Cozy Mysteries discussion

The Featured Author of the Month for July 2015 is Dean James!
Here’s a link to his website: http://www.catinthestacks.com/

Miranda James is the pseudonym of Dean James, a seventh-generation Mississippian recently returned home after over thirty years in Texas. A mystery fan since the age of ten, he wrote his first novel at the ripe old age of twelve. The only copy of The Mystery of the Willow Key vanished years ago, but since it was highly derivative of the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden mystery series, that’s probably a good thing.

Currently a librarian in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Dean has published articles on topics in library science, the history of science/medicine, and mystery fiction. His first book, which he co-wrote with fellow librarian Jean Swanson, was By a Woman’s Hand (Berkley; 1994). Jean and Dean won an Agatha Award for Best Mystery Non-Fiction and were nominated by the Mystery Writers of America for the Edgar for Best Critical-Biographical work for this popular reference book.

Dean lives with two young cats, thousands of books, and thinks frequently about killing people – but only in the pages of fiction.

Dean also write under the pseudonyms: Honor Hartman, Jimmie Ruth Evans, and Miranda James

Writing as Miranda James:
Southern Sisters Mystery
Bless Her Dead Little Heart
Dead with the Wind September 29, 2015

Cat In The Stacks Mystery
Murder Past Due
Classified as Murder
File M for Murder
Out of Circulation
The Silence of the Library
Arsenic and Old Books
No Cats Allowed January 26, 2016

Writing as Honor Hartman:
Bridge Club Mystery
On The Slam
The Unkindest Cut

Writing as Jimmie Ruth Evans:
Trailer Park Mysteries
Flamingo Fatale
Murder Over Easy
Best Served Cold
Bring Your Own Poison
Leftover Dead

Writing as Dean James:
Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery
Posted To Death
Faked To Death
Decorated To Death
Baked To Death

Deep South Mysteries
Cruel as the Grave
Closer Than the Bones
Death by Dissertation
available as ebooks

Happy Reading!!!

Read all of his Miranda James books which are. favorites among my cat stories. One of Jimmie Ruth Evans only because that's all I have found. Haven't check for ebooks.
Checking those under his own name may be too paranormal for me.

I have ARSENIC & OLD BOOKS in The Pile. Read all the Trailer Park books and liked them. I think I have one of the Simon Kirby-Jones books. I remember thinking they might be a hoot, which is why I think I have one!

I've read all her Miranda James books, but I have the second Honor Hartman's, a nice U ;)

I've read all her Miranda James books, but I have the second Honor Hartman's, a nice U ;)

I'm about halfway through his Cat in the Stacks books, and I love them :) I've had Bless Her Dead Little Heart on my TBR list since it came out, so maybe this will be the push I need to break down and actually read it!

Looks like my "B" in beach is going to change back to Best Served Cold. Guess I was right when I originally picked that one. I think I'm setting a record for myself as this is the 7th month in a row that I'll read the author of the month. I think the only books I've read by this author are the trailer park mysteries and I've enjoyed them

I have so many of her books, it's going to be difficult to choose! Looking forward to all of them.

Had one on my TBR Mountain. Now I have a good reason to put it towards the top.

Posted to Death is on sale at Kindle for $0.99 today

http://www.amazon.com/Posted-Death-Si...

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "Posted to Death is on sale at Kindle for $0.99 today

http://www.amazon.com/Posted-Death-Si......"

Thank you. Looks quite interesting.

Just finished Classified as Murder and loved it! :) I know it was the second one, but someone had checked out the first. :P I figured I'd read the first one when it was returned. I really enjoyed the characters, especially Diesel. ;) :) I also liked the mystery, including the information on the rare books (since I love books). And, I didn't figure out who did it until Charlie figured it out. Mount TBR continues to expand... Onto Posted To Death. :)

Finished with Posted To Death. Although there were some pretty funny scenes and I never guessed whodunit (I definitely had no idea it was the person it was), I think it was too "English" for me. What I mean is it was overly done. The italics in the speaking just got annoying (anyone else read books emphasizing italicized words in their head while they read? I sure do!). The words used were just too much. I just don't feel like people actually talk like that. But, then again, although I have spent a little time in Scotland and England many years ago, I just don't remember people really speaking like that. But, that's just my opinion. I am gonna continue to read the Cat in the Stack books, and try to find some of his other series. :)

Finished reading Murder Past Due. Another excellent Cat in the Stacks book. :) My library only had one other book by Dean James... Bring Your Own Poison written as Jimmie Ruth Evans, so I'm reading that one next. :)

Just finished CLASSIFIED AS MURDER and found it very entertaining. Had already read the first one in the series MURDER PAST DUE back in 2011. I still love Diesel the Maine Coon cat. Now I really want one! James's books have great stories and wonderful characters. But I really liked this book because of Delacourte's fabulous book collection. Wish it was mine!!! I found the next three books in The Cat in the Stacks series on my shelf and also BLESS HER DEAD LITTLE HEART so I'll be busy for a while. Great author!

Finished Bring Your Own Poison a few days ago. Another good book. I liked all the characters in this series. :) I sure wish my library carried more in this series. Since they don't, I'm gonna continue with the Cat in the Stack series, with File M for Murder. :)

I didn't see another location where July BOTM's were discussed. It was a little slower paced than I prefer, but I enjoyed Murder Past Due plus I got to check off Mississippi for the State reading challenge. It was my 1st for the author & series. It was a nice change for a cozy to have a male library w/a cat sidekick.