Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: cozy mystery

MYSTERY & MAYHEM Book Awards for Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries 2017

The M&M Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries. The M&M Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer Book Reviews International Book Awards.

The following titles and their authors have made it past the initial “Slush-Pile Rounds” and will compete in the next rounds to see which titles will be Short Listed for the 2017 M&M Book Awards.

Good Luck to All!

D. J. Adamson – Suppose

M. K. Graff – The Golden Hour: A Nora Tierney English Mystery

Kathleen Kaska – Run Dog Run

Susan Breen – Maggie Dove’s Detective Agency

Michelle Cox – A Ring of Truth

Amy Boyles – Scared Witchless

Debra Sue Brice – Danni Girl Mysteries: The Complete Series

Jeanette Hubbard – Chasing Nathan

Kara Lumbley – As the Ribbons Fall

Susan Boles – Cherry Cake and a Cadaver

Fred Shackelford – The Ticket

Dennis M. Clausen – The Sins of Rachel Sims

M. Louisa Locke – Deadly Proof: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery

J. L. Skirvin – Jaguar Ravenz King

Elizabeth Crowens – Memoirs of an American Butterfly (Or how I learned to stop worrying and love Alfred Hitchcock)

Mollie Hunt – Cat’s Paw

Catherine Bruns – Baked to Death

Libi Astaire – The Moon Taker

Cindy Sample – Dying for a Donut

Valerie Tate – Scapegoat

Valerie Tate – Frog Legs

Susan Boles – Death of a Wolfman

Betty Jean Craige – Fairfield’s Auction

Nancy G. West – River City Dead

Kim Hunt Harris – Unsightly Bulges, A Trailer Park Princess Cozy Mystery

Jennifer Mueller – Never Turn Your Back on a Wolf

Anna Castle – Moriarty Meets His Match

Cherie O’Boyle – Missing Mom

Sherrie Todd-Beshore – The Count Of Baldpate

David Selcer – The Dream Catcher Murders

Carol June Stover – Kenmore Square

Vee Kumari – DHARMA

Cody Schlegel – Junction

Lonna Enox – Striking Blind

Carl and Jane Bock – Coronado’s Trail:An Arizona Borderlands Mystery

Jeanne Burrows-Johnson – Prospect for Murder: A Natalie Seachrist Mystery

Suzette Hollingsworth – Sherlock Holmes and the Chocolate Menace

Traci Andrighetti – Amaretto Amber

Gary D Lewellyn – The Bluff

Susan Boles – Death Of A Wolfman

RD Vincent – Donbridge: The Ring, The Legend and The Midwife

Diane Weiner – Murder is Collegiate

Diane Weiner – A Deadly Course

Lucinda Brant – Deadly Peril: A Georgian Historical Mystery

Beth Wareham and Jason Davis – Hair Club Burning

Amy S. Peele – CUT

Richard T. Ryan – The Vatican Cameos: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure

Lynn Bohart – Novel (No title given)

Loretta Jackson and Vickie Britton – Murder and the Good Old Boys’ Club

Betty Jean Craige – Dam Witherston

J.L. Newton – Oink. A Food for Thought Mystery

Elaine L. Orr – Demise of a Devious Neighbor

J.G. Harlond – Local Resistance

These titles will compete to be SHORT LISTED in the next rounds.

We are accepting entries into the 2018 M&M Book Awards for Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries.

To compete in the 2018 M&M Book Awards or for more information, please click here.

Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, L.L.C. retains the right to not declare “default winners.” Winning works are decided upon merit only. Please visit our Contest Details page for more information about our writing contest guidelines.

CBR’s rigorous writing competition standards are why literary agencies seek out our winning manuscripts and self-published novels. Our high standards are also why our reviews are trusted among booksellers and book distributors.

Please do not hesitate to contact Info@ChantiReviews.com about any questions, concerns, or suggestions about CBR writing competitions. Your input and suggestions are important to us.

Thank you for your interest in Chanticleer Book Reviews International Writing Competitions and Book Awards.

August 2, 2017
SEX, LIES, and SNICKERDOODLES by Wendy Delaney – Cozy Mystery, Woman Sleuth, Thriller/Suspense

If you like your mysteries cozy with a side of sassy romance and a dash of family squabbles, you’ll enjoy spending time with Wendy Delaney’s Sex, Lies, and Snickerdoodles featuring truth wizard, Charmaine.

The story takes place in the small town of Port Merritt in the Pacific Northwest where Charmaine Digby is a newly appointed Probationary Special Assistant to the Chimacam County Prosecutor/Coroner. While the job title may be a bit unwieldy, Char throws herself into the role with gusto.

Her zeal doesn’t sit well for friend-with-benefits Steve Sixkiller, the town’s one-and-only detective. On the one hand, his closed-mouth approach frustrates Charmaine but on the other, sex with him is great since they occasionally share a bed and make ice cream a part of their escapades. This is not a steamy romance novel – it’s a cozy mystery.

Fortunately for Charmaine, the entire town has its ear to the ground and the nosy neighbors and colorful characters have plenty to say and are willing to share. When news hits the streets that Russell Ferrantino, a local lothario, has been found dead, tongues wag. Especially when his death may – or may not – have involved foul play.

Along with her own investigation of the supposed murder, Char soon has her hands full dealing with the surprise arrival of her (literal) drama queen mama, “Hurricane Marietta,” AKA Mary Jo Digby. Seems Marietta has attracted the attention of Charmaine’s former biology teacher. Now Char finds herself sleeping on the ‘Crippler’ at her Grams while fearing her mother may jump into yet another misguided marriage.

Clues keep piling up and the pool of suspects, expanding. Russell Ferrantino’s brothers, Andy and Nathan don’t seem overly distraught at his passing. There are plenty of Russell’s lovers, past and present, to mourn but did any of them have a bone to pick with the deceased? With Char’s persistent poking into every nook and cranny, feathers are sure to be ruffled and the clues will shake loose, too. What kind of ‘work’ was Russell doing over at Joyce Lackey’s place? And one wonders how Pete Lackey felt about having the town’s troublemaker spending so much time at his place.

Wendy Delaney’s style is fresh and frisky, leading her readers down a path to a rollicking good time. Delaney’s folksy (the series is called Working Stiffs mysteries) storytelling in Sex, Lies, and Snickerdoodles goes down like a mug of hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps and a daub of whipped cream on top or your favorite summer imbibement! Enjoy!

May 10, 2017
GRAND THEFT DEATH: A Salty Sisters Mystery by Ann Philipp – Cozy Mystery, Women Sleuth, Suspense/Thriller

Grand Theft Death is best read when you need a break from reality. Don’t read it if your two feet are firmly placed in all things serious. In fact, don’t read it if you are even thinking of going to the serious side of life. This book is as realistic as a Saturday morning cartoon – and twice the fun.

The characters are delightfully quirky, the situation fun and surprising, and the action as snappy as popping corn. The heroine, Patty Schuster, is kind, sincere, wry, and unique, at the same time so easygoing that she can roll with the endless punches the plot throws at her and carry on with a good heart.

Good thing, since the plot treats Patty like a punching bag.

She starts out in jail, falsely arrested for car theft, then gets tangled up with thieves, spies, forgers, smugglers, bad cops, good cops, sleazy hoteliers, double-crossing gangsters, nosy neighbors, felonious grannies, and divorcing parents—not to mention murder of the friend in trouble she tried to help, which led to her arrest.

Meanwhile, she’s trying to learn the antique business she inherited from her grandmother. Being a fine artist and a surfer, Patty has zero knowledge of furniture and collectibles. However, she needs income and was unhappy as a graphic artist, so she’s motivated to keep the enterprise alive despite the nuttiness going on around her.

It’s harder to keep herself alive, given trouble she gets into. Most of it revolves around the rare, valuable Cadillac she was accused of stealing, and which keeps getting re-stolen by half the cast while the other half tries to get it back or figure out what’s going on or save each other’s skin. This gives the feel of the Keystone Cops scrambling through a Doris Day comedy, with Patty as the naive “straight man.” In the middle of it all, she meets a nice fellow who adds the possibility of romance if she can get out of the mess she’s in.

Whichever way you take the humor, you’ll find the writing smooth and Patty’s voice appealing. It gives her credibility in a lunatic world. The novel is billed as a “Salty Sister” mystery—a name that makes sense by the end—and is first in Philipp’s Salty Sisters series. Readers whose funny bones are tickled by zany capers will be lining up for the next volume.

May 8, 2017
The MYSTERY & MAYHEM Awards – First Place Category Winners 2016
The Mystery & Mayhem Awards writing competition recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Cozy Mysteries and Not-So-Cozy Mysteries. The Mystery & Mayhem Awards is a division of the Chanticleer Awards International Writing Competitions.

We are honored to announce the 2016 M&M Awards Official First Place Category Winners.
- Award Winning M&M Authors Alice Boatwright, Michelle Cox, Lucy Carol, Kate Vale, and Gay Yellen
  
  Humorous: Hot Scheming Mess by Lucy Carol
- Romantic Suspense: Secrets Revealed by Kate Vale
- Amateur Sleuth: Engaged in Danger: A Jamie Quinn Mystery by Barbara Venkataraman
- Blended Genre: A Girl Like You: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel (The Henrietta and Inspector Howard series) by Michelle Cox
- Historical Mystery: The Secret Life of Anna Blanc by Jennifer Kincheloe
- Women Sleuths: The Body Next Door by Gay Yellen
- Classic/British Cozy: Under an English Heaven by Alice K. Boatwright
The Mystery & Mayhem Short-Listers competed for these First Place Category positions. They authors and their works were recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala, Bellingham, Wash. that was held on April 1, 2017.

CONGRATULATIONS to Alice K. Boatwright, author of the MYSTERY & MAYHEM Grand Prize winner — Under an English Heaven!

We are now accepting entries into the 2017 M&M Awards. The deadline is April 30, 2017. Click here for more information or to enter.

Congratulations to those who made the M&M AWARDS 2016 FINALISTS and SHORTLISTERS.

More than $30,000 worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to the 2017 Chanticleer Novel Writing Competition winners! Fifteen different genres to enter your novels and compete on an international level.
April 4, 2017
Contest Spotlight: MARCH MADNESS — Where’s YOUR Mystery and Mayhem Novel?

Why you ask?

MARCH MADNESS is upon us!

The March 31^st deadline for the Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem Awards (aka M&Ms) is almost upon us! At the end of the month, we go to work to uncover the hidden secrets, the lost key, the answer to the question, Whodunit?

Wendy Delaney is the 2015’s M&M Grand Prize Winner for There’s Something About Marty, a book about a gal who just has to figure out the answers to all of those pesky questions…Char — the human lie detector aka “truth wizard” — really look it up. A few people have this rare uncanny ability.

Wendy won a big ribbon, a coveted Chanticleer Editorial review, a cash prize , stickers to promote this fun not-so-cozy mystery, and digital badges to go on her website and e-books!

Trust us, Wendy Delaney is very happy she entered the Chanticleer M&M Writing Competition!

Or, follow Pamela Beason’s trail to her Grand Prize win in the 2012 for The Only Witness – a mystery about a gorilla who witnesses a crime and can communicate through sign language. The clock is ticking and lives are at stake.

Pamela Beason

You would be pleased as well, we are certain. After all your hard work putting together your brilliant cozy, wouldn’t you want your book the chance to be recognized?

“One of the best things that happened to me in 2011 was getting a GRAND PRIZE in the first Chanticleer nationwide contest for my novel THE ONLY WITNESS.” Pamela Beason

Or Bernadette Pajer of the Professor Bradshaw Series — “Fatal Induction” took home the 2013 M&M Grand Prize

The year is 1901 and Seattle is a vibrant and up-and-coming city. Bradshaw, a professor of electrical engineering and a passionate inventor, has entered a new invention competition for a device that will carry the sounds of a musical theater production through telephone wires to listeners in the comfort of their own homes.

Bradshaw is unaware that a seemingly trivial domestic concern at home is about to sweep him into the underworld of Seattle.

Thanks, Chanticleer, for all you do to help the world of books!” – Bernadette Pajer

So, is your amateur sleuth suspicious of the little old lady who lives next door? Is there something wrong in Mayberry and your hero is going to find out what it is – no matter the cost? Are the stakes so high for your heroine, she succumbs to the hot, sexy delivery man who happens to be the guy with forty bodies buried in his basement? Is your character’s cat helping him solve the latest crime?

If so, have we got the contest for you!

Chanticleer Writing Competitions – Mystery & Mayhem – is now open to take your stories and put them to the test! Don’t miss out – don’t be left behind – and for goodness sake, don’t ever go downstairs without your flashlight and your handy-dandy Swiss Army knife!

Your book could earn a place in our M&M hall of fame for 2017!

All you have to do is enter.

Unpublished Manuscripts and recently Published (Indie, Traditional, Hybrid) Novels (after Jan. 1, 2014) are accepted.

What are the M&M’s? Oh, we’re so glad you asked.

Our Mystery & Mayhem Awards are the Chanticleer Reviews search for today’s best cozy mystery fiction books!

We are searching for the best novels featuring “mystery and mayhem”, amateur sleuthing, romantic suspense, light suspense, travel mystery, classic mystery, British cozy, hobby sleuths, senior sleuths, or historical mystery. We will put them to the test and discover the best among them. (For thriller, action suspense, detective, crime fiction see our Clue Awards)

Agatha Christie’s image, the revered Queen of the Mystery genre, is Chanticleer’s icon for the M&M Novel Competition.

M&M Awards deadline is March 31, 2017. Click here to enter – and good luck!

March 17, 2017
Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk: A Damon Lassard Dabblin Detective Mystery by Stephen Kaminski – Cozy Mystery/Amateur Sleuth

Amateur sleuth, Damon Lassard, has earned enough money in the Japanese professional baseball league that he retired at the age of 31. He now finds himself volunteering at the library, hiking around Tripping Falls State Park, and dabbling in solving mysteries much to the chagrin of the local law enforcement.

And, yes, the title is a pun, and there are plenty more throughout this quick and entertaining read.

He has the requisite female friend who would like to be more than friends but settles for being a sounding board for now, a love interest that is not interested in him, a police detective friend who would prefer Damon not get him into trouble any more by investigating crimes around town, and a keen knack for figuring out murders.

The victim in this book is Jeremiah Milk, Damon’s hermit of a neighbor who suffered the tragic loss of his wife and infant son within hours of each other one fatal night.

Damon first gets involved when Jeremiah comes to him at the library to get help for a suspicious recurring insect infestation of his and others neighbors’ crepe myrtle trees. Not much of a mystery to solve, but when Jeremiah’s body is found at Tripping Falls State Park where he worked, Damon starts his dabbling into the mystery even though his police friend – and his friend’s boss, Lt. Hobbes, have strongly forbidden Damon’s involvement. Well, any cozy reader knows that those kinds of instructions are meant to be ignored.

The story takes several interesting turns that eventually lead to an unexpected ending. The writing is fast paced and the supporting characters all contribute to the realistic feel of the town of Hollydale near Arlington, Virginia. Many of the clues are extremely subtle and some didn’t come into the story until much later, requiring careful attention to all the details throughout the book.

Because this book is the second in a series, some of the details about Damon, his friendship with Gerry, and his tense relationship with Lt. Hobbes may have been covered in more detail in the first book. Regardless, these missing details do not take away from the quick pacing and clever tone of Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk a satisfying cozy mystery read..

“Who knew insect infestations lead to murder? But they can – especially if you’re Damon Lassard – amateur sleuth – with plenty of time on your hands to figure it all out. Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk by Stephen Kaminski will have you in tears – from laughter!” – Chanticleer Reviews

March 11, 2017
Fit to be Dead by Nancy West – Cozy Mystery for clue fans

Aggie is the author of the “Stay Young with Aggie” column and today she decides to follow her own advice. After all, she’s well over 30, admits to a few extra pounds, and looks ahead to growing old with sheer fear. She pulls into the Fit and Firm Fitness Center with the thought that she might be able to improve her social life along with her figure. Once inside, she receives a guest pass and another kind of pass – from a gorgeous blond who introduces himself as Pete Reeves and offers her a tour of the club. She declines the latter and heads for the locker room.

As she enters the swimming area, however, she spots something strange at the far end of the pool. It’s a body. And it isn’t moving! Aggie rushes to the rescue and not a minute too soon. Her yell for help brings instructor Sarah Savoy to revive the young woman, Holly. To their combined horror, the women spot an electric cord snaking across the pool. Hard to say what would have happened to Holly first – drowning or electrocution – if Aggie hadn’t been there. Was it an accident or…? Such questions always make Aggie’s feet itch.

The next day at the gym Holly confesses to Aggie that she had recently given her newborn baby girl—born out of wedlock—to an adoption agency. Trying to swallow her concern and sorrow, Aggie goes to the locker room to shower and dress. But soon she’s hearing screams. She rushes outside just as the medics arrive. Aggie knows two things: it’s Holly and she’s dead.

Aggie decides she owes it to Holly to find out what happened. She’s certain that the hit and run was a second—this time successful—attempt on Holly’s life. But questions remain: Who? Why? As the column writer becomes sleuth, her spunk and determination return, along with her unique madcap approach to life.

As Nancy West finished her award-winning Nine Days to Evil (2012), something about one of the supporting characters, Aggie Mundeen, wouldn’t let her rest. This character seemed to demand that West make her the protagonist of a new book. Thus, Fit to Be Dead was created!

West crafts her characters with considerable expertise and an extensive vocabulary. West knows how to turn a phrase and how to keep you turning the pages. Additionally, this author has the keen knack of slyly tucking in clues so that they slip past readers at first, then pop up later. Thank you, Nancy West for crafting the Aggie Mundeen mysteries!

March 2, 2017
Sati and the Rider by Winslow Eliot – Cozy Mystery/Woman Sleuth

Do you need a little mystery in your life? It may be in your cards with Winslow Eliot’s new book, Sati and the Rider!

Just when she thinks she’s lost her juju, Satyana, the heroine of Winslow Eliot’s new mystery series, finds it in a most unexpected way.

Satyana and the Rider opens with Satyana – just Satyana – a fortune teller, coming to grips with the possibility that she has lost her ability to tell fortunes. After a horrendous loss, misdirection, and failed attempts to rescue a child, she has packed her bags and moved into a brownstone smack dab in the center of a posh neighborhood in New York City. How does she afford the home? A wealthy client willed it to her when she died.

But with no money to speak of, no clients lining up on her steps, and grappling with her gift that seemingly has flown the coop, Satyana is lonely and depressed – until a sexy young delivery man slips on her stairs and fractures his ankle.

Cue motherly instincts – or a keen sense of responsibility – or an instant attraction – cue whatever you like, Sati (Satyana) is bound to care for the hapless delivery man, Percy is his name, until he can to walk up the five flights of stairs to his apartment across town… which, you know, he never does!

This is the set-up for Winslow Eliot’s first book in the Satyana Mystery Series. A cozy, fast-paced, fun read, Eliot has set the stage for future adventures. Is it perfect? Not quite. There are some continuity issues, but not enough to stop a reader cold. The author, a card reader herself, utilizes the troupe of cards in her title and throughout the book. Here, the Rider indicates the following: News, a delivery, a young man, perhaps a lover. A new person or situation entering your life. A visit. A horse, a car, or other means of transportation. Opportunity. Things moving quickly. A vibrant social life. Elegance. Energy. Comings and goings. 9 of Hearts: a wish fulfilled. Timing: Soon, in a day, next week, in January.

The above description is mentioned at the beginning of the book and skillfully woven in throughout the work. Ultimately, Sati and the Rider is well-written and engaging. A perfect escape from reality for readers of the cozy mystery genre.

February 19, 2017
A SEASON for KILLING BLONDES by Joanne Guidoccio – Cozy Mystery

Gilda has been absent from her hometown for 30 years, and when she returns with a pocket full of cash (19 million from a lottery win), she opens up a business. Everything is ready for the opening night – except the dead blonde in the dumpster out back wasn’t part of the plan. What’s worse, that dead blonde was Gilda’s first client! This is just the start – dead blondes seem to drop everywhere Gilda goes!

In A Season for Killing Blondes, author Joanne Guidoccio introduces a bevy of Italian friends and relatives who are loving, clever, talented, overbearing, overprotective, erratic, abusive, etc., and who try to “help” Gilda manage her life, whether she wants their input or not. Some of the characters have double names—think of The Waltons 2.0—that in combination with some cousins, a few Aunts, and an Uncle, may initially seem confusing, but the author handles it with a deft touch. The names and behaviors add depth, texture, and suspects to the story.

When lead detective, Carlo Fantin, comes onto the scene with a lot of pressure from the city to solve the crimes, he’s all business until he realizes that he knows Gilda from high school…30 years ago. On the plus side, she accepts his dinner invitation to reconnect. On the negative, she’s a prime suspect who has a huge problem with alibis.

But honestly, who wouldn’t love a relative willing to create a handy alibi on the fly?

“Relax, Gilda. You’re not going to jail. I provided you with an alibi for last night. All those times that Roberto and I rehearsed worked.” Sofia (her mother) glanced over at me. “Aren’t you pleased? You’ve said very little since we left the station.”

or how about this:

“I called Detective Fantin and left a message on his machine,” Uncle Paolo said. “When he calls back, I’ll make sure that he knows you and Sofia were with us Saturday night.”

Talk about a support network.

A Season for Killing Blondes is well crafted with solid character and setting descriptions that do not get in the way of pacing. For those readers who enjoy a good humorous mystery and whodunit, along with Italian food, Guidoccio’s cozy does not disappoint. Clues, hints, and some foreshadowing are mixed in with a few curve balls (and meatballs) that keep you guessing until the end.

February 16, 2017
Ghostly Paws (Mystic Notch #1) by Leighann Dobbs – Cozy Mystery

When murder comes to the sleepy hamlet of Mystic Notch, recently relocated crime journalist Wilhelmina Chance and her grandma’s crime-solving cat jump into the case with two feet and four paws.

Mainly, Willa wants to start over. After her car accident left her with a temperamental leg and a strange ability to see ghosts, she hopes taking over her grandmother’s bookstore in Mystic Notch will offer her needed peace. That is, until, with the help of her grandmother’s cat, Pandora, Willa discovers Lavinia Babbage’s body in the library basement.

When Lavinia’s ghost appears to her, Willa not only finds out that Lavinia’s death was no accident, but that someone in Mystic Notch is to blame. And Lavinia only leaves her with a few clues to determine who might have a motive to kill the local librarian.

What Willa doesn’t know is that her cat, Pandora, is part of an elite species sworn to help humans—and that Pandora is just as intent on finding Lavinia’s killer as she is. With Pandora’s help, Willa starts putting the pieces of the puzzle together. She just has to hope that her investigations don’t get in the way of those actually getting paid to solve the crime—namely, her sheriff sister, Augusta, and the handsome but slightly intimidating sheriff, Eddie Striker (and his steely gray glances).

This is the first in Leighann Dobbs’ “Mystic Notch: series, and the atmosphere Dobbs creates is exquisitely cozy. While there are a few hiccups in this debut novel, they can be forgiven as the series promises to deliver more enjoyable and affably cozy hours of reading–especially with a few of Dobbs’ few magical flourishes thrown in. Mystic Notch is a town that any cozy mystery fan can look forward to hanging out in. The story is enjoyable overall, especially in the last third. The reveals are delightfully unpredictable, and the ending offers a satisfying conclusion.

The role of the cats also adds an intriguing element to the overall story and reveals important parts of the mystery in a way that not only fits with the plot but provides some surprises along the way. The cats also offer a significant source of humor, which is a winning element throughout the story.

This debut novel of the Mystic Notch mystery series is perfect for cozy mystery lovers and looking for a humorous and feel-good escape.

January 30, 2017