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: The Cupid Caper by Larissa Reinhart

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!

He wasn't stupid, but could he be that naive?

One way to find out. Someone needed to keep an eye on Mark.

Lex wouldn't be happy about my change in plans, but I couldn't sit around waiting for this to come crashing down on our heads. (52% through on my Kindle)

The Cupid Caper by Larissa Reinhart was published April 24th, 2018 by Past Perfect Press. 

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Sassy, Sexy, Southern Suspense

She uses her criminal past to catch crooks. He wants her back. In the grift. And in his life. Can Finley Goodhart convince Lex that doing good is the greatest hustle of all?

Ex-grifter Finley Goodhart may try to stay on the straight and narrow, but walking that thin line becomes wobbly when she believes her friend Penny was murdered. The last thing she wants is to work with her ex-partner (and ex-boyfriend), the brilliant (brilliantly frustrating) British con artist, Lex Leopold. However, when it appears Penny's demise might be related to an exclusive matchmaking service for millionaires, Fin needs Lex's help to pull a long con to get the goods on Penny. 

Romance is in the air for hustlers, gangsters, and their marks. Unfortunately for Fin and Lex, infiltrating the racket doesn't make for a match made in heaven. This Valentine swindle could stop their hearts for good.

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!

Teaser Tuesday: The Vigilante Vignette by Larissa Reinhart

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!

Deputy Luke Harper neither liked nor trusted the Bear. The feeling was mutual. 
By asking the Bear for assistance, I'd be furthering my trouble with Deputy Luke Harper. But the way I figure, by not admitting he'd been with some trashy Honkers' girl, the trouble was reciprocal.

~25% through on my Kindle

The Vigilante Vignette by Larissa Reinhart was published in this Kindle edition April 1, 2017 by Past Perfect Press.

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!

Waiting on Wednesday #159: A Composition in Murder by Larissa Reinhart

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

The book I am waiting on this week is A Composition in Murder by Larissa Reinhart. it's #6 in the Cherry Tucker murder series.

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

At Halo House, Cherry Tucker finds the tea deadly sweet…

With a new art teaching gig at Halo House—Halo, Georgia’s posh independent living home—and Halo society scrutinizing her family and her love life, Cherry Tucker needs to stay out of trouble. However, her sleuthing skills are sought out by Halo House’s most famous resident: Belvia Brakeman, the ninety-year-old, blind CEO and founder of Meemaw’s Tea. Belvia confides in Cherry that the family tea empire is in jeopardy. The CEO suspects her daughter, the COO, has been murdered and she might be next. Her offer is hard to refuse, but will have Cherry treading on Forks County Sheriff toes, namely her personal Deputy Heartache, Luke Harper.

Amid her town troubles, can Cherry put her reputation, romance, and life on the line for the final request of a sweet tea tycoon? While she juggles senior citizen shenanigans, small-town politics, and corporate family scandals, Cherry finds the sweet tea business cutthroat in more ways than one. 


Why am I waiting on this one? I love a good humorous cozy. This sounds like it will fit the bill. I've read a couple of the other Cherry Tucker mysteries and have enjoyed them. And southern, sweet tea and shenanigans? What's not to like? A Composition in Murder is due to be released November 15, 2016 from Henery Press.

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!

Waiting on Wednesday #38 - Death in Perspective by Larissa Reinhart

"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 waiting on Death in Perspective by Larissa Reinhart. This is the fourth book in the Cherry Tucker mystery series. It's due to be published June 24, 2014 by Henery Press. What can you expect from a Cherry Tucker mystery? A nice blend of slightly crazy southern families, humor, romance and mystery. These mysteries are fun to read. 

In the author's own words: 

In Cherry Tucker’s fourth mystery, the curtain rises on Cherry’s debut as a high school set designer at the posh, private Peerless Day Academy. Cherry’s been hired to design scenery for an avant garde adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, but the theater teacher's hoping Cherry can also turn the spotlight on a malicious bully who’s sending poisonous texts to the faculty. The director’s got his own drama to hide, and the phantom texter seems eager to spill school secrets. When a school secretary's death is ruled a suicide, Cherry suspects foul play. The phantom bully may be using blackmail to rid the school of unwanted staff, urging a Montague-Capulet styled showdown.

With Deputy Luke Harper wanting to return as Cherry’s leading man, he’s eager to assist her efforts in fingering the phantom culprit, but Cherry fears family secrets may doom them to the role of star-crossed lovers. Offstage, Cherry’s searching for her missing brother who’s fixed on a vendetta against Luke’s stepfamily, so she instead turns to the local, foreign racketeer, Max Avtaikin, for assistance. With the bully waiting for a murderous encore and her own family skeletons to hide, Cherry scrambles to find her brother and the mysterious texter before the phantom decides its curtains for Cherry and forces her to take a final bow. 

Sounds good to me. What's your Waiting on Wednesday pick for this week?

Review: Hijack in Abstract by Larissa Reinhart

Who else but Cherry Tucker could find herself in the middle of a hijacking ring, a problem with a meth ring, and a painting scandal more or less all at the same time? And then there is Luke. Are they really done after all this time together?

Cherry is thrilled when the police call her to help out for a change instead of yell at her to keep her nose out of their business. They want her to make a composite drawing of a truck hijacking suspect. It's a pleasant challenge. But of course, Cherry just can't leave it at that.

Then Shawna has been showing pictures around town of Cherry's latest paintings that were sold. They happened to be in the Greek style with a nude model (her ex-husband). Shawna considers this immoral and feels that the majority of the town will agree with her. Just what does Shawna want from all this?

And there is the mystery of just who did buy those paintings. He wants to commission a portrait now too. Why is he so competitive with the Bear?

So much mystery, but all well done. You won't feel like you are drowning in subplots. It all follows logically, Cherry's kind of logic. It's a wonderfully adventurous book with a touch of romance and humor. I found it thoroughly enjoyable. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received a copy of this book for my unbiased opinion.

Hijack in Abstract by Larissa Reinhart was released by Henery Press November 5, 2013.

Teaser Tuesday (tardy): Hijack in Abstract by Larissa Reinhart

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

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

From: Hijack in Abstract by Larissa Reinhart

Kindle version 10% through
Cherry talking to Luke about who might have bought her paintings.
"He's an art collector and appreciator of talent such as mine."
"...I'd think he'd just find you a pain in the ass."

What's your teaser this week?

Review: Still Life in Brunswick Stew by Larissa Reinhart

 Larissa Reinhart's Still Life in Brunswick Stew came out May 21st from Henery Press.

Take one sassy, southern, persistent heroine add one friend dead of possible poisoning, sprinkle in a bunch of viable suspects, a pickup that won't start consistently, 2 disapproving policemen, and a murderer that's hard to pick out before the end of the book and you have a recipe for a nice humorous, cozy starring CherryTucker.

Cherry Tucker and her friend Eloise are spending the weekend at the
Sidewinder Annual Brunswick Stew Cook-off selling their arts when Eloise suddenly gets sick and dies. Cherry is convinced it is because of all the stew that Eloise consumed. Surely someone must have poisoned her. Then food poisoning breaks out at the festival, and the police dismiss her death as just a bad case of food poisoning.

Cherry can't take that easy dismissal of her friend's death. She starts investigating on her own. The police start getting irritated with this habit of hers, especially her boyfriend Luke and her Uncle Will. Repeatedly she finds herself in more danger than she thinks the situation merits. And of course, the closer she gets to the murderer, the more danger she finds.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It really is a humorous cozy mystery. Cherry is a little off the wall at times in the choices she makes, for example climbing down a rose trellis wearing a dress and flip flops, but she is loyal, sassy and persistent when it counts. Most of the time her train of thought and behavior seem mostly reasonable. And Larissa Reinhart does small towns well.

If you like mysteries with the elements of a cozy, small town south, strong female protagonist and humor, then you will probably like this book.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for my unbiased opinion.