The Cozy Mystery List Blog

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

At the Risk of Repeating Myself…. Alexander McCall Smith is Terrific!

I know that I have previously blogged about Alexander McCall Smith, but what can I say!!! He must be addictive!

First of all, let me admit to going nowhere without my Books on Tape. I listen to my books while driving, and also, while walking to my destination. This morning, for example, I unplugged my car’s device and plugged in my ear phone so that I could listen to my book while walking the distance between my car and my doctor’s office. (If you’re doctor is like mine, you can easily listen to a good portion of a chapter while sitting and waiting in both the doctor’s waiting room and the little examination room.)

I actually find myself looking forward to my time driving/running errands if I am listening to one of my favorite authors. Which brings me to Alexander McCall Smith… I not only enjoy listening to his mystery books (The Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency and the Sunday Philosophy Club series) but also his non-mystery fiction. Of  course, I don’t really see his two mystery series as “mysteries” per se, although they do have mysteries interwoven into them… If pressed to describe them, I would say that they are light on the mystery and very heavy on great writing, great characters, great story-telling…. just about everything GREAT!!!

I am currently listening to Espresso Tales, the second part of his 44 Scotland Street books. He wrote the books as story installments for The Scotsman newspaper, and since I don’t get that publication, I am delighted that they put all of the chapters together to form these books. The books follow several Edinburgh characters who live on 44 Scotland Street, and they are truly an assortment of people…. from Bruce  (who just can’t seem to pass a mirror without longingly gazing into it) to Bertie (a five year old saxophone-playing, Italian-speaking, VERY lonely child) to Bertie’s mother Irene (who has been known to translate Bertie’s Italian to suit the situation…. “vacca” becoming “vaccum” instead of “cow”…..)

If you haven’t tried any of Alexander McCall Smith’s books yet…………… do yourself a favor…….. and DO! 

More information about Alexander McCall Smith‘s four (currently!) series.

House of Eliott……Definitely Cozy, Though Not a Mystery

My husband and I just finished watching the House of Eliott DVDs, and I’m not quite sure how I feel. As with most series that we watch, I miss the shows when they are over, as they seem to almost  become a part of our lives for the brief time that we watch them. After devoting an hour every day for , let’s see……… 34 episodes, I feel like I am “addicted” to finding out what the characters are going to do next. When the show is over, I am left thinking about the characters and wondering what they are up to NOW!  I missed the series when it first aired on the A & E network, and can’t imagine how I did that!

The House of Eliott series was created by Jean Marsh (of Upstairs, Downstairs fame).The three-year series revolves around two sisters and their photographer friend. The sisters (played by Stella Gonet and Louise Lombard) and their photographer friend (Aden Gillet) live in London during the 1920s. The sets are beautiful, and are only surpassed by the wardrobe. 

I have to say, this series was a little different for me than most. I actually enjoyed the first season’s shows more than the following two seasons. I won’t plant any spoilers here, but I was very sorry that they got rid of two particular characters who I thought added an incredible amount of energy to the series. But, other than that, I think that it is fair to say that House of Eliott, season one is incredibly believable and very interesting.

The second season of the House of Eliott continued telling about the sisters’ plight, and I enjoyed this season almost as much as the first. I was, however, again sorry to see two more characters leave the show. They were characters who (or should that be “that”?!) added a nice background to the main story line.

I have to admit that during the third season, there were times when I caught myself thinking: “You have got to be kidding!” I almost felt like I knew the characters more than the cast, writers, directors, etc. did. I found myself thinking……….. “Jack wouldn’t have done that.” OR “Bea wouldn’t have said that.” ETC.  Even so, I was very sorry to finally watch the last episode of the show. I will miss our nightly visits with Jack, Bea, and Evie!

If you would like to see more TV and Movies suggestions, click here.

Easter Cozy Mystery Book List…. Actually, Easter Mystery Book List

I finally posted my Easter Cozy Mystery Book List. I haven’t read several of the listed books, so I can’t vouch for their "coziness." So, some of the books might be less cozy and more "middle of the road" mystery.

It is difficult to believe that spring will soon be here. I know that most of us are experiencing record low temperatures right now. I have actually had to wear my "real winter" coat several times lately to walk our dog! Our truly cold days are so unusual that I haven’t had to buy a new winter coat since we moved here from Colorado fourteen years ago…

I bet that a lot of people don’t know that the movie "Chocolat" (with Johnny Depp, Alfred Molina, and Juliette Binoche) is based on a Joanne Harris cozy mystery book. I didn’t know that little piece of information until I worked on my Easter mystery book list. It is one of my favorite whimsical movies.

Anyway, I am glad to finally complete my Cozy Mystery Holiday book lists. I know I have written before about how much I enjoy experiencing the different seasons while vicariously being emerged in an author’s seasonal settings.

Getting back to writing… and the classic cozy mystery books…

I know I haven’t written for a long time. I am pretty sure that the reason I haven’t wanted to write in my blog is that it was becoming (sort of) a chore. Rather than just talk about the mystery (and other types of) DVDs/movies that we enjoy watching, I felt like I had to put the links to Amazon so that anyone who might read the blog could find out what the movie/show was really all about. So, for now, I think that I will take a break from that…………….

I just started reading an author who I had never tried before………….Patricia Wentworth. She has an older woman sleuth (Miss Maud Silver) and I am enjoying the first book (Grey Mask) immensely.  I think that I would recommend the book to other cozy mystery readers, but since I am only half way done with it, I probably should wait and see how I like the second half. 

The Grey Mask was published in 1928, so as you can imagine, it is a classic, and doesn’t rely on gratuitous sex or language. I have found that recently, I have been craving the older "classics" which have withstood the hands of time. I am sure that I will get back into reading the newer cozy mysteries, but  right now, I am trying some new (for me!) "older" authors……… by which I mean books that were published a long time ago.

I am, however, listening to a delightful book on tape right now. I listen to it in the car and while I do my house hold chores. I must admit, I get more listening done while driving than while cleaning! I will write more about that book in another blog.

Gee whiz! I have missed just typing about the cozy mystery books that I read!

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