Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Challenge — Done!

November 4, 2013 Challenges 4

Earlier this year, I joined the Cruising thru the Cozies Reading Challenge sponsored by Yvonne at Socrates’ Book Reviews.  My goal was to reach the Super Sleuth level, which meant I needed to read and review 13 or more cozy mysteries by the end of the year.  Luckily, Yvonne left the definition of “cozy” up to us, which meant I could stretch it slightly to cover a paranormal romantic mystery (What’s a Witch to Do?).  I couldn’t quite bring myself to include Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle/Amanda Quick’s paranormal romantic suspense novels or a steampunk mystery, though.
As of two weeks ago, I met my goal!  13 cozies read and reviewed during the year.  (Links take you to my reviews.) 
  1. Gone West (Daisy Dalrymple #20) by Carola Dunn 
  2. The Twelve Clues of Christmas (Her Royal Spyness #6) by Rhys Bowen
  3. The Library Lovers mystery series #1-3 by Jenn McKinlay.  I reviewed the series in one post, so I counted this as one book for the challenge — even though, strictly speaking, I read three books!
  4. Valley of the Shadow, by Carola Dunn.  I’m counting this as a cozy, even though the amateur sleuth’s niece, a secondary POV character, is a policewoman, because it fits most of the other criteria of a cozy mystery. 
  5. What’s a Witch to Do?, by Jennifer Harlowe.  Fun paranormal mystery/romance about a witch and a werewolf!
  6. Close Knit Killer (Knitting Mystery #XX, with Kelly Flynn), by Maggie Sefton.
  7. Corpse with the Golden Nose, by Cathy Ace.  If you like Agatha Christie, you’ll like this series.  And I got to interview the author!
  8. Whose Body? (Lord Peter Wimsey #1), by Dorothy Sayers.  If you haven’t yet read these classics by one of the grandes dames of Golden Age British mystery, you’re missing out.  Impeccably written and plotted.
  9. Striding Folly (Lord Peter Wimsey short stories; audiobook) by Dorothy Sayers.  Short stories featuring one of Britain’s most celebrated fictional detectives.
  10. Grapes of Death (Tangled Vines #1) by Joni Folger .  Sadly, this mystery set in a Texas vineyard was only so-so.
  11. Still Life in Brunswick Stew (Cherry Tucker #2) by Larissa Reinhart.  Clever, sassy mystery, Southern-style.  I interviewed Larissa as part of a blog tour.
  12. Bran New Death (Merry Muffin Mystery #1) by Victoria Hamilton.  Well-plotted contemporary cozy with quirky characters and an engaging heroine. 
  13. Heirs and Graces (Her Royal Spyness #7) by Rhys Bowen.  Cozy mystery set among the British aristocracy, featuring the delightful Lady Georgianna Rannoch, better known as Georgie.

This was a lot of fun, and I’ll probably do it again next year, if Yvonne offers the challenge again. 

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4 Responses to “Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Challenge — Done!”

    • Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard

      Good question! I enjoyed almost all of them; only one was a little flat. I’d probably have to go with Whose Body, because I love Sayers’ Lord Peter books and have read that one several times. But it’s really hard to pick a favorite! Rhys Bowen and Carola Dunn are authors I always enjoy reading, and I found a few new favorites among the new-to-me authors as well.