I hate to start this Cozy Mystery tidbit entry with bad news >>> but it is! Some of you have told us about CBS’ new Nancy Drew television show. Apparently CBS had the pilot made, but decided against buying it. There are conflicting stories about why the pilot wasn’t bought by CBS, one of which is that it was just too feminine. (Imagine that! A show based on a female sleuth was just too feminine!) In all fairness, the president of the network later said they also passed on other shows, and that the feminine factor wasn’t the reason they chose to pass on this project.
On to the good news points of interest…
Susan Furlong (aka Lucy Arlington) will be writing a new suspense series with a sleuth who was once a police in the military and is now an “Irish Traveller”. As a lot of you know, Susan writes both the Georgia Peach and the Pippi O’Brienthe mysteries as well as the Novel Idea mysteries which she writes as Lucy Arlington.
It looks like Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins will be busy in yet another of their sleuthing situations! D.E. Ireland (aka Sharon Farrow & Meg Macy) will be featured in their third: Get Me to the Grave on Time. But wait, that’s not the only good news! There will then be two more mysteries that follow this one! (Sharon Farrow also writes the Berry Basket Mystery Series.)
Here’s some terrific news for Cozy Mystery readers who love cats, pets, or simply love Cozies! T.C. LoTempio (aka Toni LoTempio) will be starting a new series called the Cat Rescue Mystery Series. Purr M for Murder (how about that for a clever title?) will be the first book in this series which is set in a shelter for animals. LoTempio currently writes the Nick & Nora Mystery Series.
Jenn McKinlay (aka Josie Belle & Lucy Lawrence) will be releasing the ninth Cozy in her Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series, titled Caramel Crush. Now that’s great news! (McKinlay also writes the Library Lover’s series as well as the Hat Shop Mystery Series. As Josie Belle she writes the GoodBuy Girls mysteries, and as Lucy Lawrence she writes the Decoupage Mystery Series.)
Some of us have followed the exploits of Lucy Stone for years! Leslie Meier writes the very popular Lucy Stone (holiday) Mystery Series, and she will be releasing the 24th in the series, Turkey Trot Murder. However, the good news doesn’t stop here! She has just been green-lighted for at least three more mysteries in this series. Yahoo!
Here’s some more good news: Dorothy St. James (who writes the White House Gardener Mystery Series) has just been given the go-ahead for a new Cozy Mystery series: the Chocolate Shop series. The sleuth will own a gourmet shop in an “artsy” community in South Carolina.
And for those of you who read Maggie Toussaint‘s Dreamwalker Mystery Series >>> her sleuth, Baxley Powell will be featured in two more mysteries as she communicates telepathically with the pets she takes care of in Georgia. Dadgummit and Counfound It will be the next two in this series. Toussaint also writes the Cleopatra Jones and the Moss Bog mystery series.
And, that’s a wrap!
Melissa says
Thanks for the updates! Lots of great cozies coming out!
The Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series is one of my favorites!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Melissa, you’re welcome. >>> I always enjoy hearing when a favorite author of mine gets the green light for more books in her/his series…
Anne says
That just stinks about Nancy Drew. We are getting some wonderful Cozy to TV series however. Flower Shop Mysteries and Joanne Fluke’s series.
I was thrilled though with your What’s New news! Made my day as I just finished a few great cozies (Birds of a Feather by Kate Carlise, and The Calamity Cafe by Gayle Leeson). Even though there are hundreds of great cozies to be read, I’m always afraid that I’ll never find as great a book as the one I just finished! Does that make sense? Thank you Danna for all you do to keep us informed.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Anne, you aren’t kidding! It would be nice if other networks would show more Cozy TV series, though. Every once in a while I hear from someone who doesn’t have access to the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel. I wish they would at least air these movies on their sister Hallmark channel.
Pam says
And don’t forget the Aurora Teagarden mysteries by Charlaine Harris. Three Bedrooms and a Corpse premiers tomorrow night!
Anne says
You are so right, I love that series. I think Candace Cameron is great as Aurora.
Pam says
It was good, I thought, and seemed to follow the original story
Brenda says
Thanks so much for the information!!!!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Brenda, you’re welcome!
Judy says
Regarding the Nancy Drew rejection which is disappointing.
By what is televised on TV now, Nancy Drew wouldn’t be violent enough. Too bad. It would have been something children could have watched other then cartoons, etc.
Very sad!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Judy, I don’t think this Nancy Drew show was being targeted to children. I get the impression it was for adults, since Nancy would have been an adult working for the New York Police Department, using her skills of observation to solve the crimes.
I should have added in the entry that the producers are trying to find another network that might be interested in buying it. We’ll see…
Carol says
That is disgusting. Aren’t women a target anymore. I think there are still a lot of Nancy Drew readers alive and wanting to see the show! I hope that it finds a network.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Carol, they ought to see how many of us tune into the Hallmark M & M channel’s new Cozy Mystery movies!
Deanna says
I would dearly love to get the Hallmark Mystery channel but Time Warner does not offer it in our area Also cannot get it on my Rocu box. Would be more than willing to pay extra for channel.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Deanna, I still don’t understand why Hallmark M & M doesn’t show these mystery movies on their regular Hallmark channel…
Marty says
Just watched Hallmark’s mystery channel by accident. Loved it. Can’t wait for more. I used to watch PBS Mystery all the time & loved it also.
Thanks so much for your cozy blog. It has many of my favorite authors and I’ve gotten to read many new authors thanks to your insight. Keep the list coming. You are right on the money with your recommendations. I look forward to your e-mails.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marty, first of all >>> thank you for your very kind words! I’m glad you’ve been able to find new Cozy authors you are enjoying.
I hope you’re able to watch tomorrow night’s Hallmark mystery channel movie based on Kate Collins’ Flowershop mysteries. I am currently working on the mystery movies entry for July, and so far, that channel isn’t showing any of the new mystery movies they’re producing. However, their July schedule only goes through the second week in July so far, so who knows…
Karen says
Do you know if Earlene Fowler is going to publish any more of the Benni Harper stories? Thank you…
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Karen, I wrote her a while back and she told me she was going to be taking a sabbatical…
Karen says
Thank you. I have several series , as do we all, that are favorites. I love Julia Spenser-Fleming, who has not written for a long time. I can only hope she completes her story line.
Sometimes, the story is finally winding down to its end, and one has to accept that. (But, it’s HARD) Sometimes, like my long time favorite Stephanie Plum, one finds that the characters just need to move on, and not stay in one place for so long. Pick one already, Stephanie> HA. Thanks for your time, effort and expertise in finding books and authors for us.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Karen, well, I wish Stephanie Plum was the only one who couldn’t decide who to pick!
Christi says
Thanks for the great info! Sounds like some great new books to look forward to.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Christi, I’m always super excited to find out they’re extending a Cozy Mystery series rather than discontinuing it!
Ellen Byron says
Since I’m a television writer, I’m totally in the thick of it during pilot season. And from what I know about the Nancy Drew pilot is that the only thing it had in common with the books we love is that the character was named Nancy Drew. She was in her thirties and working with the NYPD. I think the series, Veronica Mars, was closer to Nancy Drew than this pilot was!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ellen, thanks for the Nancy Drew info!
Karen says
I’ve enjoyed the Lucy Stone series for years. So happy it is continuing.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Karen, me, too! (Even though I’m a little behind with this series…)
Jay says
Me too! Have read ’em all and love Lucy Stone and her family. Leslie Meier is one of my favorite cozy mystery author, and I look forward to this and the next three books in the series.
Denise says
Maybe Nancy Drew just isn’t “cool” anymore with the younger girls, so they didn’t think they could “sell” it?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Denise, this Nancy Drew was not going to be for girls. It definitely was an adult mystery show. Apparently Nancy was going to work for the New York Police Department and use her observational skills to help her solve crimes.