-
Advent of Mystery ’25, Day 1: The Austen Christmas Murders
The tree is lit. The presents are wrapped and distributed. The cookies are baked. The carols are blasting. And here at the Owlet’s nest, that means one thing: it’s Advent of Mystery time. For those not in the know, Advent of Mystery is a countdown to Christmas. Each day features my thoughts on a different
-
A Cozy Austen Celebration: Re-reads and re-imaginings
December always feels like a month for traditions—holiday baking, cozy reading, and, this year, something extra special: celebrating Jane Austen’s 250th birthday. With presents piled under my tree and the scent of fresh-baked cookies still hanging in the air, I’m feeling especially inclined to honor the season with a few Austen rereads (and one intriguing
-
Murder Most Magical: Witchy Mysteries for Spooky Season
Just a few days left until the spookiest night of the year, and while October may be San Francisco’s warmest month, I’ve been doing my best to summon the spirit. The pumpkins are out, the Featherly Friends have migrated to the mantel, and I’ve stocked up on trick-or-treat candy. Of course, I need something spooky
-
TCO Reviews: Menu of Happiness by Hisashi Kashiwai
Fall might be the season of warm sweaters and spiced beverages, but it’s also, rightfully, soup season. Between the cooling temperature and the harvest, there’s nothing better than gathering in community over a delicious meal. It’s with this feeling in mind that I cracked open Menu of Happiness, another delicious tour through Japanese food and
-
A new puzzle for old friends in Richard Osman’s The Impossible Fortune
Despite my personal preference for summer, fall is the best season for a cozy mystery reader. The air is crisp; dusk falls just as you get home — perfect for a cozy, dark reading session. And the releases flow fast and furious, both big-name blockbusters and pleasingly puzzly debuts. It’s the former I’ll focus on
-
Reading Adventures, Pt. 12: Ghosts and spies in the City That Never Sleeps
After a cozy weekend spent in small-town America, it was time for a full 180. You can’t get much more “big city” than the Big Apple! Bright, loud, and full of life, there’s someplace to go and someone to see in every visit I make. But between the dinners and the cozy hangouts, I made
-
Giving sorrow words: exploring grief and loss in murder mysteries
So. I’ve been a big flake the last few months. In that period, I have: What I have not done, however, is write a non-travel blog post… but not for lack of reading. (In fact, I may have pulled an all-nighter last night devouring a new-to-me fantasy series about djinn.) I’ve read everything from bibliomysteries
-
March 2025 Roundup: a packed month ahead of a promising April
The sun finally came back out to play this month in the Bay. Of course, this meant lots of lovely reading picnics or afternoons with the Kindle on our sunny rooftop. Spring has sprung – and so, apparently, has my reading pace. 52 Book Club: A series of beneficial binges I managed to read 13
-
February 2025 roundup: a mystery here, some history there
Somehow, February is already over. I’m not sure how we got through two months of the year so quickly! This month has been a busy one, both at home and at work. But, I still got some reading in, most of it accretive to my 52 Book Club goals. Plus, I finally caved and got
-
Reading adventures: Mysteries in the Tahoe snow
It is truly Winter here in the Bay – the skies are grey, the streets are drenched. Which means, of course, that it’s the right time of year for a trip to Lake Tahoe. I love Lake Tahoe, even though I find Winter Tahoe to be strictly worse than its summer sibling. I’ve been up