Mystery and Crime Deserve the Spotlight in Comics


Superheroes fly. Fantasy dazzles. But mystery? It lingers. Sometimes it keeps you up at night or you feel like telling someone about what you’ve just experienced. Suspense, terror, danger, longing, intrigue. It’s all there along with the desire to find out “who-done-it”.

Mysteries make you think. It pries open the doors of doubt and lets the mind play. In a world that loves big explosions and cosmic stakes, the quiet, deliberate tension of a well-told mystery often gets lost. That’s a shame because mystery comics do something other genres rarely achieve—they hold up a mirror to humanity’s darker truths while keeping us on the edge of our seats. The good ones make us think even after we put the pages away. Although I’ve never worked for them, there is one comic publishing conglomerate that knows how to satisfy the mystery itch.

Image Comics gets it.

For the last decade, they’ve been leading the charge in mystery and thriller storytelling. They’ve let creators off the leash, and the results are bold, unnerving, and unforgettable. From conspiracy-laden page-turners to noir-soaked character studies, Image delivers stories that prove comics don’t need capes to be compelling.


The Unstoppable Rise of Image Comics in Mystery

Let’s give credit where it’s due. Image Comics has become the playground for creators who want to experiment with suspense and intrigue. Why? Freedom. Creators retain ownership of their work here, which means they take risks, tell unconventional stories, and steer clear of formulaic plots.

Take The Department of Truth by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds. It’s a masterclass in paranoia, bending reality into knots as it dives into the question: What if the wildest conspiracy theories were true? Then there’s Kill or Be Killed, a dark, psychological ride from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, forcing readers to wrestle with morality and the weight of impossible choices.

These aren’t just comics—they’re experiences. They haunt your thoughts long after the final panel.


Ten Must-Read Mysteries from Image Comics

If you’re ready to dive into the genre, start with these gems:

  • The Department of Truth: Conspiracies meet haunting visuals.
  • Kill or Be Killed: A moral thriller that cuts deep.
  • Criminal: Noir storytelling at its finest.
  • Deadly Class: High school assassins and existential chaos.
  • Black Science: Sci-fi and mystery collide with jaw-dropping results.
  • Monstress: A beautifully illustrated tale of secrets and survival.
  • Paper Girls: Time travel, nostalgia, and suspense.
  • The Wicked + The Divine: Mythology wrapped in a pop-culture mystery.
  • Gideon Falls: Atmospheric horror that chills and thrills.
  • Seven to Eternity: A sprawling tale of family, betrayal, and moral conflict.

Each title brings something unique to the table, showcasing the incredible range that Image Comics has cultivated.

And if you haven’t heard of The One Hand & The Six Fingers, don’t miss out. The trade paperback drops this December, crafted by Dan Watters, Laurence Campbell, and Ram V. It’s a thrilling crime story with shades of Blade Runner and Se7en—a sci-fi horror blend that keeps you questioning what’s real and what’s nightmare.


Why Now?

In a media landscape dominated by noise, mystery comics whisper. They draw you in, force you to pay attention, and reward you for doing so. We live in a time when truth feels slippery, and questions feel more honest than answers. Mystery comics tap into that uncertainty, offering not just escapism but deeper reflection.

While superheroes keep saving the world, mystery comics remind us why it needs saving in the first place. Let’s celebrate the creators brave enough to write between the lines and the publishers smart enough to let them.


Image Comics: A Haven for Risk-Taking Creators

Image operates on a revolutionary principle: creators own their stories. No corporate overlords diluting vision for mass appeal. This freedom has made Image a beacon for writers and artists who want to break boundaries and tackle big ideas without compromise.

This ethos shines in their mystery catalog, where intricate plots meet jaw-dropping visuals. Take The Department of Truth, a cerebral rollercoaster crafted by Tynion and Simmonds, or Kill or Be Killed, where Brubaker and Phillips redefine modern noir with raw, emotional storytelling.

From Criminal’s anthology of crime fiction to Monstress’ stunning fusion of fantasy and mystery, Image proves that comics can transcend genre to become art.


These Creators Define the Genre Right Now

These writers and artists aren’t just telling stories; they’re redefining what comics can be. Brubaker and Phillips have turned noir into poetry. Tynion and Simmonds make paranoia a visual experience. Remender and Scalera inject high-energy chaos into narrative structure, and Liu and Takeda elevate fantasy with a level of craftsmanship that commands respect.

They’ve taken a genre often dismissed as formulaic and infused it with depth, innovation, and artistry. Their work shows that mystery and crime aren’t just genres—they’re explorations of human complexity.


The Quiet Power of Mystery

Mystery comics don’t shout. They don’t swing hammers or summon dragons. They whisper, making you lean in closer. They challenge you to think, to question, and to reflect.

At a time when spectacle often overrides substance, they remind us that a well-placed shadow or a thoughtful pause can be more powerful than the loudest explosion. So, the next time someone hands you a superhero epic or a sprawling fantasy saga, pause for a moment. Look for the quieter book with a mystery brewing on the cover.

If it’s an Image comic? Well, you’re in for something unforgettable.

European Creators Bring Fresh Perspectives to Image Comics

When Noir Meets Neo-Future: European Creators Bring Fresh Perspective to Image Comics

Fans of innovative crime stories have a reason to celebrate this December. British creators Ram V, Dan Watters, and Laurence Campbell are set to re-release The One Hand & The Six Fingers, a neo-noir series that rewrites the rulebook with its dual-narrative format. The series is being offered in trade paperback in December. It’s good… very good.

This upcoming release underscores why Image Comics is synonymous with genre innovation. Since 1992, the publisher has cultivated a reputation for storytelling that defies convention, especially in crime and mystery. Titles like Powers (Brian Michael Bendis), Criminal (Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips), and Thief of Thieves (Robert Kirkman) have expanded the boundaries of crime comics, exploring themes and structures often ignored in mainstream offerings.

The genius of The One Hand & The Six Fingers lies in its dual approach. Ram V and Laurence Campbell’s storyline, The One Hand, follows a grizzled detective tackling an unsolvable case. Meanwhile, The Six Fingers by Dan Watters and Sumit Kumar tracks an archaeology student caught in a spiral of violence. Combined, these perspectives reveal a deeper narrative truth that, in Ram V’s words, emerges “in the spaces between.”

Laurence Campbell’s artwork reflects the moodiness and grit of his 2000 AD roots, while the layered plot pays homage to European crime fiction traditions. The London-based writing duo of Ram V and Watters channels their unique sensibilities into a vision of noir that feels global in scope but sharply personal in tone.

For Image Comics, this series is another notch in a belt already heavy with accolades for pushing artistic and narrative boundaries. The publisher has consistently proven that crime comics can serve as a canvas for profound, thought-provoking stories that resonate far beyond the typical whodunit.

Whether you’re drawn to noir’s shadowy streets or just looking for a gripping story, The One Hand & The Six Fingers is worth exploring. The trade paperback arrives in comic shops on December 11, with a wider release in bookstores on December 24.

Image Comics is Still an Industry Leader

Image Comics’ origin story is as audacious as the characters its founders once drew for the Big Two. In 1992, seven of Marvel’s biggest names walked away at the peak of their careers, armed with nothing but talent and a conviction that creators deserved control over their work. This wasn’t just a business decision—it was an artistic revolution. The fact is, the comics industry thrives on creativity and risks. Image Comics continues to lead the charge, championing creators and projects that remind us of what’s possible when storytelling has no limits.

From Panel to Page: How Graphic Novels Reshape the Mystery Genre

Somewhere in the gritty crossroads of visuals and crime fiction, graphic novels have redefined how we absorb mysteries. From Will Eisner’s groundbreaking work to today’s modern neo-noir explorations, the union of images and text creates something prose alone can’t: a visceral, layered storytelling experience.

Pulp Roots and Crime Panels

The pulpy crime fiction of the 1930s—those garish covers, razor-sharp dialogue, and breakneck plots—laid the groundwork for crime comics. It didn’t take long for comics to seize the genre. Why? They had a new weapon: the ability to show and tell at once. Suddenly, you weren’t just reading about the crime; you were watching it unfold panel by panel.

Will Eisner’s The Spirit turned comics into a cinematic experience. He manipulated shadows, angles, and pacing to guide the eye like a film director framing his shot. This visual choreography didn’t just heighten suspense; it turned clues into something readers could see, building the blueprint for how mysteries would be told in sequential art for decades.

How Graphic Novels Deepen the Mystery

Mystery thrives on detail—what’s said, unsaid, and left in plain sight. Graphic novels pull this off with tricks only they can deliver.

Silent Clues

Visual storytelling plants details in a way prose can’t replicate. Backgrounds hide hints; a character’s glance or subtle shift betrays their secret. Comics reward careful readers, inviting them to scrutinize the smallest details.

Instant Atmosphere

Where prose labors to describe tension, comics can evoke it in a single image. An alley bathed in blood-red light, a face frozen mid-reaction—these snapshots carry the weight of entire paragraphs.

Truth vs. Lies

What a character says and what the artwork reveals don’t always line up. Comics are masters of this tension, nudging readers to question every frame. It’s not just the detective chasing answers; it’s you.

Mystery Comics’ Modern Standard-Bearers

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are the Lennon and McCartney of crime comics. Brubaker’s sharp scripts and Phillips’ moody visuals have built modern masterpieces like Criminal and The Fade Out. Their work strips noir to its essence—crooked people in crumbling worlds, shown in panels that play like half-remembered nightmares.

And they’re not alone. Today’s creators are pulling mystery comics into fresh territory:

  • Color as Code: Artists use palette shifts to track timelines, suspects, or perspectives.
  • Panel as Puzzle: Experimental layouts mimic the disjointed nature of crime-solving itself.
  • Documentary Influences: Mixing fictional investigations with real-world detail brings a chilling authenticity.

Digital Comics: New Tools for Old Mysteries

The screen has given sequential art a new sandbox. Digital comics allow readers to zoom in on evidence or scroll through interactive sequences, almost turning us into detectives ourselves. Motion comics add movement to otherwise frozen frames, bridging the gap between comics and animation. And nonlinear storytelling—where readers choose which path to follow—lets us play with investigations in ways print can’t touch.

Where Graphic Mysteries Go Next

Graphic novels aren’t just telling mystery stories; they’re reinventing how we solve them. This form’s control over pacing, detail, and visual tension makes it uniquely suited to the genre. Whether in print or pixels, crime comics thrive because they engage readers’ eyes, minds, and instincts all at once.

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Interactive story games, often called visual novels or narrative adventures, are gaining traction on platforms like Steam. These games prioritize storytelling and player choices, creating an experience that’s both engaging and unique.

Defining the Genre

At their heart, these games center around strong narratives and meaningful player decisions. The gameplay tends to be straightforward, focusing on dialogue, exploration, or light puzzles rather than action. Visually, they range from static character images to fully animated sequences, covering a wide array of genres such as romance, mystery, horror, and more.

Appeal and Popularity

Their accessibility is a key factor, making them approachable for players new to gaming. The emotionally rich stories often leave a lasting impression, and branching storylines invite repeated playthroughs to uncover all outcomes. Compared to high-budget titles, they’re typically more affordable, offering compelling experiences without breaking the bank.

Highlights in Mystery and Beyond

For fans of mystery, titles like Danganronpa and Phoenix Wright deliver intricate plots and dramatic twists. Games such as Life is Strange and The Walking Dead provide thought-provoking narratives that explore themes of choice and consequence. Whether you’re drawn to romantic stories, spine-chilling horror, or thrilling investigations, there’s something for everyone.

Where to Find Them

Steam remains a top destination for interactive story games, alongside platforms like Itch.io for indie gems. Console stores and mobile apps also host a growing selection, making it easier than ever to explore this genre.

As interactive story games evolve, they bring a fresh dimension to how stories are told and experienced. Their success shows that in gaming, creativity and emotional connection are just as important as mechanics or visuals. This could signal exciting new possibilities for how the mystery genre—and storytelling itself—might continue to transform.

Prose mysteries tell you the story. Graphic novels show it—and let you become part of the investigation.

Cracking the Case: Mystery Authors Now Profiting from Interactive Visual Novels

Interactive Visual Novels by Mystery Writers

Imagine this: your mystery novel—already a page-turner—transformed into an immersive experience where readers don’t just follow the clues; they make the decisions that steer the narrative towards unexpected twists and turns. Visual novels offer that kind of magic, blending storytelling, visuals, and interactivity into a medium that’s as compelling as it is creative. Every choice matters, enriching the plot with multiple endings and paths that allow readers to explore the depths of the story in a way that traditional prose cannot. They become not just passive observers but active participants in the tale, engaging their minds and emotions in a thrilling adventure. In this innovative format, themes of suspense and intrigue are heightened, creating a unique fusion that captivates and entertains, inviting readers to solve mysteries alongside the characters they’ve come to know and love.

For mystery authors, visual novels open doors to dynamic storytelling, letting audiences become the detective, the suspect, or even the victim. And here’s the twist: AI is here to help. Whether you’re sketching characters, coding story branches, or composing suspenseful soundtracks, AI can be your creative partner. Let’s explore how.


What Are Visual Novels? A New Kind of Mystery Format

Visual novels are like interactive “Choose Your Own Adventure” books with a digital upgrade. Players navigate branching narratives, making decisions that impact the story. These games combine:

  • Branching Narratives: Choices lead to different outcomes, encouraging exploration.
  • Character Art and Backgrounds: These visuals set the scene and breathe life into the story.
  • Dialogue-Driven Stories: Text is the star, often supported by voice acting.
  • Emotional Impact: Music and sound effects enhance mood and tension.

Think of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, where players solve cases through investigative gameplay, or Danganronpa, which merges murder mysteries with player-driven trials. It’s storytelling with a side of strategy.


Why Mystery and Visual Novels Are a Perfect Match

Mysteries thrive in the visual novel format because of their inherent interactivity.

  • Participation Over Observation: Players investigate clues, interrogate suspects, and deduce whodunit.
  • Heightened Suspense: Every choice matters, creating tension as players navigate twists and red herrings.
  • Multiple Endings: Mysteries get replayability when players uncover alternate resolutions.
  • Layered Characters: Explore motives, secrets, and relationships from various perspectives.
  • Integrated Puzzles: Visual novels often include puzzles, like cracking safes or decoding ciphers, to make the mystery feel tactile.

With visual novels, your readers don’t just solve the mystery—they live it.


How AI Helps Authors Create Visual Novels

Creating a visual novel from scratch might sound like a Herculean task, but AI makes it manageable. Here’s how:

1. Plotting Branching Narratives

AI tools like ChatGPT can help map out story paths, suggest twists, and create alternative endings. Tools like Twine or AI-assisted flowchart software visualize these branching plots, keeping everything organized.

2. Developing Characters and Art

AI character generators create detailed profiles, from motivations to quirks, while tools like DALL·E or Stable Diffusion generate concept art for characters, settings, or props. Need expressions? AI art tools can tweak existing designs for consistency.

3. Writing Natural Dialogue

AI can brainstorm dialogue options, ensuring character interactions feel authentic. If you’re aiming for multilingual releases, AI-powered translation tools like DeepL streamline localization.

4. Simplifying Scripting and Coding

Visual novel engines like Ren’Py pair well with AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot, helping authors integrate branching choices, dialogue, and visuals without deep programming knowledge.

5. Enhancing Visual and Audio Elements

AI-generated music tools like AIVA compose custom soundtracks, while platforms like Boomy create mood-appropriate soundscapes. For scenes, AI tools can recommend lighting, placement, and atmosphere.

6. Playtesting and Iterating

AI can simulate player choices to test all branches, identify dead ends, and ensure a seamless experience. Post-launch, AI tools analyze player feedback to refine gameplay further.


How to Start Your Mystery Visual Novel Journey

  1. Start with a Simple Mystery: Outline a single plotline with three key decision points.
  2. Use Beginner-Friendly Tools: Ren’Py is free and perfect for first-timers.
  3. Collaborate with AI: Use AI for storyboarding, character development, or testing.
  4. Experiment: Don’t be afraid to try unconventional twists or settings.
  5. Iterate and Improve: Collect player feedback, refine your game, and build on your success.

Examples of Mystery Visual Novels

To see what’s possible, check out these classics:

  • Danganronpa: A deadly mystery where players unravel conspiracies through trials.
  • Phoenix Wright: Investigate crime scenes and defend clients in courtroom battles.
  • Zero Escape: A puzzle-heavy thriller with time-bending narrative twists.
  • AI: The Somnium Files: A futuristic detective story that delves into suspects’ dreams.

These examples highlight how the medium transforms mysteries into engaging, replayable adventures.


The Game Is Afoot!

With AI as your partner, creating a visual novel is more accessible than ever. You already have the storytelling chops to weave intricate plots and compelling characters. Now, with AI helping to streamline production, you can elevate your mysteries into interactive experiences.

So, what’s your next move? Will you take your mystery beyond the page and into the hands of readers-turned-detectives? One thing’s for sure: the medium is waiting for fresh, thrilling voices.


Women of the Dark Ink: How Female Writers are Redefining Mystery Comics


Gail Simone: Noir Plots with Punch

If Birds of Prey didn’t put Gail Simone on your radar, you haven’t been paying attention. Partnering with artist Ed Benes, Simone builds conspiracy like scaffolding—each arc stacking tension until you’re holding your breath. She’s not just telling superhero stories; she’s lacing them with shadows and ambiguity. Heroes aren’t pristine here, and moral lines blur in a way that would make Raymond Chandler nod in approval.

Mystery comics have always belonged to the shadows—where questions outnumber answers and morality bends like cigarette smoke in a detective’s office. But who’s holding the pen behind these stories? Forget the old boys’ club. Today’s sharpest plots, most haunting characters, and most unapologetic twists come from female creators pulling no punches.

Every panel of her work pulses with movement. Ed Benes’s art frames the menace, letting subtle glances carry the weight of entire conversations. Simone and Benes don’t shout; they whisper—letting the tension settle deep before snapping the trap shut.


Kelly Sue DeConnick: Myth, Blood, and Revolution

Pretty Deadly isn’t just a mystery comic. It’s a folktale dipped in whiskey and dried blood. Kelly Sue DeConnick, with artist Emma Ríos, crafts a mythology where every panel feels hand-carved. The story pulls you through its questions like an undertow—dangerous, beautiful, impossible to escape.

Then there’s Bitch Planet, where DeConnick teams with Valentine De Landro to serve dystopian crime with razor-sharp edges. The brutality of the art mirrors the raw social commentary embedded in every line. These aren’t puzzles to solve; they’re injustices to stare down. DeConnick’s women don’t sit quietly—they punch back, and the genre feels the impact.


Marjorie Liu: Monsters and Their Mysteries

On the surface, Monstress (Liu and artist Sana Takeda) reads like fantasy. But look closer—it’s built on mysteries, secrets stitched into every corner of the art and story. Liu’s narrative is a locked door, and readers pick through the clues Takeda leaves behind. Symbols hide meaning; characters speak volumes in their silence.

This isn’t a story for casual skimming. Liu and Takeda reward readers who linger, who study each ornate panel like evidence at a crime scene.


Joëlle Jones: Domestic Noir with a Blade

Lady Killer is a brutal marriage of 1950s domestic bliss and blood-soaked crime. Joëlle Jones, handling both the script and the art, makes the decade’s Stepford smiles into something sinister. A housewife who’s a contract killer? The premise sings, but it’s Jones’s control of tone—her perfect sync of art and pacing—that makes it an instant classic.

Jones doesn’t need pages of dialogue to tell you who these characters are. A glance, a shadow across the kitchen floor, a smear of blood on perfectly set pearls—it’s all there. She balances wit and violence like a high-wire act, and the genre is richer for it.


Ann Nocenti: The Streets Speak

Nocenti’s Daredevil (with John Romita Jr. and Barry Windsor-Smith) didn’t just redefine Matt Murdock—it ripped him apart. Her stories live on the streets, full of grime, guilt, and a bone-deep weariness. Nocenti wrote crime not as spectacle but as inevitability—a world where justice might exist, but it’s never clean.

The art bolstered every scene. Romita Jr. turned Hell’s Kitchen into its own character, alive with decay and secrets. Their collaboration gave us crime comics that don’t blink when the light hits the ugly truths.


Why This Matters: Women Writing in the Margins

These creators—and their partners—aren’t just good at what they do. They’re reshaping what mystery comics can be. They make space for women’s voices in genres often dominated by clichés and tired stereotypes. More importantly, they write stories that respect readers’ intelligence. These comics don’t just tell you what happened—they let you dig, question, and uncover.

For readers like you—the ones who get lost in noir narratives, who chase the thrill of a story that surprises you—this is where it’s happening.

  • Simone and Benes leave breadcrumbs of conspiracy.
  • DeConnick and Ríos pull you through myth and blood.
  • Liu and Takeda challenge you to look closer.
  • Jones makes murder feel disarmingly elegant.
  • Nocenti’s streets teach you how crime really works.

These are stories worth your time, worth your attention. They’re the kind you discuss over drinks at midnight or revisit years later to see what you missed.


What about you? Whose work made you stop and stare? Which story left you flipping back pages, trying to figure out how you missed the clue? Drop your favorites in the comments—this is your space to keep the conversation going.

Mystery belongs to those who hunt answers. You’re among friends here.

Graphic Novels 2024: Growth, Gaps, and Opportunities

Graphic Novels 2024: Growth, Gaps, and Opportunities

The graphic novel scene in 2024 serves up a mixed bag of promise and hurdles. While some segments thrive, others are in for a recalibration. Here’s a fresh take on the numbers driving the teen and adult markets, with an eye on what’s working and where creators might dig deeper.


Where the Hits Are: Manga’s Meteoric Rise

Science fiction manga is having a banner year, riding a wave of 46% monthly growth in sales. Top titles need to move 2,250 copies daily just to snag the #1 spot—proof that readers are hungry for these stories. With an average price tag of $24.39, it’s clear fans aren’t shy about spending for the good stuff.


Steady Ground: Adult Markets Hold Strong

The adult segment is showing steady endurance, boasting significant search traffic (3,519 monthly queries) and respectable earnings ($14,415 on average each month). A price point averaging $13 seems to strike a balance between affordability and profitability, keeping creators and readers in harmony.


The Big Search Numbers

General interest in graphic novels remains robust, with over 8,500 monthly searches for “graphic novels books.” It’s clear the format continues to resonate with a wide audience.


Wobbles in the Teen Market

Here’s where things get dicey. Media tie-ins for younger readers are on the decline, slipping by 7% month-over-month. Fantasy, another cornerstone of this market, is facing its own struggles with a 2% dip, landing it in the “strong but could be better” category. An average review score of 3.5 stars signals potential for improvement in quality or storytelling.


What the Numbers Tell Us

  • Independent Publishers: Lean, mean, and competitive with pricing around $15-$17.
  • Traditional Publishers: Still the big dogs, holding 80-94% market share in key categories.
  • Book Age: With most titles ranging from 930 to 1,570 days old, there’s a solid blend of classics and fresh releases.

What’s Next for Graphic Novels?

Opportunities are ripe for those ready to meet them. Consider these plays:

  • Double Down on Sci-Fi Manga: Growth here is off the charts.
  • Raise the Bar in Fantasy: Better storytelling and polish could win back readers.
  • Tap the Spanish Market: Competition is low, and the demand is there.
  • Meet Reader Expectations: Longer formats where they matter, fresh voices where they don’t.

The industry in 2024 isn’t just about surviving—it’s about knowing where to plant your flag. Creators and publishers willing to adapt to reader demands and explore underserved niches are set to define the future of this space.

Secrets of Lakeridge: Inside the Supernatural Mysteries of Dangerlove

Behind Dangerlove’s Mysteries: A Tale of Shadows and Secrets

The Layers of Creation

Dangerlove’s Mysteries isn’t just a series; it’s a carefully woven world where every detail carries weight. The quiet town of Lakeridge hides more than it shows, and the story pulls you through layers of suspense, secrets, and a touch of the supernatural.

InArtemis and Gino of the Dangerlove's series. the 1990s, I created Jax and the Hellhound, a comic book series under Blackthorne Publishing. Years later, the characters resurfaced in a one-shot revival. Among them was Gino Aragon—a name that wouldn’t leave me alone as I revisited my older works. That’s the thing about stories—they sometimes refuse to stay where you left them.

I’ve always been drawn to supernatural mysteries, but my fascination with classics like Dashiell Hammett’s Thin Man nudged me in a new direction. The result? A duo that brings fresh energy to this genre while paying homage to its timeless roots.

Meet Artemis and Gino: The Core of the Mystery

At the heart of these stories are Artemis Hammersmith and Gino Aragon. Artemis, a former corporate lawyer from Switzerland, traded her high-powered career for refuge in Lakeridge after exposing her family’s corruption. Gino, her husband, is a retired superhero with supernatural lineage as an Ensapien—a being part myth, part history. Together, they run Dangerlove’s, a club that doubles as a base of operations for their sleuthing.

Artemis brings razor-sharp intellect and a strong sense of justice, tempered by her disdain for authority. Gino, by contrast, grounds the partnership with compassion and quiet strength. His past as a special agent lends him an edge, while his Ensapien heritage ties the mysteries to something larger and older than the town itself. They’re not just a team—they’re a balance of wit, empathy, and sheer will.

Lakeridge: The Town with Secrets in Its Bones

Lakeridge isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a presence. Founded during the Gold Rush, the town’s Victorian streets and hidden tunnels are rich with stories. The Sierra Nevada mountains, steeped in indigenous myths, add a layer of mysticism to the town’s already shadowy history. This blend of folklore and history creates a living, breathing environment where the ordinary feels tinged with the extraordinary.

Building the Cast

The supporting characters add depth and complexity. Detective Russell Martin represents the rational voice in a town full of the strange. Mayor Minerva Vasquez brings political tension, often clashing with Artemis’ rebellious streak. And then there’s Dante Imperiolli, the tech-savvy bartender at Dangerlove’s, whose humor and skills bridge the gap between mayhem, mirth and myth. His lifelong ex-partner in crime, Chef Berto, heads the kitchen, infusing the series with warmth and humor that offsets the darker themes.

Supernatural Suspense as a Foundation

The mysteries lean heavily on the otherworldly, but never at the expense of grounded storytelling. The Ensapien lore offers a cosmic dimension, while the human struggles keep the stakes relatable. Whether it’s a suspicious death or a case where hero and villain blur, every twist builds on a foundation of folklore, making the mysteries feel as ancient as they are fresh.

A World Worth Exploring

With every story, Dangerlove’s Mysteries invites readers into a world where the past, the magical, and the mundane collide. It’s a series that’s equal parts heart, mind, and a little bit of the unknown—designed to keep you guessing and coming back for more.

The first graphic novel is available on Amazon.com. The serialized version is available on Books2Read.com. The links are available below.

Amazon:

Paperback

Hardcover

Kindle Edition

The next three-part series will be out in 2025. Click the links above to grab your copy now.