75) All The Little Liars by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Aurora Teagarden is basking in the news of her pregnancy when disaster strikes her small Georgia town: four kids vanish from the school soccer field in an afternoon. Aurora’s 15-year-old brother Phillip is one of them. Also gone are two of his friends, and an 11-year-old girl who was just hoping to get a ride home from soccer practice. And then there’s an even worse discovery—at the kids’ last known destination, a dead body.

While the local police and sheriff’s department comb the county for the missing kids and interview everyone even remotely involved, Aurora and her new husband, true crime writer Robin Crusoe, begin their own investigation. Could the death and kidnappings have anything to do with a group of bullies at the middle school? Is Phillip’s disappearance related to Aurora’s father’s gambling debts? Or is Phillip himself, new to town and an unknown quantity, responsible for taking the other children? But regardless of the reason, as the days go by, the most important questions remain. Are the kids still alive? Who could be concealing them? Where could they be?

With Christmas approaching, Aurora is determined to find her brother…if he’s still alive.

My Thoughts :

A decade after the last installment in the Aurora Teagarden series, Charlaine Harris has delighted and surprised us all with a new story!  This ninth book in the series starts a few weeks after the last book finished but the author manages to bridge the ten years difference very well making this one feel more up to date but not too advanced.  Aurora is as pleasant and inquisitive as always and all the regular cast of characters are either mentioned or play a part in the story.  All The Little Liars was a reunion and an update of sorts and it was a wonderful read.

I have read and enjoyed every single book in the Aurora Teagarden series and then, like all of Charlaine's other books, I read them again via Audible book.  So when I saw All The Little Liars pop up I couldn't believe that fans of her series were being so blessed!  It was always a little annoying how the series ended.  A nice happy cliffhanger but not the place I felt it should have been left.  Thankfully it seems many more readers of the series also had the same attitude and the author managed to make something happen.

The mystery was a complicated one that wasn't too confusing but mostly mind-boggling.  This is just the way Harris does things.  A great twisted plot that keeps you guessing until the end.  You may think you know what has happened but you really only get there when the amateur sleuth does.  The author does a great job of keeping the reader hooked and offers up a good amount of information to keep you in the know and not confused or overwhelmed.  This series is one of the best cozy mysteries out there and it shows even in this new release years after what we thought was the end.

So many things could be said about the plot and I could write a lot more about the story.  However I don't want to give away all the surprises to fans who have been waiting for this new addition or spoil things for anyone who haven't gotten this far into the series yet.  All I can say is that it was worth the wait.  All The Little Liars was not a disappointment and I read it all in a few hours.  I was completely and utterly hooked from the first chapter.

Now I hope that there will be more Aurora books.  It would make me really happy to have a few more stories but maybe one more would be enough.  However if there aren't any more I could handle it.  After all this ninth book was a surprise I wasn't expecting and am very grateful for.  I wonder if the author has plans for any other of her series to get new installments. I wouldn't mind catching up with Lily Bard or Harper Connolly but for now I will just say thanks and well done for All The Little Liars.

49) Poppy Done to Death by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Not just any woman in Lawrenceton, Georgia, gets to be a member of the Uppity Women Book Club. But Roe's stepsister-in-law Poppy has climbed her way up the waiting list of the group-only to die on the day she's supposed to be inducted.

Sordid stories of infidelity in Poppy's marriage lead to a rash of suspects, and Roe begins to question her own heart. But her passion for the truth will drive her on-into the path of the cold-blooded killer.

My Thoughts :

The Aurora Teagarden Mystery series has been taking up a lot of my time lately. After reading the books a long time ago I decided to revisit them on Audiobook and found myself enjoying them even more than my first visit. Maybe it was the great narrator that made the stories that little bit better but it could just have been due to my not so secret love for cozy mysteries.

While all the murders throughout the series have somehow had something to do with Roe, it hasn't always been up close. So for the finale we get to see the family Roe inherited via her mothers second marriage and it was nice to finally get to know them. Sure it is always nicer to meet under better circumstances but the quick introduction in the previous book didn't give much away. We get thrown in at the deep end this time with the victim being one of her step sisters-in-law.

The title of the book gave away the person who was up for the knife. How, when, why and who were still open for answers. Being a wife and mother obviuosly wasn't time consuming enough and Poppy managed to rack up some extra curricular activities. Poppy's secrets were interesting revelations but for me it was pretty obvious who killed her. I doubted myself now and again as more skeletons came out but ultimately my first choice was the right one.

In this eighth and last installment we see Roe ready to settle down for real. Quite a few events in her life had gotten Roe to this point and it was like everything was finally coming full circle. It was obvious that the character would evolve during the series and it was easy to follow how and why. I think the changes in Roe over the last couple of books would annoy some readers though. However for me it was just the natural course of things and I can only hope that dealt the same hand that Roe had been given, I too would be strong enough to go the route she takes in this last book. I was delighted to have Roe get her happy ending and even though another book or just an epilogue would have cleared up a few loose ends, well it was a fitting end to everything.

Charlaine Harris is a great author and even though there is no vampires or anything Supernatural in this series you can still expect a great story, characters and style. This is a series I will be visiting again in a few years because it is enjoyable and pleasant to listen to. Not sure if I would read the books again but the Audio versions were just too good not to come back to again some day. Well worth trying if you like cozies or enjoyed any other Charlaine Harris books.

47) Last Scene Alive by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Roe is still in mourning over her husband's death when a movie company arrives in Lawrenceton. They've come to make a film based on a book written by her one-time boyfriend Robin Crusoe, a book that detailed their shared investigation of a series of murders that occurred years before.

But when the lead actress-who is playing Roe-is killed, Robin and Roe join forces once again to thwart a killer, without knowing that Roe herself is the next target.

My Thoughts :

I am nearly done revisiting the Aurora Teagarden Series. It is book #7 and the end is near. I have throughly enjoyed my time listening to the books and the further into the series I get, the more I realise, how much better they are on audio. The narrator does such a great job of capturing Roe and making the story come alive. I am extremely glad that I have taken the time to go back and listen to the series.

This time around Roe isn't at her best. It isn't surprising after everything she has gone through. However there is enough to keep her mind occupied and take her away from her mourning. Robin Crusoe, a writer Roe dated a long time ago, is back in town because his book about some murders they were both caught up in (book 1 in the series) is being made into a TV Film.

Of course this book involves a murder and as usual Roe manages to get unwillingly involved in the whole thing. It should be a storyline that feels old but Charlaine Harris always manages to put a fresh and interesting new spin on things. Always making the plot very addictive and hard to put down the story evolves and grows till Aurora and the reader finally manage to put the pieces together and solve the case.

I like this series for so many reasons that I can't even begin to explain them all. I can say that even though I have read all the books I am, again, being constantly surprised by the books. I remember bits and pieces of the stories but listening to the stories again is like I am experiencing them for the first time all over again.

If you haven't tried this series and like a good audio book then I highly recommend these books. I haven't been able to get enough of them and already have book #8 on my iPod and nearly finished. I just can't help catching up with Aurora any free time I get.

43) A Fool and His Honey by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Aurora’s been around long enough to know that when a day starts out with your handyman going crazy in your front yard, it probably won’t get any better. Sure enough, her husband Martin’s niece Regina shows up with a baby whom no one knew she was expecting. Then she disappears, leaving behind the child—and a murdered husband. To find her, Roe and Martin retrace her steps from sunny Georgia back to snowy Ohio, where they will uncover dark family secrets—at their own peril.

My Review :

The Aurora Teagarden series by Charlaine Harris is a very special cozy mystery collection. Just when you think the author and characters have done and seen everything, even more comes along to surprise everyone. Any lovers of the Sookie Stackhouse series will know that the author has a knack for weaving up some interesting mysteries and just because there is nothing paranormal involved in Aurora's world, it doesn't mean that she isn't worth reading about. She is a strong woman and knows what she wants. I have been enjoying revisiting the series via Audible and I am actually enjoying this visit more than when I read the books.

Lots of different things comes together in this book that even I, who has read the book before, didn't see coming. There were certain aspects of the story that I remembered quite clearly but most of it was new to me. I ended up putting the puzzle pieces together as Aurora also started seeing the full picture of what was really going on but it wasn't easy and the story even took her away from her family and friends.

Big changes are obviously coming along in the last two books and that will mostly be due to the events of this sixth book in the series. A Fool and His Honey managed to shock me and I wasn't expecting the end that came along. I am sure the author has a reason for what she did I am more than eager to listen to the next book and find out what the future now holds for Aurora.

Anyone looking for a good cozy series should look up this old gem. It is really worth checking out even if you aren't a Charlaine Harris fan. If you are a fan and only like paranormals, well give this one a try anyway. Charlaine's style shines through without any vampires and these books are amazing reads.

31) Dead Over Heels by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

What's the world coming to when you cant relax with a glass of ice-cold beverage in your own backyard without a body falling from the sky into your garden?

Part-time librarian and amateur investigator Roe Teagarden has good reason to ask herself this question when the remains of one of the Lawrenceton, Georgia police departments finest catapults into her flower bed. The mystery deepens as two federal agents arrive to investigate the murder. Its only when Madeleine the cat provides a clue that Roe begins to realize that using her yard as a temporary landfill may have been no accident and that Roe herself could be in terrible danger.

My Review :

My return visit to Lawrenceton via Audible was fast and furious at first. After listening to the first four books one after another I didn't have any Audible credits left and listened to something else. With my new credit I jumped on book #5, Dead Over Heels and from beginning to end I had to wonder if I had missed out this book when I read the series all those years ago.

There was only one part of the story that I really remembered but it could have also been mentioned later in the series. All the rest of the story seemed completely new to me. Nothing felt familiar and maybe, just maybe, I missed this one out? I will have to check because until now I have vaguely remembered the plot and storyline of the series.

So this felt new to me but it didn't feel bad. It was another well written Charlaine Harris cozy and I loved listening to it. The characters are interesting and the setting has become familiar and it really feels like I have been there and know the people. I can't wait to listen to the rest of the books in the series and already have them on my Audible wishlist.

If you are a Charlaine Harris fan and haven't tried her other books then you really should give them a go. Aurora Teagarden is no Sookie but they could be sisters or cousins.

14) The Julius House by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Love at first sight turns into newlywed bliss for former librarian Aurora Teagarden- until violence cuts the honeymoon short.

Wealthy businessman Martin Bartell gives Roe exactly what she wants for their wedding: Julius House. But both the house and Martin come with murky pasts. And when Roe is attacked by an ax-wielding maniac, she realizes that the secrets inside her four walls-and her brand-new marriage-could destroy her.

My Thoughts :

From the title of the book it was obvious what mystery would hopefully be solved in this fourth Aurora Teagarden book. The Julius House was mentioned in book #3 and I remember Aurora moving to the Julius House. I just couldn't remember where the bodies were hidden and the twist in the tale.

I enjoyed every minute of the fourth book with its detailed build up to the wedding and renovation of the Julius House. The Youngblood's added some entertainment and Martin's 'secret life' did too. All in all another spectacular mystery from a super author. Well planned out to the last detail with a lovely leading lady.

Revisiting this series on Audio has turned out to be a very good idea. The narrator is marvelous and I have found myself opting to listen to my book rather than read one. Now I wish I had #5 handy to listen to but I think I will take a break and listen to something else and wait for my next Audible credit to come along. However I will definitely be catching up with Aurora again very very soon!

11) Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Deciding if she wants to go into real estate becomes a life-or-death choice for Aurora "Roe" Teagarden. A naked corpse is discovered at her first house showing. And when a second body is found in another house for sale, it becomes obvious that there is a very cool killer at large in Lawrenceton, one who knows a great deal about real estate-and maybe too much about Roe.

My Thoughts :

I am revisiting the Aurora Teagarden mysteries via Audible and so far I am really enjoying them. Maybe even more than when I first read them! I may have read all the books in the series before but I really can't remember much of what happened in these delightful cozy mysteries. It is turning out to be a real joy to listen to the books and their super stories.

Roe has some similarities to Charlaine's other leading females but she is also quite unique. This time around she once again manages to get involved in a murder which is wrapped up in a house seeling/buying angle this time around. This was a believable chain of events for Roe to get involved in and it was weaved into the story well. Harris really can write a good mystery.

This book also sees a more serious relationship developing for Roe and it takes up a lot of her time. Now I remember a little about Martin but totally forgot he arrived in the series during the third book. I thought he came along in the fourth or fifth book. I found myself surprised at how quick the two get together. It seemed so out of character for Roe. Her decisions are not what one would expect but I can see why she finds herself rushing along. It will be nice to see how things develop between them.

The narrator does such a great job that I could happily listen to the rest of the series one after the other but as is it I am out of Audible credits. I have the fourth book ready to listen to next week but the rest of the series will have to wait.

If you are a Charlaine Harris fan then you really need to check out these books. They are lovely enjoyable reads. If you are looking for something easy and relaxing to listen to then you can't go wrong with this series. Not taxing and not over the top with likable characters. Definitely glad I went back to this one again on Audio.

8) A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Aurora "Roe" Teagarden's fortunes change when a deceased acquaintance names her as heir to a rather substantial estate, including money, jewelry, and a house complete with a skull hidden in a window seat. Roe concludes that the elderly women has purposely left her a murder to solve. So she must identify the victim and figure out which one of her new, ordinary-seeming neighbors is a murderer- without putting herself in deadly danger.

My Thoughts :

I loved this series when I first read it and revisiting it via Audio book is turning out to be very enjoyable. The narrator is great and it is a nice to listen to. Somewhat relaxing even. Of course Charlaine Harris has gone on to greater things since writing this series but you can feel a little Sookie in Aurora and the writing style is just as mesmerising as her other books.

This second in the series didn't have much investigating but more of a mystery that needs to unravel itself. Following Roe's actions after inheriting the house, finding the skull and in conclusion, solving the crime, was a lovely trip and quite exciting. I found myself, like Roe, wondering what could have possibly happened in regards to the skull and also thinking about what I would do in such a situation.

Aurora Teagarden may have a few murders going on around her but I would really like to have her life. Especially after she inherited such a great amount of money and a lovely house. I have to say I find it weird that she gave up her job in the end because it seemed to be something she enjoyed doing but I can also understand that she will need more time for sleuthing...after all there are a few more books in the series to keep her busy.

Now on to book three! I already have it on my iPod and can't wait to see what mystery Aurora gets pulled into next time. It is surprising how much of the details I have forgotten about this series! I am really enjoying discovering everything again!

5) Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Though a small town at heart, Lawrenceton, Georgia, has its dark side-and crime buffs. One of whom is librarian Aurora "Roe" Teagarden, a member of the Real Murders Club, which meets once a month to analyze famous cases. It's a harmless pastime-until the night she finds a member killed in a manner that eerily resembles the crime the club was about to discuss. And as other brutal "copycat" killings follow, Roe will have to uncover the person behind the terrifying game, one that casts all the members of Real Murders, herself included, as prime suspects-or potential victims.

My Thoughts :

Best known for her Sookie Stackhouse Vampire series, Charlaine Harris actually has more mysteries under her belt than you would think. I have of course read them all but I decided to revisit this series via audio book. After all with so many books to read I will never get around to reading these again but listening to them is very doable.

The plot is well laid out and you don't really manage to guess who it is till the main character finally puts the pieces together. I was very happy listening to this one and couldn't even remember much about the story seeing it has been a while since I read the books. It was a great story and audio to listen to. I even found myself not reading my actual book to find out what happened next in this story. Quite addictive!

Aurora Teagarden is just like the other female lead characters Charlaine has presented us with. Sookie, Lily, Harper and Aurora could be sisters and I love each and everyone of them. Proper women all in small towns with the most amazing secrets and strange characters. While Sookie and Harper have the paranormal to keep her lives exciting the others have murders.

It looks like this series will be taking up all my audio listening time in the upcoming weeks. I already have the second and third book ready on my iPod and I intend on starting another this week. If you haven't checked out Charlaine's other books then you really should. She writes a super mystery.