Cozy Mysteries discussion
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What Cozy Did You Just Finish Reading??? (Archive)
Miki wrote: "I just finished Murder Boogies with Elvis by Ann George. This the first of this series that I have read. I really enjoyed the characters, and look forward to reading more in the seri..."I love Anne George! Well worth finding all the books!!!
maria
Heather L wrote: "Finished Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr this afternoon. Loved it and wondering how it is I've never read her before. Will definitely be reading more by this author now ..."I liked Track pretty well, but some of her others didn't hold my attention all that well.
Jennifer wrote: "I just finished Handbags and Homicide and The Riesling Retribution. While I enjoyed The Reisling Retribution, I found I have mixed feelings about Handbags and Homic..."
I read the 2nd one and decided I was done with the books after that. Haley seemed even dumber and shallower in it than the 1st.
I just finished Murder Under the Palms by Stefanie Matteson and am looking forward to reading earlier books in this series.
I just finished Sizzling Sixteen. I loved these books when I first started reading but they are so lame now..no real plot, nothing ever changes with the characters, same stuff in every single book. But I guess if there turn out to be a Fabulous Fifty I'll still be reading them cause I just love a book that can make me laugh out loud...and the antics of Stephanie and Lula do just that!
Leslie wrote: "I just finished Sizzling Sixteen. I loved these books when I first started reading but they are so lame now..no real plot, nothing ever changes with the characters, same stuff in ev..."They are good books, especially the first several. But I think I stopped reading at about book 10 because nothing had changed and it didn't appear it was going to. She's such a talented writer. I wish she'd finish the series and write something completely new. But someday these might make good fallback reads for when I need a comfort read since I haven't read past 10!
maria
Leslie wrote: "I just finished Sizzling Sixteen. I loved these books when I first started reading but they are so lame now..no real plot, nothing ever changes with the characters, same stuff in ev..."I don't go into these books expecting more than some laughs.....and that's what they give me! Loved th Hobbits in this one!
I just finished reading Lorna Barrett's 4th book in the Booktown series, "Chapter & Hearse" and gave it 5 stars. You can read the review on my blog
R&B: Read and Blog
or my GoodReads review. I really liked this one with its curious entanglements and excellent characterizations.
I agree with you Leslie you just need to read Janet Evanovich for the funny parts. The Hobbits were great. My favorite book was when she had to bring in the Frito lay bandit, a woman who was pmsing and had the orange cheeto fingers to prove it! And visions of Lulu are always amusing.
Erin wrote: "Finished 
yesterday and I really liked it. I always like when the sleuth doesn't become too stupid to live."I've just finished her first two books and I really liked them too. I can't wait to read the third book of hers.
The last one I read was Theft on Thursday. It was good, but I didn't like it as much as previous books in the series. I think I was annoyed by the gap of several years between the story line of this book and the previous one.
Suzanne wrote: "I finished Sprinkle with Murder Friday night and really, really enjoyed it. The friendship between Mel, Angie, and Tate seemed very genuine and endearing. The mystery was also good..."I guessed the killer about the same time but that didn't detract from the fun of the book. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for Buttercream Bumpoff.
Kaye wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "I finished Sprinkle with Murder Friday night and really, really enjoyed it. The friendship between Mel, Angie, and Tate seemed very genuine and endearing. The myste..."I cannot wait for Buttercream Bumpoff either. Sprinkle with Murder was great!
I just finished Mrs. Jeffries and the Yuletide Weddings by Emily Brightwell. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships. The story was a bit far-fetched, but great fun. I will have to add other books in this series in my TBR stack.
I just finished Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinaly. I really enjoyed it, and can't wait for Buttercream Bumpoff to be released.
I have just finished reading
and it was great just like the others I have read in this series. The first book in this series is what got me hooked on cozies.
Today I finished
. I really enjoyed it even though I found Phil to be quite annoying.
Was able to finish Stork Raving Mad this afternoon. It picked up quite a bit and ended up being an okay read. I think I would have liked it better had Meg been confined to her bed due to the pregnancy and had to have help from Rose Noire, Michael and Rob; not to mention her parents. I think it would have been funnier and better that way. Anyway it's done.Also, I gave up on Farm Fresh Murder. I tried, I really did. But, there wasn't really anything likable about this book. I'm just sorry I spent money on it. I am really going to have re-think what books I pay full price on, which ones I look for at half-price and which ones I get at the library. there are so many new series coming out and hardly any of them are up to the "Cozy Standard of Mystery" to me. They don't have to Agatha Christie caliber, but they do need some substance and depth to them. Just because you make a book about a hobby doesn't mean you're an expert. Detail would help, in character and plot development both.
Happy Reading everyone!
I finished
. Not really a cozy, but a first rate read anyway! The last 3 books in this series have all been 5-star reads for me. I like a book that makes me think and they have.
Oh, yes, Kelly! " Some substance and depth" to a mystery-and some clues, too, please!
Maria wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I just finished Sizzling Sixteen. I loved these books when I first started reading but they are so lame now..no real plot, nothing ever changes with the characters, s..."I pretty much agree with what everyone is saying. I LOVED the books at the beginning of the series but felt the plotting and storytelling started getting a bit repetitive. Evanovich has certainly created a humorous world with her characters though. Give me some Grandma Mazur anytime I need a chuckle.
If you like the you would probably enjoy The Spellman Files series as well. Very funny and with a fresh take on the genre. At least the protag in the series actually figures things out and doesn't just have IT happen to her like in some mysteries.
Finished
. It was a good read, but the first one was better. I had this one figured out very early on!
Caitlin wrote: "Finished 
by Kyra Davis not too long ago. It's a Red Dress Ink book, but still a good mystery!"Caitlin: What is a Red Dress Ink book? All I could find is that they are published by Harlequin. But are they something special?
I just finished Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri. It was an okay read. Her friendship with Max was differnt. I will not read anymore of the series.
I agree with Caitlyn that the Spellman series is a good read. There are 3 in the series (as we speak). Very wacky and they jump forward and backward (but explained well) and inovative. I can't read one after the other (they wear me out) but I also can't stop thinging about them. Time to read the last one. Bye.
Mod
Red Dress Ink is a "chick lit" imprint published by Harlequin Enterprises about nine years now. It's women's fiction that addresses contemporary issues, but doesn't necessarily have the "happy ever after" as is required in traditional romanctic fiction. It is often humorous and light-hearted, and can straddle mystery and inspirational genres as well.
Mod
The second was pretty good, a collection of eleven short stories by AC, which I read in between other books this month. A fairly good introduction to the grande dame of the mystery genre. Many may have seen the old film based on the title story, as I had a few times before reading this book.
I just finished a reread of Arthur Upfield's Death of a Swagman. Since I did a reread of his The Battling Prophet for the summer challenge, I decided to go back and reread some of the other books of his that I have on one of my bookshelves. It's been at least 25 years since I've read these, and I'm pleasantly surprised at how well they've held up. I'm also reading a book called Planet Cat by Sandra Choron, Harry Choron, and Arden Moore. It's a nice, big book about cat lore, cat stories, and cat care. Why, yes. I do like cats! :-)
I love Patricia Sprinkle's books! Haven't heard anything from her lately, though. Need to see what's up next from her. I just finished
as well as Requiem for a Mezzo and All the Wrong Moves. Not sure if the last two would be considered "cozies" but I liked them. I'm not usually into historicals but I enjoyed the Daisy Dalrymple book and am now looking for more in the series. Brush with Death was an excellent follow-up to Elizabeth Duncan's first book. I love that Welsh setting. : )
Joelle wrote: "Vicky wrote: "I agree with Caitlyn that the Spellman series is a good read. There are 3 in the series (as we speak). Very wacky and they jump forward and backward (but explained well) and inovati..."I read the first of the Spellman books, but thought it was just okay and didn't find myself laughing that much. Must just be me, as I know people on other boards who really like the books, too.
Mod
Caitlin wrote: "Finished by Kyra Davis not too long ago. It's a Red Dress Ink book, but still a good mystery!"I've read all the books in this series and enjoyed them all as mysteries. (would never have thought of them as any thing other than mysteries actually). If I had to categorize the series though, I'd call it "chick-lit mystery" not cozy.
Just finished Dead on Arrival by Jeffrey S. Savage and really enjoyed it. It was not at all what I expected and I was pleasantly suprised. Now I have to read some of his other books
I just finished Diva Las Vegas by Eileen Davidson. It was a good read, but not the best in the series.
I was on a short 4 day vacation at the coast this weekend. How funny that I read the first two books in the Spellman series while gone. I liked them but I agree with you Vicky-- two in a row was a bit much. I'm looking forward to getting caught up with the other two books soon though. I also read 3 more of the Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier. I am slowly but surely slogging my way through these. I'll really like a couple and then one will just grate on my nerves for some reason. Only a few left and I'll be caught up!
I just finished Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett. Enjoyed it this time around, had tried to read it in March or April and just could not get into it. But started it on Saturday again and did like it and finished it this time around.I am ready to read her new one soon.
Just finished the Audio version of Death of a Nag by M.C. Beaton. I really like Hamish McBeth and the Scottish Highlands.
Sandie wrote: "Just finished Dead on Arrival by Jeffrey S. Savage and really enjoyed it. It was not at all what I expected and I was pleasantly suprised. Now I have to read some of his other books [bookcover:De..."I read that this year also. Quite different, I thought. I will read of his. He lives in the next town over and his mom is one of my friends. He has a couple more in the Covington series and has begun a sci-fi series for YA. He has a pretty good blog also.
Leslie wrote: "I was on a short 4 day vacation at the coast this weekend. How funny that I read the first two books in the Spellman series while gone. I liked them but I agree with you Vicky-- two in a row was ..."Alas, the problems with reading a series to catch up. I do it all the time, and then wish I had spaced them further apart. For some reason, they don't seem as fresh and interesting in those small towns with too large a dose. Besides, time inbetween makes the heart grow fonder, perhaps because we know those guys and wonder what they are doing. Just my opinion.
Marisa wrote: "I've read Murder 101 and I'm done, I don't like the feeling in the book."I sort of felt the same way, and I couldn't get a handle on the character, but I saw her next one Extracurricular Activities, on sale for a penny and figured I couldn't go wrong. I just finished it last night and enjoyed it more than the first. Felt like the character was much stronger in this one.
The vanishing act of Esme Lennox was July's book for my local book club. It generated quite a heated discussion with several opposing views. I quite enjoyed the story despite the lack of development of the characters.Maggie O'Farrell's writing style took a bit of getting used to but I ended up liking it. Think I'll probably give another of her books a try.
Mod
I sort of felt the same way, and I couldn't get a handle on the character, but I saw her next..."
Well, I'll try to give it an opportunity but I don't know with my TBR.
Mod
. I've liked it, but I like more their garden series.
I just finished A Cook in Time by Joanne Pence. I wasn't super thrilled, but I've had that issue with any series where I end up jumping into the middle. I may try and read one or two of the earlier ones to see if I get a better feel for the characters.
I like all the Lavene's series - I'm just sorry there won't be more in the NASCAR series. The new one set in Duck is especially good.I just finished Closet Confidential by Mary Jane Maffini and have to finish a couple others I've started but then I just bought 6 new ones (three are the first in new series) so I'm really glad I'm retired now and can read more! LOL
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Cozy Mysteries
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While I enjoyed The Reisling Retribution, I found I have mixed feelings about Handbags and Homicide. I agree with many here that she is too shallow to believe, but towards the end, when she started to wise up, the story got better. (I think I skimmed most od the first half of the book because she was so ridiculous). I'm wondering, do the second and third books continue with her getting a bit wiser and deeper?