Cozy Challenge Wrap Up

The cozy challenge is to read 6 cozies from April 1st to September 30th. This was a really fun challenge for me as I like cozies a lot and this is one challenge I will definitely do next year. Titles, in order of preference, are linked to review. The 2009 Cozy challenge is kindly hosted by Kris at Not Enough Books.

Dare to Die by Carolyn Hart [finished 04/16/09
Cut, Crop & Die by Joanna Campbell Slan [finished 05/10/09]
The Battered Body by J.B. Stanley [finished 04/04/09]
Stiffs and Swine by J.B. Stanley [finished 04/03/09]
Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke finished [05/08/09]
Steamed by Jessica Conant-Park [finished 04/06/09]

Review: Cut, Crop & Die by Joanna Campbell Slan

At the latest crop, a scrapbooking event held at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, Kiki Lowenstein and Dodie her boss from Time in a Bottle are thrown for a loop by their competitor Ellen. Ellen, owner of Memories First, takes it upon herself to usurp the privilege of starting the festivities instead of letting the hosting store do the customary welcoming speech. This pales in comparison to the brouhaha raised when Yvonne, one of the scrapbookers starts gagging and choking. Kiki yells for help as Yvonne scrambles for her epi-pen, only to find it empty. Emergency Medical Services crew arrives but it is too late. Yvonne, who just moments previously had been applauded as a scrapbooking star, is now dead from anaphalaxis.

When the police determine it is a homicide and not just an unfortunate accident, rumors abound. What could be the motive? Is it personal or professional? It seems Yvonne has left a trail of enemies in her wake over the years. Kiki also hears the rumor that Yvonne's husband may have had a gambling problem and a fling with his secretary. So, the suspects and motives are many. A perfect set up for an intriguing cozy!

When Joanna asked me if I would review her book, I read the synopsis and gladly accepted. The title alone would have grabbed me since I really enjoy a good cozy. This one did not disappoint in any way. About page two, I definitely knew this was going to be a great read. I finished the book in two sittings, anxious to know not only who "dunnit" but how Kiki would resolve some personal issues.

I found the characters to be greatly developed and best of all very believable. I really liked Kiki as a main character. She is a young widow with limited financial resources who is raising a 12 year old daughter. The supporting characters couldn't be better. Sheila, Kiki's mother-in-law is an absolute hoot. There are many scenes in this book that I was just laughing out loud. I don't want to give too much away but believe me, there are some very funny scenarios that any woman or homeowner can relate to!

The mystery itself is well paced with sufficient plausible motives that are revealed in a timely manner. Readers do not need to have any knowledge of scrapbooking to enjoy this one, just the desire to read a great story with friendships and a little romance thrown in with a teriffic mystery. Needless to say, I am really looking forward to the next book by Joanna Campbell Slan. In fact, I went right out and got the first in the series: Paper, Scissors, Death. Thank you so much, Joanna, for such a fun story. Highly recommended for scrapbooking as well as cozy fans. 4.5****

Be sure to come back for 2 chances to win Joanna's book. Giveaway to begin June 11th

Cut, Crop & Die is the 2nd in the Kiki Lowenstein series by Joanna Campbell Slan and will be available in early June of 2009. For more info on Joanna, her first Kiki book or lists of her scrapbooking books, visit her very informative website . She also has some recipes there and a chance to see some of Kiki's projects. You can also sign up to get a free quarterly online magazine she shares with Kiki.

Review: Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke

Cream Puff Murder is #11 in Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen series. Hannah, owner of the Cookie Jar in Lake Eden, MN seems to spend more time finding bodies and solving crimes than she does actually working. It's a good thing she has her partner Lisa who is a workaholic. This newest book finds Hannah needing to lose some weight to fit into a dress for her mother's book launch party. She and her sister start going to the fitness center to work out. When Hannah sees what she first thinks is an exercise suit in the jacuzzi, she decides to take a closer look. Of course it is a dead body!

Since the victim, Ronnie, is one mean and overly flirtatious aerobics teacher, there are many suspects. It seems half the men in town had or wanted to have a close relationship with her. A lot of the women in town hated her for the same reasons. Some of these men including Mike, one of Hannah's two boyfriends, are in law enforcement. The chief, Hannah's brother in law Bill, takes them off the case as they could be suspects. It must be a small department because Hannah is asked to look into the murders. Hannah's mother, sister and her other boyfriend, Norman, help her in the investigation.

As in any cozy, the case is solved due to the efforts of the amateur sleuth. Cozies are not hard boiled police procedurals nor are they thrillers, but more entertainment and Fluke has succeeded in that goal, once again coming up with a fun mystery with equally fun characters. As usual, the reader must suspend disbelief that the police would even allow a citizen to get close to an investigation, never mind solve the case. Hannah has been stringing Mike and Norman along for quite a few books now. In this one, I think Fluke is getting closer to resolving that issue. It's about time. There are more recipes in this story too and a lot of them sounded very good. It's not a "hard to put down" mystery but it is a good enjoyable read.I never guessed who the murderer was. If you like cozies or books with some culinary info, this would be a good choice. I don't think it is necessary to have read the preceding books in the series. For it's genre, I give it a 3*** rating. To see other books in the series, visit Joanne's website :http://www.murdershebaked.com/books.htm

Review: Dare to Die: A Death on Demand Mystery by Carolyn Hart

From the ARC back cover: "Over the years, Annie and Max Darling have witnessed a cornucopia of unusual events on Broward's Rock. Yet they are completely unprepared for the arrival of a mysterious, beautiful young woman named Iris. Within days the whole town is abuzz with speculation and gossip about the former resident. But idle chatter soon takes a downward spiral, and now the happy town in divided into camps of neighbor against neighbor.

The situation really begins to spin out of control when Annie befriends Iris and invites her to attend the Darlings' party at the pavilion-where Death makes an uninvited appearance. Suddenly, Max and Annie find themselves in the middle of a fight they don't understand and at the mercy of an unknown assailant who's trying to kill them-and all they know is that the culprit is one of their friends."

In her 19th book in the Death on Demand series, Carolyn Hart has once again proved her expertise in writing a most puzzling cozy mystery. Broward's Rock, SC, is home to the Death on Demand book store owned by Annie Darling. Annie not only supplies this wonderful seaside community with the best selection of mystery books, she is also active in many charitable community affairs. Annie and Max both have inquisitive and curious natures. They just can't help it. If there is a mystery to be solved, they want to be part of the solution. Of course this is much to the consternation of the Island Police chief, Billy Cameron. This time Annie and Max really have their hands full as they race against time to narrow down the suspects and stop any more mayhem.

I just love these books. Hart has a cast of unforgettable and unique characters and reading another book in the series is just like visiting with old friends. Broward's Rock is described to perfection, I can almost hear the waves lapping against the sides of the wharf and the breeze blowing through the palmetto trees. Annie's bookstore is a place I would actually like to visit, where the coffee is always hot, the newest mystery is on the shelf and Annie's cat, Agatha, keeps a wary eye on all who enter. It's almost hard to remember that it is indeed fictional. Try as I might on this one, I could not figure out the who culprit was. Hart really knows how to hook the reader right from the beginning and keep their interest to the end. An example taken from page 20:

He knew people. Worry puckered his face. "That girl in Six. I think she's got trouble. Maybe nothing anyone can do to help, but keep an eye out. She rented a cabin yesterday evening. She came in the rain. Alone. On a bicycle."

Just separating those three sentences instead of saying she came alone in the rain on a bicycle gives it much more emphasis and added mystery. Hart incorporates into the story enough suspects with perfectly good motives and alibis to keep the reader guessing until the final denouement. 5*****

About the book:
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (March 31, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 006145303X
ISBN-13: 978-0061453038

About the author:Recently, I had the honor of interviewing Carolyn. You can read the interview here. Carolyn Hart has won multiple Agatha, Anthony and Macavity awards. She also writes two other series; Henrie O and Bailey Ruth Raeburn. Carolyn has a wonderful website http://www.carolynhart.com/ with a lot more biographical info including all the numerous awards she has won.

Review : Steamed by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant

When Chloe Carter spies another woman coming from the aprtment of her current boyfriend, she gets so steamed she listens to her sister's advice to try online Back Bay Dates and find a replacement. Chloe has an deep interest in food so she signs up under the username Foodiegirl and who answers her but Dinnerdude. Seems like a match made in heaven but unfortunately half way through their first date he is found dead in the men's room with a very large knife in his neck.

If this isn't weird enough, his parents contact her and act like she is the love of his life. He told them he was hot and heavy with a new love, Chloe. It seems there were certainly a lot of different sides to Dinner Dude's personality. Of course you can't have a cozy mystery without an amateur sleuth. Chloe tries to figure out who could have killed him and at the same time she finds another love interest. She has the emotional attention of a gnat! He just happens to be the chef of the restaurant Dinner Dude was killed in. The big snag is he is also the chief suspect in the case.

Becoming more embroiled into the world of high class dining and cutthroat restaurant business, Chloe delves into the murder. With the help of her friend Adrianna, she finds a lot of surprising twists in the investigation. There are many tangled romances gone bad that give Chloe and the police department numerous suspects and motives. As with any cozy, the "good guy" prevails and the murder is eventually solved.

Generally I like cozies a lot, but this one didn't do much for me. Throughout a good deal of the book I was just downright bored. There were too many extraneous details about the characters and their situations that felt forced and hard to believe. I just couldn't connect with the characters and frankly, my dear, I didn't give a damn how it all ended. It could have been Colonel Mustard in the library with a wrench. Actually, that might have been more interesting ! 2**

Review : The Battered Body by J.B. Stanley

Wedding bells are about to ring in Quincy's Gap, but when the bride's celebrity sister arrives in town, her t.v. fans find out she not quite as sweet as the famous cakes she bakes. Paulette, aka, the Diva of Dough, raises quite a stir in the small Virginia town with her acerbic tongue and demeaning manner. More than one person would like to see her dead. So, when her body is discovered in the kitchen covered in batter, it's no surprise and there is no shortage of suspects.

James, head of the county library, and his four friends that make up the supper club, aka the flab five, once again find themselves in the midst of a murder investigation. Since the bride is James' soon to be step-mama, he really takes this case to heart. If this isn't enough to cope with, his ex is writing a mystery book that depicts the flab five in some humiliating ways. Between trying to sort out his love life and considering some other life style changes, James and the gang get very involved in the investigation. It is only with the discovery of a second body, that they come up with a more detailed plan to flush out the killer.

This is the fifth cozy in the supper club mystery series. This latest has a lot more character development in the story. James is more settled having discovered a new totally unexpected love in his life. Along with the requisite murders, a few more romantic story lines have been more fully developed with the main characters along with some of the peripheral ones. As for the plot, I did not see the second murder coming nor had any idea who the killer was. Stanley does a great job of building up motives and gives the reader characters to love and hate at the same time. A very enjoyable cozy. 4****

This could be a stand along mystery, but if you are considering reading the series, I would recommend starting from the beginning. The first book tells how the supper club evolved and with each book from there adds more depth to the lives of the five friends. As usual, J.B. Stanley has included delicious sounding recipes to go with the theme of the book. The authors web site can be found here.

About the book:

Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK; 1 edition (March 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0738714720
ISBN-13: 978-0738714721

Review: Stiffs and Swine by J.B. Stanley

Set in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, a group of somewhat overweight friends formed a supper club group, jokingly calling themselves the flab five. Over a period of time, not only did they become fast friends, but they had somehow managed to become involved in local murder investigations. With their diverse skills, life experiences and personalities they managed to help solve the crimes and gain a little local notoriety!

So when the judges of a barbecue contest in a neighboring town fall ill, the flab five are invited to fill in. Little did they know their other talents would be called for. After one of the contestants is found dead in an RV and one of the flab five is accused and arrested of the murder, the other four must really put their heads together to figure this one out. Along with local law enforcement, Lucy, who just started a career with the local sheriff's office, gets the chance to hone her new investigative skills. Between contest judging and murder investigation, there isn't time to do much else but the flab five still manage to work on their love lives, careers and endeavors for the future.

Back in Quincy's Gap, James, head librarian has another investigation going on. He's trying to figure out what clandestine activity the teens are getting up to in the magazine section every Friday night. While he is at the barbecue contest site, his trusty employees continue with the teen activity investigation and how it possibly ties in to the barbecue contest murder. With just a few hours before the contest is set to close, the supper club's flab five once again manage to stumble upon the answers. How they get there is all part of the fun! 4 ****

What I like about cozies in general is that they are just plain reading enjoyment. I think of them as literary palate cleansers between heavier readings. The characters are for the most part delightful, with a few totally unlikeable and sometimes quirky ones. Cozies are the feel good genre of the mystery category. There is never gratuitous violence or sex but there is a crime. It's just never a "messy" crime. Justice always prevails in the end. There is generally some romance going on between the characters. Even if you figure out "whodunnit", it's the scenarios, the setting and the characters that are entertaining.

This is the case in the supper club mysteries. J.B. Stanley has created a great group of five friends, diverse in personality and lifestye but with a common goal. The fact that they fall into these murder investigations and manage to solve them in their own way just adds to the glee. Each of the characters has their own issues to deal with and that just adds dimension to the plot. This series also has some wonderful peripheral characters. I really like the lead character James and all the daily doings at the library. After all, what book fan does not love a librarian? Throw in a few blooming romances, a Jeopardy wannabe contestant and a budding mystery writer, you have the recipe for lots of fun.

Throughout the book there are recipes related to the mystery. Since this book is set at a barbecue contest, all the recipes are barbecue related. They all sound scrumptious too! If you are a fan of the cozy, you will definitely enjoy this series.Stiffs and Swine is the fourth book of the Supper Club Series. J.B. Stanley is also the author of another cozy series about antiques and collectibles.Her website can be found here.

About the book:
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK (October 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0738712671
ISBN-13: 978-0738712673

Cozy Challenge

The 2009 Cozy challenge is kindly hosted by Not Enough Books.

Challenge Rules:
1. The challenge runs from April 1, 2009 –September 30, 2009 (6 months)

2. The goal is to read at least 1 cozy mystery for each month, so a total of 6. You can read these all in the same month, one per month, or however you want.

3. It is ok to use books that you are already reading for other challenges, however at least 2 need to be specific for this challenge.

4. You do not need to have a blog to participate

5. You are not required to make a list of books you plan to read ahead of time, but it would be fun if you did. I do ask that you at least create a post for this challenge and link back to this post. Please also note how many books you plan to read for this challenge.

6. You must sign-up before April 1st, so the last date to sign up is March 31st.

7. To sign up for the challenge – please use Mr. Linky below. Behind your name, please put the number of books you plan to read for this challenge in (). Example: Kris (6) If you have trouble with Mr. Linky, just leave a comment.

8. At the end of the challenge, If you have a blog, please create a wrap-up post telling others how you did and listing each of the books you read for the challenge and link them to your reviews. I will create a posting regarding the end of the challenge and ask that you sign Mr. Linky and link your wrap-up post.

1. Dare to Die by Carolyn Hart [finished 04/16/09
2. The Battered Body by J.B. Stanley [finished 04/04/09]
3. Stiffs and Swine by J.B. Stanley [finished 04/03/09]
4. Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke [finished 05/08/09]
5. Steamed by Jessica Conant-Park [finished 04/06/09]
6. Cut, Crop & Die by Joanna Campbell Slan [finished 05/10/09]