Cozy Mysteries discussion

The January 2018 Featured Author is E.J. Copperman.


GR Bio:
E.J. Copperman is a mysterious figure, or has a mysterious figure, or writes figuratively in mysteries. In any event, a New Jersey native, E.J. has written for such publications as The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, American Baby and USA Weekend. Night of the Living Deed is the first E.J. Copperman novel.

E.J., having worked as a newspaper reporter, teacher, magazine editor, and screenwriter, writes stories that combine humor and mystery with just the right amount of spooky supernatural happenings and a large doses of Jersey attitude.

Sound like we’re being evasive? Well, the fact is that E.J. Copperman is the pseudonym of a well-known mystery novelist (Jeff Cohen), now embarking on a new type of story that includes some elements of the supernatural as well as a fair number of laughs. And the Copperman novels will have a different attitude, a different setting and completely different characters than anything that has come before, so E.J. really is a new author.

Website: http://www.ejcopperman.com/


A Haunted Guesthouse Mystery Series

1. Night of the Living Deed
2. An Uninvited Ghost
3. Old Haunts
3.5 A Wild Ghost Chase
4. Chance of a Ghost
4.5 An Open Spook
5. The Thrill of the Haunt
6. Inspector Specter
7. Ghost in the Wind
8. Spouse on Haunted Hill
9. The Hostess with the Ghostess (Jan 9, 2018)


An Asperger’s Mystery Series

1. The Question of the Missing Head
2. The Question of the Unfamiliar Husband
3. The Question of the Felonious Friend
4. The Question of the Absentee Father


Mysterious Detective Series

Written Off
Edited Out


An Agent to the Paws Mystery Series

Dog Dish of Doom


Discussion opens January 2018

I have read all of the Haunted Guesthouse Mystery Series and just love them. In fact, I am using book 9, which comes out next week, for my January challenge. I hope everyone one of you get hooked on this series like I have. I give it a five stars for the whole series!

I’ve just started reading Written Off. This is my first for this author.

I have read all the Asperger series and highly recommend it. I have read the one and the last ovthe Haunted Guesthouse series and recommend them. I will read others as time and funds allow.

I haven't read all of them yet, but I love the Haunted Guesthouse series so much that I added the author's other series to Mt. TBR. Maybe I'll be able to get to a book or two this month.

I just started reading his book since it was BOM. And its very good and an easy read. Not to mention funny at times. I'm reading Night of the Living Deed!

The Haunted Guesthouse series is great! Love it!

Read Night of the Living Deed over the weekend and enjoyed it. This is the first book I've read under this name but I have read all of his movie theater series under the name Jeffrey Cohen and really enjoyed those. I could see some of the same humor in this book. Will be reading more in this series.

Started Inspector Specter, and have the next book in the series as well.

I haven't read any of these but I do have a couple on my TBR.

I first discovered the Haunted Guesthouse series about five years ago, although I've only read the first four books, plus the first two novellas (one from Paul's POV and one from Loretta's). I like all the main characters, but especially the ghosts and Melissa. There's just been a bit of "so many books, so little time" about it. I'm hoping to read Thrill of the Haunt this month.

I wouldn't mind reading the Mysterious Detective or the Asperger's books, but they seem really expensive compared to the Haunted Guesthouse ones. Maybe a different publisher?

I am reading The Question of the Missing Head
It has been sitting on my bookshelf for a while now. It is actually very good. The main character Samuel has Asperger's Syndrome. It is worked into the story line very well and not glossed over. Makes a nice change from some of our ditzy main characters in many of the cozies today. I have put the next couple on my WL.

Trish wrote: "I first discovered the Haunted Guesthouse series about five years ago, although I've only read the first four books, plus the first two novellas (one from Paul's POV and one from Loretta's). I like..."

Trish I agree many of our cozy authors are now publishing in hard cover or trade paperback thus increasing the cost. I guess they are trying to make a higher profit margin

I just finished reading "Night of the living Deed" and now i am reading another book in a different series of his "written off." I just love the writing style. Its an easy read, fast paced and I have actually laughed out loud. I'm super glad I started reading the stories they are very enjoyable.

Alice wrote: "Trish I agree many of our cozy authors are now publishing in hard cover or trade paperback thus increasing the cost. I guess they are trying to make a higher profit margin"

I can sort of understand that - although I can't believe it increases their sales any. But for the Mysterious Detective mysteries, the kindle editions are noticeably more expensive as well, which makes less sense to me.

I have a question for anyone that has finished reading the book Written off.

The special agent name was Eunice Raffetry and the killers (view spoiler)[name was Shana Kineally. I'm pretty sure I missed something so can someone explain to me why at the end of the book Duffy says that they had done a background check and had seen that there was an Agent Shana Kineally..... shouldn't that be Eunice Raffetry?(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

I read Written Off, and enjoyed it! The basic idea was very intriguing and I liked the humor in the story. I have a copy of Night of the Living Deed, and I'm definitely going to make sure I get to that sooner rather than later! Tahmina, what you found was a typo that wasn't caught in the copy editing process, I believe. As for publication prices, the higher prices do make it harder to commit to buying a book. Most of the issue is that there's a prolific mystery publisher that's releasing books in hardcover with a $10 ebook price point. I think some series have been moving to this publisher, which is a great opportunity for series that otherwise would have been cut, but does mean more of a cost for readers.

ooo thanks ann!! that makes sense

I read The Question of the Missing Head and finished it in time but forgot to post. I chose this one because I have a grandson with Asperger's, and I really enjoyed seeing how the main character developed coping strategies to deal with what he knew others perceived as his shortcomings. I think I will read more in this series. This is a book I likely would not have found if the author hadn't been featured in January, so thank you for that.