People send in questions to the site all the time, and one of the most common questions is “can you help me remember the name of this book?” Sometimes I can help, other times I can’t… and when that happens, I’ve found that it often helps to ask the rest of you, the site readers! It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these, so they’ve really started to add up!
From Cindy A.
I do have a Cozy Mystery series I started reading many years ago about a young woman that started her own Crime Scene clean-up. I am hoping that the author is still writing it and someone can tell me the series….
The main character is female and had a young man working for/with her also. She could see and communicate with the victims and I believe that this was only possible if they met Foul Play. The young man was a friend and great help, but it seems that she may have been going to lose him to another career choice that he wanted or something like that.
I wish I could tell more or at least the time period, but can only come up with this and that it may be around the early 2000s.
EDIT: From the comments of multiple people (thanks to everyone! too numerous to list unfortunately – this one might have been a bit of a “softball” question!), this looks like it’s probably Wendy Roberts‘s Ghost Dusters Mystery Series. A few other people have mentioned Christy Barritt‘s Squeaky Clean Mystery Series, so that’s also a possible answer.
From Brandy L:
Do any of you know of a series about a serial killer at Holy Cross College?
EDIT: Kathleen suggested this could be part of the Sister Mary Helen Mystery Series by Carol Anne O’Marie.
From Glen:
… does anyone remember a mystery set on the west coast, I think in Northern California about a woman who worked for the city telephone co? The California mystery was not a generally used term. At least not that I knew of…but they were very good, and would definitely fall into the cozy category.
EDIT: Amy suggested this could be Number, Please, by Sheree Petree.
From J. Bouchard:
Do you know if there is a cozy mystery that the main sleuth is 80 years old and delivers meals on wheel? Thank you for your assistance.
EDIT: C. T. suggested this could be the Martha’s Vineyard Mystery Series by Cynthia Riggs, which stars a senior sleuth who sometimes delivers meals on wheels. (I don’t remember that last detail, but the rest of it seems to fit.)
So! If you think you have the answer to one of these series, please send in a comment! If I think it fits, I’ll add it to the post as a potential answer. Hopefully we can help these readers find their forgotten favorites!
vickie baker says
Perhaps “Ghost Dusters” mystery series by Wendy Roberts for the crime scene clean up series
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Vickie, thanks! That seems to be the consensus, so I’m adding it as the most likely answer!
Judith says
Cindy A may be looking for the Ghost Dusters Mysteries by Wendy Roberts. The first book was The Remains of the Dead. There were five books in the series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Judith, thanks! That seems likely!
Marianne says
I don’t know the answer to any of these questions, but they sure sound like wonderful plot lines! I hope someone can identify them.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marianne, there are some possible answers posted above now, if you’re interested in checking them out!
Kathleen says
For Cindy A: Try Wendy Roberts’s Ghost Dusters series?
For Brandy L: Not sure, maybe Carol Anne O’Maries’s Sr. Mary Helen series?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathleen, thanks for the suggestions! I’ve posted both, though I suppose only the person who asked the original questions will be able to tell for sure if they’re answered or not.
MJ says
I doubt the second question from Brandy is the Sister Mary Helen series. That is set at Mount St. Francis College in San Francisco (not Holy Cross College) and I don’t think any of the 11 books involved a serial killer. Good series, though.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, this does seem like the least likely fit of the questions answers. I’m going to keep it up, as no one else has suggested anything better.
Aimee says
For Cindy:
I think you may be talking Wendy Roberts’ Ghostdusters series.
Aimee
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Aimee, that seems like a great answer – I’ve added it as the most likely!
Margaret StashEmpress says
I don’t recognize any of these but I’d love to see the answers!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Margaret, I’ve got some (possible) answers posted above, so if you’re interested be sure to check them out!
Kathy C. says
Could Cindy A. mean Squeaky Clean Mysteries by Christy Barritt?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathy, that’s a possibility, though others have mentioned another series by Wendy Roberts that seems like a very close match. I’ve listed both as possible answers just in case!
Kristen Weber says
I think the first one is the Ghost Dusters mystery series, starting with The Remains of the Dead, by Wendy Roberts. I was lucky enough to edit the series for New American Library’s Obsidian. Such a good series!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kristen, that seems likely – thank you for the response, and for your hard work editing!
Christina K says
I don’t know about that Crime Scene Cleanup series, but I would certainly be interested in reading it. Hopefully someone can shed some light on the series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Christina, there are a couple of strong possibilities listed now in the main blog entry!
Lisa says
Cindy A. The series was Ghost Dusters Mysteries by Wendy Roberts. You can get them from Amazon.
I read them all and enjoyed them.
Good Luck
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lisa, thanks for the response! Judging by the response so far, I think you’re probably right!
Sandra Topping says
Crime Scene Cleaner mysteries: This may be the “Ghost Duster” mysteries by Wendy Roberts. There are 5 books in the series. The Nook books are dated from 2007 to 2013, so paperbacks or hardbacks probably came out earlier. Goodreads also listed some individual books in that genre.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sandra, that seems like the most likely answer! Thanks for the response.
Janie says
Yes, the author is Wendy Roberts and they are called the Ghost Duster Mysteries. They are listed in order on the cozy mystery site.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Janie, thanks for the response! Yes, that does seem like the most likely answer.
Sharon L says
I believe the crime scene clean up cozy mystery is by Wendy Roberts (The Ghost Dusters ) series. It’s a 5 book series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sharon, thanks for the response – that does seem to be the most likely answer!
Amy says
I think the one about the crime scene cleanup might be Wendy Roberts – she wrote one called The Remains of the Dead.
The telephone one might be this one: Number, Please (Telephone Company Mystery) Mass Market Paperback – June 1, 2002
by Sheree Petree (Author)
Good luck
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Amy, thanks for both suggestions – the Wendy Roberts one is almost certainly correct. Not sure about the other, though it certainly looks reasonable! I’ve posted it as a possible answer. That question was more vague, I know, so only the person who asked it will be able to tell for sure!
Anne H. says
To Cindy, I think you’re looking for Wendy Roberts who writes the Ghost Duster mysteries.
Here’s the Amazon description of the first book The Remains of the Dead:
When Sadie Novak is hired to clean up after the murder-suicide of Trudy and Grant Toth, she meets the spirit of Trudy, who, determined to prove her husband’s innocence, inspires her to find the real killer, until she realizes that she in way over her head.
Terrific series. I hope this helps.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Anne, thanks for the response – that does sound like a very good match!
Teri says
This might be the series Cindy A is looking for – Christi Barritt – Crime Scene Cleanup.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Teri, that’s a possible answer that a few people have suggested, though another has more suggestions. I’m going to list it just in case!
stellans says
I think the crime scene clean-up might be Wendy Roberts’ Ghost Dusters Mystery series. I enjoyed this series quite a bit, but the last one (5th) was published in 2013, so who knows if there will be more?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Stellans, that seems like the most likely answer. I’ve posted it above, thanks!
Joy says
In response to a question about a crime scene cleanup mystery series, I know of one by Christy Barritt and it’s the Squeaky Clean Mysteries.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joy, that seems like a possible answer, though other readers have made a compelling case for another series – I’m going to list both just in case.
stellans says
Oh, and I think maybe the northern California series might be Susan Dunlap’s Vejay Haskell Mysteries. Hope that helps.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Stellans, thanks for the response! That seems pretty likely – I’ve put the link in the main blog post above as well.
LaVonne says
Wendy Robert’s Remains of the day is book one have it on my to read list is this the one your thinking about?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
LaVonne, that seems like the most likely answer! Thanks for the response.
Marlene Hornung says
Hi Cindy A.
That sounds a bit like the Wendy Roberts’ Ghost Duster Series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marlene, thanks for the response – that looks like it’s probably the right series!
Bek says
Cindy A, you may be thinking of the Ghost Dusters series by Wendy Roberts, and published by Penguin/Random House books. The young lady’s name is Sadie Novak, and she has a sometime boyfriend, Zack.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bek, that’s probably right – thanks for the response!
Linda MH says
Hi Danna,
I think Cindy A is talking about the Ghost Dusters Mystery series by Wendy Roberts.
Have a great day!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, that seems like the most likely answer – I’ve updated the blog post. Thanks for the response!
Elizabeth Mahon says
The cozy mystery series about a young woman that started her own Crime Scene clean-up sounds like Wendy Roberts Ghost Dusters Mystery Series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Elizabeth, that’s pretty likely! Thanks for the response!
Deb says
For Cindy. I think you’re looking for Wendy Roberts.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Deb, thanks for the answer! That does seem like the most likely answer!
J K says
Squeaky Clean Mysteries by Christy Barritt
first in series is Hazardous Duty
Danna - cozy mystery list says
J K, that’s a possibility – others have mentioned another series more frequently, but I’m going to list both just in case.
C. T Collier says
The last one sounds like the Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries by Cynthia Rigg. Sleuth Victoria Trumbull is in her 90’s. Meals on Wheels is one of her activities, though someone else provides the wheels.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
C. T, thanks for the suggestion! I’ll post that as a possibility.
Sandi says
I think the crime scene cleaner is Wendy Roberts.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sandi, that seems like the most likely answer!
Cheryl Daems says
For Cindy A. Could the series be A Ghost Dusters Mystery? by Wendy Roberts? First book is “The Remains of the Dead.”
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Cheryl, that does seem like the most likely answer! I’ve put it up as a possibility.
DianNE says
Is there any update on what’s happening with Jill Churchill not being published for many years?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
DianNE, I haven’t heard anything definite, but my understanding is that she is now in her 70s, so my assumption (and again, this isn’t from any actual source) is that she has retired from writing.
Kathleen says
You are probably correct about Jill Churchill no longer writing. Disappointing as I had hoped to read #7 in her Grace and Favor series. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes is still listed on Amazon but is unavailable.
Bek says
Good Grief! The vote is in, and if it isn’t Ghost Dusters, I’ll kiss the cat…wait…I do that anyhow.
OH, I have added it to my list! Sounds fun!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bek, I hope you enjoy it – it sounds like a lot of fun! And the number of people suggesting it as the answer would seem to verify that to an extent…
Tania says
Hi
I think JK is right the books are Squeaky Clean mysteries. I read the first book in the series a couple of years ago. And have just checked on Amazon and it does seem to fit.
Thank you for your site I have been following it for years and really love it!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tania, thanks for the confirmation! And you’re welcome, and thanks for visiting for so long!
Mary Fletcher says
The June 2018 list seems to be missing from the web site. I go from May 2018 on the recently released to July on the soon to be released. Any ideas?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary, I don’t know how I forgot all of these months! Thank you for letting me know. I just updated the
Cozy Mystery New Releases page on my site
I also forgot to put up all of the book covers for the September Cozy Mystery releases, and it looks like September is going to be a month with lots of Christmas Cozies!
Soon to be Released Mysteries page on my site