Mystery 
Castle
Although imperfect, episode 4.14 “The Blue Butterfly” (original air date: February 6, 2012) will no doubt rank as a favorite episode of one of Castle, a series I’ve enjoyed immensely since its premiere in 2009. The TV Series, Castle, features the ongoing adventures of best-selling author Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) as he shadows one NYPD precinct’s detectives… Read More ›
The First Mystery I Ever Read
He wears a deerstalker hat and trenchcoat. Equipped with a magnifying glass and his trusty detective manual, he searches for clues and solves cases. No, not Sherlock Holmes. It’s Detective Mole! I’ve long remembered that very first mystery story I ever read. Well, bits and pieces. I remembered it was a Detective Mole story. He was investigating… Read More ›
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
When we first meet Flavia de Luce, she has been tied up and left in a closet. Does she panic? Oh, no. She quite calmly extricates herself and inwardly chides her two tormentors—her older sisters, Ophleia and Daphne—for their ineptness while at the same time planning up a revenge scheme of her own. Need we point… Read More ›
Character vs. Plot II
I’m outnumbered! The Poisoned Martini‘s first poll asked the question: which do you prefer…character-driven or plot-driven mysteries? The results were 70% vs. 30%. Yours truly prefers puzzle plots to solve in mysteries, but the majority of respondents want character-driven stories. I previously discussed this topic here. A quick recap: my experience has been that recent mysteries—while… Read More ›
Gingerbread Cookie Murder III
On a more serious note, Leslie Meier’s “Gingerbread Cookies and Gunshots” rounds out the trilogy of novellas offered in Gingerbread Cookie Murder. “It was Christmas…again.” That’s how this Lucy Stone mystery begins. A much more somber tone than the two previous entries. The last in my “A Taste of Murder” discussion series, Gingerbread Cookie Murder features… Read More ›
Gingerbread Cookie Murder II
“Christmas with my parents is always a mixed bag.” Oh, dear. With an opening line like this, where are we headed? Moving to a retirement community doesn’t necessarily benefit one’s health, at least for one individual in Laura Levine’s novella, “The Dangers of Gingerbread Cookies.” Fans of Janet Evanovich might very well enjoy this taste of… Read More ›
Gingerbread Cookie Murder I
Ever had to put up with a neighbor’s noise pollution? That’s what Hannah Swensen is faced with early on in “Gingerbread Cookie Murder.” The last in my “A Taste of Murder” discussion series, Gingerbread Cookie Murder features the talents of three authors: Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, and Leslie Meier each of whom contribute a novella-length mystery to… Read More ›
The Poisoned Martini – Part III
Here’s the long overdue Part III of the serialized original eStory written by yours truly exclusively for this website. Rick Gray and others will encounter the poisoned martini in this murder mystery set in Syracuse, New York, in 1987. The police have recently solved the murders at the Syracuse Botanical Gardens. Rick was a suspect in… Read More ›
Unusual Sleuths
Early mystery genre detectives certainly had their foibles and idiosyncrasies. Dupin had his aversion to sunlight, Holmes’s habits—good and bad—included the violin, mood swings, and opium, Lecoq communed with a portrait of his wife, and Poirot was fastidious to the extreme. These character traits have served to create unique and memorable characters that have become… Read More ›
Sweet Revenge
Remember the old adage? Revenge is a dish best served cold. In this 14th culinary mystery featuring caterer/sleuth Goldy Schulz, that saying would be well suited. Former district attorney Drew Wellington has made his fair share of enemies, and Goldy’s on the scene when Drew is drugged, poisoned, stabbed, and left for dead in the… Read More ›
The Poisoned Martini 