Keepin’ Cozy in the Library

Over the last few months I’ve stumbled onto a writer of cozy mysteries that I quite like. The particular series that has grabbed my attention is the Library Lover’s Mysteries by Jenn McKinlay. I think the thing that initially drew me to this series (other than it being a cozy, which I unashamedly love, and it being about libraries, which I also unashamedly love), is the sheer amount of books that McKinlay writes. In addition to the Library Lover’s mysteries (which currently has four books in it), Jenn McKinlay also wrote the ‘Good Buy Girls’ series (containing three books) as Josie Belle, the Decoupage Murder mysteries (YES! Decoupage mysteries!!! another three books there) as Lucy Lawrence, the Hat shop Mysteries (two books in this one), and the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries (which includes six books). That’s 18 books over five different series, and STILL COUNTING. McKinlay is still writing and has no plans to stop anytime soon (And just to be clear, this is just her mystery output. Before being a successful mystery writer she was a struggling romance writer who did succeed in getting a few of those published, too!).

I picked up Books Can be Deceiving, which is the first in the Library Lover’s series and I was hooked. It has many of the hallmarks of a contemporary cozy mystery (it has no blood and gore, no explicit language or explicit sex, it features a sleuth who is an amateur at crime solving and heavily relies on her hobby or profession, and has a great cast of characters to serve the need to character development and quick-paced plots). Before I knew it I was getting into the second book in the series (Due or Die) and I was loving it as well. This is a solid cozy series and I’m getting into the third (Book, Line and Sinker) next.

The often maligned cozy mystery can be a really good time. There is a certain escapism to the genre, certainly; however, when it’s coupled with good writing the reading experience is not only fun, but enjoyable on another level as well. I urge you find a cozy that speaks to you! Maybe it’s one that features a job or hobby that you share with the sleuth. It’s a great way to get involved in a genre you might not be familiar with. I never expected to be a fan of these kinds of books, but I am! Try something mystery based. Branch out. You might find you really enjoy it!

Eric (keepin’ it cozy in 2014)