Paula Munier

Paula Munier is the USA TODAY bestselling author of the Mercy Carr mysteries. A Borrowing of Bones, the first in the series, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award and named the Dogwise Book of the Year. Blind Search also won a Dogwise Award. The Hiding Place and The Wedding Plot both appeared on several “Best Of” lists. Home at Night, the fifth book in the series, was inspired by her volunteer work as a Natural Resources Steward of New Hampshire. Along with her love of nature, Munier credits the hero dogs of Mission K9 Rescue, her own rescue dogs, and a deep affection for New England as her series’ major influences. A literary agent by day, she’s also written three popular books on writing: Plot Perfect, The Writer’s Guide to Beginnings, and Writing with Quiet Hands, as well as Happier Every Day and the memoir Fixing Freddie: The True Story of a Boy, a Mom, and a Very, Very Bad Beagle.

Munier's new Mercy Carr mystery is The Night Woods.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Munier's reply:

My TBR pile is eclectic if nothing else. I’m reading for research as I write the next Mercy Carr mystery (coming next year), and I’m reading for just plain fun and friendship (she says happily, as many of her friends are writers with new books):

For research:

In the mystery I’m writing now, it’s December. Which means I get to play with all of the holiday tropes. So, I’ve been reading up on everything from Christmas carols to New Year’s traditions. Three of my favorites:

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris / I love this hilarious collection of holiday stories so much that I often give copies as Christmas presents to friends and family. I myself have read it multiple times and was thrilled to have an excuse to read it again. If you haven’t read this one, pour yourself a bourbon and eggnog and get to it.

The Secret History of Christmas, by Bill Bryson / I’m a big fan of Bryson’s work, most notably A Walk in the Woods and I was delighted to discover he’d written a book about Christmas. Bryson gives us the historical lowdown on the holiday’s rituals and traditions—from Santa Claus’s many past lives to the risqué origins of Christmas carols. All good fodder for the writing mill.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens / You knew I had to reread this classic. But this time I listened to the audiobook version of the story, read by Hugh Grant. This is Bah Humbug! at its best.

For just plain fun and friendship:

Death at the Sign of the Rook, by Kate Atkinson / Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie ranks among my all-time most beloved detectives, right up there with Maigret and Morse and Vera. In this new entry in the series, #6, Atkinson brings back some of my favorite characters—most notably Reggie and Louise—to play with Jackson in a send-up of Golden Age mysteries that’s as funny as it is clever. Atkinson is the only crime writer I read with a dictionary by my side, which I naturally consider a plus.

Argos: The Story of Odysseus as Told by His Loyal Dog, by Ralph Hardy / Just in time for the publication of The Night Woods, Mercy Carr #6 and my humble homage to The Odyssey, I met Ralph Hardy, who’s penned the most wonderful adaptation of Homer’s epic poem, written from the point of view of the dog. Just. Plain. Awesome. Note: I write books with dogs in them, but I’ve never had the chutzpah to write from their POV. If I ever do, I hope I do it this well.

Blue Christmas Bones, by Carolyn Haines / Carolyn, my pal and sister Minotaur author, writes the bestselling Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries. Her latest, which pubs October 15) is a murderous romp through Tupelo during the annual holiday-themed Elvis Festival. Elvis. Christmas. Murder. What more do you want?

I could go on and on, but I have a book—untitled Mercy Carr #7—to write. (If you have any ideas for a Christmas-related title, please let me know.) And a book—The Night Woods—to promote. Until next time, happy reading!

Visit Paula Munier's website.

Coffee with a Canine: Paula Munier & Bear.

My Book, The Movie: A Borrowing of Bones.

The Page 69 Test: A Borrowing of Bones.

Writers Read: Paula Munier (October 2019).

My Book, The Movie: Blind Search.

The Page 69 Test: Blind Search.

My Book, The Movie: The Hiding Place.

The Page 69 Test: The Hiding Place.

Q&A with Paula Munier.

My Book, The Movie: The Wedding Plot.

The Page 69 Test: The Wedding Plot.

Writers Read: Paula Munier (July 2022).

Writers Read: Paula Munier (October 2023).

My Book, The Movie: Home at Night.

The Page 69 Test: Home at Night.

My Book, The Movie: The Night Woods.

The Page 69 Test: The Night Woods.

--Marshal Zeringue

Margaret Mizushima

Margaret Mizushima writes the internationally published Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. She serves as past president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and was elected Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She is the recipient of a Colorado Authors League Award, a Benjamin Franklin Book Award, a CIBA CLUE Award, and two Willa Literary Awards by Women Writing the West. Her books have been finalists for a SPUR Award by Western Writers of America, a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award, and the Colorado Book Award. She and her husband recently moved from Colorado, where they raised two daughters and a multitude of animals, to a home in the Pacific Northwest.

Mizushima's new Timber Creek K-9 mystery is Gathering Mist.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Her reply:

I’ve recently begun reading Den of Iniquity by New York Times Bestselling Author J.A. Jance. I try to read everything written by Jance, and this is her latest release. A couple decades ago, I started reading her Joanna Brady series, and those books inspired me to write a mystery of my own about a spunky female K-9 handler serving in a rural jurisdiction in the Colorado high country. Thus, my Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries were born. J.A. Jance has been one of my author idols ever since.

Den of Iniquity is the latest installment in a different Jance series, this one featuring J.P. Beaumont. Like most of her novels, this book focuses on families and their dynamics while delivering a suspenseful puzzle. A retired homicide cop, Beaumont has formed his own private investigation agency. When he’s asked to look into what appears like an accidental death, he uncovers evidence that leads him to believe that something more sinister happened. At the same time, he begins to investigate a case that is much closer to home—one involving his grandson’s stepmother who is driving a wedge between the boy and his dad. These two cases become more and more complicated, and the cover flap description indicates the two will eventually collide.

Every time I read one of her books, Jance hooks me with her twisted plots and engaging characters. I can’t wait to continue reading to see what she has in store for me in this terrific novel!

Visit Margaret Mizushima's website and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

Coffee with a Canine: Margaret Mizushima & Hannah, Bertie, Lily and Tess.

Coffee with a Canine: Margaret Mizushima & Hannah.

My Book, The Movie: Burning Ridge.

The Page 69 Test: Burning Ridge.

The Page 69 Test: Tracking Game.

My Book, The Movie: Hanging Falls.

The Page 69 Test: Hanging Falls.

Q&A with Margaret Mizushima.

The Page 69 Test: Striking Range.

The Page 69 Test: Standing Dead.

The Page 69 Test: Gathering Mist.

--Marshal Zeringue

S.E. Redfearn

S. E. Redfearn is the award-winning and Amazon #1 bestselling author of seven novels: Two Good Men, Where Butterflies Wander, Moment in Time, Hadley & Grace, In an Instant, No Ordinary Life, and Hush Little Baby. Her books have been translated into twenty-five different languages and have been recognized by Goodreads Choice Awards, Best Book Awards, RT Reviews, Target Recommends, Publisher’s Marketplace, and Kirkus Reviews. In addition to being an author, Redfearn is also an architect. She currently lives in Laguna Beach California, where she and her husband own two restaurants: Lumberyard and Slice Pizza & Beer.

Recently I asked Redfearn about what she was reading. Her reply:

I’m currently listening to All the Colors of the Dark, by Chris Whitaker, and it is spellbinding. I love psychological suspense, and this one is absolutely brilliant. I’m not sure how it ended up on my radar, but I’m certainly glad it did. It is the most haunting missing person story I’ve ever read.

And I am reading Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. The book won the 2023 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fiction, which is why I chose it. It’s fascinating to read a fictionalized version of what it’s like to be a bestselling author. While some of it rings true, a lot of it is greatly exaggerated and romanticized. But I am definitely getting a kick out of reading a story that hits so close to home.

Visit Suzanne Redfearn's website, Facebook and Instagram pages, and Twitter perch.

Coffee with a Canine: Suzanne Redfearn and Cooper.

My Book, The Movie: Hush Little Baby.

The Page 69 Test: Hush Little Baby.

The Page 69 Test: No Ordinary Life.

Writers Read: Suzanne Redfearn (February 2016).

My Book, The Movie: No Ordinary Life.

My Book, The Movie: In an Instant.

The Page 69 Test: In an Instant.

Q&A with Suzanne Redfearn.

My Book, The Movie: Hadley and Grace.

The Page 69 Test: Hadley & Grace.

Writers Read: Suzanne Redfearn (March 2022).

The Page 69 Test: Moment in Time.

My Book, The Movie: Moment in Time.

Writers Read: Suzanne Redfearn (February 2024).

--Marshal Zeringue

Kate Robards

Kate Robards is the author of two thriller novels. Her debut novel, The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard, was nominated for the 2024 Simon & Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award and received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. Her second novel, Only the Guilty Survive, was released this summer.

She studied journalism and advertising at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Currently, Robards works in communications at a nonprofit organization.

When she isn’t writing her next book, Robrads is spending time with her children, gardening, reading, or tackling a new sewing project. She lives outside Chicago with her family.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Her reply:

Currently, I’m reading A Flicker in the Dark, the suspenseful debut by Stacy Willingham. It follows Chloe, a psychologist haunted by the crimes her serial killer father committed twenty years ago. It’s well-written and engrossing—the very definition of a page-turner. This is the second book I’ve read by Willingham, and I’m impressed by her character development and pacing.

I like to balance my reading list, alternating between fiction (mostly thrillers and mysteries) and nonfiction. I just finished Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders by John Glatt. This story proves that truth can certainly be stranger than fiction. Glatt is thorough in his presentation of the events leading up to the crimes. My interest in this case was piqued after seeing a documentary series on Netflix, but I was left wondering why and why now. Glatt answered those questions in his book.

Mysteries always appeal to me, especially when I can see fictional thrillers happening in real life and when I have to suspend belief in true crime accounts. Those are the stories that always make it to the top of my reading list.

Visit Kate Robards's website.

My Book, The Movie: The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard.

The Page 69 Test: The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard.

Q&A with Kate Robards.

--Marshal Zeringue