Killing Cupid - A Spotlight

Happy Valentine's Day! 

I thought it would be fun to shine a spotlight on a Valentine's Day themed cozy Mystery. Killing Cupid by Laura Levine is the twelfth book in the Jaine Austen Mystery series and was released in 2014. The series is still going strong. Death by Smoothie is the nineteenth book in the series and was released November 29, 2022.

Blurb:

When Jaine lands a job writing web copy and brochures for matchmaker Joy Amoroso, she’s excited for a chance to help the lovelorn—until she realizes Joy is a ruthless taskmaster who screams at her employees for the smallest infractions, pads her website with pictures of professional models posing as clients, and offers up convincing but empty promises of love.  So it’s no surprise when the chiseling cupid turns up dead at a Valentine’s Day mixer. Now, finding the culprit may prove harder than spotting that elusive caramel praline in a box of chocolates . . .

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Here are some other Valentine's themed mysteries:

Wedding Bear Blues by Meg Macy 

Happy Homicides 2: Crimes of the Heart An Anthology

Valentine's Day is Murder by Carolyn Arnold

As Gouda as Dead by Avery Ames 

The Chocolate Cupid Killings by JoAnna Carl

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What are some of your favorite mysteries set around Valentine's Day?

Review - Death of a Neighborhood Witch by Laura Levine

If you enjoy laugh out loud mysteries with zany characters you'll love Death of a Neighborhood Witch, the latest Jaine Austen Mystery by Laura Levine. Jaine Austen is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles with her cat, Prozac. In this, the 11th book of the series, we get to meet more of Jaine's neighbors, including Eleanor Jenkins, better known as Cryptessa, the character she played in the one season sit-com I Married a Zombie. Cryptessa is the scourge of the neighborhood so it's little wonder that there are so many suspects in her murder. Since Jaine has helped solve so many murders already (which you can read about in each of her earlier books) she decides to help find the killer, especially since she is a prime suspect. Jaine has to deal with an ape suit, a Tummy Tucker, a decapitated Buddha, and a fight for romance along the way!

As in her previous books, the chapters are interspersed with e-mails Jaine received from her parents who live in Florida. These e-mails are a story unto themselves as her father gets himself into as much trouble as Jayne. In this outing he gets involved in a Halloween lawn decorating contest and you won't believe the consequences!

As wacky as things get in Jaine's world I can relate to her. While I may not wear elastic-waist pants, my size certainly has more than one digit and I enjoy soaking in a bubble bath, although I generally drink my wine beforehand! If you're looking for a light, easy read that'll make you laugh, you need look no further!

Death of a Neighborhood Witch  * * * *
The Jaine Austen Series               * * * * *

My rating system:
To me a 5 star book is an amazing read that swept me away and left me changed. A 4 star review is a great book that I really loved. 3 stars is still a solid good read, positive and enjoyable. Reviews will cease to be that positive at the 2 star rating-an OK book with serious flaws. And a 1 star-don't bother.

A 5 star series is a great series, one that consistently delights. The whole is often greater than it's parts, so you will see series ranked higher than individual books. A 4 star series is a solid series. You may not find greatness in a 3 star series, there may be some clunkers or some issues with characters, but on the whole there's some good reading. A 2 star rating for a series doesn't give me much hope and I probably won't ever rate a 1 star series as I need to have read at least 3 books in it-and I doubt I'd read more than 2!

Currently Reading...& Winner Announced!

I'm currently reading Death of a Neighborhood Witch by Laura Levine. This book is the 11th in the always funny Jaine Austen series. I've only read the first chapter and there's already been a death...and a burial...and lots of laughs. Like Jaine, I also buy Halloween candy with no intention of actually distributing any. Come on, admit it. I bet a lot of you do the same thing.

As for my most recent book tour, thanks to everyone who read Sunday's interview with Cindy Blackburn. And the winner of the Kindle edition of Playing with Poison, as chosen by random.org, is #3. That's you Rosalee R. Please send your e-mail address to me at Katreader(at)hotmail(dot)com so that you can get your prize! Congratulations!

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Pampered to Death by Laura Levine. I always enjoy the antics of Jaine Austen and Prozac and this 10th outing is no exception. Instead of a luxury spa, Jaine finds a strict diet retreat. Dreams of gourmet meals, or even ding dongs and Chocolate Yoo Hoos, dissolve into the reality of steamed fish and celery fizzes. She's found some cheesecake...but her next discovery will probably be a dead body!

Make 'Em Laugh

Beef Stolen-Off, Last Wool and Testament, Threaded for Trouble, with so many punny titles, it's natural that you can find humor in a lot of cozy mysteries. It makes sense since cozies are a "kindler, gentler, mystery". Not to say to don't find humor in darker genres as well. Some authors lighten things up so that you're less prepared when the big nasty arrives. There's also black comedy, Sweeney Todd and Harold and Maude are great musical and cinematic examples.

Humor makes life fun and interesting and I love when mysteries are able to make me laugh as well. While humor can be found everywhere, there are some cozies that just flaunt it. Don't underestimate these books.  While fun is front and center, characterization and plot are not forgotten. The mystery is still there. While some may be categorized in different subgenres as well, these laugh out loud books all belong to another one of my subgenres-the humor cozy.

One of the funniest books I've read is Alpine for You, the first Passport to Peril mystery by Maddy Hunter and she continues to make me laugh in each new installment. Emily Andrew, her grandmother, and a group of senior citizens from Iowa travel the world in this delightful series.

It should come as no surprise that Laura Levine writes a very funny series. After all, she was a writer for The Bob Newhart Show, Laverne and Shirley and other sitcoms. The Jaine Austen series takes us to Los Angeles where we meet freelance writer Jaine Austen and her cat Prozac.

Jeffrey Cohen brings mysteries and movies together in his Double Feature series. Elliot Freed owns the Comedy Tonight movie cinema-you guessed it-all comedy movies.

Bubbles Yablonsky is a hair dresser striving to be a journalist in Lehigh, Pennsylvania in the Bubbles Books by Sarah Stohmeyer. I still giggle about her attending Two Guys Community College. (Anyone of a certain age from this part of the country will know why.)

If you're looking for laughs along with murder be sure to check out these series.