RIPTIDE

Nothing below the surface is what it seems.

Currents

The Four Queens of Crime

I’m tempted to think that author Rosanna Limoncelli wrote her debut mystery novel just for me because it encompasses so many things I love: Agatha Christie, a big charity fundraiser, England, real people as characters, a locked room, and an engaging whodunit story. The year is 1938, and war looms ominously close. Mystery author Dorothy L. Sayers convinces her fellow queens of British crime fiction, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, to co-host a gala raising

The Rushworth Family Plot

Jane Austen fans rejoice! Our next Girls of Summer novel is by Claudia Gray: The Rushworth Family Plot —her new book in the Mr. Darcy and...

The Kennedy Girl

It’s a rainy day in Dallas, and what better time for a good book and to meet another of our Girls of Summer. Mia Walker is about to...

The Dark Library

E stella Ecker, or E as she prefers to be called, joins our Girls of Summer courtesy of author Mary Anna Evans and her new suspense...

Pirate Rules of Conduct or Dog Training 101

Photo: Carolyn Tillery I t’s summer, my favorite time to spend with my adored 1800s boy band leader, the handsome rogue Jean Lafitte....

The Queen of Poisons

It’s the perfect time to catch up with the Girls of Summer from the Marlow Murder Club. In the third and latest book in this delightful...

We Solve Murders

Richard Osman was a well-known British television presenter who few in the United States had heard of when his debut novel in The...

Emergency Book Response

I'm so proud to be part of the wonderful organization International Thriller Writers. Our leadership put out a call to members to help...

In My Dallas Kitchen

Butter Swim Biscuits

E very Southern cook has a favorite biscuit recipe, and I now have a second: Butter Swim Biscuits. And they taste just as good as the name suggests! Biscuits, in one form or another, have been a staple in diets since the Ancient Egyptians. Those simple biscotus or “twice-baked loaves” have evolved over time into the flaky Southern version everyone loves today. First consumed by the Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Medieval Europeans, early versions, also called hard tack,

Chocolate Cream Pie

This is an old recipe, but remains the best chocolate pie I’ve ever tasted. Once I tried it, it became a regular on our Thanksgiving menu—and whenever we crave a special chocolate dessert. This creamy pie is a chocolate-lover’s delight. There are many versions of chocolate pie. The crusts vary from traditional pie crust to graham cracker or vanilla wafer crusts to this chocolate cookie crust. Fillings are usually a custard base but can be layered with cherries or other fruits

Carne Guisada

Once the cool fall weather makes its first showing, we immediately crave hearty, warm food. One of the most satisfying and requested dishes in our home is carne guisada . The Latin American origins of this hearty Texas staple are much debated. However, think of the dish as beef stew’s cousin, but from the favorite side of the family. Its name means “stewed meat,” which is a great disservice to this tender beef simmered in a rich spice sauce or gravy. Carne guisada should n

Italian Cream Cake

It might surprise many to learn that, unlike cannoli, lasagna, and pizza, Italian cream cake didn’t originate in Italy. The American South is credited with creating this delicious, moist dessert. The cake, believed to have been made by an Italian baker living in Texas (or Georgia, depending on who tells the story), first appeared in a North Texas newspaper in the 1930s. But wherever it was first baked and pulled from the oven, it remains a dessert staple in our Dallas home.

Howdy! It’s Corn Dog Season

It’s October, and that means the State Fair of Texas: Big Tex, The Midway, the Texas Star, all the livestock, great music, and, of course, Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs. Fortunately, if you’re still craving corndogs after the midway goes dark, you can make those tasty corndogs at home—no tickets required. Although there’s much debate about who invented the corndog, there’s no doubt that when it comes to the State Fair of Texas, the Fletcher family rules. Former Vaudeville pe

Easy Weeknight Popovers

Anyone who has ever dined at Neiman Marcus’ Zodiac can attest to the perfection of their popovers served with delicious strawberry...

Southern Chocolate Praline Cake

Pralines are among the most popular candies in the South. So, if the candy is a longtime favorite of yours, after one bite of this rich,...

Chorizo-Infused Meatball Starters

Photo: Carolyn Tillery In America, we love our meatballs. And we’re not alone. If a culture eats beef—or chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, or...

Carolyn Tillery

Lover of Mysteries, Writing, Cooking, and Dogs

I’ve been passionate about reading mysteries and writing since I held my first Nancy Drew novel. I became a reporter while I was in college and my entire career has involved journalism. My home is filled with books and dog toys, and there’s almost always something coming out of the oven.

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“Do not open your heart to evil… If you do–evil will come…”

– Agatha Christie