A while ago I got a recommendation from Denise to include a new mystery book theme to the site. Her wonderful title was “Rich Girl Sleuthing” which I have expanded to include the “Rich Men Can Sleuth, Too.” With that said, here is a list of the Cozy site’s authors who have written a mystery book (or more!) which includes sleuths who just happen to be rich:
Bruce Alexander (aka Bruce Cook): Sir John Fielding Mystery Series… Sir John is an 18th century English blind judge.
Margery Allinghan: Albert Campion Mystery Series… Campion is a very upper-crust English sleuth.
Tess Arlen: Lady Montfort Mystery Series… Lady Montfort is an aristocrat in Edwardian England.
Margot Arnold: Penny Spring & Sir Toby Glendower Mystery Series… Sir Toby Glendower happens to be a wealthy Cambridge archaeologist.
C.A. Belmond: Penny Nichols Mystery Series… Penny is a rich American heiress in Europe.
Rhys Bowen: Lady Georgiana Mystery Series… Hmmm… Penniless 34th in line to the throne of England.
Fiona Buckley: Ursula Blanchard Mystery Series… Being a lady-in-waiting for the Queen brings to mind a “moneyed” family.
Cassandra Chan: Phillip Bethancourt & Jack Gibbons Mystery Series Bethancourt is the very rich, college friend of Gibbons.
Leslie Charteris: The Saint Mystery Series… Simon Templar is not only a millionaire, he is also a thief.
Marion Chesney (aka M. C. Beaton): Edwardian Murder Mystery Series… Lady Rose Summer is daughter of an earl.
P.F. Chisholm: Sir Robert Carey Mystery Series… 16th century Sir Robert is a deputy warden in the king’s service.
Joyce Christmas: Lady Margaret Priam Mystery Series… Lady Margaret may be living in New York, but that doesn’t make her any less “vedy British” high society.
Alys Clare: Hawkenlye Mystery Series… Josse d’Acquinis a 12th century French knight who uproots to England.
Amanda Cooper (aka Victoria Hamilton): Teapot Collector Mystery Series… Sophie Taylor works in her family’s Victorian Tea Room in New York.
Julianna Deering (aka DeAnna Julie Dodson): Drew Farthering Mystery Series… stars an English gentleman in the 1930s.
Margaret Dumas: Charley & Jack Fairfax Mystery Series… It doesn’t hurt to be an heiress.
Carola Dunn: Daisy Dalrymple Mystery Series… Daisy is the daughter of a viscount.
Kathy Lynn Emerson (aka Kaitlyn Dunnett): Lady Susanna Appleton Mystery Series… Lady Susanna is an English herbalist.
Elizabeth George: Inspector Thomas Lynley Mystery Series… A Scotland Yard inspector with a whole lot of money.
Karen Anne Golden: The Cats That… A wealthy heiress who adopts cats and lives in a Victorian-style home.
Kerry Greenwood: Phryne Fisher Mystery Series… Phryne is very, very rich.
Martha Grimes: Richard Jury Mystery Series… While Jury may be the inspector, Melrose Plant is a very rich sleuth/sidekick.
Carolyn Haines: Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery Series… Being a southern belle won’t stop Sarah from solving crimes.
Karen Harper: Elizabeth I Mystery Series… Just because she is Elizabeth Tudor (daughter of King Henry VIII) doesn’t mean she can’t sleuth with the best of them.
Anna Lee Huber: Lady Darby Mystery Series… Lady Darby is a 1830s Scottish noblewoman.
Abigail Keam: 1930s Mona Moon Mystery Series – Mona receives a huge inheritance from her uncle during the Depression.
Nancy Martin: Blackbird Sisters Mystery Series… Libby, Emma, & Nora have to go to work after their “rich” parents leave the sisters destitute.
Nancy Martin: Miss Ruffles Mystery Series: A very rich woman leaves her estate to her beloved Miss Ruffles, a dog!
Catriona McPherson: Dandy Gilver Mystery Series… Dandy (Dandelion Dahlia Leston) is a Scottish aristocrat in the 1920s.
Amy Patricia Meade: Marjorie McClelland Mystery Series… Creighton Ashcroft, one of the main characters, is a millionaire.
Catherine O’Connell: High Society Mystery Series… Pauline Cook is a widowed socialite living in Chicago.
Katherine Hall Page: Faith Fairchild Mystery Series… Faith “comes from” money.
Robin Paige (aka Susan Wittig Albert & Bill Albert): Kate Ardleigh Sheridan & Sir Charles Sheridan Victorian Mystery Series… quite rich.
Joanne Pence: Angi Amalfie Mystery Series… Angie is a food critic who happens to be rich.
Sharon Kay Penman: Medieval Mystery Series… Justin de Quincy is an English, 12th century son of a bishop.
Deanna Raybourn: Lady Julia Grey Mystery Series… Lady Julia is a Victorian England sleuth.
David Roberts: Lord Edward Corinth Mystery Series… 1930s “vedy” British Lord Edward does his sleuthing with Verity Browne.
Lynda S. Robinson: Lord Meren Mystery Series… The main sleuth of this series which is set in ancient Egypt is the main investigator in the kingdom.
Dorothy L. Sayers: Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery Series… Early 20th century Lord Peter is an extremely rich English nobleman who teams up with Harriet Vane.
Cynthia Smith: Emma Rhodes Mystery Series… Emma charges her super rich clients $20,000 per case she guarantees to solve in one week.
Leann Sweeney: Yellow Rose Mystery Series… Houston’s Abby Rose is a private detective with a big bank account.
Ashley Weaver: The Amory Ames Mystery Series features a wealthy, young woman in 1930s Britain.
Patricia Wynn: Blue Satan Mystery Series… Gideon St. Mars is an aristocrat (viscount) who becomes a highwayman during the 1700s.
Authors on the Cozy Site with Non Mystery Book Series which Feature the VERY Rich:
E. F. Benson: Make Way for Lucia Series… By far my favorite series of all time! Although this is not a mystery book series, it is very Cozy and very English.
Alexander McCall Smith: Isabel Dalhousie Series… I truly enjoy books by Alexander McCall Smith. I would not describe the Isabel Dalhousie Philosophical novels as being mystery books, although some people believe that they are.
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦
Leslie says
I love your blog. Thanks for all of the hard work that you do to keep it up to date. We are reading it!
I have another series featuring rich sleuths-the Death on Demand series by Carolyn Hart, starring Max and Annie Darling.
Anne says
Most of them are English…the ones in America have lost it. What does that say of Americans attitude of wealth?
Maria BearMountainBooks says
Hmm. The Caroline Haines southern belle heroine is…broke. :>) She does have a house as her inheritance, but in book one she is in danger of losing it entirely. I don’t think I’ve read past book3 so maybe her ‘fortunes’ are better these days.
GREAT list. I love the idea! Notice how many of them are historicals…
Judith says
Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily Ashton series features a Victorian aristocratic widow – I started reading them about the same time as Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey series. Also, Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody is an heiress.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, ladies, for the above comments.
I wasn’t sure whether to include previously rich sleuths who had to work for a living…
More additions to the list, and a good insight on the attitude about wealth here in the USA…
Anne says
I have just realized that Aurora Teagarden is also an heiress. I have also read three books in a short period (no pun intended) of time that the main characters are 4 feet 11 inches tall. Are short people cozier than taller ones?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
You’re right… I had forgotten that Aurora inherited all of that money…
Leah Smith says
The Well Bred and Dead Series by Catherine O’Connell is another candidate for your Mystery Book Sleuths Who Happen to be Rich list.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Leah, for telling us about Catherine O’Connell!
Lynn says
In Nancy Martin’s Blackbird Sisters Mystery Series the parents are not dead. They took what little they had not yet frittered away and left the country.
They popped up back in the US in the latest entry in the series.
Would Nero Wolfe qualify for this list?
One of Anne George’s Southern Sisters has money, too.
Thank you for all that you do. This site is a gem and a fabulous reference tool for Cozy fans.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Lynn, for all of the additions AND the kind words!
Lindsay says
I would also include Joanne Pence’s Angelina Amalfi here. Thanks for all your hard work in putting together these lists — very helpful!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
I just ammended the list, Lindsay…
Rosemary says
Catherine O’Connell has created a wealthy widow sleuth in her 2 High Society mysteries – “Well Read and Dead” and “Well Bred and Dead”. The heiress, Pauline Cook, lives in Chicago and her investigating takes her all over the world.
Kathryn says
I’d like to recommend two additions to the Rich Sleuths Theme: Marion Chesney – Edwardian Mystery Series: Lady Rose Summer, daughter of an Earl
Carola Dunn – The Honorable Daisy Dalrymple is a journalist in 1920s England. She is the daughter of a Viscount.
Karen says
I have two more cozy rich sleuths series, Phryne Fisher by Kerry Greenwood is very, very rich. And Robin Paige’s series about KATE ARDLEIGH SHERIDAN & SIR CHARLES SHERIDAN also qualifies.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Kathryn AND Karen for the additional “Rich Sleuth” characters. I will go add them to the list right now…
Rabia says
I was wondering if there are any cozy mysteries with a protagonist that is in their twenties? Maybe rich and in their 20s?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
That’s a good question, Rabia. I believe that Daisy Dalrymple is young when the series begins, but I’m not sure of some of the other protagonists… possibly the Blackbird Sisters, but I can’t be 100% sure if they’re in their 20s. I’ll write an entry (tomorrow – Nov. 1) asking for Cozy Mystery readers to help.
Lynn says
I love your lists! I just added another slew of books to my Amazon wish list. In the ‘rich’ category, you forgot Martha Grimes and her character Melrose Plant, Inspector Jury’s sidekick; he may or may not be an Earl, but he’s certainly rich!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lynn, you are so right about Melrose Plant/Martha Grimes belonging on the rich category! I’ll go add him/her right now!
Janelle says
Another series has been written by Nancy Martin about three sisters who were raised in wealth and are trying to keep up their rich lifestyle with difficulty. Good mystery; funny, too. And a spot of romance.
I’ve read them all – can’t wait for more!
Janelle
Janelle says
Oops! I just found it on the list. Sorry. Janelle
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Janelle, that happens to me all of the time!
Donna says
If anyone if interested, some of the E. F. Benson books are available on Project Gutenberg. Also, J. D. Robb’s books feature the wife of Roarke, supposedly the richest man on the planet 50 years in the future.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Donna! I absolutely adore E. F. Benson ‘s Lucia books… although they are a bit “dated.”
Ian says
Help! Maybe you can help me, I am trying to remember the character of books I read when I was young. It was a British female sleuth, she was a Lady or daughter of one, her sidekick/best friend was an American guy who was also stinking rich and I think he had a name which ended with a number. If I remember correctly she drove a mini and there was another rich guy maybe called Sandro (Italian). Sorry to so vague but I bought some Modesty Blaize the other day and I was reminded of these books and I can’t remember the author or anything, it is driving me crazy.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ian, I have copied down the information and will be posting an entry asking for help in identifying your author.
Ian says
Thanks alot, you know what it is like when you can’t remember something…!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ian, I posted the entry asking for help, but it doesn’t look like anyone recognizes your sleuth or author. I am sorry!
linda says
Veronica Heley’s Ellie Quicke “came into money.” I love this character. Elle is one of my all time favorite sleuths.
Ann B. Ross’ Miss Julia had money, then was afraid she lost it, then came into money after all.
Just a sideline here—can remember the character Reva Shayne on “The Guilding Light'” having a sister Cassie. One of the storylines for Cassie was when she first bought a hotel and was trying to make a go of it, she had a mound of unpaid bills. She fretted and fretted. Ten in just about 3 or 4 more episodes Cassie was able to borrow money and then “all of her money troubles” were over——next storyline!!!!! Oh, if that could be true in real life!
estrellas says
hello,how about the Yellow Rose Mysteries? i think the sleuth is pretty rich 🙂 ….
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Estrellas, for the suggestion. I will go add Leann Sweeney’s Yellow Rose Mystery Series to the Rich Sleuth theme…
The Traveling Reader says
Creighton Ashcroft, one of the main characters in Amy Patricia Meade’s Marjorie McClelland Series, is a millionaire. And he has solved most of the cases together with the main protagonist who eventually became his wife.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Traveling. I just added Amy Patricia Meade’s Marjorie McClelland series to the mystery books with rich sleuths.
Sandy says
I am desperate to find the title/author of a mystery I listened to 5+ years ago while packing one of our homes. (We have moved twice since then.) My brain wasn’t thinking straight enough to remember either the author or the name of the main character, but I am hoping someone here may know. I have searched the audio books in that library to no avail.
I remember the sleuth was a British young man who was sarcastic and lazy. He goes in the rich category, I think, but only because he had rich friends or relatives with whom he lived. I remember his name seemed ridiculous to me, and that is started with a W. I can’t even remember the plot, but I had that “cozy” feeling the whole way through and laughed and laughed.
Blessings to your brains while you think!
Sandy
Wakar says
Am so thrilled to see that you love the EF Benson Lucia series. It’s one of my all time favs! Have you read Angela Thirkell? I just started with “High Rising” and love it. Not as whimsical as Benson or Wodehouse but very charming. (Not mysteries.)
Jim says
How about the richest man in the central northern US? Or was it the northern central Midwest…well, something like that. I’m referring to Quill, of course.
But then again, we all know that it was really KoKo who solved all those mysteries.
Cindy Clark says
I’m looking for a series featuring an English peer who is the 4th richest man in England or the world. I believe his name is Alex. His parents were murdered on a boat when he was about 7 and he inherited all their money. He has a faithful butler and a policeman friend who help him solve mysteries and later in the series he has a little boy, also named Alex.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Cindy, hmm, I’m afraid nothing is ringing any bells at the moment. I’ll keep an eye out – maybe someone will have a suggestion, or maybe I’ll put it into an upcoming questions post.
Chris says
I remember reading a book set in a contemporary English village in which an aristocrat palled around with a group that included an antiques dealer and several others including a beautiful woman who had to be saved from her taste in men. I remember very much enjoying the interaction of the characters. Any help with identifying the author?