Spooky Stuff

It's that time of year when we encounter all things "Spook-tacular", well at this point all the major retailers have moved on to stocking Christmas items (there really is something spooky about that). But I digress... I used to love Halloween when I was a kid, dressing up in homemade costumes, trick-or-treating with our plastic pumpkins. The thrill of dumping out all that candy at the end of the night and seeing what treasures we had received. As I have moved on to adulthood I find that not a lot of things get me excited like that anymore. I could still dress up, but I live in an area where I do not get all those cute litte trick-or-treaters. So, it would just be me walking around the house in a costume and let's face it, I already have my husband shaking his head at my on most days so I figure this might just push him over the edge...lol.
What I have tried to do over the years is capture the magic, if you will, of that feeling that I had when I was a child. That feeling of having fun without worry. You know, that feeling we lost whenever we grew up and take on adult responsibilities? I am not sure I even understood just how good I had it as a child. I was not responsible for paying bills, upkeep on vehicles, keeping a roof over my head or buying groceries. Talk about spooky stuff. Who knew that growing up would be so scary? Why was I ever in a hurry to get older? I have tried, and in most cases failed, at finding some sort of activity that made me feel carefree again. That was until I found my true love...Reading!
Diving into a new story is like that first drop on a roller coaster..it just takes my breath away. This time of year though I truly do like to read some of the spookier tales. I am less about the blood and gore and more about the mystery and intrigue. One of my new favorite genres of stories are the Cozy Mystery. These fun little books are packed full of mystery with a twist of humor. None of them are too long but they sure do draw you in and hold you as they unfold. My most favorite are the stories based around a food theme. Not only do they give you mystery and humor, but many also give you great recipes! The most recent one I read was by Grace Lemon and was titled: Maple Syrup Murder. This was a fun mystery that included a "killer" recipe for Maple Bacon Fudge! This, my friends, is where happiness resides.
If you are so inclined, pick up a cozy mystery and settle in for a spell. Just remember to look for the ones with a food theme, you get the reward of a great mystery and some awesome recipes! Well I am off now to begin reading my next cozy mystery "Margaritas & Murder" by CeCe Osgood..more on that to come! But before I go, let me ask this..Do you like a good mystery? If so, have you ever read any of the cozy mysteries and if so what did you think?
Until then, Happy Halloween and Have a Spooky Good Time...Happy Reading...
Amy