Mysteries To Die For Xmas Party

Happy Holidays to all of you. It was over 80F in Thousand Oaks today and its time to celebrate the holidays.



The annual Holiday Party at Mysteries To Die For. Your lovely hostesses and co-owners: Dinee, Jane and Heidi.


Once again the store was blessed with two talented authors: Richard Barre and Joanne Fluke.

Richard’s Wind on the River, with a foreword by Harlan Coben, is the third in his Christmas series - a story for all ages and a classic for all seasons.



The line extended out the door for customers and fans to get a signed copy of Wind On The River. Rich looks fairly tired after signing, a this is probably a low estimate, 50+ copies of the book!



Here I am with Rich after exchanging holiday greetings.


Sugar Cookie Murder, Joanne cooks up a seasonal story along with a delicious compendium of recipes. In fact, right in front of her on the signing table was a tray of her wonderful sugar cookies.



Best selling author of Earthquake Weather, Terrill Lankford attended the event. Here he is reading the December 3 Wall Street Journal book review on Rich Barre's book. The article was written by Tom Nolan, the biographer of Ross McDonald. No, he is not looking at the want ads...



It is with sadness that I report that this might be the last book from Barre. How many times have we heard this before that talented mid-list authors have to struggle to keep their work afloat. Lee Goldberg last week on his blog, paid Barre a high compliment in stating that Barre's Wil Hardesty ..."stunning, fresh takes on the traditional PI stereotype." He has another book out there now for consideration and this is one author who has proven himself as a writer (winner of the 1996 Shamus Award for Best First Novel) and deserves better from the publishing world.