The Chicks are delighted to welcome Melinda Mullet, author of the Whisky Business Mysteries and A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder!
I’m a big fan of all the ladies in the coop and immensely enjoy the Chicks on the Case postings. I was recently struck by a piece from Lisa Mathews lamenting that the Sunday Scaries have now invaded the rest of the week unrelentingly disturbing our quiet nights and by extension trashing our productive days like a drunk racoon on a binge. Whether it’s work or school, family or the first flush of menopause, we’ve all experienced those nights staring at the ceiling as we rattle around in the attic of our own heads.
Personally, I struggle with anxious, repetitive, and intrusive thoughts every day, and these same thoughts start a conga line in my head when I lay down to try to sleep and the party can last into the wee hours of the morning. None of this is conducive to consistently restful sleep. A friend recommended the Calm app, and it was there that I first discovered sleep stories. For those of you not familiar with sleep stories they are benign stories about peaceful happenings told very gently. Descriptions of the everyday bringing into sharp focus the beauty of the world around us and the simple meditative actions of daily life whether it is walking down a beach at sunset or baking a pie in the kitchen.
The thought occurred to me that some of the most restful and beguiling locations are the settings for cozy mysteries. Full of found friends they are the reason we love them and return to visit again and again. It inspired me to launch Tranquil Tales from Death’s Doorstep, a free collection of sleep stories penned by some of your favorite cozy mystery writers and read aloud for your sleepy time enjoyment. Think of it as a bedtime snack, a little bonus content, read by a quiet, well-modulated storyteller to provide a sweet ending to a crazy day.
Sleep stories are not only fun; recent scientific research has shown that listening to stories at bedtime is helpful not just for children but for adults too. The distraction of gentle, soothing words helps to reduce your stress hormones by slowing your breathing and lowering your heart rate. This in turn helps you to fall asleep quicker and most important helps usher you into a state of deep sleep and keep you there longer. Why is deep sleep important? Deep sleep is vital for all kinds of things: cell repair, immunity support, brain recharging. All the things that help us function optimally during the daylight hours. (There’s plenty more science available on the website at www.tranquiltalesfromdeathsdoorstep.com for those of you that are interested!)
So, take a little break from the madness of your day and join us each week for a new story. At night we will lull you to sleep and in the morning you’re likely to have a new mystery series to add to your To Be Read list! We invite new listeners to like and follow the program available wherever you enjoy your podcasts, and as always, we love to welcome new cozy writers wanting to join the fun. In the meantime, check out our back catalogue of stories designed to sweep you away in a narrative where all is calm, all is safe, and all is well.
Dear Readers, what helps you drift off to sleep in the best state of mind?
Melinda Mullet, is a dual US/UK national. Formerly a lawyer specializing in communications, media and entertainment law she is now enjoying a second career as a mystery writer.
Melinda is the author of the Whisky Business Mysteries, a six-part series of traditional mysteries set in and around a boutique single malt whisky distillery in Scotland. A standalone traditional mystery called A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder debuted in July 2025 and is set on a houseboat along the Regent’s Canal in London. Book seven in the Whisky Business series arrives November 2026.
Melinda is a travel junkie and a life-long advocate for children’s literacy causes both domestic and international. When she is not in the UK, she lives just outside of Washington, DC with her whisky-collecting husband and two wild Covid canines named Bailey and Captain Jack.
Find her at MelindaMullet.com or on Facebook and Insta at Melinda Mullet, Author.
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