As I mentioned on Friday, September is going to be a great month for Cozies – I’ve already discussed the three new series coming, but today I’ve got seven holiday-themed Cozies to discuss! Most of these will be Christmas mysteries – with one at the end for another holiday. (I don’t want to spoil the surprise!)
First, I’m not going to go into detail on this one, because I already discussed it with new series, but Mollie Cox Bryan will be releasing Christmas Cow Bells, the 1st in her new Buttermilk Creek Mystery Series. For more, check out the post I’ve already put up on new series releases in September.
Next up, Ellie Alexander will be putting out A Cup of Holiday Fear, the 10th in her Bakeshop Mystery Series. Jules Capshaw and the staff of the Torte bakeshop are preparing for the Christmas holiday season, and they need a break. So Jules arranges a celebration at the local inn… which unfortunately turns deadly as one of the guests ends up deceased. Ellie Alexander also writes the Sloan Krause Mystery Series, and (as Kate Dyer-Seeley) the Rose City Mystery Series and Pacific Northwest Mystery Series.
Bree Baker (aka Jacqueline Frost, Julie Chase, & Julie Anne Lindsey) will be putting out Tide and Punishment, the 3rd in the Seaside Café Mystery Series. Everly Swan is preparing for the Christmas season by decorating her iced tea shop, but it’s more than a little distracting that her Great-Aunt Fran is running for mayor of Charm, North Carolina. Still, managing both seems possible… at least, until the candidate running against Fran turns up dead on the night of the first scheduled debate. Bree Baker writes under a variety of other names, including Jacqueline Frost, Julie Chase, and Julie Anne Lindsey, and is the author of the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Series, the Kitty Couture Mystery Series, the Cider Shop Mystery Series, and the Patience Price Mystery Series, among others.
Next up, Laura Bradford will be putting out A Killer Carol, the 7th in her Amish Mystery Series. Claire Weatherly, owner of an Amish gift shop, is enjoying the Christmas season by helping friends both English and Amish alike to find the perfect gifts, but the scenic Pennsylvanian holiday season is marred by the murder of an elderly Amish couple, and Claire’s friends Ruth and Samuel Yoder seem like the most likely suspects. Laura Bradford also writes the Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery Series, the Tobi Tobias Mystery Series, the Jenkins & Burns Mystery Series, and (as Elizabeth Lynn Casey) the Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series.
Meg Macy will be putting out the 3rd in her Teddy Bear Mystery Series, titled Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder. Sasha and Maddie Silverman are celebrating the holiday for more reasons than normal this year, as the Silver Bear Shop and Factory has just won the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest, allowing them to produce a special holiday specialty toy this year. Unfortunately, as it so often is, this holiday will be ruined by the looming specter of death, in this case the unexpected death of the town mayor dressed as mascot Santa Bear, apparently just before his appearance at a local tree-lighting ceremony and parade. Meg Macy is also half of the writing team that uses the pseudonym D. E. Ireland, under which she writes the Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins Mystery Series.
The last of the Christmas releases (but not the last of the holiday releases!) won’t be a novel, but a collection of shorter novellas – specifically three, one by Maddie Day, one by Carlene O’Connor, and the last by Alex Erickson (who isn’t on the site, but I’ve heard good things about!) The collection itself will be titled Christmas Cocoa Murder, after Carlene O’Connor’s entry in the set, which will be a story in her Irish Village Mystery Series. Maddie Day’s entry will be Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse, and will be an entry in her Country Store Mystery Series, while Alex Erickson’s will be titled Death by Hot Cocoa and will be part of his Bookstore Mystery Series.
Wow, that’s sure a lot of “Christmas in September”! Still, I did promise one non-Christmas Cozy – and here it is! Nancy Coco will be putting out Fudge Bites, the 7th in her Candy-Coated Mystery Series, and a Halloween themed mystery! Fudge shop owner Allie McMurphy is looking forward to Halloween on Mackinac Island, but the season is going to be ruined in a now-familiar way – Allie has the misfortune to stumble upon a body between the historic McMurphy hotel and the fudge shop. Nancy Coco also writes as Nancy J. Parra, under which she writes the Wine Country Mystery Series, the Baker’s Treat Mystery Series, and the Perfect Proposals Mystery Series, as well as the name Nell Hampton, which she uses when writing the Kensington Palace Chef Mystery Series.
For more Christmas Cozy Mysteries, check out the Christmas Mystery Book Series page on the site.
For more Halloween Cozy Mysteries, check out the Halloween Mystery Book Series page on the site.
Kimberley C says
Hi,
Great list. Just one teeny correction — the Ellie Alexander series is NOT about a witch. It’s about a bake shop. Here is the blurb from her website:
The Bakeshop Mystery Series
This entertaining and delectable cozy mystery series is set in the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and featuring an artisan pastry chef, Juliet Montague Capshaw (Jules), who has returned home to heal her broken heart and help run her family bakeshop, Torte. All books include recipes!
Keep up the great work. I look forward to reading your blog daily! Can’t wait to read the Alexander, Macy and Bradford worksin particular.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kimberley, yes, sorry, not sure how I got this one wrong!
Kimberley C says
No worries! Thanks for all you do.
Like another commenter– my TBR and new series list is getting longer!
Ginger says
Elie Alexander does not write the wish craft series. She writes the bake shop series among other.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ginger, you’re right – I’ve corrected this error.
Ginger says
Sorry but I thought you needed to know. Sorry I posted twice. Thought first one did not go yhrough
ginger says
Didn’t heather Blake write the wishcraft mysteries instead of ellie alexander.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ginger, that’s correct – a problem on my part. It’s fixed now.
Bek says
SPIT SPIT SPIT! I give up…TWO MORE SERIES on my list. I’m adding the Buttermilk Creek series and the Witchcraft Mystery series. My tummy hurts.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bek, well, just the one then I guess. Sorry about that!
Bek says
I’m actually kinda relieved, LOL.
I’ve rarely seen you make a mistake. We all do. Not to fret.
Susy S says
Bek,
Check out Ellie Alexander series, even though it is not one that you would normally go for, as I think you would enjoy it. I have been reading the series and REALLY like it. It is one of the ones I try to buy the week it comes out.
Bek says
Thanks, Susy S! I’ll do that…although, with 1800 books on my TBR list, it might take me a minute to get there!
Susy S says
The series has recipes, and I know how that appeals to you. The characters are also likable and fun, so that should add to the appeal. No pets yet, but the setting is interesting as well.
Bek says
OH, the heck with it. You got me. I’m adding it now, as we speak. It really does sound good.
Bek says
UM…that Ellie Alexander is a Bakeshop Mystery, not a Witchcraft Mystery, darn it…
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bek, whoops, you’re right. Not sure how that happened! I’ve fixed it in the post.
Ellie T says
My book club met recently with author Rich Curtin. He is the author of the Manny Rivera series which is set in the spectacular landscape near Moab, Utah. Mr. Curtin is listed in the Amazon Kindle Top 100 Mystery Authors. I took the opportunity to interview him about his writing career. The Cozy Mystery List Blog is the perfect place to introduce Manny Rivera to the mystery readers of America and beyond.
Q. What did you do before you started writing mysteries?
A. I was an executive vice president at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX. My education includes degrees in electrical engineering and business administration. I love writing now and sometimes wish I could have discovered this “career” years ago. But life experience counts for so much in building a story and developing characters.
to be continued
Susy S says
I will have to buy Fudge Bites and A Cup of Holiday Fear as soon as they come out. Those don’t even go into the TBR shelves, but directly to my nightstand where they will be read within days.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susy, that’s good to hear! I’m sure you’ll enjoy them as well.