Let’s get one thing straight: The mystery novel is the highest form of literature. At least it is for me. Nearly all the big moments in my literary life seem to have hinged on mysteries.

When I was seven and realized I could read a “real” book – one without pictures on every page – that book was The Secret of Larkspur Lane, by Carolyn Keene, featuring the immortal Nancy Drew.

When I was in my twenties and wanted to write a novel that showed psychological understanding, I happened to read Death and the Joyful Woman, by Ellis Peters. The proverbial light bulb went on. “Wow!” I thought. “It’s possible to write a book that’s fun to read and still has psychological understanding.”

When I was thirty-five I wanted to write something that was firmly grounded in my own culture, and I discovered that Tony Hillerman had laid out a map that any writer would be proud to follow, and he did it in the form of the mystery novel.

This web page, I hope, will introduce new readers to the books of JoAnna Carl and Eve K. Sandstrom and will give veteran readers of their books a peek at the books’ backgrounds.

The eleventh book in the Chocoholic series, The Chocolate Castle Clue, was published in October 2011. This one concentrates on Aunt Nettie, owner of TenHuis Chocolade and friend and relative to my heroine/detective, Lee. Aunt Nettie is involved in a high school reunion. But when the six members of her long-ago singing group get together, memories of teen-age escapades lead to murder. But never fear! With Lee’s help, Aunt Nettie figures it all out.

The Chocolate Pirate Plot, 2010’s hardback, came out in a paperback edition in fall 2011.

Now I’m looking forward to publication of the twelfth Chocoholic book – The Chocolate Moose Motive – in October 2012.

My grandmother in her later years became a big fan of “Gunsmoke.” When I asked her why, she said, “It always has a good moral.”

That’s how I feel about mysteries. You can count on them to end right. All the questions raised in the story are answered. The good are rewarded, the bad punished. The story has a beginning, a middle, and an end – and it’s not ashamed of it. Mysteries engage the intellect, but still allow us to escape our daily troubles and tribulations.

Add a little chocolate and, you’ve got literary heaven.