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Sharon’s Cozy Corner January 2014
Sharon's Cozy corner / January 28, 2014

Hello to a New Year, and what promises to be a year full of great cozy mysteries! This month’s selections hold a mystery for just about any interest the fan might have – from pets to pecans, from ghosts to glee clubs, there is a little something for everone. And all of them feature a great story with an intriguing mystery to go along with it. Here are a few that caught my eye this month – January Book of the Month EGGS IN A CASKET One of my favorite cozy mystery authors, Laura Childs, always has a great mystery up her sleeve, and this month the mystery involves those feisty gals from the Cackleberry Club! This is the fifth book in the Cackleberry Club series, and it is full of fun, murder and mayhem! I loved it and I think you will too! EGGS IN A CASKET: A Cackleberry Club Mystery #5 By Laura Childs (Berkley Prime Crime) The ladies of the Cackleberry Club are always ready to serve—whether they’re cooking up breakfast or sniffing out a bad egg. While Petra handles the breakfast rush at the Cackleberry Club, the café’s other two owners, Suzanne and Toni, head to…

Lazy August Cozy Reads…
Sharon's Cozy corner / August 2, 2011

The final month of summer is finally upon us, and while school bells will soon begin to ring, there is still time to grab a handful of charming cozy mysteries to enjoy! And there is a great batch to choose from this month, and there are a number of debut series that promise to be really exciting! Here are a few that caught my attention: Hardbacks: ALL THE PRETTY HEARSES: A Bed and Breakfast Mystery By Mary Daheim William Morrow; $23.99 There’s no “fun” in “fund-raiser” for Judith McMonigle Flynn when she donates an overnight stay at Hillside Manor for the parish school’s annual auction and the winning bid goes to the persnickety Paine family. Then her husband Joe’s latest surveillance job ends abruptly when an insurance fraud suspect is blown away. Unfortunately the gun belongs to Joe, who finds himself in a jail cell while Judith tries to find what’s left of her mind—and the real killer. But Joe’s dilemma and the unbearable Paines aren’t Judith’s only problems. Her cantankerous mother, Gertrude, has agreed to let a wealthy parishioner stable a horse in her tool-shed apartment; Cousin Renie is trying to force-feed her loathsome Shrimp Dump recipe to the…

Sharon’s Cozy Corner | Best of the December Cozy Mysteries…
Sharon's Cozy corner / December 18, 2010

The holidays are here, and everyone is bustling and hustling around getting ready for the big day. Why not take a little time to yourself and enjoy one of the new cozy mysteries available for December? Or even better, buy one or a few for great gifts for your reading family and friends. The Diva Cooks a Goose Krista Davis (A Domestic Diva Mystery #4) Berkley (Prime Crime), $7.99 A Scrooge steals presents right from under Sophie Winston’s family Christmas tree. Then her sister-in-law’s father show’s up with a diva girlfriend just a month after his separation. More than one person is thinking of committing a merry murder—until it actually happens! With many under suspicion for the deadly deed, can Sophie find the murderer and restore the Christmas spirit before it’s too late? Mistletoe and Mayhem Kate Kingsbury (A Special Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery) Berkley Trade; $14.00 This holiday season there’ll be murder under the mistletoe at the Pennyfoot Hotel… As friends, family, and guests gather at the Pennyfoot Hotel to share the joys of the season, Cecily Sinclair Baxter and her staff are hustling and bustling more than ever. Cecily’s friend Madeline arrives with her new baby and adds a…

Sharon’s Cozy Corner | Fall Into Some September Cozy Reads…
Sharon's Cozy corner / September 6, 2010

Finally! There is a little bit of a nip in the air, the kids are back in school, and you can almost hear an audible sigh of relief! Fall is Here! And with the beautiful falls days to come, there is a multitude of fresh new cozy mysteries to be enjoyed! So, with no further ado . . . THE CROCODILE’S LAST EMBRACE: A Jade Del Cameron Mystery by Suzanne Arruda Obsidian: $15.00 No one does historical mysteries better than Suzanne Arruda, and her Jade Del Cameron Mysteries, set in the 1920s, are always thrilling adeventures – and her latest book, THE CROCODILE’S LAST EMBRACE is no exception! Returning from Europe, intrepid explorer Jade del Cameron arrives in Kenya with bittersweet memories-and the certainty that Africa is her home and Sam Featherstone the man she wants to share her life with. When a letter arrives from America, Jade hopes it’s Sam sending word of his return. Instead, it’s a message written in the hand of her long- dead fiancé, asking “Why did you let me die?” When two men die under mysterious circumstances and Jade discovers that her old nemesis, Lilith Worthy, has escaped from prison, the deaths and the…

Some Cozies for August Reading…
Sharon's Cozy corner / August 8, 2010

I’ve always loved August – Summer is winding down, and though it’s still hot as a firecracker in most places, by the end of the month there is a hint of cool relief to come. Plus there is that enticing scent of new crayons in the air as the kids get ready to head back to school! There is still plenty of time to indulge in a little cozy reading at the beach, or in the comfort of your own air-conditioned haven. And this month sees a wide variety of new cozies to choose from -there’s a little something for everyone here! Leading the way into August is Cleo Coyle’s latest installment of her Coffeehouse Mystery series, ROAST MORTEM (Berkley Prime Crime; $24.95). After being rescued by the firefighters of Ladder Company 189, Village Blend coffeehouse owner Clare Cosi is more than happy to come teach her new heroes how to make a good cup of coffee with their new espresso machine. While getting to know her new friends, she learns that somebody is touching café’s around town, putting the firefighters in more than usual danger. So being the natural nosy sleuth that she is, Clare begins to poke around,…

Interview Elizabeth Spann Craig / Riley Adams

Summertime means having fun, being lazy and eating lots of good food – at least it does around my house! And around my house, with four big ol’ boys to feed, we love and eat a lot of barbeque! So I was so pleased to find out my good friend, Elizabeth Spann Craig, has written a new cozy mystery series featuring – barbeque! Writing as Riley Adams, her first book in the “Memphis BBQ Mysteres,” DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS, debuts this month, and Elizabeth was kind enough to stop by to answer a few questions about her writing career and her love of cozy mysteries! Sharon: At what age did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Elizabeth: Sharon, I wish I could say that I had other career options! But writing is the only thing I can do…and I found that out at an early age. Probably by second grade, definitely by fourth grade. My father is an English teacher, and so I think the writing came naturally to me. Sharon: How did you get interested in writing “cozy” mysteries? Elizabeth: Cozies, or traditional mysteries, are my favorite mysteries to read. I cut my teeth on Nancy Drew…

June’s weather is heating up…but cozy mysteries are a delightful way to spend some time in the shade!
Sharon's Cozy corner / June 7, 2010

Well, summer is well and truly upon us and what better way to pass these glorious, sun-filled days than with a lively and fun cozy mystery! June features a bumper-crop of our favorite genre, with more great titles due out in July and August. Fill up your beach bag or your suitcase with your favorite author and take their stories along with you on vacation this summer! Dive in with me to explore these new titles! Paddling around at the swallow end of the pool are three new series debuting this month. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED: A Haunted Guesthouse Mystery by E.J. Copperman features Alison Kerby and her smart, sassy 9-year old daughter Melissa. After moving into a huge old Victoria house in her hometown of Harbor Haven, New Jersey (on the Jersey Shore) that she plans to convert into a guesthouse, Alison discovers that she and her daughter aren’t the only residents of the house – two feisty ghosts, named Paul and Maxey, are in residence and they want Alison to find out who murdered them. This promises to be a delightful series! (Copperman also writes the Double Feature Mysteries and Aaron Tucker Mysteries as Jeffrey Cohen.) Another…

Interview with Lila Dare

This month, I’m thrilled to welcome the debut author of TRESSED TO KILL: The Southern Beauty Shop Mysteries, Lila Dare. Tapping into the sassy and brassy attributes of the southern belles of St. Elizabeth, Georgia, Dare introduces readers to a lively cast of gals who don’t let a little thing like murder keep them from looking good! Life in a small Southern town like St. Elizabeth, Georgia can be slow and lazy as a summer breeze, but it can also be as hot and exciting as a summer storm when a murderer is on the loose! Grace Tenhune has returned home to work in her mother’s beauty shop, just when the town diva Constance Dubois is threatening to close Violetta’s down. All over a tiny little thing like bright orange highlights. But when Constance is found stabbed to death, the police seem to think Grace’s momma is the culprit. Well, Grace ain’t having none of that, and with the help of her co-workers at the salon, and handsome Georgia Bureau of Investigation detective John Dillon, she soon begins to trim the list of suspects like a good shag haircut. Lila Dare’s TRESSED TO KILL is a full of Southern charm…

Sharon’s Cozy Corner | Roses and Cozies are Blooming in May
Sharon's Cozy corner / May 2, 2010

Sharon’s Cozy Corner All about the cozy mysteries: interviews, reviews, books I guess it’s true what they say about April Showers bringing May Flowers! The roses in my garden are blooming like crazy, with some as big as my hand. My pergola garden calls to me with its comfy swing and sweet smelling blooms – so I heed the call and traipse out there with a cold glass of tea and a cozy mystery tucked under my arm. Nothing finer than springtime! Hope your spring is going well too! And to celebrate the ongoing beautiful weather, here are a few new mysteries to keep the cozy mystery fan occupied for those sweet rare days! Author Elizabeth Lynn Casey continues her stories of the lives and activities of the good folks of Sweet Briar, South Carolina in her second Southern Sewing Circle Mystery, DEATH THREADS. Casey deftly crafts a thrilling mystery along with a charming story of friendship and small town life to create a fun, fast-paced novel that will keep cozy mystery lovers thoroughly entertained. Casey’s characters are unique and endearing – the shy but handsome schoolteacher Milo who is sweet on Tori, the feisty Leona Elkin, Tori’s self appointed…

Avoid the April rains…try a cozy mystery in April
Sharon's Cozy corner / April 9, 2010

I love Spring! The air is finally warmer, the flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the swing in the garden is calling my name to come on out, bring a book, and sit a while! I know that “cozy mysteries” invoke the mental image of curling up by the fire on a winter day, being cozy with a good book and a cup of cocoa. But you can grab a lively story and plop into a swing or front porch chair with a glass of raspberry lemonade and enjoy the same “cozy” feeling during the spring and summer! April finds us with a wide variety of mysteries to choose from by some new authors, and some favorite authors. So take a few minutes this beautiful spring to savor the finer things in life – a cool drink, a comfy chair, and a delightful mystery – what could be better? Three top authors in the mystery genre have new books out this month. One of my favorite authors, Susan Wittig Albert continues her tales of herbalist/amateur sleuth China Bayles with her new book, HOLLY BLUES. It’s a battle of the current wife vs. the ex-wife when China’s husband, Mike…