MineTime
April Alive
from MineTime
Fiction-Reader's Roundtable
Readers discuss the book blurbs of newly published fiction to decide what they should read next. Returning limited series.
Lynn: (reading from a printed card) Welcome readers! Please go one by one and begin with your name, title of book and author, and your pitch for your novel.
Who would like to start?
Penny: I'll jump in. My name is Penny. I'm going to pitch The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives by Elizabeth Arnott. This one is really a piece of work, I've gotta say. Three wives who were each married to serial killers try to go on with their lives and do whatever you do after your evil husband dies or goes to jail. Then, somehow, some way, they figure that they've got the skills to catch serial killers themselves. I like this because these aren't damsels in distress even though the story is set in the 60s. The idea sounds so promising.
Coral: I agree with that. Thank you so much. Call me Coral. I received The Final Problem by Arturo Perez-Reverte. I don't think this novel is as unconventional as Penny's but it has a promising premise also. Basically, a group of people end up on a Greek island and people start dying. That part sounds standard, but who is the unlikely detective? It's an actor who played a detective on TV. This sounds like Agatha Christie should have written something like this. I don't think she did. If we want a crazy read, maybe not this one but this seems funny to me. That's all.
Lynn: (snickering) I really wanted to go last because this one is wild. Oh, hi, I'm Lynn. I'm going to tell you about The Alphabet Sleuths by Laura Jensen Walker. These women are the most unlikely of the unlikely. They are in their senior years. They are breaking stereotypes of older women to some extent, but the most important thing is they are both involved in a killing and sleuthing. This one needs reading just to find out what on earth happens! I won't say that we should choose this one but we should all read it at some point.
Penny: Are we going to start arguing now?
Ana: (reading from a printed card) Welcome readers! Please go one by one and begin with your name, title of book and author, and your pitch for your novel. We already did introductions... Maybe we can do our books in alphabetical order?
Tailar: I'm guessing that is me. I don't remember all of the titles but I received I Came Back for You by Kate White. Am I right? Okay, mine is also pretty short. The story is about a mother, Bree, who had a daughter named Melanie. Sadly, Melanie was a victim of murder and her killer goes to jail. Ten years have passed and the killer seems like he had nothing to do with Melanie's death. It opens everything back up for the mother and new information comes out. Sounds like a mystery into a daughter's life of secrets. This one might be dark and juicy!
Viva: (giggles) Dark and juicy like a delicious, ripe plum! Sorry, I'm ready for snacks. I am pitching Sisters in Yellow by Mieko Kawakami. We've got Hana who is 15 and her bar-maid mother. Well, she's a hostess. Then we have Kimiko... I guess he's a guy? The three of them open a bar in Tokyo called Lemon and life starts getting good, but we know that "all good things..."
Ana and Tailar: Come to an end.
Viva: Right, only we've got to read it to find out why and how and what happens. And that is Sisters in Yellow by Mieko Kawakami.
Ana: (applause) That was great. Two tough pitches. Mine is a little more like Tailar's. Under Water, written by Tara Menon, tells the story of Marissa. Her mother dies when she's a tiny girl so she goes to Thailand to be with her father. She befriends a girl there named Arielle and get to be besties, but something happens to Arielle. I'm not sure if she dies or what. If we want to know, we've got to pick this one!
Viva: Is it alright if I give my rank for these three books?
Laney: (reading from a printed card) Welcome readers! Please go one by one and begin with your name, title of book and author, and your pitch for your novel.
Rivian: I've got to jump in. I'm going to pitch The Only One Who Knows by Lisa M. Matlin. This one really sounds like one to read. We start with a TV host. She's got the lovely life on the outside but the inside--far from it. Things really go wrong and she flees back to her small little Australian fishing town where there's a killer shark and maybe another killer as well. She has secrets to hide, the town has secrets to hide, and I think I want to know what they are!
Chandra: (nodding) I like. I like. I want to tell you both about Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. The description was so long, you would not believe... I'm going to shorten it and I'm going to also make it clear that we should choose this novel. Imagine a celebrity online influencer who promotes, what is it, trad-wife living on a farm and all that with her hot hubby and six children. Not surprisingly, it's a big lie. They don't live off of the land, hired help raise the children, she probably doesn't even cook at all. Then, suddenly, one day she wakes up in a past time, over 100 years ago with the same family but no electricity, no internet, and she is actually expected to do hard labor. She doesn't know what's going on, I don't know what's going on, neither of you know what's going on. We have to read this.
Laney: My mouth fell open. Fake trad-wife becomes real trad-wife. Okay. My book is The Midnight Show, by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne. All we know is that it's the '80s in New York and the main character finds fame on a late-night sketch comedy show. She disappears and we have to read the book to know why.
Rivian: Okay, we've got three stars who run into trouble. Which one are we going to read about?
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Five Thousand Dollar Chat
A game of conversation and big words. Bigger words earn higher points. Limited series for teens.
Carrie: Guys, I don't want to be overly gregarious. I'll just let one of you begin.
Lionel: Carrie, you're so nonchalant. You clearly already began.
Zia: I may be out of my league here. Um. I can't think of anything!
Mickey: You can't think of anything? That is unfathomable. No way. No way.
(Laughs)
Zia: Wait. Wait. Wait. I'm ... tenacious! It just takes me a little while to get going. (Giggles) I think I'm back in the game.
Carrie: Congratulations, Zia. Laudable effort. Keep doing very well. Maybe a little less well...
Gretchen: Greetings and my salutation to all. It's nice to meet you all and let the best win.
Heath: Thank you. I plan to win. I hope that I don't sound like a braggart.
Tisha: Bad news then. (Snickers) I like this game. I'm just here for fun. I won't get all cantankerous if I don't win. So...
Brit: That's a great one, Tisha! I don't know if that was an anomaly or what, but if you keep that up, this game is yours!
Heath: Are you serious? Inconceivable!
Bennie: Welcome, welcome. I just want you all to know that my win is imminent, but do not fret. You can still have fun.
JoJo: Some might respond to that with indignation, Bennie.
Zara: Not me. I'm okay because that was not a credible statement at all. It was more, like, hopeful.
Vince: Excuse me, um. Before we continue, I would just like to say that this is an epic conversation. Thank you. I'm not here to win. I'd rather enjoy the banter. Carry on.
Hilary: Are we ready to start? Everyone have their big banger words in your minds? Are we our most magnanimous?
David: Yes, our most Magnum PI or whatever. Yes. Affirmative. Yes.
Morgan: I would like to ask a question. Have you all been studying your dictionaries with incessant fervor, or no?
Brody: Nice, Morgan. Um. I would say that this is all whimsical to me.
All four in near unison: Banal.
David: Jinx!
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eContract
A young tech mastermind offers a solution for her classmates problems. Limited series for teens.
Jerome and Keke cause an upset among the high school classmates after the two each of their online posts go viral for his complaints that she should pitch in on more of the prom costs and her spilled tea about certain expectations. Lynae pens an editorial for the school paper suggesting econtracts for any student with similar concerns and offers to set them up. She gets flooded by requests, which catches the attention of amateur documentary film-maker, Tim, who arranges with Lynae to film the entire process. Jerome and Keke go viral again.
Tim interviews Eric and Sandra about the contract Lynae set up to improve their management of their together time and their many school activities. Jerome and Keke go viral again. They surprise him when they talk about bills they've received each time they've broken their agreement, though they have no idea who to pay or how, or who sent the bills. Jerome and Keke's viral discussion of the e-contract leads to Lynae getting an interview with local TV stations. Meanwhile, the requests for contracts keep coming. Tim attempts to contact Lynae but can't break through the noise surrounding her. Jerome's payment for prom tickets fail to process during a livestream.
Beginning to regret the publicity and hounding coming her way, Lynae attempts to distance herself from the e-contracts and especially Jerome and Keke. Tim finally reaches Lynae in time to ask her about bills and financial problems plaguing her e-contract clients just before a courier serves her family with court papers. Jerome, Keke, and their families have filed a lawsuit accusing Lynae of malice and criminal negligence. Within days, other students and e-contract clients join the lawsuit. Lynae finally looks into their complaints and realizes that the contracts she set up have gone rogue.
Conscripted
Forces pull Tully into a situation and environment requiring kill or be killed. Limited series.
Tully goes into her job site as she has every day for four years only to find that the entire company has been conscripted into a tech war. Unnerved and concerned about how she will care for her young son under such a demanding factors, she goes to Helen, the employment coordinator. Helen explains that no resignations will be accepted. Tully completes her work day but considers with her husband whether the family should flee.
In preparation to flee with her husband and young son, Tully's office manager meets her unannounced outside of the house. Jameson states that he decided to stop off at her house because he felt ill and asks to use her bathroom. She hesitates but allows him to come inside, where he quietly tells her that danger could come to her family if she fails to show up for work. His family, he says, has already received threats after he booked flights for them to leave. Jameson, Tully, and her husband agree to help one another while going along with the workplace demands, though she remains uncertain about trusting him.
Tully continues to go to work, cautiously looking out for Jameson while quietly keeping track of him. The two discreetly agree to get to the bottom of the company's role in the tech war and why the employees have been locked down. While communicating in a hidden place inside the office, the two of them witness Helen, the employment coordinator, getting roughed up outside her office by men in steel-colored uniforms. Jameson advises that they should stop looking into things or they could get hurt. Tully breaks down in tears in the bathroom.
Request preview of Conscripted
Cover Trends
Visuals enthusiasts compare notes about fiction cover art trends in recent releases. Limited series for all ages. 
See book covers
Huey: Welcome. I'm Huey and we've got Grace and Dabney here to share our reactions to novels released over the last few weeks that reveal an interesting trend in cover art. Each cover prominently displays a single eyeball. What's going on?
Grace: I know this will be an interesting talk. I can't wait to hear what you both think about these. The single eye, in so many ways, give us horror, fear, terror but can also reflect surveillance.
Dabney: Absolutely. Of the three cover examples, two are colorful and emphasize the color yellow. The third is lacking color in all but one trail. One of them completely gives the terror that Grace mentioned, one of them is just as eerie as can be. This is an interesting trend.
Huey: You both point out detail that not everyone will immediately catch but maybe the creepy feeling still comes across. I noticed that with one of the covers, or possibly two, there is a reflection in the eye. There is something or someone in the line of sight, caught by the eye! We haven't read anything about these novels. What stories do we expect from these books based on the cover art?
Huey: Welcome back. My name is Huey and Grace and Dabney are with me to share our reactions to novels released recently with an interesting trend in cover art. Each cover we'll talk about features ocean water or water. What's with this trend?
Grace: That's my question! We've got water, almost churning in two cases, and women associated with the water in two cases.
Dabney: And beaches. Or coasts. Not just riverbanks or water from a faucet or something like that.
Grace: Right! I see with these covers that something is churning, something is stirring.
Huey: Let's expand on that, but before we do, does anything else stand out about these covers? We've got the water, the water's edge, the women that we see on two covers...
Dabney: That's great, Huey, because I would like to quickly highlight the colors. We're seeing deep, dark colors. One of the covers is a little faded, I would say, another is fairly bright. Even so, we in shades of blue and green, even indigo and black. There's also white as contrasting color and with the ocean surf. I would say these covers convey a lot of intensity.
Grace: Let's not forget the grass, the moss, the rocks, the sand. Do you all sense a sort of permanence in the middle of a lot of change, movement, turmoil?
Just Before Spring Special
Make the most of breezing into spring. Limited series for teens.
Mischief, excitement, and unexpected opportunity awaits, based on Bungalow in the Snow. Get it here
Based on the Bonfire of the Vanities epic, this walks you right into that world. Can you make it to the end of the day? Get it here
Are they friends or enemies and who can he really turn to in his time of need? Hear the excerpt. Get it here
You wake up in this unnerving environment but can you make it out? Based on Attached at the Hand. Get it here
The world looks very different than it ever has, and not in a good way. Hear the excerpt. Get it here
Teen Sleuths
Teens discuss micro mysteries to discover who did what, when, why, and how. Limited series.
Tiff: Okay, I'm starting because I know who did it. Was it Domino, Luigi, Marina? Let's discuss.
Bennie: If you know who did it, tell us who it is!
Tiff: I will. I just don't want to ruin the discussion first.
Cindy: I say that it was Luigi. He had the opportunity and he just sounds guilty.
Bennie: Based on what?
Bennie: I just want to know who thinks it was the neighbor?
Cindy: That option felt like a distraction to me.
Tiff: I think it could have been the neighbor. Why not?
Cindy: But do you think it was the neighbor? What about the focus on the change in the best friend? What was her name?
Bennie: It was Leigh or something. I really think it was her!
Tiff: I would agree but that wasn't an option. Why did she have this sudden change?
Tiff: Real quick, real quick... I'm so ready to graduate! I don't know if I can make it to the end of this school year!
Cindy: Well, just imagine life for me. I only a junior!
Bennie: But back to the real topic, I don't think the friend's parents would pay. They didn't even do anything for their own daughter!
Tiff: We don't know that!
Bennie: And it wasn't the foster mother. I know a couple of foster children. Forget that.
Cindy: You might be assuming too much. Either way, it sounds like you think her father did it. Or are you still making up your own culprits?
Bennie: A destroyed prom dress? Get out of the way and don't let Marie catch you or you will be sorry!
(Laughs)
Cindy: Okay, guys probably don't care if their rented tux gets destroyed.
Tiff: Well, they care about whatever they have to pay for the damage. I would hate to get in your way if I caused you to lose hundreds, bro.
Bennie: Wait, hundreds? I don't have to wear a tux to prom, do I? Can I wear what I have on right now?
Cindy: Let's get back to Marie and her mystery, please!
Tiff: (Laughs) Bennie did it!
Cindy: (singing) Who stole Tina's bracelet?
Tiff: It could not have been me, but that tennis bracelet sounded really nice. I might have wanted to grab it.
Bennie: Didn't you accuse me the last time? Now you are admitting to being a thief?
(Laughs)
Cindy: If Tina didn't do it herself, and I guess she didn't, I say it was the sister. It was Peyton.
Tiff: If it wasn't Bennie, it could have been Peyton. Maybe. I say it was the friend, Carla. She had the opportunity to do it.
Bennie: The smartest one of the bunch was the boyfriend. He did it. In fact, what if Tina gave it to him?
Solve Me
Two high school seniors stumble into a gambit that will either protect their classmates or lead to catastrophe. Limited series for teens.
Halee's close friend, Ru, tearfully confides after school that she's in trouble and will be gone for a while. Ru begs Halee to keep her secret phone until she comes back. Halee hides it in her room, but when uses it once to try to contact Ru, messages with puzzles lure her into replying. She solves them quickly at first, drawing her in more or more, until one stumps her. Dune, her classmate, catches her working on it in class and solves it himself. They begin working together as the puzzles become increasingly sinister.
After two weeks of working together to solve puzzles, Halee and Dune receive congratulations for completing all of them. She kisses him out of joy, leading to immediate awkwardness between them. Their conflicted feelings get interrupted by new messages proclaiming them worthy to begin the real task of completing challenges in order to protect the school and their fellow classmates. Dune refuses to continue so they leave the message hanging. The next morning, reports of a death inside the school building leads to canceled classes.
Dune shows up at Halee's door on the day of suspended classes to accuse her of using him and leading him on in order to keep him involved in a scam. Halee denies doing any of that and states that the rumored death in the school building must be connected to their refusal to continue solving challenges. Dune angrily suggests that Halee's friend is playing with her and announces that he wants no part of it. Halee tries to reach Ru but gets no answer.
Dune shows up at Halee's door on the day of suspended classes to accuse her of using him and leading him on in order to keep him involved in a scam. Halee denies doing any of that and states that the rumored death in the school building must be connected to their refusal to continue solving challenges. Dune angrily suggests that Halee's friend is playing with her and announces that he wants no part of it. Halee tries to reach Ru but gets no answer.
After Halee packs Ru's phone away for good, she begins to receive messages to her own phone number requesting solutions. Dune admits to her that he received messages also and he knows that she is not responsible. They begin working together again with the plan to report the messages to the police. As they reply to the messages with solutions at the end of their class, they notice that a phone is the class seems to ding when they send messages, though no person shows any signs of response. Dune finds an unattended phone on a shelf in the room. They take it, careful not to touch it directly, until they can check it further. Right before lunch, the school goes into lockdown and Dune and Halee must shelter in their separate classrooms.
More Rolling Reads
Re-Cast Best Picture
Ahead of the 2026 Academy Award winners announcement, movie-lovers share their preferred cast for selected Best Picture nominees. Limited series.
Re-Cast Best Picture, Episode 1: Marty Supreme
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Re-Cast Best Picture, Episode 3: Sinners
Re-Cast Best Picture, Episode 4: One Battle After Another
Re-Cast Best Picture, Episode 5: F1, finale
Request full Re-Cast Best Picture
Biting Cold
The winter brings threats and danger Mel and those around her will need a silver bullet to escape. Limited series.
Past Post Roundtable
Eager participants discuss past posts of yore, their reactions and their opinions. Limited series.
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Hearts Ablaze
This one is for every heart. Come one, come all. Limited series.
Holiday Weekend Rewind
Spend this end of the year with unique, surprising, unexpected, laugh-out-loud, and more.
Holiday Weekend Rewind, Episode 1: Marriage Arrangement
Holiday Weekend Rewind, Episode 2: Master the Holiday Munchies
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Request Holiday Weekend Rewind
Know Your Role
A game of stealth, requiring close observation and strong conversation. Limited series for teens.
Know Your Role, Episode 1
Know Your Role, Episode 2,
Know Your Role, Episode 4
Know Your Role, Episode 5 finale
Charmed Birthday Year
Kendra receives multiple correspondence stating, "This is your charmed birthday year until it all runs out." Limited series.
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Date Auction
Daters are on the auction block and any interested in bidding for the chance for a date must be ready to commit to a reading list. Limited series.
Big Game
Bay must stop the high school football team's suddenly dangerous behavior, including her younger brother and her crush. Limited series for teens.
OOP Retrospective
An in-depth exploration of story, characters, and themes of an OOP favorite. Limited series.
Fic Fash
Fiction and fashion combine when readers of all ages come together to pull style off of the page. Limited series.
Fic Fash, Episode 1: Starting Pretty Fall
Fic Fash, Episode 2: The Style Friend
Fic Fash, Episode 3: Coffin Nails
Fic Fash, Episode 4: Faultless and Flawless
Fic Fash, Episode 5: Perfect 10, finale
Reads Excerpts
Cash Out, preview
"You've got it, Lela. Roll 'em."
June said those words, and blew on the dice in Lela's hands. For Lela, time seemed to stop.
They'd both had their contracts come up but neither of them had earned the necessary numbers to win their freedom. They'd been dragged to wherever they'd been dragged. They thought they were going to meet their end. Well, Lela thought that. June seemed incapable of understanding what was at stake.
Even that, at the very moment, June seemed not to realize what was happening.
Big Dough, the one calling the shots, upon seeing them seemed to grow a heart. No, not really. He just like to play with people. He liked to pretend to give a chance when he knew they had no chance. Instead of handling it quickly, he gave them a chance to play for their lives.
But Lela had to roll for the both of them. Only one of them would go free. "Free." Whatever that would actually mean.
June said, "I don't know if blowing like that helps but I've seen people do that before in the movies."
Despite the noise, the jitters, the threat of death that caused her to want to pee, time seemed to stop.
Lela could barely see past June, the dealer, and the crowed around the table.
They had no way out.
Swallowing a glob of nervous spit and blinking her eyes, Lela made a decision.
Read Cash Out, a MineTime Discovery
Dinner Or Death, preview
Kwan artfully slid the bills to the other man. Smiling and nodding, he started to speak but was cut off.
"Just remember, if anything happens, I don't know you, never seen you."
Sighing, Kwan felt a brief moment on uncertainty. He couldn't do that. He almost put a grin on his face but went serious instead.
"I've got this, cousin. Always had it."
Kwan's cousin thumbed the money. When he was satisfied, he headed for the kitchen door. "Good luck."
Scoping the dining area, Kwan wondered at how he'd so soon gone from "No doubt" to "I hope so." But he kept moving. He saw the table and he saw his target. Then he moved, trying to be swift but without a care, not wanting to attract any attention.
"Helio," he said, dropping a hand on the man's shoulder.
Helio's shoulder felt stiff as stone. His head turned with the precision of a machine, at a painstakingly slow speed, and his eyes fell on Kwan with the fear of God.
"Helio," Kwan repeat, slightly shaken, "Kwan, P-Pause, haven't seen you in a while, man. I thought I'd come over..."
Helio's tension released instantly and he glanced toward every entrance.
"Right, P-Pause," said Helio. "Well, look, I'm expecting someone."
Read Dinner Or Death, a MineTime Discovery
Let's Play, preview
Arily felt sweat run down into her eyes. She flicked it away. The sauna had just become less confortable and the other two ladies had already exited, leaving her there alone.
She breathed deeply, wondering what her test results might reveal. Something unexplainable had taken over her body. She needed answers.
The sauna door opened. Arily paid no mind until she caught a male figure in her peripheral vision and saw the towel drop. Arily sighed.
"Feels great in here."
Arily recognized the voice of Doctor Robinson, Le Med's medical director. She kept her eyes on her feet. The doctor was handsome and helpful--he'd agreed to run tests for her privately. But if this was the payment he expected... She was in no mood.
"Yes. I think I'll leave soon before I over-heat."
"Before you do that, I got the results of the test. Everything looks fine. Care to tell me what you expected to find?"
Arily did not care to tell him.
"Maybe once I've showered and dressed. Thank you again."
Arily allowed herself to look over the naked doctor's body where he laid out on the platform. She shrugged, impressed. Then she stood.
"That's an excellent idea. Dinner this evening?"
Read Let's Play, a MineTime Discovery
Delwyn In Wonderground, preview
In a dark place, somewhere few people could ever identify, or find, or escape, a man's motionless body lays out like the dead. Until his arm strikes out without warning to reach for something that he does not find. Then he freezes. Then he jumps up and flies into a rage.
"Let me out!" he shouts.
"Mr. Delwyn," responds a voice immediately, "let's calm down, shall we? Anger won't get you out of here. Why don't we just discuss what will?"
Delwyn looks feverishly around himself. Where is the exit? Where is person attached to the voice? Where is the--
"Mr. Delwyn please. Can we just get down to business? You've been resourceful and creative and you've escaped all of this for many years but you are here now. You won't be released until we get what we need."
Delwyn takes a deep breath. He sits back down on the cot he sprang up from. He sees his prison, a low-lit, sparse room with a large, dark window in one wall and little else.
He says, "And what do you need?"
"The pole shift is here," says the voice. "Certain geographic locations require protection."
Delwyn's head falls to his chest. He closes his eyes. He feels the rage welling up before he slows his breathing. Delwyn lifts his head.
"Okay."
Read Delwyn In Wonderground, a MineTime Discovery
Plain Twain, preview
Because May dropped the phone, she did not hear the ranting woman on the phone and her frantic words.
"May," the voice distantly squeaked, "I want you to come in for an evaluation. You don't sound well. Your thoughts are scattered, you are drawing wild connections, and frankly I don't know what to say. You think that you may have been cloned without your knowledge and that this identical twin of yours has been out to get you? I don't want to scare you but this kind of talk can be very dangerous if clients get wind of any of this."
"Why don't I get that for you."
The woman who only recently entered the room, reached down and picked up the phone. Without a word, she disconnected the call with a smile.
She said, "Hello, May."
Shocked into silence, May stared at the very one the caller had referred to, the clone, the identical twin, the one out to get May. The same one she'd felt stalking her.
"Who are you?" May asked.
The other woman frowned. "You mean to tell me that you don't know?"
Read Plain Twain, a MineTime Discovery
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