A Book and a Movie

One of my favorite mystery genres is what they call a “cozy mystery.” It usually takes place in a small setting with people more or less intimately involved. You’re kept wondering who it is that will be murdered or just who the perp is. Two of my favorite examples:

Knives Out

This is a current movie with a great cast and neat little story. The wealthy patriarch is a best-selling author. Huge sprawling house in Massachusetts. Lots of relatives and hangers-on who also live there. Massive tension between them all. A lovely young caregiver for the aged patriarch. Big party for his 85^th birthday, where all sorts of hell breaks loose. Next morning he is dead. Suicide? Murder? Everyone is a suspect! All profit from the old man’s death! Great twist at the end. As soon as it’s out on DVD I’m going to get it so I can watch it again and again.

A Fool For Murder

A book written by Marian Babson, who I blogged about at the beginning of the year. Again, you have an aged patriarch, big mansion, squabbling relatives and hangers-on. You have no idea who is going to die. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the patriarch. You are led on and on wondering what is going to happen. When there is a great deal of money in the mix, tensions run high and tempers become really nasty. What makes it all the more enjoyable is that it is BRITISH! No one does a cozy like a Brit. Good ending, but it left one question unanswered: who switched the aspirin for slug pellets???