Tag Archives: mystery

The Three Investigators

As we continue our search for great summer reads for young adult readers, I’d like to introduce you to “The Three Investigators,” geared toward readers ages 10-14. I read nearly every one of these as I was growing up, and loved them. First introduced bearing the name of Alfred Hitchcock as an endorsement, this series soon grew beyond the need for the celebrity promotional. Several authors contributed to the series, namely Robert Arthur, William Arden, Nick West, M.V. Carey, and Marc Brandel. The Three Investigators are Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw, and Bob Andrews. Their headquarters is an old trailer in … Continue reading →

A Sudden Silence – Eve Bunting

Jesse, a college student home for the summer and his sixteen-year-old brother Bry went to a wild party. They got a ride there with a friend, but there was enough alcohol at the party that soon their friend was incapacitated and they decided they’d be safer walking home. It wasn’t that far, after all. It was pitch black dark at 11:30 at night, and suddenly Jesse noticed headlights up behind them, pointing right at them. He yelled at Bry to jump, and then he himself jumped off the shoulder of the road onto the property that stretched alongside. Bry never … Continue reading →

The Lord of the Silent – Elizabeth Peters

As we continue the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters, our path leads us to “The Lord of the Silent.” World War I is still raging, making travel between England and Egypt more difficult. This, however, does not stop the Emersons from their yearly gallivant in the tombs. Emerson is as keen as ever to get on with his beloved occupation, and Amelia is no less excited to help him. However, a different type of danger lurks for Ramses. He served his country as a double agent in our last adventure, and there are those who know his true identity. … Continue reading →

The Books of Carolyn Keene

When I was a pre-teen, I read every Nancy Drew and Dana Girls book I could get my hands on. Sure, they were a little campy, but what girl didn’t want to imagine themselves as a pretty super-sleuth, going forth and saving the world? You could do that with a heroine like Nancy Drew. As an aspiring author, I was also fascinated by Carolyn Keene. What type of woman must she be to be able to turn out so many intriguing stories? Then I found out – she’s not just one woman. She’s a whole team of them (and men, … Continue reading →

The Obituary Writer – Porter Shreeve

I started out “The Obituary Writer” with a set of expectations, and found them all shattered by the end. It was a fabulous surprise. Gordon Hatch is a young obituary writer for The Independent. He longs to become a top-notch crime reporter and has his own police scanner. Sometimes late at night, he’ll flip it on, see where the action is, and run to the scene, hoping that someday he’ll be able to break into the business in a big way. His father, long since deceased, was a great reporter, and even covered Kennedy’s assassination up close and personal. With … Continue reading →

The Falcon at the Portal – Elizabeth Peters

The Emerson clan has a reason to celebrate – Walter and Evelyn’s daughter, Lia, is going to marry David Todros, the young Egyptian Emerson and Amelia brought home with them during an earlier adventure. While it took a little time for the couple to overcome the objections of the family, they were finally victorious, and “The Falcon at the Portal” begins with the wedding. David and Lia head off on their honeymoon, leaving things decidedly more quiet around the Emerson household, until an old friend of Emerson’s shows up at the house with a forged antique scarab and the alarming … Continue reading →

Ghost of a Chance – Kerry Blair

In “Ghost of a Chance” by Kerry Blair, we see the second installment of the Nightshade Mysteries series, the first being “Mummy’s the Word.” As we begin the sequel, Samantha Shade is on a stakeout at the old San Rafael mission, watching for the ghost of a dear departed monk. There also happens to be a serial killer on the loose who leaves a marigold between the lips of his victims. But Sam has nothing to fear, even though it’s late at night – her faithful dog, Clueless, is on hand to protect her. Also nearby is Thom Casey, police. … Continue reading →

The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

“The Great Muppet Caper” is simply one of the best films of our, or any other, generation. It’s a parody of every other movie ever made, and it’s simply hilarious. Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear are twin brothers (trust me on this) who get a job working for the newspaper. Along with their photographer, Gonzo, they are in search of a big story, one that will give them a lifelong career in the journalism business. They decide to go to London to interview the famous clothing designer Lady Holiday (Diana Rigg.) Her new collection is scheduled to come out … Continue reading →

Acclaimed Author L.C. Hayden’s “Killer” Effect

Author L.C. Hayden, photo courtesy of the author and used with her permission Sometimes we rescue an animal, adopt it into our family, and think we’ve done it the favor by saving its life. I’d like to share with you the following exchange I had with mystery, horror, and inspirational writer L.C. Hayden. (Her books include, Why Casey Had to Die, her newest release, What Others Know, which was a Left Coast Crime nominee for best mystery, When Colette Died, which was an Oprah On-Line Reading Café selection, and When Angels Touch You.) She’s had a lot of pets (and … Continue reading →

Author Interview – Carole Thayne: Her Books

Carol Thayne is a popular LDS suspense author with two published novels. She has agreed to grant us an exclusive interview today. Carole, can you tell us the names of your books and what they are about? My novels are “A Question of Trust” and “False Pretenses.” “A Question of Trust” is about twenty-five year old Stacey Willis from Salt Lake City. She works for a local magazine as a photo-journalist and heads out to the remote town of Grouse Creek to do a story of the vanishing Wild West, and also to get away from her boyfriend Dave so … Continue reading →