This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. I’ve been thinking quite a lot these days about human connection. Apparently, a loneliness epidemic is worsening—even though the pandemic is over. Twenty years ago, most Americans felt they had more close friends than they do today. In addition to the pandemic cutting down on gatherings that never … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. I secretly anticipated a really big storm would hit the East Coast in 2026. It’s not that I have psychic powers. I simply enjoy almanacs and folk wisdom about nature—and I keep my eyes out. One of these American folk legends is that when the acorns abound, snow … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. I’m writing to you from St. Paul, Minnesota, where many roads are ice rinks and frozen snowbanks are as hard as stone. I came for a few days to visit my parents and sisters. January always means bringing warm boots, a down coat, and a thick wool hat … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. December 31 is the grand finale of every year. This closeout of a calendar is meaningfully observed in most countries of the world. I always have a reason to anticipate New Year’s Eve, no matter whether I’m going out or staying in. And while a lot of national … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. Last night, I dreamed I was in Nafplio. In the dream, I was visiting the city in the middle of winter, yet it was warm enough for short sleeves. People were swimming in tranquil waters. Shop windows beckoned with jewelry, and I paused, not sure where to go. … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. This fall, I took myself on a lengthy, change-as-you-go ramble through a few countries in Europe. There was no excuse of book research or conferences or overseas signings. It was just to satisfy my hunger for faraway locations, and if you are going through life in 2025 America, … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. Reporting live from the UK! I left Baltimore in mid-October for a little more than a month of travel, experiencing autumn season through a few countries in Europe. First stop: London, England. Tony and I stayed in an inner-ring neighborhood called Marylebone (pronounced Marly-bone). The neighborhood began as … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. In my youth at the long-gone Baltimore Evening Sun newspaper, Dan Fesperman was a successful hard news reporter who was also extremely kind to the new kids: i.e., the interns and new hires straight out of college like myself who needed tips about where to go to actually … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. If you are reading this column, you could have found it at a number of spots. You might be on my author website or my Goodreads or Amazon pages. However, the OG location for this column is the Murder is Everywhere blog, which is a collaborative writing project … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. This year I moved my desk and laptop into the long skinny room running along the back of our third floor. And this has changed not only our house—but also my writing life. It’s always been a difficult room. An oddball zone with great windows, but nowhere to … Read more