Wednesday, September 16, 2026
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND A MURDER WEAPON!
I asked readers what they’d like me to write about today, and you came through with some great questions! I’m answering the first few here and saving the rest for my next column.
Lela White asked: Could you share how you helped solve a murder?
Many years ago, a well-known woman in Wichita was murdered. One of my close friends managed an apartment complex for her. The woman, who was a very kind person, had helped a couple who lived in that same complex.
A few days after the murder, I was talking to my friend on the phone when she happened to mention that the couple was parked outside on the street. They’d rented a U-Haul and were moving away. I believe they were planning to leave town. Something about that bothered me. I told my friend to hang up and call the police. Immediately. She wasn’t sure about ia at first, but after talking to her husband, she decided to follow through and called 911.
The police arrived and searched the U-Haul.
They found the murder weapon! The couple was arrested and confessed to the crime.
Mark A. Buzard asked: Why do you write Christian suspense as opposed to other genres in and out of Christian fiction?
I started out writing traditional mysteries, then moved into cozy mysteries. Later, a publisher asked me to write Old Order Mennonite suspense. They already had an Amish author who had exclusive rights to write that genre for them, so they asked me to write novels that had a similar feel—but weren’t Amish.
After I’d written several books for them, my current publisher came calling. I continued writing Mennonite suspense for them, but eventually I asked if we could move the Mennonite element into the background and bring the suspense forward. They agreed. Then I asked if I could write straight suspense. They agreed to that too!
And that’s how I ended up where I am today. Although I write suspense, every book I write also contains a mystery. I guess Nancy Drew still has a little influence on me after all these years.
Sherry Legan asked about podcasts.
I’m not completely sure what you wanted to know about podcasts, Sherry, but I can tell you that I’ve been interviewed on several, and I’ve enjoyed them. It’s fun to meet new people and actually talk with them rather than simply typing responses to interview questions.
However, the shy part of me still prefers hiding behind my keyboard. Given the choice, I’d usually rather do a written interview.
Terry Fleming said: I agree with Mark A. Buzard!
Thanks, Terry. I answered his question! Hugs, my friend.
Tina Johansen Klag asked: Talk about how leaning on your faith helps you to write your stories.
I dedicate my books to God, and I pray for His guidance as I write. I know He gave me this gift, so I trust Him to help me create stories that will point readers toward Him.
And for me, it goes even deeper than that.
I love writing suspense and mystery, but if I couldn’t include an element of faith, I wouldn’t want to write at all. Someday, we’ll stand before God. I don’t believe He’ll care about how many books we sold or how many awards we won. What will matter is whether we used the gifts He gave us to make a difference for Him. That’s what I pray to do with every story I write.
Vickie Watts asked: How did you get the idea for the Erin Delaney books, and what inspired you to write Christian romantic suspense?
I knew I wanted to write about an author. (Gee, I wonder why?)
I also knew how much readers loved a character from one of my previous series—Kaely Quinn. So, I asked my publisher if I could bring Kaely back in a new series. They said yes. And thus, the Erin Delaney Mysteries were born!
Thanks so much to everyone who submitted questions—and to all of you who took the time to read my column. I’ll answer more reader questions next time.
And now for a giveaway!
They’d started back to the house when they heard a male voice behind them. Then a shot rang out.
“Run!” Kaely said.
When bestselling author Erin Delaney’s novel gets picked up for a movie deal, she eagerly awaits her friend Kaely Quinn-Hunter’s arrival in Tennessee before they head to California to observe the film’s production. However, when Kaely doesn’t arrive at the scheduled time and Erin can’t reach her by phone, her concern grows.
A cryptic phone call from Kaely’s kidnapper confirms Erin’s worst fear—she has exactly six days to save her friend’s life by solving his twisted clues. The message comes with a warning: Contact the police or FBI, and Kaely dies. But Erin works for the Sanctuary Police Department, and Kaely’s husband is with the FBI, putting her in an impossible situation.
As Erin races against time, she must crack the kidnapper’s chilling puzzle before it’s too late.
Nancy Mehl delivers thrills like no one else in the conclusion of her high-stakes Christian romantic suspense series, full of action, investigations, cryptic clues, and dangerous threats. This finale promises to captivate fans of Criminal Minds, Lynette Eason, Colleen Coble, Irene Hannon, Susan May Warren, and Elizabeth Goddard.
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
WHAT'S HOT in Christian Mystery and Suspense
Marji Laine here.
I'm intrigued with a romantic mystery. I just don't see books that are defined like that very often.
Cascade
by Linda K. Rodante
Crista Henson fled to a quiet Tennessee town to rebuild her shattered life, trading her past for a fresh start as a vacation planner and a deeper reliance on God. She wants peace. Instead, she finds herself tangled in a deadly web of secrets with enough suspects to challenge Hercule Poirot himself. She never planned on playing amateur sleuth—and she certainly didn't plan on Sid Martin.
Sid is running from his own devastating past, swearing off the wilderness
forever.
But when a friend lures him back, a desperate cry for help and a brutal
attempted murder force him to confront his guilt and his fears.
As their investigation expands and danger closes in, can Crista and Sid narrow
the suspects in time to prevent their own demise?
Monday, September 14, 2026
THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS
We have exciting things planned for you this week on the Suspense Sisters!
Wednesday, Suspense Sister Nancy Mehl will talk about how she became a writer. She’s also giving away a copy of her new release, FATAL FINALE.
They'd started back to the house when they heard a male voice behind them. Then a shot rang out.
"Run!" Kaely said.
A cryptic phone call from Kaely's kidnapper confirms Erin's worst fear--she has exactly six days to save her friend's life by solving his twisted clues. The message comes with a warning: Contact the police or FBI, and Kaely dies. But Erin works for the Sanctuary Police Department, and Kaely's husband is with the FBI, putting her in an impossible situation. As Erin races against time, she's forced to crack the kidnapper's chilling puzzle before it's too late.
ORDER IT HERE
Friday, author Kristen Hogrefe Parnell, interviews Ann Swindell about her new book, SECRETS IN THE CASTLE LIBRARY. Leave a comment, along with your contact information, and you could win a copy of this wonderful book!
The only thing eluding Eddie Canon are answers. As director of the National Museum of Lethersby, he's spent years chasing the truth behind Queen Alma's disappearance over a century ago. Now, tasked by the royals to tie up the loose ends of the national mystery, he's studying in the castle library and still coming up empty-handed.
The last person Eddie wants to work with is Melanie, who inserts herself into his research-and his life. She's brash, annoying, forthright...and altogether brilliant. Eddie thinks it wise to push her away, but as the research continues to stall, he can't ignore that their friendship has begun to blossom.
When the long-lost queen's mysteries finally come to light, Melanie is plunged into darkness-and Eddie questions everything he thought he understood about faith and love. Together, they must uncover the secrets in the castle library and decide whether they're willing to trust God with a story far greater than their own.
PREORDER IT HERE
Don’t forget to enter our monthly contest!
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
SITDOWN WITH MELISSA KOSLIN
By Patricia Bradley
Join me today for a sit-down with Suspense Sister, Melissa Koslin, as she talks about her new book, Endless as the Rain (she's giving away a digital copy). But first, a little about Melissa.
Patricia: Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel, Endless As The Rain?
Melissa: A young woman is kidnapped by the son of a mobster. Alec is certainly dangerous, but is he a threat to her, or is he truly trying to protect her from attempts on her life? She must uncover the truth of his past, how it entwines with her own, if she wants to survive.
Patrica: What inspired the title Endless As The Rain? What sparked the first seed of this story—an image, a question, a character, or a “what if” moment?
Melissa: The title of the book comes from the poem “Long-Felt Desires” by Louise Labe from the 1500s, which includes the line “endless as the rain.”
The spark came when I was watching an interview with a writer, and she’d mentioned she came up with her story idea from a dream. I know that might sound silly. But as I thought about it, I realized I had a story that I’d dreamt about years before when I was a young teenager. It was one of those ones that sticks with you for some reason. I remembered how intense the emotion had been. I picked up a random notebook and started writing the story. I haven’t stopped writing since.
This book has actually been published before. I had written for a long time under a different pen name. It was romantic suspense mostly, but not yet explicitly Christian. I have since devoted myself strictly to Christian fiction. I removed all past books from publication and deleted social media profiles and my website- everything. But I decided this book series was too special to leave in the trash pile. I rewrote it to bring it up to my current standards, and the Christian element naturally wove into the story. It makes it make more sense. The book is now as it always should have been, and I’m extremely excited about that.
Patricia: Where did the inspiration for Alec’s character come from?
Melissa: I felt like the book needed a dark, brooding, wounded, but powerful hero, and Alec fills that role perfectly. There is so much in his past that has shaped him in unique ways that other people won’t really understand.
Patricia: What’s your favorite scene? And why.
Melissa: I’m not sure I can nail down just one. I think something I really love is that we know the whole book Alec is hiding things. We know he’s got his hands in some way with the criminal element. We know he’s powerful and feared. And yet, we feel his goodness as well.
Patricia: Where did the inspiration for Adriane’s character come from?
Melissa: I picked the name due to its similarity to the word rain. Adriane sees herself as invisible due to pulling away from the world after her father died five years ago. Yet, she is anything but. I wanted the invisible girl to find her voice and be the hero in a lot of ways.
Patricia: What was difficult about writing this book?
Melissa: This was the first book I ever wrote. It’s been rewritten literally more times than I can remember. When I came at the editing this time, I came with fresh (and more experienced) eyes and completely rewrote large swaths. AND I changed it from 1st person to 3rd person—THAT was a lot of work!
But I think even more difficult than that was how obsessed I got. I had to make sure I didn’t let real life responsibilities slide while I did the rewrite. There is something about this book that has always made me passionate.
Patricia: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Melissa: The mystery, the constant taunting about who Alec really is and what his real goals are.
Patricia: What do you hope readers will take away from Endless As The Rain?
Melissa: Trust God when he nudges you. His path is always better than our own. Talk to God and ask for guidance. He’s always there ready to listen, eager to guide—no matter how dark your past is.
Patricia: What keeps you at the keyboard, especially on days you would rather do something else?
Melissa: The stories. That’s what keeps me excited after all these years.
Patricia: Is there a part of the book that comes from your own life?
Melissa: Funnily enough, my job in property management helps me write his business a little more realistically. The lion’s share of his business is real estate investing, so I am able to include some details that the average person may not think about. It’s not an exciting aspect, but it made writing those scenes a lot easier and accurate.
Also, he’s a skilled martial artist. His first introduction to martial arts was traditional Taekwondo simply because that’s where the bulk of my training is. I’m a 4th degree black belt. I love writing fight scenes.
Patricia: How long does it usually take you to write a book from thought to finish?
Melissa: This varies widely. It could be a month (my quickest book), or it could be a year. Before I had our daughter, it was closer to a few months, but now it’s closer to a year.
Patricia: A couple of fun questions now. What’s your favorite beverage? Coffee, tea or something else?
Melissa: I don’t like coffee. I don’t even like the smell. Never have.
But I like some tea. I go for the mild ones, not spicey. My favorite right now is Tazo lemon loaf (literally tastes like lemon cake).
Patricia: What are you working on now?
Melissa: I am doing two things right now. I’m finishing up the rest of this series—almost done rewriting the last book.
And I’m working on a new speculative fiction book—it theorizes that the Amazons are real (though not all the myths are accurate) and that they started due to being inspired by stories of Deborah (Judges chapters 4 and 5).
I researched the Amazons and potential inspirations of the original myth. Some will say past religions and cultures held women up in power, but what I found was almost all about intimate physical aspects of womanhood (mostly related to temple priestesses, who were really just temple prostitutes). It was never actual respect for them as people. But the Bible introduced the radical concept that women are of equal value as men. I can only imagine how that affected the people of that time.
Patricia: Where can our audience go to connect with you?
Website: www.MelissaKoslin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaKoslin/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/melissakoslin?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_koslin/?hl=en
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/melissakoslin/
To be entered in a drawing for a copy of Endless as the Rain, be sure to leave a comment with your contact info! You can let us know if you've read any of Melissa's books! Or just say "hi"...
Endless as the Rain by Melissa Koslin
For Adriane Graham, the real question comes down to whether she's Alec Kaden's guest or prisoner…
If she's a guest, then that means Alec freed himself from his family ties to organized crime and that he's telling the truth when he says he's protecting Adriane from dangerous men. It means they both can shake off the shackles of haunted pasts and begin anew together.If she's his guest, then Adriane Graham is no longer alone. She's safe. And maybe…just maybe…she can finally find the strength to love.
But…
If Adriane is Alec's prisoner, that changes everything.
It means his tenderness is simply a ruse to keep her under control; his kindness is just poisoned hypocrisy. It means Alec is a cruel liar, and that somehow, by some desperate way, she's got to get out of this charming man's well-guarded house…before it's too late.
Troubling questions pour like fountains through Adriane's heart…flowing…
Endless as the Rain.
Join Christian author Melissa Koslin as she explores the fine line between love and danger.
And I didn't forget that today is the anniversary of 911. My prayers are with all of the families who lost loved ones on that date. And pray for this country, that history doesn't repeat itself.
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Book Review: Murders in the Marquee by Dana Mentink
Last week I had the pleasure of reading Murders in the Marquee by Dana Mentink. To say this book was absolutely delightful would be a massive understatement. My reading typically runs on the darker side of Christian suspense, and Murders in the Marquee veered off that path slightly. It falls somewhere between suspense and cozy mystery, and I found so many things to love as I read. Here are my top three:
1. The characters were memorable and unique. Each of the characters had their own goals personality--just like people in real life. A few characters made me want to scream (again, just like people in real life). I loved that the main characters were people I could cheer for.
2. The setting at the Grand Mallard Marquee Hotel added color to the story and ample nooks and crannies for suspicion to fester. The ducks and the hotel staff brought the pages of the book to life.
3. The gamut of emotions I felt while reading this book were vast. I gasped. I laughed. I cried. Dana Mentink did a fantastic job of holding me hostage in the best way possible.
I can't recommend Murders in the Marquee enough. If you haven't purchased a copy yet, you can grab one here. You won't be disappointed!
For a chance to win an ebook copy, comment below with your favorite part about staying in a hotel!
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