They could find nothing to do but sit about and suspect one another. THE SANTA KLAUS MURDER By Mavis Hay The closed-circle mystery is a genre we’re all familiar with. Think CLUE—the game you played as a kid. What better time of year than Christmas to stage such a...

I’m getting a lot of questions about the title of my second novel, Undead All Over. Some readers are unnerved by it—is this a book about vampires and zombies, they ask. (Answer: Zombies: no. Vampires: sort of.) Other readers want a story about “real”...

This piece isn't about heavy objects that hold books upright. It's about the mysterious matter of how to end a mystery novel while at the same time delivering the rollercoaster thrill ride readers have every right to expect. I’m sure we’ve all been annoyed by clunky,...

There’s a famous quote attributed to the French philosopher, Voltaire: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Did Voltaire really utter those words? Not exactly. The ‘quote’, cited by historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall in...

Every novelist struggles with ways of creating three-dimensional characters. Heroes and heroines who are too heroic become predictable and boring. The same for villains who are always evil. Personal quirks, foibles and idiosyncrasies are what make characters...

There are many reasons I write what I write. I’m fascinated by topics on the fringes. Secrets. Mysteries. Things that go bump in the night.I love diving down rabbit holes to discover where they lead.I enjoy seeing things from a variety of angles.I’m intrigued by...