A - Z Title Challenge

[Barb, Co-Moderator Challenge Expert]

For Q, I have The Quick and the Thread on my list. For N, have you read any of the Leigh Koslow series by Edie Claire? I like them more than some readers do -- probably because they're set in Pittsburgh, where I've lived in the past -- and all of them start with the word Never. The first is Never Buried.

[❂ Murder by Death]

Barb wrote: "For Q, I have The Quick and the Thread on my list. For N, have you read any of the Leigh Koslow series by Edie Claire? I like them more than some readers do -- probably because they're set in Pitts..."

Yep - read the whole series years ago and enjoyed them. I'm also caught up on the embroidery series.... I have a year, so I'm sure I'll find something. The "Q" is the one that's the real bummer of course.

Thanks for the suggestions though. :)

[Barb, Co-Moderator Challenge Expert]

Well rats LOL

[jaxnsmom]

Jennifer - Some Q cozies to check out, if you haven't found one yet.

The Queen Is Dead: A Jocelyn O'Rourke Mystery by Jane Dentinger
Questionable Remains by Beverly Connor
A Quiche Before Dying by Jill Churchill
Quilt or Innocence: A Southern Quilting Mystery by Elizabeth Spann Craig

[❂ Murder by Death]

Thanks Jaxnsmom - I've read A Quiche Before Dying - Jill Churchill was my first cozy series and I love Jane Jeffry! I might try the Southern Quilting Series though - I've heard a lot about that one. Thanks again!

[Anne]

I have updated my list. I have been around much lately but I have been reading.

[Anne]

I thought I had updated this, but I guess not.
13/26

Appointment with Death 4/2/13
Buried by Breakfast 4/25/13
Capable of Murder 4/17/3
D
Easy to Kill 6/4/13
F
G A Grave Mistake 3/19/13
Huckleberry Finished 5/25/13
I The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries 3/23/13
J
K
L
M A Man Lay Dead 3/17/13
N
O
Progressive Dinner Deadly 5/19/13
Quinn Checks In 4/2/13
R The Regatta Mystery 5-19/13
U
Vanish with the Rose 5/13/13
W The Wicked Wager Finished 5/10/12
X
Y
Z

[jaxnsmom]

Great going Anne - you're halfway through :)

[❂ Murder by Death]

Updated my list.

[jaxnsmom]

Wow Jennifer! Only six more to go. That's wonderful!

Are there any that have become favorites? Any you wouldn't recommend?

[❂ Murder by Death]

jaxnsmom wrote: "Wow Jennifer! Only six more to go. That's wonderful!

Are there any that have become favorites? Any you wouldn't recommend?"

Of the ones I've read so far, I'd say my favorites are probably;
Wave Good-bye and
Vanity, Vengeance And A Weekend In Vegas

All of them were good, enjoyable reads though. The only one I'd hesitate to recommend was Bowled Over - I was disappointed with that one.

I'll also throw in Mayhem at the Orient Express - I didn't use it for my challenge, since I had an M book already, but I think it's the best cozy I've read so far this year. :)

[jaxnsmom]

Sounds good. Thanks for your opinion. I've read others in the first two series and enjoyed them. Now I have to add these :)

[Melissa]

If it's not too late, I'd like to join in. I only started tracking books I'd read on Goodreads in late April, so I'm about a month behind, but I think I can do it. :) I will try to put mysteries in first, but I might have to use other genres. We'll see how it goes.

[Melissa]

Here is my list:
26/26 - Done!


A - Affairs of Steak 7/2/13
B - Bookmarked For Death 5/12/13
C - Cooking Most Deadly 5/9/13
D - Death in the Orchid Garden 6/25/13
E - English Tea Murder 5/2/13
F - Fonduing Fathers 7/3/13
G - Gluten for Punishment 6/2/13
H - Hoe Lot of Trouble, A 5/6/13
I - Iced Chiffon 5/21/13
J - Just Desserts 9/23/13
K - Killer in Crinolines 7/16/13
L - Little Shop of Homicide 8/14/13
M - Murder is Binding 5/11/13
N - Nickeled-and-Dimed to Death 8/15/13
O - Oak and Dagger 7/10/13
P - Plain Death, A 5/16/13
Q - Quilt or Innocence 8/12/13
R - Red Velvet Cupcake Murder 4/19/13
S - Scarlet Pepper, The 7/8/13
T - Trouble With Magic, The 7/17/13
U - Unraveled 7/11/13
V - Vote for Murder, A 6/29/13
W - Woof at the Door 10/7/13
X - HeX Marks the Spot 7/24/13
Y - You Bet Your Life 3/8/14
Z - DriZZled with Death 11/30/13

[jaxnsmom]

Great start Melissa! I've set up a link to your reporting post in message 2.

[Melissa]

Okay, I'm off to such a good start, I'm going to try to do this all cozies. So, I took out my non-cozies that I've read. I guess we'll see if I get desperate near the end of the year and have to use non-cozies. :)

[Randa]

Updated my list. Message 29.

[jaxnsmom]

Wow Melissa! You are doing great! I'm including mysteries too, but if I read a cozy that fits I think I'll go back and swap it out.

[jaxnsmom]

Randa wrote: "Updated my list. Message 29."

I've added the first Gaslight Mystery and Violins of Autumn to my tbr. Thanks!

[Randa]

jaxnsmom wrote: "Randa wrote: "Updated my list. Message 29."

I've added the first Gaslight Mystery and Violins of Autumn to my tbr. Thanks!"

Hope you enjoy them (when you get around to reading them...so many books tbr!!)

[Melissa]

I may have to use Hex Marks the Spot for X and The Long Quiche Goodbye for Q. We'll see about Q. I've already read The Quick and the Thread, so that's out. I do love that series by the way.

Is everyone else getting a Q that starts with Q? I don't know of any X ones except XO, which I do have in my TBR pile, but I don't think it's a cozy and I'm trying to stick to cozies if possible.

[Barb, Co-Moderator Challenge Expert]

I have two possibilities for X, Melissa, and I'm pretty sure X-Dames:A Lucy Ripken Mystery is a cozy. I'm not so sure about The Xibalba Murders, although several GR readers have tagged it as a cozy.

For Q, how about Quilt or Innocence: A Southern Quilting Mystery or Queenie Baby On Assignment? There's also A Quarter for a Kiss, but it's #4 in a series, if that matters to you :)

[Mark]

I would point out that A Quarter for a Kiss is a Christian mystery if that matters at all. Having said that, I highly recommend the entire series. The writing was a little weak, but the plots were wonderfully suspenseful and I always had a hard time putting them down.

Another potential Q is Revenge of the Gypsy Queen by Kris Neri. Of course, the Q isn't until the last word on the title. Still, it's a great series.

[Melissa]

Mark wrote: "I would point out that A Quarter for a Kiss is a Christian mystery if that matters at all. Having said that, I highly recommend the entire series. The writing was a little weak, but the plots wer..."

I read a lot of Christian fiction and actually have three books by
Mindy Starns Clark in my TBR pile, including Don't Take Any Wooden Nickels which is also in the Million Dollar Mysteries series. So A Quarter for a Kiss might work, but it's #4 in the series.

That's a good suggestion Mark and Barb, thanks! I'll have to see if I can get the rest of the series. :)

[Melissa]

Barb wrote: "I have two possibilities for X, Melissa, and I'm pretty sure X-Dames:A Lucy Ripken Mystery is a cozy. I'm not so sure about The Xibalba Murders, although several GR readers have tagged it as a cozy..."

Barb, have you read the Million Dollar Mysteries? Do you know if you need to read in order? I usually do unless they really stand alone well.

[Barb, Co-Moderator Challenge Expert]

Melissa wrote: "Barb, have you read the Million Dollar Mysteries? Do you know if you need to read in order? I usually do unless they really stand alone well. "

I've only read the first one, Melissa, and I'd say that you probably need to read at least that one before you read the others. There are a lot of relationships and situations explained in the first book that may not make much sense in later books without having read the first one. I guess it depends on how much the author repeats herself in later books :)

[Mark]

There is an on going story line involving the main character's love life. No, it's not a triangle, but it is best to read in order as a result. The last two books are really a climax for that, too, so it's worth it.

Really, I loved the series, so I highly recommend them. I know reading four books to get a letter for this challenge probably isn't in the cards, but the series itself is well worth it.

[Anne]

I have updated my lists
18/26

Appointment with Death 4/2/13
Buried by Breakfast 4/25/13
Capable of Murder 4/17/3
Death Runs in the Family 7/16/13
Easy to Kill 6/4/13
F
G A Grave Mistake 3/19/13
Huckleberry Finished 5/25/13
I The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries 3/23/13
J
K
Loose Screw 7/8/13
M A Man Lay Dead 3/17/13
N
O
Progressive Dinner Deadly 5/19/13
Quinn Checks In 4/2/13
R The Regatta Mystery 5-19/13
S
T
Uncommon Grounds 6/30/13
Vanish with the Rose 5/13/13
W The Wicked Wager Finished 5/10/12
X
Yankee Doodle Dead 6/30/13
Z Frozen Stiff 7/9/13

[jaxnsmom]

You're really doing great Anne!

[Jaxie]

Will i still be able to join this challenge? Thank you so much for your answer. Happy Reading! :)

[jaxnsmom]

Sure, great to see you joining us! Remember, the qualifying date for books for this challenge is March 15th.

[Heather]

I have a question. I see that sometimes ppl copy and paste another person's post before commenting. How do you do that? I have tried, but on my phone, I am not allowed to copy and paste? Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Jaxie]

Heather wrote: "I have a question. I see that sometimes ppl copy and paste another person's post before commenting. How do you do that? I have tried, but on my phone, I am not allowed to copy and paste? Does anyon..." @Heather: when you hit reply, it posts your comment after the other person's post. I think you need to hit reply in whichever post you would like to have it quoted or you're referencing too

[Jaxie]

jaxnsmom wrote: "Sure, great to see you joining us! Remember, the qualifying date for books for this challenge is March 15th."

So @jaxnsmom : only books read after March 15th,right? How do i set up my link in order to start adding titles? Thanks for the help :)

[Jaxie]

So here it's my list :)
A: "Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye"- Victoria Laurie 06/12/2013
B: "A Brisket, a Casket" -Delia Rosen 06/19/2013
C: "A Cast-Off Coven"- Juliet Blackwell 03/25/2013
D: "Design on a Crime"-Ginny Aiken 05/11/2013
E: "An Expert in Murder" -Nicola Upson 11/11/2013
F: "Fundraising the Dead"-Sheila Connolly 07/31/2013
G: "Gem of a Ghost"-Sue Ann Jaffarian 05/03/2013
H: "A House to Die For" -Vicki Doudera 07/04/2013
I: "I Scream, You Scream"- Wendy Lyn Watson 11/18/2013
J: "Just Desserts" - Mary Daheim 09/30/2013
K:" Killer Crust"- Chris Cavender 06/30/2013
L: "Lost and Fondue" - Avery Aames 04/30/2013
M: "Make, Take, Murder " -Joanna Campbell 05/06/2013
N: "Never Buried" - Edie Claire 12/13/2013
O:"One Foot In The Gravy"- Delia Rosen 07/23/2013
P: "Picture Perfect Corpse"-Joanna Campbell 07/21/2013
Q: "The Quick and the Thread" -Amanda Lee 09/21/2013
R: "Ready, Scrap, Shoot"-Joanna Campbell 05/13/2013
S: "The Square Root of Murder"-Ada Madison 07/15/2013
T: "This Pen For Hire" - Laura Levine 08/02/2013
U: "Uneasy Spirits " - M. Louisa Locke 09/12/2013
V: "A Vision of Murder"-Victoria Laurie 06/22/2013
W: "What's a Witch to Do?" - Jennifer Harlow 06/25/2013
X: "Hexes and Hemlines" -Juliet Blackwell 04/04/2013
Y: "Pick Your Poison" - Leann Sweeney 11/29/2013
Z: "The Body in the Piazza: A Faith Fairchild Mystery" 12/12/2013

Although I have made quite a progress in the last couple of months, i'm baffled by some missing titles. I'll have to see what's next on my series in order to fill in the blanks

[Melissa]

Mark wrote: "There is an on going story line involving the main character's love life. No, it's not a triangle, but it is best to read in order as a result. The last two books are really a climax for that, to..."

Well, I ended up getting Quilt or Innocence: A Southern Quilting Mystery at the library, so I think I will be reading that for Q right now, but I still think I will go ahead and read the Million Dollar Mysteries as well. I'm not sure when I will get to them, but I'm going to read them at some point.

I'm doing a 50 state challenge in another group and I think they are set in different locations, so they may help me with that. :)

[jaxnsmom]

Jaxie and Kate - links are set up for your recording posts.

[Jaxie]

jaxnsmom wrote: "Jaxie and Kate - links are set up for your recording posts." Thank you so much :)

[Mark]

Melissa, the Million Dollars Mysteries do take place in different states, so that should really help you out.

[Melissa]

I only have four letters left and I have books lined up for two of them. One that's going to be hard is J. I have read a J mystery this year, The Judas Judge, but it's not even remotely cozy.

I have to decide if I will use it or not. Other than that, I am getting all cozies.

[jaxnsmom]

I have a few J's on my tbr - Jingle Bell Bark, The Julius House, Just the Fax, Ma'am and Just Murdered.

[Barb, Co-Moderator Challenge Expert]

How about Tamar Myers' Just Plain Pickled to Death?

[Anne]

Here is my updated list

I have updated my lists
21/26

Appointment with Death 4/2/13
Buried by Breakfast 4/25/13
Capable of Murder 4/17/3
Death Runs in the Family 7/16/13
Easy to Kill 6/4/13
F
G A Grave Mistake 3/19/13
Huckleberry Finished 5/25/13
I The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries 3/23/13
J
Killer Twist 7/29/13
Loose Screw 7/8/13
M A Man Lay Dead 3/17/13
N
O
Progressive Dinner Deadly 5/19/13
Quinn Checks In 4/2/13
R The Regatta Mystery 5-19/13
Sad Cyprus 7/31/13
Trouble in Mudberg 8/6/13
Uncommon Grounds 6/30/13
Vanish with the Rose 5/13/13
W The Wicked Wager Finished 5/10/12
X
Yankee Doodle Dead 6/30/13
Z Frozen Stiff 7/9/13

[jaxnsmom]

Great going Anne!

[Connie N.]

My scheduled J book is Just Desserts by Mary Daheim. There's also a G.A. McKevett book by the same name. Both are 1st in series.

[Melissa]

Maybe I will read Just Desserts. Thanks for all of the ideas!

I usually read in order so if I do one of the books that are a #4, I will have to read 1-3 first.

[Jaxie]

Melissa wrote: "Maybe I will read Just Desserts. Thanks for all of the ideas!

I usually read in order so if I do one of the books that are a #4, I will have to read 1-3 first."

Thanks Connie for the suggestions! I have found one tittle (Jack in the pulpit) but this is the 4th of the series and i dont want to start a series in the wrong number if that makes any sense :P

[Melissa]

Jaxie wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Maybe I will read Just Desserts. Thanks for all of the ideas!

I usually read in order so if I do one of the books that are a #4, I will have to read 1-3 first."

Thanks Connie for ..."

Yes, that was the same problem with The Julius House and Just Plain Pickled to Death. I will still probably read them, but not sure how soon I will get to them with four books ahead of them.

[Melissa]

I was going to use Zapped for my Z, but I'm wondering if that is considered a cozy since the main character is a PI? Do people consider Carol Higgins Clark books as cozies?

Either way, it's like 14 in a series and I don't know when I will read those, so I might just use Buzz Off, but was just wondering about the cozy aspect. :)

[Connie N.]

I think many people consider CHC to be cozy, and I would think it would be acceptable for this challenge. And, for the record, I'm not sure CHC needs to be necessarily read in order. I've only read a couple and didn't really pay attention to the order, but I didn't think it detracted from the story.