My Late Winter Cozy Reading Sample: FUR THE WIN

Last year, I launched a new cozy mystery series with the publication of [book: The Corpse Wore Gingham|24404034] (it's now discounted at $1.99!). It features a retired couple, Piper and Bill Robins, who take up amateur sleuthing because they happen to be good at it. They are a good-natured couple who enjoy a loving marriage that's sometimes tested by their snooping activities.

The second title [book: Fur the Win|28093861] came out last month and continues their solving cases. The series is set in a suburb of Northern Virginia. The cat's name is Snoozy Q in case you wonder. Here are the opening paragraphs to Chapter One:

The wall telephone rang, and Bill Robins, frowning, picked up the handset. He’d just finished removing the last coffee mugs from the top rack of the dishwasher to put away on the cupboard shelf. He recognized Emily Davenport’s nasal voice from when she’d called him on previous occasions. Her octogenarian mother Anna, who lived one house down the street from the Robinses, had not answered Emily’s repeated phone calls or recorded voicemail messages over the past two days.

“I’m concerned about her,” Emily said. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Just name it, Emily,” he said.

“Would you mind going next door and check on her? She may have tumbled down the stairs and broken her leg or hip.”

“I hope not, and I’ll be glad to do it,” he said while shaking his head to mean he was anything but that. It was bad enough he went over to do the handyman tasks and sort of look after her. “I’ll call you right back as soon as I know something. Talk to you later.”

He hung up, grumbling to nobody in particular. Emily was about the only caller using the landline phone, and he regretted not getting rid of it. The Robinses were probably the lone holdouts on their city block to still have one.

“Quit grumbling,” Piper said from the kitchen doorway. She looked up at her husband who never put on any pounds. They dressed in cotton, hers the summery shade of beige and his taupe. “You sound like a sixty-eight-year old grump,” she said. “Who called us?” 

His short, slim wife’s sudden appearance surprised him. “Who called us the last time on the landline?” he asked. “Who leaves me grumbling?”

“Just tell me.”

“Emily Davenport from Bakersfield, California, requested me to visit next door and see how Anna is faring.”

“Why? Isn’t she answering her phone?”“You know she’s half-deaf and refuses to wear her hearing aid. Emily said she has been trying for the past two days to reach her with no success.”

“Did you agree to do it?”

He was annoyed. “Reluctantly, yes, I said I would like I always do.”

“Then we have no other choice but to take out five minutes and pop over to see what’s what.”

END OF SAMPLE

Here's a handy list of the applicable links to find on [book: Fur the Win|28093861]:

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Piper-Bill-Robins-Cozy-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01AOKYBIW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1455978861&sr=8-3&keywords=Ed+Lynskey
Barnes & Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fur-the-win-ed-lynskey/1123262771?ean=2940157852849
Kobo link: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/fur-the-win
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28093861-fur-the-win
Thanks for checking out my cozy mysteries.

My Book, The Movie: The Blue Cheer by Ed Lynskey

Ed Lynskey is a crime fiction writer and poet living near Washington, D.C. Here he shares his ideas about casting the main roles in a hypothetical film adaptation of his new novel, The Blue The Blue Cheer: A P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery:

If Tinsel Town ever has the impeccable taste (ha!) to make my latest novel, The Blue Cheer: A P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery:, into a film, I could see Mark Wahlberg playing the lead role of Private Investigator Frank Johnson. Mr. Wahlberg, born in 1971 and now 36, falls in about the same age range. They both have the same wiry build. Plus, Mr. Wahlberg snaring the Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 2006's The Departed (enjoyed seeing at the theater) can't hurt.

Since my PI books are written in first-person, I haven't devoted a lot of thought or included too much written description on Frank's physical appearance. Given all the jams he winds up in, and the rigors needed to extract himself, I'd say he's fairly young and athletic. If not, perhaps the director would hire a stunt double to film the action sequences.

On the other hand, Frank is something of a pulp novel buff. If using that as a guideline and dipping back in time, I'd tap Ralph Meeker (Kiss Me Deadly) or even further back, Dana Andrews (Laura). The only trouble is these three actors would need to speak with a Southern accent, but then that's why they're actors (and I'm not).

Frank's pal and sometimes employer, billionaire-lawyer Robert Gatlin is depicted as a husky man who relishes being in the public eye. Gatlin's brusque mannerisms and quick wits might translate well to a younger Fred Thompson (Law & Order). Besides an actor, Mr. Thompson is also a lawyer. His pivotal question from the Watergate hearings -- “Mr. Butterfield, are you aware of the installation of any listening devices in the Oval Office of the President?" -- rings like a Gatlin courtroom line. However, Mr. Thompson's latest political aspirations might tie him up for four years (or maybe more).

Frank's other friend, bail-bond enforcer (i.e., bounty hunter) Gerald Peyton, is a tougher call to make. Gerald, an African-American, is large, brawny, and a little rough around the edges. Perhaps Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile), another Oscar best supporting actor nominee and an ex-bouncer/bodyguard, would be casted for the role. If we could stretch this casting across time, I'd argue for football running back/actor Jim Brown (circa 1967's The Dirty Dozen) to play the Gerald character.

Of course no PI movie can be complete without a romance interest for our detective-hero. I'd think the casting director would search for an intelligent, attractive, and tough-minded actress. Kelly McGillis (Witness, The Accused) comes to mind.

Putting together these disparate parts to make an ensemble cast is a like playing Fantasy Football. You'd want them to mix just so and develop the beautiful chemistry to deliver a classic performance. You know, a cult flick that sticks in the mind of viewers, luring them back to watch repeatedly. That, to me, is the best sort of movie to make ofThe Blue Cheer: A P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery.

Reprinted from Marshal Zeringue's web blog MY BOOK, THE MOVIE.

Tuesday's Forgotten Films: One Way Street Starring James Mason and Dan Duryea

This tough, little 1950 film noir was directed by Hugo Fregonese and stars James Mason, Märta Torén, and Dan Duryea. William Conrad also plays one of the hoodlums with uncredited appearances by Jack Elam (near the beginning) and Rock Hudson (near the ending). Most of the action occurs south of the border in ole Mexico. Dan Duryea plays a criminal chieftain who with his gang has ripped off 120 grand stashed in a black satchel. James Mason is a corrupt doctor who patches up the gangsters when they get shot like Cannon in the opening scenes. The gorgeous Torén is Duryea's girl until we find out she's worked an inside angle with Mason to swipe the 120 grand and flee for Mexico in a plane. Along the way, they experience engine problems and make a forced landing in a rural village. Mason and Torén find its lazy pace and remote location suit them well to hang out there. Of course, Duryea can't be double-crossed and is gunning for the two blissful lovers talking about marriage. The talented Torén was billed as the "Next Ingrid Bergman" until a cerebral hemorrhage tragically ended her life at age 31. The film was largely panned at the time of its release, but I liked it a lot. It's a treat to see film noir standards Duryea and Cannon act together in a movie. One Way Street is one of those solidly done films noir that has been largely neglected.

New Cozy Mystery Release Rounds Out the New Series

If you're a cozy mystery fan, then my blog post should interest you. The Corpse Wore Gingham: A Piper & Bill Robins Mystery, Book #1 is discounted to $1.99 during the release week of the second title Fur the Win to the series. Piper and Bill are a retired couple living in the suburbs who decide to become a pair of sleuths. Now admittedly it isn't something everybody, including myself, would ever take up. But Piper is rather headstrong, and she has certain ideas about how things should be, and Bill is the patient type of a husband who does his level best to go along to get along. That's not to say he always just agrees with Piper. Indeed, they have their differences, especially when it comes to their sleuthing adventures. If cozies are supposed to be about regular folks like you and me, then Piper and Bill fit the definition quite nicely. They are clever at what they do, and they are persistent. Cat lovers will like the inclusion of a funny tuxedo cat (like mine) in the storyline. So, consider starting their cozy series with more future titles to come.

How I Know Spring Can't Be Far Off

Last week the Blizzard of 2016 (I'm not sure what the next blizzard will be called if there is one in 2016) slammed our region. Fortunately, the milder temperatures this week have melted away a lot of the snowbanks. I'm not one to wish my life away, but I have to say the Washington National pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training two weeks from today signals that spring is coming right along. The first full squad workout is the following week. I follow other professional sports, but baseball was my first favorite sport, so I always give it preferential, special treatment. Of course, I want the Nationals to go all the way to the World Series, but I also realize there'd be no games if all the teams didn't play on the schedule. I sat waiting in my doctor's office, and they had on some TV sports channel rebroadcasting an Orioles game from the 1980s, I think. It was relaxing to watch. Remember the phenomenal Orioles' teams Earl Weaver managed? So, I'll just keep my head down writing and editing on my new projects until the first spring games begin. I usually catch them on the radio while I'm doing something else like blogging as I am now. Let's play two!

My Sunday Spent At The Movie House

Today we got out of the house (cooped up after the blizzard last week) and ventured out to the local movie house. We saw Charlotte Rampling in 45 YEARS, and I liked it enough. I last saw her star in a Robert Mitchum movie where she plays the femme fatale and he plays Chandler's private eye Marlowe. I'm a big Robert Mitchum fan, and she was pretty good, too. The cinema we like to patronize has a few "loose" seats, and it's a bit of a challenge to find a suitable seat. Sitting in a bad seat for a couple of hours viewing a movie does bad things to my back. Anyway, I enjoy watching the trailers to upcoming movies, although the trailers seem to give away too much of the story. I also know which of the upcoming movies I'll give a pass. Anyway, 45 YEARS stars mature protagonists who are closer to my age which is always a bonus for me. Movies are a great entertainment form.

Got the Winter Blahs? Warm Up to My New Cozy Series

I've recently noticed the days are getting a bit longer. Meteorological winter is also more than halfway finished. However, midwinter seems to hold us in its icy cold grips and only slowly lets go. Needless to say, I'm not a cold weather fan although I enjoy ice skating. I usually watch a lot of movies, old and new. I just watched JOY with Jennifer Lawrence in the theater. What a young talent she is. At any rate, I always set my cozy mysteries in the good, old summertime when the bright sun is shining down.

Last year, I began a new cozy series with the publication of The Corpse Wore Gingham (now discounted at $1.99). It features a retired couple, Piper and Bill Robins, who take up amateur sleuthing because they happen to be good at doing it. They are good-natured and enjoy a loving marriage is sometimes tested during their snooping around. The second book Fur the Win just came out and continues their adventures. The series is set in a suburb of Northern Virginia. Check out the two Robinses' mysteries as the series continues to grow.

Announcing the Release of FUR THE WIN (Book #2 in the Piper & Bill Robins Cozy Mystery Series)

I'm excited to announce the publication of my second book in the Piper & Bill Cozy Mystery Series, FUR THE WIN (yes, it's a pun). It follows the debut title in the series, THE CORSE WORE GINGHAM, that came out earlier last year.

Book description:

Amateur sleuth Piper Robins returns with her husband Bill to solve the unusual murder of a homeless man found in their neighborhood. Bill's kid sister Noreen and her know-it-all, fun-loving tuxedo cat Snoozy Q lend their assistance to follow the clues and identify three murder suspects. The sleuths match wits with the crafty killer until the surprise ending. [book: Fur the Win|28093861] offers a clean read, lots of humor, and a traditional whodunit.

Here are the links:

Amazon link: amazon.com/dp/B01AOKYBIW
Barnes & Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fur-the-win-ed-lynskey/1123262771?ean=2940157852849
Kobo link: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/fur-the-win
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28093861-fur-the-win

In Celebration of the Small Towns at Christmas

Marion Post Wolcott is one of the unsung heroes among the professional photographers. She had an amazing eye for capturing the right moment on film. I came across her work years ago, and this public domain photo she took in 1940 has to be one of my favorites. It evokes just the right holiday nostalgia of a Vermont small town. If you look closely, you can spot a Christmas tree framed by the second-story window. 1940 was a dark time in our nation's history, but this single time and place looks serene and peaceful to me. The sidewalks are shoveled off, and the street is clear enough to drive through if you had some place to be. It looks like a movie scene out of It's A Wonderful Life. I grew up in a small town, and the setting intrigues me. Right now, I'm working on a new cozy mystery series I'll be bringing out in 2016. The small town is Sweet Springs, Virginia. If you're familiar with and enjoy my Isabel & Alma Trumbo cozies ([book:Quiet Anchorage|10530870] begins the series), then my Sweet Springs cozies should also appeal to you. Happy reading!

Cyber Monday Sale on the First Book in My Private Eye Series

The first book in my P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series Pelham Fell Here is on sale as a Kindle ebook at $1.99 for Cyber Monday.

Pelham Fell Here "rings true," James Crumley said.

Book description:

Ex-military cop and part-time gunsmith Frank Johnson finds his cousin Cody Chapman killed by a twelve-gauge shotgun. Enraged, Frank wants some answers, and fast. Was Cody involved in an arms smuggling scheme? The mystery deepens and grows dangerous when a pair of murderous deputy sheriffs ambush Frank. After killing them in self-defense, Frank must take it on the lam while he continues his murder investigation. Eventually, he discovers a group of neo-Nazis holed up at a remote castle who may be the ones behind his cousin's murder. Luckily, his bounty hunter pals Chet and Gerald Peyton throw in with Frank to even up the odds.

Excerpts from the Amazon readers's reviews:

"The story transformed itself into a rich, colourful, suspenseful narrative with many layers. The new found captivating pace held my attention to the very last page."
--Toni Osborne

"The action is constant with plenty of surprises along the way."
--Thomas Duff

"A very tight knit mystery read and one that I am proud to recommend."
--Shirley Johnson

"Three-dimensional characters with good dialog make this book a very good read."
--Joe Walsh

"A good way to begin a new series for anyone who likes down to earth tales."
--J.D. Anderson

"I love crime fiction that holds my interest and draws me to the characters. This book fits in that category perfectly."
--mysteryfan

My Sister Sleuth Alma Has A Few Things To Say

Alma Trumbo here. Isabel and I are featured in the new cozy mystery novel Sweet Betsy: Book #5 in the series. You may've read about our previous sleuthing adventures in the other cozy mystery books. This time out, I get things rolling when I dig up a bone while Isabel and I are out in the front yard planting marigolds that she bought at the hardware store. Nobody else living in Quiet Anchorage has ever found something so interesting. I don't know why it happened to us except to say there wouldn't be a story if I hadn't found it. Being the sharper-eyed sister, I knew right away it was a human bone. Of course, Isabel took the contrary view, as sisters often do even in their seventies as we are. She swore up and down my discovery was a fossilized dinosaur bone. Can you believe that? I mean why would there be a dinosaur bone buried in our flower bed? Luckily, I stuck to my guns. Older sisters aren't always the wisest as they like to proclaim. Sometimes I don't know how we manage to stand each other and continue living together under the same roof with our lovable beagle Petey Samson. Anyway, the only possible way to settle our dispute over my found bone was to put away our gardening tools and take it straight down to Sheriff Fox. He was none too pleased to see us since we interrupted him taking his nap at his office desk. But murder was in the air, and somebody had to make it right. Besides, I got a lot of satisfaction from winning our argument over where the found bone came from.

A Dog Is A Slueth's Best Friend In My New Cozy Mystery SWEET BETSY

I like including pets in my mysteries, be it a cat or dog. We've had a cat(s) in our household since we got married. When I was a kid, I grew up with dogs for the family pet. At any rate, Isabel and Alma Trumbo, the ace sister sleuths in my first cozy mystery series, have taken in a beagle Isabel named Petey Samson (yes, she chose the two names, a long story). Petey Samson has played a larger role in the more recent books, including my new title Sweet Betsy. He's a lovable and mischievous pet, but his keen nose has come in handy on their various cases. Isabel absolutely adores him while Alma is a little suspect of his motives since he always expects a doggie treat as a reward for his assistance. Their interactions provide a source of humor throughout the stories. If you're a fellow dog lover, then you'd probably enjoy reading about their different antics.

Welcome To The Small Town In My New Cozy Mystery Sweet Betsy

The town I set my first cozy mystery series in is a small one located in the rolling, green hills of the Virginia Piedmont. I call it [book:Quiet Anchorage|10530870] which is also the first title in the coy mystery series. I keep a picture of its streets and shops alive in my imagination to draw upon when I'm writing the next title in the series. I don't know if you've grown up in or lived in a small town for any length of time. but it's different than life is in the suburbs and city. I've lived in both places, so I can make the comparisons fairly easily. Quiet Anchorage is a quiet and pleasant town, a nice place to visit and live, if you like. I emphasize the nice things about it, and don't even mention the not-so-nice things. My new title (#5) is [book: Sweet Betsy|26542593], and I had as much fun writing it as I did the early books. The characters grow on me just as much as the town where they all live does. The town drugstore with its marble soda fountain is probably my favorite hangout. So, welcome to the small town in my new cozy mystery. I hope you'll drop by and enjoy your stay.

Enjoy the Fun and Humor in My New Cozy Mystery SWEET BETSY

I've always tried to write funny scenes and dialogue in my commercial novels. It wasn't until I took up writing cozy mysteries that I could write more humor in my long fiction. One of my favorite comedy bits is the one with Tim Conway as the dentist taking care of a patient with a sore tooth played by Harvey Korman. It ran on one of the Carol Burnett TV shows, and I believe you can find it posted on YouTube by using the search function. At any rate, I bet a lot of it is Tim Conway ad-libbing in the bit just to make Harvey Korman laugh. Another comedy inspiration I've found is the old Marx Brother movies, especially with the scenes involving Harpo. Some of their work is over-the-top and silly, but I get a laugh out watching them. In [book: Sweet Betsy|26542593], Alma digs up a bone in their flowerbed, and she believes it's human. Meantime, Isabel swears up and down it's a dinosaur bone. An earnest but lighthearted debate follows. I don't know if the humor works, but it's the silly situation I use to kick off their new murder mystery. You can read the scene through the Goodreads Preview button located just beneath the front cover on the [book: Sweet Betsy|26542593] Goodreads page.

Introducing My New Cozy Mystery SWEET BETSY

I've published my latest cozy mystery Sweet Betsy as an ebook. It marks the fifth title in my Isabel & Alma Trumbo Cozy Mystery Series. Isabel and Alma are feisty and funny senior sisters living and sleuthing in the small town of Quiet Anchorage, Virginia, which doesn't appear on Google Maps and only in their stories. They are loosely based on a real Isabel and Alma who are my late aunts. My Isabel and Alma own a beagle named Petey Samson who they both dote on with no shame. Their first title Quiet Anchorage appeared in 2011, and the series has attracted its avid readers, God bless them, as seen by its 86 reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. I use a fair amount of humor, and all my cozies are clean reads and "fair-play" traditional mysteries. All of my cozies are also stand alone reads, so you don't have to read the earlier titles in the series. You can read the first 5-star review on Amazon (Verified Purchase): http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Isabel-Tr...

Amazon link: http://amazon.com/dp/B015AOY7J0
Barnes & Noble link:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet-betsy-ed-lynskey/1122646684?ean=2940150892040 
Kobo link: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/sweet-betsy
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26542593-sweet-betsy

Two Heads Are Better Than One To Solve A Cozy Mystery

When I wrote my P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series (the latest and seventh title is After the Big Noise), I used one protagonist to do all the work of solving the mystery, usually a murder. Then I wrote the Isabel and Alma Trumbo Sister Cozy Mystery Series. Suddenly, I had to share the spotlight, so to speak, between the two protagonists. I aimed to give each lady sleuth an equal billing without one overshadowing the other. It was a balancing act, in fact. Isabel is the quiet and reserved sister while Alma is younger and also more outspoken. Their different personalities have assisted me in giving them the same amount of dialogue. They usually appear in the same scenes together although each has also had their own moments alone. I like each of the sisters, so it's easy to switch between them when I'm writing their books. Their latest cozy mystery title (#3) is The Amber Top Hat. I've written each cozy title as a stand alone, so the readers can pick up any title without having to know what all has happened before it in order to enjoy the story. I hope you'll join Isabel and Alma on their sleuthing adventures.

Serving Up A Slice of Blackberry Pie A La Mode

Earlier this morning as I was doing the final round of edits on my next mystery title, I happened to think of a slice of blackberry pie, always good eating even before breakfast. It's late in the summer for blackberries, which are usually in season back in July. When I was a kid, we used to pick wild blackberries by the bucketful. My mother froze them for wintertime eating and used the others to bake pies. The juicy fruit part of the berries is sweet, but the berries also contain lots of pits (seeds). Anyway, the wild blackberries grew everywhere (we lived in the country). Nowadays, I see pint cartons of domestic blackberries out for sale at the Farmers' Market. They're bigger and plumper than the wild ones are. The vendors ask for a steep price, but then the blackberries are probably handpicked, and I know that's hard work.

Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons.

Pour Another Iced Tea And Turn The Page

Summertime has reached the dog days of August, and I can't think of a much better hot weather beverage than a tall glass of iced tea. I like mine served sweetened with a lemon or lime wedge hooked over the top rim. I used to drink iced tea for my dinner, but the caffeine in it now keeps me awake at nights, so I have to take mine for lunch, which is just as seems just as good.

I checked around on the internet to see which celebrities, dead and alive, who also enjoy their spot of tea, iced or hot. Taylor Swift surprised me, for one. I like her catchy songs. Sean Connery didn't surprise, and the same goes for Mick Jagger. But Jimi Hendrix gave me pause. When in Britain, do as the British, I suppose.

When I was a kid, I remember reading books during the summer months while drinking iced tea. Maybe it makes reading books more enjoyable. I'll have to try it someday when I get a free summer afternoon to sit out on the patio with a favorite book to read without any interruptions.                 
Photo credit: Publicdomainpictures.com

The Perils of the Daily Pedestrian

Earlier this summer, the local cops installed one of those portable radar units that flashes your oncoming speed as you drive up on it. An email went out to all the residents in our neighborhood that the purpose was to encourage the motorists on the street to slow down. Residents on the street had complained about the speeders.

The street, you see, is a cut-through motorists use to avoid having to wait at the traffic light down at the nearby intersection. The street sort of shaves off the corner, so it is a timesaver for morning commuters trying to get to work on time. The residents have children. I know because I see them every day when I go that way on my walk.

I don't know if the radar unit was a success or not. It's gone down now. I guess it appeased the residents for the time being. The cars passing me on the street seem to go the same speed as before the radar unit went up. I would've put it up after the vacation season ends following Labor Day when more commuters are using the street. I don't think the commuters are speeding so much as they're inattentive while on their smart phones texting, or whatever. Maybe the cops wanted commuters to slow down before school opens.

"Hey, let's be careful out there," as Sergeant Phil Esterhaus used to say on Hill Street Blues.

Check Out the New Front Cover Made for My Private Eye Novel

Earlier this summer, I posted a blog to reveal the new front cover to my private eye novel After the Big Noise. My private eye Frank Johnson is one of the original characters I created when I started writing commercial fiction two decades ago. We sort of grew up together in print you might say. Frank's life has been much more dangerous and exciting than mine. He's the kind of guy you might sit down and have a steak dinner with in a small restaurant. He's not a tough guy, a lady's man, or a weapon's expert. He's just hardboiled Frank Johnson who gets the job done. He's sleuthed his way through six books, and After the Big Noise is latest title in his series I've published.

AFTER THE BIG NOISE can be bought at Amazon Books or Barnes & Noble Books.

Meet the Three Musketeers in My Cozy Mystery Series

This week I've been working on the next title, SWEET BETSY, in my Isabel and Alma Trumbo Cozy Mystery Series. Three of the recurring minor characters in the series are known as "The Three Musketeers." Ossie, Blue, and Willie are spry octogenarians who like to spend their days sitting on the wooden bench situated in front of the flower shop down on Main Street. Willie's niece Corina runs the flower shop, so they won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

The three gentlemen made their first appearance in the debut series title Quiet Anchorage. Since then, their involvement in the different plots has been growing. They are Isabel and Alma's "eyes and ears" on Main Street. They are also the Trumbo sisters's good friends who enjoy their company.

While Isabel and Alma are based on real people (my aunts who are now deceased), the Three Musketeers are colorful characters I just made up. Readers have said they like the interactions between the Three Musketeers and the Trumbo sisters because they add a lot of good humor to my cozy mystery series.

A Crepe Myrtle Summer

This summer, for some reason, the crepe myrtle has been unusually striking and vivid. I've noticed it while out doing my roadwork (i.e., walking) around our neighborhood. You might know it better as summer lilac. There might be other names for the flowering bush, too. We had a crepe myrtle bush at our previous house, and I remember the Japanese beetles loved eating it. Actually, it can grow to more than just a bush, as I've seen the crepe myrtle as large as a small tree. Our present yard is much smaller, and I don't have enough real estate to plant anything new in it. The crepe myrtle flower seems to bloom in different shades of red and purple. I don't remember it as being a high maintenance bush, so maybe that is part of its appeal and popularity. Many of our neighbors have it growing in their yards. I suppose you may be able to buy it at your local plant nursery. If we get our lot cleared off any, I may look into buying a plant or two of it to enjoy next summer. And the summers after that.
   
Photo credit: Public Domain.

The Funny Puns Used For Cozy Mystery Titles

One of the interesting trends seen in mysteries has been the increasing use of colorful, humorous puns for the titles of cozies. I'm writing two such series at the moment, and, so far, I've resisted adopting a pun for any of my titles.

Puns are fun, however, I'm not really good at coming up with clever puns. The good ones make you chuckle at first reading them. Well, that will change with an upcoming Isabel & Alma Trumbo cozy mystery title. But more about that in my later blog posts.

I often find puns coming up while I'm writing my books's drafts. The puns just sort of arise in the flow of the prose I'm writing. Sometimes I don't see the puns until later on while I'm revising my work. I usually strike out the puns unless I can use it in a refreshingly humorous way.

The other problem I've encountered with using puns for titles is the number of characters in the title grows longer. When you're looking at thumbnail-sized ebook covers, a long title becomes a more difficult problem in making it all fit in the small space along with the author's name. My name (ED LYNSKEY) uses ten characters. Anyway, those are my thoughts today on puns.

My Lady Sleuths Are Also Big Mystery Readers

My sister sleuths Isabel and Alma Trumbo who live in the small town of Quiet Anchorage, Virginia, are also big mystery fans and readers. They have a personal library containing all the mysteries they've ever read on its bookshelves. They keep the mysteries in case they ever want to reread one. I don't know how their library is large enough to hold the mysteries they've read since it must run in the thousands, but we're talking about fiction, so I can take a few author liberties for the sake of telling a story.

I include throughout my cozy titles the parts where Isabel and Alma enthusiastically talk about the mysteries they're currently reading. Readers like to discuss their favorite books. Isabel and Alma have pretty wide tastes in their favorite genre, but they tend to stick with female authors from the past and are now deceased. One such author is Dorothy Uhnak. You can click on her name which is a link to the interview I conducted with her a couple of years before her passing away in 2006. Margaret Millar (1915-94) and Dolores Hitchens (1907-73) are two mystery authors Isabel and Alma discuss. I won't mention the other authors here.

I don't include too many book discussions to interfere with Isabel and Alma's sleuthing adventures. After all, they're solving crimes more than they're reading about them. But their book discussions are an extra bit of fun. Isabel and Alma's sleuthing and reading adventures begin with Book #1 in the cozy series, Quiet Anchorage.

Photo credit: Martha Rosler Library. Public domain.

Makeover Cover Reveal to My Latest Cozy Mystery Series Title

This week I spiffed up my front cover to my latest ebook, The Amber Top Hat: Book 4 of the Isabel & Alma Trumbo Cozy Mystery Series, and released its new front cover. It depicts the murder victim's crayon drawing as a kid of a taxicab's roof sign, also known as the top hat in the cabbies's trade lingo. Ralph Blue dreams of driving his own taxicab, and when he grows up, he buys one to serve the good folks of Quiet Anchorage, Virginia, the small town where he lives. When he's found murdered inside of his taxicab, it's time for Isabel and Alma, our feisty and funny sister sleuths who live in the brick rambler on Church Street, to get busy with their proven detective skills. Of course, they also have to deal with their bumbling and often contrary Sheriff Fox. I included more small town humor in The Amber Top Hat because Isabel and Alma never take themselves too seriously while they snoop for the right clues and leads to unmask Ralph's killer. All of my cozy mysteries are fair play and clean reads. Here's a sample taken from Chapter 1 of The Amber Top Hat:

Alma was quick on the nod, thrilled the chase was on again. “Righter than rain, Isabel,” she said.

“Don’t forget three Trumbos sleuth on your behalf.”

“That’s right.” Blue smiled for the first time. “I get three for the price of one.”

“You didn’t let me finish,” Alma said. “We’ll also call on Sammi Jo and Phyllis Garner as well as Petey Samson. He’s getting his beauty rest but don’t let that mislead you. He’s a ball of fire bloodhound when he’s called upon.”

“Is Petey Samson a bloodhound for real?” Blue asked. “I could’ve sworn he’s a mixed breed, what my folks used to call a pound mutt.”

“Oh, brother,” Alma said. “I wished you hadn’t said that.”

“I’ll have you know Petey Samson is no pound mutt,” Isabel said, shaking her finger at Blue. “His best breeding lies in his bloodhound line,” she said.

“I didn’t know that,” Blue said.

“Pay no mind to Isabel,” Alma said. “She’s just overprotective of her fur baby.”

I hope you enjoyed reading my sample. Please consider reading The Amber Top Hat with your other summer books. Thanks for your interest in my cozy mystery series.

Ed Lynskey
Author of the Isabel & Alma Trumbo Cozy Mystery Series