Authors explore how pets and food bring warmth, humor, and texture to mystery fiction. This session examines why cats, dogs, and culinary details resonate with readers, how they deepen character and community, and the ways these everyday comforts can make crime stories even more irresistible.
Murder in the Windy City: Why Chicago Makes Crime Fiction Hit Harder
Barbara Fister, Julia Keller, Michael A. Black, Michael Wiley, and Sara Paretsky explore why Chicago is such a compelling setting for crime fiction. They discuss how the city’s history, neighborhoods, and moral complexity shape stories where place is inseparable from...




