Cozy Mystery Audiobook Round-Up!

Today we're doing a round-up of recent releases on audiobook. I love listening to cozy mysteries on audio while I'm cleaning the house, driving in the car and even knitting. If you love cozy mysteries the chances are you will love them on audio too!

Here are a few of recent releases:

Bones on the Bayou by Carolyn Haines

Book 14.5 of Sarah Booth Delaney Mysteries

at Audible

Cure or Die by Jennifer L Hart

a Damaged Goods Mystery

at Audible

Slay It With Flowers by Kate Collins

Book #2 in the Flower Shop Mysteries

at Audible

Title Wave by Lorna Barrett

Book 10 of the Booktown Mysteries

at Audible

Book Review: Christmas Al Dente by Jennifer L. Hart

'Tis the season for pasta and mayhem.

Andy Buckland is determined that nothing will interrupt her first Christmas with Malcolm Jones and her last holiday spent in her childhood home. When the family recipe book disappears from the Bowtie Angel, and Aunt Cecily threatens to put "The Eye" on the entire population of Beaverton if it isn't returned, Andy and Jones decide to put the eggnog on hold for a little old fashioned sleuthing. But as one secret leads to another, and rumors are served up along with hot buttered penne, Andy can't shake the suspicion that her life is about to change forever.[summary via Publisher]

It's July but that doesn't mean we can't get into the festive mood. With Jennifer L. Hart's latest book in the Southern Pasta Shop Mysteries readers can get into the festive spirit with a great mystery.

It's Christmas time and Andy and her family are busy gearing up for the festive season. Andy is busy trying to arrange her holidays, hopefully without Malcolm's evil half-sister, and things get thrown into turmoil when the family recipe book goes missing!

I loved visiting with Andy, Malcolm and the feisty Aunt Cecily. I've enjoyed both of the books in this series, and it was fun to visit with them during the holiday season.

Jennifer L. Hart hits all the right festive notes with this one, giving the reader a delightful story, a mystery without a dead body!, and leaving readers of the series wanting more! After all if a series is a favorite, like this one is to me, of course you're going to want more!

Another great story and I can't wait to see what Jennifer has in store for these characters next!

Book Review: Lease on the Beach by Jennifer L. Hart

Jackie Parker, with her Damaged Goods Property Management crew, are back for another adventure. Reeling after the near death events in Final Notice, things aren't going smoothly for Jackie and her ex-marines husband, Luke. Especially not with the sexy Logan, Luke's brother and Jackie's one-time fling many years ago. However business is business and together they are off to evict to another dead beat in their jobs as property managers. What begins with evictions leads to "furries", drug labs and murderers on the loose for the Damaged Goods team.

I simply can't get enough of the Damaged Goods Mysteries. I really enjoyed the first book, Final Notice, and when I finished it I was eager for a second story. I patiently waited for a sequel and I was rewarded with "Lease on the Beach".

Lease on the Beach was definitely worth the wait. Jennifer L. Hart has created a very intense relationship with Jackie and Luke, throw in the mix the sexy brother, Logan, and there is definitely drama aplenty. Jackie is not the usual airhead running into situations without warning, and I like that she does think about the situations before diving in. She is definitely a amateur sleuth worth following!

Lease on the Beach was full of adventure on every page, and I loved every second of it. This is not a series that you will be bored with, and one that you will get thoroughly addicted to.

I give Lease on the Beach five sparkling stars (if I could give it a trillion stars I would!) and I am very eager to visit with Jackie and the Parker boys again to find out what is in store for them next.

Book Review: Murder Al Dente by Jennifer L Hart

Andrea “Andy” Buckland has come home. After nearly poisoning a live audience on what was supposed to be her big break as a tv chef, she’s returned to her hometown and to the family restaurant, Bowtie Angel. As she tries to sort out her life and come to terms with her ex-boyfriend now engaged with her mortal enemy, she stumbles upon the dead body of tv chef, Chef Zoltan Farnsworth. Chef Zoltan waa unfortunately one of those that she nearly poisoned in Atlanta and it looks like the police are seeing Andy as a “person of interest”. In order to clear her name Andy starts to investigate with the help of sexy newcomer, Malcolm Jones, half-brother to her enemy, Lizzie.

I’ve read two of Jennifer Hart’s other books (Skeletons in the Closet and Final Notice) and have enjoyed her combination of mystery, humor and romance immensely. In her newest novel, she shows why she is one of the best new cozy mystery authors. She introduces readers to the Buckland family, an Italian family that loves to cook pasta so much that they run a Italian restaurant. This family puts the “fun” in dysfunctional and they are a laugh a minute. I particularly loved Andy’s Great Aunt Cecily, whose answer to everything is “we make the pasta”! Add in a murder to the mix and the result will be a cozy mystery that you will be remembering fondly long after you turn the last page.

As with most cozy mysteries there is a subtle romantic element. In between solving the murder, Andy has her hands full with the sexy Malcolm Jones, a photographer with a interesting history and complete with a sexy New Zealander accent. The only catch is Malcolm is the half-brother of Lizzy, who Andy has been in not-so-friendly competition since their school days together.

Murder Al Dente was a fabulous debut in this new series. It hit all the right notes with me, and the pasta recipes are “to die for”. I can’t wait to get into the kitchen and see if I can “make the pasta just like Great Aunt Cecily and Andy! If you’re looking for a new series to read this summer, I highly recommend this one. Murder Al Dente was a delectable mystery and I can’t wait to return to another adventure with the Bucklands to see what they are up to next.

Book Review: Final Notice by Jennifer L Hart

Jackie Parker is a process server, who is now out of a job when she has had enough of her boss’ grabby hands!! Together with her husband, Luke, and his brother, Logan, they decide to go into the business of property management. With Luke and Logan’s brawn and her brains, their new company Damaged Goods Property Management can’t go wrong. Well that is until they discover a dead body at the first job! Now they are hunting down a killer and discovering the ups and downs of going into business with family!

I really enjoyed the first book I read/listened to by Jennifer L Hart (The Misadventures of a Laundry Hag: Skeletons in the Closet) and I was looking forward to a new series by this author. I simply loved Final Notice. I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard to the point of being close to tears from a cozy mystery in a long time!!

Final Notice is a barrel of laughs with so many zany, hilarious situations as Jackie, Luke and Logan battle trying to evict tenants in their business of “property management”. Jackie certainly has a knack for getting in trouble and in this first mystery she manages to get herself in smelly situations, including a fight with a female wrestler in baby oil, and some not-so-sweet smelling adventures! From beginning to end I couldn’t stop laughing at all of their sticky situations! Who knew property management could be so funny… and dangerous!

I enjoyed the mystery part of Final Notice. At first it seemed straight forward in that it appears that the previous tenant had murdered the girl and left, but as Jackie investigates further she finds it is anything but simple. The “Jane Doe” girl reminds Jackie so much of herself in her younger years that she’s determined to find out what happened to her.

Final Notice has so many memorable characters and moments that I think it will appeal to all cozy readers. Under all the comedy there is a family that will do anything for each other, and the family values shines through on the pages. Jackie Parker and the hunky Luke and Logan won my heart over with this first mystery and I can’t wait to see what is in store with the next book, Lease on the Beach.

Audiobook Review: Skeletons in the Closet by Jennifer L Hart

Maggie Phillips is your run of the mill housewife. She's a stay-at-home mom to two adventurous boys and wife to ex-Navy SEAL and all-around hunk, Neil. Apart from her disastrous in-laws she has a great life. That is until her best friend volunteers her to clean the mansion of the new neighbours. Douglass Kline is creepy and his wife, Alessandra,... well let's just say she gets around!! All goes well until Alessandra ends up dead and Douglass looks like the number one suspect. With friend, Sylvia, egging her on to dress in black and investigate, the pair give it a go at sleuthing!

I love funny cozy mysteries! I'm a huge fan of the zany antics of Stephanie Plum (as published by Janet Evanovich) and along with a good mystery, I love a mystery that keeps me giggling as well. The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag: Skeletons in the Closet definitely falls under the zany and funny category. I laughed and laughed at all the antics that Maggie and Sylvie get up to. For example, who knew that when you go in the middle of the night to investigate a suspect's house, that you will get held up by the suspect's elderly mother and rip your pants open and end up in jail! Yes this happens to Maggie. She's a walking disaster and her antics sure made for more than just a few giggles.

The mystery itself was very good. While Douglass is very creepy with the torture devices he keeps around for show, he is also very hapless and it's clear he isn't guilty of murder. This left me with many suspects and trying to figure out who killed Alessandra before Maggie.

There is a great cast of characters in this first book in this series. I really enjoyed the relationship Maggie and Neil have, and it's refreshing to have a sleuth that has a husband a family, as many that I've read lately have been single. Together with the unpredictable brother, Marty, I know the characters are definitely going to have me coming back for more. I need to know what kind of trouble Maggie is going to get up to next!!

I listened to Skeletons in the Closet as an audiobook with the narration provided by Suzanne Cerreta. This was my first time listening to Suzanne and I definitely will listen again. She provides the perfect voice for Maggie and I liked how you can hear the laughter in her voice, at all of Maggie's misadventures!

If you're looking for a fun audiobook for a car trip I recommend giving The Misadventures of a Laundry Hag: Skeletons in the Closet a go. At just six hours, it is the perfect length for car trips and it will keep you laughing and recalling Maggie's adventures with a smile.