Sharon's Cozy Corner March 2014

March has coming roaring in like a lion so far with all the winter-weather still plaguing the country, but hopefully Spring is on the horizon! Well, we can hope, can't we?

Luckily, there are plenty of cozy mysteries available this month to take some of the sting out of Mother Nature's frostier side. Here are a few that caught my eye this month –

March Book of the Month

Prolific author Laura Childs has a charming new addition to her Tea Shop Mystery series, STEEPED IN EVIL, just in time for Spring reading. Childs' novels are always intriguing, fun, and full of great recipes and tea information as well. It's no wonder that she's known as the Queen of the Cozies!

STEEPED IN EVIL: A Tea Mystery #15 By Laura Childs (Berkley)

In the newest mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of SWEET TEA REVENGE, Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is about to learn the true meaning of terror...

Theodosia Browning has never considered herself a wine connoisseur—tea has always been her forte. But that doesn't mean she's going to pass up an invitation to a fancy wine-tasting party at the upscale Knighthall Winery, just outside of Charleston, South Carolina.

But a sweet evening takes on a bitter aftertaste when a dead body is discovered in one of the wine barrels. The son of proprietor Jordan Knight has been murdered.

Dissatisfied with the police investigation, Knight turns to Theo for help. She's heard through the grapevine that there are both family and business problems at Knighthall. They say in vino veritas, but everyone at the winery seems to be lying through their teeth. Sorting through the guest list as well as family and staff, Theo has her pick of suspects. It may look like the killer has her over a barrel, but cracking tough cases is vintage Theodosia Browning.

Laura's previous novel in this series, SWEET TEA REVENGE, has been released in paperback this month as well! Be sure to check out the beautiful covers on these two terrific book – they are just awe-inspiring!

March Hardback of the Month

THE ALPINE YEOMAN: An Emma Lord Mystery #25 by Mary Daheim (Ballentine Books)

Mary Daheim's bestselling novels, set in Alpine, a picturesque village tucked away in the Cascade Mountains, have charmed a generation of mystery lovers with suspenseful tales of the peril that bubbles up from below the serene surface of small-town life.

An ill wind blows through Alpine, but Advocate publisher Emma Lord and Sheriff Milo Dodge seem immune to the prevailing angst. The newlyweds' domestic idyll is most definitely over when a dead man is discovered near the fish hatchery and nobody has a clue as to his identity. Vida Runkel may have insight, but Emma's redoubtable House & Home editor is mad at the world and saying little. Moreover, whispers of scandal travel through the quaint streets when some high school girls mysteriously take a walk on the wild side. And then Milo's dedicated deputy, Sam Heppner, a true yeoman, suddenly goes AWOL.

What's happening in Alpine? If Milo knows, he's not telling Emma. And Emma's again headed for trouble when she starts snooping. The situation grows even more fraught when a shocking link is revealed between the mystery corpse and one of Alpine's own, unearthing a long-buried dark secret. Tongues are wagging on Front Street—and the gossip contains an air of menace. Meanwhile, Mary Daheim has written her best book yet.

March Mass Market (paperback) of the Month

SHUNNED AND DANGEROUS: An Amish Mystery #3 By Laura Bradford (Berkley)

Living in the small town of Heavenly, Pennsylvania, Claire Weatherly has come to admire the Amish for their wholesome, honest way of life. But she also knows that nothing is as simple as it seems—especially when murder disturbs the peace.

Claire has always been game for a good puzzle, so when she hears that Mose Fisher has made one of his famous corn mazes, she can't wait to walk the paths and test her skill. But she'll have a much more serious puzzle to solve when, deep inside the maze, she discovers the body of Amish dairy farmer Harley Zook.

It won't be easy for Detective Jakob Fisher to investigate a murder on his own father's farm—not after being shunned by the man for leaving the Amish community and becoming a cop. With Mose himself as a suspect, and old family secrets cropping up, it's up to Claire to help catch the killer before she finds herself at a dead end.

(I just adore Laura Bradford's Amish Mystery series – she really taps into the heart of the Amish culture and crafts a wonderful and captivating mystery in each book. I highly recommend this series.)

Some other titles you might find fun to read:

BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER: A Hannah Swenson Mystery by Joanne Fluke

DUMMY OF A GHOST: A Granny Apples Mystery by Sue Ann Jaffarian

SPINNING IN HER GRAVE: A Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery by Molly MacRae

KEEPING MUM: A Garden Society Mystery by Alyse Carlson

DEAD BETWEEN THE LINES: A Devereaux's Dime Store Mystery by Denise Swanson

HOW TO PAINT A CAT: A Cats and Curios Mystery by Rebecca M. Hale

INHERIT THE WORD: A Cookbook Nook Mystery by Daryl Wood Gerber

PEARLS AND POISON: A Consignment Shop Mystery by Duffy Brown

ICED TO DEATH: A Gourmet De-Lite Mystery by Peg Cochran

I'd like to congratulate Berkley Prime Crime Books as they celebrate their 20^th anniversary of providing wonderful cozy mysteries for readers all over the world. Here's to 20 more years of great reading!

Hope that you find something wonderful among these titles to read. Next month promises to have some fun reads as well, so be sure to check back!

As always, Cozy Reading, Y'all!