Across

1. Portend

5. Cut off (as a head)

10. Slithery killers

14. Saudi or Omani

15. Mexican beach

16. It might be homicide or major crimes

17. Author of Final Closing ***

19. Trolling car

20. Certain lodge member

21. Island gift

22. French social philosopher (1847-1922) Georges ___

23. Author of Slow Dancing with the Angel of Death ***

28. Killed with a derringer

30. Rubs out

31. Least adulterated

34. Three-wheeler

38. Laura Lippman's monogram ***

39. ___ down (as with a machine gun)

41. Half of tropical rum drink

42. Amateur sleuths do this to police

43. Poetic pauses

46. Straighten up

48. Threesomes

50. Hindu sacred writings

51. Author of Dying to Remember ***

56. Element elements

57. Time

58. Teeny

61. Bike or bus starter

62. Author of Ghostwriter ***

66. Red, White, and ___ Murder, by Jeanne Dams

67. Take on

68. New Year's Eve word

69. Arranges, as a scene

70. Creatures in gaggles

71. Kill

Down

1. Chick

2. Type of statement to police

3. Unlikely killer, perhaps

4. Tide type

5. String of murders, i.e.

6. Viets or Raco Chase ***

7. ___ McDermid, author of A Suitable Job for a Woman

8. Private ___

9. "Norma ___"

10. Medical examiner's job

11. Trap (a culprit)

12. Picture dot

13. In the ___ of the Night, by Jill Churchill

18. ___ Hallows' Evil, by Valerie Wolzien

22. Coin

24. Summer in St. Lo

25. PC screen

26. Carolyn ___, author of Sugarplum Dead

27. Mongol

28. Submitted ms. on ___ (without contract)

29. Hoop type

32. Small blue creatures

33. Shinto temple entrance

35. Feline screech

36. What killer did when questioned by police

37. ___ Buchanan, author of You Only Die Twice

40. But I Wouldn't ___ to Die There, by Nancy Pickard

44. A case sometimes does this to police

45. "Oh yeah? ___ who?"

47. St. or rd. cousin

49. Cleans the floor

51. Doorframe sides

52. Useful

53. Cop food

54. Rugged ridge

55. Maureen ___, author of Run Jane Run

59. ___ Clah, Aimee & David Thurlo heroine

60. Watery vortex

62. What doubts do to detectives

63. Poetic form

64. Caroline ___, author of Solace for a Sinner

65. Who ___ Sylvia? by Carol Cail