Street’s Fair in Love and War

Street’s Fair in Love and War (part 3 of The Dog Days of Murder) ©2024, Joseph L. Thornburg. All Rights Reserved. (contains violence, mature themes) “Here you go, give this a try.” The woman in the tent handed Caesar a plastic spoon with a faintly orange liquid in it. He put the spoon in his

Diamonds Are A Pig’s Best Friend

Diamonds Are a Pig’s Best Friend ©2023, Joseph L. Thornburg. All Rights Reserved. (contains mature themes and violence) DRAMATIS PERSONAE The Coffee Detectives Caesar Campbell barista at BaxCam Coffee Innocenzio James driver for NPS The Ham ’n’ Hammock Hyheau and Derrio Dell owners and managers Brighton Toastingfork handyman and animal steward Kay Pukapu cook Rue

Where Shall I Murder? Upstairs and Downstairs

Where Shall I Murder? Upstairs and Downstairs (based on “The Case of the Dead Man”, an improvisation by Duane Michael Gebo, Kain Thornn, and Joseph Thornburg) ©2023, Joseph L. Thornburg. All Rights Reserved. (contains violence and language) DRAMATIS PERSONAE The Coffee Detectives Caesar Campbell barista at BaxCam Coffees Innocenzio James driver for NPS East Kingsley

On a Vase-by-Vase Basis

On a Vase-by-Vase Basis ©2021, Joseph L. Thornburg. All Rights Reserved. (contains violence) DRAMATIS PERSONAE Our Heroes Caesar Campbell Innocenzio James The Coffee Detectives Dainty Busch Junnosuke Hashisaki citizens at large Lt. Simon Tennant East Kingsley Police Department The House of Tepelline Lady Rose Tepelline Carmina Tepelline-Jay her daughter Gordin Jay Carmina’s husband Koffeena Seignal

Paradise Place

Paradise Place ©2021, Joseph L. Thornburg. All Rights Reserved. Thanks to Kain Thornn for technical advice. Originally posted February 27, 2021; revised March 3, 2021. (contains violence, language, mature themes) “Is that a convenience store ahead?” Innocenzio peered into the darkness. Far beyond the headlight beams of Caesar’s car, there was a light. They were

The Love Polygonal Chain

The Love Polygonal Chain©2021, Joseph L. Thornburg. All Rights Reserved. (contains violence) “Where’s Benjy?” Persephone gestured to Caesar to have a seat in front of her desk. “Well, Benjy is kind of taking a … break from the ‘coffee detectives’ stuff. So it’s just me.” Caesar leaned forward in his chair. “You said you had

The Brooch and the Pooch

The Brooch and The Pooch ©2020, Joseph L. Thornburg. All Rights Reserved. (contains violence) DRAMATIS PERSONAE Our Heroes Caesar Campbell BaxCam Coffees Dainty Busch citizen at large The Roving Heirloom Show Chitra Gupta show producer Dale Tuonela show host Richard Pluto appraiser Erlik Jacoby appraiser Mary Lethe greeter Attendees Laverna Davies friend of Dainty Orcus

Black Coffee, Blackmail

Black Coffee, Blackmail ©2020, Joseph L. Thornburg. All Rights Reserved. (contains language, violence; story also contains spoilers for and references to The Costume Party Murder) “Caesar, can I have a word with you? It’s important.” The morning rush at BaxCam Coffees had slowed to a gentle stream of customers. Alexandra was talking to a man

The Coffee Detectives (reference page)

I wrote the first story, The Costume Party Murder, just for the heck of it, to see if I could write a murder mystery in 24 hours. Little did I realize this was going to be a continuing hobby! After the second story I gave up on trying to turn them around in 24 hours.

And With Soft Deceitful Wiles

And With Soft Deceitful Wiles* ©2020, Joseph L. Thornburg. All Rights Reserved. DRAMATIS PERSONAE Our Heroes Dainty Busch citizen at large Eupatoria Plant Dainty’s daughter Kasket Katering Victor Kasket owner and manager Mary Dryhurst Marek Hamolka Gabin Lefevre Robert Pyott Soo-Hyeon Urquhart employees Other Lieutenant Simon Tennant East Kingsley Police Department three unnamed paramedics “Just