Mysteryrat’s Maze

Why I Love Writing Cozies

by Marilyn Levinson/Allison Brook


There are many reasons why I love writing cozy mysteries. It was such fun to create the town of Clover Ridge, Connecticut, for the Haunted Library series, a picturesque town with a large Green in its center, that I filled with fun characters, many of whom appeared in book after book--as long as they weren't murdered or a murderer.

Fondant Fumble By Jenn McKinlay: Review/Giveaway

by Cynthia Chow


NFL professional football players and cupcakes wouldn’t seem to go hand in hand, so no one is more surprised than Fairy Tale Cupcakes owner Melanie DeLaura by her new franchise candidates. Star quarterback Keogh Graham and his Arizona Scorpions teammate Tyler Matthews are interested in a George Foreman-like business tie-in, one that will keep them profitable after their eventual retirement.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Writing with A Hidden Agenda

by Robyn Gigl


A few weeks ago, my fourth novel in the Erin McCabe series, Nothing But The Truth, was published. I say with little fear of contradiction, Erin is a unique protagonist. She is a thirty something criminal defense attorney, who happens to be a transgender woman. Before you ask, “Wow, how did you come up with that idea?” you should know that before I became an author, I had practiced law for over forty years, much of doing criminal defense, and I also happen to be a transgender woman. I always hasten to add that Erin is not me.

First Frost A Walt Longmire Mystery By Craig Johnson: Review/Giveaway

by Cynthia Chow


“You’re too big to surf.” It’s an observation (incorrectly) stated throughout this 20th in the Walt Longmire series, leading to the explanation of why the 6’ 4” sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming has a surfboard stored in his cabin. Back in 1964, Walt Longmire was a Rose Bowl-winning football player for USC, giving the Wyoming native a chance to surf the waves with his best friend Henry Standing Bear.

Dead, White, and Blue by Annie McEwen: Review/Giveaway/Interview

by Tracy Condie


This new Northwoods Mystery starts out with Emma deciding that Cooper’s Cove and the family business is where she belongs. In case you have not read the series starter, there was a bit of a cliffhanger but nothing that impedes the understanding or enjoyment of book two. As a plus, the killer from book one isn’t mentioned. Cooper’s Cove is an amazing lakefront rustic resort situated on the shores of Lake Covington in the Wisconsin Northwoods.

Crime Writers of Color Coming Attractions: July – September 2024

by Elizabeth Wilkerson



I recently read an article in the New York Times that explored the question: why do people make music? Across time and across cultures, people have felt the urge to make music. But why?
It made me wonder, why do people write crime fiction? And why do people read it? Writing crime fiction is a creative process, but so is reading it. A reader becomes a co-creator, imagining and bringing to life the world the writer initially put on paper.

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