Deb already said a lot of what I would have said about Hurricane Punch, so I'll leave that one off my list.
Homicide in Hard Cover by Kate Carlisle
This first in her Bibliophile mystery series was published in 2009. After reading it, I bought the second in the series, If Books Could Kill, and then the third one, The Lies That Bind, when it came out in November. All three books could make the list, but I'll just use the first one as an example.
Brooklyn Wainwright is a rare book expert, and is sought after for her ability to restore antique books. She is also the child of a couple of hippies who followed the Grateful Dead for years, naming each of their passel of children after the town they were conceived in. Then they moved the family to a commune in Sonoma. Now the commune members are all very well off due to the amazing wine they make and the quaint tourist town they run.
Brooklyn is smart, funny and competent in her work. She has well-rounded, interesting friends. She's not so smart about the fellas, but we've all been there.
The biggest compliment I can give the author is that I was still guessing at who the murderer was right up until the end. One thing I can't say about the third book in the series. That one I realized quite early on who done it. But I think that's a hazard with series. It seems that figuring out who the author has picked for the villain, and often the victim, becomes easier over the course of the series.
A Clue for the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall
I had seen various Puzzle Lady books at the book store, but didn't find the first in the series until recently. I'd also seen a YouTube video by Hall about the joys of a book signing tour, so I knew he had a sense of humor.
The Puzzle Lady is ostensibly Cora Felton, a sweet-looking little old lady ala Miss Marple. But Cora's a front for her neice, Sherry, who actually creates the crossword puzzles that are syndicated nationwide. Sherry has a nasty ex-husband she's hiding from so her picture can't be next to the puzzles. Plus Cora has more of the look.
When the murder is discovered, Chief Harper is in over his head, not so much because he's stupid, but because he is beset by the mayor and the local newspaper. A pet peeve of mine is when the cops are made out be stupid.
I have to say that I knew immediately who did it, but it was fun watching the red herrings pile up as Cora, Sherry, Chief Harper and Aaron Grant--the local reporter who may just have a thing for Sherry--run around trying to figure it out.
The Scent of Rain and Lightening by Nancy Pickard
When Jody Linder was three, her father was murdered and her mother disappeared. She was raised by her grandparents, the richest ranchers in their small Kansas town, and her three doting uncles. Then 23 years later the man who was convicted of her father's death--on circumstantial evidence--is released from prison for a new trial. This sets in motion a series of events that finally leads Jody and her family to the truth of what happened the night her father was killed.
While Jody is not a professional investigator, this is as far from a cozy as one can get. It's gritty. But a thoroughly enjoyable read.
The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde
While the previous book is in no way a cozy even though the person who solve the mystery is not a professional, this one feels very cozy-like with a police inspector as the investigator. Maybe that's because it's set in an England where the fairy tales are true and Humpty Dumpty is the victim.
I've seen reviews that said this was a tedious, pun-riddled read. Well, I happen to love puns and send-ups of fairy tales. Fforde also skewers the conventions of murder mysteries along the way. And I thought put-upon Jack Spratt of the Nursery Crime Division, who is also the Jack of Giant Killer fame, was an endearing protagonist.
So, who's next to succumb to the "Best of 2010" bug?
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