I just added four new authors to the Cozy Mystery Site. These authors have been recommended to me by site readers. They are new to me, but look very interesting…

J.F. Englert writes the Bull Moose Dog Run Mystery Series which features a Black Labrador Retriever and his often-confused owner… The Black Lab (Randolph) is the narrator of this mystery series…

Rebecca M. Hale (a patent attorney and New York Times bestselling author) writes the Cats and Curios Mystery Series which features the new owner of an antique shop and two pets (cats)…

Spencer Quinn (aka Peter Abrahams) writes the Chet and Bernie Mystery Series, which is told from Chet's point of view. Chet is the loyal dog of Bernie Little… As an aside: I  love finding authors (especially mystery authors!) who are really successful at their profession, who write mysteries for children and/or young adults (the Echo Falls Mystery Series). Abrahams is one of those authors. (As Abrahams, he is not cozy.)

Beth Solheim writes the Sadie Witt Mystery Series which is a paranormal mystery series. Both Sadie and Belly LaGossa (Sadie's dog) are able to see the dead…

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I just got a note from Jane asking for help identifying possible authors who she could try reading, based on the mystery authors who she lists as her favorites:

"… I really enjoy Hannah Swenson (Joanne Fluke), Lucy Stone (Leslie Meier) and Chocoholic mysteries (JoAnna Carl).  Can you recommend a similar author as I have just about finished those series??" 

I think that I would absolutely have to mention the following authors:

Jill Churchill

Mary Daheim

Diane Mott Davidson

Tamar Myers

Thanks to all of you who are helping come up with other mystery book author possibilities for Jane. Here are some more authors who you all have added in your comments:

Lorna Barrett (Booktown mysteries)

Miranda Bliss (Cooking Class mysteries)

Kate Carlisle (Bibliophile mysteries)

Sammi Carter (Candy Shop mysteries)

Laura Childs (Tea Shop mysteries)

Sheila Connolly (Orchard mysteries)

Susan Rogers Cooper (E.J. Pugh mysteries)

Cleo Coyle (Coffeehouse mysteries)

Carolyn Hart (Death on Demand mysteries)

Linda O. Johnston (Pet-Sitter mysteries)

John J. Lamb (Bear Collector's mysteries)

Lucy Lawrence (Decoupage mysteries)

Jenn McKinlay (Cupcake Bakery mysteries)

Jessica Conant-Park (with Susan Conant – Gourmet Girl mysteries)

Louise Penny (Three Pines mysteries)

Maggie Sefton (Knitting mysteries)

Patricia Sprinkle (Thoroughly Southern mysteries)

J.B. Stanley (Supper Club mysteries)

Ayelet Waldman (Mommy Track mysteries)

Livia J. Washburn (Fresh Baked mysteries)

Heather Webber (Lucy Valentine series)

Do any of you have any other suggestions for Jane?

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I have received requests for the Tales from Grace Chapel Inn Series list of books from quite a few people. These books are not mysteries, but (apparently) this Guideposts' Tales from Grace Chapel Inn Series is very akin to some of the mystery series which I have posted in previous entries:

Church Choir Mystery Series

Mystery and the Minister's Wife Mystery Series

Heartsong Presents Mysteries

The Tales from Grace Chapel Inn Series is a series of NON mystery chronological books, which is published by Guideposts. The series follows three sisters who live in Pennsylvania. Alice, Jane, and Louise run a Bed & Breakfast. The series is written by several Christian authors…

I have written another entry which has other authors who don't use profanity in their novels (as far as I am aware!)

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Angela just asked if I could add a new theme to the site which features "archaeology/anthropology based series">>> so here goes! (Remember that I am only including authors who are posted on the Cozy Mystery Site. I am sure that there are many other authors who write mysteries which feature anthropologists and archaeologists…)

Margot Arnold: Penny Spring & Sir Toby Glendower Mystery Series… set in Great Britain, has both anthropologist and archaeologist as the sleuths…

Dana Cameron: Emma Fielding Mystery Series…Emma is a New England archaeologist/professor…

Barbara Cleverly: Laetitia Talbot Mystery Series…set in France after WWI, the sleuth is an archaeologist…

Aaron ElkinsGideon Oliver Mystery Series… Elkins, a former anthropologist has as his sleuth, a professor of anthropology…

Lyn Hamilton: Archaeological Mystery Series: Lara McClintoch is a Canadian antiques dealer…

Sharyn McCrumb: Elizabeth MacPherson Mystery Series… sleuth is a forensic anthropologist…

Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Mertz & Barbara Michaels: Amelia Peabody Mystery Series… a British Egyptologist/archaeologist…

Kathy ReichsTemperance Brennan Mystery Series… (Not Cozy) the basis of the Fox show Bones… forensic anthropologist in Quebec…

Lynda S. Robinson: While the Lord Meren Mystery Series does not feature an archaeologist or anthropologist, the author of this ancient Egyptian mystery series holds a PhD in anthropology (emphasis on archaeology)…

♦ To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link ♦

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2009 Agatha Awards Nominees…

February 24, 2010

This will be quick. I just posted all of the 2009 Agatha Award Nominees. (I guess I won't be getting the early-bird worm!)

CONGRATULATIONS to ALL of the nominees!!!

I think that if you take a look at the lists, you will recognize quite a few of "our" authors, and look forward to reading the new ones. Remember that the Agatha Awards are probably the most "Cozy" of all of the mystery book awards… No gratuitious violence, no "gross-out" goriness, and no explicit "adult situations"… so to speak.

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Holiday Mystery Books…

February 23, 2010

I just updated my holiday mystery book lists, and wonder if I have left any obvious books off of the lists. (I was actually quite surprised by how many books I didn't have listed!)

I usually try to take a look at the books as each holiday approaches, and then see if any of them pique my interest. I know I wrote about this several times, but that's how I "found" Cyril Hare… Once I read his Christmas book, I was hooked on his mystery-writing style! (I currently have all of his books upstairs in my TBR book shelf.) Also, I "discovered" Kate Kingsbury's Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery Series from that list.

As 2010 begins, with Valentine's Day behind us, and Easter approaching, I am getting my yearly "spring fever">>> even though we are experiencing a wet and cold day here in San Antonio.

Anyway, the reason I am writing about this is to ask if any of you can spot some books that I am missing on the holiday mystery book lists, so that I can add them.

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This is a continuation of my entry from yesterday:

Don't get me wrong! It's not like I intentionally don't answer a site readers request for help. If someone writes and asks me about… let's say… Camille Minichino's Gloria Lamerino, Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles, or Katherine Hall Page's Faith Fairchild, I will definitely write back (almost!) immediately. But, as I saw from my post on February 16, it took less than three hours for Barbara to come up with the mystery book author's mystery identity.

Having said that, Cheryl is asking for help identifying the following author!

"I read this book somewhere between 2005 and 2008 and despite revisiting my local bookstore, cannot find the author or the book, as I would like very much to read more of her work.  I gave the book to my father in law to read (and buy more of her novels)…now it's gone!
 
Here's the story, hope you remember it…..
This novel, a mystery, set in England involved an older married couple, (the husband may have been in the publishing business) who decided to retire to the country to a house and lovely garden where an older aunt lived.  (I think the wife's name was Anne.)  They had a somewhat odd ball loner neighbour who wrote about medieval weaponry etc. a seemingly worthless pursuit that no one knew about, until he was murdered.  Meanwhile, back in London, their daughter (Penny?) was squandering their retirement fund under the guise of "investing" it on their behalf.  In the end, the couples shattered dreams of retirement are saved by the finding of the neighbour's meticulous records of historical weaponry, which are then published and bring in funds to pay for their retirement.
 
This book was written by an English woman, well written, engrossing to read.  It was punctuated with her dry humour and she made the characters real and likeable, even the shiftless Penny, who you couldn't help but want things to work out for.  The writing was comparable to a Ruth Rendell or Kate Atkinson, with none of the drama or goriness that ruins many mystery novels. 
 
And, most notably, it took my several days to read it and I couldn't put it down.
I'm hoping you'll remember the story line and help me find this writer's work again.
I too have read all the Agatha's, Ruth's, Barbara's, Sue Grafton's (she is good)….
Thanks!
Cheryl"

So, if you know the identity of the author Cheryl is describing, please drop us a comment… This author truly sounds like someone a lot of us would be interested in reading!

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