Mousetrap

No, this is not about that Agatha Christie play that has been running forever and is the quintessential formula for every murder mystery where strangers are trapped together on a train or in a remote mansion, snowed in, fogged in, storm-bound because of the landslide or because the tree fell across on the only access road—and all the other murder mystery tropes we know and love. (Thank you, Agatha, Queen of the Genre!)

This post is not about that. This is about the little squeaking, furry critters who love our house so much they want to live here with us.

These are not adorable little Pixie and Dixie.

To quote Mr. Jinks: “I hate those meeces to pieces!”

I feel bad about any violence to my fellow beings, but we’re talking vermin nastiness here. Hantavirus. Leptospirosis. Salmonella. Rat-bite fever. These creatures are taking over the house. Every morning, I find more evidence of their nocturnal activity.

I remember the story my mother told, how my father—big strong Daddy—saw a mouse in our city apartment when I was a baby. How he scooped it onto a dustpan, carried it to the hole in the wall it had come from and said, “Go back to your mommy.”

He was just a big softie. I am, too, usually, but I can’t afford to be in this case.

He had one mouse. I’ve got an invading army. I’m on the front lines. I’m out numbered. They’re outflanking me. We’re in the trenches.

This is not a game of cat and mouse. This. Is. War.

Please understand that I don’t hate all meeces—just these meeces. I don’t care how many of them are OUT THERE. (May they live long and prosper.) I only care about the ones who’ve decided to be IN HERE.

That’s why Amazon just delivered two dozen (count ‘em—24!) mousetraps. I’m suiting up, loading those traps with peanut butter (their favorite thing I’ve discovered) and I’m going in.

My heart says, “May all beings be at peace.” My head adds, “Just not in my basement.”

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Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate you reading, commenting and sharing my posts. ❤️

BOOK NEWS: Thanks SO much to the HUNDREDS of readers who grabbed a free e-book copy of OCTOBER FIRE last week on Amazon. The goal was to put the first book of the series into as many reader’s virtual hands as possible and that was definitely accomplished! I’m stunned by the success of this promotion and I thank you for your support.

Meanwhile, Mack #6 (MY COUSIN KRISSY) is coming along as I revise the draft. Turns out there’s a pretty darn good tale on those pages and I’m excited to see how it all comes together. On track for publishing April 2026.

Also available at: Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million, IndieBound

For local readers, available at the LOCAL STORE in Eau Claire as well.