Episode 45: A Conversation with Steve Hockensmith (October 9, 2025) The author of the “Holmes on the Range” series about two cowboys solving mysteries in the wild West saddled up to talk with us about the series, the sometimes contentious relationship between the “Big Red” and “Old Red” Amlingmeyer brothers, and the research that went into the writing. Hockensmith also discussed the challenges writing the Nick and Tesla children’s series with Bob “Science Bob” Pflugfelder and his journey from entertainment reporter to award-winning author.
Episode #44: Conversation with Sarah Ickes (September 2, 2025) As we take a fantasy detour from traditional mysteries, Author Sarah Ickes introduces us to the Olde Realm in her Action/Adventure book, “Written Wings.” We get to meet Vectra Tillerman, a powerful guardian who leads two siblings on an adventure to find their kidnapped brother. In a place where Ancient Greeks enter your dreams, mythical creatures are all around, and others give chase for the end reward, will the kids discover the truth about their parents? Also discussed is the larger world that Sarah is building with her stories; which all started with her mystery series featuring Murial Robertson in America 1880s. And did you know that she is an artist as well?
Episode #43: A Conversation with Radha Vatsal (July 31, 2025) Radha’s talk about her novel “No. 10 Doyers Street” impressed many readers at I Scream for Mysteries, so we brought her on the show to talk about what New York’s Chinatown community was like in the early 1900s, the character of Chinese gangster Mock Duck, what newspaper reporting was like in that time, and the presence of Indian women in America.
Episode #42: Conversation with Tj O’Connor (June 26, 2025). A popular guest at Mechanicsburg Mystery events, Tj joins us to talk about “The Whisper Legacy,” the first book in his Pappa Legacy thriller series, and “Dying for the Past” from his Dead Detective Casefiles series. We also talk about how the paranormal Dead Detective series was republished, why he writes flawed heroes, and the care he takes in capturing accurately how his characters react in stressful situations.
Episode #41: A Conversation with Elizabeth C. Bunce (June 4, 2025). The author of the Myrtle Hardcastle middle-grade series talks about the malaprop that helped inspire the five-book series. We also talk about visiting a woolen mill near Kansas City for research, the fun footnotes that she inserts in the Myrtle story, her crafting hobby, and one fan’s wonderful gift to her.
Episode #40: A Conversation with Libby Klein (April 28, 2025). The author of the Poppy McAllister cozy mystery series is moving into women’s fiction (with mystery overtones) with her new novel “Vice and Virtue.” We talk about Layla Virtue, the recovering alcoholic ex-cop musician., her struggles to stay offthe bottle, and her desire to avoid being drawn into a murder investigation. We also talk about the novel’s comical elements, and the black Lab that plays a role in it.
Episode #39: A Conversation with S.J. Bennett (April 9, 2025) Sophia Bennett talks about her best-selling series featuringQueen Elizabeth II as an amateur sleuth. We talk in-depth about the fourth book in the series, “A Death in Diamonds,” and discuss whether it’s focus on women’s relationships with men and each other makes it a feminist novel. Sophia also talks about her father’s encounters with the queen, whether she would write about other royal families, and the unique role the monarchy plays.
Episode #38: A Conversation with Rosanne Limoncelli (Feb. 21, 2025) Rosanne has taught writing and filmmaking for more than three decades, and on March 11 she’ll make her mystery author debut. We talk with Rosanne about “The FourQueens of Crime,” her historical novel featuring Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, and Naigo Marsh. We talk about the inspiration for creating this detecting supergroup, why she set it during the run-up to WorldWar II, her work teaching filmmaking and the difference between writing for screen and the page.
Episode #37: A Conversation with Heather Weidner(February 7, 2025) Heather is a prolific mystery author with 12 books in four series. We talk with Heather about being the daughter of a police officer and how it influenced her writing, growing up in Virginia Beach, and the debut of her Pearly Girls series in March which she described as “Veronica Mars meets the Golden Girls.”
Episode #36: A Conversation with Kemper Donovan (January 9, 2025) Kemper is an Agatha Christie fan whose podcast "All About Agatha" is a must hear for her fans. He has turned the lessons learned from the Queen of Crime to write mysteries. The second book in his Ghostwriter series, “Loose Lips,” drops in January 2025, so we sat down with him to talk about his journey from agent to lawyer to writer, why he started writing at age 30, Agatha’s influence on his writing and how he adds his unique voice to his mysteries.
Episode #35: A Conversation with Wendy Neugent (October 21, 2024) Wendy spent a decade seeing the world from the deck of cruise ships, and she used those experiences in her Olivia Morgan Cruise Ship mystery series. Neugent talks with host Bill Peschel about life on board a cruise ship, the perils of performing a magic act, the most beautiful places she saw, and how she transitioned into motherhood and mystery writer.
Episode #34: A Conversation with Katherine Ramsland (July 30, 2024) Where do you begin with the author of more than 70 books including thrillers, serial killer memoirs, biographies, and self-help? Ramsland talks with host Bill Peschel about “Dead Handed,” her upcoming third book featuring forensic psychologist Annie Hunter. She also describes writing “Confession of a Serial Killer” based on interviews with the BTK Killer, and “The Serial Killer’s Apprentice” about a teen’s coerced participation in several murders in Houston in the early 1970s.
Episode #33: A Conversation with Tom Mead (June 28, 2024) The author of the Joseph Spector series returns with publication of “Cabaret Macabre,” the third book in the series. We talk about the novel’s roots in the grisly and revenge-obsessed Jacobean theater, and (no spoilers!) it’s ironic and twisty endings. We also talk about Tom’s training as a writer, including a first-class honors at university, his freelance ghostwriting, and the opportunity to submit the first Spector novel to Otto Penzler.
Episode #32: A Conversation with Ruth J. Hartman (June 5, 2024) With so much experience taking care of her own cats, Author Ruth J. Hartman, was bound to begin writing cozy mysteries with the lovable felines. Hear how her writing career got started, and how a bonded pair of brother and sister cats, unintentionally helped her in gathering research for a future book. (Not to mention that she has multiple series featuring amateur sleuths and their cat side-kicks.)
Episode #31: A Conversation with Joyce Tremel (May 6, 2024) Do you like apple orchards, picturesque farmland, and a cozy mystery? Deadly to the Core is the first in a new series for Author Joyce Tremel, aka Joyce St. Anthony for her Homefront News Mysteries, and it features new fruit farm owner Kate Mulligan in the area of Gettysburg, PA. She plans to open a cider house, when the orchard's manager is found dead, leaving her in a tight bind. As the people in the area receive mysterious offers to buy up their lands, and the dead man's bank account is revealed to have unexplained deposits of cash, Kate must find out who the murderer is before her fresh start is clipped prematurely.
Episode #30: A Conversation with Laurie R. King (Mar. 29, 2024) The author of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series talks with fellow author, and host, Bill Peschel, as they dive into the latest adventure of her two beloved characters in The Lantern's Dance. It seemed only fitting to have the author of The Beekeeper's Apprentice, which is celebrating it's 30th anniversary of being published this year, on our 30th episode of our show!
Episode #29: A Conversation with Tom Mead (Feb. 18, 2024) The author of the Joseph Spector series talks with Bill Peschel about the different inspirations he derived from the mystery writers who defined the Golden Age of Detection. In our first ever LIVE vodcast, we dive into a little sliver of the history of the mystery as Mr. Mead explains the allure to locked room mysteries and how his research held great influence in not just his characters, but also in their names and the situations they find themselves embroiled within. "Death in the Conjuror" is the first in his series, with the third installment, "Cabaret Macabre" coming out later this year. As you may have noticed, this episode is listed as being Part 1, since we are looking forward to bringing Mr. Mead back for another segment when his newest release hits shelves this Summer.
Episode #28: A Conversation with Victoria Dowd (Oct. 9, 2023) The award-winning author of the Smart Women series talks about the island fort that inspired her latest book (“A Book of Murder”), why her books are populated with nasty characters, the true relationship between series narrator Ursula Smart and her mother, and her journey from defending the accused at the Old Bailey to mystery novels.
Episode #27: A Conversation with Mindy Quigley (Sept. 21, 2023) The author of the Delilah O’Leary series talks with Bill Peschel about her writer’s journey from working with cloning scientist Ian Wilmut to her cozy mystery series set in a fictional Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We also discuss her diverse cast of characters, how learned to write evocative descriptions, and the perils of fame. Mindy is the author of “Six Feet Deep Dish,” “Ashes to Ashes Crust to Crust,” and (coming in December 2023) “Public Anchovy #1.”
Episode #26: A Conversation with Nicole Asselin (Aug. 22, 2023). Podcaster and author of the Ballpark Mysteries series sit down with us to talk about Red Sox Nation, her love for all Boston sports, growing up in Mechanicsburg, and cozy mysteries. She has two books in the series, “Murder at First Pitch” and “Concession Stand Crimes.”