Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV
Here are four most recent Cozy Mystery authors who I have added to the Cozy-Mystery site. The authors I add to the site come from recommendations of other Cozy Mystery readers.
Julia Buckley – 
Rae Davies – 
Christina Freeburn – 
Kelly Lane – 
I hope you enjoy these Cozy Mystery authors as much as the Cozy Mystery readers who recommended them!
I’m hoping that some of you can help identify these authors/books/series that other Cozy Mystery readers are looking for.
wldmstnglvr:
… In the not too distant past (within the past year I believe) I read a cozy that featured a woman photographer, her Australian Shepherd, her boyfriend and his Labrador. They both did obedience and agility, including cat agility with her cat. The story also was about illegal exotic bird smuggling.
***** ***** ***** *****
Roslyn:
… Someone at a banquet recommended a mystery series about a lawyer who lives on Catalina Island, single father.
She couldn’t remember the author. I’ve been searching and can’t find it. If you know it, I’d love the author’s name.
***** ***** ***** *****
Melvin R:
… I am looking for a book that I read several years ago. I am not sure of the author or title, but I do know it was a British cozy. It was written by a woman author and was set in a small English village. The sleuth is the wife of a vicar and they have just moved into their house. There is a cottage by the name of Fox Glove Cottage in it and the murder was done with an overdose of digitalis. The suspect is an herbalist, I think she was, there was a group of hippies and fur protesters and a gay guy. I think it took place around Easter. Other than that I can’t tell you much about the book. … I know it is not one of the M.C. Beaton books.
***** ***** ***** *****
Shirley:
… I am looking for a book and cannot remember the Author or Title. … It was about a woman that had a goat farm and some of her friends dropped by and they noticed the goats surrounding something by a tree in the pasture. As it turned out it was the bodies of a man and woman who had either been murdered or suicide.
***** ***** ***** *****
Jimmy:
… Does anyone remember the series about a girl who was a waitress, had a best friend who was hippie-like, and who was trying not to fall in love with a man who was almost a gangster-type and who had a gambling establishment. She had a little apartment with shabby furniture that he started trying to replace. He had bodyguards, one of whom cooked. Obviously, I remember about everything but the author’s name and the characters’ names and the titles.
***** ***** ***** *****
Suz-Anne:
… It involved a man who was a writer and lived in a Victorian (I think), in a seaside village in California, with cats. The house had a turret? at the top where the cat(s) came and went freely. I am going crazy….it’s not my typical read, (although I’ve read all the Cat Who), but I would really love to read these.
Suz-Anne, this sounds like it might be The Cat Who Went Up the Creek by Lilian Jackson Braun, except for your California village.
***** ***** ***** *****
If you think you know who these Cozy Mystery readers are looking for, would you please post a comment? Thank you!
This novel introduces us to Sophie Winston, a divorcée with a talent for hosting parties, decorating, giving advice, and other domestic tasks that are traditionally considered the personal domain of divas. When the novel opens she is gearing up to face-off against one of her oldest friends and rivals, Natasha Smith. Natasha’s not a bad person certainly, but the domestic advice she gives out is definitely a bit on the impractical side, far different from Sophie’s more down to earth “common sense” style advice tips. Sophie and Natasha will be competing in a local stuffing competition, suitable since Thanksgiving is coming up over the long weekend.
Unfortunately (as in all Cozies!) disaster must strike for there to be a plot. Naturally, the two people who have turned up dead are tied to Sophie in some way (the first a somewhat-shady private investigator who is apparently investigating Sophie >>> whose body Sofie discovers, the second the main judge of the stuffing competition >>> again unluckily discovered by Sophie). So Sophie’s already complicated Thanksgiving suddenly becomes even more stressful with a pair of homicide investigations lurking in the background. A sudden fire at her rival Natasha’s house further complicates Thanksgiving, as Sophie finds herself suddenly hosting Natasha’s friends and family as well – including Sophie’s ex-husband Mars, who is now quite attached to Natasha! Even worse, Sophie ends up being considered a potential suspect in the fire as well!
The Diva Runs Out of Thyme is in many ways an archetypal Cozy since it takes an already surprisingly stressful situation (in this case a family visit rotating around Thanksgiving) and further adds complicating elements >>> namely police investigations, a wrinkle I think most people can be thankful they don’t have to face at the average holiday gathering! The Domestic Diva Series also gives out a lot of interesting advice, including recipes and tips for entertaining.
This is a fast-paced series, with end-of-chapter cliff hangers that will keep you turning the pages as quickly as you can. The characters are vividly colorful and make you feel like you’re right there spending time with friends. The mysteries are interesting; don’t be surprised to find red herrings, and Davis usually has a few little side mysteries going at the same time as the murders are being solved. Also, if you love holiday themed Cozies as much as I do, you’ll be happy to know that Krista Davis’ Domestic Diva series has several.
If you’re already a fan of the Domestic Diva Mystery Series, you might also be interested in the other series that Krista Davis started relatively recently, the Paws & Claws Mystery Series, which stars Holly Miller, an employee of a family-owned hotel intended for both human guests and their pets. (I’m sure our beloved Sprite would have loved staying at the Sugar Maple Inn in Wagtail, Virginia! I know I would have >>> minus the murders, that is!)
If you’re interested in seeing some of the other entries I’ve written on the other highly recommended Cozy Mystery series in these previous write-ups, you can find them at the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Series page on my site. Also, if you would like to see even more holiday themed mysteries, check out the Holiday Mystery Book List page on my site.
May will see the beginning of Kylie Logan‘s Ethnic Eats Mystery Series with the first entry in the series, Irish Stewed. Former chef to a Hollywood celebrity, Laurel Inwood is somewhat below her former station when she finds herself cooking for her aunt Sophie’s restaurant in Hubbard, Ohio. Aunt Sophie’s business is in a bit of trouble, as it is more of a run-down establishment than Laurel had been led to believe before she relocated. Still, Laurel is determined to turn the business around with her menu of interesting specialty dishes. But when a local investigative reporter turns up in a booth with a receipt spike in his back, Laurel will need to cook up a solution of a different kind>>> a solution to murder! (Also, for those of you who like your Cozies to have recipes, you’re in luck!)
Kyrie Logan also writes the Button Box Mystery Series, League of Literary Ladies Mystery Series, and Chili Cook-Off Mystery Series, as well as the Cooking Class Mystery Series as Miranda Bliss and the Pepper Martin Mystery Series as Casey Daniels.
And of course, this series (and many more!) can be found on the New Cozy Mystery Book Series page, as well as the Soon to Be Released Mysteries page on my Cozy Mystery site.
