The Cozy Mystery List Blog

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

Playing Catch-Up with Camille Minichino… aka Gearing Up for My Holiday Cozy Mystery Reading…

“I am currently reading Joanne Fluke’s Apple Turnover Murder (re-reading it to get my gear up for her next Christmas themed murder book.)”

Anita posted this comment on September 26, 2010. Well, Anita, I am doing the very same thing. I am gearing up for my holiday theme mysteries, and in doing so, I am finally reading some of the books that I have been “saving” for just this time of year. And by this I don’t mean that I am actually reading holiday-theme Cozies, but rather, I am reading the books that come before them… in preparation for the actual holiday Cozies.

As some of you may know, I am a huge fan of Camille Minichino‘s Periodic Table Mystery Series. The thing that first piqued my interest for this series is that it has a really strong, VERY smart woman as the main sleuth.

Gloria Lamerino (the sleuth) is a physicist who returns to her home town near Boston. Gloria, a consultant, works closely (yes, by this I mean she is employed… and also develops a romantic relationship) with one of the police detectives. Gloria’s main purpose is to explain the scientific data that the police need to know when some of their cases involve >>> scientific data. Of course, since Gloria is wonderful example of a Cozy Mystery sleuth… she doesn’t stop at just helping the police with the scientific details!

The Helium Murder (the second book in the series) is set during the Christmas season, as is The Oxygen Murder (the last book in the series.) But, since I only read Christmas themed books during the holiday season, I knew that I wouldn’t be reading this particular Cozy Mystery until December. And, since I was just about “caught-up” with Gloria’s exploits, and didn’t want that much time to lapse between the books in the series, I decided I wouldn’t read the preceding book in the series (The Nitrogen Murder) until now.

Long story, made even longer than I could have imagined: I am currently beginning The Nitrogen Murder so that I will “be ready” for The Oxygen Murder‘s Christmas themed setting. And, I am truly looking forward to both Cozies!

Anita, I know exactly what you mean!

Midsomer Murders Music Theme… Very EERIE Music… Perfect for October…

Phyllis just posted a comment about the music from Midsomer Murders. Phyllis, “eerie” is the perfect word to describe this music!

I did some Google-ing on the internet and found out that the instrument that can be heard is a Theremin. I sort of thought that it was… The last time my daughter came home we watched a History Detectives show that featured the inventor of the instrument: Léon Theremin. He was a Russian inventor and actually came to the USA as a goodwill ambassador (of sorts) to show off his invention. (It was found out later that some of the gifts to high ranking people in the government had recording/transmitting devices in them… which Theremin had invented, and which were motion-powered… thus enabling them to not need batteries that would only last for a very short time.) Obviously, he wasn’t such a goodwill ambassador!

Anyway, getting back to Midsomer Murders theme music…

I found a short clip on You Tube showing Celia Sheen playing the Midsomer Music theme song on a Theremin. As you can see, she never touches the instrument… it is all done with motions of her hands as they move close to an antenna resembling a lightning rod and a hook resembling a dough attachment of a fancy mixer. (Anyway, that’s what I think those two things look like…)

As I remember from the show, there is a synthesizor (of sorts!) that actaully transmits the sounds that are made. Reminds me of the VERY old horror movies that used to have that sort of music during the times when we were supposed to be scared, and not notice the fishing line holding up the different flying entities!

PS>>> If you have never seen the PBS show History Detectives, do yourself a favor and do so!

Welcome Autumn! AND What Mystery Are You Reading?

Can you believe that autumn is officially here?!? I’m really ready for it AND for the cooler weather! (Although children in San Antonio have been known to Trick or Treat in shorts… on more than just sporadic years.)

With autumn (finally) here, I know a lot of us are planning on spending lazy weekends reading a good Cozy Mystery. Anyway, I am.. So, I thought I would again ask you all if you wouldn’t mind telling us what mysteries you are currently reading.

I’m going to start by saying that while in the car and doing housework, I am listening to the first Fethering mystery by Simon Brett. I am really enjoying this mystery book, and am wondering why in the world it took me so long to discover this series. (I think that I asked the same question when I read the first of Simon Brett’s Melita Pargeter mysteries and enjoyed it so much that I added him to my list of favorite authors.)

As for my “real book” (my hard copy book), I mentioned before that I am going through one of my “trying new authors” (to me!) phases. I am just now starting to read the first in Ann Cleeve‘s George and Molly Palmer-Jones Birdwatching Mystery Series, and am enjoying it so far.

Anyway… If you wouldn’t mind telling us what mystery you’re reading, we would love to hear from you… a great way for the rest of us to take a look at authors who we might have not “noticed” before!

Hmmm… Rizzoli & Isles… What Do You Think?

OK, let me preface this entry by saying two things: I like Angie Harmon a lot AND If you are a fan of the show, please don’t continue reading this entry…

OK >>> If they are making a movie about Helen of Troy… a woman who could cause a war, a woman so exquisitely beautiful that ANY man would have to do a double-take… (or, any woman, either!) >>> the producer need not use his casting agent, simply call Angie Harmon. Yes, that is how beautiful this woman is!

So, since I don’t read the Tess Gerritsen mystery books that are the basis for this TNT show, I am not familiar with the facts of the books’ plots. Here are some questions I have for readers of these mystery books:

Is Rizzoli (Harmon) supposed to be as beautiful as she is, or is she supposed to be more “normal” looking? I mean, she spends a lot of time talking to her best friend (Isles) about the problems with dating…

Which brings me to my next question: Is Rizzoli supposed to have problems dating when it seems like there are a whole lot of men interested in dating her? (i.e. her Catechism childhood acquaintance/ex-boss, the FBI agent, a man in the bar she flashes her badge at…)

Is Isles supposed to be a female Monk who actually is so smart that she can’t talk normally with people… and always has to interject latin/medical terms when talking to non-medical professionals (or latin teachers!)?

Is Isles supposed to be a funny character, or simply tiresome?

Why are Isles and Rizzoli such good friends? They seem to have absolutely NOTHING in common… other than they both have jobs that enable them to chat at scenes of the crimes?

When Rizzoli “dresses up” for functions, is she supposed to be ill-at-ease… sort of like a tomboy in stiletto heels, or is she supposed to be the most gorgeous woman in the room?

Is Rizzoli supposed to look bad in the “normal” clothing they have her wearing? Let’s face it, Angie Harmon would look great in a dirty pair of two-sizes too large high-water jeans.

Are Rizzoli and Isles crime victims a lot of the time?

Is Isles the forensic pathologist… and if so, why does she go undercover as a cocktail waitress?

¿¿¿”Frog Face”???!!!???

Is Rizzoli’s new partner a computer specialist/whiz AND a detective?

Does Isles really meet her biological (big-time criminal) father through doing an autopsy on her unbeknownst-to-her half brother?

And, my last question is not only directed to people who read the Rizzoli and Isles books… It is about hiring such wonderful, accomplished actors to play Rizzoli’s parents (Lorraine Bracco and Chazz Palminteri) >>> Why are their screen times so limited?

Hmmmm… Just wonderin’…

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