The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

Frances Glessner Lee was a woman before her time. Her interest in criminal investigation and forensic evidence lead her to be a well-known authority in the field in until she died in 1962. 

Saturday night I had the opportunity to attend a lecture at Chicago's Glessner House to learn about The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, the miniature crime scenes she created.  In 1931 Lee provided funds to Harvard Medical School to endow the Chair of Legal Medicine and had her long-time friend Dr. George Burgess Magrath in charge. 

During the time he was the chair, they worked together on forensic science and after he died, Mrs. Lee was named director of education for the New Hampshire State Police. In 1945 she oversaw the creation of the first seminar for Homicide Investigation for State Police at Harvard Medical School.

That's when Mrs. Lee created the miniature crime scenes, known as The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death.

The models depicted scenes of crimes that could be murder, suicide, an accident and natural causes. The model above is called The Netshell Attic. Miss Jessie Compton was discovered dead in her house by Mr. Harry Frazer, a milk delivery man. Was it suicide or murder?

The picture at the right is the Red Bedroom. Marie Jones, prostitute, found dead by her landlady, Mrs. Shirley Flanagan. Is it murder, suicide or an accident?

The miniatures were used to train officers how to look for clues and not be swayed by first impressions. They are still in use today and are housed in Baltimore in the Medical Examiner's Office. 

Way before The Nutshell Studies, Mrs. Lee created a miniature of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and gave it to her mother as a gift. The orchestra is displayed at Glessner House on Prairie Avenue. 

For more information on The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, click here.

Read on Arrival

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Librarian Cleo Watkins has been hard at work driving the library's bookmobile Words on Wheels to patrons in Catalpa Springs, Georgia while the library building is being repaired and redecorated. In Read on Arrival by Nora Page, Cleo and the bookmobile are about to get a rude awakening. (Read on Arrival will be published by Crooked Lane Books on May 7.)

Board president Mercer Whitty introduces Cleo to his new flamboyant "Inno-brarian" Belle Beauchamp. Belle's ideas for the library include removing old books, painting the rooms shocking colors and replacing Cleo's trusty bookmobile with Belle's flashier one with fewer books. Cleo is incensed and tries to appeal to the good sense of the board.  

In the meantime her nemesis Dixie Huddleston has teased Cleo about an overdue book for nearly 40 years. It seems Dixie has been holding on to a book entitled Luck and Lore, but now, Dixie claims the signs are pointing to an unlucky ending to her life and she wants to make amends. Cleo, unsure this isn't another trick, drives to Dixie's house and finds Dixie locked in her pantry and dead from bee stings. The epi pen she'd tried to use had been filled with sugar water instead of epinephrine.

Also on the scene is Dixie's eccentric son Jefferson and his wife Jacquelyn who hope to open a mime school in Dixie's backyard cottage. At the same time, Dixie's long-estranged daughter Amy-Ray appears claiming she is the rightful heir to the main house. Suddenly people around town are receiving paper coffins threatening their demise.

When Chief Culpepper accuses Cleo of killing Dixie, she knows she has to prove she didn't murder her because of an overdue book or for any reason, especially since the overdue book was not found during the police search of Dixie's house. 

There are plenty of suspects as Dixie was not the most loved person in town and Cleo needs to clear her name before murder strikes again. 

The first in an engaging new series. 

Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce

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Mahalia Watkins is a woman after my own heart. She wears her hair short and in a wash and wear style. In Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce by A.L. Herbert, Halia operates Mahalia's Sweet Tea in Prince George's County, Maryland, and she serves the best soul food around.

While having her hair done with her cousin Wavonne at Illusions, the local salon, they hear that Monique Dupree will be in town in two days. Halia has never heard of Monique, but all the other women and the salon owner are ecstatic about her appearance. Monique is in town for the Unique Chic Hair Convection and is kicking off a cross-country tour with a special appearance at Illusions.

She is known as the biggest thing to happen to African American hair in ages, so naturally everyone is clamoring to meet her. When Monique arrives at Illusions she has a camera crew in tow. Also on hand are her stylist Maurice and her rude, arrogant husband Nathan. Halia and her mother are roped into an interview about the hair products with Wavonne making a guest appearance.

Monique is charming, gracious and has an electrifying presence. Happily Halia invites Monique and

her entourage which includes her personal chef Alex, her frenemy Odessa, Maurice and Nathan, to dinner at Sweet Tea. Monique returns the favor by inviting Halia and Wavonne to an elegant party at her home. She even offers to have her stylist take them shopping for something white to wear to the white party.

While they are enjoying the party, Halia hears some not too pleasant arguments between Monique and Odessa and Monique and Alex, but she figures it is none of her business and she moves away. She also discovers that Nathan beats Monique, but of course Monique downplays it. The next morning, Monique is found dead in her home from a gunshot wound.

Halia's investigating instincts kick in and she decides to assist the police in solving the crime. They however, aren't that interested in her assistance as they have arrested Nathan for the murder. Halia's investigation leads her into all sorts of places including a drag queen hangout and with her outspoken cousin Wavonne, the scene is hilarious.

Halia discovers jealousies, bitter rivalries, backstabbers and schemers in her quest to find the killer. Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce is a delicious mystery with brassy, bold women as characters. Gotta love the sistas, as Wavonne would say.

Elle Alexander on Video

How long does it take to shoot the weekly video?
Most of my weekly videos run about ten to fifteen minutes in length but it takes at least an hour to

actually film each video. Sometimes even longer if I mess up a bunch or if we need a lot of b-roll to add into the final cut. The videos need lighting and sound as well as trying to figure out the best place to shoot based on the time of day and topic, so set-up is probably another thirty minutes to an hour.

Click here for the latest Five Things Friday - Five Favorite Cookbooks video

Do you work from a script or just wing it?

I always start with a script and rough idea of what I want to talk about each week, and then from there I usually end up winging it once we start filming. I have basic talking points sketched out, but one of the things that I enjoy most about filming the videos is feeling like I get to have a conversation with readers. Sure, technically it’s a one-sided conversation when I’m filming but I want readers to feel like we’re chatting on my living room couch with a latte and pastry. I want to give readers a sense of who I really am.

Who films and edits the footage?

My husband does all of the set-up, filming, editing, sound, etc. He’s a dream! I would never be able to tackle something like this without his help. I’m technically challenged. Fortunately his background is in advertising and he recently launched his freelancing career. I’m his first official “client”.

Why did you decide to use this Five Things format?

Good question. I don’t know if it was a conscious choice initially. We were brainstorming ideas about what would be fun to share with readers to give them a glimpse into what goes into writing. I get a ton of email from readers (which I love BTW) with questions not only about specific books and characters but also about sort of the “mystique” of writing for a living. I wanted to share interesting content and I said to my husband, “It’s hardly like my life is glamorous”. We laughed and then we were both like, “Oh, hey what if we share that?” The idea evolved from there.

Have things changed from when you first started doing the videos?
For sure! I feel like I’ve gotten more comfortable in front of the camera. At first I felt stiff and weird, but then I had an ah-ha moment, where I imagined that the camera was a reader. I told myself to talk to the camera like I would to a reader at a book event and that really helped. Now when I sit down to shoot a video, I’m excited to get to have a conversation and share so much more than I could in any other medium online.

What have you learned from shooting videos?

I’ve learned so much and have so much more to learn. It’s a lot like writing in that way. In addition to the 5 Things Friday videos I did a pie project last December where I baked a pie every day for a month, filmed it, and shared the videos and recipes. It was a huge challenge. I had no idea how different it is to film a baking video. We had to rig up special cameras to shoot from above so that readers would be able to see what I was adding to a mixing bowl. I’ve learned to slow way down when I’m baking for the camera, versus how I would bake in normal everyday life. Otherwise viewers would be dizzy watching my mixer whirling and my hands rolling dough at lightening speed. I enjoy the challenge of learning from some of my early filming mistakes, and hopefully improving over time.

What has your response been to the videos?

The response has been wonderful. I love interacting with readers who have viewed the videos. I’ve received so many suggestions and ideas for other topics and content, too. It’s great to be able to incorporate reader ideas and questions into the videos. I’m getting ready to roll out two new series. The Torte Test Kitchen will be a series where I bake and share recipes from already published books and upcoming books. I’m also going to start a series specifically for writers about the world of publishing and writing tips and techniques.

Movie Mogul Mama

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Some people are unable to resist the lure of movie making and being associated with it. In the latest installment of The Heist Ladies - Movie Mogul Mama by Connie Shelton, the ladies are out to catch a con man. The chase leads them to Newport, Rhode Island; California; back to Phoenix and lastly to Mexico.

Gracie Nelson discovers her mother has invested in a movie making scheme and now without seeing any of the profits from her investment, she is about to lose her home. Not wanting her mother, sister and two nieces to move into their already tight home, Gracie calls on her friends to help her mother get the money back. Naturally her mother cannot find a contract or anything that talks about her investment, making the job more difficult.

Using their special skills, Amber, Sandy, Mary and Penelope dig into the scheme and find Rob Williams has been promising huge returns on investments for his latest Hollywood action movie. Penelope and Amber decide to participate in an investor event in Rhode Island the following weekend.

To dazzle investors even more, the event is held in The Breakers, the famous mansion, in Newport.

The audience is filled with excited investors and even some who have invested in the past. Penelope zeroes in on one in particular. Maisie Brown talks about being invited to a premier and rubbing elbows with the stars, but Pen is suspicious of her enthusiasm. The presentation by Rob Williams is filled with excitement and energy and afterwards, people are escorted into a small room to hand over their checks. Pen and Amber follow along.

Pen pretends to be interested in investing. but tells Rob she needs to have her bank send him a check the next day. As they continue to investigate they build a case for fraud, present it to the police in California and wait for Rob's court date. Unfortunately the case doesn't turn out the way they want and Rob is set free.

That sets the Heist Ladies into motion for their own scam. It's incredible to me how gullible a conman becomes as they ensnare him their own con. Another enterprising adventure for the Heist Ladies. 

Designs on Murder

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Amanda Tucker finds the perfect spot for a design studio - the Shops on Main in Abingdon, Virginia. The only problem is the shop comes with ghost. In Designs on Murder by Gayle Leeson, budding fashionista Amanda is super excited to begin work. Unfortunately the day she decides to sign the lease, one of the other tenants is found murdered in his shop upstairs.

That doesn't stop her and she enlists her grandfather to help with shelves and other improvements. When she discovers the ghost of Maxine Englebright inhabiting her space, she's happy for the company. Max tells her she died from a fall down the stairs in the Shops of Main, which at that time was a private house. She has been in the house since she fell to her death in 1930.

As for the murder, there's concern at the Shops on Main about why web designer Mark Tinsley was murdered. It was rumored he was having money problems and it's thought that something in his past might have lead to his death.

Trying not to worry about the investigation and concentrate on
building her business, Amanda begins designing one-of-a-kind dresses and some ready-to-wear samples for her shop. With the help of handsome photographer Jason Logan and her neighbor Connie, Amanda begins seeing customers and starts working on prom dresses for two teenage girls and a bridal party.

But Max decides they need to investigate Mark's murder and despite her better judgment, Amanda agrees. Using her detecting skills gained from reading Nancy Drew books, Amanda begins her investigation with some scary results.

Designs on Murder is a quirky, witty mystery with a fashionable ghost and a creative designer. Looking forward to others in the Ghostly Fashionista Mysteries.

Murder and Mayhem in Chicago

Sisters in Crime Chicagoland hosted Murder and Mayhem in Chicago yesterday. With several panels and dozens of authors, it was a terrific day. Keynote speaker was Sophia Hannah, author of the new Hercule Poirot books. She delighted us with her account of how that came about.

Sophie Hannah interviewed
by Susanna Calkins

Panelists Sherry Harris, Cheryl Read, Edith Maxwell,
Carlene O'Connor and Susanna Calkins

Sisters in Chicago Chicagoland president
 Patricia Skalka and Sophie Hannah

MapYourMystery Christine Gentes with
Edith Maxwell and Michelle Cox

MapYourMystery Christine Gentes
and Sophie Hannah

The Hidden Corpse

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After her appearance on a reality baking show ruined her marriage, Hope Early returns to her hometown of Jefferson, Connecticut. Concentrating on her blog, Hope at Home, she decides to take a photography workshop taught by famous photographer Cal Barnhart.

In The Hidden Corpse by Debra Sennefelder, Hope worries about Cal's missing wife Lily and wonders how it will impact the workshop. With three other food bloggers at the workshop, Hope knows she has to stay on her toes. Blogging is a cutthroat business.

As if this isn't enough to clog her mind with worry, as she returns home, she sees smoke coming from her elderly neighbor's home. She rushes in to find a pot of burning vegetables on the stove and her neighbor unaware of what is happening around her. Thinking she needs to tell Mrs. Olson's daughter about the incident, Hope gets sidetracked and forgets about telling her.

The next day, Hope returns home to find the neighbor's house

totally engulfed in flames. As she is held back by the fire department, Hope is remorseful and wishes she had let the daughter know something was wrong. But before long the fire department discovers a second body in the charred remains and they discover it is the missing Lily Barnhart, and that the fire was deliberately set.

While investigating Lily's background, Hope discovers she was on the Planning and Zoning Commission and had been opposed to unrestricted growth. With another big vote coming up shortly, did Lily get on the wrong side of someone or was her husband involved in her death?

The Hidden Corpse is the second book in The Food Blogger Mystery series and I look forward to many more, especially if they include some other delicious recipes from Hope's blog.

The Drowning

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Eight-year-old Joey Proctor is heading to summer camp, but not happily. He doesn't want to be away from his parents, but off he goes. To make matters worse, his swim instructor wants him to jump in the deep water and learn to swim.

In The Drowning by J.P. Smith, Joey knows he is terrified of the deep water and refuses to jump in. Alex, the instructor, wants everyone to jump in from the dock and swim to the raft. When Joey doesn't move, Alex picks up him up and throws him into the water. Thrashing around and frightened he might drown, Joey is paralyzed with fear. Alex realizes what is happening jumps in and grabs Joey. But instead of bringing him to shore, he swims with him to the raft, hoists him onto it and
swims away, telling Joey if he wants to go back to his cabin, he needs to swim ashore.

Hours later Alex checks the raft and doesn't see Joey so he believes he swam back to shore. The next morning the entire camp is in an uproar because Joey is missing, never to be seen again. An old scary legend about John Otis stealing boys from the camp rears its head. Everyone is afraid.

Fast forward 20 years and Alex Mason is a wealthy, respected real estate businessman in New York. Everything he touches turns to gold. He seems to be living a charmed life until strange occurrences begin. First someone dyes his swimming pool water red and carves the words "Remember me" on the floor of the pool. When the police ask about enemies, Alex is perplexed. He doesn't think he has enemies who would do something like this.

When the events escalate and begin to point to Joey Proctor, Alex remembers the experience from camp and believes maybe Joey is alive and seeking revenge. With his life spiraling out of control and his family threatened, Alex decides to find Joey Proctor and stop the harassment.

The Drowning is not just another camper goes missing book. It is a diabolically written mystery.

Interview with Ellen Crosby

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published?

Ellen Crosby photo by
Jackie Briggs

My most recent book, which was released in November 2018, is called Harvest of Secrets—the 9th book in the Virginia wine country mystery series. The tenth book, The Angels’ Share, will be out this November. In all, I have published 13 books—two series and a standalone.


How did you develop your character and choose your location?
Lucie Montgomery, who is the main character in the Virginia wine country mystery series, was only supposed to be around for one book: The Merlot Murders. I wanted a character with a strong personality; someone young and spunky. Now nearly twenty years and ten books later, I rely on the advice of my daughters-in-law, who are (much) nearer Lucie’s age than I am!

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As for choosing the location—Virginia wine country—that story starts in London where we lived for five years in the mid-1990s. One summer when we returned to the US for a visit, a colleague of my husband’s decided we needed to see the Virginia vineyards after years of living in Europe and traveling through the wine regions of France, Switzerland, and Italy.

We spent a glorious summer day visiting several vineyards, which was when I fell in love with the scenery and beauty of Virginia. Back in London, I mentioned the trip to my British literary agent who thought it was a fabulous setting for a book, specifically a book that I needed to write. I finally let her talk me into writing it—I knew nothing about growing grapes or making wine—though I told her, “Okay, but I’m only writing one book.”

For a review of Harvest of Secrets, click here.

What is a day in the life of an author like? Do you write a certain number of words, do you write in the morning or evening?
As any serious author will tell you, if you’re a writer you write. It’s not about waiting for the muse to strike or the fairy dust to settle on your shoulders and inspire you. The longer I am in this business, the more I try to guard my writing time like it is a precious jewel so I make sure I get my books written and turned in on time to my editor. It’s too easy to get lost in social networking, marketing, or even to accept every invitation you receive to give a book talk—all of which are also necessary components of a writing career.

These days—and now that my husband has retired—I spend my mornings taking care of personal and family matters, writing business obligations, a trip to the gym, and anything else that is on my calendar. I write in the afternoons—closer to the book deadline I’ll write 7 days a week—and don’t quit until I’ve written at least 1,000 words.

Do you model your character after yourself or any one you know?
Since I thought Lucie was only going to be around for one book, I didn’t really create her based on anyone I knew. I knew I wanted The Merlot Murders to begin in France and have an international “hook” so I made Lucie half-French and introduced her when she was living in the south of France and recovering from an automobile accident that left her with a limp and requiring a cane to get around.

If your books were made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead character?
Someone young and spunky like Emma Watson or Lily James.

Who is your favorite author?
Not a fair question! Too many to name.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to a dinner party, who would they be?
Actually, I’d want to invite 6 people: my husband, three sons, and two daughters-in-law. (Soon there will be a seventh, a new grandchild!) With one son and daughter-in-law living in Germany and another living in Utah (thank goodness our youngest son lives nearby), getting together—all of us—is so rare. We stay in touch regularly and are a close-knit family but nothing beats having everyone at home together, especially around the dinner table. Besides, we are also a family of cooks, so the meal would be special, too.

If you could not be an author, what would like to do as a career?
Being an author came late in life for me, after my older sons left for college. Previously I worked as a journalist in the US and the former Soviet Union, which I loved, and before that I was the economic advisor to a United States Senator for five years until my husband’s job took us to Switzerland in the 1980s. I loved both my pre-author careers—they were fascinating and fast-paced.

Have you had your own DNA tested?
As a former journalist, I always do my homework! So, since DNA testing was part of the story in Harvest of Secrets, of course I had my DNA tested. Unlike Lucie, though, there were no surprises