FREE Halloween Mystery: The Needle In the Candy Stack
This Halloween, I'm giving away a free short story featuring ex-cop turned private detective Frank Leland. THE NEEDLE IN THE CANDY STACK is set during Halloween 1977 in Manhattan, when someone starts poisoning children's trick-or-treat candy.
From Tar Beach to Barnes & Noble
From Tar Beach rooftops in the Bronx to seeing my book on Barnes & Noble shelves, this is the story of my journey from childhood reader to published author. Discover WORKING STIFF: A Frank Leland Mystery and where to get your copy.
To B Plot or Not to B Plot: Not the Answer You Expect.
Most detectives fall for a femme fatale or lean on a love interest to humanize them. In this post, I show how I flipped that classic noir trope — and gave Frank Leland a very different kind of B plot to expose his vulnerability even more intensely.
How My Noir Social Media Campaign Almost Became a Crime Scene
Book marketing for a noir-mystery indie author can feel like trying to tail a suspect through foggy alleys with a broken flashlight — especially when promoting a new novel like WORKING STIFF. I’m a mystery writer, not a marketer — well, not exactly. But I do own a carry permit for my one secret weapon: a background in advertising.
Breaking the Mold: Why My Detective Isn’t an Alcoholic
Frank Leland walks the hardboiled streets of noir fiction — but his vice isn’t whiskey. It’s food. And that changes everything.
Back to the Drawing Board: Reimagining a Cover
Discover how the Working Stiff cover evolved from a bold graphic design to a scene that deepens the story’s mystery — featuring Frank Leland in a creaky old elevator alongside a stranger who changes everything. A behind-the-scenes look at the art and the inspiration behind it.
Writing Noir: Recreating 1970s New York for Frank Leland’s World.
How do you recreate 1977 New York — a city teetering on the edge of collapse — for a modern noir mystery? Author Bill Krieger takes you behind the scenes of Frank Leland’s gritty, broken world.
This is Where the Bodies Are Buried
A mystery fiction blog diving into true crime, classic detectives, murder methods, and storytelling secrets. Plus recommendations for mystery novels, films, and unforgettable characters.