This comment is from Amy. She is looking for suggestions of authors she might enjoy reading next, based on her previous mystery book encounters. Amy asks:
“I am looking for new authors to read. I really enjoyed Elizabeth Peters’ stand alone books and the Vicki Bliss series but I have finished them. I also really enjoyed some of Mary Stewart’s books. The settings are so well described that they make me want to travel. I am tired of spending money on what seems like a good mystery but it ends up being a smutty romance or has really horrible crime details. I like a romance as part of a mystery but I want mostly mystery and I don’t want explicit sex, gory murders, graphic violence or lots of bad language. (I can take a bit of sex and a bit of bad language, it just needs to be sparse.) I’m not into multiple partners. That’s not romantic. Any advice from others readers?”
Do any of you have any ideas as to whom Amy might enjoy reading next?
(By the way, Elizabeth Peters list is on my site here.)
Thank you for your help!
Cordelia says
Try the Mrs. Pollifax mystery series by Dorothy Gilman. I believe the first one is “The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax.”
Susan* says
Seconded on the Mrs Pollifax.
Her other books are good, but Mrs Pollifax is closest to Elizabeth Peters.
D.Pankhurst says
Yes, I can recommend one – but I’m biased of course – it’s my wife’s book “The Plant Lady Twigs to Villiany” Very clean writing, with nothing smutty. She has been compared to M.C.Beaton (of course, that is the Amazon computer saying so, but we’ll take it!) In any case, you can read an excerpt on her site and decide for yourself: http://bygwen.com/writing/ Thanks!
LindaG says
Amy – I don’t know what you’ve read before, but I, like you, seek out mysteries without explicit sex and gory details and bad language. I have been thoroughly enjoying the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry. I’ve also enjoyed her Christmas standalone books. When I’m done with the Pitt series, I plan to listen to Perry’s Inspector Monk series. Another series that has long been my favorite is the Cat Who series by Lilian Jackson Braun. You may also want to check out the Maisie Dobbs series (another of my favorites), and I just finished a book by Charles Todd which I enjoyed. None of these books have foul language or sexual situations. Good luck in your search!
Julia says
Sharyn McCrumb comes to mind (Elizabeth MacPherson series, not the Ballad series). Her EP series has some lovely settings, a fair amount of clever humor and a little romance. “Highland Laddie Gone” is a very funny book, particularly if you’ve ever been to a Celtic Games, “Paying the Piper” is an excellent Christie tribute and the first in the series, “Sick of Shadows” is, well, very sweet in a sad sort of way.
Mary Sue Butch says
Maverick:
I have always found the Anne Perry books to be a bit slow, and for some reason the Victorian mores, which are taken more seriously than in Elizabeth Peters books, seem to weigh it down.
Also, ever since I found out that Anne Perry and her friend murdered the friend’s mother when they were teenagers, I have been unable to read her books.
Bev says
Try the Hawkenly series by Alys Clare, the Lady Appleton series by Kathy Lynn Emerson, and the Catherine LeVendeur series by Sharan Newman. They aren’t exactly cozies, but the are good mysteries with good settings.
Robyn says
You didn’t mention if you’ve read any of Peters’ Egyptian mysteries. If not, I recommend those as they do make you feel like you are traveling somewhere exotic (in both place and time). Lindsey Davis is another author I enjoy in the historical mystery genre. She has both humorous and romantic plot lines, and her work is intriguing without being gory.
Sharon says
I suggest the Jade del Cameron Mysteries by Suzanne Arruda which is set around WWI primarily taking place in Africa. I also agree with the suggestion of Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear. Both authors I really enjoy.
Linda says
I’d also recommend the Mrs. Pollifax series by Dorothy Gillman. Not so much a mystery as an adventure. Great settings and characters. Anything by Monica Ferris, Jill Churchill, Donna Andrews, Laura Childs and Julie Hyzy. I especially like Donna Andrews and start with the first one “Murder with Peacocks”.
Candace says
You could try Final Sale, A Bittersweet Hollow Mystery. It’s on Amazon. This is the first book in a new series. Any sex is left to the imagination, a few places where a bad word is tossed in but nothing graphic. I always enjoyed reading the Blackie Ryan novels by Andrew M. Greeley (they’re older books written in the 1990s).
Candace says
Sorry, I left out Final Sale authors, co-written by Annie Irvin and Rae Sanders.
Nita R says
I read the same type of mysteries. I enjoy Gemma Halliday, Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown, MC Beaton (both her Hamish McBeth and Agatha Raisin series are in small towns in UK but the way she describes them you can picture them so vividly.), Avery Aames, Laura Childs’ Tea Shops. Well there are some that I love to read. Oh I almost forgot my favorite and the one that got me hook on this type of mystery Lilian Jackson Braun – The Cat Who…. series.
Susan* says
Mystery with ‘No graphic violence, no major bad language, no explicit sex’ is pretty much the definition of the Cozy, so you’re in the right place, Amy. 🙂
Based on what you’ve said, I recommend Donna Andrews’ ‘Bird’ mysteries. (They all have a bird in the title.) Contemporary, quirky, and fun, with lots of humour and action.
Also Jill Churchill’s ‘Grace and Favour’ mysteries, if you want something a little more historical. Set during the great depression in America. A light, easy read.
For something different, Conrad Allen’s ‘Murder on the Great Liners’ series, or Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher mysteries, set in 1920’s Australia, are both personal favourites, as is Greenwood’s contemporary Corinna Chapman series.
The last authors are not quite as close to Elizabeth Peters in style, as the first one, but are, imho, all worth reading.
Have fun!
Laurel says
You might like Patricia Harwin’s books Arson and Old Lace and Slaying is Such Sweet Sorrow. The character is a librarian in her sixties whose marriage failed so she moves from NYC to an English cottage in Far Wychwood. They’re great books, very clean. Sad thing is, there are only the two books. There was some issue with the publisher of those books and because of it, she can’t use any other publisher. I don’t exactly understand it.
Danna, do you know why that would happen?
Susan* says
It’s probably a legal thing. If she had an ‘exclusive’ contract with them, but they decided not to publish any more of hers, she’s stuck!
Or if she decided she didn’t like the terms, any more (Felt she was being ripped off, perhaps) if things started to sell well, then it’s up to the courts.
Both have happened before, and either way, her only option is to self-publish, which is not for everyone.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Laurel, I don’t know why this would happen, but would venture to guess that Susan* has the correct reason.
Just recently, I was very surprised to see that an author was taking over an established mystery series because the publishers asked her to. I’m guessing the original author didn’t own the rights to the characters or the mystery series. It all sounded very odd to me…
Laurel says
I read a comment by Patricia Harwin herself on a book site and she said she wasn’t allowed to self publish. It’s a shame because these books are fabulous. I think the publishing world must be a harsh place. 🙁
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Laurel, that makes a lot of sense. I think some publishers can get by with very one-sided contracts with authors. The author and his/her fans are the ones who lose out.
Joan M says
The “Penny Brannigan” series by Elizabeth J. Duncan are wonderful. They transport you to a lovely village in Wales and the characters are believable and mature. Sue Ann Jaffarian’s “Odelia Gray” series and Alan Bradley’s “Flavia de Luce” series are another two of my favorites.
Marianne says
It seems you like your mysteries with a touch of history, so why not Laurie R. King’s, beginning with the Beekeeper’s Apprentice?
Susan Sundwall says
Amy, my book, The Red Shoelace Killer, is about as clean a read as you’ll find. Okay, okay, it’s about a murder, but I’ve kept gore and explicit anything out of it. Instead I use humor. Lots of good reviews on Amazon to attest. If you buy the book and get in touch with me I’ll send you a signed bookplate. =0)
PRS says
I recently discovered and am thoroughly enjoying the Molly Murphy books by Rhys Bowen. Also try the wonderful Benni Harper books by Earlene Fowler. Both are mystery series.
reginav says
I can think of a number of authors that you might enjoy. Like you, I like books that have a good mystery but also provide insights into other areas besides sex and violence. Mary Daheim has 2 series of books dealing with 2 major characters, one an owner of a B&B, the other an owner of a small newspaper in Washington. Anne George’s books about the “Southern Sisters” are very funny. Charlotte MacLeod’s Peter Shandy is worth a read. Don’t forget Jessica Fletcher. Her town in Maine must be littered with corpses. For cooking authors, there are Virginia Rich, Diane Mott Davidson, or Katherine Hall Page. British authors, there is always Agatha Christie, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Veronica Heley, and Jeanne Dams. One word of caution, when reading a series read the first book or the story line can be confusing. Most of these books are available at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
grannyfrye says
grannyfrye May 10,2013 9:40
1.Diane Mott Davidson, she is an excellent writer!
She is a caterer that makes her living cooking delicious foods for parties and etc. Her husband is a detective that loves to cook; and a teenage son. The funny thing wherever she caterers she gets involved with a body. Her novels are a delight. She has a few close friends that help her cook, and she always somehow solves the crime with the help of her best friend or with her husband. I usually get the book at the library.
2. Judi McCoy………this is a cozy mystery where she is a dog walker and she gets involved with a body. She walks people’s dogs, feeds the cats & plays, and other animals, I like the mysteries because the dogs talk to her……this is a clean humorous mystery. I love all her books.
3. Carola Dunn. Her mysteries take place in England in the 1914 or so……Her name is Daisy and she got a job with a newspaper to write interesting articles. She is always getting involved in her husband’s cases (he is an English cop) and he gets upset, but murder always makes her curious. I love her series. Actually she has two series, but haven’t read the second one.
4. Mary Daheim. She has a Bed & Breakfast series which I love; there are many characters that make you want to laugh. Her funny cousin, her cranky Mom, her weird cleaner, etc.
The story usually has a dead body at her home, and when she calls the police….they laugh and tell her they know where she lives. Sometimes she and her cousin travel, and still they get into a murder…this a good mystery.
Sometime they bring their husbands when they travel, but I really enjoy the mystery. Its very clean.
Cheri F says
I’ve read some of the authors you all have listed and they are good, such as Lillian Jackson Braun, Laura Childs, Joanne Fluke, Jessica Fletcher series, and Dorothy Gilman, and am looking forward to reading a lot of the others you’ve mentioned. I’m surprised I don’t hear any Mary Higgins Clark or her daughter, Carol Higgins Clark. Love their books and have read them all. Also, someone mentioned Charles Todd’s Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery series. Todd also has the Bess Crawford series. These books are English and are written in the WWI time period. Bess Crawford is a nurse during WWI in England.
Others are: Paul Gallico’s Mrs. ‘Arris series; Mary Roberts Rhineheart; Margaret Truman (President Harry Truman’s daughter); Chris Cavender (a Pizza Parlor Mystery series); and David Whellams’ Walking Into the Ocean. This is the only book I could find by him. It was good.
I enjoy books on my Kindle and since it is a bit of a distance to the nearest library, this has been a better way for me to read. But I am not finding a lot of the cozy books for the Kindle and am really disappointed in this situation. I wonder if I am not looking them up on-line in the libraries properly. Any ideas?
Susan* says
Cheri… take a look over to the top left of the page.
There’s a list of pages on here, including one devoted exclusively to ‘Free and Cheap Kindle Mystery Books’. It gets updated regularly, and I’m told* is very helpful. Rather like Danna herself, in fact. 🙂
Cheers!
*I don’t actually have a Kindle, but friends do.
Maria (BearMountainBooks) says
The one thing that the Vicky Bliss series has that is so special is the humor and the zany capers! They are also cozy, but it is so difficult to pull off that humor.
Try Julie Moffett’s Lexi Carmichael series. It’s got that same zany quality to it.
I’ll go check my list. Good humor and fun is so hard to find!
linda c says
Danna, What a wonderful list of recommendations from others to Amy. I would say that I also would recommend about 99% of these authors to Amy. The other 1% I just haven’t read yet.
When I find a new-to-me author who then becomes a very favorite I tend to try to read all of the books in order. Then it seems as if I have to wait forever for a new book from whatever author I am curently calling a favorite.
I would think that quite a few of these authors are very proud of themselves when so many readers will recommend their books like this.
MJ says
Elizabeth Peters also wrote as Barbara Michaels. All her books are ‘stand alones’, the best being Shattered Silk (one of the best mysteries I’ve read).
Cheri F says
I have read my second Hannah Alexander Love Inspired Suspense book and love the good clean read!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you all, for these great suggestions for Amy!
Billie says
I think I have read some of all of the authors listed above and enjoyed most of them. Also, there’s the Aunt Dimity books and those by Ngaio Marsh. Georgette Heyer has some mysteries also. I’m an avid Mary Daheim A B C book reader and really enjoyed Carola Dunn’s books. I don’t think Charles Todd’s books are cozies, but have really gotten into them. Who wrote the books with C.D. Sloan? Right now I am rereading the Brother Cadfeall ( and can’t seem to get the spelling straight)series. Enjoy your postings, but as you can see I am a little behind with them
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Welcome to the site, Billie. The C. D. Sloan books are those of Catherine Aird.
Marie says
Kate Wilhelm series. Clean but not quite a cosy. Extremely introverted Exlawyer PI keeps taking cases where she has to solve the murder to exonerate her client. One is titled Death Qualified but read in order as her relationship with her father and men evolves over time. Another is Rett MacPherson whose character works for a historical society and uses genealogy to solve local murders. Spouse and kids provide light moments.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marie, thanks for telling us about Kate Wilhelm’s series.
Jennifer says
I’m a HUGE Elizabeth Peters fan and have read all her Amelia Peabody books at least once. Have you tried Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series? She’s awesome. Also, Gail Carriger’s “Soulless” has a lot of Amelia and Emerson in it.
Also, there’s “The Secret Life of Anna Blanc” coming out Nov 3rd from Seventh Street Books. It’s a humorous historical mystery romance set among the early police matrons in 1900s Los Angeles, and it’s won prizes. Disclaimer: I wrote it. I wish Barbara Mertz was here to write a blurb for the back cover. She’s truly my favorite author. But you guys have really helped me by recommending similar authors who might be able to do it. BTW If you want to read the first chapter, email me at jennifer at jenniferkincheloe dot com.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jennifer, thank you for telling us about your The Secret Life of Anna Blanc.
Also, thanks for the Elizabeth Peters and Lauren Willig shout outs!
Jennifer says
Thank you! Your blog is so much fun 🙂
Margaret D. says
Try Ann B. Ross, very funny, small town adventure. Also, Rex Stout a marvellous, clever older author. Charles Finch is another Ive enjoyed, slow moving but interesting.
Maria says
Phyllis A. Whitney