August is almost over, so it’s time to discuss our favorite Cozies that we read this month!
If you read a Cozy mystery this month and want to recommend it to the rest of us, be sure to post it here! For this month, I read the first entry of Elizabeth Logan’s Alaskan Diner Mystery Series. For the reasons I want to recommend it, be sure to check out the blog entry!
So, what have you been reading that you can recommend in August? Please be sure to tell us why you liked these Cozies so much. I know we’re all always on the lookout for more particularly good Cozy Mystery authors! (If you have a lot of Cozies you think are great, please post the ones you like the most at the top of the list.)
As always, please do not tell us about the Cozy Mysteries you did not like.
What really good Cozy Mystery did you read August 2023 that you want the rest of us to know about, and why did you enjoy it?
Leslie Budewitz: Spice Shop Mystery Series
Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib): Key West Food Critic Mystery Series
V.M. Burns: Baker Street Mystery Series
Laura Childs (aka Gerry Schmitt): Tea Shop Mystery Series
Peg Cochran (aka Meg London and Margaret Loudon): Cranberry Cove Mystery Series
Vivian Conroy: Miss Ashford Investigates Mystery Series
Jana DeLeon: Miss Fortune Mystery Series
Elizabeth Logan (aka Camille Minichino, Ada Madison, Margaret Grace, & Jean Flowers): Alaskan Diner Mystery Series
Alyssa Maxwell: Gilded Newport Mystery Series
Rachel McLean: Dorset Crime Mystery Series (first entry The Corfe Castle Murders) AND Detective Zoe Finch Mystery Series (first entry Deadly Wishes)
Korina Moss: Cheese Shop Mystery Series (first entry Cheddar Off Dead)
Anne Perry: Christmas Mystery Series
Camilla Trinchieri: Tuscan Mystery Series (first entry Murder in Chianti)
Diana Xarissa: Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Series (first entry Aunt Bessie Assumes)
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.
Paula Catherine says
V.M.Burns’ Baker Street mysteries is new. Her protagonist is Maddy Montgomery, a young woman of privilege. She was raised by her military dad and quite frankly does not appear to have any useful skills other than as an internet influencer. She is left at the alter, wedding streaming, and is disgraced. She inherits a bakery and home and her father sends her to Michigan to apparently find herself. She is required to live there for a year and run the bakery for one year. She finds life is much different in Michigan compared to California. I liked the series, two novels so far. A huge mastiff adds humor as well as her late aunt’s circle of friends. Book 1 is Two parts sugar, one part murder. Oh, an important note: Maddy does not cook nor bake.
Sadiepoo says
Yes I have enjoyed this series! Can’t wait until the next one!
MendoGirl says
For August I would like to recommend Mystery in Provence by Vivian Conroy.
Atalanta Ashford is a teacher at a prestigious Swiss boarding school when she receives a letter from a lawyer informing her that her very wealthy grandfather has died and left her his entire fortune. It does come with one condition – “when someone approaches you to ask for help, you must help them the best you can”. Atalanta agreed and soon finds herself walking down a very posh Parisian street towards her new home and life. She has no time to get settled, the moment she walks through the door she is told a young lady is waiting in the sitting room. It’s her first case.
With that it is off to a beautiful French estate with her client to make sure the man her client is about to marry didn’t murder his first wife.
I really enjoyed this book, it takes place in 1930 on a French estate with beautiful lavender fields. The scenery is beautiful, the characters well rounded and the mystery well done.
I call it a “just one more chapter “ book. I like to read before bed and would want to read “just one more chapter “
I will be reading more of this series!
Ian Jopson says
Not sure if these would be classed as cosy or not, but both my wife and I find them so good that we tend to read them in a couple of days.
Rachel McLean has two interlinked series. First is a set going under the ‘Dorset Crime’ general title, concerning a female DCI moved to Dorset from Birmingham, there is a running thread through the novels about the death of her predecessor (suicide or not) and connotations about her new lawyer girlfriend with possible crimelord connections. Second is a series concerning Zoe Finch, a DCI from Birmingham who we meet in the Dorset novels, helping with the investigation.
Marianne says
I’ve been reading the “Aunt Bessie” series by Diana Xarissa Dunn. She has written 26 of them, starting with “Aunt Bessie Assumes” and going through the alphabet. Taking place on the Isle of Man and featuring an older lady (perhaps 80?), they are engaging and introduce a place that’s new to me. Better yet, books in order can be downloaded for free every three Fridays.
I just finished “Mousse and Murder,” an Alaskan diner mystery, which features the newish owner of a diner that attracts some interesting characters. There are a few recipes at the end, which is a bonus for me. I always enjoy reading about Alaska and have missed the series by Sue Henry. This is a good substitute.
Sadiepoo says
I just read the first two books in The Tuscan Mystery series by Camilla Trinchierri. First book is Murder in Chianti. Enjoyed the location descriptions and the characters.
ginger says
I read the cheese shop series by Korina Moss. Book one Cheddar Off Dead. I enjoyed this book. My rating system is cowboy hats, I gave it 4 cowboy hats. This first book is Willa Bauer runs a cheese shop and critic is coming to review the shop. Unfortunately he ends up dead.
So Willa and her friends begin to investigate to see who amongest them could have killed him. Such a surprise ending.
Book2 in the same series is GOne for Gouda. I gave this one four cowboy hats. Willa has a guest star coming to help promote her new cheese. AND does it get wild from there. Guest gets killed and friends and neighbors are once again supects. It was wild ride to the finish. Never saw this one coming either. It kept me guessing.
Now i read a third book in august but it was not cozy but western.
Rob (Robin) Jarrad says
Danna et all: Just finished New York Christmas by Anne Perry. I don’t know if she can be considered a cozy or not, just to be on the safe side, I also read Peggy Ehrhart’s Irish Knit Murder and Death of a Knit Wit. looking forward to her new one.
Laura Child’s newest Tea book is Honey Drop Dead. I’ve just started it and the recipes are to die for. But Hayley can be trusted to dish up some great food and I’ve tried some of them and served them at my knitting group and they get rave reviews.
Fortney, Sally says
I read Murder at the Elms by Alyssa Maxwell, A Clue in the Crumbs by Lucy Burdette, and Berried Grievances by Peg Cochran. All three series now have their sleuths married. I like to see growth in a series’ characters.
I read The Marlow Murder Club and Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood. Nice English mysteries. I didn’t know that he created Death in Paradise.
Jo Anne Yerkes says
Had to reconstruct my books read file and found I need to catch up on Sheilla Connolly books even though she died in 2020. Also have Leslie Budewitz’ Peppermint Barked to read next. Also reading Nancy Coco books on my phone.
PaulD says
I missed the news that Sheila Connolly had died, sad news
Hanna says
I enjoyed Leslie Budewitz’ Assault and Pepper. Pepper Reece opened a spice shop in Seattle and much of the book is a love story to the City of Seattle and its Pike Place Market described in details. When an unknown street man is found dead at the front of her store and an employee was arrested for murder, Pepper feels she has to solve the murder. Interesting plot and characters. The dog, Arf, adds a nice touch.
Leslie Budewitz says
So glad you enjoyed the trip to Seattle with Pepper and me — on the page! The 7th in the series, Between a Wok and a Dead Place, came out this past July, and there will be at least two more in the series.
Suri says
I recommend Dr. Josephine Plantae Paradoxes by L.M. Jorden. 1920-30s mysteries, madcap fun with a dash of romance, too, and a lot of botanical poisons as both medicine and murder. Lots of fun and interesting reads.
Deborah M. says
Almost any Jana DeLeon book series is a good read. Her Miss Fortune series is the one I read last month. Her main character is Fortune, an ex-CIA operative/ assassin with all the skills to go along with that job description. Her side kicks are Ida Belle and Gertie, two Vietnam era spies with the same skill sets. It takes place in Sinful, a small Louisiana town a couple hours from New Orleans. It is a good mystery series as well as full of humor, especially with the antics of Gertie and what she carries in her purse!
Linda MH says
Deborah M,
LOVE this series!!! One of my favorites. Highly recommend!
sharon says
Have thoroughly enjoyed the Nuala series by Harriet Steel. Set in 1930s Ceylon with an unusual but delightful set of both British and Ceylonese characters.
Melissa says
Lucy Emblem has a new cozy series. It’s an English setting with dogs as the highlight. It’s absolutely delightful and I highly recommend the series!
The second book in the series is releasing soon. Ready, Aim, Woof!
CLAIRE W says
Try Baby Ganesh Detective Agency by Vaseem Khan. Newly retired Inspector Inspector Chopra receives a retirement gift from his eccentric uncle: a baby elephant! Chopra is of course involved in various PI plots which he and Ganesh ultimately solve. With the atmosphere of modern India, (Mumbai),interesting mysteries to solve, a host of recurring side characters, and much hilarity make this a great series. Ganesh is a very extraordinary elephant and sidekick.
First Book : The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra.
CLAIRE W says
Another favorite series. Kat Makris Greek Mafia by Alex King.
Kat’s father goes missing, Portland Oregon detectives are chasing him and causing mayhem for Kat. Next thing she knows she’s on a private jet with a couple of very scary men who tell her they are taking her to her grandmother in Greece. Grandma turns out to be the Godmother of the biggest crime family in Greece. Mayhem ensues.
Ms King’s writing style is drop dead hilarious, the supporting characters are all scene stealers of the finest kind , the bad guys are just scary enough and Kat manages to get herself into some of the most inventive situations imaginable!
These books are perfect for vacation/beach/ cruise reading.
Ms King has several other series, one of which is Greek Ghouls . I have only read one of those but it was equally enjoyable.