Hello, All,
Welcome to another edition of Introducing… Today, I’d like you to meet Mike Befeler. Mike is originally from Honolulu, Hawai’i; currently he and his wife live in Boulder, Colorado. His career was in high-technology marketing but in the past five years, he’s turned to writing fiction. In fact right now he’s President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America.
Mike is also a gifted speaker and an advocate for the aging. His goal in his presentations is to present a positive image of what it is to grow older.
That’s also his goal in his crime fiction series featuring octogenarian Paul Jacobson, 
sometimes called “geezer lit.” Jacobson is a retiree who has to cope with, among other things, short-term memory loss. In the first Paul Jacobson novel Retirement Homes are Murder, Jacobson has begun living in a retirement home in Hawai’i. He’s adjusting to life after the death of his beloved wife Rhonda from cancer. At the suggestion of his friend retired lawyer and judge Meyer, Jacobson begins to keep a journal of everything he does, so that the next morning, he can remember what happened the day before. One day, Jacobson finds the body of fellow resident Marshall Tiegan stuffed into the retirement home’s trash chute. Detective Saito is called in to investigate and immediately suspects Jacobson. Since Jacobson has no memory of what happened the day before, he also has no real alibi. But he isn’t a murderer. So he decides to solve the crime himself. With help from his grand-daughter Jennifer and two of his friends, Jacobson finds out who the real murderer is.
There’ve been two other releases in this series and the fourth, Senior Moments are Murder is due to be released at the end of this year.
This Just In! Senior Moments are Murder is now available! Thanks to Patricia Stoltey for the update 
.
Want to know more about Mike Befeler? Want to learn more about his activities in support of the aging? Here’s how:
Mike’s Interview on Kittling: Books.
Want to know more about Retirement Homes Are Murder? You can check it out on Amazon.
Hi Margot — Mike is one of my favorite Colorado authors and one of my favorite people as well. His “Senior Moments Are Murder” is already available so I’m looking forward to another great Paul Jacobson story.
Pat – Thanks for the update on Senior Moments are Murder. He is a talented novelist, isn’t he? It’s my great pleasure to spotlight him for this feature.
Memory is such a big thing now.
Patti – It is indeed, isn’t it. In fact, you’re inspiring me for a post…
That sounds like a really interesting and original angle. I’ll look out for his books.
Pauline – It really is, actually, and Befeler creates solid and believable mysteries without getting either too “frothy” or too gory.
Geezer lit is a great concept. It´s good to be reminded there are lots of experiences ahead of one – (and also that you are never too old to WRITE literature).
Dorte – I like the concept very much myself
. In many ways age is really a matter of how you think, and it’s good to be reminded of that.
What a great idea for a detective story. I know many writers who are using older people as main characters.
Clarissa – Oh, I think so, too! I like the idea of including older people as sleuths and other main characters.
We met Mike 3? years ago when we went to Left Coast Crime in Hawaii. I’ve been a fan ever since. He thought of amnesia/memory loss a long time before SJ Bolton. My reviews: RETIREMENT HOMES ARE MURDER: http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-retirement-homes-are-murder-mike.html LIVING WITH YOUR KIDS IS MURDER http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-living-with-your-kids-is-murder.html
Kerrie – Thank you so much for reminding me of your reviews. I apologise for not including them in the text of my post
. *awkward blush of apology*
I’m so glad you like these novels as much as you do; aren’t they great?? And yes, Bolton is hardly the first to address the issue of amnesia/memory loss!
Margot, thanks for the introduction to Mike and his writing. This sounds like a fun and intriguing series. I enjoy older sleuths, they make wonderful characters.
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Mason – They sure do, don’t they? I really hope you’ll like the Paul Johnson series; it’s a really solid set of novels.