A Mysterious Christmas Collection - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome both Charlie Kingsley and Emily Hildebrandt to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Charlie in the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series and Emily in the Redemption Detective Agency Mystery series, both penned by Michele Pariza Wacek. Sometimes they each appear in each other's mysteries and such is the case in A MYSTERIOUS CHRISTMAS COLLECTION. 

Charlie Kingsley: I’m so glad we can sit down together. Would you like some tea? Oh, wait, you’re more of a coffee gal, aren’t you?

Emily Hildebrandt: I definitely prefer coffee over tea. No offense as I know you make a lot of teas.

CK: None taken. I prefer tea but I drink coffee as well, especially when I’m in the middle of a case and haven’t had much sleep.

EH: Nothing beats coffee then.

CK: Exactly. So, we’re finally in a mystery together.

EH: Yes, and it’s about time. As you can imagine, I’ve heard so much about you.

CK: I hope it was good.

EH: Are you serious? You’re everyone’s inspiration! All I hear is good things!

CK: Well…err…look, I’m sure it’s not like that. It’s just because The Redemption Detective Agency is a spin off from the Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, that’s all.

EH: I think there’s more than that going on. But yes, I’m sure Mildred and Aunt Tilde both appearing in one of your earlier Charlie Kingsley Mysteries definitely had something to do with it. How was it working with both of them?

CK: It was…interesting. Mildred was sure her next door neighbor was a vampire. I was a little worried she was going to show up on his doorstep with a stake.

EH: What, you mean she didn’t do that?

CK: It was touch and go for awhile. And Tilde is definitely very enthusiastic at the idea of being a detective. I know Pat isn’t exactly sold on the idea of Tilde owning a detective agency, but I don’t think it’s such a bad idea. There are an awful lot of unsolved cases in Redemption, it’s probably a good thing to have someone willing to look at them.

EH: Well, I suspect we’re not going to have the same touch you do with our cases, but hopefully we’ll still make you proud.

CK: Don’t be silly. You already make me proud. I’m just thrilled Michele finally started listening to me and went down the cozy mystery path, otherwise all this would have been missed!

Check out not one but TWO Christmas cozy mysteries in A MYSTERIOUS CHRISTMAS COLLECTION, one from Charlie Kingsley Mysteries (Secret Santa Murder) and one from The Redemption Detective Agency (The Mysterious Case of the Dead Elf).

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Review

A MYSTERIOUS CHRISTMAS COLLECTION by Michele Pariza Wacek
Short Stories from 
The Charlie Kingsley Mystery Series and The Redemption Detective Agency Mystery Series 

A MYSTERIOUS CHRISTMAS COLLECTION is comprised of two short stories, Secret Santa Murder and The Mysterious Case of the Dead Elf. The former is part of the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series while the latter is from the Redemption Detective Agency series, but both have their characters crossing over.

In Secret Santa Murder Charlie is invited to a Christmas pot luck and Secret Santa exchange-except the majority pf people invited had to cancel at the last minute and Pat, the hostess, has filled the party with people not normally invited to parties. When one of the guests drops dead it's up to Officer Brandon Wyle to start the investigation, with Charlie's help, of course.

The Redemption Detective Agency has a new case in The Mysterious Case of the Dead Elf. Although an adult, Mindy is scared of Santa.When she was a little girl an elf dropped dead in front of the crowd while she was seeing Santa. Since then she can't bear the thought of visiting Santa, but doesn't want to deprive her own daughter of that joy. Though officials declared the death an accident, rumors persist that it was murder. Will Emily and the gang be able to solve this cold case and bring back holiday joy? 

I really enjoyed both of these quick reads, while I'm up to date in the Redemption Detective Agency series I haven't read any of the Charlie Kingsley mysteries. Even with no prior knowledge I was able to jump right in and appreciate everything going on-so feel free to start here even if you are unfamiliar with these series! I now intend to go back and read Charlie's stories. I was already a huge fan of the Redemption Detective Agency and this short story cemented that love. Though short, there's depth to both of these stories and with humor and a hint of romance, a fine mystery in each.

You get two for one with A MYSTERIOUS CHRISTMAS COLLECTION, two delightful short mysteries bringing characters from two series together in a great holiday collection.

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A Mysterious Christmas Collection: A Charlie Kingsley/Redemption Detective Agency Crossover Christmas Cozy Mystery Anthology by Michele Pariza Wacek

About A Mysterious Christmas Collection

A Mysterious Christmas Collection: A Charlie Kingsley/Redemption Detective Agency Crossover Christmas Cozy Mystery Anthology
Cozy Mysteries
Setting - Wisconsin
Publisher: Love-Based Publishing
Publication Date: ‎ November 19, 2025

Number of Pages: 150

In this charming Christmas cozy mystery collection, you get not one but TWO Christmas mysteries--one from the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series (Secret Santa Murder) and one from The Redemption Detective Agency (The Mysterious Case of the Dead Elf).

Even better, the characters in both series will make a crossover appearance in the other mystery.

Here's a peek of each story:

Secret Santa Murder: A Secret Santa party goes off the rails when a guest is murdered after opening their gift. Can Charlie get to the bottom of who did it in this locked door mystery?

The Mysterious Case of the Dead Elf: Emily and the gang take on a case to help a young mother get over her childhood Christmas trauma. Can they go back in time and solve the mystery of a dead elf to save Christmas before it's too late?

Includes TWO Christmas cookie family recipes!

The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries

The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries is funny, clean & twisty cozy series takes place in the 1990s in Redemption, Wisconsin. They're perfect if you enjoy small town cozy mysteries with quirky characters, pets, tea, culinary, a touch of romance, 1990s nostalgia and loads of fun. If you like books by Agatha Christie, Louise Penny and Maddie Day, you'll love these books.

The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries is a continuing series with books that are standalone and can be read in any order.

The Redemption Detective Agency

A spin off from the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series. This cozy romcom mystery series also takes place in the 1990s and features a fish out of water amateur sleuth, pet detectives, a cast of silver sleuths (some you'll recognize from the main series), cold cases and a hefty dose of romance. Think The Thursday Murder Club meets Bridget Jones's Diary, but in small town Wisconsin. Also great for fans for The Golden Girls (if they started solving mysteries), Only Murders in the Building (without a podcast and takes place in Wisconsin) and Murder She Wrote.

All the books are clean, twisty and funny. They can be read in any order but to get the best experience, I would recommend starting with Book 1, The Mysterious Case of the Missing Motive.

About Michele Pariza Wacek

A USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele taught herself to read at 3 years old because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but she does spend much of her time writing stories now. Mystery stories, to be exact. They're clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn't enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes and more, at MPWNovels.com.

Michele grew up in Wisconsin, (hence why all her books take place there), and still visits regularly, but she herself escaped the cold and now lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.

When she's not writing, she's usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she's an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she's not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr. PW is in charge of the cooking.)

Author Links:  

Website https://MPWNovels.com  

Facebook https://Facebook.com/michelepwauthor 

Instagram https://instagram.com/themichelepw

Purchase Link - Amazon 

The Latke in the Library & Other Mystery Stories for Chanukah

In honor of Hanukkah I thought I'd shine a spotlight on The Latke in the Library & Other Mystery Stories for Chanukah by Libi Astaire. This is a compilation of four short stories written with a nod to Agatha Christie.

 Oy vey! When elderly mystery writer Agatha Krinsky falls for the fifth time, her nephew Sheldon insists she move into an assisted living facility. True to form, on her first day in her new home Agatha discovers a body in the library. But the staff won’t take her seriously, and even her elderly luncheon companions — Herschel Perlow, Miss Eppel, and Ronny and Rubles Bernfeld — are more interested in talking about bodies they encountered in their earlier careers than helping Agatha solve her mystery.

Included in this humorous Chanukah-themed homage to Dame Agatha Christie are these four short mystery stories: The Latke in the Library, Evil Under the Wick, And Then There Were Gornisht, and The Olive Cracked.

Holidays and Homicides - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Lena Gregory back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Lena writes several series including the Coffee & Cream Café Mystery series. Lena has a short story with the characters from this series in the HOLIDAYS AND HOMICIDES anthology which was released last week.

Christmas Through the Years 
By Lena Gregory 

When I was young, Christmas was a magical time. I remember my mother bundling us all into the car with hot cocoa and driving around the neighborhood to look at all the decorations. My father baked tons of cookies with us each year. Every store we went into had Christmas music playing. And on the best years, it snowed! On Christmas Eve, my parents hosted a big party for all of our extended family, and we’d spend hours watching out the window to see who could spot Rudolph’s nose first. Then, when the house quieted down, I’d lay in bed listening for the sound of sleigh bells or Santa’s jolly laugh until I inevitably fell asleep before he arrived. Christmas morning would have me waking at the crack of dawn, or before, and listening for any sign that someone else was up, then throwing the covers back and bounding out of bed to run for the Christmas tree to see what Santa had brought and to pass out the trinkets I’d bought everyone at the school fair. Then, after all the presents were opened and the wrapping paper cleaned up, we’d sit down to a big family breakfast. Those memories have always stayed with me, and I’ve tried to recreate some of them for my own children.

Eventually, all four of us kids got married and had children of our own. And it was my turn to bundle my kids up and drive around town looking at decorations while Christmas music blared on the radio, though the hot cocoa mostly came from a McDonalds or Starbucks drive-thru rather than being homemade. On years that time allowed, I’d bake cookies with my kids and take them out to all the stores to shop, and Christmas tunes still filled the aisles (sometimes as early as Halloween) while we shopped for the party I’d taken over hosting. On Christmas Eve, all of our family would come over, and they’d bring friends, loved ones, often people I’d never met. And on the best years, it still snowed! I remember one year, all of us gathering outside as the snow fell, then entire neighborhood deserted, quiet, peaceful. Until my daughter and her friends came out, then not so much. But I loved every minute of it! On Christmas morning, my father would drop off a breakfast pie for us early, so once we finished opening gifts, we could all sit down and enjoy it together. And then we’d have a big Christmas dinner with family.

Since we moved to Florida, Christmas is quieter. Although last year we did have our Christmas Eve party, since we had family visiting from New York. And we still stick to some of our old traditions, like baking cookies and driving around admiring the Christmas decorations. My husband, my kids, and I all spend a special night decorating the tree with a big meal, usually pasta, and gingerbread cookies for dessert. We watch the same old Christmas movies—Year Without a Santa Claus is still my favorite! Christmas Eve is still a special night, which we all spend together, and Christmas morning is still met with anticipation and joy. Although, snow is off the table. Even though some things have changed over the years, many traditions have still passed down from one generation to the next. Now, though, the full meaning of Christmas is with me as I celebrate each year, and it’s even more joyful!


How about you? Do you have any special Christmas traditions? Have they changed over the years or do they stay the same?

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Review

HOLIDAYS & HOMICIDES
A Short Story Collection

 

Need a break amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? Looking for a quick read to get you in the holiday spirit? This new anthology by Gemma Halliday Publishing is just the ticket. While the book itself is long, the stories contained are short and most can easily be read in a sitting or two. There's a nice variety of authors, some familiar to me and some not. I was especially thrilled to see that Lena Gregory had a story featuring the characters from her Coffee & Cream Café Mystery series, one of my favorites and probably my favorite story in the anthology. I was also pleased to see a Catherine Bruns tale and that Christine Knapp had a modern midwife story. I also discovered new to me authors whose books I need to check out, particularly Rosalie Spielman and Kelly Rey. I must admit I did skip reading one story. I can't abide present tense and could only manage a paragraph of that particular story. It should be noted that while the title of the anthology is HOLIDAYS & HOMICIDES not all of the stories included are murder mysteries. There are plenty of other crimes that provide good puzzles and several stories show that.

 

HOLIDAYS & HOMICIDES is a delightful collection of holiday mysteries to help you wind down and relax during this hectic time of year while bringing Yuletide cheer during any season!

 

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 Holidays & Homicides: A Short Story Collection by Rosalie Spielman, Catherine Bruns, Gin Jones, Annie McEwen, Lena Gregory, Jennifer Fischetto, Anne Marie Stoddard, Kelly Rey, Misty Simon, Christine Knapp, Jamie L. Adams, Erica Wynters

About Holidays & Homicides

Holidays & Homicides: A Short Story Collection
Holiday Cozy Mysteries
Publisher: ‎ Gemma Halliday Publishing
Publication Date: ‎ December 2, 2025
Print Length: ‎ 419 pages

From twelve USA Today bestselling and award winning authors, comes a short story collection stuffed full of mirthful mysteries, clever criminals, and holiday cheer! These short holiday bites are perfect for enjoying between rounds of wrapping or binge-reading over a cup of cocoa!

Stories include: A Hometown Christmas Caper (Hometown Mysteries) by Rosalie Spielman Gossip, Guilt & Gingerbread (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries) by Lena Gregory Larceny & Twinkle Lights (Jamie Winters Mysteries) by Kelly Rey Holidays & Heists (Aloha Lagoon Mysteries) by Anne Marie Stoddard Ornaments, Surprise & Dead Guys (Gianna Mancini Mysteries) by Jennifer Fischetto It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Mischief (Northwoods Mysteries) by Annie McEwen You Can't see the Forest for the Christmas Trees (Modern Midwife Mysteries) by Christine Knapp Jingle Bell Rocker (Sunny Side Up Mysteries) by Misty Simon Holly, Handcuffs, and Hearsay (Camelot Flowers Mysteries) by Erica Wynters Search for the Silent Santa (Ghost Town Mysteries) by Jamie L. Adams Nothing But Truffle (Cookies & Chance Mysteries) by Catherine Bruns A Heartland Homicide (Bourbon B&B Mysteries) by Gin Jones

About the Authors

Catherine Bruns is the USA Today bestselling author of the Cookies & Chance mysteries. She lives in New York with her very patient husband, three sons, and several spoiled pets. Catherine has a B.A. in English and is a former newspaper reporter and press release writer. She also writes the Italian Chef mysteries, Cindy York real estate and Carrie Jorgenson (Aloha Lagoon) culinary series. Her book, For Sale by Killer, won the 2019 Daphne du Maurier award for Mainstream Mystery/Suspense.

Get a free ebook when you sign up for Catherine's newsletter at https://www.catherinebruns.net/contact Please feel free to connect with her on social media as well: facebook.com/Catherine-Bruns- 

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, and the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island. She recently relocated to Florida with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, jigsaw puzzles, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

To learn more about Lena and her latest writing endeavors, visit her Website: http://www.lenagregory.com/

Sign Up for her Newsletter: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/492177/95264614748521780/share

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lenagregoryauth/

 

Rosalie Spielman is a mother, veteran, and retired military spouse. She was thrilled to discover that she could make other people laugh with her writing and finds joy in giving people a humorous escape from the real world. Her cozy mystery novels are set in locales that have chickens—such as sunny Kauai and rural Idaho—writing for the multi-author Aloha Lagoon mystery series and her own Hometown Mystery series.

She currently lives in Maryland with her husband in a rapidly emptying nest. For more information on her books or to subscribe to her newsletter, go to www.rosalie-spielman-author.com, follow her Facebook page (Rosalie Spielman author), or join her Facebook group (You Know The Spiel). Rosalie strives to provide you a cozy escape...one page at a time.

Website: www.Rosalie-Spielman-author.com Bookshop storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/YouKnowTheSpiel Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rosalie-Spielman/author/B09FP95WC8 Facebook author page: Rosalie Spielman author https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063501963689 Facebook readers group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/YouKnowTheSpiel

 

From her first discovery of Nancy Drew, USA Today bestselling author Kelly Rey has had a lifelong love for mystery and tales of things that go bump in the night, especially those with a twist of humor. Through many years of working in the court reporting and closed captioning fields, writing has remained a constant. If she's not in front of a keyboard, she can be found reading, working out or avoiding housework. She's a member of Sisters in Crime and lives in the Northeast with her husband and a menagerie of very spoiled pets.

 

 

Gin Jones is a retired lawyer who specialized in ghost-writing for other lawyers. She prefers to write her own books, though, since she doesn't have to worry that her sense of humor might get her thrown into jail for contempt of court. In her spare time, Gin makes quilts, grows garlic, and advocates for patients with rare disorders.

Website: https://www.ginjones.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ginjones.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ginjonesmysteries/

 

Jamie L. Adams fell in love with books at an early age. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott opened her imagination and sparked a dream to be a writer. She wrote her first book as a school project in 6th grade.

A graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature as well as member of American Christian Fiction Writers, The Writing Desk and several critique groups, she spends most of her time writing, reading or learning more about the craft near to her heart.

The parents of three very active children, she and her husband live in the Ozarks surrounded by forest and wildlife.

 

 

Erica Wynters started as most authors do - as an avid reader. Cozy mysteries and romantic suspense offered her just the escape she was looking for! The combination of great love and great danger keeps her turning pages late into the night.

Now they keep her writing pages late into the night. Her goal is always two-fold: help you fall in love with love all over again and take you on an adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Falling in love has never been so fun...or so dangerous!

 

Misty Simon always wanted to be a storyteller…preferably behind a Muppet. Animal was number one, followed closely by Sherlock Hemlock… Since that dream didn’t come true, she began writing stories to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time.

Touching people’s hearts and funny bones are two of her favorite things, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. She lives with her husband in Central Pennsylvania, where she is hard at work on her next novel or three.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/misty.simon.18 Instagram: @mistysimonwrites Tiktok: @mistysimonwrites Website: http://www.mistysimon.com

 

Christine Knapp practiced as a nurse-midwife for many years. A writer of texts and journal articles, she is now thrilled to combine her love of midwifery and mysteries as a fiction author. Christine currently narrates books for the visually impaired. A dog lover, she lives near Boston. Visit thoughtfulmidwife.com

Website https://www.thoughtfulmidwife.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/christine.w.knapp Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maevecw/ X https://x.com/chriswknapp Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/maevecwk.bsky.social  

Annie McEwen is the author of the Northwoods Mysteries Series, set amongst the tall pines and sparkling lakes of northern Wisconsin where she spent vacations as a kid. Because of a sweet love story between her youngest sister and a local Wisconsin boy (storyline idea!), she’s still been able to keep on visiting the beautiful place that means so much to her. Annie and her husband are empty nesters—their son is married to his high school sweetheart, and their daughter is married with two adorable toddler boys. Being grandparents is definitely the best gig ever! They also have four fur babies who just might make some special appearances in Annie's books. When Annie isn’t writing, playing with her grandsons, or tackling trash-to-treasure projects, she works as a radiological technologist, aka, she takes pictures of bones...you can’t hide much from her! Writing, though, is her first love.  

   

Jennifer Fischetto is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the Gianna Mancini paranormal cozy mystery series, as well as a dozen other titles. She writes family-centric murder mysteries and things that go bump in the night. A lover of rainstorms and snow, she prefers fiction over reality and longs to live in a world where French fries grow on trees, chocolate appears whenever desired, and every day is October. She watches too much television and movies, which fuel her never-ending supply of plot ideas, and is a rabid fan of suspense, horror, and everything supernatural. You can learn about her next book by subscribing to her newsletter at https://jenniferfischetto.com/newsletter/ Visit Jennifer at: Website: http://jenniferfischetto.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jenniferfischetto.com 

 

 Anne Marie Stoddard is a USA TODAY bestselling author and former Amazon Mover & Shaker. She writes supernatural suspense and humorous cozy mysteries with an edge. Her Amelia Grace Mystery series, inspired by her years working in radio, and concert venues and music festivals across the U.S., has won several awards, including the 2012 AJC Decatur Book Festival Writing Contest, the 2013 Book Junkie's Choice Award for Best Debut Fiction Novel, and nominations for the 2014 & 2016 RONE Awards Best Mystery/Thriller Category. Aside from writing, Anne Marie loves her husband and their dog, college football, hula hoops, music, coffee, and anything pumpkin-flavored. For more details about Anne Marie's upcoming projects, giveaways, and more, visit her online and subscribe to her newsletter at http://www.amstoddardbooks.com/. Connect with Anne Marie on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmStoddardBooks Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMStoddardBooks Buy Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble Apple Kobo Smashwords

Twinkling Tree Trouble - A Review

 Review

TWINKLING TREE TROUBLE by Iris March
A Succulent Sleuth Mini Mystery 

It's the holiday season and for Molly Green one of the best parts is the arrival of the fresh Christmas trees she'll be selling at Patty’s Plant Place. With the help of her sister May, husband, and dedicated staff the trees are set up, various other plants are potted and selling fast, and holiday workshops being held getting everyone into the holiday spirit. The nest day Molly is surprised to see the front row of Christmas trees have Christmas trees lights! While the trees are behind fencing, the barrier is made so that trees can't be taken out, but a person could get in. The trees look lovely, but her staff deny putting any lights up. So who decked out the trees? 

If you're looking for a charming light-hearted mystery without a murder TWINKLING TREE TROUBLE is just the ticket. I can picture the magical scene of those pine trees with sparkling lights and am immediately put in a better mood. This is a purely positive puzzle. No thefts, no murder, nothing nefarious. And the reveal will have you grinning with pleasure.

This Succulent Sleuth Mini Mystery is a short story; a very short story. You could easily read it in one sitting. That being said, the story is really fleshed out and the characters dimensional. It helps if you've read other books in the series to get a feel for the characters and setting, especially in such a short story, but it's not at all necessary. I wish I could go to Patty's Plant Place, immerse myself in those particular plant nursery scents, perhaps take a wreath making class. 

TWINKLING TREE TROUBLE is a charming short story sure to get you into the holiday spirit. 

Crime & Culpability - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to allow Elizabeth Gilliland to take over Cozy Up With Kathy today. Elizabeth is the editor and one of the authors contributing to the anthology CRIME AND CULPABILITY that was released earlier this month.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if some of your favorite characters from different books were put into the same room and had to have a conversation with each other?

That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to write my cozy mystery series, The Austen University Mysteries, featuring many of the characters from Jane Austen’s novels, put together in one modern-day university setting, with a healthy dash of mystery added in.

Yes, I love seeing how Catherine Morland might go about solving a murder (if she were obsessed with murder podcasts instead of Gothic novels) or how Emma Woodhouse might react if she were accused of a crime. I really enjoyed figuring out what might make Darcy confess to a crime that he might not have committed.

But the parts of the story I almost always enjoy the most is when two characters who wouldn’t otherwise meet (since they, you know, belong to separate novels) are suddenly forced to interact with each other. Who will get along? Who will loathe each other at first sight?

In The One Vs. The Many: Minor Characters and the Space of the Protagonist in the Novel, Alex Woloch talks about how minor characters are only minor because they’ve been edged out of the novel by the space taken up by the protagonist. If we were to give them more attention, we might discover all kinds of hidden lives and details that are never hinted at in the narrative, simply because there isn’t room for them to be as three-dimensional as the main character.

I’m not the first one to explore this idea in fiction, of course. There are so many novels written about Austen’s minor characters, and even other series like mine where the characters cross over into each other’s stories. The 2015 BBC series Dickensian features characters from Dickens’s universe overlapping with each other, and the YouTube series Edgar Allan Poe’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party features characters and authors across time interacting with each other. (That one is really fun! I highly recommend.)

Even though I wasn’t the first to have this idea, I knew it was going to be an integral part of my series. I love “straight” adaptations of classic texts as much as anyone, but I thought there might be more for me to say by mixing up the plot lines and characters. How much of our behavior depends on who we’re interacting with? How might characters behave differently depending on who they’re juxtaposed with in the story? How do things change when minor characters get to step into the spotlight? How might they surprise us?

For my short story for the Jane Austen mystery anthology, Crime & Culpability, I decided to throw together a rather unlikely pairing from Austen’s novels: Walter Eliot from PERSUASION and Lady Susan from LADY SUSAN. In some ways, these characters have a lot in common—they’re both vain social climbers who have some major main character syndrome. But they have one very key difference—one is an incompetent nincompoop, and the other one is Lady Susan.

Poor Walter. He has no idea what’s coming for him…

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To see how Walter’s and Susan’s story turns out, check out my short story, “The Beginning and the End,” in Crime and Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology, available in ebook, paperback, and on Kindle Unlimited.

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Review

CRIME & CULPABILITY: A JANE AUSTEN MYSTERY ANTHOLOGY

Edited by Elizabeth Gilliland Rands

 

CRIME & CULPABILITY is an anthology of seven short stories inspired by the works of Jane Austen. Some are set in the time period in which she wrote, others brought into the modern world. The informative forward and introduction illustrate the myriad ways authors and filmmakers have used Jane Austen's work, either as adaptations or a jumping point to an original story, showing the timelessness of the originals.

 

Readers don't have to know anything about Jane Austen or her characters to appreciate the stories here, however, a basic knowledge of her works will increase your enjoyment. The main issue I had was that more than one story ended without a proper resolution. Though not necessarily a cliffhanger, there were too many loose ends. One author actually acknowledged that fact and apologized for leaving her short as she did. Fortunately, she plans on writing another piece addressing these unanswered questions.

My favorite stories included Order and Disorder, partially due to my knowledge of the characters, Death at the Races, a fun story with a tinge of romance, and the atmospheric Shadows at Northanger, despite my unanswered questions.

CRIME & CULPABILITY: A JANE AUSTEN MYSTERY ANTHOLOGY is a delightful set of short stories that proves once again the influence and permanence of wonderful characters written over two hundred years ago.

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Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland

About Crime & Culpability

Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology
Cozy Mystery Anthology
Settings - (Regency England, modern-day America)
Publisher: ‎ Bayou Wolf Press (September 10, 2024)
Print length: ‎ 176 pages

"No one can withstand the charm of such a mystery." - Jane Austen, Persuasion

Jane Austen mysteries have become a popular subgenre of Austen variations, but this is more than just a trend. Austen was a masterful storyteller who embedded clues within her stories for her readers to follow, inviting readers to read between the lines and "gather the evidence" to follow her intricate plotlines.

In this anthology, various authors who are also fans and admirers of Austen's work have taken the challenge to add some mystery to Austen's stories and characters. From Regency sequels to film noir retellings to cozy art heists, Crime and Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology explores the many faces of Austen and all of her enigmas.

Featuring stories by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland, with a foreword by Regina Jeffers and an introduction by Elizabeth Gilliland Rands.

About the Authors

Elizabeth Gilliland: Elizabeth Gilliland is the author of the Austen University Mysteries series, including What Happened on Box Hill, The Portraits of Pemberley, and two prequel novellas, Dear Prudent Elinor and Sly Jane Fairfax. (Look out for book three sometime next year!) She has written and presented at various academic confer‐ ences on Jane Austen and wrote her dissertation on Jane Austen adaptations, dedicating herself to watch the lake dive scene as many times as necessary for scholarly pursuit. She also writes Gothic horror as E. Gilliland and romance as Lissa Sharpe, and she is the co-founder of Bayou Wolf Press.

Author Links Website: www.bayouwolfpress.com  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/egilliland 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= 100094046020056  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/ 21986541.Elizabeth_Gilliland  

Blog: https://lissag7.medium.com/  

Newsletter: Signup form at https://www.bayouwolfpress.com/  

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B09L HV8VKV?ingress=0&visitId=00a42e2f-c711-4615-a050- 9d2250f9f124&ref_=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1

Website - https://www.bayouwolfpress.com/

Twitter - https://x.com/BayouWolf3

 

Regina Jeffers - Regina Jeffers writes books about corsets, rakes, daring heroines, dashing heroes and all aspects of the Georgian/Regency era. She is an award winning author of cozy mysteries, historical romantic suspense, and Austenesque vagaries. Jeffers has been a Smithsonian presenter and Martha Holden Jennings Scholar, as well as having her tales honored by, among others, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the Frank Yerby Award for Fiction, the International Digital Awards, and the Chanticleer International Book Award.

Author Links: Every Woman Dreams (Blog) https://reginajeffers. wordpress.com  

Always Austen (Group Blog) https://alwaysausten.com/ 

 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Regina-Jeffers-AuthorPage-141407102548455/?fref=ts  

Twitter https://twitter.com/reginajeffers  

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Regina-Jeffers/ e/B008G0UI0I/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1479079637&sr=8-1  

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/jeffers0306/  

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/regina-jeffers  

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/darcy4ever/  

You Tube Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= vzgjdUigkkU  

Regina Jeffers Website https://rjefferscom.wordpress.com/

 

Riana Everly: Riana Everly is an award-winning Canadian author of Austenesque fiction, both Regency and contemporary. Her historical mystery series, Miss Mary Investigates, has quickly become a favourite of Jane Austen fans and cosy mystery fans alike. Trained as a classical musician, she also has advanced degrees in Medieval Studies, and pretended to be an academic before discovering that fiction doesn’t need footnotes. She loves travelling, cooking her way around the world, playing with photography, and discussing obscure details with her husband and children. Possibly in Latin. She can be found in the usual places and loves connecting with readers, so please give her a shout!

Author Links: Newsletter: https://form.jotform.com/80367829232259  

Website: rianaeverly.com  

Facebook: facebook.com/RianaEverly 

 Instagram: instagram.com/RianaEverly  

Amazon: amazon.com/Riana-Everly/e/B076C6HY27

 

Jeanette Watts: Jeanette Watts is a dance instructor, writer, seamstress, actress, and very, very poor housekeeper. With books on historical fiction, modern romantic comedy, LGBTQ romance, Jane Austen-inspired stories, and she is contemplating writing steamier works, what do all these genres have in common? Jeanette writes about people with a secret. Secrets are fun. Keep up with the various parts of Jeanette's brain at her YouTube Channel, “History is My Playground,” and her webpages, Jeanette‐ Watts.squarespace.com and DancingThruHistory.com.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanettewattsauthor/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeanetteWattsAuthor/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanetteAWatts  

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanette-watts3b212228/  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UClz5LwyUEhPYhBS6piNpBqQ  

Website 1: https://jeanettewatts.squarespace.com/  

Website 2: https://www.dancingthruhistory.com/ 

 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6967936.  

Jeanette_Watts Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/ Jeanette-A-Watts/author/B00ICRA7JC?ref=ap_rdr&isDramInte grated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

 

Michael Rands: Michael Rands is the author of the novels The Chapel St. Perilous and Praise Routine Number Four, co-author of the economic satire The Yamaguchi Manuscripts, and Kamikaze Economics (a story of modern Japan). He’s co-author of the humorous dictionary Stay Away from Mthatha. He co-created the audio drama The Crystal Set and co- hosted the podcast Detours Ahead. In South Africa he worked in television as a writer, director and producer. He taught English in Japan. He holds an MFA from Louisiana State University, and currently teaches English and Creative Writing at the college level. He is the co-founder of Bayou Wolf Press. He lives with his wife, son, and labrador, in Alabama. His new novel, When the Witch Calls, comes out in November 2024.

Author Links:  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.rands.14  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikerands  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelrands/?hl=en  

Blog: https://medium.com/@notmikerands

 

Linné Elizabeth: Linné Elizabeth is an English instructor at Utah Tech University, a freelance content writer, and an award-winning author. When she's not devouring chocolate while nose-deep in a book, you can find her playing in the russet desert of southern Utah with her four incredible - sometimes feral - kids and her handsome husband. Check her out on Instagram: @library4one or on Facebook: @linneelizabeth

Author Links: 

Website: https://sites.google.com/asu.edu/ linnemarshportfolio/home  

Instagram: @Library4One 

 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ linneelizabethmarsh/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LinneElizabeth  

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/linneelizabeth.wordpress.com  

Emma Dalgety: Emma Dalgety grew up in Mobile, Alabama. She received a BA in Music and English from the University of Mobile in 2023. As a musi‐ cian and a writer, she has performed violin across the Southeast and internationally, finding creative inspiration and filling notebooks with story fragments throughout her travels. When she isn't writing, she is researching interdisciplinary connections in literature as she works towards an MA in English, or teaching music lessons in her private studio. Purchase Link - Amazon  

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