Cozy: A Stanley Hastings Mystery

A fascinating story of murder and mystery among strangers. Parnell Hall has written another well-loved Stanley Hastings mystery. Private detective Stanley Hastings and his wife, Alice, have just taken a vacation to relax when strange things begin to happen. On a hiking trip Stanley meets lots of new people who all turn out to stay in the same inn where he's vacationing. This seems strange to Stanley, but he doesn't mind until someone begins killing the guests one by one, bringing his vacation plans to an end. The officer investigating the murders suspects everyone, even Stanley, until all clues lead to the arrest of one of the other guests. Believing the guest to be innocent, the Hastings try to find the real murderer. If you are looking for a book that will keep you guessing and that has a twisting plot, this is the book for you. It has interesting characters and a surprise ending that will make you unable to put this book down. So settle in for an evening of mystery.

Each time someone in the book asks, "I beg your pardon?" I tumble into hysterics. This is the result of cleverly built up dialogue that becomes funnier with each fragment of repartee. Who cares about the plot? This author is a genius who could solve all the problems of the world with his wonderfully optimistic and forgiving attitude, and a humor that is on the par with the very best comedy writers (even exceeding them). I had to stop reading at times to prevent myself from strangling on my own convulsive laughter. Have mercy, Parnell. If you had been any funnier, I'd have gladly died laughing.

The fun starts the moment that Stanley and Alice check into the Blue Frog Inn and doesn't stop until the improbable(or just goofy)conclusion. I've read all of the books in this series and while this is a little different from most it is just zany enough to keep you reading. It involves two murders, a small town sheriff who doesn't have a clue and a little bit of everything for everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun light mystery to read.

As a mystery writer with a book in its initial release, I have long admired Parnell Hall's work because of his unique approach to the mystery genre. His style and voice are entirely his own. COZY, his new Stanley Hastings outing, perfectly illustrates what I admire about Hall and his writing. Hastings and his wife travel to a New Hampshire bed and breakfast where a series of homicides immediately begin to occur. The local police, in the manner of the long history of cozies, mishandle every clue. Hastings finds that he must solve the crimes in this well-plotted mystery. COZY is a solid work by a solid writer who keeps his tone light and his approach, in this book, breezy. I recommend COZY highly.