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Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

Mystery Book Recommendations – March 2014

I got an email two days ago from my best friend (college roommate) who lives in Iowa. She mentioned just how tired she is of winter. While reading her letter, I was able to look outside and watch the birds (and squirrels) in our back yard as they flitted about enjoying the sunshine. What a drastic difference!

As March is finishing up, I am reminded that it is time for me to ask you all about the Cozy Mystery book(s) that you have read during March that stand out as really good Cozy Mysteries. Please tell us why you are recommending the book(s) so that by reading your reasons, we can see if we might be interested in it (them), also.

I am going to start by telling you about the Cozy Mystery author I am currently reading. I started reading her a short while back when I kept seeing her being recommended in these monthly recommendation entries. Some of you kept talking about Joanne Fluke. So, better late than never, bada-beem, bada-bum, I tried her. Boy am I glad I did!

Fluke’s Hannah Swensen mysteries have become my go-to books when I’m looking for a comfy-cozy read. I find the writing very easy to read, and I love the interaction Hannah has with her sister, niece, brother-in-law, and mother. The relationships she has with her loved ones rings very true to me. The books are a nice escape-type of reading. And I love experiencing the cold of Minnesota, as well as its beauty. I enjoy Hannah’s small, close-knit community, as well.

[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 March 2014, 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 (aka Mary Jane Maffini & Victoria Maffini): Book Collectors Mystery Series

Susan Wittig Albert: China Bayles Mystery Series

Donna Andrews: Meg Langslow Mystery Series

Alex Archer: Rogue Angel (fantasy series?)

Mignon F. Ballard: Augusta Goodnight Mystery Series

C. J. Box: Joe Picket Mystery Series: Breaking Point  (not Cozy)

Laura Bradford (aka Elizabeth Lynn Casey): Amish Mystery Series

Duffy Brown: Consignment Shop Mystery Series

Laurie Cass: Bookmobile Cat Mystery Series

Laura Childs: Tea Shop Mystery Series

Alys Clare: Hawkenlye Mystery Series

Shelley Costa: Miracolo Mystery Series

Mary Daheim: Emma Lord Alpine Mystery Series

Krista Davis: Domestic Diva Mystery Series

Jo Dereske: Miss Zukas Mystery Series

Carola Dunn: Daisy Dalrymple Mystery Series

Dawn Eastman: Family Fortune Mystery Series

Chrystle Fiedler: Natural Remedies Mystery Series

Joanne Fluke: Hannah Swensen Cookie Jar Mystery Series

Sally Goldenbaum: Seaside Knitters Mystery Series

Kerry Greenwood: Corinna Chapman Mystery Series

Leslie Meier: Lucy Stone Mystery Series

Laura Morrigan: Woof at the Door (1st in the Call of the Wilde Mystery Series)

Kate Parker: Victorian Bookshop Mystery Series

Perri O’Shaughnessy: Nina Reilly Mystery Series (not Cozy)

Gail Oust: Piper Prescott Mystery Series

Patricia Rockwell: Essie Cobb, Senior Sleuth Mystery Series

Denise Swanson: Devereaux’s Dime Store Mystery Series

Victoria Thompson: Gaslight Mystery Series

Christine Wenger: Comfort Food Mystery Series

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

Wait ‘Til Spring Begins…

Spring Fever. Spring Break. Spring Forward. Spring Bouquet. Spring Cleaning. Spring-in -your-step. Spring Flowers. Spring Semester. Well, you get the picture…

I actually just went over to my calendar to see when Spring will begin, so that I could wish you all great Spring times. Lo and behold, I missed it! Spring actually began last week, and I was totally oblivious to that fact. You would think that after changing/reprogramming several clocks in the house, it would have occurred to me! Perhaps that would explain why I have been in a springtime type of mood. (No, that doesn’t include Spring Cleaning!)

I prepared our Hummingbird feeder at the very beginning of March since we were having such spring-like weather. I knew it was too early, but with it being so warm, I thought perhaps the Hummingbirds hadn’t gotten the same memo they do about when to fly to San Antonio. I wanted to be sure that everything was ready for the little fellows. I knew they had traveled quite a distance to get here.

Of course, nature being what it is, the little birds didn’t appear until they were actually supposed to appear, regardless of our unusually warm weather for this time of year. The only thing that happened with our Hummingbird feeder is that it got very yucky, since the nectar was stagnate for so long. (That’s right, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.”!)

This past Thursday, I bought two red hanging geraniums to catch the attention of the Hummingbirds and then I cleaned and re-fueled the Hummingbird feeder. I don’t know why I chose Thursday, it just felt like the right day to (again) get ready for the Hummingbirds. Within hours, our first Hummingbird arrived.

As I said, I just checked my calendar to see when Spring will arrive this year. Imagine my surprise when I saw that Spring sprang last Thursday. It appears like that little, tiny Hummingbird knew a whole lot more than I did!

Hope you ALL have wonderful Spring times!

Two New Holiday Cozy Mysteries Being Released in April

OK, OK, most of you know that I depend on my holiday mysteries to help get me in the seasonal mood. Living down here in San Antonio, where the weather is pretty much somewhat cold (only occasionally), warm, hot, humid, and hotter >>> I sometimes forget that it’s fall or winter. So I am pleased whenever I see a holiday mystery being released. And in April, I am glad to see that there are two of them.

The first seasonal mystery is the third in Connie Archer ‘s Soup Lover’s Mystery Series. It’s called  A Roux of Revenge and is set during the harvest festival in Snowflake, Vermont. Oh my gosh! Autumn in Vermont! How much better (and colder!) can you hope for? It takes place during the most beautiful time of the year, the time when the leaves are putting on their colorful shows. Different hues of browns, yellows, and reds. Put the Campbell soup away. It’s time to spend some time in By the Spoonful – a place where all soup lovers can converge.

Now that we have finished with the Harvest Festival, it’s time for Halloween. Liz Mugavero will be releasing her second mystery in her Pawsitively Organic Mystery Series. It’s called A Biscuit, a Casket and it’s a Halloween theme mystery. While our sleuth, Kristan “Stan” Connor, is making organic cat and dog treats, Halloween is descending on this little town in Connecticut. The organic dairy will be hosting a costume party for the dogs in town and also hosting a Halloween haunted maze. Unfortunately the maze turns out to be a whole lot scarier than expected!

These two holiday Cozy Mystery books will be joining the rest of the Halloween and Harvest Celebration page:
Halloween Mystery Book List

James Patterson: Prolific Mystery Author Answers How He Does It

Two weeks ago I received a really interesting note from MJ, concerning James Patterson. While we know that Patterson doesn’t write Cozy Mystery books, he does write mysteries. And boy, does he write!

I don’t know if you ever watch Charlie Rose (PBS), but last night he interviewed James Patterson during the second half of the program.   I was VERY surprised (even shocked) when Patterson acknowledged how he writes so many books.  In fact, as C. Rose points out, he’s written (??) numerous books since last fall.  He writes an outline, then invites other writers to fill in the story. No book gets released unless he likes the end product. He’s sold 295 million books!
If interested, here is the link.  Scan through to 39.52 (which is the start of the Patterson interview).

(Unfortunately, that link is no longer available.)

First of all, thank you, MJ, for solving a mystery of my own! I don’t remember the exact year in which I was asked to include James Patterson on the Cozy Mystery site, but since I started his page, I have found myself updating his book lists quite frequently. Actually, sometimes I have found myself adding a new James Patterson mystery to a month’s New Release page, and stopping to make sure I’m correct, since I thought I had just added a new James Patterson release the previous month.

MJ, thank you for sending me this very interesting interview. I truly had wondered how James Patterson was able to write so many best selling mysteries. This answers that question.

P.S. I think it’s terrific that James Patterson gives credit to the other authors, rather than use “ghost writers” who never get any of the glory.

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