
by Pat Browning
Since we are in the midst of the Blossom Festival, now seemed like a good time to review mystery novel, Out of Tune, set during the Blossom Festival and written by KRL’s editor-in-chief Lorie Lewis Ham. At the end of this review are instructions on how enter for a chance to win a copy of this book.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
Murder At the Movies is an original short story written by Lorie Lewis Ham featuring the main character from her novels, gospel singer Alexandra Walters. This series is set in a fictional version of Reedley, California. Check the previous week for Part 1.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
Murder At the Movies is an original short story written by Lorie Lewis Ham featuring the main character from her novels, gospel singer Alexandra Walters. This series is set in a fictional version of Reedley, California. Check back here next week for the conclusion of this story.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
After Henry’s visit, I tried to work on my sermon, but the renewed excitement hadn’t translated to the written page. The pile of crumpled paper in the wastebasket was a sign of my frustration. At about five, I gave up, hopped on my bike, and headed for my apartment.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
Josh’s statement left me with a chill. Was Scott Matthews using his own son to do his dirty work, or was this something he had done on his own? I feared for the future of Kingsbury if the parents’ bigotry was being passed on to the youth.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
We had our fill of football by the beginning of the last quarter—Kensington was slaughtering Kingsbury High. Thankfully, I’d had the time to pick up some cheap tires earlier in the day, so Stephen dropped me off at my bike and I rode over to the radio station; thanks to the headlight the church had purchased for my bike I was able to ride it at night.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
The last football game I had been to was in high school, more years ago than I cared to think about. It was the Saints game where my dad bought me the cap. As a teenager, I played baseball and later discovered ice hockey—which was now my personal favorite. But this particular football game was yet another Kingsbury tradition just as important to the town as the Fiesta.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
When I caught up with him, Stephen was on the other end of the park at the Baptist Women’s pie booth paying for a chocolate cream pie.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
Stephen was already at a table perusing a menu when I arrived at Main Street. “Find anything that suites your picky palate?” He looked up and frowned. “I think I’ll try the spaghetti. I’m sure it’s just as good as Mama’s,” he said sarcastically.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
As I stood in the back, my congregation filed out without so much as a word to me. The normal handshaking joviality was missing. A few nodded and smiled as they went past, but it was the quietest I ever remembered the church being.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
Lola dropped me off at my apartment. Even though it was late, I opened the window that faced the Kings River. I was lucky to live at the Riverside Apartments. It wasn’t a new complex but the view made up for its age.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
I asked Kevin when Jim would be working again. He said Jim wouldn’t be back until tomorrow night’s graveyard shift. I intended to come back and talk with him, though I didn’t seriously consider him a suspect…

by Lorie Lewis Ham
By the time we finished lunch, it was nearly dinnertime and the park was beginning to hum with activity. Ready to take on the task of the food booths, it hit me that I hadn’t told anyone about the arguments I’d overheard.

by Lorie Lewis Ham
Paul took the Martinez’s home while I returned to the park. It took some time to convince them to leave. They insisted that they would be back this evening when the booths were reopened. By now, the park was nearly deserted.