I love Joy Ellis police series and have read them all. When I heard that two manuscripts had languished in her attic for two decades before being 'rediscovered' I immediately downloaded both titles.
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Reviewing The Ellie McEwan Mysteries by Joy Ellis
I love Joy Ellis police series and have read them all. When I heard that two manuscripts had languished in her attic for two decades before being 'rediscovered' I immediately downloaded both titles.
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Review of Cozy Mystery Genre
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Bar Harbor Maine Photo by mbgphoto |
The "Cozy Mystery" Genre for stories has become very popular. I thought this was a newer genre until I did a bit of research. Actually, it has been around for a while. Think about the TV program "Murder She Wrote" with Angela Lansbury and you find the perfect ingredients for a cozy mystery. Like so many cozy mysteries this program features a woman who finds herself falling into the role of amateur sleuth. She is an intelligent woman who also has main career. The program takes place in a small, coastal town, where everyone knows each other. She also has a good friend in law enforcement. As I read more cozy mysteries, I find that these features are common to many of the books.
Why I Like Cozy Mysteries
I like cozy mysteries because they are fairly short, they feature a mystery that keeps my interest throughout the entire book, and many times there is a romantic interest in the story. Often, they take place in places I have visited and really enjoyed. In the past year I have read cozy mysteries that took place on the coast of South Carolina, in a small Irish village, small Colorado town, and along the coast of Maine. I find this genre of books to be a wonderful way to relax and I often pick one up after I've been doing heavier reading. They are great reads for a day at the beach or to bring along on a vacation. Many cozy mysteries are part of a series of books with the same characters.
Cozy Mystery I am Currently Reading
Review This Writers Review Cozy Mystery Books
- Margaret Schindel recommends this cozy mystery series. https://www.reviewthisreviews.com/.../Irish-Village...
- Olivia recommends this cozy mystery Murder Out of Character by Olivia Matthews – A Book Review (reviewthisreviews.com)
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Louanne recommends these books. I've reviewed a couple by Cynthia Ellingsen:
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Pat Austin recommends this cozy mystery Book Review of ‘In Cold Chamomile’ (reviewthisreviews.com)
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Here is another cozy mystery I have reviewed. Book Review - Toes on the Dash (reviewthisreviews.com)
Review This Writers Review Cozy Mystery Movies
- Darrow & Darrow Hallmark Movie Series Reviewed (reviewthisreviews.com)
- The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango (2023) - Hallmark Mystery Movie (reviewthisreviews.com)
- The Hallmark Aurora Teagarden Mystery Series Reviewed (reviewthisreviews.com)
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Reviewing Progress On A Series
Author's Progress Report
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Series progress image courtesy of pixabay.com |
Introducing Babbs Bennett
Moving ahead...
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Reviewing Author Plans For 2020
Planning for the Future
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Can this author reach her goal? books image courtesy of pixabay.com |
Not too long ago, I did a review on Kathi Daley She is another Cozy Mystery author, like myself. I really enjoy her books but the thing that kept niggling at my brain is that she published a book a month in one year. Actually, I think she did it two years in a row. So, 24 books in two years. At first I thought, wow that is impressive. Then I began to think on the lines of could I do that? Could I write and publish 12 books in 12 months. You probably see where I'm going with this.
2020 Goals For This Author
When the year 2019 began, I had only written and published two books. I had been stuck on book three for over a year. In February of this year, the block I was experiencing finally broke away and I was able to finish the third book in the Roni Rainer Mysteries series; publishing it in March. At that point, I didn't really have any set goals for writing other than I wanted to try to write everyday.
Working List of Books to Write
- January Book One of Babbs Bennett Mysteries (working title Valentine Vengeance)
- February Book Two of Babbs Bennett Mysteries
- March Book Three of Babbs Bennett Mysteries
- April Book One of Cottonwood Grove Mysteries (new series involves a yarn shop business)
- May Book Two of Cottonwood Grove Mysteries
- June Book Three of Cottonwood Grove Mysteries
- July Book Five of Roni Rainer Mysteries
- August Book Four of Cabin 9 Mysteries
- September Book One of Second Chances Mysteries (new series involves a second hand shop)
- October Book Two of Second Chances Mysteries
- November Book Three of Second Chances Mysteries
- December Book Four of Babbs Bennett Mysteries
Already Published Books by Beverly Owens
- Roni Rainer Mysteries
- Death Takes a Spin
- Illegal Harvest
- The Puzzle of Talking Rock
- Missing in Beaver Falls
- Cabin 9 Mysteries
- Campground Corpse
- Untimely Checkout
- Grifter's Gamble
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Kathi Daley Books Reviewed
Prolific Cozy Mystery Author
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Living with views like this seem to inspire Kathi Daley image courtesy of pixabay.com |
A Little Something For Everyone
After reading one of her books, I decided to check out what else she had written. Currently, I'm reading Romeow and Juliet (book one) in the series Whales and Tales. I'm enjoying it even more than the Answers In The Attic. So, out of curiosity I looked to see what else she has written. Mainly to start a list of other books to possibly read. Let me tell you, there is a series by Kathi Daley for just about anyone's taste. I read that in 2014 she published twelve books in that one year. That is a book a month, people! Being an author myself, that is impressive, very impressive. I thought I was cranking mine out in a fairly rapid pace but it takes me longer than a month to finish a book. I digress.
- Zoe Donovan Mysteries
- TJ Jensen Mysteries
- Whales and Tails
- Sand and Sea
- Writers Retreat Southern Seashore
- Tess and Tilly
- Seacliff High
- The Inn at Holiday Bay
- A Hathaway Sister
- Haunting By The Sea
- Rescue Alaska
- A Cat In The Attic
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Cabin 9 Mysteries New Book Launch Review
Book Two Coming Soon
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Cabin 9 at Whispering Oaks Campground image courtesy of pixabay.com |
Cabin 9 Mysteries Book Two
In Untimely Checkout, the second book in the series, the story continues with a new mystery to solve. The story moves forward to early June with progress being made on the restoration work Taylor had hired done. Taylor and Gwen are testing out recipes in the main lodge on the crew of Webb Nailed It. Taylor hopes to get the campgrounds opened to overnight guests in the very near future and wants to decide what foods will be served as a part of the breakfasts. The crew is more than happy to come in every morning to eat for free and give their opinions as to what they liked or didn't like about the breakfast fare.
Uncertain release date
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Raspberry Danish Murder Reviewed
A Culinary Cozy Mystery
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Raspberry Danish Anyone? Image courtesy of pixabay.com |
A Short Synopsis of Raspberry Danish Murder
My Review of this Cozy Mystery
I enjoyed the book, the mystery part. I mentioned earlier that it could almost pass as a cookbook. At first I enjoyed having recipes for cookies, pastries and savory dishes after the chapters they were mentioned in. After a while, I almost found it annoying. Don't get me wrong, the recipes sounded pretty good and the formatting of the pages was clever but goodness gracious they started to get in the way of finding out what was happening in the actual story. Personally, I feel that the recipes could have been included but perhaps a little note that states the recipe can be found at the back of the book instead of after every chapter. They would be easy to reference in a paperback but in an ebook they would be difficult to go back to after reading the book.
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Selective Spells Book Review
Witches, Spells, Dogs & A Mystery
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Is this Beezley the man turned into a dog? image courtesy of pixabay.com |
Recommendation of Selective Spells
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
A Murder in Helvetica Bold Book Review
Thistlewood Star Cozy Mystery Series
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Helvetica Bold might be found in these print blocks image courtesy of pixabay.com |
My Recommendation for A Murder in Helvetica Bold
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to read the other books in the series. The characters were interesting and diverse. The plot flowed nicely and there were a few twists along the way. I'll give a little spoiler that won't tell you anything about the solving of the mystery. The use of the typeface names is really kind of clever on the author's part. The tradition of the newspaper's former owner was to do each obituary in a different lettering. He kept records of each one used in the past. Ruth uses Helvetica Bold for Edith Morton's to keep up the tradition.
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Kitty Confidential Book Review
What If You Could Talk To The Kitty?
Angie Russo finds herself working as a paralegal in a local law firm after earning seven different associate degrees in college. She would just as soon go for another degree but her grandmother has insisted that it is past time for her to find her true calling in life. Little did either of them know what that "calling" would turn out to be.
Accidental Sleuth Meets A Spoiled Cat
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Secrets In a Bottle Cozy Mystery Review
Delightfully Quirky Cozy Mystery
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Great Dane A Cozy Pet In Secrets In A Bottle image courtesy of pixabay.com |
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Review of the Death On Demand Series by Carolyn Hart
I only recently discovered this mystery series and am currently reading my way through the entire series of 27 (to date) books. I had seen Carolyn Hart's name in the library mystery section several times, but had never read any of her books until about 2 months ago. After reading the first book, I became 'hooked'. The characters are charming, the plots interesting, the reading 'light' with humor and good taste and downright fun throughout.
Although there is usually a murder (or two), it is secondary to the stories of the characters who solve the mystery of the crime. By that I mean there are no heavy details (like blood & gore) to wade through about the actual murder. The descriptions center more on the characters, their backgrounds and the uniqueness of life lived on an island.
South Carolina Low Country
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South Carolina Low Country (Source: Pixabay) |
The main reason I love the setting is the author frequently mentions island residents going into Beaufort or Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA, all quite easily reached after taking the ferry from Broward's Rock to the mainland. After having spent years camping at Hunting Island State Park just past Beaufort, having visited Charleston several times and having lived in the Savannah, GA area for nearly 20 years, the author's descriptions of these places is so familiar and such fun to re-visit through the pages of the books. If you have never been to any of these places in the 'Low Country' (a geographic and cultural region along South Carolina's coast, including the Sea Islands) you will find the descriptions of the area delightful).
Death on Demand
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Book One in the "Death on Demand" Series |
As the Death on Demand series continues, Anne Lawrence marries Max Darling and together they seem to become involved in one mystery after another, often solving them with the help of several friends who are regulars at both the bookstore and in their lives. One of them is Max's mother Laurel. Laurel is often joined by two other older ladies, Henny, a former WWII pilot and former teacher and Emma, a mystery book writer who also lives on Broward's Rock Island. Max and Anne also become good friends with the island's Chief of Police, Billy Cameron, who is a regular character in the series, along with his wife, Mavis and other members of this small island police force. As I read my way through the series, the characters become as familiar as my own family.
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(Source: Pixabay) |
Cats play a regular role in the stories too, with a black cat named Agatha (after Agatha Christi, Anne's favorite mystery writer) who lives at the Death on Demand bookstore and a white cat named Dorothy L (primarily Max's cat) who lives at Max & Anne's home.
Carolyn Hart
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Author Carolyn Hart |
Carolyn Hart also has written two other regular series, the Henrie O mysteries which features a 70-something retired newswoman, Henrie O'Dwyer Collins, as she travels the country and the world, solving crimes that seem to follow her as she travels, and the very humorous Bailey Ruth Raeburn Ghost series about the ghost of a woman killed at sea who returns to earth via the "Rescue Express" to help her fictional hometown of Adelaide, Oklahoma while trying not to violate the Precepts for Earthly Visitation and adjusting to her powers on earth.
In 2015, Hart decided that keeping up with all her series and characters was becoming too much, and decided to end the Anne & Max Darling series to give her more time for her Bailey Ruth series. Instead, as Hart wrote "Anne and Max looked me in the eye and said, “Don’t even think about it!”, so (thankfully) Anne and Max returned.
Today Carolyn Hart, author of more than 60 novels and one non-fiction book about Oklahoma, today resides in Oklahoma. She is a delightful author who specializes in traditional mysteries, also known as cozy* mysteries.
*Wikipedia defines 'cozy' also known as "cozies", as a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community.
I would definitely classify Broward's Rock Island, South Carolina as such a small intimate community and Death on Demand as a very delightful series.
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Source: Pixabay |
Quick Links:
- Death on Demand, Book 1 (1987) available on Amazon
- The Death on Demand Mystery Series by Carolyn Hart (Amazon)
- Newest Death on Demand Mystery "Walking on my Grave" (2017) Amazon)
Book Review written by (c) Wednesday Elf (2019)
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Probable Paws Mystic Notch Series Reviewed
Revisiting A Favored Cozy Mystery Series
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A guardian of magic, perhaps? |
Willa still sees ghosts which is an ability that she acquired after a terrible accident a few years ago. The ghosts aren't anything to fear, they are actually pretty friendly. Willa would say they are more annoying than frightening. In Probable Paws, the visiting spirit is Adelaide Hamilton who doesn't ask Willa to find the person who took her life as most of the ghosts do. Adelaide is more concerned that Willa find a certain recipe book and make sure that it gets to Elspeth. Willa remembers that her Grandmother had mentioned this same book in her will and also wanted to make sure that Elspeth got it. What could be so special about a cookbook? Well, perhaps the recipes contained it might be a clue but I won't spoil it for you.
I will tell you that Willa is not the only person in town who is searching for that book. If you remember there has been a struggle in the little town for generations between the people who know good magic and the dark ones who want to exert their evil magic into the town. So, obviously some bad people are also looking for the book known as Betty's Recipes. There is another searcher for the book that Willa is unaware of. Are they one of the good ones or a bad one? Well, you will have to read the book to find out. Will the cats of Mystic Notch be able to help the humans?
If you read the other books in this series, I think you will want to read the fifth book. I enjoyed it immensely. If you have not read any of these books, I highly recommend that you get started. You will not be disappointed if you are a cozy mystery fan, a lover of cats and don't mind a friendly ghost or two.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Cree Blue Psychic Eye Mystery Series Reviewed
Cozy Mystery Series With A Paranormal Flair
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Psychic Image courtesy of Pixabay.com |
Cree Blue has made me laugh several times with her witty comebacks and her descriptions of people and events. There were also times I found myself thinking, "You go, girl!". She is quite an enjoyable little sleuth to get to know as I turn the pages.
Because these are cozies there are not things within the plot that are super gory, no frightening spirits or explicit sex scenes. The couple of ghosts that show up in the first book are friendly and helpful sorts. They won't make you scream and throw down your book! There is a bit of a romantic attraction but not in a way that will make your cheeks turn scarlet.
If you like a well written mystery, the kind that keeps you guessing; then I think you will enjoy the Cree Blue Psychic Eye series as much as I am. They are not tomes so they don't take an extremely long time to read. I think that if you give the first book a chance, you too will become a fan of this female sleuth who has psychic abilities.
Saturday, November 4, 2017
The Coffeehouse Mysteries - A Series Review
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Buy the Coffeehouse Mysteries by clicking here! |
I do like murder mysteries - both the easy to read cozy mysteries (which Cleo Coyle's ones are) and the grittier ones by the likes of Ruth Rendell or Kathy Reichs.
The Coffeehouse books are a little different in that they involve coffee - yes a whole series of books that unite both coffee and murder, want to know more?
Let's review the series of The Coffeehouse Mysteries, be warned this could become almost as addictive as your morning cup of Joe!
Clare Cosi is the Star of the Coffeehouse Mysteries
A Coffee Lover & Sleuth Too!
Clare Cosi is the heroine of these murder mysteries and she works as manager (soon to be partner) of The Village Blend a coffee shop that has been in Greenwich Village, New York for decades as it was started by her ex-mother-in-law, referred to simply as Madame!As well as being the manager Clare seems to somehow have a connection to murder on a regular basis and then wants to solve the case - her ex-husband (and soon to be partner in The Village Blend) claims she has a Nancy Drew fixation ........and he might not be wrong.
Throughout the book Clare shares little tidbits about coffee - making it, the differences between beans, coffee folklore and more. To give you some background Clare moved away from New York with her daughter Joy when her marriage ended and only recently returned to New York for the first book in the series - On What Grounds. During the time she was away she worked as a food and coffee writer so has all of this knowledge which gets sprinkled through the books.
Clare has a good relationship with her ex, but the man she'd like in her life is a Police Detective called Mike Quinn which is pretty handy when you're after details of a case as well. Clare also has a good relationship with her ex-mother-in-law who is also a little nosy and loves to help Clare out when she's trying to solve a case.
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Image from Pixabay, adapted by Lou of Lou's Designs |
Why I Like The Coffeehouse Mysteries Book Series
The murder mysteries always seem to have a connection to The Village Blend Coffeehouse which could give you pause before drinking there ....... unless you like puffer fish that is. For those of you who don't 'get' that sentance then you need to read book #3 - Latte Trouble!What sets these books apart from other whodunnits is the coffee. As I mentioned before sprinkled throughout the books are little bits of coffee trivia which I found really interesting. The trivia didn't detract from the story line, but it did add another layer to the story which I enjoyed.
To further seal the coffee influence with these books you'll find recipes from the stories at the end of the book. If you're in a book club you could recreate a Caramel Chocolate Latte to drink while you discuss the ins and outs of Latte Trouble to really get in the mood.
Who is Cleo Coyle?
The Author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries
Cleo Coyle is actually two people, husband and wife writing team - Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini. They released the first book - On What Grounds - in September 2003 and now they even have their own website with recipes and a forum for fans - The Virtual Village Blend.Cleo Coyle Books in Order
I'm linking to books here for you, but I should mention that I've been reading the kindle editions of these books and am thoroughly enjoying reading them that way.On What Grounds (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 1) is the first of these books and it's where Clare Cosi returns to take over as the manager of The Village Blend.
I actually haven't read this book yet as I started off reading book 2, then book 3 and I haven't looked back! I will read it once I've finished the rest of the series though.
Through the Grinder (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 2)
Through The Grinder is cool because you get to see inside the murderer's mind without it revealing who the person is.
In this book we also see Mike Quinn's jealous side as Clare gets herself a love interest who (rather predictably) turns out to be a main suspect in a rash of murders made to look like suicides and all customers of the Village Blend.
Latte Trouble (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 3)
Latte Trouble is the third book in the coffeehouse mysteries and this time the murder hits even closer to home with the murder weapon being a poisoned latte poured by the lovable Tucker - can Clare's chief barista be a murderer?
This book could be the end for Clare as she's taken into the seedy underworld of the fashion industry and drugged, but wait I know I have more of these books so it'll turn out okay!
Murder Most Frothy (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 4)
Murder Most Frothy doesn't actually take place in Greenwich, but at the Hamptons.
In Latte Trouble we were introduced to David Mintzer, celebrity restaurant owner, who was impressed by Clare's coffee knowledge.
In this the fourth book in the series, David has brought Clare, Joy and Madame to stay at his Hamptons' home to help train his staff up as baristas and of course this means that someone is going to be murdered while they're partying their way through a Hamptons' summer.
Decaffeinated Corpse (A Coffeehouse Mystery Book 5)
Decaffeinated Corpse is the fifth book in this series and is the one I'm currently reading.
One of the interesting things I've found with this book is about how decaffeinated coffee is made because this book is all about a new coffee bean that is grown as a decaffeinated bean.
I was surprised by the first body that we 'meet' in this book (although it's the second murder in chronological order and the first wasn't a surprise to me), when the body fell onto the sidewalk I thought I knew who it was going to be and I was wrong which is always a good start to solving a whodunnit!
The following books are the rest of the series in order. I haven't read these yet, but will add a short description to them as I do.
- French Pressed
- Espresso Shot
- Holiday Grind
- Roast Mortem
- Murder by Mocha
- A Brew to a Kill
- Holiday Buzz
- Billionaire Blend
- Once Upon a Grind
- Dead to the Last Drop
- Dead Cold Brew
Do You Love Cozy Mysteries? We Do!
The contributors here at Review This often review books for you and I've found that a lot of us really enjoy a cozy mystery or two, in fact one of our contributors, Bev Owens, has actually published a couple of her own cozy mysteries which are awesome.So, if you want a break from the fast pace of New York (where the Coffeehouse Mysteries are set) then why not take a trip to Beaver Falls with Beverly Owen's Up cycling mysteries.
Here are a few of the other cozy mysteries we've reviewed for you..
![Cozy Mystery Series Review](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYQwgli3Vp1J7r6ZMTJEnH0Vor4k6LHj-5JcZaHJgVk6CjclqeX4WjgJLFFyMXeBeDfdaLqEaBHLxmwKHyks05QX_efDCZNO8SiF2PqreEuqaZzoDN5l5VOcr78I43TsocYEznvl4YcA/s1600/Cats%252C+Cupcakes+Review+%25282%2529.jpg)
Author Sylvia Selfman has done just that with her Izzy Greene series in Cats, Cupcakes and Killers. All seven mysteries are published together ...
![Cozy Mysteries and women sleuths](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0S0t_9HwTYFcQZOrvPM9SOYfDJxSRAFKeW1mLl5a6yNhcM-b9nU9zujLGaPI2x2R6sh9oE1PriOat7DO2bAEpPkJ6oLArA8makrYrP8IUy4mwpO1racAWxMgc1VneQx2T-FwT0Xm35g/s400/Reviewing+Cozy+Mysteries+and+Favorite+Women+Sleuths.jpg)
Like cozy mysteries starring smart, female sleuths? ... My favorite genre is mystery and right now I'm particularly attracted to easy-to-read cozy mystery stories
![Mrs fix it mystery series](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr9UNfH5pUV88LXF8CkJ5UmyCn1pAtSmHg2kAv1iUl_HILTx_bGrsu2EGCShy2V2pKnYf_f9wp2IWbOKaNbQnTPHEU3g0zrAXMbkUEYnfkm6ksOGbW0hIKbFkKkqUyUXZNbW2bljVuGI/s320/fix-it-tools.jpg)
A very enjoyable series of mystery books with Mrs Fix It as the female sleuth. ... I was a little sad when I came to the last page of the 15th book.
I recently read the Mystic Notch Cozy Mystery Series by Leighan Dobbs and enjoyed it immensely. It was pretty easy to get attached to the ...
![Chef at the Water's Edge by Kee Patterbee - A Mystery Review](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdi-ja6qb4axcQRZadT9ZSH3fdxAEI11-P1-lfOhsXVMRGIkT42VH2xVPh7qwM3iLCuYTmJQE3NHJWHjCKnR4gg4hlbjHm89uirfEzyZbapNH7ru96vuld5eeELMWg7_99ZjRZuJLpy8Ej/s640/stencil.intro-chef-at-waters-edge-twitter.jpg)
A celebrity chef is found dead in a lake. Was it an accident as the police reported? Or was it suicide or murder? Can you solve the mystery ...
We're not all a 'murderous bunch' and we review plenty of other books too, but at the moment I just can't get enough of the cozy mysteries that are out there and I'm sure that you'll love them too.
If you're not into the more grisly murder mysteries then the cozy mysteries are for you. I once heard them described as the Mills and Boon of mystery books and that made me smile because they are light reading and in general they don't contain descriptive violence (although obviously there is murder involved). I think of them as 'genteel murder mysteries' similar to Agatha Christie's books, but without the nostalgic feel of a different era.
Grab a coffee and let me know what you think of this series of books and don't forget to check out some of the other cozy mysteries too.
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