The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Every so often, I go through all of my “private lists” of authors with their chronological lists of cozy mystery books, and try to make sense of the notes that I have added to the list. (The date of my last update was about two years ago.)

The Cozy Mystery Site is the basis of my private list. It is the reason I started the site. I used to keep a version of the site as my way of keeping track of my favorite authors and their mystery books. I know that I have talked about this before, so I won’t go into the details… AGAIN!!!

Anyway>>> I am updating my private lists, and this usually takes me a few days of wrangling around with the notes I have written in the margins and the one inch space I leave between my authors. Yes, I not only have the site’s lists, but I have another copy on my desktop with just the authors I follow (which are quite a few!) and then I have a printed copy on which I like to mark off the books as I read them, add my authors’ new published books, and write “important” notes to myself about some of the books and/or authors. I have to admit, though, that the important notes are usually in the negative vein… something like “YUCK” or “NO MORE OF THIS SERIES“… and of course, there is sometimes the X-ing off of an author.

On a more positive note, I also cram new authors into the margins of my paper copy list. Cyril Hare is one author who comes to mind. I feel like he is my “happy discovery” this year… and I wish I could remember who recommended him to me! THANK YOU!!! I have his Christmas mystery, which I consider a “keeper” as I am sure I will be re-reading it in a few years. (That’s one good thing about a memory that seems to be deteriorating with age…. I can read the same books twice, and just get that little hint of déjà vu… nothing major, though… the EUREKA moment of finding out who the culprit is still takes place, but I have that little nagging sensation that I already knew he/she did it. Of course, I prefer not to read the same books twice, which is the reason for my obsession with chronological lists!)

So, since it is the beginning of the new year, I am updating my lists, and urge some of you who are as obsessive/compulsive about these chronological series to do so, also. I’m on a mission! Another reason to forget the housework, serve frozen TV dinners, and not apply any of the minimal make-up I usually don. Hmmm……. I might have to do this updating gig more often!