March 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 Susan Wittig Albert’s Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter 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 March? 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 March 2024 that you want the rest of us to know about, and why did you enjoy it?
Susan Wittig Albert: Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter
Ellie Alexander (aka Kate Dyer-Seeley): Bakeshop Mystery Series
Kelley Armstrong: Haven’s Rock Mystery Series (first entry Murder at Haven’s Rock)
Verity Bright: Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Series (first entry A Very English Murder)
Vicki Delany (aka Eva Gates): Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Series
Amanda Flower (aka Isabella Alan): Farm to Table Mystery Series
Victoria Gilbert: Blue Ridge Library Mystery Series
Mia Gold: Ruby Steele Cozy Mystery Series (first entry On the Rocks)
Darci Hannah: Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Series
Lark O. Jensen: Alaska Untamed Mystery Series (first entry Bear Witness)
Dale Mayer: Lovely Lethal Gardens Mystery Series (first entry Arsenic in the Azaleas)
Jenn McKinlay (aka Josie Belle & Lucy Lawrence): Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series AND Library Lover’s Mystery Series
Amita Murray: Arya Winters Mystery Series (first entry Arya Winters and the Tiramisu of Death)
Carlene O’Connor: Irish Village Mystery Series
Marcia Rosen: Agatha, Raymond, Sherlock & Me Mystery Series (first entry Murder at the Zoo)
Eryn Scott: Murder at the Morrisey Mystery Series (first entry A Body in 3B)
Joyce Tremel (aka Joyce St. Anthony): Cider House Mystery Series
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.
sue s says
Death Down the Aisle by Verity Bright. This is Book 11. The series takes place in the early 1920s in the English countryside, and has the usual high society lady solving mysteries. The differences here are she is from a non-society background, and inherited the manor, so doesn’t “follow” the rules. Also, she has her very knowledgeable butler as a constant companion who helps her solve mysteries. There is also the DI as a love interest, although the love affair is happening VERY slowly. (It’s book 11 for heaven’s sake!). I really enjoy this series which is so different than any others I read. She is smart, funny, and very likeable.
Regina says
Murder at the Blarney Bash by Darci Hannah this is the 5th book in the Beacon Bakeshop Mystery. I mean when a leprechaun is found murdered you can’t get more St. Patrick’s Day than that and this was such a fun mystery
Zhahn says
Loving Lark O. Jensen’s Alaska series and Jenn McKinlay’s Pumpkin Spice Peril.
Fortney, Sally says
Since we just had St. Patrick’s Day, I read Murder at an Irish Chipper by Carlene O’Connor, Murder at the Blarney Bash by Darci Hannah, and Death by Irish Whiskey by Cate Murphy. The first and last were set in Ireland, and I enjoyed the Irish setting and way of speaking. The Blarney Bash was set in the US but had some Irish people and cute dogs.
I read Fatal First Edition by Jenn McKinlay and made the Cowboy cookies from the book. Jenn’s books are always wonderful, and the Library series is one of my favorites.
MendoGirl says
Arya Winters and the Tiramisu of Death by Anita Murray.
Arya Winters may be one of the most unusual protagonists I have ever met. I still can’t quite decide whether or not I actually like her. She says herself “ I try never to be nice”. “ She’s rude…she’s selfish and vain.” “I’m not rude” she says, “I’m honest.” And.boy oh boy is she ever.
Arya lives in a cottage in a small English village and bakes macabre desserts for a living. She avoids her neighbors like the plague due to her social anxiety.
When the one neighbor she actually likes turns up dead after eating poisoned tiramisu that she baked ( wasn’t poisoned when she baked it),Arya is the first suspect. But soon after the police turn their suspicions to her very dull (in Arya’s eyes) ex-boyfriend. But, Arya is dumbfounded that nobody is connecting this murder to her aunt’s murder only a few months back.
Arya has to overcome her anxieties to flush out a killer. In doing so she has to confront ugly truths about herself, her dead aunt and how she sees the world and the world sees her.
It was a great read, I thought I had the mystery figured out, but twist after twist proved me wrong.
Just a quick note – for the more gentle readers among you – there is some adult language and some sexual situations.
Tee Nelson says
Two new authors for me this month.
– – Marcia Rosen with “Murder at the Zoo”, book one of the Agatha, Raymond, Sherlock and Me series. The main character is a veterinarian at a zoo near Albuquerque. A fan of golden age mysteries, she hears the voices of Miss Marple, Sherlock Holmes and Philip Marlowe in her head as she tries to solve the mystery.
– – Eryn Scott’s Murder at the Morrisey series, book one “A Body in 3B” and book two “A Secret Staircase”. Set in Seattle, these books feature the varied residents of an old five story apartment building (now condominiums). Protagonist Meg can see ghosts of which there are many in the neighborhood within walking distance of Pike Place Market.
Nancy W. says
The series I read most of is penned by:
Ellie Alexander. Set in Ashland OR (home of the Shakespeare Festival), it follows Juliet and her employees through trials, murder and other small town antics.
ROW says
My wife and I have just found the series by Ellie Alexander. We are finding them very enjoyable reads.
We would also note that some of the Emma Fielding mystery series has been adapted as a TV movie series on Hallmark Mysteries channel. I haven’t seen any new ones lately, but have seen them in reruns.
MJ says
March Recommendations -2024
First of all, last month I mentioned ‘Fatal First Edition’ by Jenn McKinlay. I had mentioned it because she (McKinlay) brought into the storyline a character (Brooklyn Wainwright) from another series and another author. This was soooo surprising, I JUST HAD TO tell everyone about it.
I hadn’t finished the book yet when I posted that. I did finish it now and like all McKinlay books I’ve read, it was excellent.
I normally suggest you read the books in order so that you are following the progression of the characters and their relationships in the story lines. HOWEVER, I think you will feel quite comfortable reading this book out of order. This author explains the characters well, so you’re not left with questions about them. The only ‘spoil alert’ might be the advancement of a couple of relationships. But it’s no big deal to this particular story.
As for ‘Brooklyn Wainwright’ — she and her husband make an appearance in the first chapter at an archivist convention in Chicago. She is mentioned further in the book, but no more ‘appearances’. And, McKinlay did comment that she consulted with Kate Carlisle and let her read the first chapter.
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Crime and Cherry Pits – Amanda Flower
This is the fourth book in this enjoyable series. Shiloh Bellamy has moved back to this small MI community in hopes of saving the cherry tree family farm. She has scored a place to sell her products at the Cherry Farm Market in Traverse City. A cherry pit spitting contest is part of the festivities. A ‘disliked’ professor chokes and dies at this contest.
This highly creative author has a knack for combining various story lines to hold the reader’s interest throughout the book, making it a definite page turner. It’s quite enjoyable and a fast read.
Having said all that, I was a bit surprised at the grammatical errors in this book. I counted at least three, perhaps four. It’s NOT a big deal, but is something I’ve never seen in all the numerous books I’ve read by this author. Words were mixed up in a sentence and some words left out. Of course, in no way does this affect the story. But it is puzzling.
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The sign of four spirits – Vicki Delany
OK………this book is a little weird with seances and all. Usually, I don’t bother with stories that have any ‘woo-woo’ in them. But this is a book by Vicky Delany, after all. It is the ninth addition into this Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series. Of course, I HAD TO read it!
There’s a psychic fair in this in this small community. Gemma Doyle, bookshop owner, isn’t into any of this. But she does get talked into attending a séance by one of her employees.
However, she is suddenly banned from the room as the séance takes place. She sits outside the door listening in on all the activities.
A murder happens at the séance. Gemma gets involved in solving the mystery with all its puzzling and unusual aspects of this story. Love the character interaction with a variety of diverse personalities. This story is plotted well with a few twists,involving a surprise ending. As with all the stories in this series, It’s a great addition to the lineup.
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Deadly to the Core — Joyce Tremel
This is the first book in a new series (Cider House Mystery) by this author. Kate Mulligan is a widow, having lost her husband in a car crash. She inherits an apple orchard near Gettysburg, PA. She receives conflicting views as to the viability of this orchard. Most importantly she is dependent on the longtime orchard manager. However, he is murdered. To complicate the matter are offers to buy her orchard and other neighboring farms.
Kate decides to ‘help’ with the murder investigation. There is a smooth flow to this book involving not only the murder, but other side stories as well. I always appreciate this quality in an author’s writings.
I found this story enjoyable and a great start to a new series. I definitely look forward to reading the second book.
Kazzy says
This month I have continued a few of my favorite authors/series as well as tried a new one, so I thought I would share.
I read the latest book by Kelley Armstrong which is The Boy Who Cried Bear. This is actually a follow-on series to one you will want to read first. The Rockton series (first book City of the Lost). Rockton is a town setup in the middle of the Canadian Rockies by a group of draft dodgers in the 1970s. The town can only be reached by airplane. The town founders are long gone, they handle recruitment and supply runs, but do not live there. There are permanent people, but most are transient. People who want to get lost, due to having a stalker, an abusive ex, white collar criminals, etc. apply and when they are accepted, they pay for a contract that allows them so many years in Rockton to let whatever is going on in their lives calm down and disappear. Rockton has no cell towers, no internet, no phones, no postal service either since the town doesn’t exist; it is completely cut off. When people show up, they can use their real names or not. The original owners of the town know who these people are from applications, but everyone within Rockton is in the dark. Where the series starts is when problems within the town start, like people dying. Love the series, debated on whether it was cozy and it passes all the criteria.
The next series also takes place in Canada, British Columbia for this one. Dale Mayer series Lovely Lethal Gardens (first book Arsenic in the Azaleas). The series has 2 more books due out in the next 6 months if you want to wait for the entire series to binge. This book is about a woman who was basically a trophy wife who was thrown over for a younger woman. Her husband sent her on her way with nothing. She ran to her grandmother who has anticipated this and had spent years buying antiques that her granddaughter could eventually sell. When she left her husband, she just had her dog and a very old car from when she went to college, she wasn’t permitted to take her jewelry, most of her clothes, her new car; she was allowed practically nothing. When she gets to her grandmother’s, she found that she moved into a retirement home and left her granddaughter her house along with her cat and parrot. Shortly after arriving the animals find a dead person buried under part of her house. So, she sets out to solve the mystery of who this is and how he died. As the series progresses, she finds more and more bodies and/or cold cases that she wants to solve. Fun series for animal lovers as she takes the dog, cat and parrot almost everywhere. This month’s release was X’d in the Xeriscape.
I started a new to me series and read the first 3 books, awaiting the next; the series is the Ruby Steele mysteries by Mia Gold (first book On the Rocks). The series takes place in the Bahamas. Ruby is an ex MMA fighter and an alcoholic. She is hiding out from the US government, since I don’t do spoilers, I won’t say why. She works at a dive bar and when taking the trash out finds a prominent tourist in the bar’s dumpster. The Bahama police appear to like easy solutions and will arrest and charge any non-natives or poor natives for crimes rather than investigate, which means Ruby has to do it herself or face jail time.
I hope you like my recommendations. I am eclectic in my reading and get bored by too much of the same over and over again so I look for something that is different. There were other books from my ongoing series released this month, but I am still in a waiting line to read them, so I will post more next month.
Hanna says
I read Victoria Gilbert’s A Murder for the Book and Shelved Under Murder. A warning – they need to be read in the sequence since the second one mentions the events of the first one throughout. Amy Webber is the library director of the small town of Taylorsford when she stumbles on the body murdered woman in the library archives building. More murders follow and Amy and her friends are on the hunt. Both books detail old history of the small town that cast deep shadows into current events. Interesting characters, interesting historical perspective and information about the world of forged art.
Lauren says
I’ve read Oblivion at Tranquil Manor by Charlotte L. Sowers. It was such an amazing read! This novel has a comfortable, cozy atmosphere, set in the 1880’s and is filled with romance, tragedy, mystery and growth. This novel was quite fast paced and very hard to put down. The characterization was immaculate.
Furthermore, Oblivion at Tranquil Manor has no gore, sex, or other unwanted scenes within the chapters, leaving it a worthwhile and wholesome read. I highly recommend it!