The Choir Loft Murders

It is the mid-1990s in the small, peaceful oil field town of Pierce, California, when one of its residents is suddenly found dead in a drainage ditch beside the road. Known as a happy-go-lucky alcoholic who wouldn’t hurt a flea, Verlin Simpson’s unanticipated death is quickly deemed suspicious. Verlin’s devoutly Christian wife, Shirley, is naturally devastated and relies on her faith and her friends in her church choral group, the Golden-Agers, for strength. Meanwhile, Officer Tom Phillips begins working the case. Although Pierce hasn’t seen a murder in over ten years, Phillips must rely on his instincts as a former LAPD officer as he begins questioning residents and church members, and investigating clues he hopes will help him solve the case and learn why someone would want to kill a drunk old man. But after the case goes cold, another body is found in a bathroom stall a few months later, leaving Tom to realize he now must consider the worst-case scenario. Pierce may have a serial killer in its midst. In this Christian murder mystery, a small-town police officer and several church members work together to solve a complicated case and find a determined killer.

They are back, that delightful bunch of folks from coastal North Carolina, in this, the last of the series of Beryls Cove mysteries. Steve and Suzanne Thomas are in their mountain retreat, when someone is killing the choir master and choir members of the local congregational church of Ridgeville. Because the first murder occurred in the Nest O Rest Lodge, just up the path from the Thomas home, naturally, our heroes are going to be involved. Steve's best friend, from Navy days is visiting his sisters lodge, and is called upon to help with the investigation, and add his own special insights and zaniness to the proceedings. When two more murder victims show up, the plot thickens, with a twist that sends the town reeling. Gregg and Steve need all the help they can get. When the hometown gang from the Cove show up for the 4th of July festivities, more adventure ensues when they end up stranded late at night on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Things are never quite settled, even when our two amateur sleuths return home, there is unfinished business and some shady dealings afoot! Come along for this final, raucous adventure with the two best amateur detectives the old North State ever saw. Laugh and cry along with the citizens of Beryls Cove, and of course, Elvis and that donut munching bulldog, Dawg are here to add their own special touch to the story.

When Berry Himmel signs on as the new choir director at a large church on the California/Mexico border, she is unaware that the two directors preceding her have died in what the police are calling"mysterious accidents." Charlene, her organist at the church - a 4ft 10 musical genius with Tourette Syndrome - believes the directors were murdered; and so the two women team up to track down the culprit. A few investigative trips to a hilarious gay bar in Tijuana not only shed light on Berry's ambiguous sexual persuasion, but also introduce her to some of the more colorful members of her congregation. Berry's New Age parents, some Mexican "cousins," the choir from hell, and a moderately psychic dog, Amigo, all add fun to the chase....and also help turn up an abundance of reasons for murder.

Roland Spencer, a well-known bass singer in the Holy Living Waters Church choir, dies following a rehearsal for the Messiah. The choir director and organist, Belle Franklin is the last person to see him alive, landing her at the top of the suspect list. To prove her innocence and find the real killer the budding detective must solve the case. Once again, Rich Baldwin weaves a tale of intrigue and suspense with interesting characters and unexpected plot twists.

Murder mystery written by a Catholic priest in the 1950's. finally back in print!

The year is 1879. The prestigious post of Organist and Master of the Choristers at Hartley Parish Church, West Yorkshire, has become vacant because of the sudden death in suspicious circumstances of Dr Thomas Burchill. Burchill was renowned the length and breadth of Britain and the Empire for the choir; so much so that Queen Victoria summoned the singers to Windsor Castle on more than one occasion. Burchill’s position is now up for grabs, and there is a long list of contenders for the role: this will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for the successful applicant, for they will dominate music-making of every kind throughout Hartleydale. More to the point, Hartley Parish Church is on the verge of becoming a Cathedral, subject to passing stringent tests, including the standard of the music-making. Seven applicants are shortlisted by the ambitious Vicar, Dr Percy G. Banks, assisted by his long-time friend and mentor, Charleton Mann, of Yorbridge Cathedral. The day of the auditions arrives. Candidates fail to appear or deliberately play badly apart from Dr Algernon Burford, who is about to steal the show when he is brutally killed at the organ console. Thus begins a story of murder, betrayal, passion, poisoned relationships and much more. Victorian Hartleydale is rocked to its foundations as the truth behind its prim and proper establishment emerges. Detective Chief Inspector Wright Watson, Head of the newly formed Hartley CID, together with Detective Sergeant Harry Makepeace, will have to disentangle a complex web of lies, deceit, double-dealing, and downright hypocrisy in order to cleanse the town, its parish church, its political class and its governing society once and for all. He will nearly die himself in the process; all because of one person’s ruthless and murderous ambition to wreak revenge on the world of the church organ loft.

Why would someone kill Al? This is the question that haunts Kate Shaw in the aftermath of a tragic shooting at the small Catholic school where she has taught for years. As the members of the school community and the community at large struggle with the loss of their beloved principal, they find themselves examining feelings surrounding the loss of various members of friends and family. When tragedy strikes, many find comfort in their faith. Some, however, just find themselves wondering why bad things have to happen. With a killer on the loose, Kate must remain vigilant and find the murderer before someone else ends up dead. Was her neighbor Nellie's fall an accident, or is the killer still out, looking for the next victim? And who tried to attack Father Joe? Can Sergeant Sean Burke protect Kate? You'll find out in Bells, Books, and Murder, Jane Svejk's religious mystery that will challenge your ability to deal with loss while you search for clues before it's too late!

Jan McCanless has served up another delicious murder mystery, this time involving the unassuming, but, very capable Abbot Jerome from the Monastery of the Blue Ridge, located in Ridgeville, NC that just happens to be down the road a couple miles from the summer home of Steve and Suzanne Thomas. On a Mississippi cruise with his meddlesome sibling, a body is discovered hanging on the paddle wheel that sits off the stern of the boat. With just 72 hours before returning to port in New Orleans, the Abbot gets involved in solving the murder. With no one aware that he is a monk, he sets about to find the murderer, hindered by the women passengers who consider him fair game. Once back at the monastery, things do not go well, as Abbot and his new found friend, a federal agent, become embroiled in even more skullduggery, along with the group of monks and misfits that occupy the monastery. Come along for the cruise of a lifetime with our principals, and guest appearances along the way from that delightful Beryl's Cove bunch, and of course, Dawg and Elvis, and their new friend, Max, the Basset Hound.