RIPTIDE

Nothing below the surface is what it seems.

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Hattie Rose Has Earned Her Wings

Preparing for our first Christmas together 30 years ago, I asked my husband what kind of topper he’d like for our tree. His response told...

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Salute to My Neighborhood Heros - Dallas Fire Station 17

I was delighted when asked to write a small profile of Lakewood's neighborhood fire station. In part, of course, because it's my...

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First Impressions

After A Gloomy 2020, Refreshing Our Home’s Entry Is A Step In The Right Direction To Welcome Back Guests Our neighborhood, considered the...

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Riptide Galveston

Celebrating My Love Affair With Galveston Island . . . The United States Coast Guard Station With Guardsman Joseph Ayotte, CS1 While in...

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Riptide Galveston

Celebrating My Love Affair With Galveston Island. . . Waterman's Restaurant - Dinner, Cocktails And A Killer View Waterman's Restaurant...

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Riptide Galveston

Celebrating My Love Affair With Galveston Island . . . Christmas on The Strand - Where It's Always Christmas I began collecting Christmas...

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Riptide Galveston

Celebrating My Love Affair With Galveston Island . . . Star Drug Store – The First Drug Store in Texas A brass plaque marks the height of...

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Riptide Galveston

Celebrating My Love Affair With Galveston Island . . . The Stewart’s Mansion - Home to Pirates and Philanthropists - With Shirley Roane,...

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Summer Chills

As summer temperatures heat up, it’s the perfect time to kick back with chilling mysteries from some of crime fiction’s best: Julia...

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The Missing Piece...

The time we spent homebound with our families during the pandemic gave us an unexpected puzzle to solve: a newfound love of jigsaws. And...

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Where Does the Time Go?

We look at our grandchildren and ask, “Where does the time go?” I think I may have found it. Rose Kennedy, matriarch of the Kennedy...

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Of Mutts and Men by Spencer Quinn

Since the Chet and Bernie mysteries are told in Chet’s point of view, my mom’s letting me, Miss Lizzie, take over the keyboard for this...

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The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton

There’s something unusual about Vira. The young golden retriever, rescued from a near-death experience, isn’t your average lucky dog. The...

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When Should Outdoor Decorations Come Down?

Every neighborhood has one of those, the neighbor who leaves their outdoor Christmas holiday decorations up until after Valentine’s...

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Q&A: Roberta Isleib/Lucy Burdette

Have months of isolation and the prospect of hibernation season left you longing for a winter escape that includes suntan lotion, frosty...

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Silent Bite by David Rosenfelt

All semi-retired defense attorney Andy Carpenter wants is the holiday family cruise he’s on to be over–that and to stay retired. While he...

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Q&A: Lisa Black

Any mystery fan has to love an author who announces, “Murder is my day job.” In the case of New York Times bestselling author Lisa Black,...

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Q&A: Jenny Milchman

The Second Mother is the newest offering from Jenny Milchman, USA Today bestselling author of psychological thrillers. With her first...

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Q&A: Rhys Bowen

When newlywed Lady Georgiana Rannoch finds herself at loose ends, that can only mean trouble for the star of author Rhys Bowen’s Royal...

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Q&A: Craig Johnson

There’s great nostalgia associated with the lawmen of the Old West. Today, whether they’re riding into town on horseback or, say,...

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Firewatching by Russ Thomas

Firewatching had three things to recommend it before I’d reached page one. First: it’s a murder mystery set in a bucolic English village,...

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Fair Warning by Michael Connelly

Being a career journalist, I’m usually leery of novels about reporters. I’ve picked up too many written by someone who’s never been on...

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Q&A: S.C. Perkins

When the 900-page family saga, Roots, was published in 1976 by Alex Haley, a nationwide fascination with discovering one’s ancestors...

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Muzzled By David Rosenfelt

I hit the jackpot when I picked up David Rosenfelt’s new book Muzzled. The fast-paced page turner has all the ingredients for a perfect...

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Q&A: Karen Dionne

We think of nature as beautiful, life affirming, and inspiring. However, Karen Dionne, author of the No. 1 international bestseller, The...

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Q&A: Peter James

When the Charterhouse school poetry prize was won in 1967 by teenager named Peter James, the real winner was the reading public. Today,...

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Author Q&A: Liv Constantine

One of the scariest lines ever seen on a book jacket comes courtesy of Liv Constantine’s The Wife Stalker: It says, “All She Wants is the...

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The Librarian Did It

Librarians have a lot to answer for. It’s because of them I embarked on a life of crime. Growing up in a tiny, rural South Texas farming...

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Q&A: Steven James

How does a former children’s entertainer and professional storyteller become a bestselling author of adult suspense? Being a “natural...

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Summer Staycation Reads

Great stories from Catriona McPherson, Charles Finch, Jess Montgomery and Anne Perry Although we’re all trying to stay at home as much as...

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Q&A: Allison Brennan

A chat with thriller author Allison Brennan obliterates writers’ excuses about not having time to exercise their craft. The New York...

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Life’s a Shell Game

We live in a world that strives for perfection. The fashion, business and technology, cosmetics, lifestyles and, of course, sports...

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The Gift of Kindness

We spend our lives accumulating. This collecting is an essential part of our memory-building process. There are items from school...

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Tell Me No Lies

As soon as I finished Ask Me No Questions by New York Times bestselling author Shelley Noble, I was left begging for more of her sassy...

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Q&A: Helen Fields

If you love to read scary serial killer characters and terrific detective fiction, Helen Fields’ chilling Perfect series is reason to...

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The Bucket Woman

I’m a huge fan of the 1990s British sitcom “Keeping Up Appearances,” starring Patricia Routledge as consummate social climber Hyacinth...

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Q&A: Lesley Thomson

Fans of Lesley Thomson’s The Detective’s Daughter series have another reason to celebrate. Thomson’s new novel, Death of a Mermaid, her...

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Q&A: Taking the Mystery Out of Writing

Number one New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth George is sharing with readers her insight into novel crafting in Mastering the...

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Q&A: Characters Matter

Deborah Crombie’s New York Times bestselling series featuring Scotland Yard’s Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James continues to delight. Her...

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Tale of the Catchy Phrase

April is a lovely and distinctive month in the Dallas. Lawns are shedding their winter doldrums and treating everyone to the beauty of...

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Many Rivers to Cross

A young boy is found dead, his body discarded in a large rolling trash can behind an elderly widow’s home in a housing estate. With no...

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The Good Old Days

When exactly were The Good Old Days? To hear some tell it, in The Good Old Days everyone always told the truth, paid their debts, used...

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Those Texas Baby Blues

When the bluebonnets carpet Texas roadsides and fields each spring, every parent or grandparent with a cell phone is on the lookout for...

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Homeownership–A Love Story

It’s February, and naturally our thoughts turn to love. Like all good love stories, the ones that grow with time are the best. In 1965,...

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Why We Make, and Fail, Our New Year’s Resolutions

Every New Year’s, we embrace all the possibilities the next 12 months place before us by making resolutions. We promise ourselves we’ll...

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Q&A: Mystery’s Busiest Duo

The mother-son team, known as Charles Todd, pen two bestselling series–one featuring Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard, and the...

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New Generation of Sleuths

With 56 novels in her popular Thomas Pitt and William Monk series alone, prolific author Anne Perry’s got nothing to prove, but still has...

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The Playground Murders by Lesley Thomson

When Clean Slate is awarded the contract to clean the scene of a vicious crime, owner Stella Darnell finds herself in the position to put...

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In My Dallas Kitchen

Highclere Castle Christmas Cocktail

With many forgoing large parties for more intimate gatherings, this holiday may be the rebirth of the cocktail party. According to a 1917...

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Cornbread

Cornbread is one of the few foods documented as served at the first Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, the essential ingredient in the...

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Fresh Apple Cake

Fall brings with it so many traditions. It’s the time of school carnivals, pumpkin patches, Friday night football, and, of course,...

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Licensed to Chill

When hearing “shaken not stirred,” one immediately envisions MI6’s super spy 007, James Bond. Always suave as he orders his signature...

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Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

I’m a huge fan of vanilla buttercream, so much so, it’s become a family joke. A few years ago, our daughter-in-law sent me a refrigerator...

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Lemon Meringue Pie

Whether pies, tarts, cakes or cookies, citrus treats–tart or sweet–conjure relaxing spring and summertime images of picnics and porch...

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Apple Pecan Fritters

Although apple pie is a delicious July 4th dessert that most of us grew up enjoying as part of our holiday celebrations, this year, I...

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Lafitte’s Best

America's Independence Saved by a Cunning Pirate ... A decorated American general and a Louisiana French pirate seem unlikely partners in...

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Devil's Food Cake

Creating a Wickedly Good Dessert How some versions of deep chocolate cake picked up the ominous moniker of “Devil’s Food” isn’t clear....

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Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Probably no vintage dessert speaks to a bygone era more than the pineapple upside cake. Growing up in South Texas, the sweet, moist...

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Chocolate Almond Bundt Cake

Bundt cakes became popular in this country in the 1950s, and it’s reported that one in three American homes where folks bake has at least...

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Banana Pudding Pie

I recently saw banana cream pie referred to as a retro dessert. Thankfully, there are some things that never go out of style, like this...

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Amaretto Cream Brule

Cream Brule is a dessert that always impresses. The best part of this recipe, given to me by our daughter-in-law, isn’t the crispy sugar...

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Basic Yorkshire Pudding

I love egg breads, and this is one of my favorites. Yorkshire pudding is a great alternative to expected dinner breads with rib roast,...

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Hoppin’ John

Every New Year’s we engage in the tradition of eating black-eyed peas and cabbage for luck and prosperity in the coming year. We all know...

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Tenderloins with Cognac-Cream Sauce

We love to grill out on our deck but, let’s face it, some Texas evenings are simply too hot to make standing in front of a barbecue much...

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Cherry Cream Puffs

Cream puffs are one of those dishes I call workhorses–my kitchen staples. They’re a versatile treat that enable you to create any number...

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Not-So-Plain Vanilla Cupcake Desserts

Looking for a quick, simple, and cool dessert that gives you many options at a moment’s notice? Simple vanilla cupcakes are one of my...

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Roasted Red Bell Pepper Alfredo Sauce

This sauce is one of my favorites, and a nice take on traditional Alfredo sauce. Although here I’ve used prepared red bell peppers,...

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Rio Enchilada Sauce

Living in Texas, Mexican food–technically “TexMex” after we put our Tejas spin on it–is a staple in our family’s diet. Enchiladas are...

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Rosemary Havarti Bread

Havarti is one of my favorite cheeses, delicious in recipes or sliced to snack on. I was delighted when I found this recipe. It’s easy,...

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Pear Upside Down Cake

This recipe is sure to impress your family and friends. However, don't be fooled - it's actually very easy. And delicious. 1 ½ cup...

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The Sweetest Myth

As urban legends go, this one must be the sweetest. Years ago, storied Dallas upscale retailer Neiman Marcus earned itself a place among...

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Spicy-Sweet Pecans

With three large pecan trees in our yard, this recipe is one of my favorites. It’s the perfect thank you treat, as a hostess gift and, of...

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Farmhouse Buttermilk Biscuits

These biscuits are a breakfast favorite in our home. I also like to cut them larger and use them like a bun when making fried chicken...

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Apple Almond Turnovers

There's something irresistible about the combination of cinnamon and apples. This simple recipe is an easy solution when the cravings...

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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