
by Claire A. Murray
The 22 tales in this anthology, although inspired by the songs of the ’60s, don’t all take place in that decade. Some will step you back in time, others contemporary, all evoking the sense of the song or its meaning in tales of theft, robbery, kidnapping, dating, family, and other relationships. From the UK to Canada and the US, these authors crafted stories that range from nostalgic to humorous, but all deadly and inspired by songs whose opening riffs are mostly familiar. If not, pull out your old LPs or CDs or log onto YouTube and have a listen as you read Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s.

by Merrilee Robson
It was a small sound but enough to wake her. Enid listened, holding her body still, quietening her breath so she could hear.
What was that sound? The door, that was it, the soft snick of the latch. Someone had come in.

by Lise McClendon
How to wring something positive out of one huge negative—that was the challenge I set for myself this spring. America, and the world, had shut down, locked down, were sheltering in place like victims of a mass shooting. But this enemy was invisible. The coronavirus, COVID-19, had arrived.

by Merrilee Robson
We always want our holiday dinners to be perfect.
But quite often they’re not.
My late mother always believed in the “more is more” approach when it came to family dinners. Our Thanksgiving feast always included at least three desserts, “because not everyone likes pumpkin pie.”

by Lorie Lewis Ham
For those who don’t subscribe to our podcast newsletter, I wanted to share about our new podcast episode that went up this week! This one features a mystery short story perfect for Halloween, Mercy Killer by Merrilee Robson.