Cozy Site Reader’s Question

Does the Age of Your Amateur Sleuth Make a Difference to You?

August 8, 2015

Patti B. sent me an email with the following entry idea:

… I was wondering if you’ve ever written a blog on the preferred age of protagonists in cozies. I loved Ann George’s southern sisters series, just wish she’d lived longer so she could have kept on writing them. I love M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin. I obviously love senior sleuths. Yesterday I had lunch with a friend who said she hated senior sleuths. She found them boring and didn’t know anyone who liked them… and I began to wonder—am I the only one who likes senior sleuths? (Obviously not since M.C. Beaton is making big bucks writing her books!) But I was wondering if the cozy readers who follow your blog have an opinion on this. Do you yourself, since you’re an avid cozy reader?

I started thinking about it the day I received Patti B’s email. Hmmm… Do I have a prefered age for my amateur sleuths?

I went through all of my favorite authors and thought about their sleuths’ ages. Wow! What a span of years!

I read one particular series that has sleuths from three age groups. And, after looking at all of my favorite authors’ sleuths, I think I can safely say I don’t have a particular age bracket that I strictly adhere to.

One of my favorite authors is Margaret Grace (aka Camille Minichino & Jean Flowers). She writes the Miniature Mystery Series which features Gerry Porter as its main sleuth. Gerry is a retired English teacher in California who has, as her side-kick sleuthing partner, her granddaughter, Maddie. Maddie is an eleven year old whiz on the computer, which helps Gerry immensely. Another (sort of) sleuthing partner of Gerry’s is her nephew, a thirty something police detective. So, with just that one series, I have the very youngest sleuth I follow, a young adult aged sleuth, and a (somewhat) older sleuth.

I have to admit, while I enjoy sleuths of all ages, I find myself drawn to senior sleuths. I have enjoyed senior sleuths for as long as I can remember. I wonder if it’s because Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple has been one of my very, very favorite amateur sleuths for years >>> going back to when I was quite young, I loved Miss Marple. No other sleuth could draw me into her world the way this clever, gray-haired lady could!

How about you? Do you have a favorite age for your amatuer sleuths? If so, why do you think you prefer that age bracket?

P.S. In case you do prefer senior sleuths, Susan* just suggested that I add these links to the Senior Sleuths lists.

SENIOR SLEUTHS:

Authors beginning with A – F

Authors beginning with G – P

Authors beginning with Q – W

In case you prefer young sleuths:

Mystery Books with Sleuths in Their 20s

And, here is a list of sleuths who are a little older than 20 and not quite yet seniors:

Stay-at-Home Moms &/or Housewives AND Stay at Home Dads &/or Househusbands in Mysteries

Crossword Puzzle Cozy Mystery Series…

March 9, 2015

I got a letter asking for help in identifying a Cozy Mystery book that Brenda read a while back.

Brenda:

… I started keeping track of my fav authors/books/characters on a spreadsheet, however about a year (ago) I let it slide, but have since taken it up again.
I had picked up a pocketbook at the library about a lady that created crossword puzzles. Before I go on, no it is not Parnell Hall or the other gentlemen who uses crossword puzzles as a theme.
I can remember the plot but can’t remember the characters name or author’s name, and it is driving me crazy. Because it’s a pocketbook our local library does not keep detailed records on their site, as I have tried looking for it in their search engine.
Here is what I can remember…….she is late twenties/early thirties, married to a former law officer who I think has become a private eye. She creates crossword puzzles and has them syndicated for National Newspapers. In this book, she and 4 other “specialist” columnists are called to a meeting by their agent and are coerced into signing new contracts for less money under threat of losing their newspapers. The Agent is killed, hence the mystery…

I’m at a loss! I have no idea who this author could be. The only two crossword puzzle mystery series I can think of are Parnell Hall and Nero Blanc, but Brenda is sure that neither of them is the author. If you think you know who Brenda is looking for, please post a comment below. Thank you!

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

December 8, 2014

Today we’ll be continuing our ongoing look at mystery series that are appropriate for children or young adults by authors who are usually thought of as mystery authors for adults.

I will begin with Joelle Charbonneau. She writes the Glee Club Mystery Series and the Rebecca Robbins Mystery Series for adult mystery readers. She also writes the Testing thriller series for young adults. The first mystery in this series is called The Testing, and it introduces us to Cia Vale, a gifted graduate who has been chosen to attend a program for potential leaders of the new civilization (post-war). (It was nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Children/Young Adult mystery.) This sounds like a sci-fi mystery sereis that is aimed at young adults.

Jane Langton writes the Homer Kelly Mystery Series (for adults) which features a Harvard professor. Something I just very recently became aware of is that she is the same Jane Langton who writes the Hall Family Chronicles Mystery Series for children. These mysteries are geared for children in the fifth grade and up. The Diamond in the Window is the first in the series, and was nominated for the prestigious Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile mystery. The Fledgling is the fourth in the Hall Family Chronicles Series.

Victoria Laurie, author of the very popular paranormal Psychic Eye Mystery Series and the Ghost Hunter Mystery Series also writes a paranormal mystery series for children. The Oracles of the Delphi Mystery Series introduces us to Ian Wigbyin in the first book called Oracles of Delphi Keep. Ian and his sister (Theo) live in Delphi Keep orphanage, on the English southern coast. Ian and Theo find a special treasure box, and from there, they are on exciting adventures, solving mysteries with their group of friends.

Kathy Reichs, author of the Temperance Brennan (Bones) Mystery Series for adults writes the Virals Series for young adults. She wrote the first two by herself, but was then joined by her son, Brendan Reichs, for the rest. This series has, as its sleuth, Tory Brennan, the niece of Temperance Brennan (Bones). Virals (the first mystery in this young adults series) was nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Children/Young Adult mystery.

Penny Warner‘s Code Busters Club Mystery Series stands out even among fellow Agatha nominees, as it has won once and been nominated twice more – and it would be a bit surprising if she didn’t get at least a nomination this year for the fourth book! The first book in the series, The Secret of the Skeleton Key, introduces readers to Cody, Quinn, Luke, and M.E., the members of the Code Busters, as they try to decode a message left by a neighbor – a code that could just be an SOS! The Code Busters Club series includes a number of codes within the books themselves for children to solve, and provides answers in the back if you get stuck. The Code Busters series is most appropriate for children ages 9-12.

Finally, Nancy Means Wright is the author of both the Mary Wollstonecraft Mystery Series and the Ruth Willmarth Mystery Series, both series are for adult mystery lovers. She is also the author of the Northern Spy Mystery Series. Inspired by the Nancy Drew mysteries, Wright’s two children-appropriate mystery novels revolve around Zoe Elwood and the Northern Spy Club of Northern Vermont. The first book, The Pea Soup Poisonings, which won the 2006 Agatha Award for Best Children/Young Adult mystery, revolves around young Zoe’s attempts to get into the Northern Spy Club by solving the possible-murder of a friend’s grandmother after eating a bowl of pea soup. The 2nd mystery book is called The Great Circus Train Robbery, and it was nominated for the very prestigious Agatha Award for Best Children/Young Adult mystery.

This is the last of this mini-series of entries. Have I missed your favorite young adult or children’s mystery series? Let me know in the comments!

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 2

Mystery Books for Pre Teens…

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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