The other day, Monica asked this question:
Do you know of any cozy mysteries that have their heroines camping or backpacking?
Nevada Barr: Anna Pigeon Mystery Series (Anna is a park service ranger.)
Jill Churchill: Fear of Frying (from her Jane Jeffry Mystery Series)
Kate Dyer-Seeley (aka Ellie Alexander): Pacific Northwest Mystery Series
Jeanne Glidewell: Cozy Camping (from her Lexie Starr Mystery Series)
Beth Groundwater: Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures Mystery Series (not strictly camping/backpacking mysteries, lots of outdoor adventures – hiking, white-water rafting, climbing, etc.). Readers that enjoy an outdoorsy theme
Sue Henry: Murder on the Iditarod Trail (from her Alaska Mystery Series)
Sue Henry: Maxie and Stretch Mystery Series (Maxie is a widow who travels around in her RV with her Mini Dachshund, Stretch.)
So, if you do, would you please post a comment?
Here are some more authors with Camping Mystery Series:
L. D. Knorr: RV Mystery Series
E. D. MacDavey: RV Travel Mystery Series
Karen Musser Nortman: Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mystery Series
Karen Musser Nortman
Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mystery Series:
1. Bats and Bones
2. The Blue Coyote
3. The Lady of the Lake
M.L. Rowland
Search and Rescue Mystery Series:
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦
Jack says
I couldn’t find a thing on the internet, and I’m pretty good at finding things. I think this would make an interesting premise though. Limited resources, even more-so than usual, to solve the mystery.
Carrie says
Nevada Barr wrote a series of mystery books about a park ranger and detective called Anna Pigeon which are all set in national parks.
Apart from that only childrens camping adventure books like the Camp Fire series or the Bobbsey Twins Camping Out book. Of course, there is always Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and Secret Seven books. However, Nevada Barr is the only writer of adult camping mystery books that I can think of at the moment.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Carrie. I just added her to the list.
Sue says
All quiet on the Orient Express by Mills, Magnus
Trail of murder by Andreae, Christine
Catch and keep by Weber, Ronald
Fear of frying by Churchill, Jill
Bandit queen boogie by Hayter, Sparkle
Backpack by Barr, Emily
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Sue, for telling us about all of these camping and/or backpacking mysteries!
Jack says
Wow. I see I need to start paying more attention!
Nancy says
I’m an ex-geologist, and hiking goes hand-in-hand with any field geology. I know of two mystery series featuring a female geologist as sleuth. I’ve read Death Assemblage by Susan Cummins Miller (a real-life geologist), the first book in the Frankie MacFarlane mystery series. Frankie does quite a lot of back-country hiking in the Nevada mountains solving this mystery. It’s heavy on geology, which I find to be scientifically correct, but I think the author does a good job of trying to bring it to layman’s terms. Haven’t read, but have bought, other books in that series. Another mystery series featuring a female geologist sleuth – I haven’t read it, but own some of the books and expect to find hiking in them – is written by Sarah Andrews and is the Em (Emily) Hansen mystery series. Both series have received good reviews on amazon.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Nancy, for telling us about Susan Cummins Miller. (I have Sarah Andrews on the Cozy Mystery site, but didn’t know about Miller…)
Peg Lewis says
I tracked down Sarah Andrews last night, thanks to this post. I read the Look Inside version of Em Hansen #1 (Tensleep), and found it well-written, intelligent, provocative with clues, knowledgeable about oil drilling… Then I read the first review.
And that’s when I found out that Sarah – someone I would love to keep reading – had died in a small-plane crash on July 24 2019, along with her husband and son.
I feel a real loss. I also notice that some of her books are unavailable. A perfect example of a life cut off. Her other books sound great! I thought I should spread this news in case someone else might have read her and enjoyed her.
Sherri says
I’m wondering if anyone knows of any cozy mysteries with a cabin/cottage theme; particularly about the Canadian North.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
I’m going to go add an entry asking for help with your Canadian North – cabin/cottage theme…
Rochelle says
Sue Henry wrote a book called Dead North in her Jessie Arnold series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Rochelle!
Elaine says
I love reading all the wonderful cozy mystery information you have on here. I saw you listed Nevada Barr. I have read almost all of her books, but I wouldn’t consider them a cozy at all. They have gotten progressively more violent, and descriptive of the violence. I have found her books a little harder to read as she has gotten more violent. She is a wonderful writer nonetheless.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Elaine, for the information about Nevada Barr. She is one of the authors who was recommended for me to include on the Cozy Mystery site. I have just posted “(Reportedly Not Cozy)” on her individual page.
Thanks, again!
Karen Musser Nortman says
There are some camping series started recently: L.D. Knorr wrote “The Leviticus Mission” and “The Rest Area Murders” about a retired detective and his wife traveling in an RV and E.D. MacDavey wrote “Prey for Zion”. The main character is a retired ornithologist who also has ADHD–an interesting twist. Last, but not least (!), I have started the Frannie Shoemaker Campground series with “Bats and Bones” about a retired teacher, her husband and friends, and their adventures in Iowa State Parks.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Karen, for telling us about L. D. Knorr’s and E. D. MacDavey’s camping mystery series. And also for telling us about your Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mystery Series.
Karen Musser Nortman says
The second book in my campground mystery series, The Blue Coyote, is now out. On Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/bvb3h86. Also on Smashwords in other formats.
Trish says
I recently purchased Deadly Currents (An RM Outdoor Adventures Mystery, #1) by Beth Groundwater. While not strictly camping/backpacking mysteries, this series has a lot of outdoors adventures in them (hiking, white-water rafting, climbing, etc.). Readers that enjoy an outdoorsy theme to their stories might enjoy this series, too.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Trish, thank you so much. I just added Beth Groundwater’s series to the list. I think you’re totally right about it belonging on this list.
Evan says
M.L. Rowland writes a series of books about a search and rescue expert in the Southern California mountains. There are two books so far, Zero Degree Murder and Murder Off the Beaten Path.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Evans, thanks for telling us about M.L. Rowland.
Kathleen says
I am looking for a series of books about cabins or lodges. Is there anything like that. If not, maybe I should write one, but not sure where to start.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathleen, I have a list of mysteries that are associated with bed and breakfast or hotels. Not exactly cabins, but probably as close a list as I have other than this one about camping.
Karen Musser Nortman says
A couple of other series that should be included here: Minnie Crockwell writes the “Trouble” series (Trouble at glacier, Trouble at Yellowstone, etc) about a woman who travels in an RV with Ben, a ghost from the Lewis and Clark expedition. An Marg McAlister is an Australian author who has written the Georgie B Goode series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Karen, thanks – I’ll have to look these authors up some time!
AnnieK says
I recently finished the camping series by Karen Musser Nortman and thoroughly enjoyed each book. Hoping for more to come! I mostly listen to audiobooks due to lack of free time and am looking for more similar series that are clean and friendly for younger ears. I see that the Trouble series is in audible’s library, anyone know if earbuds are required?