#cozy mystery series

[rebeccareviews]

Hushed Up by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Elizabeth Spann Craig’s Hushed Up is a fun, well-written, and entertaining cosy mystery starring everyone’s favourite senior sleuth. The excellent and memorable characters are as funny as always while the mystery is interesting. This is the fifteenth book in this series but it works well as a standalone.

Florist Lillian Johnson is no blushing rose. She is a dour perfectionist who often butted heads with many people, including her own daughter. Retired schoolteacher turned investigative reporter Myrtle Clover isn’t particularly pleased with her either because Lillian ignored psychic Wanda’s warning that she was in danger. Predictably, Lillian is soon found murdered by Myrtle’s sidekick Miles. Myrtle and Miles must dig into this case to uncover the truth before anyone else in Bradley gets hushed up!

This is another solidly entertaining book in the series! The mystery is well-paced with interesting and viable suspects. Could the culprit be the victim’s favourite but flighty and spendthrift son Martin? Or could it be the victim’s estranged daughter Annie? Or could the murderer be the victim’s neighbour Tallulah with whom she often argued? The mystery features some good red herrings and interesting twists. I was sad that I figured out the identity of the killer very early on because of something incriminating that they said. However, their motives do make sense and fit the plot well. But, I wish the mystery was more intriguing with some more suspense. I do love the big reveal which is hilariously pitch perfect and nicely wraps up the book.

This book is filled with the consistently entertaining and familiar scenes of senior small-town life. I always love how Craig takes everyday situations and makes them into such hilarious scenes! There are the usual fun scenes of Myrtle bossing around longsuffering germaphobic sidekick Miles, trying to wrangle her unruly house help, remaining one step ahead of her police chief son Red, and, of course, inflicting her awful cooking on the victim’s loved ones. However, in this book, things are a little different as poor Lieutenant Perkins also falls victim to Myrtle’s cooking. I was howling at Myrtle’s disastrous breakfast party! I love Myrtle’s sleuthing which works so well simply because she knows everyone in town and her reputation definitely precedes her. However, I think that she was a little too outlandish in this book–especially when she blatantly crashed a police interview with a possible suspect.

🥀🥀🥀🥀 out of 5 dying roses!

[readdarlene]

Best Cozy Mystery Series: Top Picks for Cozy Reads

Discover a captivating cozy mystery series at Read Darlene. You can dive into charming small-town settings, engaging characters, and intriguing plots. Perfect for fans of lighthearted whodunits, our collection promises endless hours of suspense and delight. Join the mystery fun today and get hooked on Read Darlene’s enchanting stories.

[carolearlycooney]

Verity Kent Series by Anna Lee Huber

Dear Fellow Reader, I am back to talk about another mystery series. These books readily available from my local library both in book and eBook form. I know how I found this series. (a rare event) The latest in the series came out recently and my local bookstore had an event where a local mystery writer (Erica Ruth Neubauer) was going to interview the author. I did not attend the event, but I…

[laurahesse]

Snow, snow, snow, snow

Well, it is February 22nd and it is snowing here on Vancouver Island. I have been catching up on my reading list with a lap blanket and a cup of tea. Love my tea. I have recently been reading quite a few paranormal cozy books. Have also been reading some Joy Fielding, Dean Koontz, and Tricia O’Malley. If you are a Kindle Unlimited member and are getting snowed in like I am today, give one of my…

[witchee1014]

Hooray for Homicide

Listen. Here’s the thing. Y’all know I love me some Jessica Fletcher. I love Murder, She Wrote. But this book was a hot mess. It felt like they smashed two of the early episodes of Murder, She Wrote into one tangled up catastrophe. The characters weren’t fleshed out well enough to like or dislike. The Sheriff acts like Jessica just moved in. And then asks her to join the investigation. Make it…

[beaujuniperbooks]

Welcome to the world of Savor, a restaurant where culinary dreams collide with a shocking reality. In this tale of intrigue and redemption, you’ll meet Sadie, a renowned chef whose passion for food is threatened by a sinister plot. You’ll also meet Juniper, a sharp detective whose investigation leads her into the heart of a culinary conspiracy. Join them on a journey that will reveal the bitter truth hidden beneath the surface of gourmet cuisine, where envy and betrayal simmer, and every bite holds a secret.

Paperback edition is still processing but will be available soon!

Available free on Kindle Unlimited.

Total Pages: 39

Genre: Cozy Mystery

[samwisethewitch]

I don't talk about the fiction books I read on here very much, but if anyone likes cozy fantasy and feel-good mysteries, I would like to wholeheartedly recommend Drinks and Sinkholes by S. Usher Evans. It was absolutely delightful, and the food descriptions were so good it inspired me to bake bread in real life lol.

[toss-a-coin-to-your-stan-account]

i need more cozy mysteries where the amateur sleuth isn't married to a fucking cop and doesn't fucking have one as a love interest. and also doesn't have random fatphobia for no reason

[rebeccareviews]

Murder at a Yard Sale by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Elizabeth Spann Craig’s Murder at a Yard Sale is a solidly entertaining cosy mystery starring everyone’s favourite octogenarian sleuth. I love the characters but I wish the mystery was stronger. This is the twenty-second mystery in the series and it works as a standalone but it would be much more enjoyable if you’re a fan.

It’s another day in Bradley and Myrtle and Miles have just stumbled across yet another dead body! The two are attending their friend Georgia’s yard sale when they discover the body of the contentious Victor Fowler. There are no shortage of suspects including an ex wife and an angry neighbour. Myrtle must uncover the murderer before there are more victims!

This is a funny, light, and easy read with mature writing! I love the small-town setting of Bradley and all the quirky characters that inhabit it. This book features the usual scenes of Myrtle snooping at the victim’s funeral, delivering her terrible food to the victim’s loved ones as an excuse to investigate, butting heads with her police chief son Red, and her boldly obtaining information from suspects in the clever way that only little old ladies who taught the entire town can! These are all familiar scenes but everything is so consistently well-written and with such humour and wit that I will never get tired of the shenanigans!

The mystery is interesting and nicely paced with several memorable and viable suspects. Although there are several red herrings and a couple of decent twists, I did figure out the murderer early on because it was a little obvious. However, their motives do make sense. But, I wish the mystery was better developed because certain parts felt a little repetitive. I also wish there was more action and suspense. I also would have liked more sleuthing from Myrtle. At times, the writing is a little choppy and distractingly inconsistent. Another round of editing would definitely clear this up.

The cast of characters remain an excellently written, memorable, and quirky bunch! Myrtle is witty, clever, and nosey as always. I really enjoyed the subplot with Miles’ family. At first, I thought it would be shoehorned in but I loved learning about Miles’ past. His family is a sweet addition and I didn’t mind at all that their presence doesn’t contribute to the main plot. I also really appreciate the bigger roles that both Georgia and Elaine (Myrtle’s ditzy but well-meaning daughter-in-law) play in Myrtle’s sleuthing. Although Miles is a diligent sidekick, I like seeing other people help because it’s fun and breathes new life into the investigation.

👼👼👼 ½ out of 5 angels!

[humnooshop]

Mon ami :)

T-shirt and other products available on my Redbubble

[foxcassius]

me: i'll start developing a cozy mystery that's actually harvest moon fanfiction haha it'll be a fun little experiment

me when the "experiment" has character profiles, an outline, and a map of the town (things most of my long-standing projects do not have): haha what a. what a funny joke.

[beautyandlifestyleblog86]

🍂🍁🌸🌹🥰💞💕📍

[lifewithaview]

Julia Jentsch and Nicholas Ofczarek in Der Pass/Pagan Peak (2018) Engerl

S1E8

In the Austrian region Steiermark, a decayed female body is found in a buried wooden box. When the victim is identified as Malica, Gedeon senses the Krampus Killer has struck again. At first, nobody shares his suspicion. But his reinvigorated eagerness convinces Ellie to pick up an unofficial investigation on their own. They find out that the victim, Malica, has been reported missing back home.

Season finale (Great series)

[witchee1014]

The Murder of Sherlock Holmes - A Review

The Murder of Sherlock Holmes – A Review

Oh my lanta. I love Murder, She Wrote. This was one of my favorite shows as a kid. Some of my favorite memories are of me and my mom sitting and watching Dame Angela Lansbury solve murders in every town she visited. It wasn’t until last year that I discovered there was a series of books based on the series. My Christmas presents last year were the start of my book collection. I now have all of…

[cattatonically]

Whiskers and Warrants - Jinty James (Norwegian Forest Cat Cafe Cozy Mysteries, book 3)

Synopsis

Lauren and Zoe sign up for advanced latte art class. What they didn’t bargain on was … murder!

Cat café owner, Lauren Crenshaw, and her cousin, Zoe, attend their first advanced latte art class, excited to learn intricate designs. But when their world-famous instructor is murdered, they decide to investigate!

Annie, Lauren’s gorgeous Norwegian Forest Cat, helps in the sleuthing department as well.

Zoe is also busy crocheting a coffee cozy to sell online, and Lauren continues to knit her never-ending scarf.

While Lauren’s romance with Mitch, the police detective, blossoms, Zoe despairs of meeting ‘the right guy’.

But when Annie finds a clue in the café, everything is put on hold while the trio investigate the murder.

Who is the killer? One of the other students? The barista’s business partner? Or a mysterious vagrant that one of the students claim they saw?

This is a humorous, clean, cat cozy mystery with female amateur sleuths – and a gorgeous Norwegian Forest Cat!

My Thoughts

Another mystery, and another slow start. I’m starting to get the hang of the patterns of these books, and while I still can’t say I’m all that emotionally invested in Lauren or Zoe, I am very much so attached to their Norwegian Forest Cat, Annie.

While I find it takes too long to get to the murder, and some of the dialogue mildly daunting, what I do love is that these books are such easy reads. And sometimes, my brain just needs to fall into something that requires little to no mental energy. So far, this series is absolutely perfect for that.

What I lack in connection with the characters (Zoe drives me insane. All surface, no substance), I make up for in easy reading, and intriguing murder mysteries. It’s the mysteries themselves (and Annie, obviously), that will keep me coming to this series. And I’m more than okay with that.

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (16-22 Jun 2024)

fuck this heat dome for reals

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 The Settler (charlesdk) - Stucky Book Club pick - 52K, shrunkyclunks, Steve retires & buys a farm, Bucky's the local baker. I really enjoyed this fic - though it is unrealistic fantasy about both small towns and owning a farm so YMMV. As I said in book club, I didn't have any problems doing the hand-wavey "escapist unbelievable small town/farm fantasy of it all" bc Steve's feelings & character were more my (and the author's) focus than his occupation & location. You could really feel Steve's exhaustion and emotions, and I loved the way Sam & Natasha were shown-not-just-told as his family. But also I don't have any deep personal resonance with this setting, other than recognizing it's unrealistic.

🥰 The Marlow Murder Club (The Marlow Murder Club #1) (Robert Thorogood, author; Nicolette McKenzie, narrator) - really entertaining small British village cozy mystery with very enjoyable characters. Had such a blast reading it! The mystery puzzle wasn't difficult to guess but that's not why I read cozies, and it was satisfactory in its twists & turns & fair play.

🥰 Civilians, GDI (relenafanel) - I love it when an author writes an AU of their own fic! AU of The Steve Rogers Problem with SHIELD agent!Bucky & actor!Steve except this time it's a meet ugly and Bucky's a dumbass about his own feelings

😊 The Theory Of Attraction (Delphine Dryden) - novella - good femsub D/s rec'd by the discord. Very satisfactory.

😊 Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age (Annalee Newitz, author; Chloe Cannon, narrator) - nonfiction; "explores the rise and fall of four ancient abandoned cities, each the center of a sophisticated civilization: the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük in Central Turkey, the Roman vacation town of Pompeii on Italy’s southern coast, the medieval megacity of Angkor in Cambodia, and the indigenous metropolis Cahokia that stood beside the Mississippi River where East St. Louis is today." really interesting and well told (although tbh the narrator sounded a bit AI (but definitely wasn't))

🙂 The Pure and Simple Truth (lettered) - 65K, ostensibly drarry (but in the way that lacroix is ostensibly fruit flavored) - really about all the friendships & how people, the world, and redemption are all complicated - another discord server rec

🥰 Death Comes to Marlow (The Marlow Murder Club #2) (Robert Thorogood, author; Nicolette McKenzie, narrator) - enjoyed Judith & her 'gang' so much I went back for more ASAP!

💖💖 +127K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

Like herding cats (JehBeeEh) - Rachel Reid's Game Changers series: Troy/Harris, Ilya/Shane, 1.5K - short but very cute; perfect character voices - love a well done text fic like this

My Heart Comes Tumbling Down (DevilDoll) - TW: Sterek, 5K - reread, forever fave - peak oblivious Stiles who almost fucks everything up

All that I know is I don't know a thing (emjee (MerryHeart)) - TOG: Kaysanova, 10K - "In which Nicky's at seminary because he likes to argue, not because he's becoming a priest, and Joe has missed this essential fact and can't figure out why this future-priest-slash-bartender is flirting with him." SO GOOD!

Beltane (DevilDoll) - TW: Sterek, 8K - reread, forever fave - always-magical-Stiles AU

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Doctor Who - s1 (series 14), e7

Game Changer - s6, e9

Um, Actually - s9, e9

Smartypants - s1, e5

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

What Next: TBD - The FBI Made a Phone Network. It Was A Trap.

NPR's Book of the Day - Questlove maps a cultural revolution in 'Hip-Hop is History'

Re: Dracula - June 17: Die Away in the Distance

Consider This - 25 years on, 'Boys Don't Cry' remains a milestone in trans cinema

⭐ Working - How a Colonial Williamsburg Actor Humanizes History

⭐ The Atlas Obscura Podcast - America’s First Celebrity Bartender And The Book That Changed Bars Forever

Pop Culture Happy Hour - It's getting hot. So what's sweatiest movie ever made?

WikiHole - Bay Area Music (with W. Kamau Bell, Guy Branum and Aparna Nancherla)

Re: Dracula - June 18: Turned his Mind

Short Wave - What 'Inside Out 2' Got Right About Anxiety, Per A Psychologist

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Last Baldwin House

Vibe Check - Yesterday’s Price Isn’t Today’s Price featuring Lena Waithe

⭐ Switched on Pop - Bootsy Collins is gonna funk you up (with Bootsy Collins)

Here & Now Anytime - How jazz icon Duke Ellington helped change America

⭐ Storylines - What The Puck? The strange story of a decades-old hockey rumour

99% Invisible #586 - Category 6

Wild Card - Taylor Tomlinson is fine with being 'perpetually afraid'

Shedunnit - Murder in the Library

Shedunnit - Bonus: Harriet Evans Interview

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Start of a Language

⭐ It's Been a Minute - Fouling Caitlin Clark; plus, a shoplifting panic!

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Fleetwood Mac Radio • Upbeat

Stereophonic (Original Cast Recording)

We Are Lady Parts (Music From The Original Series - Seasons 1 & 2)

Meet Me @ the Altar

Bootsy Collins radio

Duke Ellington

Dance Party Hits

Survivor Radio • Deep cuts

No Vocals EDM

Bass Haven