Member Reviews

Enjoyed this one very much, a great sampler of all things cozy mystery from authors Meri Allen; Donna Andrews; Olivia Blacke; Vivien Chien; Leonard Goldberg; Carolyn Haines; Olivia Matthews; Allison Montclair; Mindy Quigley; Katharine Schellman; Korina Moss. Never disappoints, highly recommend!

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This is a great way to find new authors or see what your favorite authors are releasing. I wish more publishers would do this. I look forward to each new release in this series.

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Do you like flights of beer, wine, coffee or tea?
Are you the kind that buys a sampler pack of beauty aids?
Do you walk into a donut shop and ask for a mixed dozen?

Then the Cozy Case Files is an ideal book for you! If you're unsure about the cozy mystery genre, or what's happening next in your fave series or whether or not you'll like an author's style of writing - Cozy Case Files has you covered. A couple of chapters of each book by several cozy mystery authors can help you pick your next read or new favorite author. Much quicker than perusing the store or library shelves with a list. But, I personally say read them all! Bring on the books!


Thank you Net Galley for the free copy in return for an honest review.
Side note, this title is also available free on Amazon. Download today!

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I truly enjoy the cozy mystery genre. This is a great way to find new authors in one of my favorite genres. I really like that there are 18 volumes of the Cozy Case Files. If you're new to the cozy mystery genre, this is a great way to find what you like to read.

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Cozy Case Files 18 is a sneak-preview collection of 11 new cozy mystery novels. Released 23rd May 2023 from Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint, it's 319 pages and can be accessed on most ebook retailers (Amazon, Rakuten/Kobo etc) to download and read for free. This is the 18th cozy mystery sampler from St. Martin's. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

The collection includes a few chapters from each of 11 upcoming (or recently released) cozy mysteries by Meri Allen, Korina Moss, Vivien Chen, Olivia Matthews, Mindy Quigley, Donna Andrews, Olivia Blacke, Carolyn Haines, Leonard Goldberg, and Allison Montclair. All are for new and/or well established series which is always exciting. The Donna Andrews title, for example, is volume 33 in the series (!!).

All of them are appealing, and all of the included mysteries are reviewed (or scheduled) on my blog. The full mysteries themselves are all in the 4-5 star range, all are entertaining and well crafted. There are some good series releases coming up in 2022 to keep cozy mystery lovers entertained.

Definitely worth downloading the collection to test sample the upcoming books. Four and a half stars for the collection as a whole, and a very good resource for planning late summer TBR for cozy mystery fans.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

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Dear Fellow Reader,

Do you often read books that you have no idea why you picked up this book? I will get notices from the Library that I have a book to pick up and when I get it I am completely lost as to why I wanted that book.

Well, it has happened again.

I picked up today’s book and when I figured out what it was, all I could think was that I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing. This book was given to me in exchange for my unbiased review.


Cozy Case Files, Volume 18 is the first few chapters of 11 different cozy mysteries. All the cozies are spring 2023 releases. I would think that the concept was to help you find a book that is of interest to you from the group. I don’t think this concept worked for me. Yes, I went through and read all of it. There were several that seemed interesting but not enough to get me to go and hunt down the book. When you go from one to another that quickly, they all just get lumped together.

Now, this “book” is available free as an eBook at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo so if you are looking for a new cozy to read, this could be the way for you to look at the newest. Not a bad idea but if you are like me, you need to stop and get the books as you go rather than read them all and then think about going back. There were three books in the compendium that I had read and reviewed. Those three are as follows:

Hard Dough Homicide (https://cecooney.com/2023/06/27/hard-dough-homicide-a-spice-isle-bakery-mystery-by-olivia-matthews/)

Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust (https://cecooney.com/2023/06/13/ashes-to-ashes-crust-to-crust-by-mindy-quigley/)

The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman (https://cecooney.com/2023/07/10/the-last-drop-of-hemlock-by-katharine-schellman/)

So, if you are a cozy fan, I suggest that you pick up the free eBook and check out some new authors and their latest books.

Thanks for reading!

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Cozy Case Files, Volume 18, is a delightful compilation of cozy mysteries that showcases the talent and creativity of some of the genre's most beloved authors. Packed with mouthwatering culinary adventures, birdwatching escapades, and thrilling western journeys, this anthology offers a tantalizing taste of cozy mysteries that will keep readers entertained and guessing until the very end.

The collection features an impressive lineup of authors, including Meri Allen, Donna Andrews, Olivia Blacke, Vivien Chien, Leonard Goldberg, Carolyn Haines, Olivia Matthews, Allison Montclair, Korina Moss, Mindy Quigley, and Katharine Schellman. Each writer brings their unique storytelling style and flair to the table, ensuring a diverse and engaging reading experience.

One of the strengths of this compilation is the variety it offers within the cozy mystery genre. Readers can enjoy a range of themes, settings, and writing styles, ensuring there is something to satisfy every taste. Whether you prefer culinary escapades, birdwatching adventures, or western thrills, Cozy Case Files delivers an abundance of entertaining and captivating tales.

The pacing of the stories varies, with some offering quick-paced investigations while others unfold more leisurely. This variety adds depth to the reading experience, allowing readers to immerse themselves in different atmospheres and narrative styles.

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FANTASTIC!!! I love snippets of my favorite authors and my Favorite series! I really enjoy these releases.

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Amazing sampler of all the mysteries to come. I'm a huge fan of Meri Allen and this book gives you a way to sample all the other authors.

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A great way to check out new to you (or get a sneak peek at authors you already know and enjoy). A mix of both cozy and traditional mysteries.

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This series of stories by favorite mystery authors gives readers a "taste" of upcoming titles. I appreciate receiving this ARC from the publisher and from NetGalley. Reading these short selections gives me the opportunity to engage with my favorite mystery writers and then decide if I want to read the rest of the book.

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I was excited to see some of my favorite authors included in this text. I like being able to read excerpts of upcoming books from a variety of authors. I purchased several books based on the contents of this book.

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The eighteenth edition of Cozy Case Files features cozies from the following authors: Meri Allen, Donna Andrews, Olivia Blacke, Vivien Chien, Leonard Goldberg, Carolyn Haines, Olivia Matthews, Allison Montclair, Korina Moss, Mindy Quigley, and Katharine Schellman.

Bring your appetite as you catch up on what's happening in your favorite eateries in Fatal Fudge Swirl, Curds of Prey, Misfortune Cookie, Hard Dough Homicide, and Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust.

Take up birding in Birder, She Wrote.

Travel west in A Fatal Groove and Tell-Tale Bones.

Want to escape the present? Head to the past in The Wayward Prince, The Lady from Burma, and The Last Drop of Hemlock.

Really enjoyed these stories. If you like cozy mysteries then this book is for you. Will recommend to others.

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Cozy Case Files Volume 18
I love these books to get a chance to see early books from my favorite authors and to learn about new authors. My favorite in this one was Birder, She Wrote by Donna Andrews.

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I consider this a great tool in aiding me with acquisitions. It’s always a great help to be able to read synopsis's.

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This great selection of cozy mystery intros was fantastic! I admit there were a couple of authors I am devout fans of (Donna Andrews and Carolyn Haines), but this allowed me to access some authors I had not read before.

I thought the selections were great as they gave the reader an introduction to the characters, as well as an enticing sample of what was to come in each book. Each ended on just enough of a cliffhanger that I anxiously searched to purchase or pre-order the full novel.

I highly recommend checking out this book to introduce yourself to some new authors and cozy mystery stories!

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Love these sneak peaks. Get so many cool ideas for new books to read!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Press for this advance copy

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I love getting these it let's me sample books that I might have overlooked or missed. I highly enjoyed it. Anyone whoe likes cozy mysteries will like this.
I just reviewed Cozy Case Files, Volume 18 by Meri Allen; Donna Andrews; Olivia Blacke; Vivien Chien; Leonard Goldberg; Carolyn Haines; Olivia Matthews; Allison Montclair; Mindy Quigley; Katharine Schellman; Korina Moss. #CozyCaseFilesVolume18 #NetGalley
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It's hard for me to know if I'm going to like a particular cozy mystery series. Sometimes, all the ingredients are there, but there's something missing to put the whole thing over for me. That's why I adore these Cozy Case Files samplers. In the best case, I can get a teaser for a series I'm already invested in, and at worst I've discovered that I'm not as taken by a series or author as I thought I might be. Each sample chapter gives the reader enough of the author's style, the character's personality, and the setting to get a good feel for what the series is like. And sometimes with cozies, it's all about the vibes. These samplers let you know the vibes right off the bat.

In volume 18, I discovered a few new series that I want to dive into further: The Ice Cream Shop Mysteries, Sarah Booth Delany Mysteries, and the Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries; a chapter in a series I already love: The Noodle Shop Mysteries; and a taste of a newer series I've been looking forward to: Olivia Blacke's Record Shop Mysteries.

You really can't go wrong with these.

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I enjoyed most of the snippets of stories especially since I’ve read most of the actual books. One I didn’t like was the The Lady from Burma, I could follow what was going on which seemed to be a very long discussion about whether one woman had kissed a man. Boring. The Last Drop of Hemlock is especially intriguing. I’d like to read the rest of the story even though I normally don’t like historical stories. I’d definitely recommend these books, this is a great way to find new stories and authors. . #CozyCaseFilesVol18 #NetGalley

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