Cozy Mysteries discussion

Okay, since it's officially Spring (yea!!), I've got a few themes to choose from this month.

1) Choose a mystery that is about Spring, Easter or Passover

2) In the interest of Spring cleaning, choose a mystery that is from "around the house" - i.e. maids, cleaning ladies, professional organizers, laundresses, handymen (or women!), etc.

3) In the spirit of "April Showers," and the phrase "It's raining cats and dogs!" choose a mystery that features either cats or dogs.

Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

The Feng Shui Detective This book has been on my TBR list for a long time, so I think I'll pick this as my April book. If I have enough time, I'd like to start the Blaize Clement pet sitter series.

Great ideas Suzanne - you were way ahead of me! I just posted ideas on your other thread - whoops!

I dug out The Spring Cleaning Murders by Dorothy Cannell. That seems to fit perfectly. :) Now to find time to read it! lol

Briansgirl "Master Book Sale Huntress" wrote: "I dug out The Spring Cleaning Murders by Dorothy Cannell. That seems to fit perfectly. :) Now to find time to read it! lol"

LOL, ain't that the truth!

Suzanne wrote: "The Feng Shui Detective This book has been on my TBR list for a long time, so I think I'll pick this as my April book. If I have enough time, I'd like to start the [author:Blaize Cle..."

I really like Blaize Clement's series. Haven't been disappointed with one yet!

Heidi wrote: "Great ideas Suzanne - you were way ahead of me! I just posted ideas on your other thread - whoops!"

Awesome, thanks Heidi!

I totally lucked out...I am on page 55 of Louise Penny's The Cruelest Month which opens with the major characters hiding Easter eggs for the egg hunt. When I finish it I may choose another Easter theme or spring cleaning theme (it may motivate me to clean!) Anyway, Cruelest Month (April) here I come!

I looked through my tbr pile and decided on - since she is an organizer and spring cleaning is a theme. I am excited as I was going to read that soon anyway. Now I just have to wait until April. Thanks again Suzanne.

I'm either going to read or . Depending on which one I can find.

I bought a used copy of Death and the Easter Bunny: A Mystery so I will read that.

I think I'll reread .

I have 5 Home Repair is Homicide books in my TBR shelf so my April reads will include those. Another book that came to mind is not a mystery but fits the "cats & dogs" and "rain" theme so I will throw it in also is The Art of Racing in the Rain

Vicki wrote: "I have 5 Home Repair is Homicide books in my TBR shelf so my April reads will include those. Another book that came to mind is not a mystery but fits the "cats & dogs" and "rain" theme so I will th..."

I've had THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN in The Pile for some time. Maybe I'll pull it out for this.

In the other thread someone mentioned Jewish lead character. Faye Kellerman books would fit the bill. Her books are among my favorite series books. As far as that goes so would Kellerman, Jonathan books.

Great list of choices! Thanks, Suzanne. :-)

Vicki wrote: "In the other thread someone mentioned Jewish lead character. Faye Kellerman books would fit the bill. Her books are among my favorite series books. As far as that goes so would [auth..."

I used to read Faye Kellerman's books, and always enjoyed the insights into Orthodox Judaism. Haven't read one in some time because they didn't hold my interest anymore. [bookcover:Stone Kiss (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #14)|760054] was the last one I read and I only gave it 2 stars.

I have picked two books for the April read and put them on reserve at the library. Hopefully they will arrive quickly. I chose two new to me authors, one that starts a series and one stand alone book.

I picked Every Crooked Nanny by Kathy Hogan Trocheck a "cleaning service" mystery series and as a stand alone I chose
Only the Cat Knows by Marian Babson. I am a cat person and when I saw this cover, well, I just had to read it.

Denise wrote: "I have picked two books for the April read and put them on reserve at the library. Hopefully they will arrive quickly. I chose two new to me authors, one that starts a series and one stand alone bo..."

Marian Babson had some great books. Bejeweled is my favorite of hers.

Guess April would be a good month to get round to How to Wash a Cat. Still need to get out to B&N and pick up Plaster and Poison, too.

Denise wrote: "I have picked two books for the April read and put them on reserve at the library. Hopefully they will arrive quickly. I chose two new to me authors, one that starts a series and one stand alone bo..."

Have you read Kathy Trocheck's Callahan Garrity series before, Denise? I loved that series. Wish she'd write another, but don't think that will happen. She's busy writing the series she has under the Mary Kay Andrews pen name. I don't care for that series.

I'll be reading by Leann Sweeney.

I will be reading

I think I will also read The Cruellest Month and possiblyApril Fool Dead.

I may read April Fool Dead too. Just have to dig it out. Both books I choose are not the first in their series but it's the only book I have in that series. Hope they read okay as stand alones. (Other one is The Spring Cleaning Murders by Dorothy Cannell)

Wow, everyone is coming up with great choices!! I see my TBR list growing again! :)

Ugh! I have stop reading this thread before April because you all have such great choices, you are tempting me to change my mind!

Heidi wrote: "Ugh! I have stop reading this thread before April because you all have such great choices, you are tempting me to change my mind!"

You said it sista!!

Melodie wrote: "Denise wrote: "I have picked two books for the April read and put them on reserve at the library. Hopefully they will arrive quickly. I chose two new to me authors, one that starts a series and one...Have you read Kathy Trocheck's Callahan Garrity series before, Denise? I loved that series. Wish she'd write another, but don't think that will happen. She's busy writing the series she has under the Mary Kay Andrews pen name. I don't care for that series. "

I haven't read any of Trocheck's books yet. The one that I picked for the April read, Every Crooked Nanny, is the first in the Julia Callahan Garrity series. Under her Mary Kay Andrews pen name I have read Savannah Blues but honestly don't remember it. I guess I would need to re-read before I can comment.

I think I'll try , that it's at my TBR

I'm so excited, I just got my two books for the April read (Every Crooked Nanny and Only the Cat Knows) and they both look good. I hate to wait 4 more days to start one of them. Now I just have to pick one of them to start first. Decisions, decisions!!!

Would be OK? Because I've just got it and it looks funny.

Okay, since I am reading A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen I am going to count that as the Spring Cleaning aspect of the April themes. The main character is royalty, but takes on jobs as a maid, so it counts to me :) It's good so far!

Kelley - I am so excited to read the first one in that series. Ugh! I wish I could just read all day instead of work.

Absolutely! You can define the theme however you wish. Although, a dog mystery surely fits the "Cats & Dogs" theme. Enjoy!

I just got notice that The Feng Shui Detective is wating for me at the library - yippee! It's almost April. :)

Suzanne - the cover to that book looks hilarious!

Just started reading . Happy Reading, everyone! :-)

As soon as I finish People of the Book I am going to start Only the Cat Knows. I have never read any Marian Babson novels so I'm looking forward to it. This is one of her stand-alones. The other one I picked for the Theme read is the first in a series and will also be a new author/series for me.

I started The Feng Shui Detective yesterday evening and it is definitely interesting. There are 2-3 storylines going. C.F. Wong, the Feng Shui detective, is very traditional Chinese and he is paired with a teenaged Australian girl as his intern. Her father had pulled some strings to get this assignment for her and Mr. Wong had no choice. The age and cultural gaps add some humor. Can't decide if I really like this book, but will hold judgment - not sure I'm far enough in.

Suzanne - you have to give it points for the cover alone!

Heidi wrote: "Suzanne - you have to give it points for the cover alone!"

LOL, so true! Apparently that cat is an official feng shui cat. Who knew?!

Suzanne wrote: "Heidi wrote: "Suzanne - you have to give it points for the cover alone!"

LOL, so true! Apparently that cat is an official feng shui cat. Who knew?!"

The cat is called "The Beckoning Cat" , "Lucky Cat" or "Maneki Neko". The statue represents a real historical cat known in Japan as Maneki Neko. The cat beckons good luck with it's raised paw. If the right paw is raised it attracts money and if the left paw is raised it attracts customers. That is why you often see the statue sitting by the cash register in Asian restaurants.

Good to know :)

Kari wrote: "I started my April read To Live & Die in Dixie. I am enjoying so far. For those of you reading the first in this series I would recommend reading this one as well."

This is an excellent series. Wish she hadn't stopped writing them!

Kari wrote: "I started my April read To Live & Die in Dixie. I am enjoying so far. For those of you reading the first in this series I would recommend reading this one as well."

what is the first in this series? I have never heard of it but sounds like you and Melodie enjoyed it a lot so I would like to put it on my tbr pile

Kari wrote: "The first is They are the Callahan Garrity Series a cop turned housekeeper turned PI with a knack for finding dead bodies. The books take place in Atlanta h..."

I tried reading one of the Truman Kicklighter books and couldn't get into it. I also don't care for the books she writes under the Mary Kay Andrews pen name.

I am working on my first Theme read for April, I picked out two. I decided to read Only the Cat Knows by Marian Babson first. I have never read a book by Babson before. This is a stand-alone book rather than part of a series. I am ready to start Chapter 8. So far no murder and I'm not sure that there will be one. I'm not exactly sure that I would call this a cozy. Not that there is alot of blood and guts but it also doesn't quite have the "cozy feel" if that makes any sense. The premise of the book is that a woman falls down a set of stairs and is in the hospital in a coma. Her twin decides to "take her place" and try to find out what happened. The most interesting part of this is the twin is her brother. The doctor told him that when his sister wakes up she may not remember what happened so he is playing the amnesia up big time because he doesn't know any of the people she works with. I can't quite figure out exactly what kind of place the sister works at, it seems to be some kind of compound where they live there as well as work there. The setting is in England. I'm not sure how much I like the book yet, but will write more about it later.

Miki:

I haven't read the "Home repair is homicide" series, but have really enjoyed Jennie Bentley's "Do-it-yourself" series. Just about to the midpoint of PLASTER AND POISON. Too many interruptions last night!

If you ever want to get the sequential order of a series, there is a great website called www.stopyourekillingme.com. You can look up series by author name or character name. Very cool!