What Cozy Are You Reading? > Likes and Comments
How fun that the timing worked out so well for you!
I finished Vinyl Resting Place
by Olivia Blacke. I was just okay for me. I loved the setting in a small town outside of Austin. Ms. Backe did a good job setting up the characters and supporting characters for future books. If felt she needed more work on the business itself. Little discussion around the actual records she is selling or her coffee business. I felt you could have dropped this book's location in any small business and ran with it .
The series does get better with each book. It's been too long since I read book #2, and I don't remember how important the business is to the story, but the newest book really focuses on the shop.
QNPoohBear wrote: "Next up will be Fatal First Edition
It has to wait though because like Lindsey, I'll be at an archivists' conference this week!"
Have fun!! My sister calls her library research trips "Nerd Vacations"! 🤗
Just finished
, second in the Knitty Kitty series, set in New Zealand, with a good dose of Kiwi humour.
Hi NellI like your sister's idea of a vacation. I went to the Newberry Library in Chicago on my vacation last year. I only looked at the exhibit on display because if I stopped to do research, I'd never ever ever leave! My vacation before that was at Colonial Williamsburg, which gives you an idea of my kind of vacation. Lindsey is my fictional alter ego with a much better paying job and a hot guy. My parents even have a house in a nearby town on the Connecticut shore. I am looking forward to reading this newest book but know I will miss Beth, Ms. Cole and especially Milton. I've never seen anyone stand on their head in the library but around here, that would TOTALLY happen if there was enough space.
Fatal First Edition was sooo good! Some parts are a little implausible but the mystery was good (Jenn's a plotter. Only part of it takes place on a train, giving the rest of the cast a chance to help, even the pets. I couldn't put it down. Full confession, like Sully I have never read or seen Strangers on a Train but I think I read a reference to that book recently. My archives conference was focused more on manuscripts. Lindsey's "archivists society" must be Rare Books and Manuscripts, part of the American Library Association. Alas, that's too expensive for me and I work mainly in loose paper and not books.
Catching up from my vacation last week.
Stark Raving Mod by Diane Vallere https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Silver Needle MurderTheodosia is learning to be a little more cautious finally. I pegged the killer right away but it was still enjoyable and tough to put down. I really, really want a nice cream tea with scones and Devonshire cream now!
Last week of the month Hoopla Bonus Borrows are available.Only 51 items offered. There's a cozy mystery ebook, Murder in an Irish Village by O'Connor, and Season One of mystery tv series Captain Marleau.
Maybe they will add more but so far there's nothing I plan to borrow.
ETA: 54 items
Back today with a review of
Secrets of a Scottish Isle by Erica Ruth Neubauer https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Aunt Dimity and the Wishing WellUsually I enjoy spending time in Finch but this one didn't wow me. I guessed the secret pretty early on and Aunt Dimity didn't have much to do except parent Lori as usual.
Alice wrote: "I finished Reel of Fortune 
by Jana Deleon. One of my favorite series."Love this series; it's one of the few that I'm caught up on outside of the latest. I have the audio for that one on pre-order.
Alice wrote: "I finished Reel of Fortune by Jana Deleon. One of my favorite series."If you're reading the series in order, you're a few books ahead of me. I just finished Hook, Line and Blinker and my sides *still hurt from laughing :)
I've got another new release from this week -
The Witless Protection Program by Maria DiRico https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mark wrote: "I've got another new release from this week - The Witless Protection Program by Maria DiRico https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."Nice!
Meg wrote: "Alice wrote: "I finished Reel of Fortune by Jana Deleon. One of my favorite series."Love this series; it's one of the few that I'm caught up o..."
I love this series too! I recently read Hook, Line and Blinker and Change of Fortune.
I'm reading #7 in the Josie Marcus Mystery Shopper series. This series is an old-time favorite.
Death on a Platter
Oolong DeadThe positives: This was the twistiest mystery yet!
We finally have an appearance by a person of color! Miss Josette, a Gullah woman, makes the sweetgrass baskets Theodosia uses to display and sell her T-Bath products. I knew where the baskets came from, I've been waiting for that acknowledgment.
The negatives:
Theodosia is not a good sleuth! She's kind of stupid. One part was obvious.
Less emphasis on tea
I may have to take a break from this series for a week and catch up on my other reading!
Hey cozy readers! Im currently on book three of the fiona figg and kitty lane mystery series, im quite enjoying the theme of the teens'(1917/1918) its an exciting series so far, i highly recommend it!
Finished Torn Asunder earlier today and loved it - except for the author's note at the end. The first thing she did was to "address the elephant in the room" - yes, this is the last book of the Maine Clambake series. I kinda guessed that by the last few pages, but to have it spelled out in black and white somehow makes it more final. 
I had heard somewhere that it was the last one, which is sad. The last one is on my WL, and the second to the last on my tbr.
So sorry to hear that the Maine Clambake series is ending. I've loved it. Still, looking forward to see how it ends.
I got to take a slightly early look at
Brie Careful What You Wish For by Linda Reilly https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mark wrote: "So sorry to hear that the Maine Clambake series is ending. I've loved it. Still, looking forward to see how it ends."Oh No!! This has been a reliably good mystery series and one of my favorites. Wonder if she's writing another series or retiring?
It didn't sound like she's writing anything else, but maybe she's just taking a break?
Barb wrote: "It didn't sound like she's writing anything else, but maybe she's just taking a break?"I wish she would write more in the
Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody series.Has anyone heard anything about it ?
I know the publisher canceled that series after the second book. I don't believe she has any plans to go back to it.
Murdered in Monterosso
I missed book 2 and wasn't too happy there were some minor spoilers. The adventure was fun and I understand the series isn't meant to be taken seriously but characters named Barbie and Ken are a bit over the top. The killer came out of thin air. Zara Keane's mysteries are fun and fluffy for a weekend read or beach read.
My review of a good Australian mystery
The Widow on the Honeymoon Cruise by C.A. Larmer is here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
QNPoohBear wrote: "characters named Barbie and Ken are a bit over the top."No joke, my brother's name is Ken... and my family called me Barbie until I about eight years old and stopped answering to it :) To be fair, we were both named before the dolls came out but stilll....
Barb wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "characters named Barbie and Ken are a bit over the top."No joke, my brother's name is Ken... and my family called me Barbie until I about eight years old and stopped answering ..."
😁
Barb wrote: "No joke, my brother's name is Ken... and my family called me Barbie until I about eight years old and stopped answering to it :) To be fair, we were both named before the dolls came out but stilll...Oh poor you! My mom had at least two friends named Barbara, and one went by Barbie, back in the 50s. Your brother can embrace his name now that Ryan Gosling made Ken hot in the movie. I haven't seen the movie but I gather Ken is a beloved character.
These characters, Barbie and Ken are a couple which made me roll my eyes. They're too young to have been alive when the names were trendy.
QNPoohBear wrote: " Your brother can embrace his name now that Ryan Gosling made Ken hot in the movie."LOL My brother has never given a flying fig about what other people think of him - or his name lol - and he's gotten more adamant about it as he's gotten older. Sounds a lot like his big sister :)
The Teaberry StranglerIt seems a little too obvious from the get-go but I am beginning to think (halfway through) there is a twist. The twist seems kind of obvious but strange. I haven't finished it yet. I'm allergic to perfume and I don't think I'd be able to visit Indigo Tea Shop let alone the new parfumier that is just opening up near Theo's shop.
Mark wrote: "Catching up from my vacation last week. Stark Raving Mod by Diane Vallere https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."I listened to the first 6 or so books in this series, as I find it much more convenient to enjoy audio books. I was disappointed to find the second half of the series is not available on audio. It will take a while before I have time to sit and read these. I really enjoy them.
Started a new series by Mary Winters. Book 1 is Murder in Postscript. An anonymous advice columnist in the 1800s. So far, so good.
Brigid wrote: "Started a new series by Mary Winters. Book 1 is Murder in Postscript. An anonymous advice columnist in the 1800s. So far, so good."I didn't care for that one. It didn't sound 19th century and the heroine was too silly and naïve. There was not enough substance for me. It reads very YA. Recommended for fans of Miss Scarlet and the Duke on PBS. Amelia is more dim than Eliza.
I just finished
The Teaberry Strangler
The mystery was good and seemed a little too obvious until it wasn't. I've been missing some of the detailed descriptions of tea in the last two books but in the back of the novel, the author includes an extensive list of tea resources. There are many more tea suppliers now though and we don't have to rely on grocery store brands.
Will this qualify as a cozy?I think so, soft slow paced stories by the queen of crime.
By Agatha Christie Parker Pyne Investigates (Paperback)【2018】by Agatha Christie (Author)
4 star
2nd reading of classic collection of short adventures
Typical Agatha Christie style
Some stories work others seem dated but a great short collection.
My review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Getting back to cozies with the historical
A Murder Most French by Colleen Cambridge, which features Julia Child as a major supporting character.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finishesd Fatal Cajun Festival
by Ellen Byron. Book 5 of the series. I always enjoy a trip down to Louisana and our fun group of characters. Very good series
I'm finishing off the week with
The Ducal Detective by Sarah E. Burr https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I think I'm up to #9 or 10 in that series, but I'm glad it's stayed good all the way up to #20 :)