What a month! I feel like I crunched a whole lot of chores and errands into the middle of November, but I know I’ll be happy that I did. However, that means that I didn’t get much Cozy Mystery reading done. I didn’t want to get back from Washington, D.C. and then have to decorate the house and put the tree up and do the other things that, since our children grew up, I have done on my own. (Don’t get me wrong, my husband always asks if I need help. But, sometimes it’s just easier to do it myself, rather than have to explain what I want done. >>> Very OCD!)
Anyway, I do want to tell you about a new-to-me author that, shame on me, I should have tried a long time ago! I’m talking about Deb Baker (aka Hannah Reed). Why it ever took me this long to finally read one of her Gertie Johnson books/novellas, I don’t know!
I know I’ve talked and talked about how I always read my Cozies in their chronological order. Well, sometimes during the holidays, I sort of side-step that rule, and try holiday Cozy Mysteries out of order. I am currently reading Murder Decks the Halls, and I am loving it! I enjoy how fast-paced this novella is, I enjoy the characters, I enjoy the Baker’s/Reed’s writing style, and I enjoy the setting. How can you go wrong with a trio of older sleuths who go ice fishing during the Christmas season? Of course, I was so excited to read this novella I didn’t wait and see that Baker’s other Christmas novella (Murder Trims the Tree) actually happens earlier. Oh well, that one is in my Kindle queue, so I’ll be reading it as soon as I finish this one. I should definitely have read them in the reverse order…
How about you? Would you please tell us about the really good Cozy Mysteries you read during November, and please tell us why you liked them so much more than the other Cozies you read? These should be the Cozies you think are even better than the others you read this month. As I’ve mentioned before, lots of us want to find out about Cozy Mystery authors who write great Cozies who we haven’t yet discovered for ourselves. Please list the ones you liked the most at the very top of the list, that way we’ll know those are the ones you liked the most.
As usual, please do not tell us about the Cozy Mysteries you did not like.
What really good Cozy Mystery book did you read during November 2015 that you want the rest of us to know about, and why did you enjoy it?
Here are the current recommended authors who some of you have read and recommended this past month:
Ellery Adams: Books by the Bay Mystery Series
Ellie Alexander (aka Kate Dyer-Seeley): Bakeshop Mystery Series
Terri L. Austin: Rose Strickland Mystery Series (Diners, Dives & Dead Ends is book #1)
Deb Baker (aka Hannah Reed): Gertie Johnson Mystery Series
Emily Brightwell: Mrs. Jeffries Mystery Series
Duffy Brown: Consignment Shop Mystery Series
Julia Buckley: Undercover Dish Mystery Series (The Big Chili is book #1)
Kate Carlisle: Bibliophile Mystery Series
Maia Chance: Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery Series
Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell & Tace Baker): Country Store Mystery Series
Vicki Delany (aka Eva Gates): Year-Round Christmas Mystery Series
Jean Flowers (aka Camille Minichino, Margaret Grace, & Ada Madison): Postmistress Mystery Series
Dorothy Gilman: A Nun in the Closet (Stand Alone mystery)
Sally Goldenbaum: Seaside Knitters Mystery Series
Nancy Haddock: Silver Six Crafting Mystery Series
Victoria Hamilton (aka Amanda Cooper): Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series
Susannah Hardy (aka Sadie Hartwell): Greek to Me Mystery Series
Betty Hechtman: Yarn Retreat Mystery Series
Steve Hockensmith & Lisa Falco: Tarot Mystery Series (The White Magic Five & Dime is book #1)
Amanda Lee (aka Gayle Trent & Gayle Leeson): Embroidery Mystery Series
T.C. LoTempio: Nick and Nora Mystery Series
Janey Mack: Maisie McGrane Mystery Series (Times Up is book #1)
Charlotte MacLeod (aka Alisa Craig): Peter Shandy Mystery Series
Susan Elia MacNeal: Maggie Hope Mystery Series
Leslie Meier: Lucy Stone Mystery Series
Clare O’Donohue: Someday Quilts Mystery Series
Carol J. Perry: Witch City Mystery Series
Rose Pressey: Haunted Vintage Mystery Series
Hank Phillippi Ryan: Jane Ryland Mystery Series
Alexander McCall Smith: No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series
Betty Webb: Gunn Zoo Mystery Series (reportedly not Cozy)
[If you click on the author’s name (blue) link, it will take you to his/her page on the Cozy Mystery site. The pages have all of the authors’ books listed chronologically.]
I will list the authors and series that have been recommended, but I urge you to read the comments below so you can see the reasons other Cozy Mystery readers thought these were their best reads of the month.
♦To access more Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations, click on this link♦
P.S. I usually don’t comment on your recommendations since they speak for themselves.