Question for Americans

[The Master of Tarquin Hill]

I have decided to try and read a cosy mystery from every US state over the next five years, so about 10 a year. I have already read four of the Bud Shumway mysteries (by Chinle Miller) that are set in Utah.

I guess I might learn many other local terms and customs.

I can't imagine what kind of mystery Delaware might offer up.

 

[urbandefault]

I have decided to try and read a cosy mystery from every US state over the next five years, so about 10 a year. I have already read four of the Bud Shumway mysteries (by Chinle Miller) that are set in Utah.

I guess I might learn many other local terms and customs.

I can't imagine what kind of mystery Delaware might offer up.

I think it will have something to do with Joe Biden being replaced by the drunk guy from the YouTube video.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmRXH7RkCZQ[/yt]

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have decided to try and read a cosy mystery from every US state over the next five years, so about 10 a year. I have already read four of the Bud Shumway mysteries (by Chinle Miller) that are set in Utah.

I guess I might learn many other local terms and customs.

I can't imagine what kind of mystery Delaware might offer up.

So far for Delaware I have found two, neither of which sound very exciting

hooked Up: A Stock Car Racing Mystery by Joyce Lavene

On the road to the Monster Mile at Dover International Speedway, NASCAR fan and ex-cop Glad Wycznewski is expecting nothing more than speed on the raceway, a cold beer in his hand, and love in the RV with his beautiful wife, Ruby.

So when Glad finds a strange man in his bed wearing his favorite PJs, he's ready to lay down the law. But who can be angry with a wife like Ruby? Her melt-your-heart blue eyes defuse his anger when he hears the sleeping man is just a weary hitchhiker with a bedraggled cat. Just as things settle down, the hitchhiker turns up dead. When rumors race that ten million in cash is missing and that the hitchhiker's twin is a powerful casino man, Ruby's killer instincts accelerate. Glad would rather sit back and enjoy the smell of gasoline over a breakfast of Ruby's famous flapjacks, but with her strong will and big heart, nothing's stalling Ruby. Empty stomach aside, Glad'll be racing after crooks whether he wants to or not.

And

The Beach Affair by Barbara Johnson

When a former pro-bodybuilder is found dead in her beachside gym, novice investigator Colleen has to try and keep her mind on the job and her hands off a gorgeous aerobics instructor. But is she overlooking a motive for murder?

 

[The Master of Tarquin Hill]

NASCAR or women's body building

Wow, how will you ever decide?

 

[Miss Chicken]

NASCAR or women's body building

Wow, how will you ever decide?

Hopefully by someone writing a more interesting one before the 5 years is up.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

In my part of the world a 'goodwill shop' is called an 'op shop' (opportunity shop) though people often refer them by a shortened form of the charity that runs a particular store (Vinnies or the Salvos).

Goodwill Industries is actually the name of a charity organization that's sometimes used as a generic term for what we Yanks call a thrift shop or thrift store.

Never heard goodwill used generically. If they don't belong to Goodwill Industries, they're thift shops/stores or, occasionally, opportunity shops.

As for "party store," I never knew it meant anything other than a store that sells, well, party stuff.

Me neither.

Miss Chicken, what do you have so far for Maryland?

 

[Timewalker]

NASCAR or women's body building

Wow, how will you ever decide?

Hopefully by someone writing a more interesting one before the 5 years is up.

Yikes, these make Harlequins sound like high literature in comparison.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have been using this site which lists cosy mysteries from many states including the following for Marylamd

Kathy Aarons: Chocolate Covered Mystery Series

Ron & Janet Benrey: Pippa Hunnechurch Mystery Series

Helen Chappell: Sam & Hollis Mystery Series

Janet Evanovich: Barney Barnaby Mystery Series

Sasscer Hill: Nikki Latrelle Racing Mystery Series

Mary Ellen Hughes: Craft Corner Mystery Series AND Maggie Olenski Mystery Series

Laura Lippman: Tess Monaghan Mystery Series

Marcia Talley: Hannah Ives Mystery Series

Maggie Toussaint: Cleopatra Jones Mystery Series

That site didn't list any for Delaware. I had to go elsewhere for my Delaware choices.

 

[tharpdevenport]

No wonder I didn't know what a "party store" is -- it was Party Stop. There's a huge difference between a phrase and a store name and of course proper capitilization.

That said, I've never seen a Party Stop.

 

[Miss Chicken]

No, Party Stop was a particular party store owned by John Mason, which was on Main Street in her town. Other times when she talked about the stores she said party store (uncapitalised), and it seemed it is a more generalised term.

The first mentioned was when I looked the term up and she said

“True.” Draining her cup, she set it down. “We’ll stop on the way home tomorrow and show the picture around. Maybe someone at a gas station or a party store will remember Brown.”

.

 

[Sector 7]

Growing up before 7-11s and other 24 hour stores, they were referred to by name, or as corner stores as they were often located near corners. Usually store would be left off to say 'I'm going down to the corner.' I guess convenience store would have been the general term for those places, too. Been too long since I have thought about it. Variety store would also be used, 'Jack's Variety' for instance.

These are the terms from my childhood, as well. You've brought back fond Ohio memories for me, Gov Kodos. They use different terms here in North Carolina.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I have decided to try and read a cosy mystery from every US state over the next five years, so about 10 a year. I have already read four of the Bud Shumway mysteries (by Chinle Miller) that are set in Utah.

I guess I might learn many other local terms and customs.

I can't imagine what kind of mystery Delaware might offer up.

That'd actually be pretty cool! Imagine a series of murder mysteries or SciFis or romances with each volume written in a different local dialect. That'd be awesome =)
This might also make a nice thread "what's your local dialect" or somesuch

 

[Tora Ziyal]

I have been using this site which lists cosy mysteries from many states including the following for Marylamd

Kathy Aarons: Chocolate Covered Mystery Series

Ron & Janet Benrey: Pippa Hunnechurch Mystery Series

Helen Chappell: Sam & Hollis Mystery Series

Janet Evanovich: Barney Barnaby Mystery Series

Sasscer Hill: Nikki Latrelle Racing Mystery Series

Mary Ellen Hughes: Craft Corner Mystery Series AND Maggie Olenski Mystery Series

Laura Lippman: Tess Monaghan Mystery Series

Marcia Talley: Hannah Ives Mystery Series

Maggie Toussaint: Cleopatra Jones Mystery Series

My unsolicited feedback:

I love Laura Lippman's novels! Good stories, appealing protagonists and authentic Baltimore. On top of which she is a very nice person (I've met her a couple times).

I've read at least one of Marcia Talley's. Good but not great, IIRC.

Janet Evanovich mostly writes about New Jersey. I looked up the series you listed and can't find any indication that it has anything to do with Maryland.

Don't know anything about the others.

 

[RoJoHen]

In my part of the world a 'goodwill shop' is called an 'op shop' (opportunity shop) though people often refer them by a shortened form of the charity that runs a particular store (Vinnies or the Salvos).

Goodwill Industries is actually the name of a charity organization that's sometimes used as a generic term for what we Yanks call a thrift shop or thrift store.

Never heard goodwill used generically. If they don't belong to Goodwill Industries, they're thift shops/stores or, occasionally, opportunity shops.

I use goodwill, salvy, consignment store, and thrift store interchangeably, regardless of the name on the building.

 

[Melakon]

I don't remember how the 7-11 store promoted itself when it went into my town in the 60s. I don't think the interstate had even been put into town yet. But the store hours were 7am to 11pm in those days.

 

[KimMH]

Miss Chicken, we do indeed call bodegas "party stores." Alas, with temp currently hovering around 20f we are not having more fun than the rest of the union.

I had never heard of a bodega until I began to hear the term on tv new shows. They sounded exotic until I googled it and found out what they are!

btw, what is the name/author of the mystery you are reading?

 

[Saturn0660]

Here where I live, in Ohio, we have a convenience store called "Party Mart," and they sell party supplies, along with general goods.

As someone else who lives in Ohio I had to look that up. The nearest one to me is in Findlay. Thats a good haul from here.
Looks like Sandusky is about the same from here as well.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Miss Chicken, we do indeed call bodegas "party stores." Alas, with temp currently hovering around 20f we are not having more fun than the rest of the union.

I had never heard of a bodega until I began to hear the term on tv new shows. They sounded exotic until I googled it and found out what they are!

btw, what is the name/author of the mystery you are reading?

Nice to have an answer from someone from Michigan.

The book is The Sleuth Sisters by Maggie Pill. It is about three middle-aged sisters who open up a detective agency. I am not enjoying it as much as I hoped because I don't really like the sisters all that much. It doesn't help that the all three sisters are telling the story alternating between chapters. However I do want to find out who the murderer is so I will read it to the end.

I also heard the term bodega for the first time on TV. I have. Feeling it might have been on Person of Interest but I am not sure.

 

[Melakon]

I also heard the term bodega for the first time on TV. I have. Feeling it might have been on Person of Interest but I am not sure.

If you've ever seen Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, you've heard of Bodega Bay, which included some location work there.

 

[Venardhi]

We don't actually use the term "bodega" in that way around here though.