It’s the beginning of July, and two things haven’t changed since June… first, it’s still hot and humid here (way too hot and humid!) and second, I’ve still got Cozy Mystery news to share with you!
So, here’s the Cozy Mystery news for July 2018!
First, Kate Carlisle will be writing two more Cozies in her Fixer-Upper Mystery Series. This is terrific news for those of us who sleuth right along with home renovator Shannon Hammer. It’s also great news for those of us who watch the Fixer-Upper Hallmark mystery movies. Kate Carlisle also writes the very popular Bibliophile Mystery Series starring Brooklyn Wainwright, bookbinder and rare book expert in San Francisco.
And speaking of mystery movies, relative newcomer to the Cozy Mystery scene Victoria Gilbert has several pieces of good news – her Blue Ridge Library Mystery Series, starring public library manager Amy Webber in Virginia, will apparently be seeing both a television adaptation and audiobook versions. So, now we’ll not only be able to read about Amy’s mystery-solving but we’ll also be able to watch and hear about Amy’s sleuthing!
Meg Macy will be releasing the third in her Teddy Bear Mystery Series, a tale that will be titled Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder. The series stars Sasha Silverman, a teddy bear shop and factory manager in Silver Hollow, Michigan. Meg Macy is also half of D.E. Ireland, the writing team who write the Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins Mystery Series, starring Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins of Edwardian London, the characters of the same name from the movie My Fair Lady.
Maddie Day will be releasing three more books in the Country Store Mystery Series, bringing the Indiana based series starring Robbie Jordan at the Pans ‘N Pancakes Country Store Restaurant to a total of nine entries. Maddie Day also writes under the names Edith Maxwell, under which she writes the Quaker Midwife Mystery Series, starring Rose Carroll, a Quaker midwife in late 1880s Massachusetts, and the Local Foods Mystery Series, starring Cam Flaherty, an organic farmer. Additionally, she writes the Speaking of Mystery Mystery Series, starring a Quaker linguistics professor in New England, under the name Tace Baker. She will also be releasing three Christmas novellas next year.
Jenn McKinlay (a New York Times bestselling author) will be writing Buried to the Brim, the sixth in her Hat Shop Mystery Series, starring Scarlett Parker and Viv Tremont, the owners of a ladies’ hat shop in London. Scarlett and Viv will find themselves sleuthing at a very upper-crust dog show this time. She also writes the Cupcake Mystery Series, starring Melanie Cooper, a cupcakes bakery owner, and the Library Lover’s Mystery Series, starring Lindsey Norris, a library director in Connecticut. As Josie Bell, she writes the Good Buy Girls Mystery Series, starring Maggie Gerber, the founder of a bargain hunters club. She also writes the Decoupage Mystery Series, starring Brenna Miller, a paper shop employee – as Lucy Lawrence.
Bestselling New York Times author Denise Swanson got the green light to release at least two more Cozies in her Welcome Back to Scumble River Mystery Series, taking the continuation of the Scumble River Mystery Series to a total of four books, or 23 if you consider them part of the original series. It’s pretty official: Skye’s back and has been back since 2017! Denise Swanson also writes the Deveraux’s Dime Store Mystery Series, starring Dev Sinclair, the owner of a five-and-dime store in Missouri. Denise also writes the Chef-to-Go Mystery Series which features Dani, the owner of Chef-to-Go, a company preparing delicious ready-made meals for students in a college town.
Finally, Marty Wingate will be starting a new series starring the curator of Bath, England’s largest collection of first edition mysteries. The problem the sleuth will have is that she has never read a mystery! The series will be called the The Bodies in the Library Mystery Series, which will be at least three books long. Marty Wingate already writes the Potting Shed Mystery Series, starring Pru Parke, a Texan gardener in London, and the Birds of a Feather Mystery Series, starring Julia Lanchester, a tourist manager in a small English village.
Another pretty good list of Cozy Mystery news! As always, if you want to find out more about what some of your favorite Cozy Mystery authors will be releasing in the near future, be sure to check out the Soon to be Released page on my Cozy Mystery site. I’m guessing you’ll find that several of your favorite Cozy Mystery authors are planning on releasing new Cozies in the near future!
PS: Happy Fourth of July as well!
PamB says
Happy July 4th to all! I’ve been trying to finish reading all the cozy series I started when I first found this wonderful blog several years ago. So I do have a mile long list of more recent series to try, however, I am particularly excited about the new Hat Shop Mystery (Jenn McKinlay) as that is one I do read upon release. Thank you, Danna, for keeping us readers so well informed. I can’t even imagine the time you spend on all things cozy. You are so appreciated!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
PamB, you’re very welcome! And Happy 4th of July to you as well.
Aneilea Parkes says
Great news. I am currently reading “Eaves of Destruction” and have watched the Fix Upper series on Hallmark. Also a big fan of Country Store Mystery Series so great news there too. Thanks for sharing!
Happy 4th!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Aneilea, I’m always glad to be able to pass along good news! Happy 4th to you as well!
Cheryl M says
Lots of good reading to enjoy in air conditioned comfort during the dog days of summer! Thanks!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Cheryl, you’re welcome!
Bonny S says
For those of you who like the Mysteries on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel here is a link to the “Summer of Mysteries” Movie Schedule. Some have already been on in June (but will repeat if you look at your local listings) and others are coming up in July and August. Enjoy!
http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/summer-of-mystery/summer-of-mystery-2018-new-movies
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bonny, thanks! I know there are plenty of fans of Hallmark movies here – though new ones on their site can sometimes be a challenge!
Emzee says
Thanks to Bonny S. for posting the link to the Hallmark Mysteries!
Bek says
Thanks, Bonnie S! I love those movies, and made a quick note of the dates and times that will live by my favorite chair, since I can only program my DVR two weeks ahead.
Mary Catherine Headley says
Oh no! I spy a few authors I hadn’t heard of/read, and my to read list has just grown by several books…shame on you! ?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary, haha, well, I hope that I’ve given you some new favorites, even if it does make your reading list grow!
Kathleen says
So thrilled to read that the Hat Shop is back with Viv and Scarlett. Great series by a great author.
As per Marty Wingate, do any of her books come out in paper? They sound interesting but I’m not a fan of e-books.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathleen, I think she does put them out on audio format eventually, but she seems to avoid traditional publishing.
Susy S says
Kathleen – I am with you on the e-book thing. Jenn McKinlay just had a new title come out but it is only an e-book. I will probably miss reading it as my old eyes prefer paper.
Bek says
I’m with you, Kathleen. It may date me terribly, but I love the weight of a book in my hands, the heft of it. I want to drift off to sleep with it propped open on my chest. I want to read for 3 days when the power is out due to storms. I love the colors of the covers on my shelves, and I ADORE collecting bookmarks from all over the place!
Bek says
HAH! You’ve reminded me to do something I’ve been meaning to do for awhile! I’ve added Kate Carlisle’s “Fixer-Upper Mysteries” to my “To Read” list. Kept meaning to do that, and forgetting (which is why I make so many lists…my OCD list-making helps offset my ADD forgetfulness!).
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bek, I’m glad to be able to give you a reminder – and I definitely have a bit of understanding about OCD list-making!
Liz Hunter says
That is me to a t…make lists, sometimes I go back to the lists and say “why did I write that”….lol, and I forget things too, so I must have OCD and ADD.
Bek says
Oh, you’re probably OK until you make master lists of the lists you made. But I couldn’t function without them.
My dad used to say that I have a firefly mind…it blinks really brightly, but never twice in the same place.
Susy S says
Bek, I also make a lot of lists when it comes to my books. I had to start putting them into excel spreadsheets because I kept misplacing them. That, and my wish list and list of books I own got WAY to big to keep on paper.
Bek says
I’m not having any luck with Excel, however, I do have a Word page for every author that has a table which gives series name, position in the series, and what format it is. Authors whom I just want one book from are on the Misc Fiction and Misc Non-Fiction page. AND, for quick reference when ordering online, there is also a 3″ thick stack of index cards, one for each author (and the two misc groups). LOL, as I get books, they are entered on the Word file, get a book plate, and if it is part of a series, a small tag on the spine of the book with its position number on it. If I have more than one series by that author, a one or two letter initial above the number identifies the series. AND I’ve ordered a stamp for series that are no longer active and I have them all, “Completed,” for my index cards. Frustrated librarian? Oh, maybe just a little!
Susy S says
I don’t tag the books, but I do make sure they are shelved in series order and the series are NOT mixed together. I also have a shelf (or two) of books by authors I have not read before. I buy these at a big used book sale each year for $1.00 to $1.50. At that price, if I don’t care for them, I just donate them back.
I once thought about being a librarian, but you had to know too much about subjects I was not interested in. I decided that I would rather be a really organized reader instead.
I have thought about checking into becoming an advance reader after I retire. It would force me to be productive while also giving me an excuse to read all day. Only thing that could be better would be if reading made you skinny!
Bek says
I don’t have any clue how to become an advance reader, but BOY would that be right up my ally! I am retired, with time to burn, and I love to read. And I agree…if only reading made you skinny!
Sheila in CT says
Happy July 4th from Hot and Humid Connecticut!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sheila, happy 4th of July to you as well!
Pam says
Happy 4th week to you all too! Thanks Dana for the great list. Pam
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Pam, you’re welcome!
MJ says
WOW! Such good news………..many of us thought the Hat Shop series was caput, finis, done! Especially after that engagement scene in a book in another series. This is my favorite of McKinlay’s various series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, it’s always nice when this sort of series that seemed to be over comes back. I’m glad that your favorite series by this author will be continuing.