July is a wicked month for gardeners. That miraculous encounter of fire, air, and organic elements that entertains us on the Fourth isn’t a bad metaphor for what’s going on down below, except that the more earthly spectacle isn’t half so entertaining. In fact, it’s downright heartrending, if not backbreaking. I should know. After sixty years, what my back wants is a padded deck chair on a Caribbean cruise ship, not a goddamn guerrilla war with grubs and dandelions. I remember the …
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Three-Ring Circus Excerpt
The outside light was off. I fumbled for my keys, and found the keyhole with my fingertips. The key turned easily. The door was unlocked. I pushed the door open and crossed into the deeper blackness of the hallway. I felt a breath of air on the back of my neck as the door swung shut behind me. I smelled bourbon, cigarette smoke, and sweat. A hand clamped over my mouth and a body pressed against mine. A voice rasped in my ear. I leaned forward, raising one foot, and brought it down hard on …
Two-Shot Foul Excerpt
“AJ cat gone.” I wasn’t a mother for nothing. Mothers know more than the goddamn Shadow knows, seeing as how they’ve got eyes in the backs of their heads and built-in code descramblers more sophisticated than a Dick Tracy secret decoder ring. That was why I had turned to detective work to begin with. Who was better qualified? So when Leon stood at my door holding a grubby, tear-smeared little white kid by the hand and stated his business, I knew what I was dealing with. Leon wanted to be …
One for the Money Excerpt
“You don’t look like no ‘tectives on TV, Granny,” Ben had announced at his first opportunity to comment on my new career. He’d stuck one pudgy digit up his nose and pointed another one at me accusingly. “None o’ them gots white hair.” “Stick around for a few seasons, kid. They will,” I’d answered. What the hell. I was used to skepticism. Any veteran mother that isn’t has her goddamned ears stuffed with kumquats. Swearing was a habit I’d picked up when Fred was alive. One day I got the …
Upcoming Virtual Presentation
On October 6th, I'm presenting an online "class" entitled "My Life as a Mystery Writer" for the Lifelong Learning Institute at Ohio Wesleyan University, where I taught for 30 years. Now that all the classes are virtual, they're available to everybody. Here's a description of the program: For this Fall 2020 term, individuals have the opportunity to participate in one or more of five courses with each offering between four and six classes. For example, registrants are signing up for the My …