The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Ay! 2012 is on its way out! I can barely believe a whole year has passed since this very calendar day of last year! Where has the time gone?!? I have been so lucky to have both of my adult children living so close to my husband and me. Our son is here in San Antonio, and our daughter in Austin, 75 miles away. Perhaps that is why the year seems to have flown. I truly believe that while our daughter lived in Cambridge, the years seemed to just drudge on and on. I wish they would go by faster when the goings are good, and slow down when we are content!

As this is my last entry of 2012, I thought I would end the year by posting a terrific, suggested “theme” of Lynn T:

“Since 2012 is winding down, I just had an idea for a December/January blog or discussion. Amazon always has their top books for 2012. We could list our top 5 (or less) favorite reads for 2012. Just an idea. Maybe with our monthly favorites, you feel this would be repetitious.

I would be interested in learning what were the absolute favorites of  the cozy-mystery blog readers for the year of 2012.”

I am going to start the list by saying that I have read a lot of really good Cozy Mystery books this year, as well as some real stinkers, some of which I couldn’t even keep interested in for my “50 page rule.” Yes, I’m sorry to admit it, but some of these books were full of idiotic twists, paper-thin characters, and sleuths that (and notice I didn’t say “sleuths who” – since they couldn’t have been considered fully developed “people”) decided to take it upon themselves to confront a murderer, since they were indeed the sleuths, and the author knew they would have to stick around for the next installment of the series. Good grief!!!

Anyway, to get back to Lynn T’s idea, I have read several really good Cozy Mystery books this year, but since most of them were books by authors who were already on my “favorite authors” list, I thought I would tell you about my new “find” this year. Don’t get me wrong, I have added a few new-to-me authors to my “favorites” list, but this author is someone who, I am pretty sure I would have found on my own. Since I wrote an entry about this author, I will post the entry to explain why I selected him.

Tarquin Hall: Files of Vish Puri Mystery Series (Here is an entry that explains why I picked Hall.)

So, would you tell us about your Favorite Cozy Mystery Reads for 2012, and why you picked these books or authors. Thank you!

As usual with these types of entries, I will add the books/authors who you all comment about to the list:

Favorite Cozy Mystery Reads for 2012

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

Susan Wittig Albert: The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree (Darling Dahlias Mystery Series)

Susan Wittig Albert: Cat’s Claw (Pecan Springs Mystery Series)

Donna Andrews: Meg Langslow Mystery Series

Suzanne Arruda: Jade del Cameron Mystery Series

Marian Babson: all of her books, especially her Trixie & Evangeline Mystery Series

Donald Bain & “Jessica Fletcher”: Murder, She Wrote Mystery Series

Nevada Barr: The Rope (Anna Pigeon Mystery Series

Lorna Barrett (aka L. L. Bartlett & Lorraine Bartlett): Booktown Mystery Series

M. C. Beaton: Agatha Raisin Mystery Series

Rhys Bowen: Molly Murphy Mystery Series

Rhys Bowen: Lady Georgiana Mystery Series

Lilian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who ***** Mystery Series

Simon Brett: Fethering Mystery Series

Jennifer Chiaverini: Elm Creek Quilts Series (not a mystery)

Laura Childs

Kate Collins: Flower Shop Mystery Series

Cleo Coyle (aka Alice Kimberly): Coffee House Mystery Series

Deborah Crombie:  Kincaid & James Mystery Series

Mary Daheim: Emma Lord Mystery Series

Diane Mott Davidson: Goldy Bear Mystery Series

Krista Davis: Domestic Diva Mystery Series

Jo Dereske: Miss Zukas Mystery Series

Monica Ferris: Needlecraft Mystery Series

Amanda Flower: A Plain Death (Appleseed Creek Mystery Series)

Sue Grafton: V is for Vengeance (Kinsey Milhone Mystery Series

Kerry Greenwood: Phryne Fisher Mystery Series

Kerry Greenwood: Corinna Chapman Mystery Series

John Grisham: The Litigators

Tarquin Hall: Files of Vish Puri Mystery Series (Here is an entry that explains why I picked Hall.)

Victoria Hamilton: Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series

David Handler: Berger & Mitry Mystery Series

Veronica Heley: Murder in Mind (Ellie Quicke Mystery Series)

Joan Hess: Deader Homes and Gardens (Claire Malloy Mystery Series)

Hazel Holt: Mrs. Malory Mystery Series

Maddy Hunter: Dutch Me Deadly (Passport to Peril Mystery Series)

Miranda James (aka Dean James, Honor Hartman, & Jimmie Ruth Evans): Cat in the Stack Mystery Series

J.A. Jance: Left for Dead (Ali Reynolds Mystery Series )

J.A. Jance: Judgement Call (Joanna Brady Mystery Series

Laurie R. King: Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes Mystery Series

Jill Marie Landis: Tikki Goddess Mystery Series

Laura Levine: Jaine Austen Mystery Series

Karen MacInerney: Gray Whale Inn Mystery Series

Charlotte MacLeod (aka Alisa Craig): The Family Vault (Sarah Kelling Mystery Series)

Charlotte MacLeod (aka Alisa Craig): Rest You Merry (Peter Shandy Mystery Series)

Susan Elia MacNeal: Maggie Hope Mystery Series

Margaret Maron: Deborah Knott Mystery Series

Jenn McKinlay (aka Lucy Lawrence & Josie Belle): Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series

Amy Patricia Meade: Don’t Die Under the Apple Tree (Rosie the Riveter Mystery Series)

Marcia Muller: City of Whispers and Looking for Yesterday (Sharon McCone Mystery Series)

Louise Penny: A Beautiful Mystery (Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery Series)

Terri Reid: Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery Series

Hank Phillippi Ryan: The Other Woman (Jane Ryland & Jake Brogan Mystery Series)

Maggie Sefton: Knitting Mystery Series

Joanna Campbell Slan: Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-n-Craft Mystery Series

Dana Stabenow: Restless in the Grave (Kate Shugak Mystery Series)

Victoria Thompson: Gaslight Mystery Series

Elaine Viets: Murder is a Piece of Cake (Mystery Shopper Mystery Series)

Jacqueline Winspear: Maisie Dobbs Mystery Series

Suzanne Young: Edna Davies Mystery Series

If you’re interested in seeing a whole lot more recommendations made by Cozy Mystery readers, click here: Monthly Cozy Mystery Recommendations.