We’re just about at the end of October, so it’s time to discuss our favorite Cozies that we’ve 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 Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight 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 October? 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 during October 2021 that you want the rest of us to know about, and why did you enjoy it?
Ellie Alexander (aka Kate Dyer-Seeley): Sloan Krause Mystery Series AND Bakeshop Mystery Series
Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Mystery Series
Laura Gail Black: Antique Bookshop Mystery Series (first entry For Whom the Bell Tolls)
Veronica Black: Sister Joan, Daughters of Compassion Mystery Series
Elizabeth C Bunce: Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery Series (first entry Premeditated Myrtle)
Lynn Cahoon: Tourist Trap Mystery Series
Laura Childs (aka Gerry Schmitt): Tea Shop Mystery Series
Nancy Coco (aka Nancy J. Parra and Nell Hampton): Candy-Coated Mystery Series
Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell): Victorian Village Mystery Series
Elizabeth Craig (aka Riley Adams & Elizabeth Spann Craig): Southern Quilting Mystery Series
Agatha Christie: Tommy and Tuppence Mystery Series
Krista Davis: Pen & Ink Mystery Series AND Paws & Claws Mystery Series
Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell & Tace Baker): Country Store Mystery Series
Aaron Elkins: Gideon Oliver Mystery Series
Sarah Fox: Literary Pub Mystery Series
Mimi Granger: Love is Murder Mystery Series (first entry Death of a Red-Hot Rancher)
Lena Gregory: All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery Series
Mary Ellen Hughes: Keepsake Cove Mystery Series
Elizabeth Penney: Chapter and Curse Mystery Series (first entry Chapter and Curse)
Carol J. Perry: Haunted Haven Mystery Series
Raquel V. Reyes: Caribbean Kitchen Mystery (first entry Mango, Mambo, and Murder)
Rosemary Simpson: Gilded Age Mystery Series (first entry What the Dead Leave Behind)
Dorothy St. James: Beloved Bookroom Mystery Series
Victoria Thompson: Gaslight Mystery Series
Diane Vallere: Samantha Kidd 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.
Linda Ritacco says
Not sure if it qualifies as a “cozy” mystery, but I’ve been reading the first book in the Gilded Age Mystery series by Rosemary Simpson, “What the Dead Leave Behind”. It is excellent! It captures the era and I really like the protagonists. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series
Alice says
Because of your recommendation, I’ve started reading Victoria Thompson mysteries. I completely agree with your review. It’s refreshing to read cozie mysteries that are more down to earth & relatable. Thank you for getting me started on this series!
C. T. Collier says
Diane Vallere’s Designer Dirty Laundry was a fun read with an ever-twisting plot. Enjoy!!
Sally Fortney says
I read Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes. I liked that she is already married with a little boy. As a former Spanish student, I was able to understand some of the Spanish. Also Coral Shores was partly based on Coral Gables where my aunt used to live. A nice first novel.
Also read Knot A Clue by Elizabeth Craig. This quilting series is lots of fun. Even better now Beatrice is married and has a grandson.
MJ says
October Recommendations – 2021
Here Comes the Fudge – Nancy Coco
This is an enjoyable series written with much wit, often recommended on this site. Allie McMurphy owns and manages a hotel on Mackinac Island. Jenn her best friend operates an event planning service from the hotel. Jenn is planning her wedding to Shane. However Shane is considered a suspect in a murder of a local pharmacist. The wedding, of course, is postponed.
The characters are engaging and well rounded. Coco develops depth with the character plot lines, making it an absorbing read. The slo-o-o-o-w romance angle is finally picking up speed. The murder plot is well paced and the story does not lag, keeping the reader turning the pages. As is in all the books in this series, there are several luscious looking fudge recipes! 🙂
As par for the course with this author, I found several errors (people being called by the wrong name, extra words inserted into sentences, etc.) Of course they’re easy to overlook, but she needs to find a good editor. It’s frustrating when it happens book after book after book in her various series.
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No Grater Crime – Maddie Day
Robbie Jordan owns a café, ‘Pans ‘N Pancakes’, in a small Indiana community near Bloomington, IN. One of her beloved customers dies from eating poisoned mushrooms. The local health dept. shuts down the café. A new antiques business is moving into the area. The owners are throwing some roadblocks into Robbie’s business with the wife stealing some of her antique cookware.
To say it’s a complicated mystery would be an understatement. But it’s face paced with many plot twists. There are few suspects. Although the culprit was on my radar screen, I was still somewhat surprised.
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Murder Outside the Lines – Krista Davis
I’m just going to say that Davis always writes a quality mystery. So this is certainly worth reading. However, I make comparisons with an author’s various series, and Davis’s ‘Paws and Claws’ series is by far my favorite, even surpassing her ‘Diva’ series.
If awards went to cover designs, this Pen & Ink series should take the top prize. So Impressive!!! Davis doesn’t even acknowledge or pay tribute to this wonderful artist. If it were me, I’d certainly would pass along accolades to him or her.
This story is set in Georgetown with Florrie Fox managing a local bookstore. She is intelligent and independent – a perfect lead character. It’s a timely story because it’s Halloween themed. There are so many characters that a ‘character guide’ would have been quite helpful to the reader. Many, many twists and turns to the story involving Halloween details such as caskets, ghosts, and even a psychic, all of which are critical to the plot.
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Murder Made to Order – Lena Gregory
This is another ‘diner’ series. Gia owns an All Day Breakfast Café in a Florida community. She discovers the town council might close her café down due to an error in a zoning regulation. Subsequently Gia finds the body of the council’s president at a nearby park.
Gia and her best friend Savannah team up to solve this mystery. Also brought to light is a 20 yr. old murder with a possible connection to this murder.
There is so much to unpack in this story involving many diverse characters. As the story unwinds, the reader’s interest is held with many riveting developments. This book is a page turner – difficult to put down with an unpredictable ending.
BTW: Make no mistake – the REAL STAR of this series is “Thor”, Gia’s mountain dog. 🙂
This is the second book in the series. It’s important to read the first book in the series, ‘Scone Cold Killer’ to understand the characters and their interrelationships.
Danna doesn’t have this series on this website. So far there are 6 books to this series, the latest was just released this month with a Christmas theme.
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For Whom the Book Tolls – Laura Gail Black
This is the first book in a new series by a new-to-me author. I just finished this book last night and knew it was going on this month’s recommendation list.
Jenna Quinn’s Uncle Paul invited her to come to this small southern community to help him with his antiquarian bookstore. She accepts because of unsavory events in her life in Charlotte has left her destitute. The next morning after her arrival, she finds her uncle’s lifeless body at the bottom of a staircase in the bookstore. Murder is suspected, but not certain.
Jenna is sharp and savvy, with quick and smart well written dialog
Of course in the eyes of a not-to-bright detective she is considered the prime suspect. Subsequently she finds out she has inherited all her uncle’s assets, including the bookstore. The road to a solution is filled with obstacles. It’s a complex and intricate mystery with a shocking ending…………at least I was shocked!!
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Perfect Bind – Dorothy St. James
This story took me awhile to get into, but I persevered and was pleased that I did. Tru Beckett is an assistant librarian. In the previous book the mayor of this community decided that all books would be taken out of the library and it would become a tech center for the town. Tru and several of her friends were appalled about this and created a ‘secret’ library in the basement.
A local man is found dead in his truck behind the library. He had been scheming to find some historical items that could be worth a lot of money. In addition, the ‘secret’ library has been vandalized. Tru hopes these two crimes are not related.
This series has a variety of unusual characters, including ‘Dewey’, Tru’s cat. It’s really a nice blend of personalities. Of course there is a ‘possible’ romance angle with the police detective.
Melanie says
I just posted my October recommendations, and forgot to add Krista Davis’ Paws & Claws series to my list. I read the first two…”Murder, She Barked” and “The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer”…I wanted to read through at least the second book for now, since it has a Halloween theme. Fun series! Trixie steals the show…I love how she came into Holly’s life!
MJ says
My error…………Danna does have Ms. Gregory’s books and series listed. For some reason, I must have looked in the wrong alphabetical spot. And, to think, after all these years, I thought I knew my alphabet!! 🙁
Terry Adams says
Thanks to a mention by my sister, over the last few months I’ve been re-reading Aaron Elkins’ series about forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver. Elkins published the most recent of these in 2016 (according to bookseriesinorder.com) and I guess had fallen off my radar. Oliver is a wonderful character, the plots are intricate, the writing excellent, and this time through I’m noticing something I hadn’t before…the solid background of sites throughout the world. Elkins has a rare talent for making readers feel that they are on a coffee plantation in Hawaii or a glacier in northwestern America without the beautifully constructed settings being intrusive. Highly recommended!
Linda Mabry says
I have been reading the Tourist Trap mystery series by Lynn Cahoon for the second time. I started with the #1 book in the series and am now reading #4. They are great cozy mysteries. I like the fact that the main character owns a bookstore. Great plots. I highly recommend this series.
Carol A. says
Somehow I discovered Nancy Atherton’s Aunt Dimity series and I was enthralled. The series is very comforting to me during this time of Covid and I have enjoyed it immensely. I recommend it highly. So in October, I finished the series. Now I have started a new one – Veronica Black’s Sister Joan mysteries.
Thank you so much for having this blog. It has opened up so many nice avenues of reading for me. Plus I love having the ability to print off from your blog the titles in a series. That helps me keep the books in order.
Kate says
Just picked up Ms Thompson’s latest gaslight mystery Murder on Pleasant Avenue. Having read the entire series I highly recommend this series. Interesting cast of characters and keep you guessing plots.
Sherrie Wood says
Hi. I recommend the Halloween Party Murder with 3 short stories by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis and Barbara Ross. I got the book from the library and there are over 49 people requesting it after me.
Great stories from great Cozy writers.
Janice G says
I read and very much enjoyed the first book in a new series by Elizabeth Penney called Chapter and Curse. Molly and her mother receive a letter at their home in Vermont from Aunt Violet asking them to come to Cambridge and help save the family’s centuries old book store. Molly knows nothing of her family history but is eager for a change. They arrive in Cambridge and set to work, first arranging for a poetry reading by one of Violet’s famous college classmates. After the reading Molly and Kieran the very handsome owner of the neighboring bicycle shop discover the body of another of Violet’s classmates. Cambridge becomes almost another character in the book as Molly looks into the lives of a group of friends who attended the university in the 60’s.
Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is a new book by Mimi Granger. When I saw the book listed on the library website, I assumed it was set in a western state – instead the setting is a bison ranch outside of Cleveland. The main character Lizzie owns a romance book store and gets involved in solving the murder of the title character along with a park ranger. This was a fun read.
I also read The Secret Staircase by the late Sheila Connolly. The first draft of the book was written before her death and then her daughter worked with the editor to complete the novel. I read all of Sheila Connolly’s series and had the opportunity to talk to her several times at book signing events and will miss her books.
Mary p says
When we took our girls for a four week out-west adventure twenty-some years ago, we laughed because we didn’t see any bison at all till almost home and driving through Sandusky, Ohio (about an hour west of CLE), we saw a herd roaming next to the freeway. I just checked the book out of my library. Thanks for the memories and book recommendation!
Marianne Kotch says
I just finished “State of Terror” by Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny – wow! It was a gripping thriller, not at all cozy, but there were references to favorite Three Pines characters and even a glimpse into what was going on “at home” now and then. Highly recommended.
Robin H. says
When the nominees for mystery book awards came out a few months back, I noticed the book Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce right away. (I knew someone named Myrtle.) It is a book for “young readers”, but since the library had it, I gave it a try. Am I glad I did!
The Myrtle series takes place in the fictional village of Swinburne England, during the late 1800s of Victorian England. Myrtle herself is 12-years-old with an interest in adventure and other books, crime scene analysis, and investigation, watched over by her no-nonsense governess Miss. Judson.
There are so many things to like about these books. The cast of characters are wonderful, likable though imperfect, and surprisingly diverse. They also grow throughout the series, making sure that none become too much of a stereotype. Myrtle herself is highly enjoyable, even with all her faults. Miss. Judson never lets her get away with too much, if anything.
The mysteries are also quite good. Many suspects and twisty turns. Some things seem obvious, but there are also things you never see coming. I finished the latest, Cold-Blooded Myrtle just a week ago. It was Christmas-themed, but I couldn’t wait. I love them so much!
I highly recommended Premeditated Myrtle and all of the other books in the series by Elizabeth C. Bunce.
Melanie says
Of the cozies I read in October, these are the ones I’m recommending:
Sloan Krause Mystery Series by Ellie Alexander
I read the first two books, “Death on Tap” and “The Pint of No Return”. As the series’ name states, Sloan Krause is the main character…a brewmaster living in Leavenworth, Washington (one of the US’s towns that’s modeled after Bavaria). She has spent most of her adult life working at her in-laws’ brewery, but after she catches her husband cheating on her, she gets a job at a new brewery in town. Despite that, she remains close with her in-laws, who have been the only family she’s ever had since she grew-up bouncing between foster homes.
I am not a beer drinker…I just don’t like it…and this series explains a lot about beer…about making it, the different kinds of beer, how to properly pour it, etc. Even though I’m not into beer, I didn’t mind learning about it. I actually found it interesting…possibly because I am into wine and coffee, which similarly possess their own distinct tasting notes, and different varietals from different regions, etc.
I like most of the characters in this series so far…Sloan, Garrett (her new boss, and potential love interest), her 15 year-old son, Alex, and her in-laws, including brother-in-law, Hans, who is very much the opposite of her soon-to-be ex-husband. On the flip side, besides her ex, Mac, being a thorn in Sloan’s side, there’s April, the town’s self-proclaimed ambassador and entitled busybody.
The setting is absolutely enchanting. I would love to visit it someday, or one of the other Bavarian inspired villages in the US. This is an enjoyable series. In addition to the main mystery in each book (which is solved before each one ends), there is a side mystery developing that involves Sloan’s birth parents, which is carrying over.
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Literary Pub Mystery Series by Sarah Fox
I read the first book in the series, “Wine and Punishment” (I’m waiting to read the next book, since it takes place around Christmas).
This series takes place in the fictional town of Shady Creek, Vermont. Sadie Coleman is a relative newcomer in town, and has purchased an old mill, turned pub… continuing the pub business with a few tweaks, such as a name change to the Inkwell, adding a literary theme with monthly meetings for various book clubs, and cocktails with literary twist. Her residence is the mill’s second floor…a space she shares with her cat, Wimsy.
Sadie and her two-person staff are busy prepping the Inkwell for the annual Autumn Festival…Shady Creek’s biggest event of the year. When her ex boyfriend shows up, Sadie manages to avoid him, and then finds him dead near the border of her property…a border shared by handsome brewery owner, Grayson Blake. Sadie finds Grayson to be abrasive and rude, but her aunt and her best friend think he’s charming… apparently he has a problem with Sadie, but she doesn’t know why. It turns out his attitude towards her stems from a misunderstanding, but before that is sorted out, the problems between them are compounded when Sadie adds him to her list of suspects. While all of this is going on, someone is targeting Sadie…slashing her tires, egging the mill’s windows, and more.
I really enjoyed this series debut. Sadie is a likeable character overall. My only issue with her is that I found her a bit too bold in the way she went about investigating…marching up to people and flat out asking them if they committed the crime, trespassing on private property in broad daylight…it was a tad much, even by cozy standards. But it’s just a minor gripe…it didn’t deter from my overall enjoyment of Sadie as the main character, or of the story as a whole. I was surprised by who the culprit was. The descriptions in the book allowed me to get wrapped up in the fall festivities and beauty of the season. I liked the other characters too… especially Grayson.
The next book in the series takes place around Christmas, so I plan on reading that one soon. I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next with the residents of Shady Creek.
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Keepsake Cove Mystery Series by Mary Ellen Hughes
This is a three-book series set on Maryland’s Eastern shore, where Callie Reed owns a music box shop that she inherited from her aunt. This month I read the second book on the series, “A Vintage Death”, which takes place during the town’s fall celebration. The Keepsake Cove Shop Owners’ Association has invited supernatural author, Lyssa Hammond for a book signing event close to Halloween. When a murder occurs, Callie investigates…with Lyssa’s help.
I was wrapped up in this story right away, and finished this book in a day. It was concise, and one aspect that I thought was a bit of a departure from many cozies was that the police/official investigators weren’t involved in the story all that much…their presence was pretty much negligible. The mystery (mysteries) in this book is (are) well written. There are a large number of plausible suspects, which kept me guessing until the reveal.
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Haunted Haven Mystery Series by Carol J. Perry
This is a new series that debuted with the delightful, “Be My Ghost”. Maureen Doherty finds herself out of a job when the department store she works for closes down. That same day, she receives a letter from an attorney about a mysterious inheritance from a woman she’s never heard of…an inn located in Haven, Florida. After verifying its legitimacy, and having no current source of income, and an upcoming renewal due on her apartment lease, she decides she has nothing to lose. She packs her belongings and her adorable golden retriever, Finn, and leaves Boston in her rear view mirror. On the day she arrives at the inn, she stumbles upon a dead body, and soon realizes that she is being framed for the murder.
I really enjoyed this book. It is filled with interesting, quirky characters. I found Maureen to be a likeable lead, and Finn makes a wonderful, furry, four-legged companion. As the name implies, this is a paranormal cozy series. There are several ghost characters, but the main one, Lorna, is a lot of fun, and helpful as well. Maureen doesn’t do a lot of sleuthing in this book, but I didn’t mind at all…I was wrapped-up in the story. The murder is solved by the end, but there is an ongoing mystery regarding why the inn was bequeathed to Maureen, which will surely be explored in future installments.
Patti S. says
I read Laura Child’s Haunted Hibiscus. I just love her Tea Room series. This one did not disappoint. Thank you, Danna, for all your work on this blog. It has given me a lot of new authors and books.
Elizabeth says
Discovered Ellie Alexander’s Bakeshop Mystery series which takes place in Ashland, Oregon.
Also reading her Rose City Mystery series which takes place in Portland, Oregon (author listed as Kate Dyer-Seely).
Karen Reitano says
Okay, my recommendation for cozies are oldies but goodies. If you haven’t, or even if you have, read Agatha Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence mysteries series, you need to read them! They are her best. There are only four books and two short stories. In order, The Secret Adversary, Partners in Crime, N or M?, By the Pricking of My Thumbs, The Postern of Fate. The short stories are The Affair of the Pink Pearl and The House of Lurking Death. I haven’t read the short stories but the books are my favorite cozy mysteries. You cannot beat Agatha Christie, no way, no how!
Karen R says
Besides recommending Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence series, I would like to recommend our public libraries. They have come a long way in the last few years. Some of us have been homebound due to covid and my library has been a lifesaver by furnishing books and audio books to download. Also, I have vision problems and if you do too, you can contact the NLS, National Library Service, National Library of Congress for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. They have an extensive library of audio books they either send out or make available for download to those who qualify.
Linda Ritacco says
Karen you are so right our libraries are a wonderful resource. I would go bankrupt if I bought all of the books that I read. I get books from the library in book format, ebook format and audio. I use Hoopla which connects to my library and when I borrow a book it is delivered to my phone which is how I listen.
Mary S. says
I am enjoying the Elizabeth Cadell books! Many titles! All the ones I’ve read are good! Humorous, charming settings, likable characters! Very popular author!
Fiona L says
Great to see so many recommendations! I just finished Death Under Palm Trees by Carmen Radtke, the latest in her Jack and Frances series set in the 1930s. Great fun, and I love all the historical details she puts in too.