Prior Desert Sleuths Outings - Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter

Past 2025 Events

March 13-16, 2025

Left Coast Crime, Denver: To learn more, visit the official website: Left Coast Crime 2025: Rocky Mountain High Jinks.

If you are attending please fill out this Desert Sleuths Left Coast Crime form so we can connect members with each other.

March 15-16

Tucson Festival of Books: To learn more, visit the official website: Tucson Festival of Books

To sign up for booth coverage, please follow go to Tucson Festival of Books Booth Sign-up

April 25-27

Malice Domestic #37 – Maryland: To learn more, here is the official website: Malice Domestic 37

If you are attending please fill out this Desert Sleuths Malice Domestic 37 form so we can connect members with each other.

April 27

Arizona Author Book Festival: To learn more, here is the official website: Arizona Author Book Festival.

Author Talks: Inspiring presentations and book signings with best-selling authors. – including our very own Susan Cummins-Miller, Debora J. Ledford, and Betty Webb.

The Arizona Author Book Festival is a fundraising event for SEEDs for Autism in Phoenix; 100 percent of sponsorship funds, vendor fees, and author application fees will support SEEDs programs.

There will be entertainment, music, food trucks and over 40 authors.

If you are attending please fill out this Desert Sleuths Arizona Author Book Festival form so we can connect members with each other.

May 10

Anthology Writers Conference: Desert Sleuths is working with Anthology, Inc. to fill 8, 50-minute sessions with moderators, panelists, and/or speakers. The Request for Proposal form is on our website if you’d like to fill one of those slots. Details are provided here.

June 17-21

ThrillerFest XX: To learn more, here is the official website: ThrillerFest XX

If you are attending please fill out this Desert Sleuths ThrillerFest XX form so we can connect members with each other.

June 26-28

Historical Novel Soc., Las Vegas: To learn more, here is the official website: HNS North America Conference

July 19

Payson Book Festival: To learn more, here is the official website: Payson Book festival.

Aug 8-9

White Mountains Festival of Books & Conference

August 21-24

Killer Nashville: To learn more, here is the official website: Killer Nashville

If you are attending please fill out this Desert Sleuths Killer Nashville form so we can connect members with each other.

September 3-7

Bouchercon, New Orleans: To learn more, here is the official website: Bouchercon World Mystery Convention

If you are attending please fill out this Desert Sleuths Bouchercon, New Orleans form so we can connect members with each other.

September 19-20

WriteNOW! 2025, virtual

Workshops, pitch sessions with acquiring agents, an editor’s assessment of your first 3 chapters, panel, and presentations … we’re preparing a programming slate to keep your skills sharp and put you in touch with industry pros to advance your writing career.

Arizona’s premiere mystery/crime writers conference for authors, readers, and enthusiasts welcomes writers from all genres. WriteNow! 2025 will be virtual, with an in-person social event.

With a focus on Craft ♦ Publish ♦ Market, there’s something for writers at all stages. Crowdcast will be our online platform for everything except the agent pitches (on Zoom) and manuscript assessment (via email).

October 9-11, 2025

Desert Nights, Rising Stars A writer’s conference presented by Arizona State University Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing in Tempe, Arizona. To learn more, here is the official website: Desert Nights, Rising Stars,

Saturday 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (Scottsdale, North)

Desert Foothills Book Festival Presented by The Holland Center and Desert Foothills Library. Come meet the Award-Winning Local Authors who write the books you love to read.

To learn more, here is the official website: Desert Foothills Book Festival

Learn more and sign up. Desert Sleuths table and booth staffing time slots Desert Sleuths Festival Table

The Holland Center, 34250 N 60th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85266

October 31, 2025 & November 1, 2025
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. each night
Bookmaze, 1300 W University Dr, Mesa, AZ 85201

The Haunted Library Fundraiser for The Mesa Book Festival
Come for a tour of The Haunted Library, where all is not as it seems and you might end up as part of “The Collection.” Guided tour of the Haunted Library start at 6:00 p.m., and the experience closes at 9:00 p.m. each night of October 31 and November 1.

But Wait, THERE’S MORE …

- - The haunted tomes escape into the parking lot as the souls of the authors present their best looks to you in a family friendly Trunk and Treat for all ages.
  - Explore the Graveyeard of Lost Writers where you might find yourself written into a story of doom.

Outside events (including Trunk and Treat) are Free, Tour of the Haunted Library is $5/person, paid onsite.

While this is not a Desert Sleuths sponsored event, we thought you might enjoy a fun night … in The Haunted Library … official website can be found here.

November 7-9, 2025

New England Crime Bake From the website:

“The New England Crime Bake is the premier conference for writers and lovers of crime writing in New England that is held in early November, Friday through Sunday. … is a learning experience, a networking opportunity, and a wonderful time. Attendees include writers at all stages of their careers, representing every genre in crime writing ….”

Sounds like a claw-cracking time. Read the About page to learn more.

November 15, 2025

Saturday from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (Mesa, AZ)

Local Author Book Fair MESA PUBLIC LIBRARY! The fair will feature books for young adults and adults. Meet local writers and discover your next great read or a gift for your favorite person.

Desert Sleuths will have a table to sell the anthologies. We could use 2 people in each 90-minute time slot to help staff the table. Signup form is here.

To learn more, here is the official website.

Red Mountain Library – Program Room (RM), 635 N. Power Road, Mesa, AZ 85205. (480) 644-3100

November 30th, 2025

Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Mesa, AZ)

Tales & Tumbleweed Holiday Book Festival
1859 W Guadalupe Rd #1859, Mesa, AZ 85202

Get ready for a full day of literary magic, local flair, and holiday cheer!

Join us for the Tales & Tumbleweed Holiday Book Festival — a FREE, family-friendly event celebrating local authors, shop handcrafted gifts and goods from unique vendors, and the vibrant creative community of the East Valley.

Desert Sleuths will have a table to sell anthologies and needs one person for each 90-minute time slot. Signup form is here.

Sign up to help sell anthologies, then do some holiday shopping or grab something to eat at The Silver Lounge or La Famiglia Restaurant.

Hosted by the East Valley book club Books & Banter. To learn more, here is the official website.

December 6, 2025

Saturday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Mesa, AZ)

Mesa Book Festival
Location Downtown Mesa, AZ

Get ready for a full day of Books and Fun! The 2025 Mesa Book Festival is a great literary getaway. To learn more, here is the official website.

Desert Sleuths will have a table to share with authors wanting to sell their own books as well as our very own Desert Sleuths 2025 Anthology SoWest: Danger Awaits! in addition to past anthologies and a cookbook.
Signup form for the Desert Sleuths booth is here.

2024 Events and photos

Malice Domestic 2024: April 26-28

Desert Sleuths meeting, greeting, book signing, and taking a few minutes with each other!

Two women with one holding a posterboard of her book cover — Sue Flaig and Christina Estes enjoy a moment in the signing room at Malice Domestic 2024

3 women smiling for the camera — Karen Odden and Sue Flaig, plus an attendee, at Malice Domestic 2024

Women at table with hand supporting chin, with two books in front of her — Karen Odden pauses for moment at the book signing table at Malice Domestic 2024

6 women in period costumes for a murder mystery panel — Karen Odden (left) and fellow panelists Kelly Oliver, Susan Elia MacNeal, Elizabeth Crowens, Mally Becker, and Jenny Adams for “Clothes Make the Murderer” at Malice Domestic 2024

5 women pose after an author panel — Sue Flaig (seated, left) and 4 other panelists at Malice Domestic 2024

Tuscon Festival of Books 2024: March 9-10

The 2024 Tucson Festival of Books attracted thousands of readers, authors, and the curious!

Image of a row of white and yellow tents, blue skies and milling people — The tents are up and the crowds are here!

Woman in a cowboy hat smiling, surrounded by books — Claire A Murray

Two women standing side by side in a tent behind a table of books — Pat Boomsma with Tucson SinC author Christine Knowles

Four people, three women and one man, sitting at a long table at the front of a presentation room — All in the Family (L-R Moderator Mary Ellen Flynn, Panelists J Ryan Strandal, Byron Lane, Elizabeth McKenzie)

Three women smiling joyfully — DS Pat Boomsma with two readers

Mystery Panel “Tracking Clues” with authors Kate Brody, Erica Ruth Neubauer and Nina Simon (left to right)

Four women seated at a long table — Trials and Tribulations of Motherhood (L-R Angie Kim, Tammy Greenwood, Zibby Owens, Moderator Anne Gardner)

Mystery folks – E A Aymar, Angie Kim, Sujata Massey, Nick Petrie, back row: Catriona MacPherson, DS Karen Odden

Three women and one man sitting behind a presenters table — Ink and Emotion (L-R Moderator Emily Walsh, Panelists Melissa Broder, Elizabeth McKenzie, Steven Browley)

Three women smiling the two on the right are holding books — Author Karen Odden with two readers

Woman standing behind a table display of books — Sandra R. Simmons

Woman in one quarter view with long hair signing a book — Author Karen Odden signing books at the Tucson SinC booth

A group of dancers in colorful dress — Performance Group

Left Coast Crime 2023: Trouble in Tuscon, March 16-19

El Conquistador Hotel in Tucson: Left Coast Crime (LCC) is an annual mystery convention sponsored by mystery fans, readers, and authors. At LCC readers, authors, critics, librarians, publishers, and other fans gather in convivial surroundings to pursue their mutual interests.

Desert Sleuths held a well-attended member networking social on Thursday evening. Of the 18+ Desert Sleuths at the conference, 14 were panelists and/or moderators. Karen Odden was nominated for a Lefty Award for Best Historical Novel (sorry you didn’t win Karen), and Kathy McIntosh was a debut author and spoke at the New Authors Breakfast hosted by National SinC.

Pictures from Left Coast Crime!

New Author Breakfast at Left Coast Crime sponsored by Sisters in Crime

Three image collage. Top left two people, man and woman sitting behind a table (Mindy Carlson from Chesapeake Chapter) Top right - two people a man and a woman sitting behind a presentation table with microphones (Sharon Lynn from Desert Sleuths) Bottom picture conference room with 10 top white table clothed tables, around which attendees are sitting. — New Authors read from their book to full house. Featured from left: Mindy Carlson from Chesapeake Chapter, and Sharon Lynn from Desert Sleuths. Congratulations to all new authors participating in this event.

Three women from left to right - Karen Odden (Publicity Committee and a Desert Sleuths member), Julie Hennrikus (Executive Director), and Jennifer Chow (President) - smiling for the camera. — Meet several SinC Board members. From left: Karen Odden (Publicity Committee and a Desert Sleuths member), Julie Hennrikus (Executive Director), and Jennifer Chow (President).

Lefty Award Nominees for Best History Mystery Novel

Presenter's table with 7 women and microphones seated facing the audience. The women are nominees for the Lefty Award for Best History Mystery Novel — Karen Odden (3rd from right) is one of 6 nominees for the Lefty Award for Best History Mystery Novel.

Karen Odden (3rd from right) is one of 6 nominees for the Lefty Award for Best History Mystery Novel.

Both Sides of the Law panel

Celebrating the Short Story panel

Desert Sleuths Erynn Crowley (moderator) and Claire A Murray (back row), with Kim Keeline and Rena Leith.

Writing in the New Southwest Panel

Why We Love Research Panel

Photo: panelists at Left Coast Crime 2023 — Desert Sleuths members Clare Broyles (2nd from left) and Donis Casey (3rd from left) on Why We Love Research panel at Left Coast Crime 2023

Desert Sleuths Out and About

Photo: 2 people at Left Coast Crime 2023 — Susan Cummins Miller and Gary L. Kreigh at Left Coast Crime 2023

Photo of person against the backdrop of Tucson mountains at Left Coast Crime 2023 — DS President Claire A Murray at Left Coast Crime 2023 against the backdrop of Tucson mountains.

Tucson Festival of Books 2023, March 4-5

University of Arizona Campus, Tucson

TFoB Logo

Desert Sleuths participated in The Tucson Festival of Books (TFoB) in partnership with Tucson Sisters in Crime. TFOB is the third-largest book festival in the US, attracting over 130,000 visitors to the University of Arizona campus. The festival features over 200 exhibitors, including author presentations, panel discussions and book signings. Authors signed and sold books throughout the weekend, including Desert Sleuths anthologies and our cookbook.

For more about this annual event, go to www.tucsonfestivalofbooks.org.