by Sarah Erwin

This week we have a review of Murder Two Doors Down by Chuck Storla the first in a new series. We also have an interview with Chuck. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

Murder Two Doors Down by Chuck Storla
Review by Sarah Erwin

Murder Two Doors Down is book one in Chuck Storla’s new HOA Homicide Mystery series and introduces readers to an entertaining cast of characters involved in a humorous mystery full of twists and turns.

Brad Hanson lives in the neighborhood referred to as the Estates at Chestnut Lake in suburban Atlanta. With two kids in college, a job as an insurance fraud investigator and a wife solely focused on scheduling a kitchen remodel, the only drama in Brad’s life comes from his work as secretary of the homeowner’s association board. And that drama is just about dog droppings and pickleball courts – that is, until someone murders cranky old Inga Oskardotter, a frequent complainer to the HOA board.

A series of suspicious clues lead authorities to believe Brad is the chief suspect. Brad is sure his skills at insurance fraud investigation can help him find the true killer, and then another neighbor is found murdered. Things aren’t looking too good for Brad, but he isn’t one to give up easily.

What a funny and suspenseful first entry to a new cozy mystery series. Brad is cluelessly hilarious and endearing. Half the time I was shaking my head and thinking “Oh, Brad” as I read. The story is full of a wide variety of characters – enough to love and some to hate. Watching them interact and considering anyone introduced as a possible suspect made for an entertaining reading experience.

The grounds of a neighborhood governed by an involved HOA makes for a great setting for a mystery series. I could easily visualize the houses, cameras, surroundings, and especially Brad’s murder white board. I did guess the true culprit ahead of time, but that did not lessen my enjoyment of the read. I grabbed this on audio and the production made for a quick listen. I look forward to seeing what else Brad gets himself into in the future.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

Interview with Chuck Storla:

KRL: How long have you been writing?

Chuck: According to my bio, “Chuck Storla began his writing career at an early age. He started with block letters and, after mastering both upper and lowercase, moved on to cursive. In addition to writing, he has been an avid reader of chapter books for much of his adult life.

After graduating from college, he ignored his muse once he saw her checks bounce because of insufficient funds. Instead, he joined a well-known and occasionally well-run computer manufacturer, working as a systems engineer. While there, he eventually quit working altogether and became a manager. ,Upon leaving the corporate world, he rediscovered his inner artist. He also discovered that the great thing about being a writer is that the barrier to entry is incredibly low.”

In simpler terms, I wanted to be a writer for most of my life. In practice, I’ve been writing for the last eight years.

KRL: When did your first novel come out, what was it called, and would you tell us a little about it?

Chuck: Murder Two Doors Down was released on October 14, 2025. According to others, it is a “hilarious and compelling whodunit mystery,” and who am I to argue with others? My debut is technically a “cozy,” although it should come with a trigger warning for excessive satire.

As you can guess from the “HOA Homicide” tagline, the action takes place in a suburb, specifically in The Estates at Chestnut Lake just outside Atlanta. The story reveals the familiar dynamics of life in the suburbs—some neighbors are close friends, whilst others are best kept at a distance. Most residents might not actually kill a neighbor, but the thought crossed a few minds.

Living within The Estates, Brad Hanson’s life is unremarkable. He investigates insurance fraud, which is as dull as it sounds. His highest achievement in life is being secretary and de facto parliamentarian on the Homeowners Association Board. While he is the guy you want keeping the HOA records, he is not the guy you want to get stuck next to at the neighborhood BBQ.

When someone murders Miss Inga—a frequent source of complaints to the HOA—a literal smoking gun turns Brad into the chief suspect. Brad is not waiting around to be arrested–after all, he’s an investigator by trade. As the body count rises, he races to find the killer. Is it the elusive young couple in the McMansion? The tennis-playing femme fatale? Or the man who believes his ¼ acre comes with a hereditary title? One thing is sure—a killer on the loose is not good for property values.

KRL: Have you always written mysteries/suspense and if not, what else have you written?

Chuck: When I got serious about writing, I self-published a humorous study titled, Zen and the Art of Christmas Letters. I learned a great deal through working on that book. For example, a book coming out in 2017 should not have a title that plays off one published in 1974. The book might as well be classified as “for boomers only.” I also learned that it’s not a good idea to write a book that only sells in November and December.

In addition, like many writers, I have an unpublished manuscript sitting at the bottom drawer of a file cabinet. Writing that book was another valuable learning experience, but the publishing world apparently thought I had more to learn. It was a satire set in a large corporation. The protagonist’s buddy is an artificial intelligence that might or might not be unreliable. Five years ago, this was considered science fiction. Today it could pass as a memoir.

KRL: What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book/series?

Chuck: Authors are frequently told to “write what you know.” The problem with that advice is some writers (and I refuse to name names here) think they know everything. In my case, I am all too aware of my ignorance since I have friends and family who frequently mention it. What I’m left “knowing” is based on the years I have spent in suburban neighborhoods. Most stories require some conflict to propel the plot. I wondered about conflicts on the nearby cul-de-sac. For example, what happens when one homeowner’s lawn is Kentucky Bluegrass and next door, they have Bermuda? Does a neighbor’s invasive ground cover justify a stand-your-ground shooting?

KRL: Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to experience from your work?

Chuck: I am aware of my limitations, so I restrict myself to just trying to craft an entertaining story while providing some funny bits along the way. While I would welcome a Pulitzer Prize, it’s not my primary goal. I want people to laugh out loud at least a couple of times in each chapter. It’s even better if their laughter disturbs their partner who is trying to sleep.

KRL: Do you have a schedule for your writing or just work whenever you can?

Chuck: I have a detailed schedule. It’s around here somewhere. Give me a little time, and I’m almost sure I can find it.

KRL: What is your ideal time to write?

Chuck: My goal is to write between nine in the morning and three in the afternoon. If I fail to meet that goal, I schedule time at four to feel guilty about missing my target. The exception is when a deadline looms, and then the best time to write is from right now until two in the morning.

KRL: Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it?

Chuck: I have not found a left-hand column of ascending Roman numerals provides much creative inspiration. Instead, I gather all the notes I’ve captured over the last few months and organize them into something resembling a story. Once they coalesce into chapters, I number the chapters and finally back-date the document, so it looks like I knew what I was doing all along. I want to leave a good paper trail in case a future biographer is researching my archives.

KRL: Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning?

Chuck: After my self-published book came out, I spent five years writing, revising, and pitching the workplace satire. Once I finished that manuscript, I received good feedback on the book itself, but no one wanted to publish it. Fortunately, I did not give up on writing but set that book aside and went to work on this murder mystery.

After years in HOA-managed subdivisions, I had lived through endless meetings, neighborhood politics, and the occasional hedge shears in the back. That all went into this book, and I pitched it at several Atlanta Writers Conferences. This time out I relatively quickly found a match that led to an agent and a publishing deal with Crooked Lane Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Roughly a year later, my book is now in bookstores, libraries, and Amazon warehouses. I’m an overnight success if you consider that it’s been a very long night.

KRL: Do you have a great rejection/critique or acceptance story you’d like to share?

Chuck: One acquisitions editor—the person at a publisher who is willing to champion a book through the process—appreciated my workplace satire. Then she said, “I love it. It’s quirky. But we don’t do quirky.” The fact I didn’t know how to un-quirk that book led me to place it in a drawer.

KRL: Most interesting book signing story-in a bookstore or other venue?

Chuck: I don’t know that any of my book signings are of general interest. That said, I love doing them. I am happy when someone wants to buy my book. When they want a signed copy, that is even better. The only downside is that book signing has shown me I need to practice my cursive. I suppose I also learned to avoid long, personalized messages. They make my hand hurt, and the buyer won’t be able to read it in any case.

KRL: What are your future writing goals?

Chuck: I am currently working on a second book in the HOA Homicide series. It will be centered in the same subdivision and will include most of the characters that were alive at the end of book one.

KRL: Who are your writing heroes?

Chuck: Douglas Adams, Neal Stephenson, Barbara Neely, Richard Osman, Benjamin Stevenson, and many others provide inspiration and show me what’s possible. Then there are the members of my critique group. We get together each week to share something we’re working on. They are writing in different genres and with different voices, but I learn something from them each time we meet. I would still be scribbling notes that go nowhere if it weren’t for them.

KRL: What kind of research do you do?

Chuck: To borrow from the first line of my novel, I never planned to kill my neighbor. In other words, my book is not autobiographical. What I do for research is pay attention to the interactions between neighbors. I track passive-aggressive posts online and watch closely when new fences appear on my street. Then, I attend every HOA meeting I can while sitting close to the door in case they ask for nominations for any open positions on the board. Most of all, I enjoy watching someone using Robert’s Rules of Order with malice.

KRL: What do you like to read?

Chuck: Starting in elementary school, I read every piece of science fiction I could get my hands on. It remains my guilty pleasure today when I want to escape and find adventure far removed from this reality. Outside of sci-fi, I read a wide range of books as long as the writing is good.

KRL: What are your favorite TV shows or movies?

Chuck: I enjoy Slow Horses for the writing and the performances, Foundation for its connection to the beloved Isaac Asimov source material, and Ted Lasso for the humor and heart (all on Apple TV). I love Only Murders in the Building (HULU) for the interplay between Steve Martin and Martin Short.

KRL: Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

Chuck: If you’re thinking of it as a career, think again. Your parents are right this one time. Choose a job that provides a retirement plan, health insurance, and avoids friends and family constantly asking when they can buy your book. That last one isn’t even a serious question because you know if a miracle occurs and you publish your book they’ll expect a free copy.

If writing is your passion and you cannot imagine doing anything else, go for it. Just be sure to shop store brands and clip coupons.

KRL: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Chuck: If their only introduction to me is through my writing, people would be surprised to know I’m really quite charming in an introverted sort of way.

KRL: Do you have any pets?

Chuck: No. However, when I’m out for an evening walk, I fuss over every dog along the way. I am able to enjoy brief moments with my neighbors’ pets without suffering any vet expenses, and I don’t need to carry little plastic bags to pick up their poop.

KRL: Is there anything you would like to add?

Chuck: Murder Two Doors Down makes an excellent stocking stuffer, graduation gift, and has better shelf life than chocolate-covered strawberries.

KRL: Where can our readers find you online?

Chuck: You will find me intermittently posting on
facebook.com/chuckstorla.author
instagram.com/chuck.storla
https://www.chuckstorla.com
and lurking on NextDoor.com

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copy of Murder Two Doors Down, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Two Doors” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 22, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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