside and refused to move.
• Harry had cuts and scratches on his arms and his lips were tinted blue. ME speculated the blue may have come from an overdose. No explanation was given on the cuts and scratches.
• Cindy Flannigan’s rake had red orange stains she said was from mulch. No damage or marks were noted on the other props.
• No one had any knowledge of illegal drugs. Mic said Harry kept to liquor and cigarettes.
It’s your move, where should Sheriff Cantalone go?
ABOUT Candy Land
Polio was an ancient disease that hit pandemic status in the 1940s and 1950s, crippling children and young adults until a vaccine was widely administered in 1955. Children recovering were bed bound and board. Teacher Eleanor Abbott, herself a victim of the disease, invented games to entertain recovering children, including Candy Land. Encouraged by friends, Abbott submitted her idea to Milton Bradley, who picked it up to fill-in their product line. It soon became their best selling game. In 2005, Candy Land was inducted into The Strong National Museum of Play. Candy Land has continued to grow and develop, offering game variations including special character editions and electronic editions so you can get your candy on no matter where you are.
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Eksik bölüm mü var?
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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 On the Horns of Death by Eleanor Kuhns
TG Wolff Review
On the Horns of Death is historical mystery. Sixteen-year-old Martis volunteers as a bull dancer in Knossos on the isle of Crete. An ordinary day of practice turns dark when she discovers the body of another dancer inside a bullpen. But why would he climb into the pen? Answer: murder.
Bottom line: On the Horns of Death is for you if you like amateur sleuths and the rich sights, scents, and sounds of Ancient Greece.
The On the Horns of Death was released from Severn House and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from on-line and other book retailers.
About Eleanor Kuhns
Eleanor Kuhns is a previous winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel competition for A Simple Murder. The author of eleven Will Rees mysteries, she is now a full-time writer after a successful career as the Assistant Director at the Goshen Public Library in Orange County, New York.
www.eleanor-kuhns.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 20, where the classic mystery game Clue is the featured game. This is Get a Clue by Chuck Brownman.
Deliberation:
Games are Andy Clay’s life but he’s stumped when he’s asked to help solve the murder of Gene Dockary and then Noah Whitmore. Detective Lansing isn’t helping him, so we have to. Here are the suspects in the order they were interviewed:
• Ruth Dockary, Gene’s wife and co-host of the weekend
• Steve Joseph, a thin, nervous man
• Kate Joseph, Steve’s strong, domineering wife
• Barbara Whitmore, Noah’s wife, co-owner of the inn who worked with Ruth on planning the weekend
• Paul Marcus, a nuclear bioengineer who is CEO of a medical start up.
Here are the clues:
• Five former Denver-area neighbors gathered at a small inn for the weekend. Ruth and Gene were hosting the getaway. Ruth worked with Barbara on the idea of the Clue game. Barbara supplied the props used by their guests.
• Gene Dockary was found strangled in the library with a rope. The library was accessed only through the game room. The killer needed strength to strangle Dockary but could have been male or female.
• Clue game cards Mrs. Peacock, the candlestick, and the study were found in Gene Dockery’s pocket. The cards did not come from life-sized Clue game.
• Gene Dockary was not playing the Clue game and was noted to be in a bad mood, going as far as snapping at Barbara Whitmore when she checked in on him.
• Gene Dockery was a salesman / developer who was working to get investors for the technology Paul Marcus was developing. His friends Steve and Kate Joseph invested.
• Steve and Kate Joseph were upset with Gene, who was pressuring them for additional investment funds.
• Paul Marcus had argued with Gene the prior week when Gene had made promises on Marcus’ technology that went beyond the terms of their agreement.
• When Gene Dockary was killed, the other guests had been moving throughout the rooms. Paul Marcus did not go into the library, purposely avoiding Gene.
• Noah Whitmore was found stabbed in the kitchen with one of his own cooking knives. The knife did not come from the closest knife block but one farther away. The kitchen was accessed through the sunroom and through the door to the second floor.
• Whitmore was found by Ruth Dockary. Barbara and Kate were upstairs together when Ruth screamed. Steve and Paul Marcus were in the sunroom.
• Noah and Barbara Whitmore claimed not to have met any of the guests prior to their arrival. The weekend was set up via email with Ruth Dockery, who thinks she picked the inn off a travel website.
• Noah Whitmore was about 20 years older than his wife. They bought the inn five years ago and have had little time to do anything else. Before the inn, they owned a restaurant in Denver.
Andy has rolled the dice, now who do the clues point to?
ABOUT Clue
The game of Clue had a simple beginning. Anthony
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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 Rogues & Patriots by Patrick H. Moore
TG Wolff Review
Rogues & Patriots is an PI thriller. Los Angeles PI Nick Crane does a friend a favor by taking on the two-headed case of investigating the murder of a Confidential Informant and saving his young daughters from the horrors of the juvenile immigration. But his time isn’t his own as an underground group of vigilantes are after him and something they think he possesses.
Bottom line: Rogues & Patriots is for you if you like ballsy private investigators, conspiracy thrillers, and blurred lines between the good guys and the bad.
The Rogues & Patriots was released from Down & Out Books and is promoted by Partners In Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON and other book retailers.
About Patrick H. Moore
Patrick H. Moore is a Los Angeles based investigator, sentencing mitigation specialist, and crime writer. In the field since 2003, he has worked in virtually all areas including drug trafficking, sex crimes, crimes of violence, and white-collar fraud. Mastering this job, which combines art, science, and intuition, has given Patrick the tools to write realistic crime fiction that depicts the unpredictable and violent world of cops, convicts, prosecutors and defense attorneys. Rogues & Patriots was the second in a three-part series in which veteran Los Angeles private investigator Nick Crane battles a group of aristocratic domestic terrorists known as the “principals.”
patrickhmoorewriter.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 19, where that new sensation pickleball is the featured game. This is In a Pickle by Kaye George
DELIBERATION
Melaine Hanover is in a real pickle. Her cantankerous husband, Harvey, is dead and the pink ball points back to her. We know she didn’t do it, so let’s give her our help to find the pickle in the middle of all of this. Here are the suspects in the order we met them:
• Tony, the pickleball hating neighbor who threatened to shoot Harvey
• Town Councilmen, the people who hated listening to Harvey nearly as much as Melaine
• Anonymous Pickleballers, the people who are opposed to Harvey’s opposition
• Kai, the cop who is Melaine’s lover
• The pretty woman, Julie, who is something to Kai
Here is what Melaine knows:
• Harvey hated pickleball and everyone who played it. He was making it his mission in retirement to run the sport out of town by sabotaging pickleball courts.
• Two young men, anonymous pickleballers, knew what Harvey was up to. They followed Harvey and Melaine home from the council meeting.
• Harvey’s and Tony’s houses were vandalized, the windows painted. The Anonymous Pickleballers are suspected. Tony blamed Harvey for stirring up the trouble and threatened to shoot him if he came on his property.
• Kai was one of the cops who escorted Harvey out of the council meeting.
• Melaine and Kai were starting an affair. Harvey didn’t seem to realize what his wife was doing. A pretty woman, suspected of being Kai’s wife, seemed to lurk.
• Melaine and Kai admitted they want to be together and agree to talk later. The pretty woman saw them talk.
• Harvey was found in the office of his house, shot in the chest. One of Melaine’s pickleballs was shoved in his mouth. He had let his killer into the house. His dog, Skitter, was the only witness.
Melaine is at the line. To whom should justice be served?
ABOUT Pickleball
From Wikipedia: Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two players (singles) or four players (doubles) hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball with paddles over a 34-inch-high (0.86 m) net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball is played indoors and outdoors. It was invented in 1965 as a children's backyard game in the United States, on Bainbridge Island in Washington state. In 2022, pickleball was named the official state sport of Washington. While it resembles tennis and table tennis, pickleball has separate rules, paddles, and court dimensions.
ABOUT Kaye George
Kaye George is an award-winning novelist and short-story writer who writes cozy and traditional mysteries and a prehistory series, which are both traditionally and self-published. Her two cozy series are Fat Cat and Vintage Sweets. The two traditional series feature Cressa Carraway and Imogene Duckworthy. The People of the Wind prehistory mysteries take place within a Neanderthal tribe. She has a suspense novel coming out in early...
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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 Guest House by Bonnie Traymore
TG Wolff Review
The Guest House is psychological thriller. Allie Dawson is on the ride of a lifetime. Her brainchild for a voice-to-caption product has received preliminary funding. But moving from Milwaukee to Silicon Valley has brought more than the expected challenges of getting a new product to market. She’s moved into a guest house where the rent was too good to be true. That should have been the first clue.
Bottom line: The Guest House is for you if you like female-centric stories where thrill and mystery are mechanisms for character growth.
The strengths of the story are also the most unique aspects. Our hero, Allie Dawson is deaf. She uses a cochlear implant that enables her to hear. Without it, she hears nothing. Allie’s deafness is presented in a way that we live it as an ordinary part of her life-which it is-similar to if she had to put in contacts each morning. I especially liked this because it felt natural. It was an important thing for us to understand, especially as to how it affects how Allie communicates, but it isn’t the most important thing to know about Allie. The most important thing is that she is courageous, willing to walk away from her comfortable life to chase a dream.
That leads us into the second strength, navigating the high-stakes and complicated world of the entrepreneur. Allie comes to Silicon Valley with a good idea and a prototype in development. Her job is to find someone to finish the engineering, figure out who can manufacture it, and find a few someones interested in funding all the above. This is not a field that I have seen explored in many stories, giving The Guest House a fresh feel.
Traymore uses a staccato storytelling style that makes you feel as if the character is reporting on their day to you. Take this example from Chapter two: “I’m also hungry and hot. But I’m on a tight schedule, so although I’d like to chill for a while, I need to keep going. I locate the restroom and, thankfully, there’s no line. When I come out, I rush up to the counter to look for my drink order. I pick up a few cups that could be mine and examine them, but my latte’s not ready yet. I let out a long sigh and glance at my watch.”
The Guest House is shown as a psychological thriller on the cover and listed as a techno-thriller on Amazon. The book meets most of the standards for a psychological thriller with the tension coming from mental stressors rather than physical. Overall, I found the tension to be mild as it generated more of a creepy feeling than nail-biting. This can be positive or negative, depending on a reader’s thrill-scale preference.
I had to look up techno-thriller, which is a subgenre where a technology is a dominant part of the story. I do not find this to be a good description. While Allie is trying to bring a technology to market, by her own admission, she doesn’t understand that part. Her engineer brother is working on it away from the story, as is the grad student she hired. While the technology concept is what gets Allie to Silicon Valley, the tech itself is not central to the story.
Overall, I felt The Guest House did not fit well within one genre category but was a combination of women’s fiction, thriller, and mystery. Women’s fiction was most dominant genre to me as the story wove growth of the alternating narrators Allie Dawson and Laura Foster. Allie’s part of the story did carry the thriller element, as she becomes suspicious of her landlords and their other renter. Laura’s...
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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 was in last week’s episode with the rest of the story, the deliberation, and the big reveal in this one. So, if you missed Part 1, please go to it first.
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
Jawnie stand-in Steve Rockfish and his sidekick Estelle are chipping away at Karen Lazar’s cold case, but there’s still some work for us to do. Here is a list of the people living and working in Ewan, NJ back in 1976:
Gladys and George Lazar, Karen’s parents, who had recently moved to the small farming townMikey Hardison, the boy who had a crush on Karen and worked for CarlßonScott and Tommy, schoolyard bullies who sent Karen into the woods on a scouting missionHarry Hardison, Mikey’s father, a drinker who had issues with the Lazar’s Jewish faith and his own lusting after Gladys.Vern Gicobe, a friend of Hardison and loner who discovered Karen’s body while huntingManfred Carlßon, German owner of Carlßon Game Processing, who kept a poster of Karen in his shopHere is what Rockfish and Estelle (and Jawnie, too) have discovered:
Karen’s body was found five years after she disappeared. It had not decomposed. She was killed by strangulation. While there was little documentation on the body, photos showed cuts inflicted post mortem covered her. A single large, deep cut was on her back.No autopsy was performed but DNA samples were taken and preserved. No matches were found through CODIS.The older boys Karen was playing Army with—Mikey, Tommy & Scotty—were the last to see her alive. The local police cleared the last two boys at the time, noting they were seen in town.Mikey admitted going after Karen that day and finding her next to a creek, crying. When he tried to kiss her, she punched him, sending him into the creek. She ran off and he said he didn’t see her again. Rumor had it the married couples of Ewan like to trade partners. Harry Hardison was reported to be very fond of Gladys Lazar, despite him being antisemitic and she being Jewish.Hardison disapproved of his son’s crush on Karen and sent him to work with Carlßon, saying the hard man would straighten Mikey out.Vern Gicobe said Mikey would stare at the missing person picture of Karen that hung in Carlßon’s. Mikey gave Vern “the creeps”.Adult Mikey told his “Meemaw” about the “two peas in a pod” and that when he found Karen, she was crying over a problem with her father but didn’t say what it was; she never told him.Rockfish’s theory is Gicobe... -
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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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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