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Cozy Mysteries Recommendations – July 2013

I was in Walmart yesterday, when it finally struck me that school is almost here! They had their seasonal aisle area full of notebooks, pencils, crayons, and binders. How could the summer be slipping away so quickly? When I got home, I looked at the calendar, and sure enough >>> July is almost over!

So it is at this time that I should be “wrapping up the month” with the July 2013 Cozy Mysteries Recommendations. (I am reading Honeybee Democracy, which is not a mystery – or fiction – so I can’t include it on our July 2013 Cozy Mysteries list. My husband recommended the book to me a while back, and I finally was in the mood to put aside my Cozy Mysteries to read it. I’m enjoying it a lot. Who would have thought honeybees could be so interesting?)

I know it’s getting tedious that I remind you every month that your recommendation should be the one Cozy Mystery you read during July that you want the rest of us to know about. (If you read more than just one Cozy Mystery that you loved, let us know about those.) Please tell us why you enjoyed the book (books). That way, the rest of us can decide whether your recommended Cozy Mystery is a book we would like to try.

[As usual, I ask that you don’t tell us about the books you read that you didn’t like.]

What Cozy Mystery book (or author) have you read during July 2013, and why did you enjoy it (or him/her)?

Here are the current recommended authors who some of you have read this past month:

Jeffrey Allen: Stay at Home Dad mysteries

Donna Andrews: Meg Langslow mysteries

Annie’s Attic mysteries by various authors

Connie Archer: Soup Lover’s mysteries

Gretchen Archer: Double Whammy (Davis May Crime Caper mysteries)

Donald Bain & “Jessica Fletcher”: Murder, She Wrote mysteries

Mignon F. Ballard: Miss Dimple mysteries 

Sandra Balzo: Maggy Thorsen mysteries

Lorna Barrett (aka Lorraine Bartlett & L. L. Bartlett): Booktown mysteries

Jessica Beck: Donut Shop mysteries

Rhys Bowen: Lady Georgiana mysteries AND Molly Murphy mysteries

Emily Brightwell: Mrs. Jeffries mysteries

Duffy Brown: Consignment Shop mysteries

Lea Chan: The Chameleon Chase 

Laura Childs: Tea Shop mysteries

Agatha Christie: Miss Marple mysteries

Jane K. Cleland: Josie Prescott Antiques mysteries

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

Catherine Coulter: FBI Thriller mysteries

Philip R. Craig: Martha’s Vineyard mysteries

Bill Crider: Sally Good mysteries AND Carl Burns mysteries AND Sheriff Dan Rhodes mysteries

Mary Daheim: Hillside Manor Bed & Breakfast mysteries

Elizabeth Daly: Henry Gamadge mysteries

Diane Mott Davidson: Goldy Bear mysteries

Alice Duncan: Daisy Gumm Majesty mysteries AND Mercy Allcutt mysteries

Chrystle Fiedler: Natural Remedies mysteries

“Jessica Fletcher” & Donald Bain: Murder, She Wrote mysteries

Amanda Flower: Appleseed Creek mysteries

Daryl Wood Gerber (aka Avery Aames): Cookbook Nook mysteries

Janice Hamrick: Jocelyn Shore mysteries

Carolyn Hart: Death on Demand mysteries

Betty Hechtman: Yarn Retreat mysteries

Sue Henry: Maxie & Stretch mysteries

Hazel Holt: Mrs. Mallory mysteries

Maddy Hunter: Passport to Peril mysteries

Julie Hyzy: Manor of Murder mysteries

Meg London (aka Peggy Cochran): Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie mysteries

Max McCoy: Of Grave Concern (Ophelia Wylde Paranormal mysteries)

Leslie Meier: Lucy Stone mysteries

Amy Metz: Goose Pimple Junction mysteries

Laura Morrigan: Woof at the Door (Call of the Wilde mysteries)

Liz Mugavero: Kneading to Die (Pawsitively Organic mysteries)

Spencer Quinn (aka Peter Abrahams): Chet and Bernie mysteries

Sara Rossett: On the Run mysteries

Hank Phillippi Ryan: Jane Ryland mysteries

Susan Santangelo: Baby Boomer mysteries

Maggie Sefton: Kelly Flynn Knitting mysteries

Susan Sundwall: Red Shoe Lace Killer

Denise Swanson: Deveraux’s Dime Store mysteries

Phoebe Atwood Taylor: Asy Mayo mysteries

Teresa Trent: Doggone Dead (Pecan Bayou mysteries)

Lea Wait: Shadows Antique Print mysteries

Betty Webb: Gunn Zoo mysteries AND Lena Jones mysteries (not Cozy)

♦To access more Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations, click on this link♦

Comments

  1. I enjoyed a new author this month. School starts here in 2 weeks. I am not finished with books for my building.

    Here are the books I read this month. There are only 4.

    1. Of Grave Concern by Max McCoy. First in Ophelia Wilde series. It is set after the civil war. I enjoyed it.

    2. Doggone Dead by Teresa Trent. Betsy Livingston series, not sure what no. I discoverd this series on my kindle and have enjoyed it.

    3. Final Sentence by Daryl Wood Gerber. 1st in the cookbook series. Very good. Loved the characters.

    4. Laced with Poison by Meg London. 2nd in series. Vintage lingerie series. I love where it is set. Currently reading.

    I’m sure my reading will increase slightly as daddy is going to have surgery in the next few weeks.

    • Ginger just curious if we will be seeing any pictures of the barn you’re working on to house all your books when you’re finished would love to see it and your collection.

  2. Oh, and I forgot about my audio book mystery. I am listening to one of Spencer Quinn’s Chet and Bernie mysteries. I simply cannot get enough of these mysteries! It makes me wish I was in the car more often… like when I used to wait for my children to get out of school. Spencer Quinn is one of the authors on my Favorite Authors list. (I will forewarn you though, every once in a while there is a swear-word.)

  3. I have read 3 books this month Two are by Hazel Holt Mrs. Malory Investigates and Cruellest Month and Jessica Beck Deadly Donuts. I have read every book in this series and really enjoy the setting and the characters in the book. I look forward to each and every book in this series.

  4. OT but… I too was surprised to see the Back-To-School supplies, displayed today. Poor kids! It makes it seem as if summer is over…

    Tessa

    • You’re not kidding, Tessa. Today is only 95* here in San Antonio, but it still feels like school shouldn’t be just around the corner. (Hope that makes sense!)

  5. July has been hot, hot, hot where I live so I’ve stayed inside with the AC and have had lots of fun reading! Some of the books I have enjoyed are:
    1. Murder and Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction by Amy Metz. This is the first in a new series, and I definitely enjoyed it. It has engaging characters, a sweet little romance (always love that), and an interesting mystery. Looking forward to Book 2.

    2. Double Whammy by Gretchen Archer. I found this to be a fun, humorous mystery and will read the next in this series–if there is one.

    3. Woof at the Door by Laura Morrigan. The protagonist in this book is an animal psychic. She hides her talent from most people. This is an interesting premise, and the author handles it nicely.

    4. I just finished reading the On the Run series by Sara Rosett. There are 3 books in this series: Elusive (still free on Amazon), Secretive, and Deceptive. I greatly enjoyed each book. Zoe and Jack, the lead characters, are interesting and engaging. It is possible to enjoy these books as stand-alones, but I would urge you to start with Book 1 because the storylines are related. Ms. Rosett has stated that she planned this series to contain only 3 books, and Book 3 has the ending I was looking for, but I would love to see more of Zoe and Jack. They make a great pair.

  6. Well, July was very hot and humid here in the Northeast; so instead of our regular day trips, picnics and outings; I spent most of my time in the back yard by the pool with books. Needless to say I got quite a bit of reading done.
    Luckily, I had several July 4th themed books to read.
    I started with “Yankee Doodle Dead” by Carolyn Hart. This is from 1993. I came to the Death of Demand Mysteries late so when I started, I started with the current book and bought a few older ones that looked interesting to me. Then I strayed a bit and read Carolyn Hart’s “Death of the Party.” This actually takes place in January, but since her series is set on an island in South Carolina how much of a January can there be. This was from 2005 and I loved it because it was set on a private island cut off from the world with a bunch of unusual characters, a dead body and a killer. It reminded me of a good old fashion mystery. Then I moved on to her current book “Dead, White and Blue;” another 4th of July theme. It was fun to read the books consecutively (yet written so far apart) to see the change in her writing over the years. But yet they were consistent, great quality.
    Then I read another favorite; Donald Bain’s Murder She Wrote series. “Murder on Parade;” again set around the 4th. This series is like reading the show. I actually hear the characters’ voices in my head when I read this series. They are just as good as the shows. They are such fun, quick reads and all the regulars are written just as they were on T.V. The “extras” always fit, as well. I was concerned I would be disappointed when I first started to read this series but I just love it. It is like an old friend.
    Then on to the newest from Laura Childs with “Sweet Tea Revenge.” There is not much more I can say about this series, that most of her readers haven’t said. Just GREAT, very well written. Colorful, sophisticated and a very well crafted mystery. Twists and turns with a lot going on to keep you reading and guessing. In this book (I have seen this in others as well) she brought in a “side character” from a previous book and made him the victim and she also use another, Delaine and put her a little more front and center. I hate when characters come and go and you never hear about them again. I like recurring “side characters” it adds realism the the stories.

    • Oops, left one out! Leslie Meier’s “Star Spangled Murder” again set around the 4th (what else?). I came to this series late as well and picked out a few older ones I wanted to read. This is from 2004. The Lucy Stone Mysteries are my go to mysteries when I am looking for the perfect holiday theme mystery to fill a gap. They are just sweet, fun and oh so easy the read. I always hate saying easy to read, because I don’t want to imply they are not well written. I just find this series so traditionally cozy. Leslie is a very consistent writer and I have never been disappointed. Leslie always throws in something unusual to spice things up. This time it was nudist, yes I said nudist. This was a very funny addition to the typical quirky characters she writes.

  7. This month I enjoyed returning to New Hampshire with Josie Prescott in Jane Cleland’s latest mystery, Lethal Treasure. She has a strong cast of characters and provides interesting information on antiques. From other comments, I suspect that some people don’t like the fact that Josie’s romantic interest has a job that requires travel so he is out of town for much of the book (as he is in a number of books in the series), but I don’t mind it. I like the relationships that Josie has with the people around her – and I like that she learns new things about her employees.

    Another antiques-related mystery I enjoyed this month was Shadows on a Cape Cod Wedding the latest Antique Print Mystery by Lea Wait. Maggie Summer arrives on Cape Cod for her best friend’s wedding and discovers a body. Again, much of the joy of this series is the relationships of the people involved. Because Maggie travels to shows to sell her prints, this series is not set in a single location so you don’t have a large cast of recurring characters, but the relationships among the few are well developed.

    I also visited Amish country in Ohio this month with A Plain Scandal, the 2nd book in Appleseed Creek Mystery series by Amanda Flower. Chloe Humphrey is settling into her new job and has made some good friends and wants to help out when she discovers a murdered Amish man. I’m really enjoying this series, but I wish the author would write the next book in her other series!

    Finally, it was down to Texas for the 3rd book in the Jocelyn Shore Mystery series, Death Rides Again by Janice Hamrick. I love the relationship between Jocelyn and her cousin, Kyla, and in this book you meet more of their extended family. In addition to proving that her uncle did not murder his son-in-law, Jocelyn wrestles with the question of which of the two men in her life she should go with.

  8. This month I read the Devereaux Dime Story Mystery Series by Denise Swanson. She is a new author to me and I really enjoyed her books. I have started the most recent book in the Kelly Flynn Knitting Series by Maggie Sefton titled Close Knit Killer and the most recent book in the Booktown Mysteries titled Not the Killing Type by Lorna Barrett. I am trying to read those last two slowly as I know it will be awhile before the next ones come out. I can feel the withdrawal pains now!

    • FYI, Mary. If you like Swanson’s Devereaux Dime Store mystery series, you will also enjoy her ‘Scumble River’ series. They are very similarly written, even to the point of using the same name (for different characters) in both the series. The Scumble River series has 15 books with the 16th to be released in Sept.

      Lorna Barrett also writes under the name of Lorraine Bartlett and has three enjoyable books in the ‘Victoria Square Mystery series’.

  9. In Connecticut it was very hot and very humid. So I sat with my Ceiling Fan cooling me off and read. The books for the month of July are:

    Catherine Coulter’s FBI series with husband and wife agents Dillon Savage and Lacy Sherlock.
    1.Knock Out
    2.Whiplash
    3. Split Second
    4. Back Fire
    5. Bomb Shell

    Diane Mott Davidson’s series with Goldy and Tom.
    6. Tough Cookie
    7. Sticks and Scones.

    Basically I trying to get caught up with both of these authors since they have new books coming out Aug/Sept 2013.

  10. Grace Takes Off – Julie Hyzy

    Wow! What’s not to like about a Julie Hyzy story? I’ve enjoyed all her series and this latest release is no exception. This is a very convoluted story, but the reader is able to keep everything straight because of the author’s detailed writing. It starts out in Italy as Grace (main character) and her boss are finishing up a European vacation. There’s much drama on the charter plane trip back to the US. They return back to the manor about half way through the book. Ms. Hyzy develops very interesting characters, including the lead in a rock band in this story. It will be interesting to see if he is a ‘continuing’ character. There are lots of twists, turns, and false assumptions that all add in to making this a real page turner.

    Lethal Treasure – Jane Cleland

    I like the smartness of this series. I’m not particularly interested in antiques, but Cleland has a way of making this subject interesting, especially as she explains the historical/appraisal components (which she deftly intertwines into the story). She creates some new and interesting characters in this story, with little emphasis on the regular characters. There is one aspect of this story where it ‘doesn’t ring true’. Authors should always keep in mind they have intelligent readers and discrepancies are noticed. However, this is a very good mystery with plenty of excitement. It keeps the reader guessing as to who the culprit is until the end of the book. It is very well paced and the story moves along quickly. The boyfriend appears more often in this story than in some of the previous stories. I really enjoy their relationship, so I hope the author keeps him involved and doesn’t send him away on ‘assignment’ in the next book. Great series!

    Yarn to Go – Betty Hechtman

    I didn’t think I’d be able to recommend this book as I started reading it since it was a bit disjointed and very slow. However my advice to anyone starting it, is to ‘keep reading’ because the pace really picks up. It takes awhile, but Hechtman develops some fascinating characters with several conflicts between them. The story is set in an idyllic seaside location in CA. and murder(s) take place during a yarn/knitting retreat. The ending is somewhat of a surprise and takes some interesting twists to get there. I’ve enjoyed Hechtman’s other series and find this a good beginning for her next series. In fact, I’m looking forward to the next book to see how the relationships develop. It’s also great that the publisher has allowed this author to use the same name for both series so the reader doesn’t have to ‘figure out’ who the author is!!!

    Final Sentence — Daryl Wood Gerber

    I noticed Ginger also recommended this book in her post. I just wanted to add to it. In this first book of a new series, Gerber develops the lead character (Jenna Hart) as a neurotic – a somewhat different, perhaps creative twist from what many authors do when they develop the protagonist as a strong, self-confident character. This story is 90% about the main character and the other 10% about other characters. These other characters have much potential in future stories. I have no doubt Gerber will do this because the characters (male and female) in her other series (Aames – cheese shop mysteries) are fascinating and very well developed. It was humorous when this author did some self–promotion, as ‘Jenna’ said she was reading a book from one of her favorite series – the Avery Aames’ Cheese Shop series! ‘Jenna’ also mentioned two other of her favorite authors – Kate Carlisle and Katherine Hall Page (certainly two authors I enjoy reading!). Another ‘crossover’ between the two series was when ‘Jenna’ was preparing a cheese tray for a party. She described ‘ad finitum’ the characteristics of each cheese on the tray. This is something this author does OFTEN in the cheese shop series.

    As I was reading ‘Final Sentence’, I wondered if all cozy authors (at least the current ones) use a ‘formula’ where the protagonist/lead character is always under suspicion of the murder in the first book of a new series. In my reading experience, most do. (It’s usually the ‘reason’ the protagonist gets involved in solving the mystery.) However after I read ‘Final Sentence’, I then read ‘Yarn to Go’. In that book (Yarn to Go) the lead character is never under suspicion. Kudos to Hechtman for creatively writing a story different from the normal cozy ‘formula’!!

  11. Must reads for me are any of Alice Duncan’s books. She has two cozy series’. Both feature heroines in the 20s. There is her “spirits” series, in which middle class Daisy works as a psychic to rich people. Then there is her “angels” series where wealthy Mercy works for her PI boss to get a feel for how “regular” people live. She wants to write a book. The author’s voice is humorous and you will find yourself chuckling, if not laughing all the way through. There are some romantic doings as well. Don’t miss them!

  12. I’m finally reading Elizabeth Daly’s most excellent mysteries. She supposedly was Agatha Christie’s favorite writer, and upon reading the first book in the Henry Gamadge series, I can see why! Unexpected Night is incredibly, amazingly good. The quality of the writing is excellent, the suspense is low-key but steady, the resolution of the mystery really astonished me but all the clues were in place and I was completely stumped, which is the mark of a skillful writer. I immediately got another one of her books, which unfortunately was out of chronological order but it’s so good that I couldn’t stop reading it. For some reason, the publishers of these new re-releases don’t list the other titles in the series. Thank goodness for Danna, who has a handy-dandy author page available on this website! 🙂

  13. This posting of recommendations is one of my favorite things about this website. I especially love the descriptions of series because then I can add authors, series, and characters to my list of books to read. Thank you so much for what you do for those of us who are cozy mystery bookaholics. I have not read any cozies this month. I have enjoyed Sheryl Woods new series; they are romances and just easy reading. I am trying to catch up on the Catherine Coulter FBI series. Can’t wait until the new Goldy Schultz book comes out.

  14. I was lucky enough to get ARCs this month of Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen, the next in her Lady Georgiana series, and The Wrong Girl, the next by Hank Phillippi Ryan. Both were great books I had a very hard time putting down. The plots were fast moving and the characters very enjoyable.

    Right now, I’m reading The Hen of the Baskervilles, the newest Meg Langslow mystery by Donna Andrews. As always, a fun read. I’m about 90 pages in and loving it.

  15. I’m currently reading “Iced Chiffon” by Duffy Brown, and I think its great! The main character is so cute!
    I received a copy of Final Sentence by Daryl Wood Gerber that Im looking forward to reading soon.

    Thanks to everyone for the great book recommendations!

  16. There is another vintage mystery re-issue that I found and am enjoying. It is the Asey Mayo Cape Cod Mysteries written by Phoebe Atwood Taylor. This month I read “The Six Iron Spiders” first published in 1942. There is quite a bit of humor and a little bit of dialect. I appreciate the WW II references that are real to the time it was written (Women in slacks? Heavens!). Any other of Danna’s readers have some vintage mystery recommendations?

  17. I was, as always, in love with Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy Series latest book, “The Family Way.” Many times I feel a series sort of grows redundant or the author throws in something radically different which alters my enthusiasm. But, this month I have thoroughly enjoyed my current favorites: Philip Craigs’ “Death on a Vineyard Beach” and A case of Vineyard Poison,” Mignon Ballard’s, “Miss Dimple Suspects,” and a re-read of Agatha Christies’ “The Body in the Library.” What fun. Perhaps not as exciting, but delightful nonetheless was Emily Brightwell’s “The Ghost and Mrs. Jeffries.”

  18. I read a book by a “new to me” author……Sex, Murder and a Double Latte by Kyra Davis. A Cozy Mystery with some suggestive language and profanity. This is book 1 in her Sophie Katz Murder Mystery Series. I loved this book because of the humor…..which I was laughing out loud so many times. I loved the plot and all of the co-characters. The main character, Sophie, is an author who writes sexy murderish type of books…..which she has many, and is soon to have one of her books made into a movie. But before that will happen, Sophie soon finds herself caught up in her own murder mystery, which is being played out just like in her first book. She and her friends set out to find the murderer before she is next.

    Yes, this book has more than enough profanity and some sexy talk sprinkled in here and there, but it was a wonderful book and I look forward to reading book 2.

  19. Annie’s Attic mysteries/various authors

    Sue Henry- The Refuge. First one in Maxie and Stretch mysteries.

  20. My recommendation is for cozy readers who enjoy tongue in check and ironic humor: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Woods, the first in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by Maryrose Woods. This book is set in the Victorian Age and centers around a young governess and recent graduate of the Swanborne Academy for Poor Bright Females. She answers an ad for a governess that stresses the need for a candidate who loves animals. She arrives at Ashton Place and meets her new charges, three siblings who the lord of the manor found in the woods. The children speak in growls and woofs and love to chase small animals so the general consensus is that they were raised by wolves. Somehow she is able to teach them an appreciation for poetry, ancient Greek history and how to play chess. This is a very fun book especially for readers who are familiar with Victorian and Gothnic novels (ie Jane Eyre). There is a mystery of course which isn’t fully resolved by the end of the book, opening the door to a sequel. According to the author’s website there are six books planned. I can’t wait!
    I also read two earlier books in the Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier: The Bake Sale Murder and Back to School murder. My life and Lucy’s are nothing alike but I enjoy reading about how she manages to solve mysteries while raising her children, dealing with her demanding but lovable husband and her job as a small town newspaper writer. Lucy is a believeable and likeable character and I enjoy her small circle of friends too. The resolutions are not always a surprise but they never read as forced. I know Tinker Cover Maine is not a real place but this series makes me wish it were. Very cozy and very enjoyable.

  21. July has had me reading a number of different books other than mystery stories. Two that I did read were Mary Daheim’s newest in her B&B series. I enjoyed the way that her characters age and do not stay static. The other book I read was Donna Andrews’ “The Hen of the Baskervilles”. Her books are always very amusing. I have started downloading many of the new books by my favorite authors rather than wait for them at the library.This gives me instant gratification plus by controlling the print size I can read them better. It has been a rough summer and spring for me with many health problems, but I still enjoy reading the many blogs and finding the names of new authors.

    • Welcome back, Regina. I am hoping that your summer sees you quickly improving, and getting you all healthy for fall in New England.

  22. This month I read all three of the Stay at Home Dad mysteries by Jeffrey Allen (Stay at Home Dead, Popped Off, Father Knows Death). I like reading cozies with a male protagonist who isn’t involved in law enforcement or the medical field.

  23. I forgot to list Easter Bunny Murder by Leslie Meier. I love her books because you see her kids grow from infancy all the way to adulthood.

    • Mark have you tried Miranda James? There is a male Librarian named Charlie Harris and his main coon cat. The books in the series so far are

      Murder Past Due
      Classified as Murder
      File M for Murder
      Out of Circulation
      I have already ordered the 5th one coming out in January.

  24. Books read in July

    Death Drops – Chrystle Fiedler – A Natural Remedies Series – Dr Willow is a doctor that specializes in Natural remedies and goes home to visit her aunt who owns a Natural Market. Her aunt gets murdered and Willow solves the mystery. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the next in the series.
    Marriage Can Be Murder – Susan Santangelo – This is the 3rd in the series and I just love all these books for some reason they remind me of the Ann George series which I loved.
    Kneading to Doe – Liz Mugavero – this is a cozy animal lovers series. Kristian moves to a new town and finds the local vet murdered. New series and enjoyed the book and characters.
    Red Shoe Lace Killer – Susan Sundwall – A serial killer is killing women with red shoelaces. Minnie & her friends decide to solve the murder. This was a good book that moves a long quickly.
    Top of the Mournin – Maddy Hunter – Loved it – another funny story with Emily and Nana on tour in a haunted castle. Emily’s ex husband shows up on the tour but he is now a she…funny!
    Old Haunts – E J Cooperman – The Haunted Gatehouse Series – With the guesthouse full of guests, Allison attempts to solve two mysteries with the help of the guesthouse ghosts. Great cozy mystery.
    The Chameleon Chase – Lea Chan – my favorite of all my July books. This is more of a suspense mystery that grabs your attention from beginning to end and has so many twist & turns. Really good page-turner.

  25. Danna, Although Bill Crider isn’t a new-to- me writer along with his Sheriff Dan Rhodes series I discovered his Sally Good and his Carl Burns series. Both of these series are just as much fun reading as the Dan Rhodes series is.
    Sally and Carl are both profesors in two different small colleges in Texas. Where Carl Burns is just an ordinary everyday professor, Sally is a department chair person. Both of these series are really funny stories. I think these two are what a typical “Cozy” murder mystery is supposed to be. But who knew teaching at a small college could be dangerous to someone ‘s health!!??
    Isn’t there anyplace safe !!!! lol!!

  26. Read the series by Sandra Balzo (Maggy Thorsen Mystery). I’m not much of a reviewer, but really enjoyed the books and the characters. She has another one coming out in Dec and can’t wait to read it.

  27. I read a lot and recently ended a 100-hour a week job with a great severance so between jobs, I’m reading even more. I love Betty Webb who writes two series, one not so cozy and another set in a zoo which is cozier. Both are extremely well written and interesting.

    I also so miss the Jenny Cain mysteries. I read all of them and now that they are finished apparently, I am looking for something with that very humanistic bent.

    I would love recommendations on that. I think people who read cozies are super interesting people because they understand that each new ‘world’ draws us into new ways of thinking.

    • I, too, read all the Jenny Cain mysteries. I heard Nancy Pickard talk on an author TV show and was lucky enough to find all the Jenny Cain books at a used bookstore. You might like the Eugenia Potter mysteries…the first 3 books written by Virginia Rich and the last 3 written by Nancy Pickard.

  28. Since I was able to quit my second job, I now have time to catch up on my reading. So I decided to start with some of my favorite oldies and go from there

    I love the Dan Rhodes series from Bill Crider. The main character is Sheriff Dan Rhodes, who doesn’t like new technology that much. He just plods along asking questions and lets his deputies do the technology stuff and eventually finds the right killer after a few accidents along the way.

    Donna Andrews (Meg Langslow) is always great, you have to love her mother’s big family.

    • Thanks, Becky, I just added Bill Crider’s Sheriff Dan Rhodes mysteries to the July 2013. Thanks to Linda C, we already had his Sally Good mysteries as well as his Carl Burns mysteries on the list.

  29. I just finished reading Connie Archer’s latest book in her soup series “Broth of Betrayal.” This is the second book in the series and every bit as good as the first book. It kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end and I really like her characters. I’m looking forward to more of this series in the future!

  30. Alfred when I get the buidling finished , I will be glad to show the pictures. It will be a while. I counted all the authors listed and discovered that I read or have books of 40 of them. The other 12 are being added to my author list to try.

  31. I have just finished two books in the series by Jacklyn Brady (was lucky at the library): Arsenic and Old Cake and Cake on a Hot Tin Roof. Loved the characters involved and the mysteries turned out to be interesting and not too simple (as sometimes occurs in”Cozy Mysteries”)…loved them and looking forward to the next in the series. Thanks for this wonderful website!

    • Welcome to the site, Dottie D! I hope to see more of your mystery book recommendations in future months.

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