Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV
Yikes!This is a particularly STRANGE Friday the 13th! It’s the second month in a row we’ve had a Friday 13th, and the last time this happened was something like eleven years ago! Now that I know all of this, here’s my second warning:
This is so doggone refreshing! In this day of Cozy Mystery authors adopting a pseudonym for each of their various series, New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams, rather than adding a new pseudonym to her repertoire, is consolidating most of her various Cozy Mystery series to be under her “Ellery Adams” moniker!
Way back in 2006, J.B. Stanley started writing both the Supper Club and Collectibles mystery series. Her Collectible Mystery Series features Molly Appleby, an antiques magazine reporter. Stanley’s Supper Club Mystery Series quickly became one of my favorites. It features James Henry, an English Lit. professor who gives up his college teaching job to return to Virginia in order to move in with his aging dad. Their relationship was never close in the past, so there are some major adjustments that have to be made for both of these men. James becomes his hometown’s librarian and founds the Flab Five Supper Club. I was drawn to the series because of the dieting theme, but stayed with it because of the characters, settings, mysteries, and writing.
Back to the purpose of this entry!
Three years later, in 2009, Jennifer Stanley began writing the Hope Street Church Mystery Series. This series features Cooper Lee and the Sunrise Bible Study group.
In 2010, the Cozy Mystery arena was introduced to Ellery Adams when she published her first Books by the Bay mystery book. In 2012, the Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery Series premiered, and in 2014 we were treated to Ellery Adams’ Book Retreat Mystery Series.
So, this is where the refreshing thing comes in!
In 2014, Ellery Adams released her Hope Street Church books (which she wrote as Jennifer Stanley), this time changing the books’ titles. She made a point of telling her readers that although the plots are the same, she has edited them so they are “crisper, cleaner, more engaging books.” (She has since then also released a new Hope Street Church mystery, with Elizabeth Lockard.)
The reason I decided to write this entry is that I recently was made aware that as Ellery Adams, she is now releasing all of the books she wrote as J.B. Stanley and Jennifer Stanley. So, for those of you who have been having a difficult time following your favorite Cozy Mystery authors’ pseudonyms, at least some of you are going to be helped in a major way!
Taken as usual from your suggestions, five (or is it six?) new authors being added to the Cozy Mystery Site. With at least one series each, I’m sure that all of these authors will find a great audience here!
Kerry J. Charles With her Masters degree in Art History, Charles has worked for many prestigious employers, such as National Geographic Magazine, the Smithsonian Museum, and Harvard University. Lucky for us, she is now writing the Dulcie Chambers Mystery Series, starring a museum curator!
Eva Gates (aka Vicki Delany) Gates writes the Lighthouse Library Mystery Series. A single mother with three daughters, Eva began writing part-time, working as a computer programmer as her main job. When her writing career took off and her daughters grew up, she retired from her programming job and began writing full time. The Lighthouse Library series features Lucy Richardson, the librarian/sleuth and Charles, the library cat. Eva Gates also writes the Constable Molly Smith Mystery Series and Klondike Mystery Series as Vicki Delany. Delany also writes the Merry Wilkinson Mystery Series.
Heather Horrocks Horrocks pens the Bad Mothers Club Mystery Series which features Becky Montgomery, a stay-at-home mom in Denver who does a little sleuthing on the side. She also writes the Who-Dun-Him Inn Mystery Series. Vicki Butler is the owner of a bed and breakfast and she is also a lover of mysteries, which comes in very handy in her sleuthing.
T.C. LoTempio LoTempio has long been a fan of mystery novels, and still loves reading them even after starting her own series, the Nick and Nora Mystery Series. Nora is a sandwich shop owner who, along with Nick (her cat) has taken up solving mysteries.
Mary Grace Murphy Murphy, upon retiring from her job as a school teacher after 30+ years, decided the time was right to start writing full-time. Murphy now writes the Noshes Up North Cozy Mystery Series, which stars Nell Bailey, herself a recent retiree who has started up a food review blog – and found herself at the center of a number of murders!
I got a letter asking for help in identifying a Cozy Mystery book that Brenda read a while back.
Brenda:
… I started keeping track of my fav authors/books/characters on a spreadsheet, however about a year (ago) I let it slide, but have since taken it up again.
I had picked up a pocketbook at the library about a lady that created crossword puzzles. Before I go on, no it is not Parnell Hall or the other gentlemen who uses crossword puzzles as a theme.
I can remember the plot but can’t remember the characters name or author’s name, and it is driving me crazy. Because it’s a pocketbook our local library does not keep detailed records on their site, as I have tried looking for it in their search engine.
Here is what I can remember…….she is late twenties/early thirties, married to a former law officer who I think has become a private eye. She creates crossword puzzles and has them syndicated for National Newspapers. In this book, she and 4 other “specialist” columnists are called to a meeting by their agent and are coerced into signing new contracts for less money under threat of losing their newspapers. The Agent is killed, hence the mystery…
I’m at a loss! I have no idea who this author could be. The only two crossword puzzle mystery series I can think of are Parnell Hall and Nero Blanc, but Brenda is sure that neither of them is the author. If you think you know who Brenda is looking for, please post a comment below. Thank you!
