by Kelly Brakenhoff

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

Boo! In my neck of the woods, the leaves are falling from the trees, pumpkin spice is literally everywhere, and kids everywhere are dreaming about their ideal Halloween costumes. Of course, if you know a kid who’s struggling to choose a costume, Batman is always a good go-to choice. After all, in life you should always be yourself. Unless you can be Batman.

Anyway, as a mystery writer, I’m endlessly inspired by the spooky season, so I immersed myself in creepy vibes to craft my novella, Halloween Hustle. It’s about a small Nebraska town, a charity 5K race, and of course, murder. Writing Halloween Hustle was a real scream that really came alive from the sheer magic of Halloween. Maybe it’s the costumes, the decorations, or the fact that we all secretly love the feeling of being scared. Something about this season brings out our superstitions and our innermost fears.

If you’re anything like me, the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Halloween is mystery. And I’m not talking about the Scooby-Doo kind—I’m talking about the type that gives you goosebumps and brings a chill down your spine. Whatever it is, Halloween has inspired some of the greatest mystery stories of all time. From Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, and Stephen King’s IT, to the classic horror movie franchise, aptly named Halloween, that has been traumatizing audiences for decades. And let’s not forget about the Harry Potter series, where Halloween plays a pivotal role in the first book. Who could forget the troll in the dungeon or the ghostly party in the Great Hall?

In Halloween Hustle, the charming small-town setting was a huge part of what made the story so much fun to write. I was inspired by the dilapidated house on the corner of my block that local parents warned their kids was haunted. It was all just scare tactics to keep us from wandering too far from home, but the idea of a haunted house stuck with me. I wanted to capture that feeling of being a kid and exploring the neighborhood, daring each other to go knock on the door of the creepy old house.

And of course, the setting wouldn’t be complete without the cobwebs, jack-o’-lanterns, and spooky lights. It’s the perfect backdrop for the 5K charity run that Cassandra is “highly encouraged” to participate in. But when a body is discovered during a training run, the decorations take on a much more sinister vibe.

Having personally participated in many fun runs before (with decidedly less murder involved) meant I was able to authentically capture Cassandra’s experience as she reluctantly joins the race. It’s part comedic romp, part edge-of-your-seat thriller. And it’s not just because of the dead body that turns up during one of the training runs. I don’t know if every author operates the same way I do, but nearly every childhood trauma or wacky experience eventually appears in some tiny way in one of my stories.

Besides being a mystery writer, I’m also a 5K runner. Okay, maybe “runner” is a bit of a stretch. “Slow jogger” is more accurate. But the point is, I know firsthand the kind of horrors that can befall a person on a training run. Potholes, twisted ankles, and in my case, dog poop.

You’ll have to read the book for all the gory details, but let’s just say it was a real horror show. And that got me thinking–what if something even more sinister had been lurking on my running route? What if instead of just dog poop, I stumbled upon a dead body?

The Halloween theme allowed me to explore universal fears in a fun and safe way through our common experiences. Small towns have a certain charm that can’t be replicated in big cities. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone has a secret.

And it’s the small-town charm and big-time secrets that keep readers turning the pages, eager to find out who the killer is. So, grab your pumpkin spice latte, curl up with a cozy blanket, and join Cassandra and her friends in a race against time to solve the mystery.

To enter to win an ebook copy of Halloween Hustle, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “hustle” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 21, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode went up this week.

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Kelly Brakenhoff is an author of eleven books and an ASL interpreter. She divides her writing energy between two series: cozy mysteries set on a college campus and picture books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog. Parents, kids, and teachers love the children’s books and activity books because they teach American Sign Language using fun stories. And if you like a smart female sleuth, want to learn more about Deaf culture, or have ever lived in a place where livestock outnumber people, you’ll enjoy the Cassandra Sato Mystery series. The mother of four young adults and a hunting dog, and grandma to a growing brood of perfectly behaved grandkids, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.