All BookTober (October) long the Mystery Review Crew is celebrating some of our favorite mystery one-liners showcased in short video form! Each one spotlighting an authors favorite one-liner from their book. Plus, there’s a giveaway!
Enter the BookTober Giveaway
We’re giving away three prizes this Booktober:
- A Gift Card to Amazon
- 2 Books (either ebook or physical book, winners choice; from a participating author)
Entries are open all month long via KingSumo, with the winners drawn on November 1, 2026.
Featured BookTober Authors
Mystery one-liners are little pieces of a puzzle, a wry detective’s aside, a line that recontextualizes everything that came before it. BookTober is our celebration of those moments and the authors behind them, all wrapped up with a giveaway to say thanks for following along. Author BookTober video links will go live each day during the month of October at 6 AM CST.
Follow Mystery Review Crew on social media so you never miss a BookTober video, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway before it closes!
#Booktober #MysteryReviewCrew
October 1st – Connie Berry – 6 AM CST
Connie Berry, award-winning author of traditional mysteries, discovered her love for storytelling when her dream of becoming an archaeologist ended. Realizing the field involved more than unearthing lost tombs, she turned her passion for history and antiques into creating the enchanting Kate Hamilton Mystery series. Set in the United Kingdom, this captivating series follows an American antiques dealer with a knack for solving crimes and her partner-in-detection, Detective Inspector Tom Mallory. Drawing from her unique upbringing, Connie mirrors her own experiences in the series.
Visit her at: https://connieberry.com/
October 2 & 22 – Winter Austin – 6 AM CST
Winter Austin perpetually answers the question: “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope,” but believe her, there is a story behind her name.
A lifelong Mid-West gal with strong ties to the agriculture world, Winter grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around a table or a campfire. As a published author, she learned her glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller writer. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.
When she’s not slaving away at the computer, you can find Winter supporting her daughter in cattle shows, seeing her three sons off into the wide-wide world, loving on her fur babies, prodding her teacher husband, and nagging at her flock of hens to stay in the coop or the dogs will get them.
She is the author of multiple novels. Find her at https://authorwinteraustin.com/
October 2 YouTube Video
October 22 YouTube Video
October 3 & 20 – Elizabeth Pantley – 6 AM CST
Elizabeth Pantley is a bestselling author of fiction and non-fiction books. She writes two well-loved cozy mystery series: The Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club, and the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic series. She has also written the international bestselling No-Cry Solution parenting book series that is available in over twenty languages.
Elizabeth lives in the majestic Pacific Northwest and spends winters in the sunny desert of Arizona. While neither location is home to any paranormal beings (that she knows of) the vastly different yet equally lovely locations are the inspiration for the settings in many of her books.
Visit her at: https://elizabethpantleyauthor.com/
October 3 YouTube Video Link
October 20 YouTube Video Link
October 4 – RJ Koreto – 6 AM CST
R.J. Koreto has been a merchant seaman, book editor, journalist, and novelist. He was born and raised in New York City and decided to be a writer after reading “The Naked and the Dead.” He and his wife have two grown daughters and divide their time between Rockland County, N.Y., and Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.
Visit him at: https://rjkoreto.com/
October 5 – Jackie Layton – 6 AM CST
I’m Jackie Layton, wife, mother, friend, pharmacist, and cozy mystery author.
I’ve been a reader as long as I can remember, and I’ve dreamed of writing for years. With encouragement from my husband and family, I pursued this dream.
I’ve always loved visiting the coast for vacations. The beach is my happy place despite cracking my ribs while riding the waves and getting a hook stuck in my foot that required a trip to the emergency room. When the doctor pushed the hook out of my foot, I learned a person really can see stars when in extreme pain. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop me from beach vacations and now I live on the coast.
October 7 – Tricia LaRochelle – 6 AM CST
Tricia T. LaRochelle is the award-winning author of the Sara Browne Series, a gripping romantic suspense, along with Let Me Go, Sun in My Heart, and A Collision with Love, her stand-alone romances with a twist. Gut-wrenching romances with unforeseen plot twists are where she thrives. Her apologies ahead of time for the tears.
Coming from a background and education in Marketing, Tricia has spent the past eleven years pursuing her author endeavors. She now lives in Virginia with her husband and new pup, Daisy, who keeps her on her toes. She enjoys long walks with her hubby, time with her two grown sons and DILs, and board games that bring out the silly.
Visit her at https://tricialarochelle.com/
October 8 – Shelly Jones – 6 AM CST
Shelly Jones (they/them) is a professor at a small college in upstate New York, where they teach classes in transmedia storytelling, the mystery genre, and writing. They are a senior editor at Analog Game Studies, and their research examines tabletop games. A Pushcart nominee and Best Microfiction finalist, their creative works have been published in F&SF, Apex, and elsewhere. Their novel, Player Elimination, was nominated for the 2026 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. When they aren’t grading or writing, Shelly can often be found hiking in the woods or playing a board game while their cats look on.
Find them at: https://shellyjonesauthor.com/
October 10, 16, & 23 – Lane Stone – 6 AM CST
Lane Stone, husband Larry Korb, and Standard Schnauzer, Cordy, live in Alexandria, Virginia during the week and Lewes, Delaware on the weekend.
When not writing she’s enjoying characteristic baby boomer pursuits: traveling and playing golf. Her volunteer work includes media and communications for the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation. She’s on Georgia State University’s Political Science Department Advisory Board.
She has a post-graduate certificate in Antiquities Theft and Art Crime. Her alma mater is Georgia State University with a degree in political science.
You can reach Lane at www.LaneStoneBooks.com.
October 10 YouTube Video
October 16 YouTube Video
October 23 YouTube Video
October 11 – Lou Kemp – 6AM CST
Although originally from California, Lou resides in the Pacific Northwest with family and a herd of cats who like to block her computer screen whenever possible. Before turning to writing full time, she was an engineer and project manager. When not writing, Lou quilts for charity and edits on a pro-bono basis for other authors.
Early work was horror and suspense, later work morphed into a combination of magical realism, mystery and adventure, all painted with a horrific element as needed.
She is one of those writers who doesn’t plan ahead, no outlines, no clue, and sometimes writes herself into a corner. Atmospheric music in the background helps entice the moodier muse that must be present. Listening to Black, by Pearl Jam, really helps.
October 15 & 26 – Anita Dickason – 6 AM CST
Anita Dickason is a retired police officer with a total of twenty-seven years of law enforcement experience, twenty-two with Dallas PD. She served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer, advanced accident investigator, tactical officer, and first female sniper on the Dallas SWAT team.
See more about Anita Dickason by visiting her website https://www.anitadickason.com.
October 15 YouTube Video
October 26 YouTube Video
October 17 – Leslie Piggott – 6 AM CST
Leslie A. Piggott is a mom-turned-author who lives in Buda, Texas. She and her husband, Brad, have two children. She joined Indies United Publishing House in January of 2021. She has been a long distance runner since middle school and following college graduation began running marathons as a hobby.
She has since completed fourteen full marathons with plans for more in the future. Leslie has always loved being creative and in addition to writing, she also knits, crochets, quilts, sews bags and dresses for her daughter, and does watercolor paintings. Always up for a challenge, she frequently designs her own quilt or tote bag patterns.
Leslie enjoys volunteering in her children’s schools as well as within her church and community when possible. In fact, she donates many of her craft and sewing projects to a local silent auction, which she organizes annually. The proceeds from the auction support a memorial fund for her neighbors who tragically lost their son in 2011. Additionally, she also enjoys giving away many of her creations to friends, teachers, neighbors, and other loved ones as gifts.
October 19 – Stacy Wilder – 6 AM CST
Stacy Wilder has traveled to six out of seven continents, but her favorite place in the world is Charleston, South Carolina. Books have shaped her life and her travels. Her love of mysteries began with Nancy Drew.
Stacy’s debut novel, Charleston Conundrum, is the first in the Liz Adams mystery series. Liz’s sidekick, a Labrador retriever named Duke, is able to detect when people are lying, which comes in handy when Liz is solving a case. The Charleston Conundrum cover and manuscript placed first in their respective categories in a national When Words Count Pitch Week competition.
In addition to mysteries, Stacy writes children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and a totally spoiled Labrador retriever, Eve.
Connect with Stacy: https://www.storystacy.com/
October 21 – Melanie D. Sniker- 6 AM CST
Melanie D. Snitker is a USA Today bestselling author who writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense. She and her husband live in Texas with their two children. They share their home with three dogs and two terrariums filled with frogs, a toad, and a lizard. In her spare time, Melanie enjoys photography, reading, training her dog, playing computer games, and hanging out with family and friends.
October 25 – C.S. McDonald – 6 AM CST
C.S. McDonald taught dance and choreographed shows for twenty-six years. Nowadays, she resides with her husband, Bill, her Cocker Spaniel, Allister, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Charlie, on their Thoroughbred farm, Fly-by-Night Stables, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her children’s books, George the Pony were inspired by a real, cantankerous pony named George who lived on the farm for many years. Children have delighted in George’s stories, and many parents have said they become a bedtime reading staple.
And she’s not done yet! In 2026 C.S. McDonald added devotionals to her massive writing collection. Autumn is a time to relax with this lovely devotional, Harvesting Grace, A Forty-Day Devotional. Celebrate Advent with Season of Anticipating, An Advent Devotional. And finally, coming in November of 2026, a wonderful Lenten devotional>> Season of Hope, Nourishing Your Soul for Lent. All three books are part of McDonald’s, Devotionals for an Expectant Heart Series.
October 27 – Christa Nardi – 6 AM CST
Christa Nardi is an accomplished writer and an avid reader. Her favorite authors have shifted from Carolyn Keene and Earl Stanley Gardner to more contemporary mystery crime authors over time, but she still loves a good mystery. Christa has authored the Cold Creek Cozy Mystery Series, the spinoff Sheridan Hendley Mystery Series, and the Stacie Maroni Mystery Series. She co-authors the Hannah and Tamar Mystery Series with Cassidy Salem, reminiscent of all the Nancy Drew books she’s read (all of them). When not reading or writing, Christa enjoys travel with her husband, and playing with her dogs and three grand-daughters. Christa is a member of Sisters in Crime
Visit her at https://christanardibooks.com/
That’s a wrap on BookTober 2026
Whether you found your next favorite mystery from a single perfect sentence or you’re just here for the BookTober giveaway, thank you for spending the month with us. Bookmark this page, keep exploring the videos above, and don’t forget to get your giveaway entry in before it closes on November 1, we can’t wait to celebrate with our winners.
Here’s to another year of unforgettable one-liners. See you next BookTober!
Check out our other Hauntingly Good October Articles.
