1–What is the title of your latest release? CAN YOU SOLVE THE MURDER? 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? CAN YOU SOLVE THE MURDER? is an interactive murder mystery novel in which YOU take on the role of a detective and YOU must solve the crime by making decisions about who to interview, which leads to follow, what evidence to gather, and finally, who to accuse. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The book takes place at Elysium, a floral wellness retreat set in an old country manor in the English countryside. One of the guests has been found murdered, and so everyone at Elysium is now a suspect. I chose that location because it’s a familiar environment for a classic murder mystery. This will be the first interactive novel many readers have experienced, so I wanted to make them feel comfortable with the case itself before they get deep into investigating and making decisions about how to solve it. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Well, in this book the protagonist is the reader. So I can’t really avoid hanging out with myself and I do love…

Excerpt from ROCKY ROAD TO MURDER by Lena Gregory: We arrived at Mom’s without further incident, finally, but when I went to grab a tray from the back, Eli held out an arm to block me. “Why don’t you let me get the desserts.” “Hey, buddy, you’re luck’s no better than mine today.” Of course, he hadn’t gotten hit in the head with the mallet, so there was that. I pressed a hand to the two butterfly bandages. Even though Gwen had styled my hair to cover them, I couldn’t help feeling self-conscious. Eli’s good humor faltered. “Are you in a lot of pain?” Though a constant, dull ache still throbbed, I smiled. “I’m fine. Just checking to make sure the bandages are in place and my hair is covering them. I don’t feel like wasting precious minutes explaining what happened.” “I should have backed into the driveway.” Gwen contemplated my mom’s empty driveway and the spot where she’d parked against the curb four houses down. After the last break-in at the café and my subsequent trip to the ER, Mom had instituted a rule that no one park in or block the driveway. That way, if they had to…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Amy James! Writes: Amy James writes contemporary romances that explore themes of self-discovery, personal growth, and found family. Her debut novel, A FIVE-LETTER WORD FOR LOVE, was shortlisted for the Rakuten Kobo 2025 Emerging Writer Prize. Her sophomore novel, CRASH TEST, tells the story of Travis Keeping, a Formula 1 driver whose world is turned upside down when his secret boyfriend, Formula 2 driver Jacob Nichols, is in a life-threatening crash. About: Amy James lives on the east coast of Canada with her husband and dog. When she’s not writing, she enjoys watching motorsport (especially Formula 1, WRC and MotoGP), playing piano, and learning new languages. You can find her on Instagram. You’re my ideal reader match, and will love CRASH TEST If you love: What to expect if we’re compatible: CRASH TEST by Amy James A Novel Formula 1 meets Red, White, & Royal Blue in this contemporary romance in which an F1 phenom battling for the championship is sent spinning after his secret love is involved…

1–What is the title of your latest release? I have two books that came out within two months of each other – GIRL IN A DUMPSTER published by Down & Out Books and THEM BONES, published by St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? GIRL IN A DUMPSTER is a traditional hard-boiled detective novel and deals with what I call the corruption of the rich – “I don’t care what it costs others as long as I’m protected.”  But it’s also about family. THEM BONES features an unlicensed PI and is a more straight-forward tale about greed, in this case dealing specifically with dinosaur skeletons and the black market. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? GIRL IN A DUMPSTER takes place in Minneapolis because that’s where the Holland Taylor, the detective, lives and works. THEM BONES takes place in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana (that’s where the dinosaurs roam), the Twin Cities, and Toronto (so I could deduct my vacation on my taxes). 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I’d love to spend time with McKenzie, the hero of THEM BONES.  He’s kind, generous, helpful,…

Excerpt from INFINITE ARCHIVE by Mur Lafferty: When thinking back, Mallory wondered if the house of cards started to fall with what happened next or if it was earlier. But she stepped off the lift with Phineas to get a tour of the convention space and immediately was grabbed by Aaron. “Mallory! Thank God you’re here,” he said, taking her wrist. “There’s been a murder.” His shirt was smeared with red, and his hair was messed up. A bruise was blooming on his cheek. “What happened?” she demanded. “A convention attendee was found stabbed,” Aaron said, leading her by the wrist toward what looked like a panel room. Inside stood about twelve people, some of them looking awkward and expectant, some of them looking terrified. One of them, a pale teen wearing a deerstalker hat and no other attempt at cosplay, smiled and then quickly hid it. I’ll have to keep an eye on that one, Mallory thought. She looked up at Phineas. “No one enters or leaves. If the killer is still here, even.” She looked around the room. “Where is Pablo?” “Who?” Aaron asked blankly. “Pablo. Convention security.” Everyone looked baffled. “No one thought to call security? Christ.”…

Book Title: FIRE MOUNTAIN Character Name: Kit Garrido How would you describe your family or your childhood? It’s a bit of a hot mess, but my parents loved me in the best way they could. I thought our family was perfect when I was a kid. I didn’t realize my own ignorance until my father committed a felony when I was a young teen. He did a bad thing for a very good reason, but my mother could never forgive him. That rip in our family became impossible to mend after a while. What was your greatest talent? I’m a long haul trucker and I can drive an eighteen wheeler easy as anything. I know it sounds like boasting, but I can probably operate any motor vehicle. If it has wheels, I can drive it. Significant other? No. I was married briefly. It was sort of a crash and burn type scenario. Biggest challenge in relationships? I don’t want to be the person someone comes to rely on. That’s too much responsibility and I saw how my father collapsed under the weight of it. I keep to myself and that’s the way I like it. Where do you live? When…

It’s time, my friends. Beach Reading Season is officially here! It’s time to grab a book and huddle up in the shade, by the pool, or on the beach. It’s time to stay cool by reading a hot, hot book.  I LOVE this season. For today’s post, I’m going to talk about one of my favorite tropes…Trapped in Paradise. Okay, maybe it’s not your typical trope, but I am a sucker for a romance that features the hero and heroine trapped together far away from civilization. They can be strangers, they can be reunited lovers, they can have tension burning between them…and they can be far, far away from the rest of the world as they fall hopelessly in love. Let’s start this round-up by throwing back to a book that was on my keeper shelf for a very long time…IMAGINE By Jill Barnett. The hero of this romance did not want to be a savior (not even close!), but when he gets shipwrecked on an island with the heroine (and three orphaned kids), his whole world changes.   Fun fact…I love this trope so much that I actually wrote a book featuring the theme. True story, I created EX…

Hi fellow mystery lover! My name is Mary Kennedy, and I write the Talk Radio Mysteries for Penguin Random House. I’m excited to tell you about DEATH OF A SHADY SHRINK, book five in the series.  But first you need to know how the Talk Radio series came about. My agent sold it on the basis of five words; Frasier Meets Murder She Wrote. Why Frasier? Because Dr. Maggie Walsh is a radio talk show psychologist. Remember Frasier saying, “I’m listening,” as he took phone calls at the radio station in Seattle? Dr. Maggie does the same thing with the help of her trusty producer, Vera Mae.  Vera Mae screens the calls and produces the live radio show.  Why Murder She Wrote? Because just like Jessica Fletcher, she solves a murder in every book. Sometimes two! You might wonder why a Manhattan psychologist would close up her practice and move to sunny south Florida to become a radio talk show host. Here’s the Cliff notes version. Dr. Maggie was “sick of the cold, sick of the traffic and if truth be told, sick of listening to peoples’ problems all day long.” I know that might be shocking to hear, but…

This week’s Jen’s Jewels column takes us to the sun-soaked shores of Martha’s Vineyard with bestselling author Brooke Lea Foster. In OUR LAST VINEYARD SUMMER, Foster delivers a richly layered story of sisterhood, secrets, and self-discovery, set against the backdrop of a cherished family beach house. With dual timelines that span the transformative decades of the 1960s and 70s, this emotionally resonant novel invites readers to reflect on the ties that bind us—and the truths that shape who we become. Don’t miss my heartfelt conversation with Brooke as she shares the inspiration behind her latest summer must-read. Jen: Brooke, OUR LAST VINEYARD SUMMER is such a nostalgic and emotionally rich novel. What first drew you to tell a story set on Martha’s Vineyard, and why this particular era?Brooke: I was on vacation with my family on the island – we go every year – and I was up early walking the dog around historic Edgartown like I lived there. As I looked around at all the historic old homes, I began thinking about what it would be like to spend all your childhood summers in such a special place. I thought about what it was like at midcentury, and how…

1–What is the title of your latest release? GRAVE WORDS—I’m so excited to bring back Winter Snow in another adventure set in my hometown of Ridgefield, Connecticut. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Problems for obituary writer Winter Snow are mounting higher than the cliffs she can see from her house on Lake Mamanasco.   Her business is in a death draught; her best friend Scoop is a person of interest in a string of arsons and her name is listed as deceased in her client’s obituary. Add to that she has been asking too many questions about the murder of a local man experiencing homelessness.  If she doesn’t get some answers soon, the next obituary could be her own. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? That was easy.  My hometown is a picture-perfect Hallmark worthy small town and an ideal place to find murder and mayhem for a cozy mystery. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Of course, I would.  In fact, I hang out with her almost every day as I write her into mysteries.  That said, I’d like to teach her a thing or two because…