Where has the time gone!? I can't believe that I am this far behind on posting the 2008 Derringer Award Winners, the 2008 Nero Award Nominees and the 2008 Anthony Award Nominees. (I will be annotating the winners of the Anthony Awards after they are announced this weekend.)

I started working on all of these awards a while back, then put them on hold for a while, and just yesterday I decided that I really did have to get them posted on my Awards pages.

I saw a few authors who look familiar, and then of course, there are authors who are not yet familiar names for me. (I know that I have said this before, but the Malice Domestic Agatha Awards are really the awards that include most of our cozy authors… which makes perfect sense, since they are actually named for the woman with the name which is most synonymous with cozy mysteries.)

Whew! What a relief it is to finally get this done! I hope that you find some authors who you think that you might enjoy reading amongst all of them!

As the title of this entry indicates, two of the four latest entries to the Cozy Mystery Site are authors who feature a Culinary Theme, and the other two new authors feature an Accounting Theme:

In the Culinary Theme:

Krista Davis: Domestic Diva Mystery Series… Sophie Winston is the domestic diva who solves more than cooking tips… (And, recipes are included!) (I have also added her first Domestic Diva Mystery to the Christmas page…)

Julie Hyzy: White House Chef Mystery Series… Ollie Paras is more than "just" an assistant chef at the White House. (Let's face it… Assistant Chef at the White House is never going to be a "just" job!!!) … AND… Alex St. James Mystery Series… Alex is a reporter in Chicago…

In the Accounting Theme:

Elizabeth Chamberlin: Jane Mayhew Mystery Series… Jane is a retired accountant still solving problems… only now the problems don't just involve numbers…

Maggie Toussaint: Cleopatra Jones Mystery Series… Cleopatra and Madonna, her beloved St. Bernard live in Maryland where they can "account" for their time… most of the time…

I thought for sure that I had already written a Puzzle Theme for the Cozy Mystery Site… but I got a little confused with the Sudoku Theme (which includes both Shelley Freydont's and Kaye Morgan's Sudoku Mystery Series)…

Nero Blanc (Wife & Husband Writing Team: Cordelia Frances Biddle & Steve Zettler): This Crossword Mystery Series features the crossword editor of a newspaper (Annabella "Belle" Graham) and a private detective (ex-police officer Rosco Polycrates) in Massachusetts…

Parnell Hall (aka J. P. Hailey): The Puzzle Lady Mystery Series revolves around Cora Felton and her niece Sherry Carter, both of who live in Connecticut. Cora appears to be something she isn't>>> But, what she is, is someone who enjoys her cigarettes and liquor. Enter the Puzzle Lady, the creator of a syndicated crossword puzzle column… 

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

A few days ago, I received a request from a site reader for a new theme: Religious-Themed Mysteries. So with that in mind… here is a list of the Religious-Themed Mysteries that can be found on the Cozy Mystery Site:

Veronica Black: Sister Joan, Daughters of Compassion Mystery Series…

Kate Charles: Callie Anson Mystery Series… AND   Book of Psalms Mystery Series… 

Joan Coggins: Lady Lupin Mystery Series…

Margaret Frazer (aka Monica Ferris & Mary Monica Pulver): Written as Margaret Frazer (with Gail Frazer): (Only the first six Sister Frevisse novels were joint efforts, Gail Frazer continued the series alone, as Margaret Frazer): Sister Frevisse Medieval Mystery Series…

Lee Harris: Christine Bennett Holiday Mystery Series…

Sharon Kahn: Ruby, the Rabbi's Wife Mystery Series…

Jan Karon (Not Mysteries): Mitford Series… AND   Father Tim's Series…

Harry Kemelman: Rabbi Small Mystery Series…

William X. Kienzle: Father Mystery Series…

Ralph McInerney (aka Monica Quill): Father Dowling Mystery Series…

Sharan Newman: Catherine LeVendeur Mystery Series…

Sister Carol Anne O'Marie: Sister Mary Helen Mystery Series…

Ellis Peters: Brother Cadfael Mystery Series…

Monica Quill (aka Ralph McInerney): Sister Mary Teresa Mystery Series…

Emilie Richards: Ministry is Murder Mystery Series…

Julia Spencer-Fleming: Adirondack Mystery Series…

Winona Sullivan: Sister Cecile Mystery Series…

Aimée & David Thurlo: Sister Agatha Mystery Series…

Peter Tremayne: Sister Fidelma Mystery Series…

Deborah Woodworth: Shaker Mystery Series…

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

Here are the next four authors who I have added to the Cozy Mystery Site. They are all recommended authors>>> who some of you think belong right here on the Cozy Mystery site>>> so that those of us who haven't tried reading them (yet!) can do so.

Joan Coggin: Lady Lupin Mystery Series… Lady Lupin (known as "Loops") is the wife of a Church of England minister. If you are familiar with the Jeeves and Wooster novels by P. G. Wodehouse, then you might enjoy the four mysteries in this series. They are supposed to be very funny.

Connie Feddersen: Amanda Hazard Mystery Series… Amanda is a CPA who lives in Oklahoma. Each of the titles in the series start with the words "Dead in the…" Amanda finds out what (and who!) "X" stands for… when "X" is the missing murderer.

Betty Hechtman: Crochet Mystery Series… Molly Pink is an events planner for a bookstore who is also a member of a crochet group. Hechtman is hooked on crocheting, and she includes a crochet pattern in each of her mysteries!

Rhonda Pollero (aka Kelsey Roberts): F. A. T. Mystery Series… The F.A.T. stand for Finley Anderson Tannery, a paralegal who is not only a sleuth, but she is also a shopaholic.

I am not sure if I should post this… The last time I raved about something that I love I received MANY emails from folks who didn't take the time to read the blog, and simply asked me to send them the free Kraft Food and Family Magazine. I sent each of them a letter giving them the phone number and email address of the real distributors of the magazine… and am hoping that each of them received  my letters and that they are actually getting the magazines now.

Anyway… back to why I am writing this blog. I know that I have mentioned (probably several times) that I am a cross stitcher. I just love to cross stitch while I watch television… something that bothers my husband, so I don't stitch while we watch something together. I am wandering (again!) from my blog's point…

Last summer (2007) my daughter and I took a tour through Canada and some of the northeastern states. Whenever we had free time to do our own thing, we would wander around… and invariably find a bookstore of some sort. One time, when I was looking for something other than a cozy mystery (or police procedural, true crime, ETC!) to read, I found myself looking at the magazines. I found myself drawn to a magazine that I had seen in the past: Cross Stitch & Needlework Magazine.

I usually purchase cross stitching books and pamphlets for the projects that I want to do, but I had been drawn to Cross Stitch & Needlepoint magazine before… When I got home, I put it on my Christmas Wish List, and was very happy when I received a subscription. This is a magazine that I actually keep "whole" rather than rip out the pages that most interest me. That's because almost all of the pages interest me! I get a sprinkling of different artists (as in cross stitchers) projects. I enjoy reading the letters to the editor, the editor's letters in each issue, the "fabulous finds" page, the projects… even the ads are beautiful to look at!

If you have a non-cozy mystery find that you would like to share… please feel free to drop me a comment…

If you are looking for a funny (television) mystery series… then you might enjoy the Jonathan Creek Mystery Series. The first three seasons of this series are some of the most entertaining mystery shows that my family has "accidentally" found. This entry is about just the first three seasons of the show. They were a delight to watch.

The show stars Alan Davies as Jonathan Creek , and the wonderful Caroline Quentin as his side kick Maddy Magellan. Actually, I use the term "side kick" rather loosely, since they are equally intrinsic to the show… but since Jonathan Creek is actually the magician/illusionist, I'll go with that term.

Both of the actors are a delight to watch. The only negative that I can think of imparting is that Caroline Quentin decided to leave the show after its third season. (Don't quote me on that…. it's sort of what I remember from years ago when I looked it up…) The First Season (1997) was such a delight to watch… It was like finding a hidden gift. Season Two (1998) provided a continuation of the fun!  On to Season Three>>> More great fun with Jonathan and Maddy… somewhat reminiscent of Nick and Nora Charles (at least to me!) The fourth season brought in the very accomplished actress Julia Sawalha (Saffy from Absolutely Fabulous) as her replacement, but the dye had been cast for my family and we simply weren't able to make the transition to the new "format" of the show.

The premise of the show is that a very accomplished magician/illusionist (Jonathan Creek) is called upon to help solve a mystery that is virtually impossible to solve… He consents to helping solve the mysteries…sort of against his will. It's not a career choice that he has made>>> Solving the mysteries has been thrust on him. Maddy, on the other hand, is an investigative journalist, always looking for a breaking-news story. Maddy simply perseveres to get (as in "make") Jonathan give her that story… She hounds him mercilessly. She simply insists on partnering up with him even though he is fervently against this partnership.

The mysteries are truly stumpers… the types that really would require a magician's trained mind to solve. And, the audience has fun watching the duo go about solving those mysteries.

On to the third and final part of the Super Supernatural Mystery Novels with the Vampire Theme, Werewolf Theme, and Witch Theme:

Vampire:

Charlaine Harris: Southern Vampire Mystery Series… Sookie Stackhouse isn't your run-of-the-mill cocktail waitress! Sookie happens to have a vampire boyfriend AND she's telepathic!

Aimée & David Thurlo: Lee Nez Mystery Series… Lee (aka Leo) happens to be a Navajo policeman with a twist… he's half vampire…

A site reader just asked that I include Mary Janice Davidson to the list of Cozy Mystery authors who write mysteries with a Vampire theme… Undead and Unwed is the first in the series…

Werewolf:

Karen MacInerney: Tales of an Urban Werewolf Mystery Series… Sophie Garou isn't content with just braying at the moon…

Witch:

Madelyn Alt: Bewitching Mystery Series… Maggie O'Neill happens to be much more than an antique store clerk in Stony Mill, Indiana…

Shirley Damsgaard: Ophelia & Abby Mystery Series… A librarian and her grandmother are charming sleuths…

Please feel free to either send a comment or a letter to the site if you know of any other mystery authors who would fit into this Vampire, Werewolf, and Witch Theme. Thanks!

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

Here is the second part of the requested Supernatural Theme… This part involves Psychics… Characters with the 6th Sense:

L. L. Bartlett (aka Lorna Barrett & Loraine Bartlett): Jeff Resnick Mystery Series… As a victim of a mugging, Jeff has a special sixth sense gift…

Claire Daniels (aka Jaqueline Girdner): Karma Crime Mystery Series… Cally Lazar has a special gift for solving crimes…

Carole Nelson Douglas: Delilah Street Mystery Series… Delilah investigates all things other-worldly…

Honora Finkelstein & Susan Smily: Ariel Quigley Mystery Series… Ariel is an English teacher who combines her sleuthing with her psychic abilities…

Yasmine Galenorn (aka India Ink): Chintz 'n China Mystery Series… Emerald O'Brien not only owns a tea room, but she also solves mysteries and is able to read tarot cards… 

Charlaine Harris: Harper Connelly Mystery Series: Harper survived being hit by lightning and is now able to find corpses…

Kay Hooper: Shadows Trilogy, Evil Trilogy, Fear Trilogy, and The Bishop Special Crimes Units Trilogy… Hooper's trilogies revolve around the FBI and their work solving paranormal cases… (Not Cozies)

Victoria Laurie: Psychic Eye Mystery Series… In this series, Laurie (who happens to be an author and psychic) writes about Abby, who happens to be an author and psychic… 

Joyce & Jim Lavene: Pet Psychic Mystery Series… Mary Catherine is a radio talk show pet psychic and she also runs an animal shelter…

Martha C. Lawrence: Elizabeth Chase Mystery Series… Elizabeth, a parapsychologist, is also a psychic private investigator…

Please feel free to either send a comment or a letter to the site if you know of any other mystery authors who would fit into this Psychic/6th Sense Theme. Thanks!

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

About a week ago I received a note from a site reader who asked: "Could you make a list of paranomal cozies, cozies with witches, occult, vampires & such?"

I had already started a skeleton of a list which included some different supernatural themes, and thought: What better time to be making a theme with werewolves, vampires, "& such" than right before Halloween…. So here goes!

Ghosts:

Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Mystery Series… Aunt Dimity simply insists on staying around after Lori inherits her Cotswold cottage…

Mignon F. Ballard: Augusta Goodnight Mystery Series… Augusta Goodnight is a guardian angel who helps solve mysteries… (I wasn't sure if I should put Augusta in this category but decided to go ahead and include her, she is a guardian angel…)

Helen Chappell: Sam & Hollis Mystery Series… Hollis (a reporter) solves mysteries with the help of her deceased husband Sam…

Carolyn Hart (aka Carolyn G. Hart): Bailey Ruth Mystery Series… Bailey loved to sleuth before she joined Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, as a ghost… 

Alice Kimberly (aka Cleo Coyle): Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series… Penelope Thornton-McClure owns the bookstore that Jack Shepard inhabits… as a ghost…

Victoria Laurie: Ghost Hunter Mystery Series…  M.J. Holliday does just that! She hunts down ghosts…

Please feel free to either send a comment or a letter to the site if you know of any other mystery authors who would fit into this Ghost Theme. Thanks!

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