Chapter 38 - Cold Days

We have had a spate of cold weather here at the beach in early November. Temperatures which normally rest from 50 degrees to low 70's have fallen as low as 32 degrees this past week. We had snow flurries momentarily in certain parts of the Grand Strand and many of us (me included) stayed inside. It was a perfect opportunity to get some prime reading time in.

I have always enjoyed cozy mysteries especially on cold days. Often I can go through a couple in a day - or at least I did when I had true snow days. Now since I'm usually out and about, I might be able to finish one a day. Cozy mysteries are crime fiction which has a lighthearted tone and usually doesn't have graphic violence, sex, or gore. Generally the detective is an amateur and the setting is in a small community or town. There are often interesting supporting characters which may include an animal sidekick.

There are some great cozy mystery authors like Krista Davis, Laura Childs, Rita Mae Brown, and Joanne Fluke, for example. Each of these (and many more authors) have series and sometimes an author may have several series they are writing. Instead of trying to keep up with the series, I set out this year to discover new cozy mystery series so I could start out fresh with the first one. Here are some I've enjoyed and most of these were published in 2025.

Schooled in Murder by Victoria Gilbert - Jen Dalton is a professor at Clarion University in Virginia. While she loves her job some of her co-workers look down on her because she writes genre fiction. The English Department seems to want its students to pursue more literary works. When one of Jen's students is accused of killing a particularly snobbish English professor after they had an argument, Jen steps in to clear her student's name.

Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin - Kausar Khan's daughter is accused of killing her landlord, who was disliked by many. Returning to Toronto for the first time in years, Kausar finds that the murder of the landlord is just one in a series of unsolved crimes. Lies, secrets, and betrayals are in store for the meddlesome "aunty" as she tries to get to the bottom of all that is rotten in her old neighborhood.

Vice and Virtue by Libby Klein - Layla Virtue, a recovering alcoholic and former cop, is just trying to take life "one day at a time" and pursue her dream of being a musician from her home in Lake Pinecrest Trailer Park. She is trying to make music work anyway she can so that is why she takes a job at an 8 year old's birthday party. And, that is why she sees Chuckles the Clown take his last bow. As Layla digs into the death, she uncovers the seedy world of rich husbands, second wives, and trust fund babies.

Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd - When a novice friend's reliable letters stop, Nora Breen takes off for Gulls Nest, a beautiful seaside hotel in Kent. As Nora tries to find out what happened to her friend, she finds herself in the middle of several murders with a true cast of sketchy characters. To do all this, Nora has also been released from her vows.

A Death on Corfu by Emily Sullivan - At the turn of the century Minnie Harper is left a widow with two children to race on Corfu. When a handsome London author comes to the island to write, Minnie dislikes him immediately. Offered a job to type his manuscript, Minnie cannot be picky as she needs the money. Then, a local maid is murdered and Minnie decides that local police are too slow to respond so she steps in and drags the author right along with her.

Do you enjoy cozy mysteries? If so, who do you read? Let me know.