Laura just posted a comment (Thank you, Laura!) for my last entry that reminds me a lot of what I am doing:
“Danna: It’s already on your Christmas cozy list, but I just finished Emilie Richards, “Let There Be Suspects” and really enjoyed it. I have to read my Christmas books now, because I usually don’t have time when the holidays roll around!”
Isn’t that the truth! With all of the hustle and bustle associated with the time of year we are approaching, I have to admit that I do the same thing. Whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa (and there are probably more I’m not listing…) we are quickly nearing a time when family, memories, and/or activities may put our mystery book reading on the back burner.
I just started my new holiday mystery book and am really enjoying it. (Just started it… as in page 35… really just starting it!) You may think that it is a Thanksgiving mystery book, but I’m with Laura>>> It’s the first of the Special Christmas Pennyfoot Mystery Series: No Clue at the Inn by Kate Kingsbury.
I decided to take a (very short) break from my current favorite mystery book authors and try someone new (to me) and I do believe that Kate Kingsbury was a very good choice to get me started on my holiday mystery book reading.
I know that I have said MANY, MANY times before that I never start a series in the middle, but this time I took a chance since I thought the Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery Series had actually been “wrapped up” (Do they say “that’s a wrap” only for movies?!?) I hoped that I would be able to start the Special Pennyfoot Hotel mystery series (or should that be Pennyfoot Country Club mystery series?) at book 13, which as it has turned out, is book #1 of a “new” Pennyfoot Mystery Series… thus the “Special” >>>
I have been very pleased with what Kingsbury (aka Rebecca Kent and Doreen Roberts) does at the beginning of the book. She has gives the reader an introduction (of sorts) to the characters… supplying who they are and what roles they played in the “regular” Pennyfoot mystery books. But, be forewarned… there will be “spoilers” for those of you who plan on reading the “regular” series any time soon…
Lucky for me, when I finally start reading the series from its beginning, my memory, being what it is, won’t serve me well… and while the characters may seem familiar to me, that will only be “vaguely familiar”>>> Even if I start reading the Pennyfoot Hotel “regular” books next year at this same time!
Laura says
Danna: I, also, only read the special Christmas books of the Pennyfoot Hotel series. “Decked with Folly” (#5) is being released on November 3rd. I haven’t actually read “No Clue at the Inn” (#1). It seems to be out of print.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Laura,
I didn’t actually plan to just read the Christmas books… I just found that I couldn’t wait to “play catch-up” with the first twelve in Kate Kingsbury’s Pennyfoot series. I just don’t read fast enough to do that!
Cecily and Bax will just have to wait for me to start at the beginning… In the mean time, though, I want to enjoy these Christmas Cozies…
-V- says
I’ll be checking on your site to add to my shopping list of Christmas cozies. I try to read at least one or two, but sometimes I find myself reading more as they are restful in what can be a hectic month.
Molly says
Oddly enough I just got Katherine Hall Page’s “The Body in the Sleigh” from the library. I’ve read the whole series so far and the library just got this one and it happens to be a Christmas mystery!
So sorry I haven’t commented lately, I have been reading the entries, but have been too busy or tired to say anything.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Don’t you just love it when you get to read a mystery by one of your favorite authors (Katherine Hall Page) and it is set in the exact time of year you want it to be in? Reading a Christmas mystery during the 102° hot days we experience here in San Antonio just doesn’t cut it for me! I actually wait to continue reading the series (I follow) so that I can experience the fun of reading the holiday themed mystery at the right time of year.
linda says
I love the Christmas murder mysteries! I used to wait until after Thanksgiving to start reading Christmas stories and watching the old Christmas movies but there are so many now that I don’t think I would get these all read in that short of time. Especially with having to do all the other Christmas things!
My all time recent favorite is Heather Grahams’ “The Last Noel.” What a different kind of Christmas story! Very, Very good! One I could not put down! I read this book until the wee hours of the morning! Don’t you just love a book like that!!!!!
I also really liked David Baldacci’s “The Christmas Train.” Christmas doesn’t always have a happy ending and these two books point that out. Love these two books!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, I usually start my Christmas reading early… right after Halloween. If I have any Thanksgiving mysteries, I will start them first, but there just aren’t very many Thanksgiving mysteries out there. Now that it is taking me longer and longer to finish a book, I want to be sure to get a few Christmas mysteries in before the end of the year…
linda says
Danna, I have from time to time found books that the story starts with Thanksgiving and then continues on to Christmas and then New Year’s Day. I love to watch “The Miracle on 34th Street”, newer version, on Thanksgiving Day. Seems a good movie to watch on that day.
I love Thanksgiving. It is my favorite of all the holidays. But November is my least favorite month. Too bad Thanksgiving can’t be in another month. With the time changing in November, the shorter days and longer nights, as well as the rainy weather we seemed to get here in Ohio, the flowers and leaves are almost all gone, this is a very depressing month! Oh well, time then to get out some more favorite books. During the summer months I will buy books written by my favorite authors and will save these just to read during that time. Sure does help.!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, you should try the Christmas movie “Christmas in Connecticut” with Barbara Stanwyck. My daughter and I watch that every year. I simply love it!