Let’s get one thing straight: The mystery novel is the highest form of literature. At least it is for me. Nearly all the big moments in my literary life seem to have hinged on mysteries.

       When I was seven and realized I could read a “real” book –  one without pictures on every page – that book was The Secret of Larkspur Lane, by Carolyn Keene, featuring the immortal Nancy Drew.

       When I was in my twenties and wanted to write a novel that showed psychological understanding, I happened to read Death and the Joyful Woman, by Ellis Peters. The proverbial light bulb went on. “Wow!” I thought. “It’s possible to write a book that’s fun to read and still has psychological understanding.”

       When I was thirty-five I wanted to write something that was firmly grounded in my own culture, and I discovered that Tony Hillerman had laid out a map that any writer would be proud to follow, and he did it in the form of the mystery novel.

      This web page, I hope, will introduce new readers to the books of JoAnna Carl and Eve K. Sandstrom and will give veteran readers of their books a peek at the books’ background.

     The next book in the Chocoholic mystery series, the hardback edition of The Chocolate Cupid Caper, will be out in October 2009, and the paperback edition of the 2008 book, The Chocolate Snowman Murders, will be published September 30.

     The next book in the series, The Chocolate Pirate Plot, will be published in fall 2010.
In this one, costumed pirates board pleasure boats cruising on Lake Michigan. It's been
a lot of fun to think up crazy events to challenge Lee and Joe.

     In addition, I'm under contract for at least one more book in the series, and a new omnibus edition,
Chocolate to Die for, which will reprint The Chocolate Puppy Puzzle and The Chocolate Mouse Trap
is to be published in 2010. Everybody seems to love chocolate. 

    My grandmother, who was highly religious, in her later years became a big fan of “Gunsmoke.” When I asked her why, she said, “It always has a good moral.”

        That’s how I feel about mysteries. You can count on them to end right. All the questions raised in the story are answered. The good are rewarded, the bad punished. The story has a beginning, a middle and an end – and it’s not ashamed of it. Mysteries engage the intellect, but still allow us to escape our daily troubles and tribulations.

     Add a little chocolate and, you’ve got literary heaven.