Sometimes I want a quick read. A comfortable read where nothing too gross happens. It’s what they call a “cozy” mystery. If you’re not familiar with the term, think of it as a book that’s like an episode of Castle. There’s a mystery – usually a death – but it’s not described in lurid detail. The main character (almost always a woman) may even say something like “I didn’t need a close look to know that <victim> was dead.” There are quirky characters, quirky settings, and an […]
Elvis is the best
Shop owner Sarah is cleaning out a hoarder house for appraisal and sale when she (well, her cat, Elvis) finds a body in the kitchen. The rest of the story details how Sarah and her friends try to solve the murder. Does that sound like I’m bored? I was bored and I don’t know why. It’s a perfectly capable cozy mystery, but I just didn’t care about the mystery. I guess because I figured out the who and why during the first few chapters, so […]
Darn Hooch
This is the fourth book in the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade series by JJ Cook. The story centers around fire chief Stella Griffin, some ghosts and a hooch war. By the way, that’s hooch as in moonshine, not any of the other terms you might be thinking of (money, female private parts, a loose woman, a scuzzy man or half of a K-9/cop duo). There’s also some stereotypical small town stuff (romance or the lack thereof, family issues, politics, misogyny and food) to round out […]
Ten Minutes Only is Required
Vish Puri is India’s Most Private Investigator. He handles cases as simple as cheating spouses and background checks on potential husbands to murder, kidnapping, and the abduction of a famous moustache. Yes, really. One of Puri’s clients in this book is the man with the longest moustache. Someone breaks into his house and shaves off half of it. The man with the second longest moustache is accused, but it’s not so simple — he’s kidnapped and loses his moustache, too. Fortunately Vish Puri is on […]