Cozy Mysteries discussion

Here we go again.
Do as many or as few as you want.

2nd Week of March is Crochet Week - Read a book with a crafty theme to it. Bonus if it has anyone crocheting or knitting in it, or has yarn on the cover.

Mar 2 - Old Stuff Day - Read your oldest book off your TBR (to be read) shelf. I'll be generous, choose between the two oldest books on your TBR list.

Mar 8 - Be Nasty Day - Read a book with a good villian in it.

Mar 10 - Middle Name Pride Day - Read a book whose author uses his middle name on the cover, or at least uses three names. (Note: Our featured author would count here.)

Mar 20 - Extraterrestrial Abductions Day - Read a book that starts with the letter "E", or alternately, you can read any book with an alien in it (or they think something might be alien like spotting a UFO.)

Enjoy!

Hello! How do you define a good villain, Briansgirl?
I mean, does it have to do with being hard to recognize the murderer's identity? Or how "intelligent" and "crafty" the killer is ?

Good question Zoe. I was wondering if would fit. Stephanie Plum always has a hard time catching the bad guys.

Vicky wrote: "Good question Zoe. I was wondering if would fit. Stephanie Plum always has a hard time catching the bad guys."

That's a good idea, Vicky. I like Stephanie, too. I was considering a mystery with a complex plot, like or Of course it helps that I enjoy both those authors! :)

Zoe wrote: "Vicky wrote: "Good question Zoe. I was wondering if would fit. Stephanie Plum always has a hard time catching the bad guys."

That's a good idea, Vicky. I ..."

I really liked HOW TO PARTY WITH A KILLER VAMPIRE!

Zoe wrote: "Hello! How do you define a good villain, Briansgirl?"


{If the good villian is also the victim}

As someone that everyone else hated, and that no one is mourning?
That was the situation in the book I just finished, We'll Always Have Parrots

Jane in SC wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Hello! How do you define a good villain, Briansgirl?"


{If the good villian is also the victim}

As someone that everyone else hated, and that no one is mourning?
That was the situatio..."

I hadn't thought of that, Jane. That's an option, too.

A good villain is the only one that I seem to be pondering with what fits in the category. My hold for Notorious Nineteen is coming up so that is why I was going to try to squeeze that one in. I have all the other books lined up. My library doesn't have the ones that everyone else has mentioned.

Okay, I'm in. I have selected the following mysteries:
1.Crochet Week: Dead Men Don't Crochet by Betty Hechtman
2.Old Stuff Day: Pie A la Murder by Melinda Wells
3.Be Nasty Day: The Last Word by Ellery Adams (provided it meets the "good villain" criterion)
4.Middle Name Pride Day: Don't Die Under the Apple Tree by Amy Patricia Meade
5.Extraterrestrial Abductions Day: Every Trick in the Book by Lucy Arlington ( the title begins with the letter E )

Zoe wrote: "Hello! How do you define a good villain, Briansgirl?
I mean, does it have to do with being hard to recognize the murderer's identity? Or how "intelligent" and "crafty" the killer is ?"

http://www.sfwa.org/members/bell/writ...

Zoe wrote: "Okay, I'm in. I have selected the following mysteries:
1.Crochet Week: Dead Men Don't Crochet by Betty Hechtman
2.Old Stuff Day: Pie A la Murder by Melinda Wells
3.Be Nasty Day: The Last Word by El..."

I liked DON'T DIE UNDER THE APPLE TREE! Liked the WWII period setting.

Shirley wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Hello! How do you define a good villain, Briansgirl?
I mean, does it have to do with being hard to recognize the murderer's identity? Or how "intelligent" and "crafty" the killer is ?"
..."

Great criteria for a 'good villan' at the link in Message 10

Zoe wrote: "Okay, I'm in. I have selected the following mysteries:
1.Crochet Week: Dead Men Don't Crochet by Betty Hechtman
2.Old Stuff Day: Pie A la Murder by Melinda Wells
3.Be Nasty Day: The Last Word by El..."

Zoe,

I might have to copy part of your list. I've had Dead Men Don't Crochet sitting around for a few years, and I think I have Don't Die Under the Apple Tree on my Kindle!

Donna wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Okay, I'm in. I have selected the following mysteries:
1.Crochet Week: Dead Men Don't Crochet by Betty Hechtman
2.Old Stuff Day: Pie A la Murder by Melinda Wells
3.Be Nasty Day: The Las..."

That's fine by me, Donna! :-)

Shirley wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Hello! How do you define a good villain, Briansgirl?
I mean, does it have to do with being hard to recognize the murderer's identity? Or how "intelligent" and "crafty" the killer is ?"
..."

Thanks for the link - it was informative and interesting :)

Shirley wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Hello! How do you define a good villain, Briansgirl?
I mean, does it have to do with being hard to recognize the murderer's identity? Or how "intelligent" and "crafty" the killer is ?"
..."

Thanks for the help, Shirley!

I found it very interesting too.

In my case, let's see if the villain in The Bat is as good as it is told ;)

Zoe wrote: "Hello! How do you define a good villain, Briansgirl?
I mean, does it have to do with being hard to recognize the murderer's identity? Or how "intelligent" and "crafty" the killer is ?"

Thing along the lines of Sherlock Holmes nemesis Moriarty. Or for Harry Potter it would be Voldemort. In other words, someone worthy of being your nemesis, not just the quiet neighbor next door who went beserk once. Am I making any sense? Basically a master criminal, someone worthy of being your advisary. Just someone more devious than your average joe.

Shirley wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Hello! How do you define a good villain, Briansgirl?
I mean, does it have to do with being hard to recognize the murderer's identity? Or how "intelligent" and "crafty" the killer is ?"
..."

Thanks for the link. It perfectly describes what I was thinking about a "worthy advisary" vs "bumbling baffoon" that you run across too often.

Mini Monthly Challenge

0/5 Done

1. Crochet Week: Knit Fast, Die Young by Mary Kruger
2. Old Stuff Day: Fowl Prey by Mary Daheim
3. Be Nasty Day: A Not So Model Home by David James
4. Middle Name Day: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by AMS
5. E.T. Abductions Day: The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener

1/5 Done

1. Crochet Week:
2. Old Stuff Day:
3. Be Nasty Day: The Bat by Mary Roberts (03/12/2013 - ★★)
4. Middle Name Day
5. E.T. Abductions Day

Would a villain that teams up with the good guys be considered a "good villain"?

2/5 Done

1. Crochet Week: Knot What It Seams: A Southern Quilting Mystery by Elizabeth Spann Craig (03/13/2013 - ★★★★)
2. Old Stuff Day:
3. Be Nasty Day: The Bat by Mary Roberts (03/12/2013 - ★★)
4. Middle Name Day
5. E.T. Abductions Day

3 / 5 Done

1. Crochet Week: Knot What It Seams: A Southern Quilting Mystery by Elizabeth Spann Craig (03/13/2013 - ★★★★)
2. Old Stuff Day:
3. Be Nasty Day: The Bat by Mary Roberts (03/12/2013 - ★★)
4. Middle Name Day
5. E.T. Abductions Day: Eternity in Death by J.D. Robb (03/18/2013 - ★★★★)

4 / 5 Done

1. Crochet Week: Last Wool and Testament by Molly MacRae (03/20/2013 - ★★★) [With Bonus ;) ]
2. Old Stuff Day:
3. Be Nasty Day: The Bat by Mary Roberts (03/12/2013 - ★★)
4. Middle Name Day: Knot What It Seams: A Southern Quilting Mystery by Elizabeth Spann Craig (03/13/2013 - ★★★★)
5. E.T. Abductions Day: Eternity in Death by J.D. Robb (03/18/2013 - ★★★★)

Go, Go, Go Marisa! You're almost done!

3/5 Done

1. Crochet Week: Knit Fast, Die Young by Mary Kruger
2. Old Stuff Day: Fowl Prey by Mary Daheim 3/8 ★★★
3. Be Nasty Day: A Not So Model Home by David James 2/12 ★★★
4. Middle Name Day: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by AMS 3/20 ★★★
5. E.T. Abductions Day: The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener

Thank you, Valorie! You too ;) I'm not sure about Old Stuff, really.

Congrats Kari!

I've only got 3 done for this one so far. I'm not sure I'll get to the fourth book :(

2nd Week of March is Crochet Week - Read a book with a crafty theme to it. Bonus if it has anyone crocheting or knitting in it, or has yarn on the cover.

Mar 2 - Old Stuff Day - Read your oldest book off your TBR (to be read) shelf. I'll be generous, choose between the two oldest books on your TBR list. Twice Bitten20 March 2013

Mar 8 - Be Nasty Day - Read a book with a good villian in it. Rapture 13 March 2013

Mar 10 - Middle Name Pride Day - Read a book whose author uses his middle name on the cover, or at least uses three names. (Note: Our featured author would count here.) Night of the Living Deed by E.J. Copperman 4 March 2013

Mar 20 - Extraterrestrial Abductions Day - Read a book that starts with the letter "E", or alternately, you can read any book with an alien in it (or they think something might be alien like spotting a UFO.)

Congrats, Kari! And Lynne, congrats too!

Congrats, KAri and Lynne!

I completely forgot that I completed this challenge yesterday.

2nd Week of March is Crochet Week: Read a book with a crafty theme to it. Bonus if it has anyone crocheting or knitting in it, or has yarn on the cover.

Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton
Bonus: There is yarn on the cover

Mar 2 - Old Stuff Day: Read your oldest book off your TBR (to be read) shelf. I'll be generous, choose between the two oldest books on your TBR list.

Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil by Nancy Atherton

Mar 8 - Be Nasty Day: Read a book with a good villain in it.

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs

Mar 10 - Middle Name Pride Day: Read a book whose author uses his middle name on the cover, or at least uses three names.

The Window At The White Cat by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Mar 20 - Extraterrestrial Abductions Day: Read a book that starts with the letter "E.”

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

March Mini-challenge Done 3/26/13

2nd Week of March is Crochet Week - Murder Spins a Tale: A Flock and Fiber Mystery by Veryl Ann Grace (done 3/24)
Bonus if it has anyone crocheting or knitting in it, or has yarn on the cover - it has knitting in it plus yarn on the cover

Mar 2 - Old Stuff Day - oldest mystery on my TBR A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (done 3/26)

Mar 8 - Be Nasty Day - The Adventurous Exploit of the Cave of Ali Baba by Dorothy L. Sayers (done 3/8/13)

Mar 10 - Middle Name Pride Day - The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart (done 3/8/13)

Mar 20 - Extraterrestrial Abductions Day - Read a book that starts with the letter "E", or alternately, you can read any book with an alien in it - A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (done 3/18)

Hooray Lynne, Heather, & Leslie!

Congrats, Heather! Congrats, Leslie!

I'm posting now since the cozy I'm currently reading does not fit into any new category. (It's another Middle Name Pride read.) Here's what I read this month that does fit:

Mar 8 - Be Nasty Day - Lowcountry Boil by Susan M. Boyer

Mar 10 - Middle Name Pride Day - Mary Roberts Rhinehart, The Circular Staircase

Done

1. Crochet Week: Last Wool and Testament by Molly MacRae (03/20/2013 - ★★★) [With Bonus ;) ]
2. Old Stuff Day: A Catered Birthday Party by Isis Crawford (03/28/2013 - ★★★)
3. Be Nasty Day: The Bat by Mary Roberts (03/12/2013 - ★★)
4. Middle Name Day: Knot What It Seams: A Southern Quilting Mystery by Elizabeth Spann Craig (03/13/2013 - ★★★★)
5. E.T. Abductions Day: Eternity in Death by J.D. Robb (03/18/2013 - ★★★★)



I was able to finish it at the end ;)

Yay Nell and Marisa!

Finished at last!
1.Crochet Week: Dead Men Don't Crochet by Betty Hechtman: finished on March 10th
2.Old Stuff Day: Pie A la Murder by Melinda Wells: finished on March 18th
3.Be Nasty Day: The Last Word by Ellery Adams (provided it meets the "good villain" criterion): finished on March 23rd
4.Middle Name Pride Day: Don't Die Under the Apple Tree by Amy Patricia Meade: finished on March 27th
5.Extraterrestrial Abductions Day: Every Trick in the Book by Lucy Arlington ( the title begins with the letter E ): finished on March 31st

Congrats Zoe!

Congrats Zoe, Marisa and Nell!

Congrats, Zoe!

Thank you Valorie, Heather! I though I wasn't going to get the "Old Stuff"

Hooray Zoe!

Thank you, Leslie, Heather, Marisa and Valorie! I had fallen behind on my reading due to work and studying, but I managed to get through! :D

Congrats to all that worked on the challenge wether you finished or not.

I'll have April's up tomorrow.

I forgot to post my final tally for March! Duh!

5/5 Done Yay!

1. Crochet Week: Knit Fast, Die Young by Mary Kruger 3/31 ★★★
2. Old Stuff Day: Fowl Prey by Mary Daheim 3/8 ★★★
3. Be Nasty Day: A Not So Model Home by David James 2/12 ★★★
4. Middle Name Day: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by AMS 3/20 ★★★
5. E.T. Abductions Day: The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener 3/27 ★★★★

Congrats, Valorie!

Thanks Marisa!