The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

Scotland: Cozy Mystery Books with a Scottish Theme

I have had several requests for a Scottish Cozy Mystery theme, and I have finally put it together.

Cozy Mystery authors who feature Scotland or Scottish characteristics in their books:

COZY MYSTERIES WITH A SCOTTISH THEME:

Donald Bain: The Highland Fling Murders – Jessica Fletcher and some of her Cabot Cove friends visit a Scottish castle.

D.B. Barton: Singing Sleuth Mystery Series – Alec DunBarton is a Scottish band auditor and cruise ship employee.

M.C. Beaton (aka Marion Chesney): Hamish Macbeth Mystery Series – Hamish is the local constable in Lochdubh, Scotland.

Rhys Bowen: Royal Spyness Mystery Series – Lady Georgiana, although not rich, is still the 34th in line to the British throne!

C.S. Challinor: Rex Graves Mystery Series – Rex Graves is a Scottish barrister.

Ann Cleeves: Shetland Island Quartet Mystery Series – reportedly not Cozy

Kaitlyn Dunnett (aka Kathy Lynn Emerson): Liss MacCrimmon Mystery Series – Liss MacCrimmon is a Scottish troupe dancer, who lives in Maine.

Amanda Flower (aka Isabella Alan): Magic Garden Mystery Series – Fiona is a florist who is from the USA.

Patience Griffin: Kilts and Quilts Series – Cozy but not mysteries

Anna Lee Huber: Lady Darby Mystery Series

Alanna Knight: Rose McQuinn Mystery Series

Molly MacRae: The Highland Bookshop Mystery Series stars the co-owner of a book store in Scotland.

Sharyn McCrumb: Elizabeth MacPherson Mystery Series – Elizabeth, a forensic anthropologist, loves her Scottish fiancé and everything else that has to do with Scotland.

Val McDermid: Lindsay Gordon Mystery Series

Catriona McPherson: Dandy Gilver Mystery Series –  Dandy (short of Dandelion Dahlia) is a wealthy sleuth who lives in Scotland during the 1920s.

Melinda Mullet: Whisky Business Mystery Series – Abi Logan is a Scottish photojournalist.

Hannah Reed (aka Deb Baker): Scottish Highlands Mystery Series – Eden Elliott is a recently single author living in the Scottish Highlands.

Paige Shelton: Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series – Delaney Nichols has moved to Scotland from Kansas and works at a rare book/manuscript shop in Edinburgh.

Fran Stewart: ScotShop Mystery Series -Peggy Winn owns the ScotShop, a store in Vermont that specializes in Scottish items. (Peggy has a 14th century Scottish specter who accompanies her.)

Please leave a comment if you know of a Cozy Mystery author who I don’t have on the list, but who belongs on it >>> or if you have any comments.

♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦

Hallmark Will Present Debbie Macomber’s “Dashing Through the Snow” Movie this Christmas Season!

First off, I must warn you that this entry has nothing to do with mysteries. However, it does have to do with a Christmas movie, and I know lots of us like those! Those of you who have been with me for a while know I love seasonal movies! I post entries about both Halloween and Christmas television movies as soon as I find them. Well, this movie I haven’t found yet, however, I know it’s on its way!

I am excited to tell you that Debbie Macomber will be releasing a new Christmas novel, Dashing Through the Snow, just in time for the Hallmark channel to make it into one of its Christmas television movies. In the past, we have been treated to two of Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle Christmas movies as well as last year’s Mr. Miracle Christmas movie. Well this year, we’ll be able to catch Dashing Through the Snow during Hallmark’s Christmas line-up, which I’ll be posting as soon as I find it.

Debbie Macomber doesn’t write Cozy Mysteries, however she does write Cozy novels. She was recommended (a few years ago) by several Cozy Mystery readers who thought her books definitely belonged on the site because of their particular Cozy-ness. Some of you are familiar with Debbie Macomber through her novels, some through her knitting books, and others may watch her Cedar Cove series on the Hallmark network.

As I told you two days ago when I published my Upcoming Television Mystery Movies for September 2015, I’ll be watching for more mystery movies (or in this case seasonal movies) that I think you all might enjoy as much as I will!

Cozy Mysteries in San Diego

A couple of years ago, my husband and I vacationed in California. We had a great time seeing a lot of beautiful sights. If you’re lucky enough to be out in the San Diego area >>> there are so many wonderful places to visit: San Diego Zoo, Point Loma Lighthouse, and the missions, just to mention a few.

If you’re a Cozy Mystery reader in the San Diego area on Saturday – August 22 at 2:00 PM this year, you have one more terrific activity in store for you: several Cozy Mystery authors are getting together at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore for a book signing!

 Ellen Byron, author of the new Plantation Shudders Mystery Series, kindly let me know about this terrific book signing. Her first novel, Plantation Shudders, will introduce her sleuth, Maggie (short for Magnolia) Crozat, as she returns back to her family plantation which is now a family-run bed and breakfast.

 Daryl Wood Gerber (aka Avery Aames) will also be attending this joint signing. Most of you already recognize both of her Cozy Mystery author names. As Daryl Wood Gerber she writes the very popular Cookbook Nook Mystery Series. Jenna Hart is at it again, solving whodunnits in Fudging the Books. As Avery Aames, she writes the equally popular Cozy Mystery Series: the Cheese Shop Mystery Series.

As if this San Diego book signing couldn’t get any better, enter Diane Vallere! Vallere writes the ultra popular Material Girl Mystery Series. Poly (as in Polyester!) Monroe will need to find out who killed her good friend’s husband in Crushed Velvet. Diane Vallere also writes the following Cozy series: the Costume Shop Mystery Series, the Mad for Mod Mystery Series, and the Style & Error Mystery Series.

Can this book signing get any better (you may ask)? Yes! Nancy Cole Silverman will be joining the other three authors at this fun event. Silverman just released Beyond a Doubt – which follows reporter Carol Childs as she tries to uncover who is responsible for the murder of several girls in Hollywood. Yow! This mystery has been described as an exciting “nail-biter”.

So – for those of you lucky enough to be in the San Diego area at 2:00 PM on August 22 – head on over to the Mysterious Galaxy bookstore (at 5943 Balboa Ave – Suite 100, San Diego, California) to meet a wonderful line-up of mystery authors!

Four (Five?) New-to-the-Site Cozy Mystery Authors: Ellen Byron: Cajun Country, Susannah Hardy: Greek to Me, Sadie Hartwell: Tangled Web, A.L. Herbert: Mahalia Watkins Soul Food, & Carlene O’Neil: Cypress Cove

I just added four new Cozy Mystery authors, or should I say five? As you will see when you read this entry, one of the Cozy Mystery authors writes under two names. (Would that be four people, five authors?!?) These are all authors who Cozy Mystery readers have recommended as belonging on the Cozy Mystery site. Thank you!

 Ellen Byron   Though a relative newcomer to writing Cozy Mysteries, Ellen Byron is a long-time television writer finally trying her hand at longer fiction. With writing credits on shows like Wings, Just Shoot Me!, and Still Standing, she brings veteran talent to her Cozy Mystery series, the Cajun Country Mystery Series.

 Susannah Hardy (aka Sadie Hartwell)   A graduate of St. Lawrence University in New York, Susannah Hardy has spent significant time in the New York/New England area, including growing up in upstate New York and currently living in Connecticut. She writes the Greek to Me Mystery Series, starring restaurant manager Georgie Nikolopatos, and (under the pseudonym Sadie Hartwell) the Tangled Web Mystery Series, starring yarn store manager Josie Blair.

 A.L. Herbert   Growing up in scenic Maryland, it’s no surprise that A.L. Herbert chose to set a mystery series in beautiful Prince George’s County, Maryland – the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery Series. Halia owns the Mahalia Sweet Tea Restaurant, which keeps her busy >>> especially since she has a taste for sleuthing!

 Carlene O’Neil   A native of the Northern California Wine Country, Carlene O’Neil writes about the land she loves and knows best >>> so it’s natural that her series, the Cypress Cove Mystery Series, is set in Cypress Cove in the heart of California wine country. The series stars Penny Lively, former photojournalist now running her family winery after inheriting it from her aunt. Before becoming a Cozy Mystery author, O’Neil was a television writer.

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