The Cozy Mystery List Blog

So, you say you’re a cozy mystery reader. As someone who enjoys cozy mysteries, then I take it for granted that you enjoy the twist and turns that most cozy mystery authors provide in their mysteries. And, I also assume that you enjoy making your way through all of the red herrings, discarding those you don’t need and keeping only the important facts. Let’s face it, that’s part of the fun!

BUT>>> Do you enjoy getting important facts that help solve the mystery at the very end of the novel, when the culprit is being announced?!? I don’t! And, when that happens while I am reading a mystery, I quickly discard that particular author from my personal list of favorites. I simply find that a cheap shot, and I don’t care for it!

I hate it when I am reading a cozy mystery and two or more of the characters go off to discuss something that is really important to them, without letting me know about the facts. This is usually accomplished with such dialogue as:

“Miffy told Biffy about what she had seen, and they decided they couldn’t tell anyone about ‘IT’ since they would be in grave danger.”

OR>>> “Ziffy and Jiffy went into the kitchen and could not believe it when they compared notes and found that the murderer had left the glasses (with fingerprints) by the victim.”

OR>>> “Diffy could simply not believe her ears when she accidentally picked up the phone to hear the speaker acknowledge being at the dock.”

I don’t know why this irritates me so much. I guess it’s because I like to solve the mystery along with the sleuth, and don’t like to have important clues (that the sleuth is aware of) kept from me.

Unfortunately, I have found that this happens a lot more often than I would have guessed. I don’t mind if two characters go off and discuss all of the details that have been presented to the readers. I truly don’t need for the author to have to itemize all of the facts. Just don’t spring any new ones on me at the very end of the novel!

My last blog truly was about a very important issue… Society placing incredible emphasis on women to appear to “have it all” but who don’t! Making women feel like they have to conform to the stick-thin ideals that are now in vogue.

I have struggled with my weight almost all of my adult life. I am a very successful dieter (yo-yo dieter, that is!) I have taken off AND put on many pounds since I had my youngest child.

Two Christmases ago I put four women’s magazines’ subscriptions on my wish list, and was very happy to see that I received all four of them (for either my birthday or Christmas.) They were all magazines that I “knew”… magazines I had read years ago. (I thought that I would take a break from cozies for just a little bit of the time.)

As the subscriptions were for only a year, I had to decide whether or not to take the magazine’s renewals. They kept sending me cards saying I could get special deals (two for one or one for half.)The magazines had changed drastically from when I used to read them. After a year of these “Women’s” magazines (more like dieting instructional manuals with tasty, fattening recipes on the side and beautiful women getting make-overs!)  I decided that I didn’t need or want them. I had reached the point of actually making myself read the magazines every month… and it finally got to the point that I was just flipping through the pages. I simply got tired of all of the dieting advice.  (I did, however renew my cross stitch magazine… no dieting tips there!)

I think that it would be safe to say that every single one of the four women’s magazines, every single month, had at least one article about how to lose weight. And of course, on the next page they would have chocolate cake recipes made with butter and cream! (Sort of like when my Weight Watchers meeting was held right next door to a Baskin and Robbins!)

 The make-over sections and the “how to camouflage” your body’s problems were almost a source of laughter. I say almost… How distressing it must be for young women to see a size 8 trying to camouflage her hips! Good grief!

Boy! I feel much better now that I have gotten this off of my… fingertips and onto my blog! Don’t worry, this will not be an everyday occurrence… I know that two blogs in a row seem like a bit much for the “ranting and raving” theme…

Let me end on a mystery note: I just started reading a mystery by an author who I haven’t read before, and I am really enjoying it. And, I  started listening to my next Agatha Christie novel in the car.  Of course, I am really enjoying that, too!