Here are some fun Alaska facts:
The capital is Juneau.
The largest city is Anchorage.
State motto is “North To The Future”.
State nickname is “The Last Frontier”.
State flower is the Forget-me-not.
State bird is the Willow Ptarmigan.
Mystery authors who are found on the Cozy Mystery Site who feature Alaska locations/settings in their books:
Vicki Delany: Klondike Mystery Series
Susan Froetschel: Alaska Grey
Sue Henry: Alaska Mystery Series
Christopher Lane: Inupiat Mystery Series
Dani Pettrey: Alaskan Courage Mystery Series
Dana Stabenow: Kate Shugak Mystery Series AND Liam Campbell Mystery Series
Barbara Vine (aka Ruth Rendell): No Night is Too Long
Please feel free to comment if you see an author from the Cozy Mystery Site who belongs on this list, or if you have any corrections.
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦
Dee says
Stan Jones – maybe not classified as cozy but a native viewpoint.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Dee, for telling us about Stan Jones’ Alaska mysteries.
linda says
I love the books by Sue Henry and by Dana Stabenow. I have not read the books by Christopher Lane. But I will.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, I know you like to read mysteries that take place in hot places during the summer months. Do you read “cold books” during the winter months?
linda says
Danna, yes I do read books that have a cold weather theme in them. As all of you know, this has been a very hot summer across the USA. It will be nice to have some cooler (not cold) weather that should come in September, (I hope).
It’s kind of weird, I watch the weather news to see when we can expect to get some rain and some cooler temps!! Hopefully we can get some of that cooler and rainy weather soon. It’s too late for the corn, beans and other crops but at least maybe we can enjoy what summer we have left. Maybe some people will get some relief from the hurricanes that are supposed to be coming. heavens to besty! Did I say hopefully getting relief from a hurricane!!!
Danna, I just love to read. I have even picked up some books with Christmas settings.
Just a side note concerning my reading,. This might seems sort of silly but by reading I am able to answer some of the JEOPARY questions, even the last questions. Some good is coming from my reading so much. Just teasing!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, you are not alone, Linda. We could certainly use some coolers days down here in San Antonio!
linda says
Danna, You asked me last week did I ever read any books that take place during the colder seasons. I just today read “Bitter Harvest, An Orchard Mystery” by Sheila Connolly. This particular book in this series takes place just between Thanksgiving and Christmas that is set in Massachusetts on an Apple farm.
This series has our sleuth trying to make a new life for herself on an Apple Orchard that her mother had inherited (close enough) from two spinster(I believe) sisters. The first book deals with the story of how our sleuth, Meg, acquires the orchard. The next one deals with Meg learning how to operate the orchard. This third one deals with what is happening on the farm during the time just after the harvest. A blizzard dumps 3 feet of snow on the area just when our Meg’s old furnace goes out.
I picked up the 1st book because I thought I would enjoy a series about an apple orchard and since I love apples almost in any way shape or form, I could get some really good recipes. But as I read the book the storyline also has our sleuth doing a lot of genealogy research while managing a new life on a farm, solving murder crimes and trying to stay warm all at the same time.
This is a very good series. One that I will definitely look forward to reading more of.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, it looks like this Orchard Mystery series by Sheila Connolly was absolutely written for you!
Linda S says
I’ve read a few of the Kate Shugak series and enjoy them a lot–colorful characters, gripping plots, all around good reads.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda S, thanks for the Dana Stabenow “testimonial”!
Marianne says
I think I sent you a note last year about Sue Henry. She doesn’t seem to be writing anymore even though she has a “to-be-published” title on Amazon.com. I wonder if she is OK, but despite lots of searching online, I haven’t been able to find anything. I do love her books!
linda says
Marianne, I too loved the Sue Henry books. I watch for any new releases all the time but just don’t see any.
Maybe some other people, maybe, friends of some of these writers who haven’t published for awhile, could give us an update on these writers.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Wouldn’t that be great, Linda?!?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marianne, I’m sorry I still don’t know when Sue Henry will be publishing a new book. Here’s hoping someone will know something…
Barb Goffman says
Susan Froetschel wrote a stand-alone, Alaska Grey, set in Sitka, Alaska.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Barb, I’ll go add Alaska Grey to the list of mysteries that take place in Alaska.
Susan says
Just reading another mystery set in Alaska. ‘Capitol Offense’. Bk 2 in Mike Doogan’s ‘Nik Kane’ series.
Not really a cozy – (Male) Nik is an ex-cop turned PI – but I thought I’d mention it anyway.
PS – there’s another vote for Sue Henry, here. 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Susan, for telling us about Mike Doogan’s Alaska Nik Kane Mystery Series.
Merry says
Glad to see Alaska added to the Cozy Mystery themes.
My husband and I went on our first cruise last year, destination Alaska. We bought all of Sue Henry’s books and started reading them before and during the trip. Loved both of her series. Have been gathering the Dana Stabenow series for my TBR pile.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Merry, my mother took the four of us children on a cruise to Alaska in 2000, and I have been wanting to take my husband on one since then. Beautiful state!
Rochelle says
Any idea what’s happened to Sue Henry?
Colleen says
I too have wondered about Sue Henry, love all her books! But I think my favorite Alaska author is Dana Stabanow, absolutely can’t put her books down once I start one! I’d like to add two more Alaska mystery authors-Marcia Simpson author of Crow in Stolen Colors, and Sound Tracks, and John Straley author of six mysteries set in Sitka Alaska area. He may not qualify as a cozy writer, but his books are worth reading. I haven’t found anything new by either of these two writers, and I’m wondering what happened to them, also.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Colleen, thanks for telling us about Marcia Simpson’s mysteries set in Alaska, and also for telling us about John Straley’s Sitka, Alaska not-so-cozy mysteries.
Joan says
I once read a novel about a lady who owned a boat and delivered freight to alaska. She also had a small library on her boat. Does anyone happen to know the name or author of this novel?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sorry, Joan, this mystery book doesn’t ring a bell for me. Hopefully someone else will know which author you are looking for.
Judith says
This might be the Liza Romero series by Marcia Simpson referred to in the earlier post.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Judith.
Joan says
Thank you Judith, I think that is the series.
Lori says
John Straley’s series of six Alaska mysteries are excellent. He’s a poet so his writing is lyrical but they’re definitely cozies. “The Curious Eat Themselves” is the first.
Love your site!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Welcome to the Cozy Mystery site, Lori. I’m glad you enjoy it.
Thanks for telling us about John Straley’s Alaska mysteries.
Steph says
John Straley writes mysteries set in Alaska.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Steph, for telling us about John Straley’s Alaska-based mysteries.
Liz says
Dani Pettrey has a wonderful series, Alaskan Courage. All 4 books have a Faith based family as the common thread and are VERY hard to put down. I somewhat stalk her website waiting for the next release.
Also, Kimberly and Kayla Woodhouse have 2 books- “No Safe Haven” and “Race Against Time” are nail-biting suspense and mystery and also have strong Faith based characters.
Sue says
I’ve just returned from an Alaskan trip and was looking for mysteries that take place in this wonderful state. Thanks for all the names of authors.
While in Juneau, I found Roy J. Varni autographing his book, “It Rains Murder Sometimes in Juneau”. I just started reading it and it is promising. Has anyone else read it?
Also, the questions about Sue Henry …I would love to know of any new novels.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sue, I’ve never read any of his books, but several years ago, I went to Alaska and made sure I had a few Sue Henry mysteries with me.
Jennifer says
No Night is Too Long by Barbara Vine (ruth rendell)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jennifer, thank you! I love Ruth Rendell’s/Barbara Vine’s books, and am delighted to put this on the Alaska theme list.
Deanie Nelder says
Kathi Daley has a new(er) series called Rescue, Alaska, which takes place in the town of Rescue, Alaska, involves the local search and rescue team, and is about a woman who starts an animal rescue. She also has psychic-ish abilities (the ability to connect psychically to someone in need or rescuing).
Brenda F says
Paige Shelton-Alaska Wild series. <3