Mary Joy wrote me a while back with this comment:
I am the follower mourning the loss of my original favorites like … Valerie Wolzien, … and others. I don’t understand why they weren’t picked up while some of my other favorites such … continue to be published.
Mary Joy would like a list of:
Authors Who Are Similar to Valerie Wolzien:
Donald Bain (aka Jessica Fletcher): Murder, She Wrote Mystery Series…
Kate Borden (aka Kate Grilley): Peggy Jean Turner Mystery Series…
Jill Churchill: Jane Jeffry Mystery Series…
Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell): Orchard Mystery Series…
Sarah Graves: Home Repair is Homicide Mystery Series…
Joan Hess: Claioe Malloy Mystery Series…
Leslie Meier: Lucy Stone Mystery Series…
Donna Huston Murray: Ginger Barnes Main Line Mystery Series…
Leslie O’Kane (aka Leslie Caine): Allie Babcock Mystery Series AND Molly Masters Mystery Series…
Katherine Hall Page: Faith Fairchild Mystery Series…
Cindy Sample: Laurel McKay Mystery Series…
Susan Santangelo: Baby Boomer Mystery Series…
Please post your recommendations of mystery authors who are similar to Valerie Wolzien, and I will add them to the list.
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by theme click on this link.♦
Elaine says
I too miss Valerie Wolzien loved both of her series. I also was a big fan of the Kelly Ryan island series by Kate Grilley.
I just finished reading “Retirement can be Murder” by Susan Santangelo and it reminded me of the Susan Henshaw series by Valerie Wozien. There are 2 in the series which is called the Baby Boomer Mysteries.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Elaine, as much as I enjoy Kate Borden’s Peggy Jean Turner Mystery Series, you’ve got me wondering why I haven’t yet tried her Kelly Ryan island series…
Thanks for telling us about Susan Santangelo! (She is actually in my “Authors to Post” file.)
Susan Santangelo says
Hi Elaine. To be compared to Valerie Wolzien is a high compliment. I loved her books. I hope you’re enjoying the Baby Boomer mysteries. I am working on Book 3 now, titled Marriage Can Be Murder. No, the husband and wife don’t kill each other. Everyone asks me that! There are at least 7 books planned in this series. I hope to keep Jim and Carol Andrews around for a long time.
Susan Santangelo
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks for stopping by, Susan. You and your Baby Boomer Mystery Series are on my list of authors to get posted to the site. I just made a note to make sure and put you on this Authors Similar to Valerie Wolzien page.
Julia says
Three I can think of that remind me of Valerie Wolzien are Donna Huston Murray, Leslie O’Kane and Katherine Hall Page. But honestly, in my book none of these three can match Valerie Wolzien’s “We Wish You a Merry Murder.” It was the first book of hers I read and it got me hooked but good – I still reread it every Christmas just because it puts me in a holiday mood (not the dead body, you understand…just the holiday parties and all )
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Julia, I am going to go add Donna Huston Murray, Leslie O’Kane, and Katherine Hall Page to the list of Authors Who Are Similar to Valerie Wolzien right now. Thanks!
Good to know the holiday parties get you in the Christmas mood… not the corpse!!!
Petie says
Does this mean there will be no more Lucy Stone books by Leslie Meier? Those are great. And like you, I enjoyed Kate Borden’s Peggy Jean Turner books and never read the others. What does it take to get publishers to realize these are very good authors … big sales I guess. I’ll hold my breath on my other faves like Denise Swanson.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Petie, I think that Leslie Meier is going strong >>> but I can certainly see what you mean about publishers dropping Cozy Mystery authors who have a big readers’ following…
Mary Joy says
Thank you, Danna, for following up on my request, and everyone else for your input. I had already read (during those “heady” days of the cozy, when Valerie Wolzien was in her hayday) Leslie Meier (who continues with her Lucy stone series – don’t worry Petie), Jill Chrurchill, Donna Huston Murray and Katherine Hall Page. I am up to date on the new Leslie Meier and Katherine Hall Page. Today, I will download samples whatever first of series samples they have by Donald Bain. Leslie O’Kane, Kate Borden, Sheila Connolly and Joan Hess. That should give me a good taste of the authors and which I’d like to fully read. I love the SAMPLE feature on the Kindle App on my iPad! Anyone else?
Julia, I think our taste is identical because you have named two of my favorites authors, besides Valerie – Donna Huston Murray and Katherine Hall Page. I also agree We Wish you a Merry Murder is a wonderful read and, although I am not of fan of rereads, I think this and a few of V.W.’s books warrant it. I think my favorite cozy series of ALL times are Lee Harris’ Christine Bennett series, Jill Churchill’s Jane Jeffry series and Leslie Meier’s Lucy Stone series. Besides the great interaction of the friends in each series, I am sure it is the different holiday themes – Christmas is my favorite, Halloween next.
Two wonderful recommendations for readers out there, are Jonnie Jacobs (Kate Austen as well as Kali O’Brien series) and Nancy Martin (Blackbird Sisters Series). I wrote to both a while ago and they both have new books coming out. Jonnie’s is a stand alone and Nancy’s is a Blackbird.
Sorry to be so verbose! Feel like talking today!!!
Maria (BearMountainBooks) says
Yes, I LOVE the sampling feature!!! (And the instant download after the sample ROCKS!)
Julia says
I had forgotten about the Jonnie Jacob’s Kate Austen series – thank you for reminding me! And Lee Harris is a favorite of mine as well, although I kind of went off the Leslie Meier ones back on “Wedding Day Murder” when she violated her own canon by giving Lucy’s best friend an adult child she never had, and altering the age range between Lucy’s two oldest children for storyline purposes. Mystery readers, more than most readers, are very detail-oriented, and in my opinion it’s a show of disrespect to your readers to assume they won’t notice.
I enjoy the sampling feature to a degree, since they only give you the first few pages. I’m one of those awful mystery readers who peeks at the end of a book…to know whom NOT to get attached to.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Julia, you and Mary Joy really do share a lot of favorite authors!
I have been known to peek at the end of a book, also. I do that when I think the culprit is just TOOOOO obvious. If I find out I’m right, I stop reading the book AND that particular book’s author… even if I have been enjoying the rest of the book. I truly love character development, but if the culprit is SOOOO obvious, I’d rather read a non-mystery work of fiction.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary Joy, you are quite welcome. I am glad I finally got your “Authors Similar to…” themes posted. It is so wonderful that we have so many Cozy Mystery readers who have such great suggestions of authors who they think are similar to those authors the rest of us want to know about.
I am right there with you, Mary Joy >>> I love holiday theme Cozy Mysteries! And, Christmas is also my favorite, with Halloween coming in pretty close behind. Those books “get me in the mood” for the changing seasons… which remind me of the times I lived in places like Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, ETC.
(That sample option on your Kindle looks really neat! I am going to tell my husband about it. So far he has just enjoyed reading his books. I’m not sure if he has been very experimental with his Kindle.)
PS>>> Mary Joy, any time you want to be “so verbose!” AND “Feel like talking” (Your words, not mine!) >>> Know that you are very welcome to do so right here!!!
Andie says
I’ve always considered Sarah Graves’ “Home Repair is Homicide” mysteries to be comparable to Valerie Wolzien’s stories.
The cadence of the writing is quite similar and the tricky situations are very reminiscent.
I think my favorite of the series is Mallets Aforethought. I’ve re-read it with great enjoyment at least twice.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Andie, for writing to add Sarah Graves to the Authors Similar to Valerie Wolzien list. I am going to go add her right his minute…
Marilyn says
I chatted with Valerie Wolzien a few months ago via email about her writing and she is writing again and her agent is trying to find a publisher for her. You may contact her at valerie@wolzien.com. I am sure she would like to hear from you to encourage her to continue writing. She will respond even if it takes her a few days.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marilyn, if you hear when Valerie Wolzien gets her publisher all lined up, please let us know. She certainly has a lot of fans of her work. AND Thanks for telling us!
Susan says
Speaking of missing authors – is J. S. Borthwick still writing? I first heard of her from a friend that was her cousin – and named his cat Borthwick after her. Unfortunately that gentleman is no longer with us. She has no web-site and I can’t find a biography for her with this information. Thank you.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Good question, Susan. Hopefully someone who knows about J. S. Borthwick will let us know.
Ann says
All the sites I checked said J.S. Borthwick was born in 1923. If she is still living (the sites were old) she probably isn’t writing any more. As many of her books are set on the Maine coast, you might enjoy Sarah Graves’ mysteries which are also set there and have a good mystery and a fun cast of characters.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ann, thanks you for the information about J.S. Borthwick, and also for recommending Sarah Graves’ mysteries as alternatives.
Arlene says
Interesting, I too miss J.S. Borthwick and another I miss because the publisher dropped her is Jo Dereske’s Miss Zukas. Any chance she can come back. The last book seemed to be leading in new directions – and left me hanging.
Debbie says
Try looking at jodereske.com – she is still writing and now self-publishing under her own imprint June Creek books. The first book is “Farewell, Miss Zukas”, which you can get from Amazon – I did.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Debbie!
cyndy says
I was very disappointed when Valerie Wolzien’s books disappeared. I looked forward to each new Susan Hemshaw mystery and appreciated the development of her character. I have tried to contact Valerie at her website but have not had any response.
Keep writing Valerie!!! I along with your many fans are waiting.