Thursday, March 14, 2024

Author Speed Dating at the Left Coast Crime Conference

I’ll be participating in the Author Speed Dating at the Left Coast Crime Conference in April. This is an enjoyable event where I will be speaking to 18 tables of mystery readers along with fellow author Tony Ollivier. At each table, we each will give a two-minute pitch about our latest mystery novels. Then we move on to the next table. It’s an excellent way to reach new readers. I’ve also found that by the end, we could give each other’s presentation. I always hand out postcards of my books as well.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Publication of Murder in the Museo Kircheriano

My  historical mystery novel, Murder in the Museo Kircheriano, is now available.

Print Amazon: Amazon.com: Murder in the Museo Kircheriano: 9781941271575: Befeler, Mike: Books

Or contact your favorite bookstore. 

I’m available to give presentations to book groups, libraries and service organizations via Zoom or in-person. Mikebef@aol.com

I’ll be presenting and signing at Mystery Ink Bookstore Fernhill Clubhouse 5472 Diamond Dr, Huntington Beach, CA on Sat., May 4, at 1 PM. and Book Carnival 348 S. Tustin, Orange, CA, on Sat. April 27 at 2 PM


In Murder in the Museo Kircheriano Jesuit priest Athanasius Kircher created the world’s most amazing museum in the mid seventeenth century Vatican. He was brilliant and reputed to be the last man to know everything. He also bordered on being a con man.

When Queen Christina abdicates her throne in Sweden, converts to Catholicism and visits Kircher’s museum, she and Kircher discover a dead body. They team up to solve the mystery of the murdered man, while encountering a secret nephews circle.

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Postcards

When one of my new books is published, I always have postcards made with the cover art on one side and information about the book on the other side. I provide the text, and my daughter-in-law who is a terrific graphic artist designs the postcard. Then I have the postcards printed. I have a snail mail list that I send the postcards to, and I give them out at conferences such as the Left Coast Crime Conference and other events. I have Murder in the Museo Kircheriano being published in March, and A Mystery Yarn being published in April. The postcards have been printed and are on their way to me.

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Pre-order for A Mystery Yarn

The third book in my Omnipodge Trilogy, A Mystery Yarn, following Old Detectives Home and Last Gasp Motel, will be published by Encircle Publications on April 24 and can now be pre-ordered.

Print Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Gasp-Motel-Omnipodge-Mystery/dp/1645994724

Print Barnes and Noble: A Mystery Yarn by Mike Befeler, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

e-book Amazon: A Mystery Yarn (An Omnipodge Mystery Book 3) - Kindle edition by Befeler, Mike. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Or contact your favorite bookstore.

I’m available to give presentations to book groups, libraries and service organizations via Zoom or in-person. Mikebef@aol.com


In A Mystery Yarn, while making the rounds to visit her fellow shopkeepers in Ominpodge Village Center, Pru Pendergast overhears an argument between her obnoxious landlord, Bart Cunard, and Sally Midge Cunard, Bart's ex-wife, during which Sally Midge accuses Bart of being involved in shady real estate dealings with developer Larry Ludwick. Pru also hears jewelry shopkeeper Jake Yalley defend Sally Midge and threaten Bart.

When Pru visits Flo Florrest's yarn shop, Bart comes in and gets into a shouting match with Flo. Pru next goes to Bea Potter's bookstore and listens to Bea complain about Bart sexually harassing her. Then Pru has lunch with best friend Herb Hanover-of Herb's Herbs-and he cries about Bart calling him hateful names while Herb is still sensitive over his partner's death.

Pru returns to her shop, Driftwood Creatives, to find Bart dead, garroted with driftwood handles and brown Vicuna yarn. She also notices that Bart's diamond ring is missing from his hand. Because his body is found in her shop, Detective James Moriarty immediately questions Pru and accuses her of murder, but she's certainly not the only suspect. Pru must escape attacks on her own life and avoid being arrested until she can find the real killer and solve the crime, all while trying to catch the eye of her new sort of boyfriend.

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Senior Sleuth Panel at LCC2024

I will be on a senior sleuth panel at the Left Coast Crime Conference on Saturday, April 13 at 4 pm in Belleview, WA. Other panelists are Paula Charles, Ellen Kirschman, Susan McCormick and moderator Arthur Cohen. I’ve had the pleasure of being on panels with Ellen and Susan before. I will also be moderating the Meet the New Author Breakfast on Friday, April 12 at which Paula and Arthur will be presenting. Senior sleuths are a major part of my mystery writing since the majority of my mystery novels feature older amateur sleuths.

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Meet the New Author Breakfast at LCC2024

I have the honor of moderating the Meet the New Author Breakfast at the Left Coast Crime Conference this April in the Seattle area. New authors will give one-minute pitches on the most important thing readers should know about their debut mystery novel. So far, we have twenty-two new authors who will be presenting on Friday, April 12. This is an event that has taken place at each Left Coast Crime Conference beginning in 2008 in Denver, Colorado.

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Cover Reveal for A Mystery Yarn

Here is the cover for my novel, A Mystery Yarn, the third book in the Omnipodge Trilogy, following Old Detectives Home and Last Gasp Motel. It will be published by Encircle Publications in April. Pru Pendergast becomes entangled in more than yarn when her obnoxious landlord shows up dead in her driftwood creations shop. Pru must escape attacks on her own life and the threat of being arrested while trying to solve the crime and catch the eye of her new sort of boyfriend.