Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations – March 2013
And since it is the end of March, it is time for me to ask you if you would please tell us about your favorite Cozy Mystery reads of March 2013. As usual, these authors/books should be the ones you absolutely feel the need to tell us about. They should be the authors/books that you enjoyed so much during March that you want to let the rest of us know about them. Please include WHY you enjoyed these authors.
My recommendation for March 2013 is Joanne Fluke. As I have written before, I tried the first of Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen Cookie Jar Mystery Series because of your monthly recommendations. Fluke kept showing up on the lists during the months we have been compiling these monthly recommendations.
Fluke’s sleuth is Hannah Swensen, a baker in a cozy little town in Minnesota, who doles out cookies while solving her mysteries. I mean that quite literally! Hannah passes out cookie treats that are so delicious that the person she is “interviewing” doesn’t seem to mind sharing information that might otherwise not have come out.
Fluke has surrounded Hannah with good Cozy Mystery characters… even Hannah’s mother is likable. (Her mom seems determined to improve Hannah, even though Hannah is very content with the way she is.) Hannah’s sister is pretty much the opposite of Hannah, but that doesn’t stop them from having a very deep sisterly bond. Hannah’s brother in law is a deputy sheriff who is very willing to deputize Hannah (off the books, of course!) which makes it easy for Hannah to become privy to things an ordinary sleuth wouldn’t be privy to.
Another character who I was very happy to encounter is Moishe, Hannah’s cat. He doesn’t have any super-natural powers, isn’t able to talk, nor does he perform parlor tricks. What he is, however, is a sweet companion for Hannah. Sure, he likes his treats and he isn’t a lap-cat, but he is someone for her to look forward to seeing at the end of her day. (Can you tell I am still missing our Sprite?)
I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters in the book and also enjoyed the flow of the book. I looked forward to reading this book. Joanne Fluke is a Cozy Mystery author I want to continue reading.
Having told you why I am recommending Joanne Fluke, I now ask who you enjoyed and why. I will add the recommended authors to this entry as they come in. (Please do not tell us about the authors you did not like.) Thank you!
What Cozy Mystery book (or author) have you read during March 2013, and why did you enjoy it (or him/her)?
Here are the current authors who some of you have read this past month, and wanted to tell the rest of us about:
Avery Aames (aka Daryl Wood Gerber): Cheese Shop Mystery Series
Victoria Abbot: Book Collector’s Mystery Series
Ellery Adams (aka Jennifer Stanley, J. B. Stanley, & 1/2 of Lucy Arlington): Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery Series
Jessica Beck: Donut Shop Mystery Series
Josie Belle (aka Jenn McKinlay & Lucy Lawrence): Good Buy Girls Mystery Series
C. C. Benison: Her Majesty Investigates Mystery Series
Melissa Bourbon: Magical Dressmaking Mystery Series
Laura Bradford (aka Elizabeth Lynn Casey): Amish Mystery Series
Simon Brett: Mrs. Pargeter Mystery Series
Alyse Carlson: The Azalea Assault (Garden Society Mystery Series)
Ally Carter: Perfect Scoundrels (young adult book)
Laura Childs: Tea Shop Mystery Series
Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell): Orchard Mystery Series AND County Cork Mystery Series
Jeanne M. Dams: Hilda Johansson Mystery Series
Carola Dunn: Cornish Mystery Series
Joanne Fluke: Hannah Swensen Mystery Series
Elly Griffiths: The Crossing Places
Parnell Hall: Puzzle Lady Mystery Series
Carolyn Hart: Bailey Ruth Mystery Series
Erin Hart: Nora Gavin & Cormac Maguire Mystery Series
B. B. Haywood: Candy Holliday Mystery Series
Maddy Hunter: Passport to Peril Mystery Series
Julie Hyzy: Manor of Murder Mystery Series
Miranda James (aka Dean James, Honor Hartman, & Jimmie Ruth Evans): Cat in the Stacks Mystery Series
J. A. Jance: J. P. Beaumont Mystery Series
Diane Kelly: Death, Taxes, and Peach Sangria (Tara Holloway Mystery Series)
William X. Kienzle: Father Koesler Mystery Series
Kate Kingsbury (aka Rebecca Kent & Allison Kinsley): Manor House Mystery Series
Meg London (aka Peg Cochran): Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie Mystery Series
Rett MacPherson: Torie O’Shea Msytery Series
Nancy Martin: Blackbird Sisters Mystery Series
Amy Patricia Meade: Rosie the Riveter Mystery Series
J. J. Murphy: Algonquin Round Table Mystery Series
Marta Perry: Hide in Plain Sight (Three Sisters Inn Mystery Series)
Rose Pressy: Me and My Ghoul Friends
Annelise Ryan: Mattie Winston Mystery Series
Maggie Sefton: Molly Malone Mystery Series
Josephine Tey: The Franchise Affair
Victoria Thompson: Gaslight Mystery Series
Charles Todd: Ian Rutledge Mystery Series
Judith Van Gieson: Claire Reynier Mystery Series
Ethel Lina White: The Wheel Spins (aka The Lady Vanishes)
♦To access more Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations, click on this link♦
Yes, Prime Minister – British Television Show
Paul Eddington portrays bumbling Prime Minister Hacker with such ease, that he makes the highly incredible feat of him actually becoming the prime minister seem possible. What I mean to say is, you can almost believe that Hacker could have been the prime minister – crazier things have happened!
At the prime minister’s side is his cabinet secretary – Sir Humphrey Appleby. Nigel Hawthorne has created a character who will be remembered by all viewers of this phenomenally funny show. There are just a few stand-out, memorable television characters, and Sir Appleby has got to be one of them. (Let’s face it, when you think of Don Knott’s you probably picture Barney Fife.)
Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay are the creators and writers of both the Yes, Minister and the Yes, Prime Minister television series. These two men (Lynn and Jay) have created something that is literally nothing short of comedic genius. The back room wheeling and dealing, the ingratiating machinations of politicians, the true causes politicians want to promote – they are all here!
Both Yes, Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister are intelligent sitcoms. Yes, Prime Minister pokes fun at those who occupy the higher positions in political parties. Even though the show mocks the parties, it never seems to take particular sides. It doesn’t bash liberals or conservatives and doesn’t preach a particular doctrine. It makes fun of all!
This is one funny British series that ranks right up there!
If you would like to see more TV and Movies suggestions, click here.
Yes, Minister – British Television Show
Paul Eddington portrays Jim Hacker, a new cabinet minister – who lacks… should I say… intelligence Somehow Hacker occupies a cabinet office, and he seems… quite befuddled. Eddington is fantastic in this role. He is very credible as the cabinet minister who really doesn’t seem to know what is going on, or what is expected of him.
As wonderful as many of the actors are in Yes, Minister, the true stand-out performance (for me) is by Nigel Hawthorne – as Sir Humphrey Appleby. Hawthorne plays the aide of the minister, who happens to be more savvy, smarter, and informed than the minister. He is also a schemer and a conniver and no one can do “it” like Hawthorne! Hawthorne brings a level of aristocracy that is perhaps even more upper-crust than the queen herself!
My husband and I watched this BBC series alone, and then again with our adult children. Obviously, we enjoyed it or we wouldn’t have watched it twice! (And, we plan to watch it again.) Both our son and daughter have shared the Yes, Minister shows with their friends. Well, at least those of them who enjoy intelligent comedy shows!
While this is not a mystery series, it is terrific British fun! I strongly recommend Yes, Minister. I also recommend its sequel: Yes, Prime Minister
If you would like to see more TV and Movies suggestions, click here.
