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Authors Who Are Similar to Jill Churchill

Mary Joy wrote me and mentioned a problem that has happened recently in the Cozy Mystery book arena. Several authors who seemed to be very popular are no longer being published. Because of this, Mary Joy is looking for authors who can fill the void.

Authors Who Are Similar to Jill Churchill:

Barbara Allan: Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mystery Series

Donna Andrews: Meg Langslow Mystery Series

Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Mystery Series

Donald Bain & “Jessica Fletcher”: Murder, She Wrote Mystery Series

Claudia Bishop (aka Mary Stanton): Hemlock Falls Mystery Series

Kate Borden (aka Kate Grilley): Peggy Jean Turner Mystery Series

Simon Brett: Fethering Mystery Series

Rita Mae Brown: Mrs. Murphy Mystery Series

Dorothy Cannell: Ellie Haskell Mystery Series

JoAnna Carl (aka Eve K. Sandstrom): Chocoholic Mystery Series

Sheila Connelly (aka Sarah Atwell): Orchard Mystery Series AND Museum Mystery Series

Mary Daheim: Emma Lord Alpine Mystery Series

Diane Mott Davidson: Goldy Bear Mystery Series

Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum Mystery Series:

Monica Ferris: Needlecraft Mystery Series

Joanne Fluke: Cookie Jar Mystery Series

Sarah Graves: Home Repair Is Homicide Mystery Series

Joan Hess (aka Joan Hadley): Claire Malloy Mystery Series

Julie Hyzy: White House Chef Mystery Series AND manor of Murder Mystery Series

Rita Lakin: Gladdy Gold Mystery Series

Laura Levine: Jaine Austen Mystery Series

Nancy Martin: Blackbird Sisters Mystery Series

Leslie Meier: Lucy Stone Mystery Series

Shirley Rousseau Murphy: Joe Grey Cat Mystery Series

Emilie Richards: Ministry Is Murder Mystery Series

Cynthia Riggs: Martha’s Vineyard Mystery Series

J. B. Stanley (aka Jennifer Stanley, Ellery Adams, & 1/2 Lucy Arlington): Supper Club Mystery Series

Elaine Viets: Dead-End Job Mystery Series AND Mystery Shopper Mystery Series

Livia J. Washburn: Fresh Baked Mystery Series AND Literary Tour Mystery Series

A Cozy Mystery site reader suggested Miss Pettybone’s First Case (by Melissa Rees)

Please post your recommendations of authors who are similar to Jill Churchill, and I will add them to the list.

♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by theme click on this link.♦

Comments

  1. How about Emilie Richards, Sarah Graves, Cynthia Riggs, Nancy Martin, Livia J Washburn, Elaine Viets, and Rita Lakin just to name a few. These authors also give the feeling of friends in a small town atmosphere working together to solve non bloody or gory (for the most part) mysteries. Oh, and then there’s Barbara Allan, Donna Andrews, JoAnna Carl, Rita Mae Brown, Janet Evanovich, Claudia Bishop and Shirley Rousseau Murphy. These authors are all on my bookshelf and I enjoy them immensely.

    Reply

    • Thank you, Sandy, for all of these great additions to the Authors Similar to Jill Churchill list. I’m going to go add them right this instant!

      Reply

    • Thank you, Andie, I just added both Joanne Fluke and Julie Hyzy to the Authors Who Are Similar to Jill Churchill list.

      Reply

  4. In my earlier comment I should have added a new author, Melissa Rees, I looked on the lists but couldn’t find her name.
    So far there is just one mystery but I think there will be a series from the way it ends.
    The title is “Miss Pettybone’s First Case” and as you don’t have any mysteries under “postal workers” I think that would go there.
    She has an independent and bristly attitude that reminds me of Jill Churchill’s characters and she gets herself into some situations because of charging in without thinking everything through ahead of time.
    She is the kind of character that I think I would like to know and who could easily become a friend.
    The only thing that bothered me about the book was some errors in dating Miss Pettybone’s history. Either the transfer to digital transposed numbers or the author made a simple mistake.
    I loved the mystery and found the characters sympathetic and believable.

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  5. Thanks Danna, for this post especially with all you have going on at home. I’m go glad to hear your husband is home and hope you both stay healthy and happy.

    Thanks also to Sandy and Andie for their recommendations. They are greatly appreciated. Just so you know you hit the mark, I’ve read all the Nancy Martins (love the Blackbirds!), Leslie Meiers (love her, but don’t understand how she keeps getting published and my other faves don’t???), Sarah Graves, Donna Andrews and Kate Borden (wish she had more) from the authors named above. You have hit the mark on what i like and have given me lots more to try.
    May I suggest Simon Brett’s Fethering series? The improbable friendship of the two women sleuths is wonderful and I certainly want to visit their little town! It’a an English mystery, which is not usually my favorite read. Surprisingly, they are my favorite TV mystery series to watch. Due to the appallingly meager choices of TV lately, I ordered a series online called The Last Detective. The series , early 2000’s, is based on the books by Leslie Thomas, and stars Peter Davison. I hadn’t read them, but I don’t usually read the English mysteries, remember? I cannot say enough about how great this series is! Dangerous Davies has to be one of the most engaging characters I’ve ever watched. The mysteries are very good and the recurring characters a pleasure. If anyone is looking for a great set to order, I highly recommend.

    Thanks again everyone.

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  7. I just finished reading “Holly and Homicide” by Leslie Caine.

    Have you read “Sex on Tuesdays” by June Whyte? Great book.

    Reply

  8. OK you got me, I am going to have to go try Simon Brett. That name keeps coming up everywhere lately and always in a postive way! Yet another author for the ever growing pile, lol.

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    • Angela, I know about growing book piles! I just added two oldies (but goodies!) to my ever increasing reading pile. I might have read some of the Ellery Queen mysteries years ago, but that was before I kept my list of books that I have read.

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      • Simon Brett is being honored for Lifetime Achievement at next year’s Malice Domestic so I thought I should try his books. I read the first Blotto and Twinks book and it was a hoot! Now I’m looking forward to reading his other series.

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  9. I met Jill Churchill at a Chicago book fair, but haven’t read any of her books. One interesting fact – she told me she chose Jill Churchill as her pen name because her books would then be placed next to Agatha Christie on the shelves of book stores and libraries! She wrote several historical fiction books as Janice Young Brooks (her real name). Not having read any of her books (although I have two of them), I’m not sure how she writes a story and develops the characters.

    I wanted to mention an enjoyable book I just finished yesterday. It is ‘Die Buying’ by Laura DiSilverio. This (new??) author isn’t listed at your site. After reading the first few pages, I was SURE I wouldn’t like the premise. BUT, I was very surprised at the complexity of the characters and the interesting story line. With characters and backgrounds like this, I can see the possibility of several story lines and enjoyable books in the future. Her next one in this series is due out next May. This book is a quick read because it really kept moving. She has another series which I haven’t read yet. Again it doesn’t look too interesting to me by reading the premise. However, I will try this other series because if I was surprised the first time, I may be surprised again!

    Reply

    • Thank you, MJ, for telling us about Laura DiSilverio. (She is actually on my list of authors to get posted to the site. I am way behind doing this…)

      Also, what a great idea Jill Churchill had about getting her books to be right by Agatha Christie’s on the bookshelves. I know her last mystery in the Jane Jeffry series(The Accidental Florist) is right next to the Christie’s in my bookshelf. (I know I have said that I am way behind on some of my favorite authors>>> That one is from 2007!)

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  10. Danna, you and I truly have similar taste. What a great write-up you did on The Last Detective! It is one of the best series I’ve watched. I don’t know WHY I never noticed the section on this blog with wonderful movies and TV series. I will be looking at this closely for my next purchase, although I own a great many of those on the list. Love my British TV! Funny what you said about taking your time to watch Series 4 of The Last Detective. My husband and I are rationing it because we don’t want it to end. There is a bonus DVD at the end, but I guess they never did do a Series 5. What a shame.

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  11. Oh, forgot to mention I have the series Hamish Macbeth in the wrapper waiting for when we finish Last Detective. I’ll give you feedback on it after we’ve watched it. This site is a wealth of information. Thank you for all your efforts.

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    • Thanks, Mary Joy, for the kind words. My husband and I enjoyed the Hamish Macbeth shows… I had a difficult time at first, since, as you will see, the actor doesn’t look anything like Hamish, or act like him, either. Once I got over that, I enjoyed the show. (Sort of like Barbara Havers in the Inspector Lynley television series…)

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    • Thanks, Judith, I’ll go add Laura Levine to the Authors Similar to Jill Churchill list right now.

      Reply

  13. Thank you for such a comprehensive list of authors and titles. I’m a fan of Jill Churchill’s Jane Jeffrey series, and found some great suggestions here to add to my “to-read” list.

    I wanted to mention an author I recently stumbled upon, whose books I enjoyed. Elizabeth J. Duncan and her Penny Brannigan Mystery Series. She has released three books thus far. Specifically: “A Brush With Death”, “The Light Cold of Mourning”, and “A Killer’s Christmas in Wales.”

    Thank you!

    Reply

  14. Amazon just posted a listing for a new Jill Churchill book to be released in February 2014. It is listed as Untitled #18 – which is very confusing as there are only 16 books in her Jane Jeffries series and 6 books in her Grace and Favor series (7 if you count Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which has never been published). Given that Smoke Gets in Your Eyes was also listed for sale on Amazon before disappearing, there is no guarantee that this new book will be released. However, I remain hopeful that early next year, I will be reading a new Jill Churchill book.

    Reply

    • Judith, I’m not going to hold my breath about that book. While I certainly hope there is a new one in her Jane Jeffries series, don’t they still show Nancy Fairbank’s Blood Pudding as coming out in December 31, 2025?

      Reply

  15. First, let me say that I really appreciate your Cozy mystery list/web page! It’s very helpful especially the way they are categorized. I’m interested in finding authors similar to Jane K. Cleland (Josie Prescott mystery series), Blaize Clement, and Barbara Allan. I like the mysteries without all the gore and the fact that there is no vulgar profanity or sexual details used in their writing. If I could find other authors similar to them that would be great as I just about read all of their books already.

    Reply

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