I am enjoying both of the books I’m reading right now so much! I’m listening to one of Ruth Rendell‘s Inspector Wexford mysteries, and as usual, it is a terrific read! Any time I open one of her mysteries, I know I’m in for a real treat! I simply love her books! Inspector Wexford and the rest of the characters are truly written in 3-D form. Rendell is a superb story teller and can be found on both of these very prestigious lists: Crime Writers’ Association Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time AND Mystery Writers of America Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time.

As for my “real” reading >>> I’ve veered off the Cozy Mystery road and am reading one of Ann Rule‘s true crime novels. Yow! I also love her books, so I’m in a type of euphoric reading mode!

Getting back to Cozy Mysteries >>> Have you read any during April that have made you think they are way better than the rest of the Cozies you read this month? If so, would you please tell us about these super-good Cozies and why you liked them so much? We’d love to know about the Cozies you think are “better than the rest” so that we (too) can read them. (If you have a lot of Cozies you think are terrific, would you post the ones you think are even better than the others at the top of the list?)

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 April 2016 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:

Kristi Abbott: Popcorn Shop Mystery Series (Kernel of Truth is book #1)

Susan Wittig Albert: China Bayles Mystery Series

Barbara Allan: Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mystery Series

Gretchen Archer: Davis Way Crime Caper Mystery Series (Double Whammy is book #1)

Karoline Barrett: Bread and Batter Mystery Series (Bun for Your Life is book #1)

M. C. Beaton (aka Marion Chesney): Hamish Macbeth Mysterty Series

Patti Benning: Darling Deli Mystery Series

Jennie Bentley (aka Jenna Bennett & Bente Gallagher): Do It Yourself Mystery Series

Rhys Bowen: Evan Evans Mystery Series

Frances Brody: Kate Shackleton Mystery Series

Duffy Brown: Cycle Path Mystery Series

J.J. Cook (aka Joyce and Jim Lavene & Ellie Grant): Biscuit Bowl Food Truck Mystery Series

J.J. Cook (aka Joyce and Jim Lavene & Ellie Grant): Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mystery Series

E.J. Copperman (aka Jeffrey Cohen): Haunted Guesthouse Mystery Series

Mary Daheim: Hillside Manor Bed & Breakfast Mystery Series

Krista Davis: Paws & Claws Mystery Series

Steve Demaree: Dekker Mystery Series (52 Steps to Murder is book #1)

Laura DiSilverio (aka Lila Dare & Ella Barrick): Readaholics Book Club Mystery Series

Elizabeth J. Duncan: Penny Brannigan Mystery Series

Amanda Flower (aka Isabella Allan): Magical Bookshop Mystery Series

Eva Gates (aka Vicki Delany): Lighthouse Library Mystery Series

Ann Granger: Markby & Mitchell Village Whodunit Mystery Series

Lee Harris: Christine Bennett (Holiday) Mystery Series

Ellen Elizabeth Hunter: Magnolia Mystery Series

Karen MacInerney: Margie Petersen Mystery Series

G.A. McKevett: Savannah Reid Mystery Series

Meg Muldoon: Christmas River Mystery Series

Renee Patrick: Lillian Frost and Edith Head Mystery Series (A Design for Dying is book #1)

Louise Penny: Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery Series

Anne Perry: Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Mystery Series

Carol J. Perry: Witch City Mystery Series

Rose Pressey: Haunted Village Mystery Series

Ruth Rendell: Inspector Wexford Mystery Series

J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts): Eve Dallas (In Death) Mystery Series (not Cozy)

Paige Shelton: Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series

Karen Rose Smith: Caprice De Luca Mystery Series

Denise Swanson: Devereaux’s Dime Store Mystery Series

Margaret Yorke: Stand Alone mysteries

[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.

I’m going to get right to the point for this month’s Cozy Mystery book recommendations. If you read a Cozy Mystery that you thought was really, really good >>> would you please tell us about it and why you liked it so much? You know, the Cozy you thought was even better than the other Cozies you have read. We’d love to know about it so that we (too) can read it. Also, if you have more than just one extra-good Cozy, could you post the ones you think are even better than the others at the top of the list?

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 March 2016 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:

Avery Aames (aka Daryl Wood Gerber): Cheese Shop Mystery Series

M.C. Beaton (aka Marion Chesney): Hamish Macbeth Mystery Series

Rhys Bowen: Molly Murphy Mystery Series

Simon Brett: Fethering Mystery Series

Lynne Cahoon: Tourist Trap Mystery Series

Kate Carlisle: Bibliophile Mystery Series

Amanda Carmack: Elizabethan Mystery Series

Bailey Cattrell (aka Bailey Cates & Cricket McRae): Enchanted Garden Mystery Series (Two Cozy readers recommended this series this month.)

Laura Childs: Tea Shop Mystery Series (Two Cozy readers recommended this series this month.)

J.J. Cook (aka Joyce and Jim Lavene & Ellie Grant): Biscuit Bowl Food Truck Mystery Series

J.J. Cook (aka Joyce and Jim Lavene & Ellie Grant): Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mystery Series

Jeanne M. Dams: Dorothy Martin Mysteries

Krista Davis: Domestic Diva Mystery Series

Carola Dunn: Daisy Dalrymple Mystery Series

Kaitlyn Dunnett (Kathy Lynn Emerson): Liss MacCrimmon Mystery Series

Kerry Greenwood: Corinna Chapman Mystery Series

Joan Hess (aka Joan Hadley): Claire Malloy Mystery Series

Hazel Holt: Mrs. Malory Mystery Series

Sofie Kelly (aka Sofie Ryan): Magical Cats Mystery Series

Kylie Logan (aka Miranda Bliss & Casey Daniels): League of Literary Ladies Mystery Series

Leslie Meier: Lucy Stone Mystery Series

Carlene O’Connor: Murder in an Irish Village

Joanne Pence: Rebecca Mayfield Mystery Series

Carol J. Perry: Witch City Mystery Series

Leigh Perry (aka Toni L.P. Kelner): Family Skeleton Mystery Series

Linda Reilly: Deep Fried Mystery Series

Barbara Ross: Maine Clambake Mystery Series

Sofie Ryan (aka Sofie Kelly): Second Chance Cat Mystery Series

Karen Rose Smith: Caprice De Luca Mystery Series

Elaine Viets: Dead End Job Mystery Series

[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.

My favorite Cozy Mystery of February is Susanna Calkins’ The Masque of a Murderer, the third in her absolutely terrific historical, British Cozy Mystery series. I am an absolute fan of Susanna Calkins‘ Lucy Campion Mystery Series.

The Lucy Campion series follows Lucy, a young woman who starts out as a chambermaid for a local magistrate in 17th century London. Fortunately for Lucy, her employer is a kind man who has taught her to read which opens other employment opportunities for her.

Rather than write why I enjoy Susanna Calkins’ mysteries so much, I’m going to refer you to three of my earlier posts. In May of 2013 I wrote Susanna Calkins, Author of A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate : My Newest Favorite Author and I recommended both of the first books in her series on two previous recommendation entries as well. (Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations – May 2013 and Mystery Book Recommendations – January 2015)

Oh, and there are lots of other Cozy Mystery readers who also think Susanna Calkins is a wonderful mystery author. She has been nominated for a Bruce Alexander Memorial Mystery award, a Lovey Best Historical novel, a Mary Higgins Clark award, and also an Agatha Award for Best Historical mystery.

How about you? Would you please tell us about the really good Cozy Mysteries you read during February, and please tell us why you liked them so much. These should be the Cozies you thought were even better than the other Cozies you read. The rest of us would love reading your recommendations/comments. I know I get lots of new-to-me Cozy Mystery authors based on your comments. (Please list the Cozies you liked the most at the very top of your list.)

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 February 2016 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:

Victoria Abbott (Mary Jane Maffini & daughter Victoria Maffini): Book Collectors Mystery Series

Cathy Ace: WISE Enquiry Agency Mystery Series

Ellery Adams: Books by the Bay Mystery Series

Ellery Adams: Book Retreat Mystery Series

Donna Andrews: Meg Langslow Mystery Series

Donald Bain (w/ Renée Paley-Bain & Jessica Fletcher): Murder She Wrote Mystery Series (Two Cozy readers recommended this series this month.)

M.C. Beaton (aka Marion Chesney): Hamish Macbeth Mystery Series

Emily Brightwell: Mrs. Jeffries Mystery Series

Leslie Budewitz: Seattle Spice Shop Mystery Series

Susanna Calkins: Lucy Campion Mystery Series

Kate Carlisle: Fixer-Upper Mystery Series (Two Cozy readers recommended this series this month.)

Amanda Carmack: Elizabethan Mystery Series

Sarah Caudwell: Hilary Tamar Mystery Series

Maia Chance: Discreet Retrieval Agency Mystery Series

Laura Childs: Scrapbooking Mystery Series

Mindy Starns Clark: Million Dollar Mystery Series

Kate Collins: Flower Shop Mystery Series

Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell): County Cork Mystery Series

E.J. Copperman (aka Jeffrey Cohen): Haunted Guesthouse Mystery Series (Two Cozy readers recommended this series this month.)

Leighann Dobbs: Mooseamuck Island Mystery Series

Elizabeth J. Duncan: Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery Series (Two Cozy readers recommended this series this month.)

Elizabeth Edmondson: A Man of Some Repute

Jean Flowers (aka Camille Minichino, Margaret Grace, & Ada Madison): Postmistress Mystery Series (Two Cozy readers recommended this series this month.)

Joanne Fluke: Hannah Swensen Mystery Series

Christopher Fowler: Bryant & May (Peculiar Crimes) Mystery Series (reportedly not Cozy)

Dick Francis: Stand Alones (not cozy)

Parnell Hall: Puzzle Lady Mystery Series

David Handler: Berger & Mitry Mystery Series

Charlaine Harris: Aurora Teagarden Mystery Series

B.B. Haywood: Candy Holliday Mystery Series

Julie Hyzy: White House Chef Mystery Series

Mary Lou Kirwin: Librarian Mystery Series

Joyce and Jim Lavene (aka J. J. Cook & Ellie Grant): Christmas Tree Valley Mystery Series

Catherine Lloyd: Kurland St. Mary Mystery Series

Dixie Lyle: Whiskey, Tango, and Foxtrot Mystery Series

Jenn McKinlay (aka Josie Belle & Lucy Lawrence): Hat Shop Mystery Series

Leslie Meier: Lucy Stone Mystery Series

Shirley Rousseau Murphy & Pat J.J. Murphy: Lee Fontana Mystery Series

Ann B. Ross: Miss Julia Mystery Series

Maggie Sefton: Knitting Mystery Series

Dorothy Simpson: Luke Thanet Mystery Series

Fran Stewart: ScotShop Mystery Series

Victoria Thompson: Gaslight Mystery Series

Elaine Viets: Dead-End Job Mystery Series

Lea Wait: Mainely Needlepoint Mystery Series

[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.