House of Mystery Radio on NBC

The Burning Gem spins from chance meeting of a woman ready for adventure after years in a loveless marriage and a mysterious artisan who will show her another world.Barbara has always had an uncanny ability to read others, but her full empathic skills emerge only after a part of her soul is crystalized into a flaming red gem. Desperate to escape her soul-crushing suburban life and to reconnect with the mysterious man who made her gem, she makes her way on foot through the terrifying NY subway tunnels to find an abandoned station.Zoltan is a gem maker who lives an existence of opulent bitterness. Along with a network of other agents, his job is to catch souls and form them into magnificent jewels. He works with referrals only, and how his clients – rising CEOs, ambitious politicians, vainglorious religious leaders -- are selected is of no concern to him. He is 110 years old. While Zoltan’s contract with the hideous Mester – who may or may not be human – promises him wealth and extended life, it also prohibits him from touching another person, or even sharing his true name.Zoltan risks everything to discover the true nature of the sinister cabal he has been part of.Their base of operations is a long-forgotten 1873 subway terminal, now transformed into the Market, a hidden community of seers, shapeshifters, artisans with extraordinary skills, keepers of ancient knowledge. From here Barbara and Zoltan follow leads that take them to the ruin bars and dark alleys of Budapest in a desperate race to find the truth and neutralize the Mester before he kills them.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"The Ojanox harkens back to the horror boom of the '70s and '80s, in a very good way. Manx has a knack for creating characters you'll love (or hate) and putting them through the wringer. His dialogue is sharp and storytelling gripping and fast paced. Now that I'm hooked, I need to read the rest!" – Duncan Ralston, Author of Woom and GhostlandThe year is 1979. A small New York town prepares to welcome the fall season in all the expected ways: young children bicker and boast over Halloween costumes, secret lovers meet in clandestine corners, and a tortured soul plots wicked deeds. All the while, hidden just out of view, patient and hungry… an ancient evil lurks.Welcome to Garrett Grove, an unassuming community nestled within the foothills of the Watchung Mountains. The very definition of “Everytown, USA”, it is a largely self-contained municipality, most of the residents on a first-name basis. An almost postcard-perfect location.For ten-year-old Troy Fischer, eagerly awaiting the thrills of Halloween, autumn is his favorite time of year. This spooky season looks to be the best one yet - he has caught the eye of the new girl at school, and the haunted attraction he built in his garage, called Scream in the Dark, is guaranteed to have all of his classmates talking.But something is happening to the children of Garrett Grove. A mysterious outbreak threatens the community, leaving a handful of doctors and the town’s sheriff desperate to find the source of the contagion before it is too late.“Written with beautifully descriptive scenes, The Ojanox places you directly into the quaint, small town of Garrett Grove during the Halloween season where everything is pleasant…until it isn’t. An ancient, dark entity is accidently excavated and escapes into the world with chilling results. The Ojanox is a fresh, original, plot-driven page turner that I couldn’t put down. I highly recommend this excellent series.” – Jeani Rector, Editor of The Horror Zine"In The Ojanox, Daemon Manx creates a community and cast of characters you feel like you know personally, like you’ve known them all your life. And when you lose one of those characters, you’ve lost one of your own. Manx makes you care and makes you hurt." ~ Patrick C. Harrison, Author of 100% Match and GrandpappySupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book 1:You can run. You can hide. But in the end, the past catches up with you.Lana, a young mother who suffered a traumatic event 11 years ago, has been living under an assumed name. When she visits her hometown to check if it’s safe to reclaim her identity, Lana suffers several mishaps. Then, her parents are killed in a car crash. Lana blames herself and her past mistakes until she discovers her mom and dad weren’t who they claimed to be, leading her to suspect their secrets may be responsible for their deaths.Lana returns to her family’s native Croatian village to visit her grandmother in hopes of learning the truth about her parents and the reason they died. When she meets the villagers, they slam their doors in Lana’s face at the mention of her father. Meanwhile, the near misses that happened back home follow her to Croatia, as does a tall, dark stranger.Lana probes into the village’s past and uncovers a cold case and a decades-old curse, bringing out the ghosts of the past and putting herself in the same danger her parents ran from years ago.Book 2Following a horrific event twelve years ago, Cheryl MacGregor disappeared from the city where she grew up and moved to a remote northern town, assuming a new identity with her husband, Jim. She thought she was safe from the danger that led her to flee—until her parents’ deaths last year.When Jim’s receptionist, Julia, mysteriously vanishes from her home, Cheryl teams up with Detective Scott Evans for two reasons: to find Julia and to write the exclusive report that will advance Cheryl’s career as a journalist. While investigating the possibility that Julia’s disappearance may be linked to strange happenings at an abandoned mine, Cheryl uncovers a connection to her own former life, reminding her that the threat to her family is still out there.As wildfires threaten the town, Cheryl and Detective Evans race against the encroaching smoke to find Julia before it’s too late. When the investigation hits too close to home, Cheryl must face the reality that she may never be lost enough to escape her past.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wrapping up his latest assignment for the Magellan Billet, Luke Daniels receives a surprise visit from the head of a former-CIA operation named Sommerhaus — a failed attempt to assemble an espionage network within the Ukraine on the eve of the Russian invasion. Sommerhaus ranks high on Luke’s list of painful regrets for it was during this mission that his friend, CIA case officer John Vince, was captured by Russian operatives and supposedly executed. But Luke is provided some shocking news. Vince is alive, in failing health, locked behind the walls of Russia’s brutal Solovetsky Island prison, and has a critical message he’ll give to no one but Luke. Needing no further convincing Luke vows to bring Vince home.  However, just as he manages to extract his friend from prison Vince tragically dies and his final words are rambling and incoherent. Just bits and pieces. But enough to plunge Luke into a hunt for something lost since the 15th century. The legendary library of the first Tsar of All Russia, Ivan the Terrible.  Within that priceless collection of rare manuscripts is the key to unraveling a modern-day cipher and stopping a secret Soviet satellite program that still exists. But Luke is not the only one on the trail. Others, both inside and out of Russia, want the library for a totally different reason — to re-start the Red Star program and finally unleash its destructive potential. Luke’s mission is clear. Find the lost library, solve the puzzle, and prevent Red Star falling.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larceny & Last ChancesSometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Robert Weibezahl.A playwright, novelist, occasional poet, and book critic.His play, And Lightning Struck: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Creation, was commissioned by Lit Live and presented at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center in California in 2017; his short play, “Mission,” debuted as part of the TENx10 Festival at the Bendigo Theatre Company in Australia in 2018; and he had full-length plays selected for staged readings in both 2018 (Which Way the Wind Blows) and 2019 (Hold On) as part of the Palisades Playwrights Festival in Los Angeles. Most recently, Which Way the Wind Blows was a finalist for the Dayton Playhouse’s FutureFest 2019.Weibezahl has published two novels, The Wicked and the Dead and The Dead Don’t Forget, and two non-fiction books, A Taste of Murder and A Second Helping of Murder (for which he is a two-time Agatha Award finalist and two-time Macavity Award finalist). His poems have appeared in LI Quarterly, The Caterpillar (Ireland), Tipton Poetry Journal, The Fifty-Two, Enjambed, and Brushfire, and his short stories in Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, CrimeSpree, Mouth Full of Bullets, Beat to a Pulp, and the anthology, Deadly by the Dozen. He was a finalist for the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s 2010 Derringer Award for “Identity Theft.”Since 2002, he has written the monthly review column “Well Read” for BookPage. His reviews and cultural reporting have appeared in the Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Reader, Ventura County Star, Mystery Readers Journal, Bikini, Irish America, and many other national and regional publications.Weibezahl was the Co-Founder and former Co-Producing Artistic Director of the Thousand Oaks, CA-based Panic! Productions, for which he produced, directed, and/or acted in more than a dozen shows and wrote the scripts for three musical revues, Too Old, Too White, Too Male; The Panic! Holiday Radio Hour; and Coming Distractions. He has also worked as a play reader and associate producer for the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in Los Angeles and various production capacities on feature films and television movies.Robert Weibezahl lives in southern California and is a member of the Dramatists Guild.About – Robert Weibezahl (wordpress.com)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Larceny & Last Chances Sometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Christina BoufisChristina Boufis is a San Francisco Bay Area writer whose short fiction has appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Kings River Life Magazine, and the forthcoming anthology Larceny and Last Chances. Under C.B. Peterson, she’s the author of a domestic thriller, I Want Him Dead. In nonfiction, she’s written The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing Nonfiction, as well as dozens of essays and articles appearing in Salon.com, The San Francisco Chronicle, Glamour, and other publications. A former academic with a PhD in Victorian literature and Women’s Studies, she spent eight years teaching women in the San Francisco County Jail. Christina BoufisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larceny & Last ChancesSometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Gregory MeeceMy passion for creative writing began in high school when an inspirational teacher recognized my desire to go beyond the required four years of English and pursue creative writing. She challenged me to produce a novel and gave me an independent study project: Write a novel. At age 17, I did just that! Well, I tried. Now retired, I have rekindled my love of writing stories. In the past few years, I have been fortunate to have found homes for my short stories in almost 20 different anthologies, magazines, journals, and even a podcast! Most of my stories are mysteries and crime fiction, but I have also included literary and even comedy genres in my repertoire.Gregory Meece - Author (meecetales.com)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gina X. Grant writes wacky books featuring crazy creatures. She loves the absurd, the funny, and the unbelievable. Sometimes, it’s hard to find books combining these elements, so she wrote what she wanted to read. Despite a degree in business management, Gina has kept her quirky sense of humor that bleeds into everything she writes. She lives in Toronto, Canada, blocks from the house she grew up in. She’s married to a friendly curmudgeon, and together, they live with a collection of rescued pets.HOME | GinaXGrant & StormGrantLarceny & Last Chances (A Superior Shores Anthology Book 4)Sometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larceny & Last Chances (A Superior Shores Anthology Book 4)Sometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Judy Penz ShelukA former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the bestselling author of two mystery series: The Glass Dolphin Mysteries and Marketville Mysteries, both of which have been published in multiple languages. Her short crime fiction appears in several collections, including the Superior Shores Anthologies, which she edited. With a passion for understanding the ins and outs of all aspects of publishing, Judy is also the founder and owner of Superior Shores Press, which she established in February 2018. Her most recent work, Finding Your Path to Publication: A Step-by-Step Guide, provides an insider’s insight into the publishing world.Judy is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, Sisters in Crime International, Sisters in Crime – Guppies, Sisters in Crime – Toronto, International Thriller Writers, Inc., the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she served on the Board of Directors, most recently as Chair.About | Judy Penz ShelukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larceny & Last ChancesSometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Robert Weibezahl is a playwright, novelist, occasional poet, and book critic. His play, And Lightning Struck: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Creation, was commissioned by Lit Live and presented at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center in California in 2017; his short play, “Mission,” debuted as part of the TENx10 Festival at the Bendigo Theatre Company in Australia in 2018; and he had full-length plays selected for staged readings in both 2018 (Which Way the Wind Blows) and 2019 (Hold On) as part of the Palisades Playwrights Festival in Los Angeles. Most recently, Which Way the Wind Blows was a finalist for the Dayton Playhouse’s FutureFest 2019.Weibezahl has published two novels, The Wicked and the Dead and The Dead Don’t Forget, and two non-fiction books, A Taste of Murder and A Second Helping of Murder (for which he is a two-time Agatha Award finalist and two-time Macavity Award finalist). His poems have appeared in LI Quarterly, The Caterpillar (Ireland), Tipton Poetry Journal, The Fifty-Two, Enjambed, and Brushfire, and his short stories in Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, CrimeSpree, Mouth Full of Bullets, Beat to a Pulp, and the anthology, Deadly by the Dozen. He was a finalist for the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s 2010 Derringer Award for “Identity Theft.”About – Robert Weibezahl (wordpress.com)Gina X. GrantWriting as Gina X. Grant, I write witty, super, and natural fiction, including the RELUCTANT REAPER trilogy, available from Simon and Schuster.As STORM GRANT, I write engaging male/male fiction, more light than dark. Since 2007, I have published with a variety of publishers and also self-published.I live just north of Toronto, Canada, in a lovely little house nestled among thirty-two trees, much to the delight of Canoli, a rescued Mexican street dog who might be a bit spoiled. Want to be notified when I release new books when I have deals, specials, and other cool stuff? Visit http://ginaxgrant.com and click the link. If you’d like to discuss anything about my writing or my writing life, please get in touch with me at [email protected] ABOUT | GinaXGrantStormGrant Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Larceny & Last Chances Sometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Brenda ChapmanBrenda Chapman is a Canadian crime fiction author with over twenty published novels. In addition to short stories and standalone, she has written the lauded Stonechild and Rouleau police procedural series, the Anna Sweet mystery novellas, and the Jennifer Bannon mysteries for middle grade. Blind Date is the first in her Hunter and Tate mysteries. Her work has been shortlisted for several awards, including four Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larceny & Last Chances Sometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Charlie KondekOnce, when my oldest son was little, he asked me what I did for a living, and I answered without really thinking, "I write PowerPoint decks and drink in airports."The truth is, I'm a marketing professional and writer from metro Detroit. I've been a PR man, an ad man, a stringer for a weekly newspaper. I am a man of faith, a loving husband, and a father to two kids on the autism spectrum, the younger of which has profound needs. Over the last few years, I've been doing more PowerPointing and airport drinking, parenting and husbanding than writing, and I'm trying to change that. This website is a step toward that goal. I haven't been completely infertile. You can see more about my work here. I blog here (sometimes) about writing, reading, marketing, faith, and other topics. I have the same name as police officer Charlie Kondek from Tarpon Springs, Florida, who heroically gave his life in the line of duty. Neither of us should be confused with Charles Kondek, the opera librettist. You can email me at [email protected] or interact with me on the social media channels below.Home (charliekondekwrites.com)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larceny & Last Chances Sometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Gregory Meece My passion for creative writing began in high school when an inspirational teacher recognized my desire to go beyond the required four years of English and pursue creative writing. She challenged me to produce a novel and gave me an independent study project: Write a novel. At age 17, I did just that! Well, I tried. Now retired, I have rekindled my love of writing stories. In the past few years, I have been fortunate to have found homes for my short stories in almost 20 different anthologies, magazines, journals, and even a podcast! Most of my stories are mysteries and crime fiction, but I have added literary and comedy genres to my repertoire.Gregory Meece - Author (meecetales.com)Christina BoufisChristina Boufis is a San Francisco Bay-Area writer whose short fiction has appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Kings River Life Magazine, and the forthcoming anthology, Larceny and Last Chances. Under C.B. Peterson, she’s the author of a domestic thriller, I Want Him Dead. In nonfiction, she’s written The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing Nonfiction, as well as dozens of essays and articles that have appeared in Salon.com, The San Francisco Chronicle, Glamour, and other publications. A former academic with a PhD in Victorian literature and Women’s Studies, she spent eight years teaching women in the San Francisco County Jail. Christina BoufisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve been a practicing veterinarian, a public health researcher, and a medical writer. But through it all has been my love of books. Like you, I’ve always loved to read. And like you I’m sure, my tastes have changed over time from Jules Verne and Tolkien to Hemingway, Steven King, and Michael Crichton. Likewise, my writing has changed from consumer handbooks and website content to fast-paced thriller novels, which are a lot more fun. Just as great chefs have distinctive styles, every good author has a distinguishing “voice” that both labels and defines their work. Read a couple of pages of Hemingway and you won’t have to be told that Papa cooked the bouillabaisse. My voice diverges a bit between novels and short stories. As a child of the Twilight Zone, my short fiction deals mostly with quirky situations and surprise endings, usually with a touch of humor to leaven the bread. My novels, on the other hand, start out with a thrilling roux of “what if,” then add two cups of violence, a tablespoon of humor, and a hefty dash of spicy sex. I hope you like what I’ve been cooking up for you.Larceny & Last ChancesSometimes it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s about getting even. Sometimes it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best, chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since winning the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award in 2014, Tracy Falenwolfe’s stories have appeared in over a dozen publications including Black Cat Mystery Magazine, Spinetingler Magazine, Flash Bang Mysteries, Crimson Streets, and several Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes. Tracy lives in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley with her husband and sons. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society.Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & SuspenseSometimes it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s about getting even. Sometimes it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best, chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales focusing on women who know when to apply lipstick and a foot to someone’s hind end. She is usually found chasing after her daughter or glued to the computer, working on her next novel (or screenplay). Learn more - FB: www.facebook.com/AuthorBethanyMainesINSTA: @AuthorBethanyMainesTWIT: @BethanyMainesWEB: www.bethanymaines.comLarceny & Last ChanceSometimes, it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s about getting even. Sometimes, it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

KM Rockwood draws on a varied background for stories, among them working as a laborer in a steel fabrication plant, operating glass melters and related equipment in a fiberglass manufacturing facility, and supervising an inmate work crew in a large medium security state prison. These jobs, as well as work as a special education teacher in an alternative high school and a GED teacher in county detention facilities, provide most of the background for novels and short stories.Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense (A Superior Shores Anthology Book 4)Sometimes it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s about getting even. Sometimes it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best, chance. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.KM RockwoodSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Jersey State Trooper Jon Mazer has been charged with killing Black investigative reporter Stewart Marshall in a racially charged, headline-making murder. The evidence against criminal defense attorney Erin McCabe’s new client is overwhelming. The gun used is Mazer’s off-duty weapon. Fingerprints and carpet fibers link Mazer to the crime. And Mazer was patrolling Marshall’s neighborhood shortly before the victim took three bullets to the chest. Mazer’s argument? He’s a gay officer being set up to take the fall in an even bigger story. Mazer swears he was a secret source for Marshall’s exposé about the Lords of Discipline. The covert gang operating within the New Jersey State Police is notorious for enforcing their own code of harassing women, framing minorities, and out-powering any troopers who don’t play their rogue and racist games. With everyone from the governor to the county prosecutor on the wrong side of justice, Erin and her partner, Duane Swisher, are prepared to do anything to make sure Mazer doesn’t become another victim. As Erin deals with an intensely personal issue at home, and faces an uphill battle to prove her client’s innocence, both she and Duane find themselves mired in a conspiracy of corruption deeper than they imagined—and far more dangerous than they feared.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A writer’s search for her missing friend becomes a real-life thriller in a twisting novel of suspense by the New York Times bestselling author of These Toxic Things.Bailey Meadows has just moved into the remote Topanga Canyon home of thriller author Jack Beckham. As his writer-in-residence, she’s supposed to help him once again reach the bestseller list. But she’s not there to write a thriller—she’s there to find Sam Morris, a community leader dedicated to finding missing people, who has disappeared in the canyon surrounding Beckham’s property.The missing woman was last seen in the drought-stricken forest known for wildfires and mountain lions. Each new day, Bailey learns just how dangerous these canyons are—for the other women who have also gone missing here…and for her. Could these missing women be linked to strange events that occurred decades ago at the Beckham estate?As fire season in the canyons approaches, Bailey must race to unravel the truth from fiction before she becomes the next woman lost in the forest.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Linwood Barclay's I Will Ruin You is a page-turner that also has important things to say. You'll get your money's worth out of this one." –Stephen KingIn the latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay, a teacher’s act of heroism inadvertently makes him the target of a dangerous blackmailer who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.How would you react in a life-or-death situation?It’s a question everyone asks themselves, but few have to face in real life. English teacher Richard Boyle certainly never thought he would find himself talking down a former student intent on harming others, but when Mark LeDrew shows up at Richard’s school with a bomb strapped to his chest, Richard immediately jumps into action. Thanks to some quick thinking, he averts a major tragedy and is hailed as a hero, but not all the attention focused on him is positive.Richard’s brief moment in the spotlight puts him in the sights of a deranged blackmailer with a score to settle. The situation rapidly spirals out of control, drawing Richard into a fraught web of salacious accusations and deadly secrets. As he tries to uncover the truth he discovers that there’s something deeply wrong in the town—something that ties together Mark, the blackmailer, and a gang of ruthless drug dealers, and Richard has landed smack in the middle of it. He’s desperate to find a way out, but everyone in his life seems to be hiding something, and trusting the wrong person could cost him everything he loves.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Private detectives, ghosts, hitmen, mad scientists, goons, simpletons, cops, and femmes fatales all come together for a literary gestalt in this new collection of crime fiction that continues the time-honored tradition established by writers such as Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Mickey Spillane, and James Ellroy, among other luminaries.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this surprising, witty thriller, the world’s most lethal assassin gives up the violent life, only to find himself under siege by mysterious assailants. It’s a kill-or-be-killed situation, but the first option is off the table. What’s a reformed hit man to do?Mark was the most dangerous killer-for-hire in the world. But after learning the hard way that his life’s work made him more monster than man, he left all of that behind, and joined a 12-step group for reformed killers.When Mark is viciously attacked by an unknown assailant, he is forced on the run, from New York to Singapore to London, chasing after clues while dodging attacks, trying to solve the puzzle of who’s after him, without killing anyone. Or getting killed himself.For an assassin, Mark learns, non-violence is a real hassle.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the morning of May 16, 1922, a young man's body was found on a desolate road in Westchester County. The victim was penniless ex-sailor Clarence Peters. Walter Ward, the handsome scion of the family that owned the largest chain of bread factories in the country, confessed to the crime as an act of self-defense against a violent gang of "shadow men," blackmailers who extorted their victims' moral weaknesses. From the start, one question defined the investigation: What scandalous secret could lead Ward to murder?For sixteen months, the media fueled a firestorm of speculation. Unscrupulous criminal attorneys, fame-seeking chorus girls, con artists, and misogynistic millionaires harnessed the power of the press to shape public perception. New York governor and future presidential candidate Al Smith and editor of the Daily News Joseph Medill Patterson leveraged the investigation to further professional ambitions. Famous figures like Harry Houdini, Arthur Conan Doyle, and F. Scott Fitzgerald weighed in. As the bereaved working-class Peters family sought to bring the callous Ward to justice, America watched enraptured.Capturing the extraordinary twists and turns of the case, Shadow Men conjures the excess and contradictions of the Jazz Age and reveals the true-crime origins of the media-led voyeurism that reverberates through contemporary life. It's a story of privilege and power that lays bare the social inequity that continues to influence our system of justice.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eliana Havelock is a woman with no past, whose determination to bring down a Karachi arms dealer catches the attention of the British Secret Intelligence Service. MI-6 is fractured, with many of its covert programs dissolved or disbanded. When Eliana presents the opportunity to divert an international arms disaster, the head of MI-6 partners her with one of its best and brightest, the enigmatic, Connor Blackwell. But in a world of secrets and hidden agendas, who can she trust? And what, or who, is Eliana really after?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Set in 1982, Third Wheel is the story of a boy who relocates from the Midwest to Las Vegas. Outcast as a newcomer, Brady forges a bond with an older teenage neighbor, Mick. But when Mick invites an ambitious street-level drug dealer into their group, Brady learns that their choices could have dangerous consequences and threaten the lives of those he cares about.Emotionally driven and raw, Third Wheel is a literary thriller that follows a root-worthy underdog, Brady Wilks, as he brushes up against misguided teens, a Mexican drug cartel, and the Mob. With nowhere to turn and troubles at home, Brady finds his only comfort in an impossible romance until it becomes another vulnerability for others to exploit.The winner of six literary awards — including a Literary Titan Gold Book Award, Silver BookFest Award, and American Best BookFest Finalist Award — Richard R. Becker's debut novel is as suspenseful as it is unapologetic. This teenage crime story with heart hits home with older young adults, new adults, and anyone who remembers the 1980s.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Whiskey!When Charlie Stockton, a retired United States Army colonel and Texas cattle rancher, is presented with his 28-year-old daughter's plans to quit her corporate job to reopen a homeless shelter, he is faced with the toughest challenge of his life. With his marriage already faltering, Charlie must decide whether to support his daughter or side with his wife. To make matters worse, a troupe of clowns have come to town, making Charlie feel at the end of his rope. If you enjoyed the family drama of Nicholas Sparks' "The Notebook" then you'll be sure to love "Cherishing Whiskey’s Salvation". It's a sweet contemporary western romance that will be sure to brand your heart. Buy now before the price changes!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boston, 1985. With the late December cold comes a new job for ex-military operative turned private investigator Andy Roark. Boston judge Ambrose Messer is being blackmailed, and he needs Roark's help to stop the culprit.Messer is judging the bench trial of a chemical company accused of knowingly dumping chemical waste in an unsafe manner, causing birth defects and cancer. The evidence against them is overwhelming, but the message from the blackmailer is clear: If you don't want the world to know your secret, the chemical company wins. Messer doesn't want to let a threat corrupt his judgement . . . but then again, he could lose everything if his secret comes out!Judging his client to be a man with morals, Roark plunges into action, determined to find the blackmailer before it's too late. But the disturbing, unexpected revelations he uncovers make him a target of some very dangerous people, who soon seem determined not only to wreck the life of his client, but to destroy Roark's too . . .Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Vegas to Miami to Havana, the shocking connections between the CIA, the mob, and Sinatra’s Rat Pack—with new revelations and details. Mafia Spies is the definitive account of America’s most remarkable espionage plots ever—with CIA agents, mob hitmen, “kompromat” sex, presidential indiscretion, and James Bond-like killing devices together in a top-secret mystery full of surprise twists and deadly intrigue.In the early 1960s, two top gangsters, Johnny Roselli and Sam Giancana, were hired by the CIA to kill Cuba’s Communist leader, Fidel Castro, only to wind up murdered themselves amidst Congressional hearings and a national debate about the JFK assassination.Now for the first time in paperback, Mafia Spies revolves around the outlaw friendship of these two mob buddies and their fascinating world of CIA spies, fellow Mafioso in Chicago, Cuban exile commandos in Miami, beautiful Hollywood women, famous entertainers like Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack in Las Vegas, Castro’s own spies in Havana and his double agents hidden in Florida, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI snooping, and the Kennedy administration’s “Get Castro” obsession in Washington.Thomas Maier is among the first to take full advantage of the National Archives’ 2017–18 release of the long-suppressed JFK files, many of which deal with the CIA’s top secret anti-Castro operation in Florida and Cuba. With several new investigative findings, Mafia Spies is a spy exposé, murder mystery, and shocking true story that recounts America’s first foray into the assassination business, a tale with profound impact for today’s Trump era. Who killed Johnny and Sam—and why wasn’t Castro assassinated despite the CIA’s many clandestine efforts?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A small town’s deadly past is exposed in the newest installment of the suspenseful National Forest K-9 series by Kathleen Donnelly.Until an avalanche ripped down a mountainside, exposing a serial killer’s dumping grounds, Antler Valley, Colorado, was a quiet town. Now Forest Service officer Maya Thompson and her beautiful K-9, Juniper, must catch the murderer before they become the next targets.With the neighboring town’s new overconfident sheriff deterring the entire investigation, a murderer on the loose and heartthrob deputy Josh Colton racing through her mind, Maya is at a crossroads. Josh is ready to go all in, but Maya has one foot out the door. As she lets her guard down, she needs to accept that she’s falling deeply in love with him, no matter how risky it may be. When evidence from the Antler Valley victims links the murders to deaths in other ski towns, secrets long buried are unearthed. Maya and Juniper must run toward an answer, though finding it might lead them directly into a fatal trap…Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pandemic has receded and life in the United States has returned to normal—or that’s what the government insists. So what is causing residents in a remote religious compound in Idaho to drop dead in a grisly fashion? And why are prominent virologists meeting with untimely ends?Something—or someone—is killing the religious followers and scientists,and Newshound reporter Nik Byron is determined to find out what’s behind the deaths. Could Xion Labs’ top-secret vaccine program be connected? Nik suspects so, but he’s being stonewalled at every turn. As he inches closer to the truth, Nik’s professional enemies move to quash his investigation, threaten his career, and destroy his personal life. With his world crumbling, Nik finds one last lead: Puck Hall, a resolute, free-spirited young woman and Xion Labs researcher, who is soloing the Appalachian Trail. It’s only when Puck, barely clinging to life after eluding trained killers, crawls out of the wilderness that Nik and a rookie reporter cobble together the nightmarish facts that bring the story into focus.Populated with old-school journalists, double-crossing politicians, black-ops assassins, and government secrets, Black Bird follows Nik Byron on a thrilling investigative journey along the Appalachian Trail, deep into the northern Rocky Mountains, over the Pacific Ocean, and eventually right to the doorstep of the White House.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A treasure so priceless, it's worth killing for…When Mark Hawkins is found dead in a seedy motel, police deem it an accidental overdose. But billionaire computer genius Avery Turner suspects there might be more to the story. Her old friend was on the trail of the legendary General's Gold, and now Avery is determined to pick up where he left off...Teaming up with Carter Mosley, a deep-sea shipwreck diver and adrenaline junkie turned social media sensation, Avery embarks on a dangerous quest for the treasure—and the truth. From Florida to Maine, and from the mountains of Virginia to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, they face treacherous gangs, man-eating sharks, and a world of deception and double-crosses.As they navigate hidden clues and uncertain allies, Avery and Carter must outwit their deadly adversaries and unravel the mystery surrounding the General's Gold. But in this high-stakes game, losing the treasure could cost them their lives.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

THE LAST STORY: The Murder of an Investigative Journalist in Las Vegas is an exclusive deep dive into a chilling true tale of sex, ambition, retribution, and homicide.Jeff German, a veteran Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter, was no stranger to controversy or the danger of his work. For more than four decades, he wrote stories relentlessly confronting the mob, corrupt politicians, and greedy bureaucrats. As a result, he was often threatened—enough that he and his friend and fellow investigative reporter, Arthur Kane, sometimes joked about reporting on these threats if they were ever acted upon.Then, in the spring of 2022, German received a tip about abuses at a little-known county office. His subsequent investigation unearthed a scandalous, sexually incriminating video of a rising politician. The resulting stories in the Review-Journal ended the man’s political aspirations.Less than six months later, on September 3, German’s lifeless body was discovered outside his home with multiple stab wounds. His dedicated newsroom colleagues, including Kane, vowed to find the killer. In doing so, they exposed the true depths of corruption and malice in Sin City.Meanwhile, the police struggled to identify a suspect until they released a photo of the suspect's vehicle to the media. That tip led them to none other than the small-time politician, who was subsequently arrested and now faces life in prison, pending the outcome of his trial in August 2024.In THE LAST STORY, Kane delivers an intense narrative of courage, betrayal, and the unrelenting quest for justice.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A West German nightclub owner goes behind the Iron Curtain on a desperate mission to save his brother, in this Cold War thriller by the author of Lost Kin.West Germany, 1949. Former actor Max Kaspar suffered greatly in the Second World War. Now he owns a nightclub in Munich—and occasionally lends a hand to the newly formed CIA. Meanwhile, his brother Harry has ventured beyond the Iron Curtain to rescue an American scientist. When Harry is also taken captive, Max resolves to locate his brother at all costs. The last thing he expects is for Harry to go rogue.Max’s treacherous quest takes him to Vienna and Prague to Soviet East Germany and Communist Poland. Along the way, dangerous operators from Harry’s past join the pursuit: his former lover Katarina, who’s working for the Israelis, and former Nazi Hartmut Dietz, now an agent of East German intelligence. But can anyone be trusted? Even the American scientist Stanley Samaras may not be the hero Harry had believed him to be . . .“In this convincing and atmospheric spy tale set on the haunted landscape of postwar Europe, the engaging Max Kaspar leads us into deepening shadows in which the certainties of loyalty and morality grow dimmer at every turn. An intriguing and satisfying read.” —Dan Fesperman, author of Winter Work“Steve Anderson brings the past to life . . . As close as you’ll get to a historical guide to the vagaries and treacheries and to the hidden byways and ratlines of post-war Europe.” —Luke McCallin, author of the Gregor Reinhardt novelsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When low-level legbreaker Kincaid takes on a new assignment, he discovers it’s not really a step up — it’s a setup. The deal was supposed to be this: Protect Abby Doyle, the daughter of Birmingham, Alabama’s most dangerous crime lord. But when Abby’s fiancé is found murdered, Kincaid is forced to team up with BPD detective Laura D’Agostino to find the killer and protect Abby at all costs … even from her own father.The killer’s trail winds through Birmingham — the city streets, the back alleys, the world-class food scene and the hole-in-the-wall clubs and bars — and the white-flight suburbs that surround the city, as Kincaid and D’Agostino uncover secrets that everyone would prefer left alone. But Kincaid doesn’t care about secrets. He’s been hired to do a job, and he’ll see it through or die trying.Thrown together by circumstance, Kincaid and D’Agostino explore their unexpected feelings for one another while chasing down the killer and untangling a land swindle in North Birmingham that’s been in the making for more than a decade. But their relationship may not survive the explosive ending that sees Kincaid stand alone against the toughest crime lord the city has ever known.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Perfect for fans of Elle Cosimano and Kellye Garrett, in this second Hollywood mystery, film costumer Joey Jessop discovers that Hollywood buries its secrets deep when a superstar’s assistant turns up dead.Costumer Joey Jessop is working on a movie set in 1930s Hollywood and starring two of the world’s biggest stars. The male lead is also a dedicated social activist, and the female lead, Gillian Best, is known for her lifestyle brand. After a hit-and-run near the set, Joey realizes that the car involved belongs to Gillian, and she begins to wonder if the actress has more to hide than her Botox appointments.Her suspicions deepen when Gillian’s personal assistant, Rita, vows to get revenge for Gillian replacing her and is found dead shortly after. Gillian quickly labels Rita’s death a suicide, and the police seem to agree–but Joey isn’t so sure.With the police standing aside, it’s up to Joey to dig up the truth—but Hollywood stars know how to keep their secrets close, and a woman like Gillian Best won’t take kindly to someone sniffing around her affairs. Joey is certain that Gillian has something to hide–and she’s determined to find out what.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monster slayer Sandra Barlowe ventures to Madrugar, Mexico to investigate the brutal death of a local rancher. While the signs initially point to a vampire, the deeper she dives into her investigation, the more the murder appears to be the handiwork of something else…something much more terrifying.Symbols of a legendary creature start appearing everywhere as graffiti, and as sightings and bodies pile up, Sandra suspects the horrifying cryptid is at the center of it all. In the middle of a labor war and political upheaval, Sandra must hunt the legendary cryptid while navigating a treacherous maze of dangerous creatures and unscrupulous characters.The question looms - is Sandra the hunter, or is the cryptid the predator, stalking its prey? The pulse-pounding hunt is on!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Randy’s honest and heartbreaking stories from childhood to adulthood show us what it means to be human in an age when homosexuality is still under attack. Having been one of the “attackers” himself for a period of his life (through ex-gay ministry), we learn how anyone can be groomed to do harm to others—especially when they are desperately searching for connection and community.If you’ve ever wondered how someone can join a cult and go against their own community, this book documents the journey from abuse to brainwashing to betrayal, ultimately arriving at truth. In his page-turning memoir, author Randy Scobey shares his most personal moments and explores what it means to live—truly live—his life as a gay man of faith.WHY: A Memoir - Kindle edition by Scobey, Randy, Heche, Anne. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A maverick celebrity chef reluctantly agrees to let the CIA use his hugely popular international food, culture, and travel TV series as cover for a dangerous espionage mission.When the CIA approaches celebrity chef Sebastian Pike about using his award-winning food and culture travel show as cover for espionage, the outspoken bad-boy host says no. When they point out how roaming the globe interviewing foodies, heads of state, rock stars, journalists-in-exile, poets, subversives, supermodels—even the pope—gives him perfect cover, Pike smiles and says, “F@#! no.”They push. Promising it’s only one mission. Vowing he won’t be in danger. Calling him the MVB: Most Valuable Bystander. They’d embed their top agent in his crew to do the spy work.It’s still no. But when they hit him with the patriotism card, he weakens. And when romantic sparks crackle between him and the female agent, Pike’s all in, kicking off a romantic spy thriller in which the globetrotting celebrity chef uses his TV series to help sneak Putin’s accountant out of Russia before he’s exposed as a mole for US intelligence.The high-stakes mission quickly puts Pike in harm’s way. So much for MVB. There’s danger, there’s double dealing, there’s torture, there’s shooting with real bullets. Plus, a minefield of complications from the hot romance that grows between Pike and his gutsy CIA handler-producer, Cammie Nova.From Paris to Provence, this chef is no bystander. Beyond their attraction, Pike and Nova become an operational team, not only to survive the perils they face but to pull off an operation fraught with one twist after another, capped by a shocking, emotional climax.The Accidental Joe: The Top-Secret Life of a Celebrity Chef - Kindle edition by Straw, Tom. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

​It's GO time! Author Versus AI has officially started!To follow along with my journey, check out my "sister" website Author Versus AI. I'll be doing fun things to mark my journey throughout the course of the year, such as posting summaries of the books I'm working on, fun tidbits about genres and tips about writing, as well as updating my word count daily. There MIGHT even be a few silly pictures here and there. You never know.On top of that, you'll get a sneak preview of the books themselves because I plan (as long as technology cooperates) to post short videos at the end of each week that will feature me reading an excerpt from the "hot off the typewriter" book I've been working on for that week.Also, look out for me in and around the Edmonton, Alberta area. I'll be doing readings and giving workshops at various places and literary conferences, as well as having "office hours" at local libraries if you'd like to come see the writer at work. I'll be posting a schedule once I've gotten into the groove of things with the writing and feel ready to take my show on the road. I'm also a scheduled guest at several upcoming podcasts, so if you're not anywhere near Canada, you can still hear me chat about Author Versus AI online or on streaming services.I keep saying that I'll be running a Kickstarter soon, which I will be (soon being a relative term). I'll be raising funds to pay the NON-AI (read: human) creatives who have signed up to participate in creating lovely artwork for the covers of my lovely books. And there will be all sorts of fun rewards if you support the project, such as being a character in a book or getting a one-on-one Zoom session to edit your own work or give you some targeted advice about writing. So, stay tuned for an announcement about that too.Phew! Lots of things going on, but the first thing that's going to happen with me right now: writing like mad to get my word count in for today. Happy writing, all!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this newest collection of short stories from award-winning writer, Daniel M. Jaffe, red-blooded American men make mischief while exploring themselves and others throughout the United States. These men grow exhausted fulfilling heaven's anointment as a West Hollywood sex angel, endure medical sacrifice in Minneapolis while saving gay men from global extinction, encounter joy at the moment of Palm Springs transcendence to the afterlife, discover unexpected romance with someone of ambiguous gender in Chicago, revel in the laid-back sexual camaraderie of South Florida's older gay community, struggle to cease vanishing into thin air whenever spotting their beloved on Harvard's campus, fall in love with a magical Texarkana circus masturbator, and worry about the mental health of an aging Brooklyn husband. These tales of fantasy, sci-fi, horror, romance, and good old-fashioned realism, evoke deep pride in the varied wonders of being an American male.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The next high concept horror novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden.Across Italy there are many half-empty towns, nearly abandoned by those who migrate to the coast or to cities. The beautiful, crumbling hilltop town of Becchina is among them, but its mayor has taken drastic measures to rebuild—selling abandoned homes to anyone in the world for a single Euro, as long as the buyer promises to live there for at least five years.It’s a no-brainer for American couple Tommy and Kate Puglisi. Both work remotely, and Becchina is the home of Tommy’s grandparents, his closest living relatives. It feels like a romantic adventure, an opportunity the young couple would be crazy not to seize. But from the moment they move in, they both feel a shadow has fallen on them. Tommy’s grandmother is furious, even a little frightened, when she realizes which house they’ve bought.There are rooms in an annex at the back of the house that they didn’t know were there. The place makes strange noises at night, locked doors are suddenly open, and when they go to a family gathering, they’re certain people are whispering about them, and about their house, which one neighbor refers to as The House of Last Resort. Soon, they learn that the home was owned for generations by the Church, but the real secret, and the true dread, is unlocked when they finally learn what the priests were doing in this house for all those long years…and how many people died in the strange chapel inside. While down in the catacombs beneath Becchina…something stirs.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Oceanus CrisisA deadly blast of unknown energy strikes a jetliner over the Pacific Ocean.Hostile aliens? Or a new and unthinkably powerful form of Earth life?An ingenious troubleshooter, a reluctant psychic, a bionic xenobiologist, a brilliant engineer, and a blind psychologist will descend to the depths in a prototype submarine habitat, facing the most inhospitable environment on the planet to attempt a First Contact.Before the nuclear nations of the world take matters into their own hands.The critical question is: are they investigators? Ambassadors?Or just bait.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Queen of the Rex Ball at New Orleans’ raucous and world-famous Mardi Gras—beautiful, vibrant, and dressed in an ivory silk lamé gown with chevrons and gold beading—collapses and dies. Was foul play involved?Jenna Depreaux, a maiden in the Queen’s court, is rich, popular, and jealous. By any measure —birth, social standing, looks—she should have been selected queen. Or so she believes. Is there blood on her hands?Detective Decker O’Day is on the case. A tough kid from the Irish Channel, he is the son of a cop who was beaten to death on the job and a mother who lost her way to alcohol and promiscuity. He teams up with Detective Gail Waites. She carries her own baggage: a Black woman and a lesbian, her daughter is found dead under mysterious circumstances—nude and drugged, and dumped outside University Hospital.Meanwhile: Two gunmen kill fifty-three souls at a Jewish Synagogue in town. A popular anchor at the local TV news station disappears without a trace. A woman is killed when an unidentified pair drops a cinderblock from an overpass, smashing the windshield of her car.As the bodies pile up, as New Orleans society closes ranks, O’Day and Waites must avoid attempts on their own lives and puzzle together the disparate crimes. Are the events connected? Conflicts arise and tempers flare in this taught and picaresque psychological thriller.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clyde's idyllic afternoon in the surf with his mates is interrupted by the news that there's been a quadruple suicide in an apartment overlooking the beach.Two of the deceased are the parents of Barry Wilkinson, one of Clyde's childhood friends, a man he hasn't seen since Clyde donned the khaki and left for war. Wilkinson engages Clyde to discover the identity of a mysterious woman who has been left a huge sum of money in his father's will.On the surface, what appears to be a straightforward case evolves into a complex story of deception, lies, violence and murder. Relationships are tested and new ones formed, and Clyde discovers that those connections that seem unrelated are closely linked behind a veil of secrecy.The early summer of 1957 is a time in which Clyde nearly loses everything he holds dear—his own life included—all because of two couples who died while playing bridge at the beach.Bridge at the Beach (The Clyde Smith Mysteries Book 5) - Kindle edition by Jones, Garrick. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1939, fourteen-year-old Violet and her parents arrive at the Sulphur Springs Hotel, drawn in along with other desperate guests by legends of the waters’ restorative properties. Here, curious young Violet strikes up an instant friendship with the hotelier’s worldly daughter, Julia. Together, they attempt to solve the mysteries behind the hotel’s luxury façade — including the cases of the brownie thief, the secretive hotel director, and the flirtatious gardener.But when one of Violet’s investigations leads her to commit an act of treachery, she unwittingly aides a murderous plot. Seventy years later, the killer has yet to be caught.In 2009, a widowed Violet returns to the hotel, now in ruins. Her intention is to solve this cold case. The scene of the crime reveals new clues and revives old memories, including that of her lost family and her own sexual awakening. Now, confronting her final years, Violet is desperate to make peace with her ghosts, even if she may be seventy years too late.The Sulphur Springs Cure - Kindle edition by Round, Jeffrey. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women Empowered, Enlightened, and TransformedStep back in time to the revolutionary 1970s with Desert Haven, a compelling exploration of a hidden facet of history. Born at the crossroads of feminism, sexual liberation, lesbian separatism, and a return to nature, this novel breathes life into the movement that sought to forge self-governed women-centered societies within intentional communities. Across a span of forty years, Desert Haven meticulously weaves the political, social, and spiritual tapestry of a marginalized subgroup within the queer community. Through nuanced storytelling, the women grapple with the challenges of preserving their vision, offering tales of grief and hope, loss and celebration, passion, and solitude.Against the evocative backdrop of women's land, where cactus and creosote stand beneath expansive skies and monsoon rains paint the landscape, Desert Haven unfolds through fifteen interconnected characters over four decades. Each character, a chapter in this rich narrative, contributes to a chorus of diverse voices that resonate with the intricacies of the broader community. As women seamlessly flow in and out of each other's stories, Desert Haven reveals a network of evolving relationships, creating a captivating portrayal of resilience and the enduring bonds that shape our collective history.Desert Haven - Kindle edition by Starr, Penelope. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who wouldn't want sage yet sassy advice from the ghost of their dead cat?It's 1987 and New York actor/singer/waiter Matthew is struggling to restart his career, regain a sense of optimism, and open himself up to dating in the aftermath of his lover's death from AIDS-all with the spiritual guidance of his recently deceased cat, Hobo. Life is uncertain in this turbulent era of the '80s, as the gay community is reeling from the onslaught of AIDS and struggling with the government's lack of support. After some missteps seeking love in all the wrong places, will Hobo's lessons for Matt on how to believe in himself, and in his ability to find love, lead to romance once again? Can he get his career back on track if he auditions for a new and timely show? Will he find his voice on the grand stage and realize his dream of making it to Broadway? Find out in this journey of discovery- a sweet and entertaining valentine of a yarn.A Cat in the Act - Kindle edition by Arsenault, Brian. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 25 years, how do you rebuild your life?Hannah's wife has died unexpectedly.Just as 70-year-old writing professor Hannah Greene walks into her retirement party, she's called to the ER because Grace, her wife of 25 years, has been in what turns out to be a fatal car accident. This was definitely not part of the plan the two had for their lives, especially since Grace was ten years younger than Hannah. The plan had been for Hannah to join her art history professor wife on a sabbatical trip to Europe. Grace would do research, and Hannah would figure out what she wanted to do in her retirement.How does an independent, feisty lesbian adjust to both her suddenly widowed and newly retired life? How can she survive the loss of the spouse who statistically should have survived her?Grace Period tackles these questions head-on in an intimate, witty portrayal of a woman grappling with the new and unexpected turn her life has taken. It is a tale of love, loss, and survival.Grace Period - Kindle edition by Nonas, Elisabeth. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From international best-selling author GAVIN STONEBook two in the ‘SPIES FOR HIRE’ series is out now!Jensen is back again. An unexpected knock at the door from a former work colleague is the catalyst to Jensen’s perfect life being thrown into turmoil. Thrust back into work, Jensen teams up with his friends Marshall and Darius, to track down a former CIA agent. The closer he gets, the harder the task becomes. Framed for acts of terrorism and being hunted by law enforcement globally, his race across England, Europe and America becomes increasingly challenging. Running from the law and trying to stay alive, he’s forced to fight an unknown enemy, while dealing with the possibility of betrayal by someone in his own team. The harder he tries to get to the bottom of his predicament, the more problems he’s faced with. Each question that gets answered, only leads to a longer list of more questions in his tangled web of espionage, imposters and betrayals. Not knowing who he can trust, he has to make every play carefully to get out of this one alive. As his world comes crashing down around him, Jensen has to give it all he's got, to save himself and find out who is behind his torment."Gavin Stone is a true insider, an expert not only in body language, counterterrorism, and tradecraft, but in all the intricacies of espionage. Extensive experience plus encyclopedic knowledge, make Stone a go-to guy in the field." - I.S. Berry – Former CIA spy & Author, The Peacock and the SparrowSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.