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Best Selling Authors with Children’s or Young Adult Mystery Series, Part 2

November 19, 2014

This is the second part of the new theme I’m putting up on the Cozy Mystery site, which deals with children’s mystery books. I have already made a list of mystery books for the preteens, and am now focusing on children’s mysteries written by authors who are well-known for their mystery books written for adults.

As many of you know, one of my favorite mystery series is the Chet and Bernie Mystery Series written by Spencer Quinn. Well, Spencer Quinn, or I should say Peter Abrahams (for they are one and the same!) writes two mystery series that are aimed at middle schoolers. The 1st in Abrahams’ Echo Falls Mystery Series is called Down the Rabbit Hole. We are introduced to Ingrid, the 13 year old sleuth, who is interested in soccer, as well as acting in the Alice in Wonderland school play. In The Outlaws of Sherwood Street Mystery Series, Abrahams’ second mystery series aimed at middle schoolers, the Robbie is a modern-day Robin Hood. We first meet her in The Outlaws of Sherwood Street: Stealing from the Rich, the 1st in this mystery series. Abrahams has been both nominated and winner of pretigious Agatha Awards for Best Children/Young Adult mystery and nominated and winner of the equally prestigious Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult mystery.

 James Patterson is a best selling author of mysteries for adults. Two of his very famous series are the Alex Cross Mysteries and the Women’s Murder Club Mystery Series. He also writes mystery books for young adults as well as for children. Patterson writes the Maximum Ride series, the Daniel X series, and the science fiction Witch and Wizard series. He also writes a series for middle schoolers called the Middle School Series, and has recently paired up with Chris Grabenstein (winnter of four Agatha Awards for Best Children/Young Adult mysteries) to write some mysteries geared for 3rd to 7th graders. Amongst them are the Treasure Hunters mysteries, of which Treasure Hunters is the 1st mystery.

 Katherine Hall Page writes the Faith Fairchild Mystery Series (for adults), which has made her the winner for the Agatha Awards Best First Novel, winner and nominee for the Agatha Awards Best Novel, and also a nominee for the Best Agatha Awards Best Non-Fiction. (Try saying that five times!) Page also writes the Christie & Company Mystery Series, which is aimed at grades 5 through 8. Christie and her friends (Vicky and Maggie) are three teenagers who live at a boarding school in Massachusetts. The first book in the series, Christie & Company, introduces us to the trio of girls who are roommates at the school and who all enjoy reading (and solving!) mysteries.

Here are some more ideas about mystery series written for children and young adults:

Best Selling Authors with Children’s or Young Adult Mystery Series, Part 1

Best Selling Authors with Children’s or Young Adult Mystery Series, Part 3

Mystery Books for Pre Teens…

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Best Selling Authors with Children’s or Young Adult Mystery Series, Part 1

November 17, 2014

I’ve been asked a few times lately what sort of books I could recommend for children or young adults interested in reading Cozy Mysteries. Though I wrote an article on mystery books for pre-teens a few years ago, I thought it might be interesting to take another look at some of the more popular mystery authors (both Cozy Mystery and some not so Cozy) who write mystery series for adults and also write mysteries for children and young adults. This time I’ll be going into a bit more detail than in my previous post instead of making a longer list.

As a note for the recommended ages I list in these articles, I unfortunately have not had the time to read any of them so this is going off the synopsis and what other people have recommended to me. Don’t just take my word for it if you are worried about exposing your child to potentially rough concepts!

First up, Harlan Coben is an author who doesn’t deal with Cozies so much, however I enjoyed reading his Myron Bolitar series as it was being released. He also has a young adult mystery series worth investigating, the Mickey Bolitar Mystery Series. Mickey’s already been through a lot by the beginning of his first book, Shelter, which was nominated for both the Agatha Awards for Best Children/Young Adults mysteries as well as the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult mysteries. In Shelter, Mickey’s father has died and his mother is in rehab, leaving him with his Uncle Myron. When his girlfriend Ashley unexpectedly disappears, he decides he’s had enough, and sets out to find her on his own if necessary. Though less cozy than many of the series, I’ve had this one recommended several times. This series might be a bit more advanced as it deals with some sensitive issues such as drug addiction, and is likely more appropriate for high-schoolers.

Amanda Flower (aka Isabella Alan) was recently nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Children/Young Adult mystery for Andi Unexpected, the first book in her Andi Boggs Mystery Series. After the death of their parents, Andi and her sister Bethany are forced to move to the family’s old homestead in Ohio to live with their aunt. When Andi discovers an old trunk in the attic containing relics of another Andora Boggs from years ago, who apparently disappeared under mysterious circumstances, she decides to investigate and try to learn what happened to her relative – despite the fact that the townspeople seem to be covering it up for some reason. From what I’ve heard, this series should be well-suited to older elementary or middle schoolers.

Though John Grisham isn’t known for Cozy Mysteries, rather for the courtroom dramas and thrillers he writes, in more recent years Grisham has been branching out into chilren’s mysteries with his Theodore Boone Mystery Series beginning with Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer. Grisham’s series stars 13 year old Theo Boone, a young man who wants nothing more than to grow up and become a trial lawyer. When Theo accidentally learns too much, he becomes the only hope to help put a killer behind bars for good. As with Grisham’s other works, the Theodore Boone series takes full advantage of Grisham’s strong understanding of the American legal system. This series appears to be aimed at middle schoolers. Oh, and it has been nominated for the Agatha Awards Best Children/Young Adults mysteries category.

Finally, Carl Hiaasen is a popular mystery author for adults with his Skink Mystery Series. His children books are all stand-alones rather than being organized into a single series. Hiaasen’s children’s mysteries have been nominated for the prestigious Agatha Awards Best Children/Young Adult mysteries, the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile mysteries, and he is a Newbery Honor winner. Most of Hiaasen’s children’s mysteries seems to be appropriate for 5th grad (10 year olds) and up.

I’ll probably be making a few more entries on this subject in the near future – there are still plenty more great mysteries suitable for children and young adults! For now, are there any child-friendly mystery series you might recommend? Be sure to leave a comment below!

Best Selling Authors with Children’s or Young Adult Mystery Series, Part 2

Best Selling Authors with Children’s or Young Adult Mystery Series, Part 3

Mystery Books for Pre Teens…

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The Cozy Cookbook: More than 100 Recipes from Today’s Bestselling Mystery Authors

August 12, 2014

I know this is way early, but I thought I would tell you about a cookbook that is being released in April. (I told you I’m a little early with this!)

The Cozy Cookbook: More than 100 Recipes from Today’s Bestselling Mystery Authors will be published, and wait until you see who the contributing Cozy Mystery authors are!

Avery Aames/Daryl Wood Gerber

Ellery Adams/J.B. Stanley/Jennifer Stanley

Connie Archer

Leslie Budewitz

Laura Childs

Cleo Coyle/Alice Kimberly

Victoria Hamilton/Amanda Cooper

B.B. Haywood

Julie Hyzy

Jenn McKinlay/Josie Belle/Lucy Lawrence

Paige Shelton

How’s that for a great cast of Cozy characters who love to bake/cook/prepare delicious Cozy delectables? The Cozy Cookbook has more than 100 recipes, which cover appetizers, entrées, and desserts.

(Now I have to go add this terrific-looking The Cozy Cookbook to all of the Cozy authors pages – as well as the Culinary theme – on the Cozy Mystery site!)

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Fourth of July Mystery Book Theme (List)

June 23, 2014

I truly cannot believe that June is almost over! We have actually had some rain down here in San Antonio, but it is still hot, hotter, and hottest!

Since Fourth of July is coming up so soon, I thought now would be a good time to post the Fourth of July Mystery Book List that I have compiled. If you know of any other mysteries that take place during this holiday, would you please let us know. Thank you!

Fourth of July Mystery Book List

Harold Adams….. The Fourth of July Wake

Donald Bain…. Murder on Parade

Laurien Berenson….. Hair of the Dog

Lilian Jackson Braun…..The Cat Who Went Underground

JoAnna Carl….. The Chocolate Frog Frame-Up

Meg Chittenden….. Dead on the 4th of July

Jill Churchill….. Someone to Watch Over Me

Anne-Marie Clark….. Independence Day

Carol Higgins Clark…..Twanged

Cleo Coyle….. Murder Most Frothy

Isis Crawford….. A Catered Fourth of July

Bill Crider….. Red, White, and Blue Murder

Jeffery Deaver (editor of anthology)….. A Century of Great Suspense Stories (includes Fourth of July Picnic by Rex Stout)

R. E. Derouin….. Dead on the Fourth of July

“Jessica Fletcher”….. Murder on Parade

Joanne Fluke….. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder

Shelley Freydont ….. Independence Slay

Sarah Graves….. Knockdown

Jane Haddam….. Act of Darkness

Victoria Hamilton….. Bowled Over

Carolyn G. Hart….. Yankee Doodle Dead

Carolyn Hart….. Dead, White, and Blue

Sue Ann Jaffarian ….. Rockets’ Red Glare (Short Story)

Carolyn Keene….. Murder on the Fourth of July

Joyce and Jim Lavene….. A Timely Vision

Jess Lourey….. Knee High by the Fourth of July

Donna McLean…..  A Sparrow Falls Fourth of July  (story)

Donna McLean….. A Sparrow Falls Holiday (Includes 4 stories: Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, & the above Fourth of July)

Leslie Meier….. Star Spangled Murder

James Patterson & Maxine Paetro….. 4th of July

George P. Pelecanos….. King Suckerman

Cathy Pickens….. Can’t Never Tell

Sharon Short….. Death by Deep Dish Pie

Earl H. Smith….. The Dam Committee

Julia Spencer-Fleming….. A Fountain Filled with Blood

Rex Stout….. Fourth of July Picnic (found in And Four to Go)

Carla Lee Suson….. Independence Day Plague

Valerie Wolzien….. A Star-Spangled Murder

Sue Owens Wright….. Embarking on Murder

If you know of any other Fourth of July mysteries, please post a comment. Thanks!

If you would like to see more Holiday Mystery Books, click on this link.

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