Those of you who know me, know I have an infatuation with books. I have said several times that I have more books than I will ever have time to read and I still keep on buying.
I found a series of books I want to mention cause they are just fun reads. I guess they are some of the luckier books on my shelves. I've always thought of my books as characters in the children's book 'The Velveteen Rabbit' (one of my faves) -I always assume my books are like the stuffed toys - whereas the toys just want to be loved, my books just want to be read. I am trying my best to make everyone feel loved.
So, anyway, I read obsessively. And I read everything. Horror, true crime, nature, mainstream/popular fiction, chick-lit, history, supernatural, non-fiction of any kind.. I like pretty much anything except straight-forward sappy Harlequin-type romance. Besides horror, my favorite genre is mystery.
I used to read every James Patterson I could get my hands on - but I am done with him for awhile - everything he writes sounds the same now, and he is punching books out so fast I have serious doubts about whether or not HE is the one actually writing these novels. Whatever.
So, anyway, I read obsessively. And I read everything. Horror, true crime, nature, mainstream/popular fiction, chick-lit, history, supernatural, non-fiction of any kind.. I like pretty much anything except straight-forward sappy Harlequin-type romance. Besides horror, my favorite genre is mystery.
I used to read every James Patterson I could get my hands on - but I am done with him for awhile - everything he writes sounds the same now, and he is punching books out so fast I have serious doubts about whether or not HE is the one actually writing these novels. Whatever.
I digress.
Mysteries. I have recently, in the last few years, discovered a whole new sub-genre of mystery - the "cozy". Generally, a cozy is a type of crime fiction/mystery where there is a female lead who works in some other field than criminal justice of any kind, but who might have a buddy/boyfriend on the police force or the likes so she can aquire details about the crimes. She usually lives in a small town where there just happens to be a higher rate of murder than your average small town. She happens upon these crimes and uses her wit and various contacts around town to help her solve the mysteries. She usually has a bunch of friends and family that weave throughout the story causing their own little side-story problems.
Believe me, they aren't curing cancer with these stories - and there's no major violence or blood most of the time. But the mysteries are tight little stories that wrap up in a cute little bow, and usually leave a tidbit or two that will lead to the next story starring our heroine.
Perhaps one of the best known writers of cozies would be Agatha Christie, though she also had a man (Hercule Poirot) as her protagonist as well as the series with the famous Miss Marple.
On tv, Angela Lansbury's 'Murder She Wrote' was a classic example of a cozy, just made for tv.
On tv, Angela Lansbury's 'Murder She Wrote' was a classic example of a cozy, just made for tv.
I have discovered that there are thousands of these types of mysteries all over the shelves at my local Borders and on amazon.com. It's amazing. Because of my interests, I have found series about horseracing mysteries, wine lovers mysteries, cats who help solve murders, bookshop mysteries, and supernatural/witchy tales. But anything you like, there is a cozy out there to suit you.
There are ones about sewing, crafting, scrapbooking, photography, holidays, fashion, flower-shops, vampire hunters, werewolves, tea and coffee shops, herbs, Olde English-style mysteries, Renaissance-era, King Arthur times, dogs who help solve murders, foodies, traveling...etc. They probably even make a NASCAR mystery series -I have never looked (and never will).
There is even a series of glass-blowers mysteries - I shit you not.
Anyway, one of my recent favorites is the 'Bewitching Mysteries' by Madelyn Alt.
It 'stars' Maggie O'Dell, who quits her boring office job and takes a job at a local antiques & things store called 'Enchantments' (a place not unlike the store on Ghost Whisperer). She soon finds out her boss is, quite seriously, a witch. But none of that green face and flying monkey stuff...
Mysteries seem to abound in Maggie's small town, and the murder average is seemingly getting higher. She always seems to get herself right in the middle of things. Classic.
There are ones about sewing, crafting, scrapbooking, photography, holidays, fashion, flower-shops, vampire hunters, werewolves, tea and coffee shops, herbs, Olde English-style mysteries, Renaissance-era, King Arthur times, dogs who help solve murders, foodies, traveling...etc. They probably even make a NASCAR mystery series -I have never looked (and never will).
There is even a series of glass-blowers mysteries - I shit you not.
Anyway, one of my recent favorites is the 'Bewitching Mysteries' by Madelyn Alt.
It 'stars' Maggie O'Dell, who quits her boring office job and takes a job at a local antiques & things store called 'Enchantments' (a place not unlike the store on Ghost Whisperer). She soon finds out her boss is, quite seriously, a witch. But none of that green face and flying monkey stuff...
Mysteries seem to abound in Maggie's small town, and the murder average is seemingly getting higher. She always seems to get herself right in the middle of things. Classic.
Alt has written an interesting group of secondary characters as well and there is a love triangle of sorts that has been setting up slowly, but there is no major sex in the novels (yet) - just longing glances, kisses, and things like that. Nothing to bog down the mystery too heavily.
And if you need something really quick to read that you don't have to concentrate too hard on (it's not Tolstoy or Dostoevsky here...), these are perfect.
In other words, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to enjoy these novels.
And if you need something really quick to read that you don't have to concentrate too hard on (it's not Tolstoy or Dostoevsky here...), these are perfect.
In other words, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to enjoy these novels.
Her next book - No Rest For The Wiccan - comes out in november. That's a long time, but I'll manage. There's alot to read in the meantime...
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