Cozy Mysteries discussion

This challenge will last from Dec 21, 2016 to March 19, 2017

** This is a "spell-it-out" challenge, where you will spell out a word (or words) using one of two options:
1. Use only the first word of a title. (The words "the", "and" "a" and "an" do not count.)
2. Use an author's first or last name.

Example:

J
I
N = Aunt Dimity's Christmas by Nancy Atherton
G
L
E

B = Better Off Thread by Amanda Lee
E
L
L
S


** You DO NOT have to choose books in advance, and may change your mind at any time if you do.

** The words “and”, “an” and “the” do not count in book titles.

** Books DO NOT all have to be mysteries. You can use any genres.

** A book may only be used once for this challenge, but may be used for other challenges.

** You do not have to spell the same word as everyone else, but can choose to spell out any of the following words (or combination of words). Obviously some of these will be more challenging than others, and words in parentheses are optional.


YOUR WINTER WORD LIST:

Angel
Bells
Blizzard
Boxing (Day)
Candle
Candy cane
Carols
Christmas
Cocoa
Cold
Cupid
Dreidel
Eggnog
Epiphany
Flurries
Frosty
Gingerbread
Groundhog (Day)
Guy Fawkes
Hanukkah
Heart
Ice skate
Icicle
Jack Frost
Jingle
Kwanzaa
Lights
Love
Mardi Gras
Menorah
Mittens
Nativity
New Year’s Eve
Nutcracker
Ornaments
Peace
Presents
Reindeer
Rudolph
Santa (Claus)
Scarf
Scrooge
Shiver
Sled
Sleigh
Snow
Snowflake
Snowball
Snowman
Solstice
Stocking
Valentine’s (Day)
Winter


HAVE FUN!

It sounds like fun - but I'll have difficulties in choosing which word to try spelling :-)

Trying to narrow it down:

CANDLE COLD ORNAMENTS SOLSTICE SCROOGE

S
C: A Christmas Carol (Reading)
R: Ratatas Jul 22/12-15
O
O: The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Reading)
G:
E

O
R
N
A: Placebo by Anders Olesen 22/12-16
M: Rot and Ruin (Reading)
E
N
T
S

Thanks for posting early, Heather! I'm in!

2016/17 WInter Challenge
December 21, 2016 to March 19, 2017

Updated: Feb. 25
Progress: 9/9

J - Kingdom Come by (J)ane (J)ensen - finished Feb. 1
A - Death of a Dapper Snowman by (A)ngela Pepper - finished Jan. 1
C - A Spoonful of Murder by (C)onnie Archer - finished Jan. 29
K - Christmas Cozy by (K)athi Daley - finished Dec. 26
F - (F)atal Frost by Karen MacInerney - finished Feb. 11
R - A Shiloh Christmas by Phyllis (R)eynolds Naylor - finished Dec. 21
O - Woof at the Door by Leslie (O)'Kane - finished Feb. 25
S - (S)layed on the Slopes by Kate Dyer-Seeley - finished Jan. 15
T - (T)wisted Threads by Lea Wait - finished Jan. 27

Lots of good choices. I have no idea what I'm going to spell, will see what vowels I have to work with!

Well I still haven't finished a challenge yet, but I am going to finish a lot of things in 2017 I didn't finish in 2016.

7/8 Finished

S-Rhythm & Clues-(S)ue Ann Jaffarian-finished 3/4
O - Rosemary & Crime by Gail (O)ust -finished 3/19
L-Éclair and Present Danger by (L)aura Bradford-finished 1/16
S
T-(T)angled Up in Brew by Joyce Tremel-finished 3/12
I-(I)ced Under by Barbara Ross-finished 2/11
C-A Spoonful of Murder by (C)onnie Archer-finished 02/26
E-Turbo Twenty Three by Janet (E)vanovich-finished 12/24

I think I'll try this one. If I can choose a word...

Looks like fun!!

2016/2017 Winter Challenge
Dec. 21, 2016 to March 19, 2017

SCARF
Progress: 5/5

✔S - Sally Goldenbaum/A Holiday Yarn - 12/22
✔C - Audrey Coulthurst/Of Fire and Stars - 2/21
✔A - Assault and Pepper/Leslie Budewitz - 1/8
✔R - Rubbed Out/Riley Adams - 1/28
✔F - A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age/Daniel J. Levitin - 3/13

COLD
Progress: 4/4
✔C - Agatha Christie/Poirot Investigates - 2/9
✔O - Diana Orgain/Motherhood is Murder - 1/17
✔L - Life, the Universe and Everything/Douglas Adams - 1/20
✔D - Douglas Adams/So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish - 1/21

I'm in!

Scarf -- 1/30/2017
S The Survivor
C The Cat, The Collector and the Killer
A At the Drop of a Hat
R Revealed
F A Fine Imitation

Sleigh 1/25/2017
S. 17 Carnations: The Royals, the Nazis and the Biggest Cover-Up in History
L Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun by Victoria Laurie
E Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune
I In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox
G A Ghostly Gift
H A High-End Finish

3/18/17 finished
V Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend Victoria Laurie
A Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye
L Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man
E Eleanor and Hick: The Love Affair That Shaped a First Lady
N Nineteen Minutes
T This Old Homicide
I I Loved Her in the Movies: Working with the Legendary Actresses of Hollywood
N Night School
E Expect Miracles
S The Secret Memoirs of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: A Novel

2016-17 Winter Challenge

I'm going to start with New Year's Eve, my son's birthday. :)

N
✔E - Erin Moulton wrote Keepers of the Labyrinth 12/30/16
✔W - Weep No More, My Lady by Mary Higgins Clark 12/21/16

✔Y - Yan Martel wrote Life of Pi 1/10/17
E
✔A - Arlington, Lucy wrote Buried in a Book 1/7/17
✔R - Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix 1/13/17
✔S - Sweet Masterpiece by Connie Shelton 12/28/16

E
✔V - VanLiere, Donna wrote The Christmas Light 12/22/16
E

I'm going to be ambitious and add cocoa because I love hot cocoa, and snow which is what I look forward to playing in with the kids.

✔C - Cabot, Meg wrote She Went All the Way 12/24/16
O
✔C - Christmas Caramel Murder, A by Joanne Fluke 12/31/16
O
✔A - Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 2/25/17

✔S - Snow Job by Charles Benoit 1/12/17
N
O
✔W - William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies 2/20/17

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Vol. I

I'm in. Not sure which words to choose yet.

My goal for January and February is to read some of the series that I have. I hope that I can make some words from those books.

Winter challenge
completed 5/14

C- Corroded
O
C
O
A

And because I live where it all started
M- a Monster Calls-
A
R- Rowling, J.K.-
D- Deleon, Jana
I

G
R- Rutherford, Edward,
A
S- Sumrall, Jerrye,
-
That's a total of 14 books.

I am in. December 21 - March 19

I am going to try Winter and Cold plus Frosty

W - A Week in Winter - Maeve Binchy
I - Iron Lake - William Kent Krueger
N - No Show - Simon Wood
T - Twice Told Tales - Ali Brandon
E - Everything We Keep - Kerry Lonsdale
R - Reading Up a Storm - Eva Gates

C - Claws for Alarm - T. C. LoTempio
O - Outrage - Arnoldur Indridason
L - Laying Down the Paw - Diane Kelly
D - The Dead Cat Bounce - Sarah Graves

F - Frosty the Dead Man - Christine Husom
R - Ripped From The Pages - Kate Carlisle
O - One Foot in the Grove - Kelly Lane
S - Steamed- Holly Jacobs
T - Truffled To Death - Jo Dereske
Y - A Year in Provence - Peter Mayle

I'm in.
Winter challenge 12/21-03/19
i picked cold winter because that's what we're having & eggnog because that's my favorite drink. Now i'm off to see if i have a few "G" books.


C Candy Cane Murder by Joanne Fluke completed 12/26/16
O
L
D - Dave Cullen Columbine completed 1/24/2017

W - Worst Case By James Patterson completed 01/20/2017
I
N
T - Tick Tock by James Patterson completed 02/14/2017
E
R -Run for Your Life - by James Patterson completed 12/22/16

E - Eggnog Murder by Leslie Meier completed 2/8/17
G
G
N
O
G - Gaines, Chip The Magnolia Story completed 12/31/2016

Happy Winter Readers!

S - A Season in Purgatory by Dominick Dunne - DONE 1/25/17
A - A Dry Creek Christmas by Janet Tronstad DONE 12/27/2016
N
T - The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle by Laura DiSilverio DONE 12/26/2016
A - A Maine Clambake Mystery Clammed Up by Barbara Ross DONE 3/4/2017

S
N
O
W
F - Greenwich by Howard Fast
L
A - Agatha Christie - The Body In The Library DONE 2/18/2017
K - Kate Collins - Mum's the Word DONE 3/12/2017
E

C - A Catered Valentine's Day BY Isis Crawford DONE 3/8/2017
O
L
D - Death On Demand April Fool Dead by Carolyn Hart

I'm ready for a new challenge and this one sounds like fun. I'll start with EPIPHANY followed, quite naturally, by MARDI GRAS! I live in SE Louisiana, so those two words are perfect choices for this time of year. Laissez les bons temps rouler, chers amis!

Update: 02/17/17
Woohoo! Only two more books to go! This has been fun and I 'm looking forward to the next mini challenge.
02/20 - Oops - miscounted. Three books to go and this challenge will be complete.
03/09 - One book, about 1/3 read, and I'm done with this challenge. Woohoo!
03/10 - FINISHED!!

E Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
P Pawsitively Deadly by Ginny Gold
I In Praise of the Bees by Kristin Gleeson
P A Private Murder by Gillian Larkin
H Hook, Line and Stinker by Maggie West
A All Was Calm by Julie Carobini
N The Novice's Tale by Ann Swinfen
Y Yesterday's Shadow: A Lacey Summers Mystery by Edna Curry


M Murder Con Carne by Holly Plum
A The Alehouse Murders by Maureen Ash
R The Ruby Locket by Anita Higman and Jaleesa Celine
D A Deadly Service by Gillian Larkin
I Irregardless of Murder by Ellen Edwards Kennedy

G A Ghost In The Theatre by Gillian Larkin
R Ride: A Novella by Octavia Randolph
A Alas, She Drowned by Monica Knightley
S Season of the Fox by Denise Domning

I'm in , sounds fun!!


S
N
O
W
M
A
N- Night 1/4/17

I'm in! Because I love Carolina Kostner and chocolate, I'll try these words:


I
C
E

S
K
A
T
E

and

C
O
C
O
A

PATRIZIA (and everyone): Tap the "enter" key twice after your first sentence, and your "I" will fall in line with the rest of your letters. When I first looked at your post, it looked like your were going to spell "Ce Skate" -- which made no sense. ;-)

New member I want to try too


C book:Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop|8487876]
H
R
I
S Sorcery and the Single Girl
T
M
A Away in a Manger
S The Seventh Plague

Heather L wrote: "PATRIZIA (and everyone): Tap the "enter" key twice after your first sentence, and your "I" will fall in line with the rest of your letters. When I first looked at your post, it looked like your wer..."

Sorry... I corrected my post.

this sounds great!
M
I
T
T
O
N
S

G
R
O
U
N
D
H
O
G

D
A
Y

12/21/2016 - 3/19/2017

0/8 Complete

F=
L=
U=
R=
R=
I=
E=
S=

Jacque wrote: "this sounds great!
M
I
T
T
O
N
S

G
R
O
U
N
D
H
O
G

D
A
Y"

Hi Jacque. Mittens is with an E not an O hun. you may want to fix it so your challenge doesn't get thrown off :)

I'm in - here are my choices :)


9/9

C - My Brother-But-One by T.M. Clark 5★s 26/1/16
H - Journey Into Darkness: A Kim Journey Thriller by S.J. Harris 3★s 6/1/17
R - Man Drought by Rachael Johns 4.5★s 29/12/16
I - I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi 4.5★s 14/1/17
S - The Soldier’s Woman by Kelly Lyonns 5★
T - The Twilight Swimmer by A.C. Kavich 4.5★s 31/12/16
M - Things We Cannot See by Dianne Maguire 5★s 23/12/16
A - Frame by A.K. Alliss 3★s 4/1/17
S - Shiloh by G.J. Walker-Smith 5★s 28/12/16

Charlotte wrote: "It sounds like fun - but I'll have difficulties in choosing which word to try spelling :-)"

Who says you need to choose just the one :-)

I'm in.

That's right Trish! Why not more than one. :)

For me, I'll start with NUTCRACKER, and go from there. I just love that ballet. :) :) :) Tchaikovsky created beautiful music. :)

I'll keep my list in my challenge thread, located here.

I'm in -
9/9

J - Linda O (J)ohnston - Bad to the Bone - Finished 12/22
A - Donna (A)ndrews - Some Like It Hawk - Finished 1/1/17
C - Maia (C)hance - Bad Housekeeping: An Agnes and Effie Mystery - Finished 2/9/17
K - Kale to the Queen - Finished 12/29/16
F - For Whom the Bread Rolls - Finished 12/23/16
R - Reading Up a Storm - Finished 2/25/17
O - Diana (O)rgain - Motherhood is Murder - Finished 1/5/17
S - Snow Way Out - Finished 1/15/17
T - (T).C. LoTempio - Purr M for Murder - Finished 1/2/17


9/9

S - Scene of the Brine - Finished 2/19/17
N - (N)ero Blanc - A Crossworder's Gift - Finished 3/14/17
O - Carlene (O)'Connor - Murder at an Irish Wedding - Finished 1/22/17
W - When the Grits Hit the Fan - Finished 2/16/17
F - Fatality by Firelight - Finished 1/20/17
L - (L)aura Bradford - Death in Advertising - Finished 12/27/16
A - Isabella (A)lan - Murder, Served Simply - Finished 3/4/17
K - Kneaded to Death - Finished 2/3/17
E - Every Trick in the Rook - Finished 1/11/17

I'm in- feeling ambitious and ready to do a lot of reading now that I've finished my Masters degree!

12/21/16 - 3/19/17

4/20 as of 1/1/17

C- Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance - 12/29/16
H
R - The Raven Boys - 1/1/17
I
S
T
M
A
S

G
I
N
G
E - Evanovich, Janet - Curious Minds - 12/28/16
R
B
R
E
A
D- Dreams of Gods & Monsters - 12/26/16

Congratulations on getting your Master's, Katherine. I bet it's a relief to have more time for *enjoyable* reading, not required reading!

I'm new here as well, and this will be my first challenge. Sounds like fun, but I better start out with just one word:D

Winter Challenge 12/21/16- 3/21/16

H-(H)ome for the Holidays by Debbie Macomber √** 12/30
A-(A)manda M. Lee - Merry Witchmas √** 12/26
N-(N)ancy Martin-Miss Ruffles Inherits Everything: A Mystery √***** 01/04
U-The (U)nseen World by Liz Moore √*** 12/23
K-(K)ate Kingsbury- Dead and Breakfast √** 02/02
K-(K)rista Davis- Mission Impawsible √**** 03/04
A-(A)manda Flower- Prose and Cons √**** 01/09
H-(H)eather Blake- Some Like It Witchy √**** 01/24

Congrats Katherine on getting your Master's degree! :) That's awesome! :) :) :)

Katherine wrote: "I'm in- feeling ambitious and ready to do a lot of reading now that I've finished my Masters degree!"

Congratulations Katherine, that is an amazing accomplishment.

Katherine wrote: "I'm in- feeling ambitious and ready to do a lot of reading now that I've finished my Masters degree!

Congratulations on your accomplishment. Reading for the sheer pleasure of it sounds like a great way to celebrate. Happy Reading!

challenge will last from Dec 21, 2016 to March 19, 2017

W - The Wishing Thread 01.31.17
I - Idaho 02.07.17
N - The Night Before Christmas 12.30.17
T - Thread End 01.28.17
E - A Deadly Cliché by Ellery Adams
R -Serafina and the Twisted Staff by Robert Beatty

I am in!

S - Blue Blood by Susan McBride (completed 1/16/17)
L
E - Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams (completed 2/1/17)
D- Death int he English Countryside by Sara Rosett

I will play

C Crowned and Dangerous by Rhys Bowen

A America's First Daughter by Stephane Drey

R Under the Covers by Rebecca Zanetti

O Out of Dawns Light by Alys Clare

L

S A Study in Scarlet women

J
A
C
K

F
R
O
S
T

Cozy Mysteries

Reading Challenges > 2016-17 Winter Challenge

December 21, 2016 to March 19, 2017

C

O Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf READ 12/24/2016

L Learn to Play Piano in Six Weeks or Less by Dan Delaney READ 12/25/2016

D

12.21 - 3.19
read 23/23

(view spoiler)[
h - C.S. Harris : Why Mermaids Sing 1.8
a - Ellery Adams : A Killer Plot 1.10
n- needlecraft series: Hanging by a Thread : Monica Ferris 2.17
u- Unlucky 13 : James Patterson 3.16
k - julian kestrel [character]: Cut to the Quick Kate Ross 1.15
k- kate burkholder [character] : Her Last Breath : Linda Castillo 3.4
a- Cathy Ace : The Corpse with the Platinum Hair 1.14
h - Sue Henry : Death Takes Passage 2.5

i - It Takes a Witch : Heather Blake 2.4
c - Linda Castillo : Pray for Silence 2.10
i- Intervention : Terri Blackstock 2.16
c- Cathy Ace : The Corpse With the Sapphire Eyes 1.3
l - Leslie Meier : Tippy Toe Murder 1.2
e- elizabeth macpherson [character]: Lovely in Her Bones : Sharyn McCrumb 1.16

o- thelma owens [character]: Cape Refuge : Terri Blackstock 1.18
r - Rex Stout : The Red Box 1.5
n- nicholas brisbane [character]: Silent in the Sanctuary : Deanna Raybourn 3.19
a- Lydia Adamson : A Cat with the Blues 1.19
m- Mistletoe Murder : Leslie Meier 1.11
e- emma lord [character]: The Alpine Betrayal : Mary Daheim 2.12
n- nero wolfe[character]: Too Many Cooks : Rex Stout 1.19
t - The Tooth of Time : Sue Henry 1.9
s - Sick of Shadows : Sharyn McCrumb 12.22
(hide spoiler)]

Time to begin the latest winter challenge 12/21 - 3/19/17


E (E)ngaged in Death by Stephanie Blackmoore
G The Wedding Shawl by Sally (G)oldenbaum - A Seaside Knitters Mystery #5
G (G)one But Knot Forgotten by Mary Marks - A Quilting Mystery #3
N (N)eedle and Dread by Elizabeth Lynn Casey - Southern Sewing Circle #11
O (O)ne Foot in the Grape by Carlene O'Neil - A Cypress Cove Mystery
G Murder and Marinara by Rosie (G)enova An Italian Mystery

I (I)f Onions Could Spring Leeks by Paige Shelton - A Country Cooking School Mystery
C (C)hristmas Caramel Murder by Joanne Fluke - A Hannah Swensen Holiday Mystery
I (I)f Hooks Could Kill by Betty Hechtman - A Crochet Mystery #7
C A (C)lue in the Stew by Connie Archer - A Soup Lover's Mystery
L The (L)iar by Nora Roberts
E Sew Deadly by (E)lizabeth Lynn Casey - A Southern Sewing Circle Mystery #1

S (S)ins and Needles by Monica Ferris - A Needlecraft Mystery
N A (N)ovel Way to Die by Ali Brandon- A Black Cat Bookshop Mystery
O 50% (O)ff Murder by Josie Belle - A Good Buy Girls Mystery
W The (W)hole Cat and Caboodle by Sofie Ryan - A Second Chance Cat Mystery
F (F)ull Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer
L (L)ove at Any Cost by Julie Lessman
A Kernel of Truth by Kristi (A)bbott - Popcorn Shop Mystery #1
K (K)nit Fast, Die Young by Mary Young - A Knitting Mystery #2
E Into the Whirlwind by (E)lizabeth Camden

C (C)ookie Dough or Die by Virginia Lowell - A Cookie Cutter Shop Mystery
U (U)nlucky Charms by Linda O. Johnston A Superstition Mystery
P (P)aint the Town Dead by Nancy Haddock - A Silver Six Crafting Mystery #2
I (I)ced to Death by Peg Cochran - A Gourmet De-Lite Mystery #3
D The (D)ilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport

I have completed this challenge as of March 7!

I'll give it a go!

S: Salt of the Sea-Ruta Sepetys
L: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe- C.S. Lewis
E: Marian-Ella Lyons
D: Room-Emma Donoghue

I kept my word short seeing as I'm doing a book a week for another challenge. These books are also a part of the other challenge so I hope it will encourage me to keep it up with that other challenge.

CANDY CANE completed!

C = Wait for Signs, {C}raig Johnson (22/12/16)
A = Witch Is When Life Got Complicated, {A}dele Abbott (23/12/16)
N = Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea, {N}ancy Atherton (14/01/17)
D = Dickens at Christmas, Charles {D}ickens (22/12/16)
Y = A {Y}outhful Indiscretion: A Novella, Elizabeth Edmondson (31/12/16)

C = Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha {C}hristie (05/01/17)
A = {A}rsenic and Old Books, Miranda James (29/12/16)
N = The Capital of Latecomers, {N}ina Nenova
E = A Question of Inheritance, Elizabeth {E}dmondson (30/12/16)

I am in!

S = Now You See Me by SJ Bolton
L = Hex on the Beach by Gina LaManna
E = Eyes by Joanne Fluke
D = Die Like An Eagle by Donna Andrews

J = Jinx & Tonic by Gina LaManna
A = The Alchemist by Paulo Bacigalupi
C = Cast Iron Will by Jessica Beck
K = Killer Profile by Max Allen Collins

F =Christmas Caramel Murder by Janne Fluke
R = The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
O = Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
S =
T = Tick Tock by James Patterson

Katherine wrote: "I'm in- feeling ambitious and ready to do a lot of reading now that I've finished my Masters degree!"


Congrats on your accomplishment, Katherine!

I'm in!! Sounds like fun!

2016/17 WInter Challenge
December 21, 2016 to March 19, 2017

W: White Elephant Dead by Carolyn Hart 01/23/17****
I:
N:
T:
E: Engaged to Die by Carolyn Hart 01/07/17****
R:

S:
N:
O:
W:
M: Martha Hall Kelly, Lilac Girls 01/03/17 ****
A:
N:

I'm in! Looks like fun!
2016/17 Winter Challenge
December 21, 2016 to March 19, 2017
Progress: 0/12

A:
N:
G:
E:
L:

S:
N:
O:
W:
M:
A:
N:

Here's hoping!!

4/9

O: One Hot Murder - Lorraine Bartlett
R: Ross, Barbara - Boiled Over
N: Nearly Departed in Deadwood - Ann Charles 1/21/17
A: Abbott, Kristin - Kernel of Truth 1/30/17
M: Marty Wingate - The Garden Plot
E: Ellery Adams - Murder in the Secret Garden 1/5/17
N: No Farm, No Foul - Peg Cochran 1/27/17
T: Turbo Twenty Three - Janet Evanovich
S: Shelton, Paige - Farm Fresh Murder

Out of interest, is there a minimum page count for if you want to claim a book? I've read a novella which would fit for one of my challenge books, but as its only 60pg, I'm not sure if I can use it.

I'm in as well, I'll be spelling out "candle".

Progress will be tracked in my personal challenge thread, which can be found here.

Trish wrote: "Out of interest, is there a minimum page count for if you want to claim a book? I've read a novella which would fit for one of my challenge books, but as its only 60pg, I'm not sure if I can use it."

I have counted novellas in previous challenges, as they tend to be between 60-100 pages, but not short stories.