Anastasia the (un)Extraordinary Sleuth

[Anastasia]

I loved 2021’s challenge — my first full year of cozy mystery reading. I still don’t have a clue as to whodunnit half the time and I’m still learning about the sub-genres and authors. But the books are fun, smart, and relaxing. Many thanks to Yvonne for hosting the challenge and to all the great participants! Wishing everyone a great 2022!

[Yvonne]

So happy you are joining us for another year of cozies!

Happy New Year!

[Anastasia]

Thank you! I am so looking forward to it!

Yvonne wrote: "So happy you are joining us for another year of cozies!

Happy New Year!"

[Anastasia]

I've chosen my first cozy of the year! I'm listening to Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers, narrated by Ian Carmichael. I guess it will go under the "historical" category. It's my first Dorothy Sayer's book. Who's read her Lord Peter Wimsey series?

[Anastasia]

And I'm finished with my first historical cozy for this year's challenge! It was such a fun listen! Ian Carmichael's narration is fast and animated. He's really at home with the material. I think it's wonderful that, having played the main character in the BBC series, he actually got around to narrating the books. He's perfect for it.

The book is good, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, and the main and secondary characters are wonderful. The whodunnit isn't too hard to figure out but catching the culprit is. There's never a dull moment!

I'm so glad to have "discovered" this series.

[Anastasia]

This week’s cozy is a career-based one, Marty Wingate’s The Librarian Always Rings Twice. It’s a great series. I love her books.

[Anastasia]

The Librarian Always Rings Twice

Loved this! There are lots of twists and turns, and I just love Marty Wingate's characters and settings.

[Anastasia]

One of my favorite authors — I indulged myself with another mystery by Marty Wingate.

Book Review: The Rhyme of the Magpie by Marty Wingate

What an enjoyable read! It took me a while to completely warm up to main character Julia because she’s imperfect. That’s the beauty of it, of course, that she’s perfectly imperfect, wonderfully real, and all heart. And she’s not the only endearing character. I look forward to spending more time with them all.

The setting, as in all Marty Wingate’s books, is lovely and so well-described that you can almost imagine every step, like a memory.

I appreciate the eco-conscious/nature theme. The mystery is good. There’s a touch of romance, too, a definite plus for me.

Beverly A. Crick’s narration is excellent.

Birds of a Feather cozy mysteries — I can hardly wait to start the next in series!

[Anastasia]

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

My Review:

Oh, wow! With one book, Sherry Thomas has zoomed to my short list of favorite authors. A Study in Scarlet Women is a brilliant and delightful twist on Sherlock Holmes. The story flows beautifully and the case kept me guessing. Character development is thorough, sensitive, sublime. By the end of the story, I felt I knew several characters well enough to absolutely love them. As to that (love), I truly felt the author loves her characters, that she respects and enjoys them, flawed as they are. There are wonderful themes, too, both obvious and subtle, such as women’s equality with men and the benefit of true and mutual respect between them.

Kate Reading’s narration is smooth and enjoyable.

A Study in Scarlet — I LOVE IT, highly recommend it, and can hardly wait to read the next in series!

[Anastasia]

I'm enjoying a brief respite with Georgie and Belinda in Cornwall, in Rhys Bowen's The Last Mrs. Summers. Those two are hilarious together and their friendship is really so sweet. I'm only a couple of chapters in, so no mystery yet. The stage is set, though, and I'm loving it!

[Karen]

Anastasia wrote: "The Librarian Always Rings Twice
Loved this! There are lots of twists and turns, and I just love Marty Wingate's characters and settings."
~and~
Anastasia wrote: "One of my favorite authors — I indulged myself with another mystery by Marty Wingate."

I have Marty Wingate's series TBRed. I may have to move them up. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Anastasia]

Karen, I hope you enjoy! Thank you for sharing.

Karen wrote: "Anastasia wrote: "The Librarian Always Rings Twice
Loved this! There are lots of twists and turns, and I just love Marty Wingate's characters and settings."
~and~
Anastasia wrote: "..."

I just finished listening to a cozy for which the

[Anastasia]

Hi, Everyone! I'm back catching up! I've been listening to Carlene O'Connor's Irish Village mysteries. IMHO, they are SO GOOD! I just finished Murder in an Irish Cottage. It was downright creepy! Starting on Murder at Irish Christmas. Love the characters and the narrator is great.

[Anastasia]

I just started listening to Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple series and love it already!