The Cozy Mystery List Blog

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

Cozy Mystery Series: When Is Enough Enough?!?

I received a really interesting letter from Jack asking me to write an entry that poses a two-part question for you all. I am going to break the question up, and post the second part in my next entry. So, here’s part A of Jack’s topic/question:

“…There is a question (parts A and B) I would like to hear responses from you and your readers about though.  I’m hoping you’ll consider this topic as one of your blog posts!  Since cozy mysteries have been around for such a long time, with so many themes, detectives, settings, etc., is there anything, in any category, that you or your readers feel they’ve had enough of?  (Too many cooking themes or quilting themes, etc.,)… “

Now, I know that a lot of people will clearly disagree with me, as there are many authors who are going this very popular route… BUT… I have read all of the Lily Bard Mystery Series… Lily was one of my favorite characters. Unfortunately for me, Charlaine Harris retired Lily in 2001, the very same year that Harris introduced us to Sookie Stackhouse, a Southern Vampire. YIKES!!!

I have to admit that I never made it through one television episode of Buffy, the Vampire… I tried several times to embrace the show, but just didn’t “get it.” It’s not like I don’t “like” vampires! I don’t know how many Halloweens have gone by when I didn’t treat myself to the original (to me!) Count Dracula… Bela Lugosi >>>[I was happy to see Lugosi immortalized by Tim Burton in Ed Wood. I told you I’m a big Tim Burton fan!]

Anyway, getting back to Jack’s question… I don’t mean to step on any toes out there, and never having tried a paranormal mystery series I KNOW I shouldn’t say this, but I would absolutely love it if “paranormal authors” like Charlaine Harris would resume their non-paranormal mystery series… I’m not asking that they drop their paranormal duties… not when paranormal is so popular…

Maybe, what I should do is listen to Mikey’s brothers: “Let’s let Mikey try it.” Who knows! Remember the outcome, once Mikey opened his mind to try something new:  “He likes it! Hey, Mikey!”

Please post a comment if there is a Cozy Mystery theme which you think has been done, done, and then re-done too many times…

Vincent Price and Diana Rigg … No Mystery! to Both of Them Being Great Hosts…

I remember when the hosts of Mystery! would give us background information about the particular show that was going to air that night. This was years ago, before Mystery! became Masterpiece Mystery. Two of the hosts that stand out in my mind are Vincent Price and Diana Rigg.
 
Vincent Price is a familiar actor to most people. He appeared in movies from the 1940s (like the classic, Laura, before my time, but that doesn’t stop me loving movies from this era…), 1950s, 1960s’ scary “B” movies (The Pit and the Pendulum, The House of Usher,  The Masque of the Red Death, etc.>>> perfect Halloween fare) all the way into the 1990s (as the inventor in the wonderful Edward Scissorhands movie). Through the Mystery! introductions by Price, we were able to get a feeling for who (the author), what (the particular work on which that night’s show was based), where and when (the location and era in which the show took place). WOW!!! He was a fantastic Mystery! host!!!

If you don’t remember his introductions, just take a look at these from YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uLJo0tKObQ&list=PL7CB11B9043F35965&index=2&playnext=2
(Price starts about 50 seconds in on the clip.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfU44UT9nHk&list=PL7CB11B9043F35965&index=3&playnext=3
(Price starts about 1 1/2 minutes in on the clip.)

Diana Rigg took over as the Mystery! host after Vincent Price. Rigg is probably best known for her roll in the original Avengers… she was perfect as Mrs. Peel.  She was absolutely fantastic as the hostess of Mystery! Rigg would introduce the particular show that was going to air that night, filling the viewer in about the author, the conditions of the times, etc. (And, although I know this isn’t at all important, her outfits were some of the most beautiful, shimmery gowns I had ever seen!) Rigg was a perfect replacement for Price.

If you aren’t one of the lucky people who can remember back when Diana Rigg was the hostess of Mystery!, check out this YouTube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGPur1vOI3g&feature=related
(Rigg starts after first minute of the clip.)

It was very bittersweet to watch these clips of both Vincent Price and Diana Rigg as they hosted Mystery! But, I will probably end up watching them again… and again…

Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle AND Call Me Mrs. Miracle Christmas Movies…

This entry is for all of the Debbie Macomber and/or Doris Roberts fans. As I wrote last year at about this time, I know that Debbie Macomber doesn’t write Cozy Mysteries. Having said that, I also know that there are quite a few Cozy Mystery site readers who enjoy Debbie Macomber’s books and/or movies. 

Last year I announced when Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle Christmas movie (starring Doris Roberts as Mrs. Miracle) was going to air on the Hallmark channel. Several people posted comments (or wrote to me) asking when Hallmark was going to air the movie again, or when they could buy the movie.

Here’s the good news! Hallmark channel is going to air Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle on the following dates: 

Tuesday, Nov. 16   10:00 pm  (Yes, as in tonight!)
Wednesday, Nov. 17   6:00 am
Saturday, Nov. 27   6:00 pm

So set up your mode of taping, or settle down to watch it live!

But, the even better news for all of you Debbie Macomber fans (as well as fans of feel-good holiday movies) is that Hallmark is also going to be airing Call Me Mrs. Miracle, a new Debbie Macomber Christmas movie.

Call Me Mrs. Miracle will premiere on Saturday, November 27. (It also stars Doris Roberts as Mrs. Miracle.) I haven’t yet been able to find out all of the airing dates, but it looks like Hallmark channel will be airing it a few times that Saturday night, again on Sunday, Nov. 28, and more times on Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4.

Hallmark channel tends to air and re-air their Christmas movies several times throughout November and December. So check your television schedules!

December 2010 Mystery Book New Releases

The following mystery books will be released in December 2010:

Juliet Blackwell (aka ½ of Sister Duo Hailey Lind): If Walls Could Talk (This will be the 1st in the NEW Sophie Tanner Haunted Home Renovation Mystery Series…)

Simon Brett: The Shooting in the Shop (This will be the 10th in the Fethering Mystery Series…) (This is a Christmas theme mystery.)

Anne Canadeo: A Stitch Before Dying (This will be the 3rd in the Black Sheep Knitting Mystery Series…)

Laura Childs: Bedeviled Eggs (This will be the 3rd in the Cackleberry Club Mystery Series…)

Alys Clare: Music of the Distant Stars (This will be the 3rd in the Aelf Fen Mystery Series…)

Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell): A Killer Crop (This will be the 4th in the Orchard Mystery Series…) (This is a Fall Harvest theme mystery.)

Krista Davis: The Diva Cooks a Goose (This will be the 4th in the Domestic Diva Mystery Series…) (This is a Christmas theme mystery…)

Monica Ferris: Buttons and Bones (This will be the 14th in the Crewel World Needlework Mystery Series…)

Margaret Frazer: A Play of Piety (This will be the 6th in the Joliffe Mystery Series…)

Elizabeth Goddard: The Camera Never Lies (This is a Hometown Mystery Book…)

Ellen Hart: The Cruel Ever After (This will be the 18th in the Jane Lawless Mystery Series…)

Tami Hoag: Secrets to the Grave (This will be the 2nd in the Deeper than the Dead Mystery Series…)

Victoria Laurie: Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls (This will be the 5th in the Ghost Hunter Mystery Series…)

Kaye Morgan: Celebrity Sudoku (This will be the 6th in the Sudoku Mystery Series…)

Ann Purser: Threats at Three (This will be the 10th in the Lois Meade Mystery Series…)

Arlene Sachitano: Quilt by Association (This will be the 4th in the Harriet Truman/Loose Threads Mystery Series…)

Wendy Corsi Staub: Scared to Death (This will be a Stand Alone…)

♦To go back to the Cozy Mystery New Book Release page, click here.♦

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