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Mystery Books Recommendations – November 2013

I have been keeping myself pretty busy lately, which is why I forgot to post this Cozy Mysteries Recommendations for November 2013 entry earlier. I have been working on going through our garage in the hopes of clearing up some space. It has just gotten too crowded out there. I have also been getting our Thanksgiving organized, and am trying to get our Christmas decorations up. (Yes, I know it’s odd to be working on Christmas before Thanksgiving, but our daughter comes home for such a short time that I like to have the house holiday-ed up for her.)

We are already at the end of November, so I’d like to ask you all to let us know about some of the mysteries you have read during the month which you thought were really, really good. Would you please tell us why you enjoyed your recommended Cozy Mystery books? A lot of us use those comments to help us decide if that particular author/mystery is something we would also enjoy reading.

[As usual, I ask that you don’t tell us about the mystery books you read that you didn’t like.]

[If you click on the author’s name (blue) link, it will take you to their page on the Cozy Mystery site. Their page has all of the author’s books listed chronologically.]

What Cozy Mystery book (or author) have you read during November 2013, and why did you enjoy it (or him/her)?

Here are the current recommended authors who some of you have read this past month:

Victoria Abbott (Mary Jane Maffini & Victoria Maffini): Book Collector’s Mystery Series

Charles Warren Adams: The Notting Hill Mystery

Ellery Adams (aka Jennifer Stanley, J. B. Stanley, & 1/2 of Lucy Arlington): Books by the Bay Mystery Series

Isabella Alan (aka Amanda Flower): Amish Quilt Shop Mystery Series

Donna Andrews: Meg Langslow Mystery Series

Lucy Arlington: (Jennifer Stanley & Sylvia May): A Novel Idea Mystery Series

Josie Belle (aka Jenn McKinlay & Lucy Lawrence): Good Buy Girls Mystery Series

Frances Brody: Kate Shackleton Mystery Series

Joelle Charbonneau: Glee Club Mystery Series

Jessie Crockett: Sugar Grove Mystery Series

Mary Daheim: Hillside Manor Bed & Breakfast Mystery Series 

Christine DeSmet: Fudge Shop Mystery Series

Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum Mystery Series 

Shelley Freydont: Celebration Bay Mystery Series

Sophie Kelly (aka Sophie Ryan): Magical Cats Mystery Series 

Laurie R. King: Mary Russell Mystery Series

Joyce and Jim Lavene (aka J. J. Cook & Ellie Grant): Missing Pieces Mystery Series 

Ada Madison (aka Camille Minichino & Margaret Grace): Sophie Knowles Mystery Series

G.M. Malliet: Max Tudor Mystery Series

Jenn McKinlay (aka Josie Belle & Lucy Lawrence): Hat Shop Mystery Series

Leonard Merrick: Mr. Bazalgette’s Agent

Camille Minichino (aka Margaret Grace & Ada Madison): Periodic Table Mystery Series

Clare O’Donohue: Someday Quilts Mystery Series

Sara Rosett: Ellie Avery Mystery Series

Josephine Tey: Alan Grant Mystery Series

♦To access more Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations, click on this link♦

Comments

  1. My author for the November reading was Sara Rosett. The books included:

    Moving is Murder
    Staying Home is a Killer
    Getting Away is Deadly
    Magnolias, Moonlight and Murder
    Mint Juleps, Mayhem and Murder
    Mimosas, Mischief and Murder

    I got so hooked on Sara Rosett’s books that I just kept reading one book after another, unable to put them down. Only two more to go and I am caught up.

    Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Hanukkah (can’t believe Hanukkah is so early this year).

    Reply

  2. I hope everyone has an enjoyable (and safe, if traveling) Thanksgiving holiday! This has been a good month for cozies that I like. The following were thoroughly enjoyable.

    Quotient of Murder – Ada Madison

    I have several favorite authors, but this one is creeping to the top of the list. I generally classify the intellectual abilities of people into two categories – science/math (analytical) or literary (creative). Rightly or wrongly, I think of most authors as having outstanding literary talents. When an author has impressive talents in both of these areas it’s a double whammy. Ada Madison (Camille Minichino) is a physicist, mathematician, AND a gifted story teller.
    As Danna has said before she is proof that an author can write intriguing stories without foul language and descriptive bedroom scenes!

    This story is well paced, well crafted, very intellectual, and has quick witty dialogue. This mystery spans 25 years with the death of a female student (then) and the mugging of a student (now) on a Massachusetts college campus. The main characters are well developed and appealing. The lead character (Sophie Knowles) has several layers of complexity. She is a math professor and puzzler, methodically and analytically solving this mystery. The ending is a complete surprise (almost a shocker!). I really like the whole series, however a reader can enjoy this book without having read the previous books.

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    Drizzled with Death — Jessie Crockett

    This was recommended by two people on the October list, so I thought I’d read it. This is a new series by this author. I thought it started out a bit slow, but my advice would be to stick with it. This author employs creativity and imagination with this story, especially the mystery. It is set in a small New Hampshire community where maple syrup takes center stage. Dani (central character, protagonist) has set up her own maple syrup business in this community. She is a strong, complex character with a great sense of ‘self’, which really drives this whole story. The reader is bound to enjoy the quick and witty dialogue. The side stories are engaging, sometimes even evoking some tearful emotion. Yep, the eyes watered up! I’m looking forward to the second book (hopefully there will be one).

    —————————–

    Final Catcall — Sofie Kelly

    This series is often recommended. I really enjoyed this book. The paranormal part with the cats is not overwhelming, but delightful. I’m not a paranormal fan, but can take it in small doses. A theater group comes to the community to put on some plays. Of course, one of this team is murdered. This is a fast paced book and difficult to put down. The romance angle took an interesting turn throughout the story. It’s one of those stories the reader wishes would just continue and continue. Kelly, as always, has developed these characters extremely well. With the various story twists it is difficult to figure out the ‘killer’ until the end.

    —————————–

    Buried in Bargains – Josie Belle

    Maggie Gerber owns a vintage clothing shop. This is set at Christmas time. Maggie’s daughter is home from college on Christmas break. She plays a prominent role in the mystery, getting involved in a precarious situation.
    The identity of the murder victim is unknown at first, adding complexity to the story. It’s easy enough to figure out about 3/4th the way through the book. BUT the stories within the story keeps one turning page after page after page, with many moments of humor. The friendships are endearing, yet there are a few dilemmas, too. Maggie is an independent character with many strengths. I enjoy the developing romance interspersed throughout the story between Maggie and the sheriff. I like the equality of this relationship.

    —————————————-

    Murder, Plain and Simple — Isabella Alan

    When I picked up this book, I was sure I wouldn’t like it. First of all, “wasn’t I on Amish overload?” – especially after highly recommending Flower’s three previous Amish mysteries. Since she is writing this story under a pseudonym, I thought for sure there would be a lot of repetition and style. I was wrong. It is so-o-o-o good. The concentration of this story (perhaps series) is not on the Amish, but on the mystery. In this quilting series, the Amish seem incidental to the story……..sort of a backdrop. In the Appleseed Creek mysteries the focus is on the Amish, delving into many aspects of their lifestyle. I didn’t WANT to recommend this book, because I was afraid everyone would think I was becoming an Amanda Flower groupie (or, her publicist)!

    The story totally focuses on Angie, leading character/amateur sleuth. After a broken engagement, she moves from Texas to Ohio to manage a quilt shop she recently inherited. A neighboring shop owner winds up dead in her store room. This story is well paced with a plot that takes many twists and turns. This character (Angie) is very well developed. Other characters are varied, most likely better developed in future books. There is no way anyone figures out ‘whodunit’ until the final chapter.

    Honestly I couldn’t put this book down, reading it until after 2am.

    This author released a book in February, a Novella (on Kindle) in August, and three books in September (one geared to the preteen reader). That’s a LOT of writing!

    Reply

    • MJ, look forward to your recommendations along with all the other readers recommendations. I just finished The Hydrogen Murder by Camille Minichino (Ada Madison) and thoroughly enjoyed this book. I, too, think this author will become one of my favorites. I was lucky to find the next 6 books at a used bookstore.

      Reply

  3. The only book I read this month was First Degree Fudge by Christine Desmet I think. We spent 4 days in hospital with dad. He is doing better. The arm is going down slowly but still needs help getting up. We came on Friday. Everybody have wonderful Thanksgiving and read a good book too. I think that is what I am going to do until my company comes this afternoon.

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  4. Danna QVC tonight Kindle Fire HD is today’s special Value. Wanted to give you a heads up. This is where I bought mine. ok. 9:00 pm (Pacific time) my time.

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  5. The last books we (my daughter and I) read this month were: Duck the Halls, Donna Andrews; Gone with the Win, Mary Daheim; and Take Down Twenty by Janet Evanovich; and are getting ready to order more by two more of our favorite writers. Also, Mary Daheim is now working on Clam Bake and Johnathan Kellerman will have another out in Jan. 2014 – looks like a good season for us readers 😎 I also have ebooks and audios of my own comming out now. I’m hoping to get my full tummy back to the computer to list my series in order on my blog for those who want to read them in order.
    Happy Thanksgiving and Group Cyber Hug 😎
    Jackie

    Reply

    • Jackie, I see that Johnathan Kellerman’s new book is a “graphic novel.” I remember when they used to be called “comic books.”

      Reply

  6. I started off the month with Shelley Freydont’s Celebration Bay series. I had previously read the first book in the series and this month read the Thanksgiving novella (Cold Turkey) and the Christmas book (Silent Knife). Event planner Liv Montgomery is settling into her new town and new job, and she has great plans for the future if only people didn’t keep getting murdered. These books have a charming setting and a great cast of supporting characters.

    Like MJ, I enjoyed Isabella Alan’s Murder, Plain and Simple. I also read the prequel novella (Plainly Murder). In the prequel novella, Angie visits her ailing aunt and helps her carry out the last wishes of an old friend and solve an old mystery. In the book, Angie comes back after her aunt’s death to run the quilt shop she inherited.

    Another book I enjoyed this month was End Me a Tenor, the second book in Joelle Charbonneau’s Glee Club mysteries (no novella with this one). Paige is balancing rehearsing the student show choir with performing as one of the soloists in the Messiah – which could be her big break until the famous tenor soloist is murdered during rehearsal. Much as I hope Paige succeeds in her career, I enjoy her interactions with the students.

    Jenn McKinlay is one of my favorites among newer authors. This month, I read the first book in her latest series, Cloche and Dagger. What a fun read! We are introduced to a great cast of characters – although I do hope to see more of cousin Viv in future books. I also read the second book in the Good Buy Girls series (A Deal to Die For) that she writes as Josie Belle. Another wonderful cast of characters and an interesting mystery.

    In A Haunting Dream, the fourth book in Joyce and Jim Levine’s Missing Pieces mysteries, Dae has to cope with the arrival of her boyfriend’s former fiancee while she is running for reelection as mayor and searching for a kidnapped little girl. It is a pleasure to return to Duck, NC for a visit – but be aware this is a paranormal mystery as both Dae and the former fiancee have psychic gifts.

    Another book I read was also set in a small NC town. Poisoned Prose by Ellery Adams is the fifth book in the Books by the Bay series. Where in previous books, Olivia was looking into her past, in this book, she is contemplating her future, particularly with Rawlings. Other members of the writers’ group also have relationship issues and Ellery Adams does not take the easy route.

    I also enjoyed G.M. Malliet’s Pagan Spring, the third Max Tudor book. I love visiting this little village and it is really cute watching Max think that nobody knows about his relationship with Awena.

    Finally, I read the Double Wedding Ring by Clare O’Donohue. Nell is looking forward to her grandmother’s wedding and moving forward in her relationship with Jesse, when Jesse’s former partner is found dead and Nell learns that her grandmother may be moving away. Nell’s future looks much more uncertain as she tries to help Jesse discover who killed his former partner.

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  8. Hi
    Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to you all. Here is Australia the 1st December is the first day of Summer and in Queensland it promises to be a hot one with a thunder storm building up already outside.

    I have read a lot of books this month

    Lucy Arlington – Every Trick in the Book – love Lila as a character (By the way how do you pronounce that I say Lil A or is it Lie La.
    Frances Brody – Murder on a Summer’s Day – love this series
    Victoria Abbott – The Christie Curse – keen to start on next in series.
    Charles Warren Adams – The Notting Hill mystery – simple brilliant – from the British Library series
    Leonard Merrick – Mr Bazalgette’s Agent – same series as above but has arguably the first female detective as lead character.
    Laurie R King -The Beekeeper’s Apprentice and A Monstrous Regiment of Women – looooved them.
    Josephine Tey – The Singing Sands – classic and brilliant as are all her books.

    Just about to choose a new book from my pile of “yet to read”. I have a question for the group. Do you find you like to continue to read a series by one author or break it up with a new book from your waiting pile?

    Andrea

    Reply

    • Andrea, I will usually read one or two books from a series and then read one or two from another series. All the books in my TBR pile (or should I say mountain!) I really like the authors so want the series to last as long as possible. This seems to work for me.

      Reply

      • PamB

        Thanks for the response. I am always interested to hear from other Cozy Mystery Addicts. I have a huge pile to read as well. I think I like your approach. And on reflection I think I take a similar one myself usually. Really pleased to hear from you on your method.
        Another hot and steamy day here in Brisbane, already around 30 degrees celsius. I am sorry I should know farenheit conversion but I can’t recall it just now. I have air conditioning on and fan blowing on me at my desk. 😉

        Reply

      • Andrea, I do exactly what PamB does. I have several authors who are on my favorite authors list. Those are the authors I try to “save” the longest.

        A few years ago I discovered a new-to-me author whose series I read back to back. I’m not sure that was such a good idea, as I now do not consider her one of my favorite authors. In fact, I’ve dropped her completely.

        Reply

    • Thank you, Andrea, for the Thanksgiving wishes. I’m always hesitant about doing strictly USA holidays. I remember when I lived in Chile (many years ago – my father was in the Air Force) having Christmas during the summer. We weren’t there long enough (four years) to get used to being able to swim on Christmas day.

      Reply

  9. Hi,

    I was wondering if you or any of the followers know of any cozies with an exercise, gym or workout hobby or theme? I’ve read Charlaine Harris’ Shakespeare’s series but am wondering if there are any others?

    Thank you,
    Dana

    Reply

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