Brian McCauley, author of Breathe In, Bleed Out, hosted authors Richard Chizmar and W.H. Chizmar at The Poisoned Pen. The Chizmars’ horror novel is Widow’s Point: The Complete Haunting. There are signed copies available in the Webstore, https://bit.ly/3IJH5ZQ

Here’s the summary of Widow’s Point: The Complete Haunting.

New York Times bestselling author Richard Chizmar, “one of horror’s indispensable writers” (Paste), and his son W.H. Chizmar, critically acclaimed author of Them (hailed by New York Times bestselling author Josh Malerman as “one of the best debuts I’ve ever read”) present a riveting found footage narrative about doomed thrill-seekers trapped in a haunted lighthouse.

“This is a bad place. I don’t think people are meant to live here.”

Longtime residents of Harper’s Cove believe that something is wrong with the Widow’s Point Lighthouse. Some say it’s cursed. Others claim it’s haunted.

Originally built in 1838, three workers were killed during the lighthouse’s construction, including one who mysteriously plunged to his death from the catwalk. That tragic accident was never explained, and it was just the beginning of the terror. In the decades that followed, nearly two dozen additional deaths occurred in or around the lighthouse including cold-blooded murder, suicide, unexplained accidents and disappearances, the slaughter of an entire family, and the inexplicable death of a Hollywood starlet who was filming a movie on the grounds.

The lighthouse was finally shuttered tight in 1988 and a security fence was erected around the property. No one has been inside since. Until now.

Told across two harrowing incidents from 2017 and 2025, those who enter the Widow’s Point Lighthouse searching for supernatural proof and the next big thing find themselves cut off from the outside world. And although no one has recently stepped foot inside the structure, they are not alone.

In this remarkable collaboration, father and son writing team, Richard and W.H. Chizmar combine forces to tell a terrifying ghost story that will make you think twice about what’s waiting for you in the dark.

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Richard Chizmar is the coauthor (with Stephen King) of the New York Times bestselling novella Gwendy’s Button Box and Gwendy’s Final Task, and the solo novella Gwendy’s Magic Feather. Recent books include the New York Times bestsellers Memorials, Becoming the Boogeyman, and Chasing the Boogeyman; The Girl on the Porch; The Long Way Home; his fourth short story collection, and Widow’s Point; a chilling tale about a haunted lighthouse cowritten with his son Billy Chizmar, which was recently made into a feature film. His short fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA’s Board of Trustees award. Chizmar’s work has been translated into more than fifteen languages throughout the world, and he has appeared at numerous conferences as a writing instructor, speaker, panelist, and guest of honor. Follow him on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky: @RichardChizmar, or visit his website at RichardChizmar.com.

W. H. Chizmar is the author of numerous short stories and essays. His debut novel Them is coming soon from Gallery Books and as a limited edition from Lividian Publications. Chizmar lives in Maryland with his Bernese Mountain Dog, J.J. (short for James Joyce).

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Enjoy the conversation with the Chizmars.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, welcome J.A. Jance for a virtual appearance at the bookstore. The popular guest author discussed her latest Joanna Brady novel, The Girl from Devil’s Lake. There are signed copies available in the Webstore. https://bit.ly/4gWoRku

Here’s the summary of The Girl from Devil’s Lake.

Arizona County Sheriff Joanna Brady solves her biggest case yet, from a body in the desert to crimes spanning decades and countries, in the thrilling latest installment in the New York Times bestselling suspense series.

Sheriff Joanna Brady is looking forward to the holidays with her busy family, and to celebrating her daughter Jenny’s graduation from the police academy. But the family is interrupted when a body is discovered beneath a flooded bridge in the Arizona desert, and Joanna is called onto the case. A young boy was murdered, and the details of the crime scene tell Joanna two things: This was not the killer’s first murder. And it’s only a matter of time before he kills again.

As Joanna digs deeper into the case, she begins to understand this murder is just one piece of a much, much bigger puzzle. She uncovers unlikely connections between cases of mysterious deaths and missing persons, having long since gone cold, that extend far beyond the confines of her small town and include the discovery of a body near Devil’s Lake, North Dakota. To get justice for the victims and to save the town of Bisbee from a predator, Joanna must chase down every dangerous lead.

Meanwhile, as a dogged journalist is circling the case and privileged information is leaked, Joanna can’t be sure who to trust. Could a prolific killer be hiding in plain sight? And how far will that person go to keep his many crimes hidden?

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J. A. Jance is the New York Times bestselling author of the J. P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, the Ali Reynolds series, six thrillers about the Walker Family, and one volume of poetry. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, she lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington.

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Enjoy the conversation with J.A. Jance.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, was Martin Edwards’ editor at one time with Poisoned Pen Press. He was her guest for a virtual talk about his latest book, Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife, as well as some of his other books. His comments about cluefinders and playing fair with the readers are fascinating. You can order copies of Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/46z71jU

Here’s the description of Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife.

Six down-on-their-luck people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust. The challenge seems simple but exciting: Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote but wonderfully atmospheric village in north Yorkshire to win a prize that will change your fortunes for good.

Six members of staff from the shadowy Trust are there to make sure everyone plays fair. The contestants have been meticulously vetted but you can never be too careful. And with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, everyone needs to be extra vigilant. Midwinter can play tricks on people’s minds.

The game is set – but playing fair isn’t on everyone’s Christmas list.

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Martin Edwards has been described by Richard Osman as ‘a true master of British crime writing.’ His novels include the eight Lake District Mysteries and four books featuring Rachel Savernake, including the Dagger-nominated The Puzzle of Blackstone Lodge. He is also the author of two multi-award-winning histories of crime fiction, The Life of Crime and The Golden Age of Murder. He has received three Daggers, including the CWA Diamond Dagger (the highest honour in UK crime writing) and two Edgars from the Mystery Writers of America. He has received four lifetime achievement awards: for his fiction, short fiction, non-fiction, and scholarship. He is consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics and since 2015 has been President of the Detection Club. 

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Enjoy the conversation with Martin Edwards.

Vanessa Lillie’s mystery, The Bone Thief, will be released Oct. 28, and it will be available through The Poisoned Pen close to release date. You can pre-order a copy through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/4pTJ6TY

While you’re waiting to get it, check out Oline Cogdill’s review of The Bone Thief, originally published in the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

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Book review: Suspenseful ‘The Bone Thief’ delves into treatment of American Indian communities

‘The Bone Thief’ by Vanessa Lillie; Berkley; 384 pages; $30

Vanessa Lillie delves deeply into the treatment of American Indian communities and the preservation of their remains in “The Bone Thief,” her second formidable novel about Cherokee archaeologist Syd Walker.

Lillie’s attention to the intricacies of American Indian culture made her 2023 book, “Blood Sisters,” a standout. She brings those same high standards to the dynamic “The Bone Thief,” giving a detailed look at history and culture while never allowing this to override the gripping plot.

Syd’s promotion in the Rhode Island Bureau of Indian Affairs, after her boss’ retirement, gets off to an odd start. An anonymous caller tells her that remains, possibly from the local Narragansett Reservation, have been found at Camp Quahog. Although it’s the middle of the night, Syd worries that the elements, or scavengers, could harm the remains, which are of a female infant who died about 300 years ago.

But just as Syd begins to process the remains, the mysterious caller who works at the camp forces her to leave, saying she doesn’t have permission to be on that private land.

Quahog is a summer camp run by the Founders Society, whose members trace their ancestry back to the Mayflower. The Founders Society has a grand plan to build a state-of-the-art museum dedicated to the history of the first colonists with a floor devoted to American Indians. Syd agrees to help sift through the artifacts, but only if representatives of the Narragansett tribe can assist to make sure preservation is done with respect and according to custom.

A couple days later, the remains disappear, and Syd learns that other remains have disappeared through the years.

As she investigates, a Narragansett teenager who once interned for Syd and worked at the camp disappears.

Dark secrets begin to spill out about the Founders Society, whose wealthy and powerful members claim ancestral rights over contested land, revisiting the tensions between the American Indians and European colonists who attempted to wipe out the Narragansetts.

“The Bone Thief” examines how and by whom history is written and how violence perpetuated centuries ago can continue to reverberate for generations. Syd again emerges as a strong character, passionate about American Indian culture. She is well-aware of the dark history of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, whose original mission was to “solve the Indian problem.” Now the agency is trying to establish trust with indigenous communities. “Genocide of people and culture was the North Star for so long,” Syd knows.

Lillie, an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, delivers a multi-layered plot that skillfully weaves history and culture into the suspenseful “The Bone Thief.” This should prove to be a long-running series.

John Charles welcomed Amanda Cox for a virtual author event at The Poisoned Pen. Cox is the author of The Bitter End Birding Society. You can order a copy of the book through the Webstore, https://bit.ly/46Jl7hq

Here is the description of The Bitter End Birding Society.

A forbidden romance, a fractured family, and one woman’s journey to piece it all together

Hometown hero Ana Leigh Watkins ventures to Bitter End, Tennessee, to help her great-aunt prepare for retirement. A town called Bitter End seems an ironic place for Ana to refresh her weary spirit, but she’s desperate for respite from the attention and unwarranted admiration of her community. While on a hike in Roan Mountain, a ragtag group of amateur bird-watchers takes her under their wing–a little against her will. However, she quickly warms to these genuine souls seeking solace in the great outdoors.

But when Ana’s adventures in Bitter End lead her to a severed branch of her family tree–one that involves the forbidden love between a moonshiner’s daughter and a preacher’s son–what began as a getaway to help her great-aunt becomes a transformative journey that binds together two women who, though they live on the same street, have been estranged for sixty years.

An immersive faith-based novel of finding belonging, reconciliation, and new beginnings for fans of southern fiction. This narrative of friendship and community makes for a perfect book club selection.

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Amanda Cox is a two-time Christy Award-winner and author of multiple Southern fiction novels. She crafts stories that explore themes of hope, healing, and belonging that invite readers to journey alongside authentic characters. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with her husband and their three children. Learn more at AmandaCoxWrites.com.

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Enjoy Amanda Cox’ discussion with John Charles.

This month, Deb Lewis has eight book suggestions. The links should take you directly to the books, but, if not, check the Webstore. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

The Widow by John Grisham, The Widow by John Grisham

#1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham is the acclaimed master of the legal thriller. Now, he’s back with his first-ever whodunit, even more suspenseful than his courtroom dramas, as a small-time lawyer accused of murder races to find the real killer to clear his name.

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon. http://Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon

An unforgettable suspense novel that combines the storytelling talents of Academy Award-winning actor Reese Witherspoon and internationally bestselling author Harlan Coben. Gone Before Goodbye is the story of a woman trapped in a deadly conspiracy—where uncovering the truth could cost her everything.

Guilty By Definition by Susie Dent. http://Guilty By Definition by Susie Dent

“A tantalizing mystery…for word-sleuths and crime-fans alike.” —Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal. She knew there’d be ghosts in Oxford, she just didn’t think they’d make their way to the dictionary.

The Black Wolf by Louise Penny. http://The Black Wolf by Louise Penny

The 20th mystery in the #1 New York Times-bestselling Armand Gamache series.

Somewhere out there, in the darkness, a black wolf is feeding.

Several weeks ago, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and his team uncovered and stopped a domestic terrorist attack in Montréal, arresting the person behind it. A man they called the Black Wolf.

We Had a Hunch by Tom Ryan. http://We Had A Hunch by Tom Ryan

Nancy Drew meets Yellowjackets in We Had a Hunch—a dark and suspenseful thriller from USA Today bestseller Tom Ryan that asks a simple question: what happens to your favorite teenage detectives when they grow up?

The Dogs of Venice by Steven Rowley. http://The Dogs of Venice by Steven Rowley

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Celebrants and The Guncle, a heartwarming story about finding oneself in one of the most romantic cities on Earth.

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly. The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly, the Lincoln Lawyer is back with a case against an AI company whose product may have been responsible for the murder of a young girl.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead. http://This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead

From the national bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.

Allison Brennan and Shane Gericke both have new books out, and Gericke asked Brennan to interview him about his new book at The Poisoned Pen. Gericke’s new book is Ocean of Bones. Brennan’s book is Don’t Say a Word. There are signed copies of both books available in the Webstore. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

Here’s the description of Ocean of Bones.

The oil rig spasmed like heroin withdrawal. Broussard staggered for the rails as riggers and
engineers crashed onto the splintering deck. Sheet metal howled like a chorus of the dead as the
highly flammable oil and gas spewing from the drill tower looked for just one spark . . .

An oil rig disaster sends Remy “Knockout” Broussard to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
Normally he’d rest there for eternity, but the oil gods watched the rough-and-tough roustabout
sacrifice his life to save his fellow workers. They decide to reunite Knockout with his grieving
family and choose two wisecracking treasure hunters for the job. At turns hilarious and
heartrending, it’s Shane Gericke at his very best.

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n the second book of the thrilling new Angelhart Investigations series from New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan, the Angelharts must figure out whether a teen’s death is a tragic accident…or a murder.

The police ruled Elijah Martinez’s death an accidental drug overdose, but the teen’s grieving mother isn’t convinced. With the case officially closed, Angelhart Investigations is the only one who can help her find the truth. Margo Angelhart’s sure this will be an easy solve—she’ll talk to Elijah’s friends and employer, retrace his steps, and figure out what happened in his final hours.

Except none of his friends believe he did drugs, and the teacher who’s been vocal about the police mishandling the case turns up dead. Every thread Margo pulls leads back to a dangerous drug ring that once ran through the school.

When Margo’s brother Jack, a former cop, can’t get straight answers out of the police, they don’t know if it’s because of an active case…or a cover-up. Margo’s only sure of one thing—she has to find out what really happened to Elijah before more teens become pawns in a twisted scheme.

ALLISON BRENNAN is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over forty-five novels. She has been nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers and the Daphne du Maurier Award. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, Allison lives in Arizona with her husband, five kids and assorted pets.

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Enjoy the conversation with Shane Gericke and Allison Brennan.

John Charles recently welcomed Colleen Gleason for a virtual author chat. Gleason’s latest book, Lady Darling Inquires After a Killer, the first in a series, set during the time of Sherlock Holmes. You can order a copy of the book through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/42T6XsO

Here’s the summary of Lady Darling Inquires After a Killer.

Lady Bridgerton meets The Thursday Murder Club in the first of a charming, Victorian-set mystery series from bestselling author Colleen Gleason.

Lady Darling is a woman “of a certain age.” Fifty, to be specific-which, in the eyes of London society, makes her uninteresting, eccentric, and a little intimidating.

She’s a widow.

An empty-nester (all of her children very successfully married-off).

She’s titled, influential…and very, very rich.

Now she just wants to be left alone to enjoy her pets and her gardens and her books.

Until someone turns up dead at a dinner party, and Lady Darling is on the scene.

What’s a smart, responsible, capable woman to do?

Find the killer, of course!

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Learn more about Colleen Gleason and Lady Darling in the video.

John Charles welcomed Frank Verlizzo for a Poisoned Pen virtual event. Verlizzo discussed the first book in his Retro Broadway Mystery series, Scenery of the Crime. You can order a copy through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/4gFL7yI

Here’s the description of Scenery of the Crime.

In this first book of the Retro Broadway Mystery Series, set in 1975 New York City, several bizarrely executed murders involve theatrical ad execs Vic Senso and Bettie Balboa in the far-from glamorous world of backstage Broadway. Behind all the beautiful scenery hides a myriad of potentially life-threatening hazards. Has there ever been a stage-related “accident” that was actually a cover-up for murder?

Legendary actress Helena Baxter is once again starring on Broadway! A weird death on stage places her in the spotlight of suspicion, along with a cast of other suspects, including her dashing British bridegroom, her Hollywood Producer Ex, the demure set designer, the ubiquitous photographer, the watchful general manager, and a catty rival diva.

With assistance from a quirky press agent and her handsome young assistant, Vic and Bettie inadvertently place themselves in grave danger. It will take NYPD Detective Renny Clements and high society psychic, Mizz Mitzi, to make sense of the murders in time to save the lives of their new friends.

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Enjoy Frank Verlizzo’s discussion with John Charles.

Thanks once again to Oline Cogdill for two reviews. In the South Florida Sun Sentinel, she discusses Fog and Fury by Rachel Howzell Hall and also the anthology, Double Crossing Van Dine. You can order the books through The Poisoned Pen’s Webstore. https://store.poisonedpen.com/

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Book review: ‘Fog and Fury’ about small beach town has realistic characters, brisk plot

Plus, smart ‘Double Crossing Van Dine’ anthology breaks all the rules of detective fiction.

‘Fog and Fury: A Haven Thriller’ by Rachel Howzell Hall; Thomas & Mercer; 395 pages; $28.99

The fog that seems to permeate the small, supposedly peaceful Haven, California, tends to mask the fury that seeps throughout the beach town as new resident Alyson “Sonny” Rush arrives in Rachel Howzell Hall’s aptly titled “Fog and Fury.”

Despite Haven’s nickname of “Mayberry by the Sea,” Sonny is often “blinded” by the persistent fog every morning. The fog, she says, “muffled sound … obscured sight … made the familiar feel foreign.” Haven “ain’t what it seems,” she’s warned about this town of 1,000. People do “bad” things.

Yet Sonny leaves the LAPD after a decade to move to this Northern California town to work as a private investigator for her godfather, Ivan Poole, who also is a former police detective. Sonny and her mother, who has the beginnings of dementia, are among the few Black residents.

Sonny learns immediately how duplicitous Haven can be when her first case involves the family of wealthy Cooper Sutton, her ex-lover who had told her he was divorced. (He isn’t.) He said he would move to Los Angeles. (He wasn’t planning to.) He’s too invested in his career as a real estate developer. He wants to make Haven more attractive to investors.

Sonny’s first case is finding Figgy, a goldendoodle owned by London and Mackenzie, Cooper’s wife and daughter. Mackenzie claims the dog was stolen, but Ivan believes she has hidden the dog to get attention. The dog is safe. But the Sutton family is a toxic mess. Sonny also is hired by the parents of Xander Monroe, a star student and athlete whose recent death was ruled a suicide. The parents refuse to believe Xander killed himself and they distrust what appears to be an incompetent police investigation.

Sonny’s investigations lead to a complex network of corruption, betrayal and lies infesting Haven. Howzell Hall elevates “Fog and Fury” with realistic characters who lead a brisk plot. She infuses her novels with bits of passive racism that hit hard. Haven is so small, and has so few Black residents, that none of the stores stock Black hair care products.

“Fog and Fury” launches a new series for Howzell Hall, whose last several novels have been stand-alones. A trip back to Haven would be welcomed.

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Short stories anthology

‘Double Crossing Van Dine,’ edited by Donna Andrews, Greg Herren and Art Taylor; introduction by Catriona McPherson; Crippen & Landru; 310 pages; $22

The Golden Age of Detective Fiction that launched the classic genre novel is considered to be from the 1920s to 1930s. But contemporary readers know that a second Golden Age began in the mid-1980s when the novels became more emotionally involving along with the introduction of detectives from myriad backgrounds and cultures. The genre continues to evolve, seeing several golden ages in the past decades.

Going out on a limb here, many authors from the ’20s and ’30s haven’t survived the test of time, aside from a few, such as Agatha Christie. And going out on another limb here, S.S. Van Dine, the focus of this short story anthology, probably is among those only recognized by readers steeped in the history of mystery fiction.

Van Dine, whose real name was Willard Huntington Wright, was an American art critic, literary editor, biographer and author who wrote the series about detective Philo Vance.

He also penned the “Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Fiction.” The 20 clever short stories in this smart anthology each aims to ignore them, or “break them like kindling,” as author Catriona McPherson writes in her introduction. Crime fiction has been richer when writers discarded these rather fatuous and often useless rules and set their own paths, as the authors of these short stories show.

Each story begins describing one of Van Dine’s rules, then crushing it.

Fort Lauderdale author Elaine Viets’ “Sweet Poison,” about two young women struggling in New York’s Lower East Side during 1921, forgets the rule that “all clues must be publicly stated,” as they deal with the unexpected death of one’s “Wall Street sugar daddy.”

Barb Goffman puts aside the “no love interest” rule in “Baby Love” as a fledgling-but-broke private detective tries to launch his career so he and his very loving wife can afford a baby. Co-editor Greg Herren stifles the “no supernatural” rule with “The Spirit Tree,” in which the solution to a murder comes from beyond. The “only one detective rule” doesn’t work for Delia Pitts’ “Better Together,” which finds two heads are better than one.

Boca Raton author Alan Orloff’s “The Society Set” takes a butler who has several jobs for his persnickety employer on a journey of a jewelry heist that actually embraces Van Dine’s version of a “fascinating crime.” Leigh Perry has a work-around for the “no secret societies” ban in “Guilted Lily,” in which a tight-knit group of grifters seek a score.

Tom Mead dismisses the rule that servants should never be the culprits in “The Tell-Tale Thumb.” Some people, Mead writes, see only the uniform, not the person who hides in plain sight.

The majority of the authors in “Double Crossing Van Dine” have either won or been nominated for awards. A handy brief bio of each of the authors may inspire readers to seek out more of their stories.