Author Archives: Charlene DAvanzo

Ah, summer! It’s time for barbeque, beach, and, of course, books that bring us into the season. Here are a few notable ones: The Great Gatsby: F. Scott Fitzgerald creates an atmosphere that is literally and actually stifling – a … Continue reading →

Ah Spring! It is the time of first flowers, warm sun, and, of course, stories. Among those are some terrific spring-themed mysteries to savor. Here are a few: Agatha Christie’s Absent In The Spring is a character-drive psychological analysis of … Continue reading →

Given what’s happening in Ukraine, I thought I’d recommend a few novels set during a time of war. Top on my list is Jacqueline Winspear’s “The America Agent”. In this story the intrepid Maisie Dobbs investigates the murder of Catherine … Continue reading →

Maybe I’m suffering from the February blues, but things seem pretty chaotic out there. Just look at the headlines – “Ukraine crisis escalates”, “Flights diverted due to unruly passengers”, “Western megadrought worse in 1200 years”. Even the Olympics, usually pretty … Continue reading →

The Shark, The Girl & The Sea, Oceanographer Mara Tusconi mystery number five, has recently been published. Yes, the story features sharks (Great Whites) plus sea kayaking, oceanographic research ships, a bloody death, ups and downs of Mara’s love life, … Continue reading →

 Since crimes of all sorts underlie my books, the NY Times piece “What Improves The Chances Of Solving A Murder?” caught my attention. Huh, I thought. I’m really not sure.  Pause for a moment and guess. A solution in the … Continue reading →

“The Shark, The Girl, & The Sea”, the final book in my Maine Oceanographer Mara Tusconi mysteries, will be “out” in a couple of weeks. I’ve reviewed the electronic version, will look over the actual hardcover book in a couple … Continue reading →

   Translating true events we know something about into a terrific story shouldn’t be hard, right? All the essentials are in hand — what happens plus the characters, the scene, and the plot.  In practice, it is much more challenging … Continue reading →

A recent NY Times essay explains a widespread human behavior crime writers can put to good use: 1) people like conspiracies that go along with their beliefs and 2) there is some truth to every conspiracy theory (which makes them … Continue reading →