Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

I don't know how many others are into reading mysteries, but I'm always looking for more cozy mysteries to read. Nothing bloody, nasty or gruesome. lol I'm not looking for crime novels. More like Murder, She Wrote with Jessica Fletcher. (There are several books based on that tv series). An old fashioned who done it that I can curl up with without getting grossed out somewhere along the way. lol My favorite cozy mystery series is Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity novels. The Pennsylvania Dutch mysteries with Recipes aren't bad by Tamar Myers. I've got Monica Ferris' needlework mysteries to read yet. I started looking for used copies of the Killhorne (Alphabet) Mysteries by Sue Grafton but don't know how cozy they are. Anyone know of any others? Not sure how to define a "cozy" mystery, other than to say if it was on tv it would be rated for family entertainment. More Murder, She Wrote than say CSI (where the autopsy's gave my son nightmares). More entertainment, less gore and violence. And the mystery doesn't have to be a murder either.

I haven't read any yet, so I'm not sure how good they are, but I have some of the Chocoholic Mysteries (JoAnna Carl) and Teddy Bear Mysteries (John J. Lamb) on my TBR pile. I also have a friend who highly recommended the Amelia Peabody Mystery series by Elizabeth Peters which are historicals (Victorian I think).

Thanks Julie. I'll have to see if library has any of those.

Thanks Shazzy. It's hard to find new authors for cozy mysteries. I'll have to make a list and check the library.

I liked the Shakespeare / Lily Bard Mystery series by Charlaine Harris. I'd say it was cosy and cute enough, and with a strong heroine. Not bad...

Oh and I also liked this book: - it's like Bridget Jones and James Bond in one... So much fun, and it was hilarious.

so many good choices from the sounds of it. I'm going to have to make a long list. lol It's just that I've read all the Nancy Atherton's (about 10 or so) and almost done with the Pennyslvania Dutch mysteries (2 to go out of around 14). That leaves the Monica Ferris needlework mysteries and then I'm out of cozy mysteries, save for a few Murder, She Wrote novels. I've got a few Agatha Christies I havn't read yet but didn't know how intense vs cozy they'd be. Bubbles sounds like fun. Oh can't forget I have the first two Booktown mysteries to read by Lorna Barrett.

I do like romance novels, but after awhile the shallow plots that don't go beyond just the romance in harlequins can leave a bit to be desired. So nice to sit down and read a good Who Done It? and see if I can figure it out. To me a good author is one where I can't figure out who did it until they practically tell you. If you can correctly guess half way through, they didn't do their job very well. lol

I do like suspenseful romances, where there is a heavy suspenseful plot and the romance is kinda a side-plot that works around the rest of the story. It's hard to find good suspenseful romances. The best I've found is Carla Neggers.

Have you read anything by Joan Hess? She has two different series'. I have read all of her "Maggody" series and loved them. The characters are just so crazy you have to keep coming back for more. The mysteries are great. Even after all of the books, I was always amazed at how she fooled me right up until the end. Love those books. I then went back to her other series and read the first two and just didn't like the characters as much.

I havn't heard of her Melissa. I'm going to have a lot of different authors and series to look for now. I'm glad I asked. :0)