Comments on: Does There Need to Be a Body?!? I Would Love to Hear What You All Think…

By: Maria BearMountainBooks

Maria BearMountainBooks — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:04:14 +0000

Okay, this is pretty far off the beaten path–but there was NO dead body and I loved the book anyway!

Big Hair and Flying Cows by Dolores J. Wilson

The mystery is mostly about mysterious threatening letters. The book centers on the adventures/capers of Bertie, a lady that drives a tow-truck in a small town…it's quite funny (though at times a little too sappy) and I enjoyed it!

By: Danna - cozy mystery list

Danna - cozy mystery list — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:10:08 +0000

Hi Donna,

I think you're right about these "mysteries." Right now I am listening to Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, which has, as its "mystery" the perpetual losing streak of a soccer team.

By: Donna Lea Simpson

Donna Lea Simpson — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:29:27 +0000

What about the 1st Ladies Detective series… is there always a body? I seem to remember at least one that didn't? Not sure, though.

By: Tori Lennox

Tori Lennox — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:14:18 +0000

I was going to say yes but then I remembered the "Spirit" series by Alice Duncan. They have a mystery to solve but nobody dies as far as I can remember.

By: Jeannie

Jeannie — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:57:37 +0000

Thanks everyone.

I, too, had forgotten about the Blue Carbuncle. That was a great story.

I'm having a hard time remembering a cozy that doesn't have a body as well so I'm going to throw something else out: Anybody remember a story that has 2 mysteries going on? Say a murder plus a missing whatever? Would the book have worked just as well with only the missing whatever?

I'm thinking particularly of Rett MacPherson's Tory O'Shea mysteries. There's always something in a family's history that Tory needs to figure out. Because I like Tory and the characters that surround her, I'd be happy if Rett wrote a story simply around a family mystery in which nobody died. (I have absolutely no idea what the mystery could be, but I'd be interested in it.)

By: Maria BearMountainBooks

Maria BearMountainBooks — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:24:42 +0000

Good answers! Does anyone remember whether Janet Evanovich's first (One for the Money) had a dead body? I don't think it did…not even sure the second or third one did. I know there were bodies cropping up later, but it's been a long time since I read the beginning of the series!

By: Danna - cozy mystery list

Danna - cozy mystery list — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:26:21 +0000

I also had a difficult time remembering a cozy without a body, Dru.

Laura, I totally forgot about The Blue Carbuncle >>> great story without a body.

By: Dru

Dru — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:16:20 +0000

I'm trying to recall all the cozy mysteries that I read and I think all if not most have a dead body. I like that fact that the amauteur sleuth is trying to solve the crimes when they feel the police are doing enough.

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:07:17 +0000

Very well said Jeannie! Character development is high on my list of importance. There does not necessarily have to be a dead body. I think my favorite Sherlock Holmes story is "The Blue Carbuncle". That had to do with a theft of a precious gem and an innocent man being imprisoned for it. It was important that the real thief be found and the convoluted path to finding him was interesting.

By: Danna - cozy mystery list

Danna - cozy mystery list — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:03:29 +0000

Wow, Jeannie, I absolutely could NOT have said it better!!!

I totally agree with everything you posted... right down to the Faberge egg with the clue VS Grandma Edna's famous apple pie.