The Cozy Mystery List Blog

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

2008 Agatha Awards… Finally Posted!

Finally! I just posted the Agatha Award Nominees for 2008, and there are a lot of our favorite Cozy Mystery Authors on the lists of the wonderful nominated authors and books. I was surprised to see that I already had pages for all of the five Best First Novels‘ authors! (Wow! I had first heard of them from Cozy Mystery site readers’ recommendations.)

It didn’t surprise me that I already had pages for the five authors of the five Best Novels‘, though. They are some of the most popular authors in the Cozy Mystery genre.

Here is the complete list of the 2008 Agatha Award nominees. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!!

(The winners will be announced at the 2009 Malice Domestic convention – at the beginning of May.)

2 Kindle 2, or Not?!?

Do any of this blog’s readers have a Kindle 2? And if you do, would you mind posting a comment about what you like about it? OR What you don’t like about it?

My husband has been talking to me about getting a Kindle 2… but as usual, whenever he wants me to “enter the 21st century” >>> I resist.  I’m just not sure about it yet.

Actually, I think he should get one! His eyesight has gotten to a point where reading in bed is no longer a fun activity for him. He has to take his glasses off and hold the book so close to his eyes that it’s just not relaxing for him. I, on the other hand, am able to just ramp up my (grocery store) reading glasses numbers.

I like the idea of being able to download a book so quickly, without having to get any electrical cords or machines involved. I’m just not sure I’d use it enough to justify its very high price tag.

I never go to any type of appointment without either a hard-copy or an audio book…. NEVER! I know I have blogged before about how incredulous I find it when I see people arriving at an appointment with absolutely no reading material to keep them (!!!or even their children!!!) entertained during the ever-increasing waiting time. (I have recently noticed more and more professionals’ waiting rooms featuring flat-screen TVs which invariably have some awful PG B movie on an endless loop. I guess the office managers have simply gotten tired of subscribing to generic golfing magazines – since those invariably end up walking right out of the office!)

I like that the Kindle 2 font-size can be changed ( think it has two font sizes.) My husband could benefit from this feature.  I also like that the Kindle 2 is thin enough to fit in my purse and that it holds many books and magazines. I just don’t like the high price tag!

So, at this time, I’d like to ask those of you out there who have a Kindle 2 to please post a comment. I’m interested in hearing from you…

PS>>>> After looking into the Kindle 2 in more detail, we have decided that it is definitely not for us. I have posted an entry describing why right here.

Mystery Books’ Covers… Part 3 (Final)

This should (finally!) finish my verbal “meandering” regarding the:
Do you think that you can judge a (Cozy Mystery) book by its cover?

Bright, Bold Covers: These, as well as the idyllic setting covers, are the types of mystery book covers that most capture my attention. I simply like them, and prefer it when they give us a hint about the type of Cozy Mystery the book is going to be. The artists’ delightful, bright renditions of the mysteries reach out and definitely grab my attention.

Covers with Photographs: There are also mysteries that show still pictures of a scene. Most of the Cozy Mystery books I am familiar with don’t tend to have photographs on their covers, they usually grace the covers of true crime and harder mysteries. Mysteries with photographed covers don’t capture my attention while browsing, but I’m sure that I have read many of them.

There are probably many other types of book covers out there that are gracing our Cozy Mystery novels. And, as with all things, different people have different tastes. Perhaps the next time you are deciding on a new author to start reading, you will notice yourself seeing what role the author’s book covers play in your decision to either read or pass on that author’s novels.

Here are the other two parts of this theme:

Mystery Books’ Covers Part 1

Mystery Books’ Covers Part 2

Mystery Books’ Covers… Part 2

Part 2 of: Do you think that you can judge a (Cozy Mystery) book by its cover?

I have noticed that there seem to be different “categories” of cozy mystery book covers these days: There are some book covers that are scenes that (I feel) invite the cozy mystery reader to read the book… These covers almost scream: “This book is for you! This is a cozy scene with you in mind!” These would be the covers with idyllic settings on them.

These covers are usually in soft, inviting colors, with artists’ renditions of something we expect in our cozies: a far-away, (very British) looking landscape or building (preferably a cottage overlooking the sea or a hotel that caters to old colonels with their very young wives), a beautiful room in a house/mansion (again very British looking!), or a lovely item in a beautiful room>>> in a terrific house>>>> in a far-away, wondrous setting.

I have to admit to being drawn to this particular “Agatha Christie-Setting” cover. I love the scenes of crashing water on the cliffs, beautiful bed and breakfasts covered with ivy, libraries with all of their books (and the murder weapons!), fireplaces blazing, etc.

Here are some examples of these idyllic book covers:

Ann Granger            P. B. Ryan                   Patricia Houck Sprinkle

Ann Waldron           Robin Paige                Camille Minichino

Ngaio Marsh           Hailey Lind                   Victoria Thompson

Hazel Holt                Roberta Isleib              Caroline Graham

Would any of these book covers help you decide whether or not you would like to start reading these authors? I KNOW that they would have a big part in my decision!

Here are the other two parts of this theme:

Mystery Books’ Covers Part 1

Mystery Books’ Covers Part 3

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