Cozy Mystery Corner discussion

APRIL '25 SERIAL READER CHALLENGE



The birthstone for April is the diamond, adapted from the Greek word "adamas," meaning “invincible." Diamonds represent clarity, strength, and eternal love. The hardness and durability of diamonds make them a perfect symbol of an unbreakable bond, which is why they are often associated with marriage and lifelong commitment. Additionally, diamonds are believed to bring balance, clarity, and abundance to the wearer.
-brilliantearth.com

TO PARTICIPATE IN THE APRIL CHALLENGE:

♦Pick five series that you want to read.

♦It can be a new or an on-going series.

♦Post the name of the series and the covers of at least two books that you have not read.

♦There must be at least two unread books in the series. No re-reads allowed.

♦You may re-post a series chosen before as long as there are at least two unread books.

♦Post series now through March 22nd.

♦Pairs will be posted on March 23rd.

♦Select a series for your partner after March 23rd ...sooner is better

♦Next month, read two (or more) books from the series selected for you.

New to the challenge? The thread for challenge guidelines and questions is here

Comments on this thread will be limited to members posting series until the 21st. After pairs are selected, the thread is open for discussion.

Players


🌦️Linda R picks for Karen
☔Meg picks for Jennifer
🌦️Zermeena picks for Linda R
☔Karen picks for Zermeena
🌦️Jennifer picks for Nell
☔Nell picks for Meg

April picks!

Torie O'Shea by Rett MacPherson


Wind River Reservation by Margaret Coel


Magical Fortune Cookie by Jennifer J. Chow


Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen


Raven's Nest Bookstore by Allison Kingsley

🎈🎈🎈 April 2025 🎈🎈🎈

Welcome, Spring!

Chet and Bernie
Of Mutts and Men
Tender Is the Bite

Sarah Booth Delaney
Bone to Be Wild
Rock-a-Bye Bones

Zoe Chambers
Cry Wolf
Fair Game

Charles Lenox
A Beautiful Blue Death
The September Society

Gaslight Mystery
Murder on St. Mark's Place
Murder on Gramercy Park

I'm in!

County Club by Julie Mulhern


Scumble River by Denise Swanson


Mad for Mod by Diane Vallere


Magical Cats by Sofie Kelly


China Bayles by Susan Wittig Albert

I'm in for April. Here are my picks:

Candy Holliday Mysteries - B.B. Haywood


Dream Harbour Series - Laurie Gilmore


Lady Hardcastle Mysteries - T. E. Kinsey


Julia Bird Series - Katie Gayle


The Vampire Knitting Club - Nancy Warren

April series:

Humorous Tiffany Black


Posadas County



Nathan Heller


Quarry


Kylie Berry

Who is apprehended in April?


☔Goldy Bear Culinary by Diane Mott Davidson


Manor House Mystery by Julie Hyzy


Kelling & Bittersohn by Charlotte MacLeod


Ellie Haskell by Dorothy Cannell


Stain-Busting Mystery by Sharon Short

Welcome to the challenge! Pairs are posted in msg 2

Please pick a series for your partner.

Meg - Several of my favorites are on your list.

I pick The Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson for you.

LInda - I'm not familiar with most of your choices and they all sound interesting. I'm choosing Torie O'Shea for you. Happy reading!

Jennifer , it was a toss up. They all sounded compelling. I decided on Tiffany Black; seeing your list reminded me how very long it has been since I touched this series. What else is new? I'm going pull the first one back out for a refresh.

Thanks, Nell. Your choice made me laugh; I had a feeling it was going to get chosen as soon as I listed it!

Hi Zermeena,
I pick the County Club series for you. Happy Reading!
Karen

Zermeena wrote: "I'm in!

County Club by Julie Mulhern


Scumble River by Denise Swanson
[bo..."

Nell! I was so disappointed when Goldie Bear ended. I’m picking it for you — good series!

Meg wrote: "Jennifer , it was a toss up. They all sounded compelling. I decided on Tiffany Black; seeing your list reminded me how very long it has been since I touched this series. What else is new? I'm going..."

I like Tiffany a lot and there are now three different series, and I’m behind on all of them, so good pick!

Karen wrote: "I'm in for April. Here are my picks:

Candy Holliday Mysteries - B.B. Haywood


Dream Harbour Series - Lau..."

Hi Karen,

I've only read the Candy Holliday books on your list and that is my pick for you. I keep trying to get back to that series, so I'll live vicariously through you. Happy reading!

Zermeena wrote: "LInda - I'm not familiar with most of your choices and they all sound interesting. I'm choosing Torie O'Shea for you. Happy reading!"

Thank you! I wasn't expecting this one to get picked but I'm excited to get back to it!

Jennifer wrote: "Nell! I was so disappointed when Goldie Bear ended. I’m picking it for you — good series!"

Thanks Jennifer. It looks like I've been holding on to the last few in the series.

The Hallmark movies reminded me - even though they took a lot of liberty with the cast. (Ex: Goldy has a daughter, not a son; Her ex-husband is a nice guy, not an abusive jerk.) I get it for Hallmark, but I remember this as one of the first series with an MC who got out of an abusive marriage and started her own business. I like how the author treats that as an insight into Goldy's strength and resilience.
The movies are a nice diversion. The books have characters with more depth.

Thank you Karen!

Karen wrote: "Hi Zermeena,
I pick the County Club series for you. Happy Reading!
Karen

Zermeena wrote: "I'm in!

County Club by Julie Mulhern
[bookcover:Guaranteed to Bleed|557..."

Jennifer wrote: "Meg wrote: "Jennifer , it was a toss up. They all sounded compelling. I decided on Tiffany Black; seeing your list reminded me how very long it has been since I touched this series. What else is ne..."

Whoa, three different series?! I figured two when I started seeing books featuring her with her grandmother(?), and knew I should get cracking on the original series. Three is throwing me off.

Finished my first, Dead Man Running last night. I like that this series is a bit different with the MC being a geneaologist and having that history aspect in the books.

I listened to both my books The Deep End and Guaranteed to Bleed. I loved them both but I can't call them cozies because the plots involve heavy, adult topics(view spoiler)[ (s & m and child molestation) (hide spoiler)]. But I love the sense of humor, the characters and the settings. Also both had great mysteries.

Finished my second book - Died in the Wool. Really enjoyed it, it was all cold case, one of my favorite story lines.