Friday Favorites: Southern Cozy Mysteries

 

Southern Cozies are a favorite of mine at least in part because I live in the south. For the purpose of this post I am using the Census Bureau's definition of the south-- South Atlantic: Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, amd Delaware East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas.

What makes a southern cozy? It takes place in the South. The dialogue is generally polite, but can be sharp (Bless her heart.) There is usually nothing overtly graphic in the way of violence, gore, or sex. The murderer is always caught and brought to justice and harmony restored. The main investigator is usually a likable, female character. And the villain is despicable.

I like the easy, light reading of the southern cozy. The banter is usually good. Settings for the most part are pleasant. I found when I was out of town for an extended period, that the southern cozies helped with my homesickness. 

Murder on a Girls' Night Out is the first in the Southern Sisters mysteries by Anne George. This is one of my all time favorite series. The books take place in Birmingham, Alabama. Patricia Anne (aka Mouse) and Mary Alice (aka Sister) are the sleuths. There is a lot of humor to the writing as well. There are 8 books in the series.

Another humorous series is the Cherry Tucker series that takes place in Halo, Georgia. Cherry Tucker is a talented artist who ends up having a skill for finding trouble as well. She has 6 novels and 2 novellas according to Goodreads. Portrait of a Dead Guy by Larissa Reinhart is the first book in the series.

Another humorous southern cozy is The Liz Talbot series by Susan Boyer. It starts with Lowcountry Boil. I love the description of the plot of the first book on Goodreads. There are 11 novels and one novella. The novels take place in South Carolina. "Private Investigator Liz Talbot is a modern Southern belle: she blesses hearts and takes names."

Some other humorous southern cozies include: The Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano (Virginia), The Miss Fortune series by Jana DeLeon (Louisiana), The Southern Ghost Hunter series by Angie Fox (Tennessee), The Claire Malloy series and The Arly Hanks series by Joan Hess (Arkansas).

Two series that I have on my TBR list, but haven't gotten to yet are The Sarah Booth Delaney series by Carolyn Haines (Mississippi) and The China Bayles series by Susan Wittig Albert (Texas).

Do you have a favorite southern cozy series? Or does one of these appeal to you? Share in the comments. Happy Reading!

(All links open in new tabs and come from Goodreads.)

Teaser Tuesday: Haunted Homecoming by Angie Fox

 

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR! You can also just share what you are currently reading. We make it very easy to play along. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Ambrosia at the Purple Booker.

1: Grab your current read. 2: Open to a random page. 3: Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!

Heaven knew I’d been a handful for her at times. Like when I was out in the backyard sandbox as a child and thought I’d discovered dinosaur fossils. I’d proudly showed her my discovery, but it turned out my “rare artifacts” were just old dried-up cat droppings.

Fox, Angie. The Haunted Homecoming: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery Romance (Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries Book 10) (pp. 17-18). Kindle Edition. 

You can follow the adventures of Verity and her ghostly co-resident Frankie in Sugarland, Tennessee in the Southern Ghost Hunter Series. There's usually plenty of humor and a good mystery. Ghost Frankie does not have the typical romantic relationship with Verity often found in similar mysteries. Instead they are reluctant partners in solving mysteries. Usually there is one mystery of the living and a related one of the dead. The books in the series are a fun read as is this one so far. If you enjoy humorous paranormal cozies you may want to give this series a try. Book one, Southern Spirits, is currently free on Kindle. I do not benefit from sharing this information with you. Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #457: Dread and Buried by Angie Fox

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:

Dead men tell no tales.
Until they meet ghost hunter Verity Long.

Verity Long is proud to say she gets along with just about anybody—dead or alive. But she’s put to the test when her well-meaning boyfriend and her sweet-as-pie sister con her into a remote island “double date” weekend with her sister’s new flame and Verity’s long-time nemesis, Alec Duranja.

Her plans to avoid the uptight police officer go up in smoke when the four of them team up for a weekend treasure hunt competition based on the island’s legendary pirate past. And it doesn’t take long for Verity and her team to discover more than game clues. Someone is using the game to dig up real pirate gold...and they’re willing to kill to keep it.

There’s no escaping the island or the game. And when the killer targets someone Verity loves, she realizes she’s the only one who can uncover the truth behind the legend. She must stay one step ahead of the dangers of the island and two steps ahead of Frankie’s new ghostly pirate buddies—all in a race against time to solve a centuries-old puzzle and take down a real live killer before he strikes again.

Dread and Buried by Angie Fox is due out April 18th, 2023 from Moose Island Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've enjoyed other books in this series in the past. I've missed a few of them and hope to catch up on them one day. But in the mean time, this one sounds like it will be a good read. I like the idea of real treasure, modern day pirates, and pirate ghosts. Frankie the ghost will fit right in no doubt. And this sounds like Verity and her boyfriend will get to use their mystery solving skills. I'm hoping it can be read as a standalone as well as part of the series. There is usually at least a little humor in these books. And at least I don't have a long wait before it's available.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #338: Southern Bred and Dead by Angie Fox

 

Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

A haunted church. A ghastly death. Can Verity clear up the case before she’s buried way over her head?

Verity Long would really like a day off. Between uncovering the culprit who capped her gangster ghost housemate and dodging the bomb her boyfriend just dropped on their relationship, her spiritual calling has gotten complicated. But when she steps out for a little fun at a church fundraiser, she has another mystery on her hands when a family friend plunges from the bell tower. 

With her pet skunk and a spectral mobster buddy in tow, Verity charges back into the world of furious phantoms. But as she follows a shocking trail of clues through a dangerous speakeasy, a possessed movie theatre, and a spooky mob safehouse, she could end up sleeping with the ghostly fishes. 

Can Verity lay everything to rest before a mysterious murderer reads her last rites? 

There's not a long wait for this one. It's expected to be published August 28th, 2020 from Moose Island Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like  this series. It's fun and light reading. I like the way Verity and Frankie, her ghost associate, interact. There's a good sense of humor to this series and just a touch of romance. If you enjoy paranormal cozies, it's worth a read.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments. so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #280: The Mint Julep Murders by Angie Fox

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From Goodreads:

For Southern girl Verity Long, friendship means sitting down to stories and sweet tea on the front porch. For her gangster ghost housemate, it means dragging Verity out to a remote haunted asylum during a raging thunderstorm to do a favor for a long-dead mob boss.

But Verity is always ready to help out a friend, even one as eternally eccentric as Frankie. And in the case of Mint Julep Manor, the stakes are too high to refuse. The criminally insane mob boss holds a secret to Frankie’s past, one that might set Frankie free. Do the favor—survive the favor—and they might change Frankie’s afterlife for good. Fail, and they might never leave the asylum.

The Mint Julep Murders by Angie Fox is due to be released April 25th, 2019 from Moose Island Books. It will be book #8 in the Southern Ghost Hunter series.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've enjoyed the other books in the Southern Ghost Hunter series. I like the characters in the books from Verity and Frankie to Verity's boyfriend Ellis and his eccentric family and beyond. If you enjoy a good paranormal mystery often blended with a normal mystery, then this is a good series for you to check out.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: Pecan Pies and Dead Guys by Angie Fox

Angie Fox has another wonderfully fun mystery with Verity and Frankie in Pecan Pies and Dead Guys - the 7th entry in the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries series.

The ghostly Inspector De Clercq has drafted Frankie, Verity's resident ghost, to help him solve a murder mystery at a Great Gatsby era party. They have 3 days to solve the mystery and then it will be closed to them for another year. If they don't succeed, the inspector will lock Frankie up in ghost prison for good. With motivation like that, Frankie will pay close attention to the goings on at the Adair mansion. Verity will do her best to assist them in solving the mystery even though the inspector doesn't want the help of a live woman. Not sure which he considers the bigger liability, that she is alive or a woman.

Meanwhile, Ellis (Verity's boyfriend and a cop) has a mystery of his own to solve regarding a dead body in a ravine. And then Verity has an additional mystery - someone is leaving pecan pies at her house without a note or a friendly visit. Is someone stalking her?

I love the way Verity and Frankie interact. Their banter is entertaining. And it's obvious they've come to care about each other.

The mysteries are well done, especially the ghostly mystery at the 3-day party. There were plenty of suspects with motives. I loved the descriptions of the opulence of the mansion and the party and could easily picture it being made into a movie or a film.

While it can be read as a standalone, it might just whet your appetite for the rest of the series. It's not the first one that I've read and I feel the reader would perhaps get more enjoyment out of the book if they read some of the earlier ones as well.

I give this paranormal cozy 4 stars out of 5. It's well-written and entertaining. I look forward to the next installment in the series.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Teaser Tuesday: Pecan Pies and Dead Guys by Angie Fox

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Smoke curled from his nose. "I mean, if you're going to commit to a life of crime, doll, you ought to commit to doing it right." (18% on my Kindle)

That's Frankie the ghost talking to Verity who is very much among the living.

Pecan Pies and Dead Guys by Angie Fox is being released today, September 18th, 2018, from Moose Island Books. This is book seven in the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries series.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Review: Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox

It's time to get away from Frankie and the other ghosts and have a nice peaceful vacation. Ellis, Verity Long's boyfriend, has surprised her with tickets on the maiden voyage of the Sugarland Express, a historic train.

The ghosts have another idea. Frankie is determined to tag along to provide a romantic getaway for his girlfriend. Little do they know that the Sugarland Express was the scene of a murder oh so many years ago and that the detective that investigated it is still investigating.

As if that wasn't enough mystery, someone in the present day is also murdered on the train while it is stuck in the mountains and the wifi and communications equipment have been destroyed. It becomes a very busy trip for Verity as Ellis and Verity spring into action trying to solve the present day murder before anyone else gets killed. And Frankie and Verity get sucked into trying to solve the mystery from the past before the ghost train version of the train is derailed and plunges into the river once again.

This is a hat tip to Murder on the Orient Express. Someone on the train must have committed the murder in the present day as well as some ghost committed the murder in the past.

This book can be read as a standalone even though it is the sixth book in the Southern Ghost Hunter series. Enough information is given for you to follow along. It's better, though, if you've had some exposure to the characters prior to this though. It's just more enjoyable knowing their history.

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's well-written and paced well. There are two mysteries for the price of one and the author even manages to connect them in a way. The characters are interesting. There is a good sense of humor that shines through even though the mysteries are tough to solve. If you enjoy humorous cozies with some paranormal involvement, then this would be a good reading choice for you.

Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox was published November 25, 2017 by Moose Island Books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Teaser Tuesday: Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

"I'm ready for bed, too," Stephanie announced, slipping past the lot of us. She wrapped both her arms around one of Beau's and leaned up, exposing her swan-like neck, her ruby lips hovering near his ear. "As long as I have some company," she purred.

Who did she think she was? Jessica Rabbit?

35% through on my Kindle

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #215: Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

This week the book I am waiting on is Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox. It's due to be released November 25th, 2017 from Moose Island Books. 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Verity Long is overdue for a little R&R (rest and romance) with her boyfriend Ellis, and a vintage train trip through the Tennessee mountains seems like just the ticket. The Sugarland Express carries history and nostalgia in every compartment, and Verity is determined to enjoy it—without ghostly interference. But the ghosts have other plans…

On a dark, desolate night nearly a century ago, the train was stranded in the mountains and a young woman was found stabbed to death in her locked compartment. The murder was never solved, and a ghostly Belgian detective is still pursuing the case from the grave.

To Verity’s dismay, all of the ghostly suspects are back. And when history repeats itself and a new murder mirrors the old, it’s up to Verity and her friends to discover which of the passengers—dead or alive—could be behind the murders before the killer strikes again. 

Why am I waiting on this one? It's the 6th book in the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries series. I've read other books in the series and have enjoyed them. There is humor to the mysteries as well as the paranormal since Verity Long can communicate with ghosts. I've found the others fun to read.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: Deader Homes and Gardens by Angie Fox

Verity Long and her ghostly companion Frankie are in desperate need of money for basics and to fix up the house. Verity takes on a case concerning one of the oldest homes in town - Rock Fall mansion. Frankie is a little disgruntled at first that she took on the job without consulting him. Then he is downright scared and refuses to enter the mansion

The mansion contains several ghosts. At least one of them may be violent. And the rumored, cursed, Egyptian treasure seems to have gone missing.

Will Verity be able to put the ghosts to rest before she  becomes the next victim to the curse? Will Frankie help her or just be a hindrance? Will Ellis Wydell, her love interest and deputy sheriff, be able to keep her out of trouble? Will they find the treasure?

Frankie has his stubborn moments, but generally gives Verity what she needs if not exactly what she wants. In order to solve the mystery of where the treasure is, she must get the ghosts to settle down. Unlike in the past, the ghosts seem to be reluctant to talk to her. The mystery itself is twofold - what happened to the family that was living there plus what happened to the treasure.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a good cozy, paranormal mystery. It's well paced. There is just a touch of romance. And the mystery itself has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end.

Deader Homes and Gardens by Angie Fox is #4 in the Southern Ghost Hunter Mystery series. It became available October 11, 2016.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Teaser Tuesday: Deader Homes and Gardens by Angie Fox

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Not even fried green tomatoes warm out of the pan were worth one more random knock on the door that led to an uncomfortable half hour of small talk. Especially if it was with someone I hadn't seen since the church potluck in fourth grade, and it ended with a "bless your heart." That was Southern for "yep - you've got problems."

~ 2% through on my Kindle. Verity Long is talking about the parade of people that have been coming by her house since it was revealed that she could indeed see ghosts.

Deader Homes and Gardens is expected to be released today from Moose Island Books. This is the fourth book in the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries series.

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Review: Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

Published January 21, 2015 by
Season Publishing

Southern Spirits by Angie Fox is the first book in her new Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries. It has so many things in a cozy that I like: a strong female main character/amateur detective, a southern setting, a touch of the paranormal, humor, and a dash of a possible romance.

Verity Long is a graphic designer who is currently unemployed and about to lose her grandmother's house because of her jerk ex-fiance and his mother who have poisoned some of the townspeople against her.

After an estate sale, Verity has few items left and still owes $20,000. When she takes a vase out into the garden to clean it off, she discovers that it was an urn and she has accidentally trapped the ghost of the inhabitant on her property. Her newly found ability to see other spirits with his help leads to a job offer from her ex-fiance's brother.

Ellis wants her to do one thing, clear the ghosts out of the carriage house that he is converting to a restaurant so that they will stop tearing up the place. Verity soon finds out that there is more than the supernatural at work. And that the mystery from the past and the present mystery are linked.

"Verity isn't above questioning the living or the dead. But can she find the truth before the killer finds her?" (Goodreads.com)

This book is really a fun, cozy, paranormal mystery. I enjoyed reading about Verity who was definitely very courageous right from the beginning. The ghostly character of Frankie wasn't overdone and was interesting. He faded out at a good time in the plot. Ellis was a good character as well. Don't want to say more about him because that would be a spoiler. The supporting characters were kept to a minimum which kept any confusion down. There is room for expansion on them and their roles in Verity's life in the future. I seriously enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people who like a little paranormal with their cozy mysteries.
I gave it 5 stars. I am so looking forward to the next installment in the series. I hear it may be out Fall of 2015.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Teaser Tuesday: Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading.

Anyone can participate. just do the following.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t  give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Southern Spirits by Angie Fox is turning out to be a cute book. There are mysteries on 2 levels: paranormal and human. Verity Long needs cash fast to pay off her ex-fiance and keep her grandmother's house. Ellis needs someone to look into a destructive haunting at his property. He hires Verity and the 2 begin to work together to solve the ghostly mystery and find the all too real human mystery.

This scene is where they are negotiating:

(Ellis) He took a slow breath as he steered us onto more solid ground. "That kitchen equipment cost me more than you're asking. You clear out my vandal ghosts, every damned one of them, and you've earned the twenty grand."

(Verity) "All right, then." This was a business arrangement, pure and simple.

It's a good sample, but it doesn't do justice to the banter between Ellis and Verity or the banter between Verity and the ghost she has accidentally grounded on her property. I'm enjoying the book. It comes out officially January 21, 2015 from Season Publishing. It's Book #1 in the new Ghost Hunter Mystery series.

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #69 - Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

This week I am checking out a new series, Southern Spirits by Angie Fox. It's due out January 21, 2015, so I don't have too long to wait.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When out of work graphic designer Verity Long accidentally traps a ghost on her property, she’s saddled with more than a supernatural sidekick—she gains the ability see spirits. It leads to an offer she can’t refuse from the town’s bad boy, the brother of her ex and the last man she should ever partner with.

Ellis Wyatt is in possession of a stunning historic property haunted by some of Sugarland Tennessee’s finest former citizens. Only some of them are growing restless—and destructive. He hires Verity put an end to the disturbances. But soon Verity learns there’s more to the mysterious estate than floating specters, secret passageways, and hidden rooms.

There’s a modern day mystery afoot, one that hinges on a decades-old murder. Verity isn't above questioning the living, or the dead. But can she discover the truth before the killer finds her? 

Why am I waiting on this book? Well, it's a paranormal mystery that takes place in the southeastern U.S.
And it looks like it will have some humor to it. Those are 3 ingredients that have made up good mysteries before for me.

What book are you waiting on this week? Leave it or a link in the comments so we can check it out! Thanks for coming by.