I’ve been remiss when it comes to keeping up with my 52 Book Club Challenge roundups. It’s been a busy year, etc. etc. But it’s time for me to catch y’all up on how it’s been going since March.
To my surprise / chagrin, I actually have fewer updates to share than I expected. This often happens as I progress in the Challenge: I run through the easy / inspiring prompts quickly and then slowly work my way through the rest. On the bright side, though, the stack has a ton of cozy mysteries in it. (And a lot of series books vs. standalones.) So good news, if you’ve been looking for more of those to explore!
11. A Prequel: The Maid’s Secret
You may know that I adore Nita Prose’s sweet, inquisitive Molly the Maid. This year, she’s back for another adventure – one that takes her back through her grandmother’s history. She explores this history under somewhat stressful circumstances, plus while planning her wedding. There’s an Antiques Roadshow-esque show, plenty of hotel antics, and a parallel plots element. If you’ve already love Molly, this is a very solid entry in the series.
13. Title is Ten Letters or Less: Fair Play
I loved this so much I did a whole post on it!
25. Breaks the Fourth Wall: Gifted & Talented
I really wanted to like this one. Family drama can be extremely entertaining, especially when combined with magical powers. Plus, the story takes place in the Bay! But I found every character deeply unpleasant to read, and hard to spend time with. This is for someone – just not me.
32. Includes a Diary Entry: Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)
Vera Wong is back! And I love this new entry almost as much as I loved the first. Plenty of delicious food descriptions and San Francisco local flavor. Plus, a mystery that leans hard into the existing found family vibes of the original – I’m not sure how long Vera can keep expanding her circle, but I’m here for that ride.
36. Final Sentence is Less Than 6 Words Long: Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Investigator
I recently learned that 2025 is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. So I suppose it’s unsurprising to see some Austen-ish releases this year, especially for the female cozy mystery reader demographic. Still, I can’t say I anticipated Caroline Bingley moving to the top of the PI list. In this story, Caroline goes to London in search of Georgiana Darcy, who’s run away (it’s always Georgiana!). When she tracks Miss Darcy down, she finds her embroiled in a mystery that implicates the East India Company in a larger conspiracy than she imagined. There are many of the usual historical cozy tropes – balls, a surprisingly handsome and competent butler. This is also a story that wants to critique colonialism, and for a cozy mystery, it takes a decent stab. But in the end, the cozy tone has to win over the historical reality. A fun read – but perhaps hard fantasy or true historical fiction are better avenues for colonial critiques.
39. Has an Epigraph: The Italians
Covered this one in my final Italian reading post!
47. ”I think it was blue”: A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons
Rounding out the list is the first entry in the Saffron Everleigh series. The titular protagonist is a research assistant in her university’s botany department. Unfortunately for her, it’s the 1920s, which means she has to put up with more skepticism and sniggering than she might like. Even more unfortunate is when her professor and sponsor gets arrested for murder. The police don’t seem to fully understand the botanical nuances of the crime, so of course, Saffron investigates. Kate Khavari’s cozy historical mystery series is a fun, engaging world, with characters I can root for. A good “potato-chip” series – not the healthiest, but quite more-ish. (I’d love to explain why it’s in this category- but spoilers! Read it and find out.)
And that’s it for progress – over three months! I will have to make a bigger dent soon. Also – I’m clearly a sucker for a good cozy series.
I’m traveling this week and will be back with yet another set of themed travel reads (and reflections on the experience). Until then – stay cozy and stay curious!
