Melissa Westemeier

I blinked hard the other day when I saw the calendar. How was it only January 11? It felt like February 20. I'm not built for so much stuff happening at once, my mind cannot process it. Obviously when the world gets crazy, it makes sense to hunker down occasionally and re-calibrate so the stress levels don't go totally bonkers. For me that means writing a new book, and readers, I AM OBSESSED with this project. I'm closing in on 48,000 words this week (which means nothing to

Award-winning children’s author Ross Montgomery wrote a killer read for grownups after getting inspired by Halley’s comet trip over Cornwall in 1910. Deploying the humor and criminal elements he gleaned from watching Clue as a kid, The Murder at World’s End delivers a plot twister of a mystery when servants and family members and scientists and lunatics converge at Tithe Hall in anticipation of the apocalypse.

It's that time of year when people start talking about making resolutions, but I don't because I think they suck. Resolved means "firmly determined to do something." A resolution is "a firm decision to do or not do something." Decisions doesn't mean squat in my book. Making a decision is as pointless as making a wish, it's just thoughts and words which are meaningless without action and effort. Decisions don't mean anything actually changes. I'm a woman of ACTION because s

Team Testosterone wrapped up in Christmas spirit My kids are grown up now and as a consequence, Christmas has lost a lot of its magic. No more concerts and programs and activities. No decorating cookies or tree together this year. No awe at beautiful light displays or joyful singing. There's less anticipation. There's less hope. On one hand, this season requires less work and feels calmer. On the other, I'm wistful and a little sad. I guess that's what we do as parents, we en

COMING 2026: Newsletter subscribers receive one free cozy mystery a month from 12 different authors! That's 12 books for FREE!

USA Today Bestselling author and Agatha winner Ellen Byron’s new release, Crescent City Christmas Chaos tosses carolers, holiday parties, a cookbook project, and a shady thief wearing a snowman costume into this Cajun mix. Ricki James-Diaz’s hands are full when her parents come to town, her boyfriend’s filming in a Christmas cooking show special, and of course Bon Vee is hopping with festive shoppers. It’s a perfect time for a murder investigation! Ellen dishes about her pa

I'm over at Chicks on the Case discussing my fave cozy trope today! https://chicksonthecase.com/2025/12/03/guest-chick-melissa-westemeier/

Sally Smith’s newest title, A Case of Life and Limb, ticks all my boxes: a secret corner of London (that really exists!), a twisty mystery set in a real place in history, backstage theater drama, lawyers wrestling with ethical questions, complex characters, and a sassy cat. She describes her background as a barrister living in The Temple, the secluded grounds dating back to the Knights Templar and today a main legal district in London. We also talk about Gabriel’s origin stor

This will always be my favorite turkey--disguised as Darth Vader to escape slaughter. Hearing my favorite song on the radio when I start my car Finding exactly the right amount of a spice or seasoning (or flour or oil or whatever) in my pantry when I'm in the middle of making a recipe Sleeping through the night and waking up before my alarm, feeling well-rested Waking up without that stupid ache in my right shoulder Reaching something on a tall shelf without needing to find a

TWO guests, double the fun in this episode where Kelly and Kristina discuss how social media and celebrities can be a toxic mix. What’s the truth? What’s the conspiracy theory? How deep can people crawl down rabbit holes? Inspired by real life headlines and pop stars, the Mancaruso sisters wrote a twisty thriller about a celebrity journalist who gets sucked down rabbit holes while investigating accusations about iconic pop star Harlow Hayes. Kristina and Kelly dish about pop

I've spent the last few months in revision mode while managing some marketing details for the Nun the Wiser Mysteries. Revisions take a lot of energy, they're a bit like doing a puzzle as you try to slot in the best-shaped scene or line of dialogue to smooth out a manuscript so the entire thing flows nicely and all the readers' questions get answered and any confusion gets laid to rest. Revising a novel means attending to LAYERS of text, including character development, word

When everyone’s in costume, even a killer can hide in plain sight…

Eva Jurczyk’s newest book, 6:40 to Montreal , is an homage to Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express . In this locked room thriller, 6 passengers and 1 steward get trapped in train, during a blizzard, with no wi-fi and all their fears and grief surface as the situation gets worse. We’ve all got irrational (or rational?) fears about being trapped, but Eva raises the stakes by drawing on her own experience with illness and how that changes how we view life. No spoilers

A ghost story in October is tempting enough, but I couldn’t wait to meet a woman whose tagline is mysterious, spooky, cozy + kooky ! Olivia Blacke’s newest Ruby and Cordelia Mystery, Death at the Door , continues Ruby’s quest to learn why Cordelia was killed but another body turns up TrendCelerate. We discuss Olivia’s passion for ghosts (including her haunted bookshelf), the crafty way she bridges the normal and supernatural in this series, and why Cordelia makes a perfect fo

Aaron Philip Clark creates a dark world for his PI Trevor Finnegan to solve crime and describes how he wrote this bulk of his latest book, The Bluest Night, over 3 days at an artist’s retreat in Ojai. Drawing from his past as a screenwriter and a LAPD recruit, this SoCal native brings amazing authenticity and detail to the page. We discuss the threats that lurk inside gated communities, strange people, and magnificent sunsets that create the backdrop for the Trevor Finnegan s

Waaaaaaay back in the olden days, I remember bringing home my bag of trick or treat candy and sorting it according to a ranking system of preferences. Circus peanuts, Mike and Ikes, anything with coconut (Mounds and Almond Joy) and licorice got relegated to the NOT TOUCHING IT. Acceptable forms of sugar included SweetTarts (what is it about those cellophane-wrapped rolls of pastel candies?), dots on strips of paper, caramels, candy corn, LifeSavers (especially wild cherry), J

Janice Hallett masterfully creates a world using text threads, pub quiz results, and emails in her newest book, A Killer Question . I’m a...

Readers, it's a REAL TREAT to host guest G.P. Gottlieb today! You KNOW anyone writing a book using "Whipped" in their title must be good:...