Monday, December 8, 2008

Monday Mystery Theater


THE CASE:

Inside the charred remains of an old, dilapidated boarding house is a grisly sight. The burned bodies of three elderly men and one middle-aged man are in the parlor. The middle-aged man has a bullet hole in his head, but none of the other bodies show any apparent signs of foul play.

THE MYSTERY:

Who was the middle-aged man and why was he killed? And what role did the other three men play in the story?

THE CLUES:

1. The boarding house had a freezer in the basement.

2. The elderly men were all receiving retirement checks.

THE ANSWER:

Think you know the answer? Fill in the comment box to submit your guess. Winner receives a free Heartsong Presents Mystery!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Special Feature!!

DOWN HOME AND DEADLY
BY
CHRISTINE LYNXWILER, SANDY GASKIN, AND JAN REYNOLDS

DEATH FOR DESSERT—When Jenna Stafford quits her dead-end job to help her sister Carly open a diner, she may have jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Even though business is really cooking, last time the sisters checked, murder was NOT on the menu. So who’s the dead guy out back? And why are there more police officers on the scene than there are paying customers? Can Jenna and Carly sort out their scrambled love lives and still find the missing ingredient in time to solve the crime before their goose is cooked?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Sisters Christine Pearle Lynxwiler, Jan Pearle Reynolds, and Sandy Pearle Gaskin are usually on the same page. And it's most often a page from their favorite mystery. So when the idea for a Christian cozy mystery series came up during Sunday dinner at Mama's, they determined to take their dream further than just table talk. Thus the Sleuthing Sisters mystery series was born.

Christine writes full-time. She and her husband, Kevin, live with their two children in the beautiful Ozark Mountains and enjoy kayaking on the nearby Spring River. Jan, part-time writer and full-time office manager, and her husband, Steve, love to spend time with their two adult children and their granddogs on the lake or just relaxing at home. Sandy, part-time writer and retired teacher, works with her husband, Bart, managing their manufacturing business. She spends her spare time shuttling their teenager back and forth to school activities. But knowing how quickly these days will be gone, she wouldn't have it any other way.



To read more about DOWN HOME AND DEADLY be sure to subscribe to:
Heartsong Presents: Mysteries!


OTHER HEARTSONG PRESENTS MYSTERIES BY CHRISTINE LYNXWILER, SANDY GASKIN, AND JAN REYNOLDS


DROP DEAD DIVA

Free Branson vacation…in exchange for a little elbow grease and moral support.
Jenna Stafford and her sister, Carly, dust off their cowboy boots, herd the kids into the SUV, and hightail it up to Branson, Missouri, to help with the grand opening of a friend’s theater. To their amazement, the glittering lights and twanging tunes make a perfect backdrop for…murder! The high-maintenance star of the show gets on everyone’s nerves. Until someone puts a permanent end to the diva’s demands. Carly and Jenna’s leading men are waiting in the wings. But with a whole band of suspects, can the sleuthing sisters make the killer play a different tune before their own song is silenced forever?




DEATH ON A DEADLINE

Headline News; Jenna Stafford's nephew is accused of killing his boss, the newspaper editor.
But stop the presses! Jenna recruits her sister, Carly, and they go undercover to get the scoop on the murder.
Will the next headline proclaim: Jenna and Carly Expose Killer? Or will the sleuthing sisters end up the featured
subjects in tomorrow's obit column?


Friday, December 5, 2008

Fun Friday

This week, Spyglass Lane is showcasing Gunfight at Grace Gulch by Darlene Franklin. To learn more about Darlene and her books, check out her website!


Thursday, December 4, 2008

Mystery Door

Thursdays are Mystery Door days! Choose a door. A surprise is waiting for you!



Wednesday, December 3, 2008

MYSTERY AUTHOR RIDES AGAIN!!!



Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Mandy won a copy of Candice Speare's newest Heartsong mystery, BAND ROOM BASH! We'll get that in the mail to you, Mandy! Thanks for playing.

Now for this week's Mystery Author! Remember, you must post your guess as a comment and include your e-mail address. I'll draw a winner from all the correct entries.

And away we go...

Welcome, Mystery Author!

What part of the country do you hail from?


I've lived in and around Houston, Texas for about 25 years, so I consider myself a Texan. But I grew up on a farm in Western Oklahoma.

Besides your Heartsong cozy mystery, you’ve published other books. How many?

The second book in the Volstead Manor Series will be out in a few days. That mystery, Another Hour to Kill, will be my 23rd book.

One of your favorite novels has a “bird” in the title. What is it?

To Kill a Mockingbird. What a masterpiece!

You have a favorite place to write in the morning. Where is it?

In a local cafe. I've made friends there, and now it's such a reunion when I go that it's hard to get anything done. But it's pure delight!

What is the first name of the main character in your Heartsong mystery series?

Bailey

Thanks, Mystery Author!

Put your guessing caps on! Who do you think our Mystery Author is?

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Short Story Mystery


Seoul Food by Elizabeth Ludwig

Part 1

Cho Hee Kim hiked her basket higher on her hip. All around people thronged the market place—pushing, shouting. As a member of the ruling regime, Cho Hee could easily have sent a servant for the snake meat she served to her guests every Tuesday night, but she enjoyed the bustle of the marketplace, and her worn dress and servant’s cloak gave her ample anonymity.

Annyeong,” she greeted as she drew near to her favorite vendor, a wizened old man with thinning gray hair and eagle sharp eyes.

“Annyeong haseyo,” the vendor replied. “Here for your regular Tuesday purchase?”

Cho Hee smiled and added a quick nod. “Many guests tonight. I need something extra special.”

The vendor’s wrinkled cheeks lifted in a grin. “I have just the thing.” Reaching below the wooden plank that served as a counter, he pulled out a crate and dropped it before her with a thud.

Cho Hee picked up the lid and peered inside. The snake looked fresh. The vendor must have killed it specifically for her, knowing she would need just a such a delicacy for her honored guests. Smiling, she tipped her head. “It is perfect. Many thanks.”

She paid the vendor then slipped quietly into the crowd with her purchase, never guessing that just a few steps away, death waited to claim her, its icy cold fangs bared and ready to pierce her unsuspecting flesh.

Stay tuned next week for Part 2 of Seoul Food.

FOR DISCUSSION: What evil plot lies in store for Cho Hee?

Monday, December 1, 2008

Monday Mystery Theater


THE CASE:

Movie star Tad Oliver's marriage was on the rocks and his agent was worried about his mental health. When Tad didn't answer his phone one day, the agent called the police and they sped to Tad's beach house. The doors and windows were all locked from the inside.

The police broke in and found the leading man on his bedroom floor, barely clinging to life. A gun was in his hand and a bullet hole in his chest. The distraght agent bent over his dying client. "Why'd you do it, Babe? Why? I just got you a four-picture deal with Metro!"

The star's dying word was whispered, but both the agent and an officer heard it: "Jealousy."

THE MYSTERY:

Tad's death was murder. What did he mean by "jealousy?" And how did the killer get out of the house that was bolted from the inside?

THE CLUES:

1. Tad never said "jealousy."
2. Tad's last look was glassy-eyed.

THE ANSWER:

Think you know the answer? Fill in the comment box to submit your guess. Winner receives a free Heartsong Presents Mystery!