Mystery or Romance?

In the spirit of Halloween, I have a confession…
 
Ok, so I have to admit this… In the Last 2 to 3 years for my own leisure, I began obsessing over cozy mysteries. There’s something about their mysterious character, especially the strong determined women with a fascinating sense of style, and the men craving her attention.
 
Georgianna Runnukh, Molly Murphy, Phryne Fisher, and Stephanie Plum to list a few, are all women who left an impression on me. A detective, a bounty hunter, and a spy, need I say more? Believe it or not, these cozy mysteries remind me so much of my favorite romantic comedies… I can’t help but think of them as women that disguise their mystery with a romantic flair. Here’s a brief about each woman to help you read between the lines of these mysterious characters.
 
 
Georgianna Runnukh is a character by Rhys Bowen from The Royal Spyness Mystery Books Collection. The story is set in the 1930s in Britain, she is the 35th in line for the throne and is considered British royalty. However, she isn’t the wealthiest and lasted one hour as a sales clerk in Harrods with little to no money left in her bank account!
 
On the other hand in some of the stories, the Queen of England trusted her with different assignments because of her smart and witty ways. The plot thickens and here’s where the romance comes in, she was infatuated with the honorable Darcy O'Mara and although the relationship revolved around work, the love is evident. For all my fashion girls, a special appearance by Coco Chanel should make you run to the nearest Virgin Store or Jashanmal to grab you a copy.
  
  
Molly Murphy, from “The Edge of Dreams” also by Rhys Bowen is set in New York in the alluring 20th century. Molly falls in love with 'The Detective' who she assists in her detective duties after escaping Ireland for a crime she thought she committed. She is not that interesting when is comes to fashion as she’s described to be plain. However, her neighbors were two women who are very progressive and super stylish. To this day I’m not sure if her relationship with the detective was romantic but I sensed some sparks fly every now and then.
  
  
Stephanie Plum, which I'm currently reading is hilarious! She is nuts! The bounty hunter from hell! She is a walking disaster! She was struggling to find a job and she took a job as a bounty hunter in her cousin’s agency. The story, in brief, is a mission to find criminals who miss their court date after posting bond. The whole thing is a long-running joke and I always have a laugh when I remember the event.
 
Now for the stand-out playboy, another detective with an on and off relationship that is a reoccurring theme in every rom-com I’ve ever watched. The story was set in the '90s in Trenton New Jersey so you can imagine the big hair (and smell the hairspray) and over the top makeup.
  
 
Last but not least, my favorite, which is also a 3 season show that I binged in 3 days, Ms. Fisher's Murder Mysteries. Now I don't know if I will do justice to her character but I’ll try. Phryne a playful, clever, kind, flirtatious, and loves life! The story is set in the 1920s in Melbourne, Australia and she seems to be from an English aristocracy because the war bumped her up to inherit estate and money as well as a title. She has a colorful way of dealing with every person and situation. She is a lady detective who pushed her way to the office and heart of detective inspector Jack Robinson. She has a loyal household (her staff and team).
  
Now what is most exciting about this is the fashion! Oh my God! The glitter, shine, sequence, embroidery, the hats, her short-cropped black hair, the makeup, the signature red lips, the gowns, the fur, of course, let’s not forget the scarves! She is amazing! You can't take your eyes off of her.
 
   
Let me clarify that Phryne is a woman in her mid to late 40s but full of life and excitement. I need to repeat that I'm obsessed with her styling mainly on the show. The stories are all so smart and clever and in a different shift to different settings. It basically makes you want to pack up your bags and explore Australia.
  
I do get a kick out of these stories and maybe because on some level, I feel I can identify with these women or I see myself as a detective and a discoverer in my own work. I also find inspiration in their characters for my desire for growth and perfection so I hope they serve some inspiration for you and your personal journeys’ as well!

Please do share your own suggestions for my next read and don’t forget to grab an Annada Bookmark to keep track of those mysteries!

  

With love,

Nada


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