Chicks on the Case

Massive Questions I go on two longish bike rides a week, and to pass the time—and take my mind off my burning calves as I climb steep hills—I think about various things. Often, I use this time to brainstorm ideas fo…

One minute you’re tackling hills, watching pelicans and plotting a mystery. The next, you’re taking a casual detour into planetary mass. Leslie Karst’s latest bike ride is proof that we all need to step away from the screens sometimes! @lesliekarst.bsky.social 🧐🌎 #mystery #cozymystery #booksky

Guest Post: Lucy Burdette We are thrilled to be hosting Lucy Burdette, author of the Key West food critic mysteries! Please join us in giving her a warm welcome. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS First, thank you for invit…

Today on the blog: Lucy Burdette, author of the Key West food critic mysteries, talks about reader reviews and how they can affect a series. Check out the post, then check out her fabulous books! #cozymystery #booksky #keywest
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Grammar Crimes of the Digital Age It’s hard being a grammar geek in the digital age. When you’re online, it seems like the rules are more like… suggestions. Anyone who spends any amount of time on social media will run across all S…

Word nerds, unite! Today on Chicks on the Case, we’re deep in the weeds of modern grammar crimes, from LOL overloads to people accidentally announcing their love for cows. Bring your favorite grammatical pet peeves and come rant with us!
#amwriting #amreading #cozymystery #booksky

📚 Crime writing isn’t just whodunit... it’s *whendunit*. Delia Pitts breaks down how timing the murder changes the game across genres. So when would you drop the body? @deliapitts50.bsky.social chicksonthecase.com/2025/07/16/w... #mystery #cozymystery #booksky #amwriting

Guest Chick: Leslie Budewitz & #Giveaway It’s always a special day when our fabulous author friend Leslie Budewitz is our guest here on Chicks. Today Leslie discusses “the other” stuff that makes good stories great&#8211…

Book #giveaway! 🎉 Today on Chicks on the Case, Leslie Budewitz talks Pikes Place Market, epigraphs, and Airdales — plus, she's giving away a copy of her latest Spice Shop Mystery. Just drop a comment to enter!
#mystery #cozymystery #booksky #giveaway

Guest Post: Randal Brandt We are thrilled to be hosting a special guest today: Randal Brandt is Head of Cataloging and Curator of the California Detective Fiction Collection at The Bancroft Library (University of California…

The most interesting person you'll meet all day! Librarian Randal Brandt is on a mission to dust off decades-old detective fiction—and it’s the resurrection we didn’t know we needed. Poisonings, marsh murders, and blackmail in golden-age California? Yes, please! #mystery #cozymystery #booksky

Guest Chick: Jenny Dandy Today the Chicks are happy to present the marvelous Jenny Dandy, author of the Houses of Crime mysteries: The Brownstone on E. 83rd and The Penthouse on Park Avenue. Today she’s talking about…

Trying to escape a maze garden in your sleep with characters who aren’t even yours? Guest Chick Jenny Dandy spills about dream-writing and her debut novel, THE PENTHOUSE ON PARK AVENUE. Check it out! #mystery #cozymystery #booksky

For Me and My Gals I love the word “gal” and use it quite a bit in my speech. So it came as a bit of a surprise to be told recently by a friend that she would never use the word. In fact, she said, she finds the use …

Calling all gals! One Chick takes a stand for the word “gal”—and why it’s way more than just old-timey slang. #mystery #cozymystery #booksky

Guest Chick: Ann Claire Happy Wednesday! Patricia here, and it’s truly my pleasure to welcome Ann Claire to Chicks on the Case. I love her post. As a writer and runner, it especially resonated with me. Whether you&#…

Writing a novel is just like running 100 miles at 10,000 feet, right? Deadlines, grumpy emotions, and a crew that keeps you going. Also: pickle juice might be the secret weapon for both.
An inspiring guest post by Ann Claire, author of the Cyclist Guide Mysteries! #mystery #cozymystery #booksky

The Little Things: Authors and Readers Survival Edition Welcome, world-weary (wary?) Chick friends. News got you down? Sometimes it’s the little things that can help us feel better when life gets tough…

Lisa Q. Mathews has the perfect prescription for when the world feels like a dumpster fire, including cat posters, brewery trips, and dance parties with the grand-littles. (Oh, and reading. Lots of reading.) Come get your dose of cozy joy!
@lisaqmathews.bsky.social
#mystery #cozymystery #booksky

My Ongoing Beef with the Talking Bee Yesterday morning, I got mad at a talking cartoon bee.  I went to the kitchen and opened up the cabinet, and there he was, mocking me. Hear me out.

Oh, it is ON! Mystery author Marla Cooper @marlacooper.bsky.social goes mano-a-mano with the Honey Nut Cheerios mascot. Come learn where the bad blood got started. (And no, it has nothing to do with the cereal, which she's rather fond of.)
#mystery #cozymystery #amwriting #bloodfeud

Guest Chick: Molly MacRae & #Giveaway Happy to have Molly back on the blog! I’m always excited to hear about origin stories, and Molly has a great one! Clouds in My Bathroom Sink – An Origin Story and a giveaway Origin stories ar…

Book giveaway alert! Today on the blog: Molly MacRae dishes on how Emrys Lloyd the pirate ghost floated right out of her bathroom and into her cozy mystery series. Check it out & enter the giveaway! 🛁👻 #bookgiveaway #mystery #cozymystery #booksky #pareidolia @mollymacrae.bsky.social

Chick Chat: Friday the 13th June Edition Embrace the spirit of triskaidekaphobia: Friday the 13th is here! As luck would have it, superstition holds that bad luck may befall us due to any number of events, calendar-based or otherwise. We’…

Happy Friday the 13th! Whether you’re dodging bad luck, knocking on wood, or just enjoying spooky-themed snacks, stop by and let us know how you observe the day! #mystery #cozymystery #booksky

Guest Chick: Judy Penz Sheluk It’s always a pleasure to host our beloved Canadian friend Judy Penz Sheluk, whose career is awe-inspiring. Not only is she an accomplished author, she’s also launched her own publishin…

Twenty-two authors. Twenty-two wild schemes. ZERO werewolves (because Judy just doesn’t get them 🤷‍♀️). Go behind the scenes with Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers — edited by Chick friend Judy Penz Sheluk! #mystery #cozymystery #booksky
Follow Judy at:
@judypenzsheluk.bsky.social

It’s 2025. Do You Know Where Your Manners Are? Sure, everyone is super “busy” these days.  With the 24/7 demands of work, family, intrusive ads, creeping new technologies, and the current state of the world, most people have their heads down, j…

Phones down, manners ON! Lisa dives into everything from polite Parisian kiddos (thanks, Natalie Portman!) to generational tech headaches and why even our AI sidekicks haven’t lost their charm. Follow Lisa at: @lisaqmathews.bsky.social — please and thank you!
#cozymystery #booksky

Guest Chick: Kyra Davis Lurie Ellen here, and I’m thrilled to welcome my friend and fellow San Fernando Valley dweller Kyra Davis Lurie, who has an exciting release to share. Wait until you hear about it. I cannot wait to…

Kyra Davis Lurie: "The best celebrity gossip is vintage celebrity gossip." Don't miss today's blog as Kyra spills the Gilded Age tea on Black Hollywood stars from the 1940's and how they relate to her newest release, THE GREAT MANN.
‪@kyradavis.bsky.social‬ #booksky #tbr

Guest Chick: Michele Drier We’re so happy to welcome back the wonderful Michele Dreier. Setting is a huge component of mysteries and Michele’s take on the topic is spot on. I’ve always considered setting as a cha…

Think setting doesn’t matter? Tell that to the fog rolling in with murder on its mind. Guest Chick Michele Drier dishes on how place sets the mood—and sometimes steals the scene.
#mystery #cozymystery #writing

A Visit with Jason Powell Cynthia here–at Left Coast Crime, I had the great fortune to meet the wonderful Jason Powell, who kindly agreed to visit us and answer some questions about his book No Man’s Ghost, which is o…

Take a peek behind the scenes of Jason Powell's debut novel, NO MAN'S GHOST. Not just a debut author, Jason is a firefighter and deep-fried Oreo afficionado. And he's bringing the 🔥🔥🔥 to Chicks on the Case in this interview with @cynthiakuhn.bsky.social!
#MysteryWriters #BookRec #mystery

A Visit with Jason Powell Cynthia here–at Left Coast Crime, I had the great fortune to meet the wonderful Jason Powell, who kindly agreed to visit us and answer some questions about his book No Man’s Ghost, which is o…

Author Jason Powell visits the blog today! #NoMan'sGhost @chicksonthecase.bsky.social @daturabooks.bsky.social chicksonthecase.com/2025/06/02/a...

Where’s the Crime? Several years ago at a former job, I was promoted to a supervisory position. The transition was rough. Management was making stupid decisions. Direct reports were (understandably) rebelling. I was …

Take a peek inside the mind of a mystery writer, as @patriciasargeant.bsky.social talks about what it's like to see crime scenes everywhere! #mystery #cozymystery #mysteryauthor #crimescene
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Guest Chick: Barbara Nickless Happy Wednesday, my friends! Patricia here, and I’m grinning from ear-to-ear. I’m excited to be hosting my first-ever Guest Chick. Barbara Nickless is a bestselling and award-winning au…

Today on the blog: Author Barbara Nickless on dropping the ball, picking it back up, and why grace > perfection. ✨
#mystery #thriller #amwriting
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Chick Chat: Who Worked it Worst? Who hasn’t suffered through a terrible job–or an even more insufferable boss? Just for fun, we Chicks are holding a little contest to see who had the worst job or most challenging emplo…

Ever have a job — or a boss — who was the literal worst? Come share your story on the blog today, and read all about the jobs we left behind!
#cozymystery #booksky #mystery
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No, YOU'RE fabulous! Especially in that flamingo suit!

Guest Chick: J.C. Kenney The Chicks are thrilled to have author pal J.C. Kenney on the blog with us again. Welcome back. J.C. will be giving away a copy of Dead in the Ditch to one lucky commenter. Take it away — J.C.!  He…

Book giveaway!! Today on Chicks on the Case. Stop by and say hi to one of our favorite writer friends, J.C. Kenney, who's talking superheroes, flamingo suits, Florida, and more! And while you're at it, you can follow him at: @jckenney.bsky.social

#booksky #bookgiveaway #cozymystery #mysterywriter

Idea Doppelgängers When Someone Else Writes Your Brilliant Thought Have you ever had an idea that that felt fresh, personal, and totally original, then someone else comes up with an idea that’s suspiciously similar —…

"She stole my idea!" Or is it really just that great minds think alike...? Today on the blog, Chick Marla @marlacooper.bsky.social talks about Idea Dopplegangers.
#cozymysteries #amwriting #mysterywriter #cozymystery #wheredoyougetyourideas
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It was great having you, Korina! Thanks for stopping by!

Guest Chick: Korina Moss Today we are pleased to welcome into the Coop the Queen of All Things Cheese, Korina Moss, author of the marvelous (and mouth-watering) Cheese Shop Mysteries, with a Very Big Question for you all. …

Are you Team Cheese, Team Chocolate, or Team Both? Come meet Korina Moss and learn about her delicious Cheese Shop Mysteries today on Chicks on the Case! #cozymystery #mystery #mysteries #cozymysteries @korinamossauthor.bsky.social chicksonthecase.com/2025/05/07/g...

Malice Memories – and a Misconception It’s been a week since I returned from this year’s Malice Domestic convention and I’m still on a high from it. Malice felt exceptional this year. It’s like it got its con ba…

Today on the blog: Ellen has us all kicking ourselves that we didn't go to Malice! (Or patting ourselves on the back if we did.)
#mysteries #cozymystery #cozymysteries #malicedomestic
@ellenbyronla.bsky.social chicksonthecase.com/2025/05/05/m...

Hee hee, love it! 😄

It's Saturday!

Post a cartoon TV series you love. 📺

For a gaggle of mystery writers there's really only one answer: