The Weather Outside is Frightful, so Let's Get Cozy! ... or The Sunday Salon and 3 Perfect Cozy Mysteries that will make you forget Ol' Man Winter

It's finally winter in Connecticut! Welcome to The Sunday Salon, where we are digging out from our first snowstorm of 2016 and spending a nice and COZY Sunday, inside! Which made me think of reading... which made me think of those Cozy "Murder" Mysteries that are a perfect getaway! So, get comfy, grab a cup of joe and let's get cozy! First, what is a cozy?! Well, a cozy is a story that has no graphic violence, sex or profanity and is usually a fun and light-hearted read. The murder that occurs, is usually just part of the background. The actually story is the solving of the crime, by a person who usually is NOT a detective. Remember Jessica Fletcher and Murder She Wrote?! Well, if those shows were books (and there is a book series based on them), those would be cozies. Cozies are usually a fast read too, so you can enjoy them in an afternoon. SO, in honor of our "Cozy" Sunday, I have found 3 cozies that will warm your heart and make you forget about all that white stuff outside. Of course, if you are living in Sunny Florida or any of those wonderful warm states that avoids this winter white stuff, you can enjoy these books too, but you'll possibly want to take them to the beach and enjoy them with a frozen margarita. (I would want to!)

Opening Act...

The Mutt and the Matchmaker by JB Lynn... When private investigator Tom Hanlon agrees to help out his elderly neighbor by taking her Maltese to the dog park, he has no idea he’s about to meet semi-psychic, wanna-be-matchmaker Armani Vasquez. Or that the pushy woman will insist on setting him up with quirky dog walker Jane Bly – his main suspect in a string of home burglaries -- and her high-strung, foster mutt, Calamity. Or that he’ll fall head-over-heels for one of them. Will Tom catch the thief, or will it be his heart that’s stolen? 

This is actually a novella in length. At 104 pages it's a way to get your feet wet with a cozy if you've never read one, and see if you like the genre. This has gotten great reviews from a lot of people. This book is actually a spin-off of JB Lynn's Hitwoman series. (And you'll also find that cozies generally come in series, with the same protagonist solving new crimes in new books). The BEST part of this book if you own a Kindle, is that right now it's FREE for Kindle! AND it's only .99cents for Nook! Here are the Links for the Kindle and the Nook. This looks like a fun read! and I like the idea of the semi-psychic wanna be character! I downloaded this.


Next up...
Hounding the Pavement by Judi McCoy... From Publishers Weekly: Recently divorced Ellie Engleman, ready for a fresh start, adopts a Yorkie and discovers she can telepathically communicate with dogs. Naturally, she launches a dog-walking business on Manhattan's posh Upper East Side. On the way to walk prize-winning Bichon Buddy, Ellie discovers the body of his owner, Professor Albright, murdered in his entryway. Buddy is missing and no one, save Ellie, is concerned. Sexy, annoying NYPD Det. Sam Ryder considers Ellie a prime suspect, but that doesn't stop her from searching for Buddy, hoping that finding the dog will lead her to the killer. Somehow managing to avoid every talking animal mystery cliché, McCoy fills this delightful story with humor, quirky characters and delicious hints of romance. 

Another cozy with great reviews! I love the opening of the book when Ellie discovers that she can understand what the dog is saying! And I think it's a fun premise too! From the sample of the writing, two thumbs up! On my TBR list!

And the Finale...
Low country Boil by Susan M. Boyer... PI Liz Talbot is a modern Southern belle: she blesses hearts and takes names. She carries her Sig 9 in her Kate Spade handbag, and her golden retriever, Rhett, rides shotgun in her hybrid Escape. When her grandmother is murdered, Liz high-tails it back to her South Carolina island home to find the killer. But when her police-chief brother shuts her out of the investigation, she opens her own. Then her long-dead best friend pops in and things really get complicated. As more folks turn up dead, Liz must use more than just her wits and charm to keep her family safe, chase down clues from the hereafter, and catch a psychopath before he catches her.

Another cozy with rave reviews! I like the dead friend coming back to help her, and I like the area in South Carolina that this takes place. From what I read in the prologue and the beginning of Chapter 1, I thought that Susan M. Boyer's writing was also good! AND, this is a Kindle bargain too! Right now it's just $2.99! Here's the link to the Kindle Book . I downloaded this one too!

So, are you up for trying a cozy?! There are plenty of books to choose from! A great site to look through is Cozy Mysteries Unlimited, which is beautifully designed and has cozies arranged by theme, occupation (of the main character) and lists new releases.  Danna from The Cozy Mystery List Blog has compiled an amazing list too, so take a peek at her blog.

Weekly Recap... This week was pretty busy at Chick with Books! Tuesday, I reviewed River Road by Carol Goodman, which I loved! If you are into Suspense and Mysteries, don't miss reading this one! It reminded me a bit of The Girl on the Train. And on Saturday, I reviewed Sunstone, Vol. 1 by Stjepan Sejic, a Graphic Novel that goes beyond the BDSM that is part of the love story of Ally and Lisa. Beautifully illustrated, but a wonderful portrayal of how two people fall in love (regardless of who they are falling in love with!) PLUS, I restarted posting First Lines Fridays (on Fridays), which are the first lines of some of today's hottest books, books I've put on my TBR list, or books I am reading to see if those first lines hook you or not. This weeks First Lines were from The Witch's Market by Mingmei Yip. Follow the link this weeks First Lines see what you think!

So, are you a "Cozy" reader? If so, who are your favorite authors or books? Share those in the comments so we can get even cozier! And I hope I shared something that YOU can enjoy too!

Happy reading... Suzanne