I think of the Paws & Claws Mystery Series (by Krista Davis) as an equal opportunity pet Cozy. You can be a devoted dog lover or a cherishing cat owner, and still there is a little something for you. Krista Davis sets this series in Wagtail, Virginia >>> and with a name like that, you know the town is a pet-friendly community.
As with her Domestic Diva Mystery Series, Krista Davis has developed her Paws & Claws characters in a way that makes you feel like you’re visiting with your friends. (I hope that makes sense!) I’m never quite sure where the mystery will end up, and sometimes the red herrings have fooled me completely! (I especially like it when a Cozy author does that >>> rather than the other way, when I can guess who the culprits are within the first fourth of the book.)
If you’re looking for a Halloween themed Cozy Mystery, I’d definitely recommend The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer. Now I’m going to go read some more to find out what Holly, Trixie, and Twinkletoes are up to!
How about you? Would you please tell us about the really good Cozy Mysteries you read this month, and please tell us why you liked them so much more than the other Cozies you read? These should be the Cozies you think are even better than the others you read this month. The rest of us are always interested in finding Cozy Mystery authors who write great Cozies who we don’t yet read. Please list the ones you liked the most at the very top of the list, that way we’ll know those are the ones you liked the most.
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 October 2015 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:
Susan Wittig Albert: China Bayles Herbal Mystery Series
Connie Archer: Soup Lover’s Mystery Series
Tessa Arlen: Lady Montfort Mystery Series
Donald Bain & “Jessica Fletcher”: Murder, She Wrote Mystery Series
M.C. Beaton (aka Marion Chesney): Agatha Raisin Mystery Series
Carrie Bebris: Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery Series
Josie Belle (aka Jenn McKinlay & Lucy Lawrence): Good Buy Girls Mystery Series
Cindy Blackburn: Cue Ball Mystery Series
Kate Borden (aka Kate Grilley): Peggy Jean Turner Mystery Series
Maia Chance: Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery Series
Blaize & John Clement: Dixie Hemingway Mystery Series
Kate Collins: Flower Shop Mystery Series
J.J. Cook (Joyce and Jim Lavene & Ellie Grant): Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mystery Series
Deborah Crombie: Kincaid & James Mystery Series
Waverly Curtis: Barking Detective Mystery Series
Krista Davis: Domestic Diva Mystery Series
Krista Davis: Paws & Claws Mystery Series
Carola Dunn: Daisy Dalrymple Mystery Series
Dawn Eastman: Family Fortune Mystery Series
Janet Evanovich: Lizzy & Diesel Mystery Series
Shelley Freydont: Celebration Bay Mystery Series
Daryl Wood Gerber (aka Avery Aames): Cookbook Nook Mystery Series
Elly Griffiths: The Zig Zag Girl (not Cozy)
Janice Hamrick: Jocelyn Shore Mystery Series
Sherry Harris: Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery Series
D.E. Ireland: Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins Mystery Series
Miranda James (aka Honor Hartman, Jimmie Ruth Evans, & Dean James): Southern Ladies Mystery Series
Miranda James (aka Honor Hartman, Jimmie Ruth Evans, & Dean James): Cat in the Stacks Mystery Series
Diane Kelly: Tara Holloway Mystery Series
John J. Lamb: Bear Collector’s Mystery Series
Joyce and Joe Lavene (aka J.J. Cook & Ellie Grant): Retired Witches Mystery Series
Colette London: Chocolate Whisperer Mystery Series
Susan McBride: Debutante Dropout Mystery Series
G.A. McKevett: Savannah Reid Mystery Series
Leslie Meier: Lucy Stone Mystery Series
Angela Pepper: Stormy Day Mystery Series
Leigh Perry (aka Toni L.P. Kelner): Family Skeleton Mystery Series
Lora Roberts: Liz Sullivan Mystery Series
Michael Robertson: Baker Street Letters Mystery Series
Jeff Shelby (aka Jeffrey Allen): Moose River Mystery Series
Denise Swanson: Scumble River Mystery Series
Lea Wait: Shadows Antique Print Mystery Series
Donna Glaser White: Letty Whittaker 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.
Rita says
Miranda James–Dead with the Wind
G.A. McKevett — Buried in Buttercream
Denise Swanson–Murder of an Open Book
Josie Belle –All Sales Final
What can I say..loved them all
Chrsitine says
Thanks Rita, I didn’t realize the 2nd Miranda James – Southern Ladies was available. I can not wait to read it.
Annie says
I am really enjoying the Very English Mystery series by Elizabeth Edmondson. The first book came out this fall A man of some repute, and was followed shortly by A question of inheritance. Set in postwar England, with castles and tearooms and a slew of personable characters, I am thoroughly enjoying them. Just the right mix of novel and mystery. I read the Five on adventures when I was a girl, and I think the reason I like these so much is because they are similar in tone somehow. I listen to them on Audible as well- extra lovely!
Margaret StashEmpress says
This sounds like just the kind of series I’d love! On my TBR list now!
Tullita says
I added the Very English Mystery A Man of Some Repute to my Kindle over the weekend. It grabbed me with the first chapter. I’m glad to learn there is a second available since I am really enjoying it.
Margaret StashEmpress says
I put it on my Kindle today too! Looking forward to reading it — but I first have to finish the 15 ebooks I have checked out from my public library ;-).
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tullita, I hope you enjoy it!
MJ says
October Recommendations – 2015
I was quite disappointed in most books I read this month. They lacked originality/creativity in the story lines and were just ‘same-, same-o’. In fact one book took me a whole week to read. Ugh! I know, I know, I should have quit reading it early on, but I kept hoping it would get better because I liked the author’s previous books.
In addition I’ve had three rounds of overnight visitors (family and friends) this month which entails time taken from reading because of cleaning and cooking duties! THUS, I only have two books to recommend this month.
Trick or Deceit — Shelley Freydont
I’m recommending this book mainly because of its holiday tie-in. This series focuses on each holiday in a big way since it takes place in the fictional town of Celebration Bay (NY). Thus holidays aren’t mentioned just in passing, they are fully commemorated.
Protagonist Liv Montgomery is the town’s event planner. Since the town is small she seems to be this community’s go-to person for everything. Ted is her assistant (life-long resident of the community).
In this book there is a haunted house competition. One of the homes gets trashed and a murder takes place. There are several suspects to consider, however the guilty person was a surprise to me.
Many characters have depth and an intelligent sleuth. This is a very well-paced book, which I always like.
Not much romance, though. The author keeps the reader in mystery as to the background of the newspaper editor. Enough so, that we keep coming back hoping to find out more…………..but nada in this book!
With the haunted houses, Halloween décor/activities, and the addition of a ‘witch’s covenant’, this story is an enjoyable October read!
————————————————
Dangerously Dark — Colette London
I hesitate to recommend this book because it is so-o-o-o wordy, 333 pages long. I found myself skimming through some parts.
However, this is a unique series. The first book was set in SF and the second one in Portland, OR. I suspect each add’l. book will have a different setting. Also there are only three continuing characters – the protagonist, her bodyguard and good friend, and her accountant (pretty much absent in this story).
Someone said in a previous post they like reading any book with ‘chocolate’. WELL, this is THE book for chocolate lovers – it’s the main feature and discussed/explained many, many times throughout the chapters. Hayden is the smart and savvy protagonist and chocolate aficionado. She travels the world consulting on this subject. In addition she is quite wealthy, living off a trust fund.
Hayden was invited to Portland to attend the engagement party of a college friend (Carissa). Carissa’s fiancé is found dead, but the police believe it’s an accident.
There are numerous twists/turns (a bit dizzying) to the plot line. I found the ending somewhat stunning — not so much ‘who’ but the ‘why’.
Supposedly Ms. London is pseudonym for an author who has written over 3 dozen other books. However her name is a big secret – one the publisher (Kensington) is unwilling to let the reader know about. Too bad. IF I knew her other ‘name’, I probably would read some of her other books. Very short-sighted of the author. BUT then we’ve discussed this extensively, and I don’t want to open that can of worms again.
Happy Halloween, everyone — Enjoy the day 🙂 !!
Julie says
Stirring the Plot (Halloween themed) — Daryl Wood Gerber
Holly Blues — Susan Wittig Albert
Playing With Poison–Cindy Blackburn
Double Shot–Cindy Blackburn
Dial C For Chihuahua–Waverly Curtis
Loved Them All
Laura says
This month I have loved reading the Stormy Day mystery series by Angela Pepper. I have also enjoyed You’ve got Blackmail by Jeff Shelby and A Skeleton in the Family by Leigh Perry. I do have to say that I am now reading Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith. I know its not a cozy but I’ve really enjoyed all the books in the series and the newest one is turning into being a real page turner.
Margaret StashEmpress says
I actually read only some really GREAT books this month!!
Joyce and Jim Lavene — Looking For Mr Good Witch (Retired Witches series) This is the second title in this new series by the ever so prolific Lavene couple & I think its become my favorite of all their many series. So these elderly witches want to retire to Boca (of course LOL) but before they can do that, they have to find 3 new witches to take their place in their coven… and recover their spellbook that’s been stolen by person or entities unknown… and solve some murders first… Imagine dear old Aunt Clara (of Bewitched) meets Harry Potter.. sort of like that… !
Michael Robertson — Baker Street Letters and The Brothers of Baker Street (first two books in the Baker Street Letters series) — Love the premise of this series! Brothers Reggie & Nigel Heath have their law offices in a building on Baker Street, which include the location where the famous 221B Baker Street would be. As a result (and due to a clause in their office lease) they get all the mail addressed to Sherlock Holmes, with the stipulation that they reply to each one with a standard form letter. While the letters are predominantly from elderly widows with missing cats, or the occasional marriage proposal from hopeful (but dotty) octogenarians, on occasion they get one or more letters involving genuine criminal activity & adventure ensues.
Michael Robertson — Moriarty Returns a Letter (4th in the Baker Street Letters series) — the books in this series just get better & better — just be sure to read this one *after* The Brothers of Baker Street — while the other two titles in the series can stand alone, if need be, these two really need to be read in the correct order.
Janice Hamrick — Death Rides Again (Jocelyn Shore series) Third (and last?) title in this series. I wonder if there will ever be more? Jocelyn is a high school history teacher who finds adventure wherever she goes. This time its on her uncle’s dude ranch during a family reunion over Thanksgiving weekend.
Not a mystery series, but if anyone is a fan of Downton Abbey, you’ll enjoy the Summerset Abbey trilogy by T. J. Brown.
Carrie Bebris — The Suspicion at Sanditon (Or, The Disappearance of Lady Denham) — (Mr. and Mrs. Darcy series) — I love this series! Historical mystery series, where the sleuths are Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, now married, and solving mysteries together. Each book in the series takes place in the location of a different one of Jane Austen’s stories and includes characters from those stories. Very well written!!!
M. C. Beaton — Dishing the Dirt (Agatha Raisin series) — Excellent read! While I’ve followed this series from the beginning, I didn’t always “like” Agatha herself. (Face it, she’s not meant to be a warm & fuzzy character.) But since reading the short story “Agatha’s First Case”, I’ve come to appreciate her & actually like her! Who knew???
Tessa Arlen — Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman (Lady Montfort series) New series that takes place in Edwardian England. Sleuth is Lady Montfort, aided by her housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson. Very well written, characters are very sympathetic & you can feel you are just *there*. Very appealing to fans of Downton Abbey!
Susan McBride — Say Yes to Death (Debutante Dropout series) I loved this series & was so disappointed that there were no new releases since 2008. So glad to see a new title in this series! In this book Andy is roped into attending a society wedding by her socialite mother, finds herself acting as an unwilling bridesmaid — and has to solve the murder of the “Wedding Planner from Hell” in order to save the sweet elderly “Cake Lady” who is being framed for the murder. Good puzzle & lots of laughs!
D. E. Ireland — Move Your Blooming Corpse (Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins series)
This series is so much fun! Eliza Doolittle, now working together with Henry Higgins as language coaches to the newly rich (and poorly spoken), and this time finds herself involved in murder in Edwardian horse racing circles.
Diane Kelly — Death, Taxes, and a Chocolate Cannoli (Tara Holloway series) — I really enjoyed this newest title in this series! IRS special agent Tara Holloway goes undercover to bust a mob boss. While I’ve long enjoyed the plots & characters in this series, I’ve never been completely comfortable with some of the explicit romantic scenes that appeared with great frequency in each book. For some reason there was nothing of that sort in this book & I was a lot happier with the story.
Sherry Harris — The Longest Yard Sale (Sarah Winston Garage Sale series). Very enjoyable series, Sarah is a divorcee building a new life with a career making garage/yard sales. She is in charge of a citywide garage sale event when a valuable painting is stolen, a person is murdered, and she has to solve the crimes because her friend seems to be the prime suspect.
Carolyn Haines — Jingle Bones (Sarah Booth Delaney series) — Holiday short story in this favorite series. Also includes excerpt from upcoming release, “Rock-a-Bye Bones” — which I was very glad of, since seeing the upcoming title & cover I had been *very* curious — Sarah Booth has a baby???? She hasn’t yet decided on *which* man she’s seeing next!!! So now we know (from the already released teaser — so I’m not spoiling anything)— that she finds a baby on her doorstep… whew! — that’s a relief LOL!
Donald Bain — Margaret Truman’s Internship in Murder (Capital Crime series). Its interesting how Bain manages to write this series with a totally different “voice” from his Murder She Wrote series! I do enjoy what he’s done with this series (though I did guess fairly early on who was behind the murders), but the series is so well written & I do love the characters — Attorney Mac Smith & his wife Annabelle & PI Robert Brixton. Don’t know if this series actually qualifies as a “cozy”, by definition, but I do enjoy it so. Very gripping!
Tasha Alexander — That Silent Night (Lady Emily series). Holiday themed novella in this favorite series. As previously mentioned, I love historical mysteries, particularly where the sleuth is rich & well dressed. 😉
P. J. Brackston — Once Upon a Crime (Brothers Grimm series). This new-to-me series is just so much FUN!!! Set in Bavaria in the 1700’s, the sleuth is Gretel (YES, THAT GRETEL, as she keeps reminding us!), who being all grown up now is a private detective. Aided (rather ineptly) by her brother Han (aka Hansel — yes THAT Hansel!), she has to solve a mystery of stolen cats — a mystery involving trolls, giants & other fairytale characters as well. But what’s so hysterical about this series is the deliberate anachronisms — for example, she’s seen drinking grog with a troll, ale at a ramshackle inn — and then at home she tells her brother to mix her a martini! Another example, while all the other characters of the story are dressed appropriately picturesquely for the times — dirndl skirts, lederhosen, etc. — our Gretel insists on her designer clothing — right down to her “Timmy Chew” shoes — with the 3″ heels, no less! Oh — and in a time and place where there was no indoor plumbing, she is constantly running to the beauty parlor for “the works” — including waxing of eyebrows — and do tell — they really did bikini waxing in the 1700’s??? LOLOL! Thoroughly delightful book & I just started the next in the series.
P. J. Brackston — Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints (Brothers Grimm series) — Second book in this hilarious series. Gretel (YES, THAT GRETEL) the detective is back. This time she travels to Nuremberg with her brother Hans(el) at the behest of Albrecht Durer The Much Much Younger (he’s only 105yrs old) to help him recover two beloved frog prints, the work of his illustrious ancestor (Albrecht Durer the Elder), which have been stolen. Along the way she encounters talking mice, hobgoblins, spoiled princesses — and a handsome general… I’m very much looking forward to the next book in this series (due out in January).
Joyce and Jim Lavene — A Dickens of a Murder (Canterville Book Shop series). Another new Lavene series — I LOVE this book — Lisa Wellman is excited to be opening a bookshop in partnership with elderly Simon Canterville, which will be housed in his mansion — which is filled with thousands of antique books — and ghosts…. Unfortunately a dead body is found on their roof, the detective investigating the murder is Lisa’s ex-husband, Simon is a murder suspect, and the ghost of Charles Dickens shows up to complicate matters. A great read and bittersweet since, as many know by now, Joyce Lavene just passed away last week. I had actually emailed her about this book the week before & she had said the plan was that different famous author ghosts would appear in each successive title. I hope that Jim will be able to continue this series because I was really looking forward to reading them.
Susan* says
The best books of this month would have to be Kate Borden’s ‘Death of a Turkey’ – appropriately, a Thanksgiving themed mystery, even though I’m not American – and John J. Lamb’s ‘The Mournful Teddy Bear’.
I love Kate Borden – her small town characters just ring true to me, and are, to use a slightly worn cliche, just the sort of people I would like to live with and have as friends.
The mysterious town benefactor, Max, is, for me, a bonus!
I have two of the (sadly only three) books in this series and I’m looking for the third! (Just about to go and see if I can find the second in the stacks of books dotted around the house!)
‘The Mournful Teddy Bear’ is the first in the teddy-bear-making series. I had been putting off reading it because I hadn’t really taken to a later one in the series that I already had, but I was in for a pleasant surprise.
Whether it was the – again – small-town setting of this one, or what it was, I don’t know, but it’s a good read, and a good cozy, too! A nice twisty plot, and some nicely nasty villains, finished off with a classic denoument.
Much better than it’s sequel, so I shall keep an open mind – and an open eye – toward the others.
Happy Reading all!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan*, I absolutely love Kate Borden‘s Peggy Jean Turner mysteries. I just don’t get why there are only three. Luckily one is Halloween themed and another is Thanksgiving themed. I wish they would hurry up and convert them to Kindle format!
Cynthia says
I am just finishing the Diva Haunts the House by Krista Davis. This is the perfect cozy to read at Halloween. I am really enjoying it.
Another mystery I read this month I would recommend is In A Dark House by Deborah Crombie. Not a light cozy but a good mystery
.
Marja says
Blaize and John Clement’s The Catsitter’s Whiskers. A good entry in the series. I think John is picking up the series nicely since his mom Blaize passed away; Dixie is still in character.
(There seemed to be a few inconsistencies here and there but none so distubing as to irritate. Like, where is that big shore bird that was forever roosting on Dixie’s truck?) But never mind, it was a good story and took me on an armchair trip to Florida’s lovely “Siesta Key”.
Janice says
The most interesting book that I read this month is the Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths. This is not a cozy but a number of readers on the site have recommended books from her wonderful Ruth Galloway series. This is the first in a new series and involves a policeman and a magician in the seaside town of Brighton England five years after the war who are trying to solve some gruesome murders that seem to be connected to their service during WWII in a group called the Magic Men whose job was to confuse the Nazis using magic tricks and illusions. The author mentions that there was a real unit working in Egypt during the was called the Magic Gang. They are credited with making the Suez Canal seem to disappear. Again, I will say that this is not a cozy but the author does a wonderful job of drawing the reader into the characters and the seaside setting.
Margaret M. says
THE CANDY CORN MURDER by Leslie Meier; I hate to repeat my self but this is one of my favorite go to classic mystery series. I don’t read everyone, but I choose the holidays I wish to read. But, this is such a consistant series and has that nice tratitional feel.
TRICK OR DECIET by Shelley Freydont from the Celebration Bay Mystery Series. Another series that features the holidays, and as always a fun read
And I am just finishing up THE GHOST AND MRS FLETCHER. I love this series too, even tho I don’t read each one. I pick and choose, but it is a very consistant series. And always smart and well crafted.
Tullita says
Just getting on the blog, have loved the site since I found it last year.
Just (not usre why) discovered the blog
I have (after the first in the series sat on my bookshelf for 20 years maybe) really gotten into Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple series and am devouring them. I’d recommend them to anyone looking for a light entertaining read. Also read the latest Janet Evanovich Wicked (no. 3 I think) always a fun read. So much to choose from and so little time. I appreciate the blog to point me in the direction of some new favorites. Thanks everyone
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tullita, welcome to the Cozy Mystery blog! I’m glad you finally found us over here!
PamB says
I so enjoy the monthly recommendations and have found many new authors to read. ‘Mary g’ recently commented (on a listing of the cheap/free/on sale Kindle mysteries) how much she enjoyed the Liz Sullivan mysteries (Lora Roberts) and read the series once a year. I found ‘Murder in a Nice Neighborhood’ at a used book store and this book was my favorite read this month. Liz Sullivan, a semi-homeless woman, is living out of her van and a homeless man is found dead underneath. The book is well written, witty, and had interesting characters. I so enjoyed reading it I went back to the used bookstore and bought the remaining 5 books for $1.25 each. I was one happy cozy reader!
Paula Catherine says
I agree with Margaret about Leslie Meier’s series. I am reading them in order and they are great!
I am currently reading Shadows of a Cape Cod Wedding which I am enjoying as well.
I just finished Debbie Macomber’s Dashing through the Snow, hope this is the correct title and it is a very cozy romance book with a lot of humor.
Next on my TBR is by Annie Knox: Paws for Murder. Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. I have been introduced to so many new authors!
Kathey says
I just finished Florist Grump which is the latest in the Flower Shop Mysteries by Kate Collins. It was fast-moving but really interesting. I really enjoyed the book and it is certainly a good advancement of a great series.
I also read all four of the Letty Whittaker series. This series by Donna Glaser White follows the work of a therapist who is also involved in AA. Very well written; the stories are interesting and she saves a lot of people. I wish there were more.
Hilary says
I read a half dozen cozies in October and recommend them all:
“Snow White Red-Handed” by Maia Chance (Fairy Tale Fatal Mysteries); “Out of Circulation” by Miranda James (A Cat in the Stacks Mysteries); “A Roux of Revenge” by Connie Archer (Soup Lover’s Mysteries); “Playing with Fire” by J.J. Cook (Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade); “The Skeleton Takes a Bow” by Leigh Perry (Family Skeleton Mysteries); “Be Careful What You Witch For” by Dawn Eastman (Family Fortune Mysteries)
For those of you who read seasonally- “A Roux of Revenge” has an autumn harvest and Halloween theme. “Be Careful What You Witch For” takes place from Halloween through Thanksgiving”. “Out of Circulation” is set at Christmas.
Sheila in CT says
I didn’t read one cozy the month of October … but I did read or I should say rereading Catherine Coulter’s FBI series. I love this series.
Tressa says
Hello All,
I’ve just finished 2 books of the Monica Quill’s, Sister Mary Teresa Mystery Series, “Not a Blessed Thing” and Nun of the Above”.
My library system has most of the series so I am happy to report that these novels are clean, very cozy, and a really well written mysteries to boot!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tressa, thanks for the Monica Quill shout-out!