The Cozy Mystery List Blog

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

Listening to Mystery Books on Tape… Pt. 1

I know I have touched on this subject before >>>I’m hoping it wasn’t too recently! The previous entry has me thinking about how much enjoyment I have gotten from listening to books on tape.

Every time I drive somewhere in my car (alone!), I listen to a mystery book. Both of my children went to the University of Texas in Austin, which is about an hour and a half from our home, but I never balked at having to deliver a book they had left at home (or clean clothes!)… this just meant that not only would I be able to treat them to lunch, but I would also have at least three hours in the car to enjoy my current Cozy Mystery.

I have a few narrators who I absolutely love to hear. These are people who are able to take some of my favorite 3-D characters, and flesh them out even more. (Let’s face it, one of the wonderful things about being addicted to Cozy Mysteries is that MOST of the mystery books have 3-D characters!)

In this entry, as well as the next two entries, I am going to name some of my favorite narrators. I know I have named several of them before – but they’re so good they deserve another mention! (I also know that not all of the authors I mention are Cozy Mystery book authors…)

Barbara Rosenblat
There is a reason that Barbara Rosenblat has won more Audie Awards than any other audio book narrator: She is terrific! Rosenblat is a narrator, as well as an actress. If you have ever had the privilege of hearing Rosenblat’s work, you would probably be hard-pressed to decipher where she lives (New York!) Her characterizations are so believable that it truly is difficult to pin her native accent down. She has narrated for such distinguished authors as: Elizabeth Peters, Linda Fairstein, Lisa Scottoline, Kathy Reichs, Diane Mott Davidson, Nevada Barr, and Dorothy Gilman.

Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek Jacobi is not only a very accomplished actor; he is also a very talented audio book narrator. He has narrated a vast amount of books – from Homer’s Odyssey to Peter Graves’ I Claudius, to Ellis Peters‘ Brother Cadfael Mysteries. It is no wonder that he has won so many awards for his work in audio book narrations.

Part 2 of Audiobook Narrators

Part 3 of Audiobook Narrators

Definition of a Cozy Mystery Book… an Addendum to My Previous Definition

The other day I received a letter from a site reader who said she was quite happy about finding my site. She knew she had the right place when she read my description of what a Cozy Mystery is.

Unfortunately, when I wrote that description, I should have added “most of the time” as a clause. My description says that Cozy Mystery books are ” ‘gentle’ books… no graphic violence, no profanity, and no explicit sex.”

I still stand behind my description; unfortunately, a lot of authors of Cozy Mystery books want it both ways… They want the growing market of Cozy Mystery fans, but at the same time, they want to be considered >>> modern, 21st century, “with it,” hip (whatever the term is)… They bend the rules as set by such great Cozy Mystery authors as Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, etc.

This particular site reader checked out her first book by a “Cozy” author who I have on the site, and was quite upset about  profanity being used throughout the book. She felt like I had added an author who did not qualify as a Cozy Mystery author under my description of what a Cozy Mystery is.

Although there was no graphic violence, there was plenty of profanity and explicit adult situations. Unfortunately, she had taken for granted that all of the books on the Cozy Mystery site would contain “no graphic violence, no profanity, and no explicit sex.”

So, I am now qualifying this description of what a Cozy Mystery should be… It seems like many authors (or their editors) feel like there is a need for certain situations/language/details. As you watch a current television show today… ask yourself: Would Ricky and Lucy Ricardo or Andy and Barney be in this situation or say those things? I bet the answer is “Probably not!” more times than not… but that’s the way a lot of writers (and that includes Cozy Mystery authors) write today…

The Five of Us Are Together Again…

Yep, the five of us are together again… My husband and I always enjoy having both our son and daughter home, and of course, our “puppy” Sprite is right here with us. She sleeps most of the day away, but seems pretty satisfied that we are all available to make sure all of her wishes are met. (The “she” in the last sentence referred to Sprite, not my daughter!)

My daughter is back home for a very short vacation. She spent the summer interning at the FAA in Washington, D.C. – and really enjoyed it. She was so lucky >>> She had an exceptional time. And, because of this internship, she is getting closer to finding what she wants to do once she graduates.

But, as I said, she will not be home for very long. She will be heading back to the Boston area in less than two weeks… It seems like she is home just long enough to get her dry cleaning done, so she can pack it up and send it back east. (She is packing up her UPS boxes to send as I type this entry!)  

Good grief! Where does the time go?!?

What Mystery Book Are You Reading?

OK, so I have told you about my latest find – Simon Brett. Are there any Cozy Mystery readers out there who wouldn’t mind telling us about their latest finds? And, if you aren’t reading a new find, would you mind telling us who you are reading?

My husband has three books going… He listens to one in the car while making his long commute to and from work. He has a “real book” that he reads while eating his breakfast on the weekends, and his third book is on his…. yes, he finally bought himself a Kindle (after much debating), which he reads while lounging around on the weekends.

I’ll start out >>> I am listening to an Agatha Christie Miss Marple in my car and while I do the house work. I am actually reading Simon Brett.

Two books is my limit… I have a difficult enough time keeping them straight!

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