The Cozy Mystery List Blog

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

What Happened To: Rhys Bowen, Karen Ann Wilson, Valerie Wolzien, Lee Harris, Jill Churchill, & Jonnie Jacobs

It’s time (again!) for me to ask you for your help. I have four Cozy Mystery readers who would like to know what has happened to these authors. If any of you have any information, we certainly would appreciate hearing a comment from you.

Brian:

“… I was wondering if you or your well-informed readers know why Rhys Bowen has stopped the wonderful Evans, the Welsh policeman series. I know she has two other series, but I always liked the Evans books the best.”

Barbara:

“… I was wondering why Karen Ann Wilson stopped writing cozy mysteries.  She left her readers hanging after the 4th book.  (Samantha Holt Mystery).  Any news on her, or whether she will write again?”

Marilyn:

“… What brought me to your site was my search for some Valerie Wolzien books.  I really enjoy them and have noticed that her writing seems to have stopped somewhere around 5 years ago if I am not mistaken.
 
My question… is, is Valerie Wolzien writing anymore?  I will miss her if she isn’t. I found her about a year ago and have been working my way through her series, but have come to the end, and can’t find any more of her books.”

MJ:

“What happened to all my favorites? Valerie Wolzien, Lee Harris, Jill Churchill’s Jane Jeffry’s series? I’ve been in withdrawal!

I forgot to mention Jonnie Jacobs… Missing them for years.”

Thank you (in advance) >>> In the past you all have been so helpful in tracking information down for other Cozy Mystery readers!

Maria E. Schneider’s Latest Mystery’s Cover Dilemma….

You all have been so good about voting for Maria E. Schneider‘s books covers in the past. And, today she is starting a new poll, to determine the cover of her new Sedona O’Hala mysteries: Executive Sick Days. Here is the latest information on her latest cover poll:

Maria Schneider is about to release the latest book in the Sedona O’Hala
mystery series:  Executive Sick Days!   Once again, she’s turning to her
readers to help her pick the final cover. Vote for your favorite… (This voting is over.)

Here’s a little bit about the book:

Steve Huntington had a way of offering jobs that were too good to be true.
Mark Huntington made offers too good to turn down. Sedona had a habit of
being caught in the middle; somewhere in the proximity of bad guys with guns
and family members she was trying to avoid.

Good thing the latest case involved a hospital. Then again, not all hospital
personnel were interested in the lasting health of the patients, or that of
their co-workers.

Book 1:  Executive Lunch
Book 2:  Executive Retention

Extra, Extra!!! Katherine Hall Page Has a Contest Going! How Would You Like to Win a FREE Copy of Her New Book?!?

OK, I know I usually post my entries in the early morning hours, but I am making an exception for this! I just received this from Katherine Hall Page, and I KNOW that a lot of you are going to want to find out about this as SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Hi

Wanted to let you know that I’m running a contest for a signed First Edition of The Body in the Gazebo (Morrow, April) on my website, http://www.katherine-hall-page.org

In addition, the first 20 entrants will receive a signed backlist hardcover.

Many thanks and Best Wishes,
Katherine

So, don’t waste time! Get going…. See if you can be one of the first 20 entrants who will receive a terrific FREE (signed) hardcover gift… not to mention a signed First Edition of The Body in the Gazebo!

Sister Carol Anne O’Marie / Sister Mary Helen Mystery Series…

I have recently been on another Cozy Mystery quest. Because I get all of these recommendations from Cozy Mystery site readers, I devote a lot of my reading time to trying out some of the authors. I just finished “going through” three new (to me!) authors. 

The bad news is that I didn’t make it to my “50 page rule” for two of the three authors. I can see how these two authors could be considered top-selling authors. I really can! I just can’t see me wanting to spend even 50 pages with their heroine/sleuths. One of the series is a highly respected culinary series, and the other series is a top-selling supposedly funny series that features a young, supposedly funny sleuth. However, the third of the three authors has captured my attention, and this is not a series I thought I would enjoy. But>>> I seem to be doing just that!

Sister Carol Anne O’Marie was brought to my attention quite a while ago. (I wish I could remember when I posted her page on the site.) I get so many recommendations that I simply can’t read all of the authors, but for some reason I decided to take a chance on this most unlikely (for me!) mystery series. I am glad I read the editorial reviews instead of just relying on the customer comments when I clicked on Novena for Murder! I am enjoying this first book in the Sister Mary Helen Mystery Series.

Any book by an unknown (to me!) author that I read past page 50 is promising. So, I will continue to read this first book in the series and see how I feel about it after I hit page 100. If an author can’t capture my Cozy Mystery attention by then, then I simply annotate my rather obvious grading system: “***** YUCK” and either move on to a new author or go back to one off of my “Favorite Authors” list…

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