Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge discussion

I have been reading a lot this year, and have already read 17 cozy mysteries, so I am going to sign up for this level.

Here is the Grand List for 2014:
1. Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti by Bailey Cates
2. Eggs in Purgatory by Laura Childs
3. Murder Past Due by Miranda James
4. One Dead Cookie by Virginia Lowell
5. Smoky Mountain Tracks by Donna Ball
6. While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo
7. The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries by Emily Brightwell
8. Woof at the Door by Laura Morrigan
9. Aunt Dimity: Detective by Nancy Atherton
10. The Trouble With Magic by Madelyn Alt
11. The False-Hearted Teddy by John J. Lamb
12. Cat on a Blue Monday by Carole Nelson Douglas
13. Eggs Benedict Arnold by Laura Childs
14. Trojan Gold by Elizabeth Peters
15. Rest in Pieces by Rita Mae Brown
16. That Old Flame of Mine by J.J. Cook
17. Twelve Drummers Drumming by C.C. Benison
18. Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley
19. Yarn to Go by Betty Hechtman
20. Murder at Monticello by Rita Mae Brown
21. Murder by the Slice by Livia J. Washburn
22. Double-Booked for Death by Ali Brandon
23. A Potion to Die For by Heather Blake
24. Cloche and Dagger by Jenn McKinlay
25. Cat in a Crimson Haze by Carole Nelson Douglas

Cozy Mysteries Read in 2014

by Rita Mae Brown

Enjoyable mystery with Mary "Harry" Haristeen and her pet companions, Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Tucker. This one begins with the discovery of hidden skeletal remains in a slave cabin at Monticello that seem to indicate a murder from the early 1800s, but the story moves steadily to a current murder with a twisted array of motives that work themselves out one by one. I liked the main characters, the central Virginia small town setting, the talking pets, and the mystery itself with its ties to the colonial past. The animals, although they speak to one another in this series, and not to the people, are kind of funny and endearing, but really rather inessential to the plot. Also, this series is incredibly and irritatingly adulterous. The characters talk as though everybody has affairs, like that is normal, and marriage partners should just forgive one another for their foolish peccadillos. Other than these minor irritations, though, this was a fun cozy mystery with a unique setting and plot.

by Betty Hechtman

This was a great start to a new series by Betty Hechtman that seems like it will be centered around knitting retreats. The main character, Casey Feldstein, doesn't knit at all, but takes over leading one of her aunt's retreats after she is killed in a hit-and-run accident while walking in her small town. Casey loves to bake desserts and has a small business selling her desserts to different businesses in the town. She has had some difficult challenges and seems to lack self-confidence, especially when it concerns running a knitting retreat because she doesn't know anything about knitting. The teacher for the retreat, however, gets Casey hooked by giving her a basic, beginning project...and thus it begins. Like her other crochet series, I like how the author includes lots of knitting info and tidbits, and even the beginning scarf pattern that Casey works on at the retreat. I connected with the self-effacing Casey, but I thought that the other characters needed more details to make them more appealing, and less stereotypical. Still, this is a solid, enjoyable entry for the crowded knitting cozy mystery shelf.

by Livia J. Washburn

Phyllis Newsome, a retired teacher, gets involved in a PTO fundraiser for a nearby elementary school. Then, the president of the PTO, a difficult person who doesn't get along with anybody, is found murdered. Phyllis reluctantly finds herself in the middle of the investigation.

I found this installment somewhat boring. Boring characters, non-descript small town setting, and lacklustre plot. A lot of the writing is centered on Phyllis' various thoughts about the investigation, but also thoughts and opinions on all kinds of things which got a little tiresome. Also, this had a very deceptive cover. The cover makes you think it is set around Halloween, but there is almost no Halloween-y feel to the book at all. I planned to use this book for a reading challenge where you need to read a book where a holiday was celebrated, but I decided there was so little Halloween content that I did not want to use it for this purpose. Also there is a cute black cat on the cover, but nary a whisker or tail of a feline in the book, and this kind of marketing ploy is just annoying.

by Ali Brandon

Darla Pettistone inherits an independent bookstore located in a New York City brownstone. She moves to New York City from Texas to manage the store. In this first book of the series, she has arranged for a popular goth author to do a book signing of her newest book. Shockingly, the author somehow ends up off the sidewalk where the fans are, and in the street where she is run over by a van driven by a religious nut who believes that the author's books are Satanic.

It is a twisted plot with lots of suspects and it kept me guessing until the end. Darla is a rather serious, somewhat boring character, but her inherited cat, Hamlet, is a hoot. It was a pretty good series debut, so I will be reading the next one.

by Heather Blake

This one made me laugh. It has an extraordinary, Southern small town setting, with some real oddball characters, and the dialogue was at times downright hilarious. There is a fun paranormal twist to the story, and I enjoyed the suspense-filled plot. I look forward to reading the next in the series.

by Jenn McKinlay

Wonderful characters in a captivating setting. Scarlett was a winsome, fun main character, and I really enjoyed the Notting Hill hat shop ambiance. The mystery itself was very well done. Looks like another great series is in the making.