Book (not) Bingo #22

[dancingpony]

The Ghosthunter Next Door by Danielle Garrett

Comments

[gilda_elise]

I guess if it helped you stop thinking about politics, it was worth the time.

[dancingpony]

I think I’d get bored quickly with the series, but it did serve its purpose. 🙂

[grey853]

I love a good cozy mystery, but the paranormal part isn't a favorite sub genre of mine. Still, anything that distracts, it's worth the money to just lose yourself in another universe. I like cozies because the bad guy always gets caught or done in, not like in real life at all. Escapist reading is a highly underrated coping mechanism.

[dancingpony]

Yes, exactly. Cozies are great for escapism: they’re light, and often humorous, and you don’t have to feel sad about the murder victim because that person is usually either “not very nice” or “not really known.” A touch of paranormal is okay with me, but an entire town full of ghosts is far more than a touch. And, for some reason, I can buy into a touch of esp or a touch of magic more easily than I can buy into ghosts. At least in cozies.

[grey853]

Yes, that's one of the best things about cozies. You can nearly always spot the "victim" from the get go. He or she is causing trouble or someone no one likes. However, the death nearly always causes an issue for the main character so she/he has to get busy and help the police find the real killer.

I'm a big fan of the Christmas cozy murder. They can be modern or historical, but they're fun. Since I got my new eReader, I've been reading mainly cozies. I also don't mind a police procedural or regular murder mystery, but I'm not a fan of the "thriller" where there's a women in jeopardy who's being stalked and then tortured by serial killers.

Paranormal tends to put me off. I also don't read present tense books. Otherwise, cozies are my go-to reading. I love Krista Davis, Carola Dunn, Kerry Greenwood, Jenn McKinlay, Vicki Delany just to name a few.

[dancingpony]

Speaking of Christmas cozies, just a few days ago I downloaded a Donna Andrews Christmas cozy. It’s from her Meg Langslow series, many of which are set at Christmas. I’ve skipped quite a few in the series, mostly because the prices got prohibitive and I stopped going to the library, but it was a “special deal” and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

If you’re looking for new (to you) cozy authors, you might check out Julie Mulhern. She has two cozy series, no paranormal, no present tense, both very well written (although one of them is perhaps a little more “gritty” than your average cozy). And if you like animals, I can recommend Laura Morrigan’s “Call of the Wild” series … although that one has just a touch of … not paranormal, exactly, but a limited form of telepathic ability. There are probably a few more authors I could add … and who I will think of as soon as I finish this comment and click “add comment.” 🙂

[tinturtle]

After reading your exchange with grey853 about cozies, I find myself wondering why they aren't popular as a fanfic AU genre. Hero A as the sheriff of the small town, Hero B as the new vet/bookseller/whatever in town, other characters as the town's eccentric populace...

[dancingpony]

They probably aren’t posted on sites like AO3 because all the wannabe writers who write cozy mysteries self-publish them hoping to be paid. 🙂

[grey853]

I had to think about this question before I put in my two cents. First, most of the shows that I write fanfic for are action series. I can't imagine a cozy setting for Napoleon and Illya, Ray Doyle/Bodie or Fraser and RayK. Second, most cozies aren't like mainstream TV. They nearly always have female protagonists. Third, is that even in an AU fanfics the characters have to maintain a voice that's recognizable. Most cozies are told through the amateur's point of view, and again that's usually a female perspective. Fourth. I can't imagine any of my fandom characters being amateurish. Fifth, and likely the most important for me, is that most cozies might have a hint of romance, but there's no sex or erotic action. Most don't even contain cursing.

Now there are mainstream mysteries that do have sex, cursing and graphic violence, but they're definitely not classified as cozy.

[nakeisha]

I work on the on the basis that 'okay' is er, well, okay *g* I tend to the view that if all books were 'wow' 'amazing' 'the best thing I've ever read' etc. etc. you'd end up being exhausted by all the 'wonder' or left thinking, so where do I go from here? And suddenly they all become 'okay' books. I don't want a great book every time. And there are definitely times when 'okay' is just what the doctor ordered.

A snarky cat as a ghost? Now that I haven't come across.

I hope you find something else by her you enjoy more.

[dancingpony]

I did order the first in a different series (she has at least a half dozen) because it was only 99 cents. But it’s currently at the bottom of a somewhat intimidating pile ….

[nakeisha]

Ah, those piles . . . I know them well. When you get to it, I do hope you enjoy it.

[spikesgirl58]

Oh, I love this series!

[dancingpony]

I think I might have enjoyed it more if there hadn’t been quite so many ghosts floating around. But, again, I have to acknowledge that I wasn’t in the best mood when I read the book, so my mood could easily have affected my judgement. I did enjoy tne cat. 🙂 And I liked the writing well enough to order the first in a different series by the aurhor. Have you read any of the others? Opinion?

[spikesgirl58]

I liked the first two a lot, but then sort of lost steam with it. That's the problem with these 'cozy ghost' mysteries