Perched at my kitchen counter with a mug of late morning coffee as I delete endless marketing pleas from every retailer I failed to stroll or scroll past fast enough, I’m in the depths of holiday prep despair. Christmas is indeed coming, and I am…nowhere. Continue reading Cold Case of the Missing Christmas Villagers: 2025 Update
Lisa here, just back from the weekend’s amazing-as-always New England Crime Bake 2025 conference. Since it’s my day to post here on Chicks, and I’m still bleary-eyed (in a good way), I thought I’d share a few of my terrible but heartfelt photos. (Apologies to all up front.) Continue reading New England Authors on a Roll: Crime Bake 2025
Whether you fill giant bowls with candy in hopes of trick-or-treaters at your door—or hide in your living room with the lights off—you know they’re out there: gleeful, greedy goblins dressed in costumes funny, frightening, or foxy. Not a dress-up fan? Bet you remember at least one costume you wore as a kid (or more recently)… Continue reading Go As Alice: Ghosts of Halloween Costumes Past
It’s July, and most of us are baking. No, not whipping up fabulous snacks in our kitchens. Just…in general. Some of us Chicks have had it up to our feathery necks with the soaring summer temps, smoky skies and endless rains of the New Normal. Grab an ice pack from the freezer and read on… Continue reading Your New Go-To Summer Recipe: Pre-heat Oven to 4000 Degrees
Welcome, world-weary (wary?) Chick friends. News got you down? Sometimes it’s the little things that can help us feel better when life gets tough… Continue reading The Little Things: Authors and Readers Survival Edition
Sure, everyone is super “busy” these days. With the 24/7 demands of work, family, intrusive ads, creeping new technologies, and the current state of the world, most people have their heads down, just trying to survive. Maybe the good ol’ days were in many ways awful, but are there a few things we should save from the past? Continue reading It’s 2025. Do You Know Where Your Manners Are?
What time is it, Mystery Fans? It’s conference time! Some of us Chicks and many other authors and readers are currently driving and training and flying the skies fantastic. Or not so fantastic. But whether you’re packing or unpacking your bags—or following the festivities from home—here’s one Chick’s opinion on that must-have wardrobe item: Flair! Continue reading All About that Flair
Lately the world has gone topsy-turvy, with most of us hanging on for dear life. Amidst all the blame when things go terribly wrong, one individual always gets a Mulligan: Mr. Murphy, of Murphy’s Law fame. In honor of St. Patrick’s Week, here’s a look at a scoundrel hiding in plain sight. Be warned: He’s hard to get rid of. Continue reading Mr. Murphy and the Upside Down
Lately some of us Chicks have shared experiences from our childhoods that helped shape our lives. Today it’s Lisa’s turn, inspired by the recent tragedy over Washington, DC that included the loss of 14 promising young figure skaters, their families and coaches… Continue reading Flying Strong
This week officially kicks off the holiday season, and you know what that means. No matter how prepared we think we are (or not), we’re all going to be busier than ever! And for some of us, the end-of-year stretch may be extra challenging… Continue reading Confessions of a Failed Multi-Tasker
Lisa ain’t afraid of no ghosts. Not one neon-green, ectoplasmic drop. Poltergeists, on the other disembodied hand, are a completely different ball of candle wax. This all-true haunted tale from a few Octobers back offers a warning that bears repeating. But who you gonna call? (Maybe not Lisa.) Continue reading Ghosts in the Machine
Lisa here, furiously writing—and welcoming a new furry writing companion to her life: a little black cat who flew all the way from Texas to New Hampshire via feline rescue transport. Come say aloha to Aloha! Continue reading Aloha to Aloha: Mystery Writer’s Muse in Training
Chicks on the Case 