Monday, March 9, 2015


I've been doing my blog for almost 2 years. In that time I have recommended many different books, series, and authors to my readers and friends. 
Today I started wondering what books you all would recommend to other readers and me. 

I asked three of my friends for their picks. 
Here they are. 

Karen Owen recommends...

The Haunted Souvenir Shop Mysteries by Christy Fifield are a favorite of mine. I read the first one Murder Buys A T-Shirt when I picked it up by chance at my local library. I have since read the entire series to date and I love it. 


The idea of a Haunted Cozy Mystery really appealed to me and this one is far from scary! I love that the Pet Companion in this series is a Parrot and I know you will too! This is a series worth diving into! ~ Karen Owen


Glory Martine has inherited her uncle's Florida souvenir shop, one stuffed with collectibles, mementos of times gone by--and ghosts--who, like her customers, refuse to let go of the past. But things take an even more unexpected turn when a local football hero dies far too suddenly and suspiciously. Now, Glory has to uncover the truth before someone makes her history...


Nestled in Keyhole Bay, Florida, Glory Martine’s souvenir shop, Southern Treasures, is supposed to trap tourists—not ghosts. But a possessed parrot may be just what Glory needs to solve a murder...
Inheriting her great-uncle Louis’s bayside souvenir shop should have been a breeze for Glory. Instead it’s been one headache after another—with a lot of them generated by Bluebeard, a parrot with a mouth like a sailor and a personality a lot like her late great-uncle. But Glory’s troubles pale in comparison to those of her best friend Karen, whose ex may still have the personalized key chain to her heart, but whose brother-in-law is about to get locked up.
A diver has been found with a gaff hook in his chest, and Karen turns to Glory to help get her brother-in-law off the hook for his murder. But casting the net for the real killer won’t be easy. Glory and Bluebeard are about to find out that the secrets in Keyhole Bay run deeper than anyone ever imagined…


It’s the height of summer tourist season and Glory Martine is busier than ever running her souvenir shop, Southern Treasures. The shop’s parrot, Bluebeard, is becoming quite the celebrity among tourists—little do they realize he’s the bird-host to a ghost…

Residents of Keyhole Bay, Florida, are dismayed when Bridget McKenna, an auditor in chic attire, arrives to assess the local bank’s shady dealings. Curious about the new arrival, Glory brings dinner to Bridget at her temporary residence—the notorious Bayvue Estates, a halted development complex with no view and no estates – just a couple of hastily-completed model homes .

Bridget’s assignment is to figure out where all the money went. But someone wants to keep her in the dark permanently. When Glory finds out her new friend won’t be leaving town alive, she knows she and Bluebeard will have to catch a killer and unravel a financial scandal before it leads to more murderous mayhem…


A Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery from the author of Murder Sends a Postcard--featuring Down-Home Dinner Menus. 

It’s winter in Keyhole Bay, Florida, and while the tourist trade is slow, souvenir shop owner Glory Martine is busy with her best friend’s wedding. But between managing preparations, the bride’s in-laws, and a haunted parrot named Bluebeard, Glory makes plans to catch a killer.

As her friends Karen and Riley approach their wedding day, Glory could use a break from the nuptial madness. She takes a peaceful drive to Alabama’s piney woods to pick up the wedding quilt she ordered from a supplier. But the supplier, Beth, has disappeared along with the quilt and her husband, Everett.

Glory learns that two men were found murdered near Beth and Everett’s home and that the couple is wanted for questioning. Believing they are innocent, Glory convinces them to cooperate with authorities. But when they’re thrown in jail, Glory vows to catch the real killer before one happy couple walks down the aisle and another gets sent up the river.

Patricia Wolfe Tucker recommends...

I enjoy reading so many cozy mystery authors, especially ones with animals in their series.  I would like to recommend Laurie Cass and her Bookmobile Cat mysteries.  I love Minnie, the librarian, and her cat, Eddie.  Minnie talks to Eddie, just like I do my cats, and Eddie talks back...love his "Mrr".  Laurie keeps things moving and it's so easy to get into her mysteries and not want to put the book down.


There's a real-life Eddie and we get to see him, every Friday, on Laurie's Facebook page... https://www.facebook.com/bookmobilecat .  I'd love to see more people like her page and enjoy getting to know Laurie, Minnie and Eddie!


With the help of her rescue cat, Eddie, librarian Minnie Hamilton is driving a bookmobile based in the resort town of Chilson, Michigan. But she’d better keep both hands on the wheel, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride…


Eddie followed Minnie home one day, and now she can’t seem to shake the furry little shadow. But in spite of her efforts to contain her new pal, the tabby sneaks out and trails her all the way to the bookmobile on its maiden voyage. Before she knows it, her slinky stowaway becomes her cat co-pilot!



Minnie and Eddie’s first day visiting readers around the county seems to pass without trouble—until Eddie darts outside at the last stop and leads her to the body of a local man who’s reached his final chapter.



Initially, Minnie is ready to let the police handle this case, but Eddie seems to smell a rat. Together, they’ll work to find the killer—because a good librarian always knows when justice is overdue.



FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!


In the bookmobile, librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, roll out great summer reads to folks all over the lake town of Chilson, Michigan. And when real-life drama turns deadly, Minnie makes sure justice is never overdue.
 
The bookmobile is making its usual rounds when Minnie and Eddie are flagged down by a woman in distress. The woman’s husband, a famous artist, needs emergency medical care. After getting him into the bookmobile, Minnie races the man to the hospital in time…but his bad luck has only just begun.
 
After disappearing from the hospital, the artist is discovered slumped over the body of a murdered woman. Minnie knows that her new friend didn’t commit the crime, but the evidence paints an unflattering picture. Now this librarian and her furry friend have to put the investigation in high gear and catch the real killer before someone else checks out.


Librarian Minnie Hamilton spreads the joy of reading throughout Chilson, Michigan, with her bookmobile, but she doesn’t ride alone. Her rescue cat, Eddie, and a group of volunteers are always on board to deliver cheer—until one of her helpers gets checked out for good...

When Minnie loses a grant that was supposed to keep the bookmobile running, she’s worried her pet project could come to its final page. But she’s determined to keep her patrons—and Eddie’s fans—happy and well read. She just needs her boss, Stephen to see things her way, and make sure he doesn’t see Eddie. The library director doesn’t exactly know about the bookmobile’s furry co-pilot.

But when a volunteer dies on the bookmobile’s route, Minnie finds her traveling library in an even more precarious position. Although the death was originally ruled a hunting accident, a growing stack of clues is pointing towards murder. It’s up to Minnie and Eddie to find the killer, and fast—before the best chapter of her life comes to a messy close…

Dawn Frazier Recommends...

Heather Blake Wishcraft Series. 

This series is so much fun to read, it has the perfect setting (A Salem MA type of city), fantastic characters that you love, and never a dull moment!




I love the idea of a witch with wishcrafting powers. This series just gets better with each book, they grab you and don't let go!


Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She's come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation...


Darcy Merriweather is Salem, Massachusetts’ newest resident Wishcrafter—a witch who can grant wishes for others. While Darcy isn’t able to grant wishes for herself, she does possess a certain knack for solving problems—including the occasional murder… 

When Darcy is hired by Elodie Keaton to clean up her missing mother’s disorderly home, the Wishcrafter is certainly up for the task. After all, the motto of her Aunt Ve’s personal concierge service As You Wish is “No Job Impossible.” But beneath the piles of old newspapers and knickknacks Darcy discovers something much more disturbing—Patrice Keaton’s body. 

Darcy’s determined to give Elodie peace of mind by investigating her mother’s disappearance and death. Patrice was last seen over a year ago after a fight with her Charmcrafter boyfriend. Was her murder a crime of passion? Or were Patrice’s troubles caused by the Anicula, a wish-granting amulet? Now Darcy has to not only find a killer, she has to find the Anicula— before the power of ultimate wish fulfillment falls into the wrong hands…  


Darcy Merriweather is Enchanted Village’s newest resident Wishcrafter—a witch who can grant wishes for others. But as Darcy prepares a celebration for a magical florist, she discovers that every rose has its thorns… 
When magical florist Harriette Harkette decides to throw a lavish eightieth birthday party for herself, she hires Darcy’s Aunt Ve’s personal concierge service, As You Wish, to plan the soiree. But turning eighty isn’t all Harriette is celebrating—the Floracrafter has recently created the midnight black Witching Hour rose, the first all-natural rose of that color. 

Darcy works hard on planning an extravagant celebration that will make Harriette feel like the belle of the ball. But when cake delivery boy Michael Healey—a former employee at Harriette’s greenhouse—is found dead, the celebration takes a turn. Now Michael’s ghost has imprinted on Darcy, meaning that they’re bonded until she can untangle the thicket surrounding his murder—and what exactly it has to do with the Witching Hour rose….  


As Enchanted Village’s resident Wishcrafter, Darcy Merriweather has the power to make other people’s wishes come true, but what she really wishes is that she had the power to uncloak the invisible man who’s stalking her best friend....
 
Darcy’s closest friend and fellow witch, Starla Sullivan, hoped she’d never see her ex-husband, Kyle, again. Two years ago he tried to kill her, and he has been a fugitive ever since. Now Starla claims to have seen him back in Enchanted Village, but it seems she’s the only one who can see him. To everyone else, her ex is invisible.
 
Darcy only wishes his motives were as transparent as the rest of him. Since the police can’t arrest someone they can’t see, it’s up to Darcy to find the secret behind Kyle’s latest disappearing act—before he does something they can’t see coming….


Wishcrafter Darcy Merriweather can charm desires into reality, but as the national bestselling Wishcraft mysteries continue, she won’t be able to magically avoid trouble when death holds an open house….

The Enchanted Village is abuzz when the old Tavistock house finally goes up for sale. Darcy’s friend Curecrafter Cherise Goodwin is hoping she will have the winning bid on the home, but Darcy can’t shake the feeling that something bad is about to happen—and her magical instincts are usually right.

Sure enough, while Darcy and Cherise are looking at the property, they discover real estate agent Raina Gallagher stone-cold dead on the floor. Clutched in her hand is a gemstone amulet and, on the wall above her, a large red A. While Raina had no shortage of enemies, there’s also a dark legend about the house itself. To track down the killer, Darcy must unlock the secrets of both the deceased and the estate—and she’ll need to act fast, because revenge is a deal that never closes.…

SOME LIKE IT WITCHY 
Releases
May 5, 2015

Those all sound like great series, don't they? 

A big thank you to Karen Owen, Patricia Wolfe Tucker, and Dawn Frazier for sharing their favorites series!

Do you have a favorite cozy mystery series you would like me to mention on the blog?

Just email me at 
lisaksbookreview @ aol . com (no spaces)

Please use the words Favorite Series in the subject line.
Enclose at lease 4 lines or more of what you like about the series.
and
Enclose a photo of your books. 
(If they are on eReader or you borrowed them from the library, and cannot take a photo, please just note that in your email.) 

I will post all recommended COZY mysteries I receive at a future date on the blog.

As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

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16 comments:

  1. I really like your blog. Thanks for all the new book reviews. I have stocked up on a lot of new books since I will be going back home, far away from a bookstore. Going shopping in a bookstore is so much more fun than online shopping. And all the books and cover you show is almost as good as going to the bookstore. Thanks!

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    1. Elaine, I'm happy you have found some new titles. Where do you live that is so far from a bookstore?

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  2. Thank you for featuring one of my favorite series! I also love the other two mentioned.

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  3. Thank you, Lisa! Happy Monday!

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  4. Hi Lisa! I love your blog!! It's always fun and interesting! I love all three of these featured series!! Highly recommend!! 😊

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  5. When I am recommending a cozy series to someone who may not have read a cozy mystery before, I always recommend the cupcake bakery mystery series by Jenn McKinlay. That was the first cozy series I had ever read. I was hooked on cozies from that point on.

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    1. Angie, you and I have that in common. It was the first for me too and will always be a special favorite.

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  6. Today is a beautiful day. Happy Monday! Great picks, ladies! I have read some supernatural cozies and have really enjoyed them. There are so many cozies out there, there's something for everyone. That is what is so great about the cozy mystery genre.

    Thank you, Lisa! :)

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    1. Susan, it is a beautiful day! And I agree with you about the cozy genre!

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  7. Today's post was very informative. I did know of these authors, but had not been up to date on a few of their latest books, so that was very helpful. There are so many great cozy authors and cozy/historical and cozy/romance, etc. and that gives everyone who likes cozies a special niche from which to draw upon for books. Thank you so much for having this type of list for the readers to become more familiar with, Lisa. Your blog is fantastic. Keep up the great work.
    Cynthia

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    1. Thank you so much, Cynthia! I'm so happy you like it. That means a lot to me.

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  8. This is a great idea Lisa. I'm always looking for books to read and seeing what other readers thinks about a certain series, will be great.

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