Writing is a Crime
Diane Fanning, author of fourteen true crime books and ten mystery novels, blogs about writing, reading, crime and observations of life. Sometimes serious, sometimes irreverent.
Getting Away with Murder: Part Three – Raynella Dossett Leath
A series of three posts about accused killers who, in my opinion, have gotten away with murder. In each entry, I will explain any updates and then excerpt the Afterword, my personal reflections on the case, found at the end of each book. After the questionable deaths...
Getting Away with Murder: Part Two – Michael Peterson
A series of three posts about accused killers who, in my opinion, have gotten away with murder. In each entry, I will explain any updates and then excerpt the Afterword, my personal reflections on the case, found at the end of each book. Michael Peterson, convicted of...
Getting Away with Murder: Part One – Casey Anthony
A series of three posts about accused killers who, in my opinion, have gotten away with murder. In each entry, I will explain any updates and then excerpt the Afterword, my personal reflections on the case, found at the end of each book. I wrote Mommy's Little Girl...
DearReader.com Features Diane Fanning August 2
DearReader.com Features Diane Fanning August 2 TREASON IN THE SECRET CITY, the second book in the Secret City, comes out the first of August. It is filled with spies, treachery and challenges for Libby Clark. She has to face down the authorities and defy the secret...
Southerners, Listen Up!
Hey, y’all, let’s get this straight. Virginia is a southern state. I’ve run across people from Texas, Alabama, Georgia and even South Carolina who have referred to my state as being “Yankee.” I don’t know if this arose because some people don’t understand that West Virginia and Virginia aren’t the same state or if it stems from a lack of geographical knowledge or if those people missed an important lesson in history class.
Influence Your Book Store
The number of book stores in this country has declined in the last decade. And the inventory in existing book stores has gotten smaller. As a result, I’ve heard many people complaining that their favorite types of books are no longer available on the shelf. At a recent book signing, a Barnes and Noble staff person gave me information that will point in the right direction to harness your power and make an impact on the inventory. The secret is…
The Manhattan Well Mystery: The Coldest Unsolved Case in American History
History, mystery and a host of fascinating characters—Paul Collins latest effort, Duel with the Devil: The True Story of How Alexander Hamilton & Aaron Burr Teamed Up to Take on America’s First Sensational Murder Mystery, entertains as it illuminates the early years of the United States. At its core is Manhattan Well Mystery, the death of a young woman…
The Call of My Heart
A funny thing happened to me last March. I was riding in the car heading from Virginia’s coast to the western part of the state. The moment I saw the Blue Ridge Mountains on the horizon, the word “home” reverberated in my head. A funny thing happened to me last March. I was riding in the car heading from Virginia’s coast to the western part of the state. The moment I saw the Blue Ridge Mountains on the horizon, the word “home” reverberated in my head.
That single word was soon followed by a song from…
ANNE PERRY AND THE MURDER OF THE CENTURY: Recommended Read
Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century by Peter Graham is a fascinating read. I’ll admit that initially I thought the title was a bit over the top—there are a lot of homicides that could challenge that claim. However, when I realized the book was written by a New Zealand author, I realized that in the context of that country, it did live up to its billing.
Sleep My Darlings: The True Story of a Mother Who Murdered Her Children in Cold Blood
This weekend, the driving bass of boisterous music echoed across the canyon and into my house. It made me think of Calyx Schenecker because the reason for the noise was the Relay for Life at New Braunfels High School, a fundraiser benefiting the American Cancer Society.
Calyx was an ardent supporter of this event at C. Leon King High School. She lead a team of Harry Potter enthusiasts…