Beach House in the Burbs

The last Saturday in January was the date of the best ever Murder Goes South mystery conference. This conference distinguishes itself from others with its concentration on mysteries set in the South or written by Southern authors. This year's lineup included featured author Erica Spindler , who spoke at the Friday night dinner; local authors Patricia Sprinkle ; and Georgia Adams ; and many others. The conference also offered speakers in other areas of interest to mystery readers and writers, including, Susan Kirkpatrick Smith, an assistant professor, who teaches forensic anthropology. Smith talked about what bones can and can not tell about cause or time of death, and about how the TV shows Bones and CSI get it wrong. For the first time, the conference offered critiques of 20 pages of a manuscript by a real live New York agent (that last should be said in your best Beverly Hillbillies accent for maximum impact). We welcomed literary agent Janet Reid , from FinePrint Literary Manag