Here is another Cozy Mystery site reader’s question. Cheryl (very recently) asked if we could … well, she says it much better than I could:

“My 18 year old daughter loves the Flower Shop series by Kate Collins. Any suggestions for a similar series for her to read?”

I gave her some recommendations, but wonder if any of you would be able to come up with “the perfect” author for her daughter.

I’m going to thank you for your help in advance…

Thank you!

So, here are the recommendations for authors similar to Kate Collins:

Madelyn Alt: Bewitching Mystery Series…

Mary Kay Andrews (aka Kathy Hogan Trocheck): Weezie & Bebe Series…

Deb Baker (aka Hannah Reed): Yooper Mystery Series… AND Dolls to Die For Mystery Series… AND Beekeeping Mystery Series (as Hannah Reed)…

Susan Conant & Jessica Conant-Park: Gourmet Girl Mystery Series…

Joanne Fluke: Hannah Swensen Mystery Series…

Lucy Lawrence (aka Jenn McKinlay): Decoupage Mystery Series…

Jenn McKinlay (aka Lucy Lawrence): Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series…

Leann Sweeney: Yellow Rose Mystery Series…

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

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This morning I received a letter asking me for some advice. The writer wanted to know which authors she could try who fall in the Agatha Christie “category” (my word, not hers.) I thought that I would write a blog addressing this inquiry, since I have been asked this very same question by several people.

I know that this is presumptuous, but I am guessing that most of us got to be hard-core cozy mystery buffs after we read our first Agatha Christie novel. And, most of us have probably made our way through so many of the Christie novels that we can’t remember which is which. Once we have had our Christie fill, there are other authors we can turn to (thank goodness!) The following is a list of authors who I would consider trying out if I were just starting on the cozy mystery route. This is not to say that they are Agatha imitators… by any means! They are just the ones who I would recommend if I really had a love of all things Christie…

My Author Picks:

Ngaio Marsh:  Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery Series

Ellis Peters: Brother Cadfael Mystery Series

Ruth Rendell:  Inspector Wexford Mystery Series

(I have added a lot of authors to this list because they have been recommended by Cozy Mystery site readers as belonging on this Authors Similar to Agatha Christie list. I have not read several of these recommended authors. At first I didn’t know whether to add them to my list or not, since I couldn’t vouch for them. Eventually I added the authors, and hope they truly belong on this list!)

Other People’s Picks for Authors similar to Agatha Christie:

Cathy Ace: Cait Morgan Mystery Series

Catherine Aird:  Inspector Sloan Mystery Series

Margery Allingham:  Albert Campion Mystery Series

M. C. Beaton:  Hamish Macbeth Mystery Series AND Agatha Raisin Mystery Series

Elizabeth Daly: Henry Gamadge Mystery Series

John Dickson Carr (aka Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, & Roger Fairbairn): Gideon Fell Mystery Series AND Henri Bencolin Mystery Series

Mary Higgins Clark: Stand Alone mysteries

Deborah Crombie:  Kincaid & James Mystery Series

Carola Dunn:  Daisy Dalrymple Mystery Series

Marjorie Eccles:  Gil Mayo Mystery Series

Kathy Lynn Emerson:  Lady Susanna Appleton Mystery Series

E. X. Ferrars:  Andrew Basnett Mystery Series, Toby Dyke Mystery Series, & Freer Mystery Series

Anthea Fraser:  David Webb & Ken Jackson Mystery Series

Dorothy Gilman:  Mrs. Pollifax Mystery Series

Caroline Graham: Midsomer Murder Mystery Series

Ann Granger: Markby and Mitchell Mystery Series

Kerry Greenwood: Phryne Fisher Mystery Series

Martha Grimes:  Jury & Plant Mystery Series

Georgette Heyer: Superintendent Hannasyde Mystery Series

Hazel Holt: Mrs. Malory Mystery Series

P. D. James:  Inspector Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series

M.M. Kaye: Death in ***** Mystery Series

Jill McGown:  Lloyd & Hill Mystery Series

Gladys Mitchell:  Mrs. Bradley Mystery Series

Stuart Palmer: Hildegarde Withers Mystery Series

Louise Penny: Three Pines Mystery Series

Dorothy L. Sayers:  Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery Series

Georges Simenon:  Inspector Maigret Mystery Series

Dorothy Simpson:  Inspector Luke Thanet Mystery Series

Rex Stout:  Nero Wolfe Mystery Series

Josephine Tey: Scotland Yard Inspector Mystery Alan Grant

Patricia Wentworth:  Miss Maud Silver Mystery Series

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

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