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| Cats, Cupcakes and Killers |
Cats, Cupcakes and Killers Starring Izzy Greene
This fun series is considered a cozy mystery series. (More about that coming up.) It's also an enjoyable romp through life with Izzy Greene, our amateur sleuth. The setting is a modern day Palm Springs retirement community. Yep, our Izzy (short for Isadora, of course) is a widow living happily in retirement. Happily that is, until murder comes knocking at her door. Well, the murderer comes knocking, followed by the police detective who wants her to just find a hobby. And one that doesn't involve murders, please.
In the first book, Izzy ends up with a companion cat named Sherlock. Really, that's his name. This ushers in pets as integral parts of the various murder investigations. Which allows the author to weave some extra humor in.
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| Cats, Cupcakes and Killers |
Author Sylvia Selfman has put together a humorous premise for this mystery series. Every one is just plain fun reading. None of these books will ever win a Nobel prize for literature, but they don't have to. In my opinion, fun reading is worth it's weight in gold. (Not sure what that weight is, but it sure sounds good, doesn't it?)
Cozy Mysteries - The History and Progression
In the days of Agatha Christie, the term cozy mystery got it's start. It was meant to describe a mystery setting where a very limited number of people could be the murderer. A family gathering at the locked estate of the victim, a weekend getaway on an island resort, even a formal birthday party where all the guests stay overnight. The victim and the suspects are all in a "cozy" situation.
Since that original description, the term cozy has come to include a broader use. It's not just about the suspects anymore. It's now applied to mysteries that allow you read them curled up on the couch for an afternoon. Instead of the suspects, we the readers are cozy.
Sylvia Selfman decided to include both definitions in her Cats, Cupcakes and Killers series. I have been curled up in my favorite reading chair enjoying the stories of Izzy's limited setting for suspects. Cozy mysteries from any angle.
My Word of Caution for this Mystery Series Review
It's rare for me to care much about a typo or two in a book that I'm reading. Proofing isn't all it's cracked up to be. And we know that we're all only human, we make mistukes. But, with this series, along with many others I have read recently, typos seem to be popular. Maybe it's the software that put these into Kindle format, maybe it's the authors themselves. Whatever it is, be aware that there are enough typos to cause you some reading stoppage. My advice - try to ignore them and enjoy the story. Typos included, the cozy mysteries are worth it.
Besides, the price is completely right. Ninety-nine cents for the complete series of 7 mystery novels. For that price, I'll forgive the typos. It's even better if you belong to Kindle Unlimited. So take a risk - not much of one anyway - and enjoy Cats, Cupcakes and Killers.
Posted by: BuckHawk
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
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Susan, I love the title of your Cozy Mystery Series review -- "Cats, Cupcakes, and Killers". You know I'm a big mystery fan and having the main character be a retired widowed lady especially appeals to me as I can relate (retired & widowed -- but I've never been involved in a murder...LOL). Looking forward to reading this series (glad to have the typo warning, so this 'proofreading Elf' won't be too critical when I see them...LOL... and just enjoy the stories).
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a fabulous series and I very much appreciate the recommendation! Until I started reading the recommended mysteries on Review This, I didn't like mystery books. They were often too gory or scary for me. However, I very much enjoy the cozy mysteries so often reviewed here. By the way, I have gotten used to the typos in Kindle books. They certainly don't seem to go through the pre-publishing proofreading that published paper books do.
ReplyDeleteOh! I also meant to thank you for the explaining the origin of "cozy mysteries". Very interesting indeed!
DeleteWow, I have my own mystery happening! I just left a message and it has disappeared. Oh My, now where could it have gone? Oh well, I will thank you again for this lovely review. I do enjoy some lighthearted reading on a Sunday afternoon. I will look for these. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm partial to mysteries with cats who play a part in the investigations. This series sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteI like cats, cupcakes, and senior sleuths (not to mention bargains) so this mystery set is right up my alley! Thanks for the review and recommendation!
ReplyDeleteDropping back in to say that I've finished reading all seven books and really enjoyed them. Cozy mysteries are great when you need something light to pass the time.
DeleteThat first definition of cozy was new information to me. And a fun bit of trivia. A fun murder mystery... sounds interesting.
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