The Cozy Mystery List Blog

So, here’s the last of the Holiday-themed Cozies coming out in October! It feels like I’ve been discussing these forever, but this is it – four more Christmas Cozies coming out!

First, Sarah Fox will be releasing Yeast of Eden, the 4th in the Pancake House Mystery Series. Marley McKinney’s pancake house, The Flip Side, has new competition in the form of Wally Fowler, the self-proclaimed waffle king, who has returned to his hometown of Wildwood Cove for the first time in years. The police seem to find it suspicious when Wally turns up dead in his kitchen, so Marley will need to find the real killer to help out her friend Lisa, who it turns out had a sordid history with the Waffle King. Sarah Fox also writes the Literary Pub Mystery Series, starring a pub owner in Vermont, and the Music Lover’s Mystery Series, starring a violinist.

Next up will be A Gift of Bones by Carolyn Haines, the 19th in the Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery Series. The close approach of Christmas in Zinnia, Mississippi, leaves Sarah Booth preparing for the season. But the holiday festivities will need to be delayed when a friend’s relative has gone missing – and now there’s a ransom demand indicating she might be in serious danger. Carolyn Haines also writes the Pluto’s Snitch Mystery Series, starring a young widow after WWI in Mobile, Alabama, and, as Caroline Burnes, the Fear Familiar Romantic Suspense Series, starring a research suspect cat and her rescuer.

Miranda James will be putting out Six Cats a Slayin’, the 10th in the Cat in the Stacks Mystery Series. Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, are preparing for the holiday season, though it isn’t made easier by a nosy real estate agent neighbor who seems to be snooping around in the hopes of picking up his house on the cheap. When the snoopy real estate agent turns up dead, Charlie will need to figure out “who dunnit” to bring back any possibility of holiday cheer to their day. Miranda James also writes the Southern Ladies Mystery Series, the Trailer Park Mystery Series (as Jimmie Ruth Evans), the Bridge Club Mystery Series (as Honor Hartman), and (as Dean James) the Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery Series and the Deep South Mysteries.

Finally, David Rosenfelt will be putting out Deck the Hounds, which will be the 18th in the Andy Carpenter Mystery Series. Criminal defense lawyer Andy Carpenter finds himself drawn into helping out a homeless man, Don, and his dog, Zoey, at the behest of his wife, Laurie, only to learn that the man is wanted for a murder years prior. Surprisingly, Don not only claims he didn’t commit the crime, but that he didn’t even know he was wanted for the crime to begin with.

If you’re interested in looking for more Christmas themed Cozies, be sure to visit the theme page on my site: Christmas Themed Cozies

As I said a few days ago, there are going to be a lot of holiday-themed releases in October! I’ve decided to split the additional Christmas-themed Cozies into two separate posts.

First, Susan Wittig Albert will be releasing The Darling Dahlias and the Poinsettia Puzzle, the 8th in her Darling Dahlias Mystery Series. Christmas of 1934 will be a season for puzzles in Darling, Alabama, and members of the Dahlias Garden Club, investigative reporter Charlie Dickens, and Sheriff Norris will all face stumpers of one kind or another over this holiday season. Susan Wittig Albert also writes the China Bayles Herbal Mysteries Series, located halfway between Austin and San Antonio, Texas, the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter Series, and (with her husband Bill Albert writing under the name Robin Paige) the Kate Ardleigh Sheridan & Sir Charles Sheridan Series set in Victorian England.

Next up will be a short story in Tasha Alexander‘s Lady Emily Mystery Series, “Amid the Winter’s Snow“. Lady Emily and her husband Colin are looking forward to Christmas in their country estate, Anglemore Park, but this picturesque setting is interrupted by rumors of a barghest (a mythical dog-like creature) threaten the holiday season.

Donna Andrews will be releasing Lark! The Herald Angels Sing, the 24th in her Meg Langslow Mystery Series. The manger in Caerphilly’s nativity has an extra surprise in store this year – a live baby. Attached is a note indicating that Meg’s brother Rob is the likely father, but this might cause issues for his plans to propose to the woman he loves. Meg agrees to look into the matter to help her brother. Donna Andrews also writes the Turing Hopper Mystery Series, starring an artificial intelligence.

Finally (for this post at least), Barbara Early will be releasing Death of a Russian Doll, the third in her Vintage Toy Shop Mystery Series. Liz McCall isn’t exactly crazy about meeting her boyfriend Police Chief Ken Young’s estranged wife, but she won’t need to get to know her for long, as the other woman is quickly found dead in her barber shop. Since Ken is the prime suspect, Liz’s dad (a retired police officer himself) is asked to investigate… and Liz will no doubt need to get involved in the investigation as well. Barbara Early also writes as Beverly Allen, the name she uses when releasing the Bridal Bouquet Shop Mystery Series, which stars a flower shop owner in Virginia.

If you’re interested in looking for more Christmas themed Cozies, be sure to visit the theme page on my site: Christmas Themed Cozies