2000 Plus Challenge - Tasks, Questions and Comments

[Marisa]

The coroner in Murder Fir Christmas wears glasses.

[Carmen]

I will copy list tomorrow on my laptop.

[Mary]

Mary wrote: "I just found this one.
The MC is wearing glasses right on the cover and in the book when riding in the car she shares with the driver who Is also wearing s..."

I just finished this book! , It is not quite a cozy, but it is funny and zany. It fits the eyeglasses challenge since both the MC and the guy driving the MG TF car across the country are wearing sunglasses while riding in the car! It was a good book.

Mary

[[deleted user]]

Right, I'm a bit stuck for two categories:

Single mum task and the Musician task.

I'd like to stick to cozies as the only time I really have to read is on the bus, and cozies are perfect for that,

To add to my problem is that I can't do the ebook thing. They have to be able to come in the smaller paperback size to fit my bag. Popular books that come in that size would do at as a second option.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. :)

[Nell]

Cozy series that I thought of quickly are:

Claire Malloy is a single mom in the Joan Hess series - Strangled Prose

The MC in Laura Alden's PTA series is a divorced mother of two - Murder at the PTA

The MC in Finding Sky by Susan O'Brien is a widow.

In Joanna Campbell Slan's scrapbook series, the MC is also a widow and mother - Paper, Scissors, Death

[Julesy]

A few more single mom cozies:

Melanie Travis series by Laurien Berenson
Josie Marcus series by Elaine Viets
Laurel McKay series by Cindy Sample

[[deleted user]]

Thank your for the help ladies.
Because of where I live it seems either most of these aren't available or are only available as e-books. A real shame as a couple of them I'm very interested in.
However, some joy with A Pedigree to Die For as this one I can access :D

[Mary]

Paisley wrote: "Right, I'm a bit stuck for two categories:

Single mum task and the Musician task.

I'd like to stick to cozies as the only time I really have to read is on the bus, and cozies are perfect for that..."

Our book for April:

The MC is a single Mom!

Mary W

[Nell]

Any ideas for the music tasks? This is another one where you may not know until you're reading the book. The challenge task is a scene where a character plays a musical instrument or sings. Attending a performance or singing along with the radio counts.

I read a couple of Christmas mysteries by Donna Andrews with church choirs performing. It's a part of the plot in Duck the Halls. This one is later in the series so it depends on how you feel about RIO (reading in order). Other Christmas mysteries may have scenes where carols are sung - In Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen by Vicki Delany, the MCs mother is a professional singer. There are neighborhood carolers in Krista Davis' The Diva Wraps It Up.

Carole Dunne's Requiem for a Mezzo is #3 in the Daisy Dalrymple series. The MC attends a concert.

There are often scenes in Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series - whenever her large family gathers, they sing.

There is a choir series starting with Murder for Choir by Joelle Charbonneau.

Any other suggestions?

[Marisa]

I think that Amelia Grace Mysteries, Music Lover’s Mystery, An Early Wake, Murder At The Castle and Eine Kleine Murder offer a good chance (these are the books I've got at calibre related to music).

[Barbara]

Nell wrote: "Any ideas for the music tasks? This is another one where you may not know until you're reading the book. The challenge task is a scene where a character plays a musical instrument or sings. "

Thank you, Nell, for the suggestions for the music-related task. I just picked up Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen at a half price sale at my local used book store. Good to know I can use it for this challenge.

[Julesy]

I know of some book members who have read the Liturgical series by Mark Scheweizer. I personally have not read any of them but the main character is a choir director and organist in a church. If you read a couple of these books, you could also probably knock off the church task as well. :-D

[[deleted user]]

In Here Today, Gone Tamale: A Taste of Texas Mystery there is a musician as well (in a band), but I read that before the challenge started.

[Nell]

Question from Jeanne:
Nell,
Do the Aunt Dimity books meet the criteria for a MC with psychic or paranormal ability? How about the Bailey Ruth series that I think is done by Carolyn Hart?
Thanks -- Jeanne

[Nell]

Jeanne wrote: "Nell,
Do the Aunt Dimity books meet the criteria for a MC with psychic or paranormal ability? How about the Bailey Ruth series that I think is done by Carolyn Hart?
Thanks -- Jeanne"

The Bailey Ruth series by Carolyn Hart qualifies because the ghost is the MC.

Aunt Dimity is not the MC in that series but if her niece can see/communicate with her it counts as paranormal ability. (I haven't read the series in years so I don't remember how Aunt Dimity's ghost communicates.)

[jaxnsmom]

An older series by Sara Hoskinson Frommer starts with Murder in C Major. Joan Spencer joins the community orchestra, and is a single mom.

[Jill]

Nell wrote: "Cozy series that I thought of quickly are:

Claire Malloy is a single mom in the Joan Hess series - Strangled Prose

The MC in Laura Alden's PTA serie..."

Diane Mott Davidson series, Goldy is a single parent until later in the series when she gets remarried

[Jill]

Nell wrote: "Question from Jeanne:
Nell,
Do the Aunt Dimity books meet the criteria for a MC with psychic or paranormal ability? How about the Bailey Ruth series that I think is done by Carolyn Hart?
Thanks -- ..."

Sue Ann Jaffarian Granny apple series would work for this. I think this is a cute series

[Jeannie]

Barb wrote: "There's quite a list
here
, Jeannie."

Thank you so much Barb. Wow, a lot of books.

[Barb, Co-Moderator Challenge Expert]

Happy to help, Jeannie!

[Desiree Taggard]

This sounds fun! I want to go for Avid Reader!

[Nell]

Desiree wrote: "This sounds fun! I want to go for Avid Reader!"

OK Enjoy!

[Kathy]

Can I still do this challenge even though it is almost over? I have been keeping track on Goodreads of what I have read since March already anyway and I'm getting ready to go on vacation next week so I am sure I'll be able to get even more in lol Just let me know. Thanks!

[Nell]

Yes Kathy. You can join the challenge. Any books you read after March 1 can be used for challenge tasks. Just copy the tasks list and paste it in the Report Progress folder.

[Kathy]

Nell wrote: "Yes Kathy. You can join the challenge. Any books you read after March 1 can be used for challenge tasks. Just copy the tasks list and paste it in the Report Progress folder."

Ok thanks!!