Here are some fun New York facts:
The capital is Albany.
The largest city is New York City.
State motto is “Ever Upwards” (“Excelsior”).
State nickname is “Empire State”.
State flower is the Rose.
State bird is the Eastern Bluebird.
Authors who are found on the Cozy Mystery Site and who feature New York locations in their books:
Lydia Adamson: Alice Nestleton Mystery Series AND Deirdre Quinn Nightingale Mystery Series AND Lucy Wayles Mystery Series
L. L. Bartlett (aka Lorna Barrett & Lorraine Bartlett): Jeff Resnick Mystery Series
George Baxt: Celebrity Sleuths Mystery Series
Cynthia Baxter: Reigning Cats & Dogs Mystery Series AND Murder Packs a Suitcase Mystery Series
Carol Lea Benjamin: Rachel Alexander Mystery Series
Carole Berry: Bonnie Indermil Mystery Series
Claudia Bishop (aka Mary Stanton): Hemlock Falls Mystery Series AND the Casebook of Dr. McKenzie Mystery Series
Barbara Block (aka Isis Crawford): Robin Light Mystery Series
Lawrence Block: Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery Series AND Matthew Scudder Mystery Series AND John Keller Mystery Series
Lisa Bork: Broken Vows Mystery Series
Rhys Bowen: Molly Murphy Mystery Series
Ali Brandon (aka Diane A.S. Stuckart): Black Cat Bookshop Mystery Series
Susan Breen: Maggie Dove Mystery Series
Kathleen Bridge: Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery Series
Maggie Bruce (aka Marilyn Wallace): Gourd Craft Mystery Series
Catherine Bruns: Cookies & Chance Mystery Series
Carole Buggé: Claire Rawlings Mystery Series
Meg Cabot: Heather Wells Mystery Series
Joyce Christmas: Lady Margaret Priam Mystery Series
Jill Churchill: Grace and Favor Mystery Series
Harlan Coben: Myron Bolitar Mystery Series
Meredith Cole: Lydia McKenzie Mystery Series
Amanda Cooper (aka Victoria Hamilton & Donna Lea Simpson): Teapot Collector Mystery Series
Cleo Coyle (aka Alice Kimberly): Coffee House Mystery Series
Isis Crawford (aka Barbara Block): Mystery with Recipes Mystery Series
Amanda Cross: Kate Fansler Mystery Series
Elizabeth Daly: Henry Gamadge Mystery Series
Jeffery Deaver: Lincoln Rhyme Mystery Series AND Rune Mystery Series
Jane Dentinger: Jocelyn O’Roarke Mystery Series
Lesley A. Diehl: Microbrewers Mystery Series
Joanne Dobson & Beverle Graves Myers: Helluva War Mystery Series
Elizabeth J. Duncan: Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery Series
J.C. Eaton: Wine Trail Mystery Series
Grace F. Edwards: Mali Anderson Mystery Series
Selma Eichler: Desiree Shapiro Mystery Series
J. F. Englert: Bull Moose Dog Run Mystery Series
Chrystle Fiedler: Natural Remedies Mystery Series
Rae Foley: Mr. Potter Mystery Series
Shelley Freydont: Celebration Bay Mystery Series
Kinky Friedman: Kinky Friedman Mystery Series
Gallagher Gray (aka Katy Munger): Hubbert & Lil Mystery Series
Lena Gregory: Bay Island Psychic Mystery Series
Martha Grimes: Emma Graham Mystery Series
Kathryn Miller Haines: Rosie Winter Mystery Series
Victoria Hamilton: Merry Muffin Mysteries
Susannah Hardy (aka Sadie Hartwell): Greek to Me Mystery Series
Lee Harris: Christine Bennett Mystery Series AND Manhattan Mystery Series
April Henry & Lis Wiehl: Triple Threat Club Mystery Series
Mary Ellen Hughes: Pickled and Preserved Mystery Series
Kate Jacobs: Friday Night Knitting Club Series (not a mystery)
Diana Killian: Mantra for Murder Mystery Series
Cecile Lamalle: Culinary Mystery Series
Emma Lathen (aka R. B. Dominic): Wall Street Mystery Series
Lucy Lawrence (aka Jenn McKinlay & Josie Belle): Decoupage Mystery Serie
Richard & Frances Lockridge: Mr. & Mrs. North Mystery Series AND Captain Heimrich Mystery Series AND Paul Lane Mystery Series
Mary Jane Maffini: Charlotte Adams Mystery Series
Margaret Maron: Sigrid Harald Mystery Series
Rosemary Martin (aka Rosemary Stevens): Murder a-Go-Go Mystery Series
Amanda Matetsky: Paige Turner Mystery Series AND Annie March Mystery Series
Jennifer McAndrews: Stained-Glass Mystery Series
Judi McCoy: Dog Walker Mystery Series
Jenn McKinlay (aka Lucy Lawrence & Josie Belle): Library Lover’s Mystery Series
Amy Patricia Meade: Rosie the Riveter Mystery Series
Annette Meyers (aka 1/2 Maan Meyers): Smith & Wetzon Mystery Series AND Olivia Brown Mystery Series
Maan Meyers (aka Martin & Annette Meyers): Dutchman Historical Mystery Series
Miriam Grace Monfredo: Seneca Falls Mystery Series
Marie Moore: Sydney March Mystery Series
J. J. Murphy: Algonquin Round Table Mystery Series
Beverle Graves Myers & Joanne Dobson: Helluva War Mystery Series
Kris Neri: Tracy Eaton Mystery Series
Leslie O’Kane (aka Leslie Caine): Molly Masters Mystery Series
Linda Palmer (aka Melinda Wells): Daytime Mystery Series
Stuart Palmer: Hildegarde Withers Mystery Series
Barbara Paul: Marina Larch Mystery Series AND Opera Mystery Series
Thomas Perry: Jane Whitefield Mystery Series
Sandra Scoppettone: Faye Quick Mystery Series AND Lauren Laurano Mystery Series
Roz Siegel: Emily’s Place Mystery Series
Julia Spencer-Fleming: Adirondack Mystery Series
Wendy Corsi Staub: Lily Dale Mystery Series
Rex Stout: Nero Wolfe Mystery Series AND Tecumseh Fox Mystery Series
Jennifer Sturman: Rachel Benjamin Mystery Series
Victoria Thompson: Gaslight Mystery Series
Radha Vatsal: Kitty Weeks Mystery Series – Kitty is a journalist in New York during the 1910s.
Noreen Wald (aka Nora Charles): Jake O’Hara Mystery Series
Christine Wenger: Comfort Food Mystery Series
Anne White: Lake George Mystery Series
Lis Wiehl & April Henry: Triple Threat Club Mystery Series
Lis Wiehl & Pete Nelson: East Salem Trilogy
Barbara Jaye Wilson: Brenda Midnight Mystery Series
And, Katherine Hall Page’s Faith Fairchild went to New York in The Body in the Big Apple.
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.♦
Myra Duffy says
Great list,but can someone please tell me why New York is called The Big Apple? I’ve asked many people but no one seems to know. I’m a very curious Scot!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Myra, it looks like Heather Cross, a New York City travel guide, has the best theory and explanation on why New York City is called “The Big Apple”. It is on About.com: http://gonyc.about.com/cs/atozinde1/a/bigapple.htm
marion says
Just as a matter of interest, Myra, there was a very popular dance in the 1930s called the “Big Apple”. All I know about it is that it was a “Swing” dance and involved shaking your forefinger as you danced. I’m sure if you Google it, you’ll find more information.
Dave says
Sure would hate to leave out author Kinky Friedman and his Village Irregular’s….he’s just an unemployed Jewish ex musician living in a loft…drinking expresso’s…talking to his cat..(who never says anything), but expresses his cat like opinion anyway while the ole Kinkster …smokes cigars and solves New York’s greatest crimes with his Sherlockian deduction!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Dave, for reminding me about Kinky Friedman.
Margaret says
Danna, how funny you should post the New York list.
I just finished A CATERED MURDER and have just started A CATERED HALLOWEEN by Isis Crawford/Barbara Block, who is an upstate NY girl herself. She lives in Syracuse (she has her alter ego living in Hastings-on-Hudson). I love this series and intend to follow it. I love Libby and Bernie and it’s great that their Dad (retired Police Chief) and friends help with the sluething! It’s fun to follow them all around the town. They make no secret of their sleuthing and they are just a great group of characters. I also love all the familiar references. Very cute series!
May I please post one gripe to those who may read this?
Please remember New York is a state not just a city and the state of New York is grander and more wonderful than the city of and actually has the most spectacular of all from our country sides to our mountains to our small quaint towns and many other fabulous cities. We are a very spectacular state and many who have never seen our state think we are just the concrete island that gets the majority of the press. Thanks I feel so much better getting that off my chest, thanks!
marja says
Heh-heh — Margaret, I’m from New York myself. How many times in your life have you mentioned you’re from New York and someone replies, “Hey, do you know So and So from XXrd Street in [fill in the City borough]?”
I’m from the Island myself, and grew up sailing on Great South Bay, but my dad grew up in Boonville, near Utica and southeast of Syracuse, so I know and love the Adirondacks as well.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marja, I’m afraid the “Hey, do you know So and So from XXrd Street in [fill in the City borough]?” happens with other states and cities. San Antonio is now the seventh largest cities in the USA>>> “No, I don’t know John Smith from San Antonio!”
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Margaret, a good friend of mine’s family was stationed in an Air Force base in Rome, New York. She talks about the beautiful area, and how much her family enjoyed their stay there. Not only did she love the scenery, but she enjoyed the fact that they were able to both snow ski and water ski.
susie calkins says
This is a great list! So many authors that I’d like to try! Thanks for compiling it for us! I love your lists by region–I grew up in Philadelphia; would love to read any mysteries from there!
*Susan says
May I suggest Katherine Hall Page’s “The Body in the Big Apple”? Or are you only including whole series?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Great idea, *Susan, I’ll go add Katherine Hall Page’s The Body in the Big Apple to the list of New York Cozy Mysteries.
Myra Duffy says
Thank you so much for that explanation of The Big Apple – a real life mystery solved for me!
Marla says
don’t forget Thomas Perry’s Jane Whitefield series – even though not REALLY a cozy series, per se – that take place in my neck of the woods – Tonawanda, NY! he uses a different name, but I recognize all the streets and the hospital where her husband works. Thomas is from Tonawanda, too!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Marla, I have added Thomas Perry’s Jane Whitefield to the list.
Thanks, again!
marja says
I cannot say enough how much I’ve enjoyed Julia Spencer-Fleming’s Russ Van Alstyne/Rev. Claire mysteries. Her descriptions of the Adirondacks remind me of my visits to my grandmother’s town in Upstate New York. One year I was there for Easter and it snowed three feet!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marja, thanks for telling us about your enjoyment of Julia Spencer-Fleming’s Russ Van Alstyne/Rev. Claire mysteries.
linda says
Marja, Although I myself wouldn’t consider the Julia Spencer-Fleming series a Cozy mystery series, I love her books. This is another author that just cannot write fast enough for me. Love the books, the characters, the storylines, the whole bit. Beautiful series. Can’t hardly wait for the next one to come out. This is another one of those authors that before I start reading a book I make sure that I have nothing else to do because nothing else will get done.
Som says
How about the Hailey Dean Duology (The Eleventh Victim and Death on the D-List) by Nancy Grace? Hailey Dean is a therapist turned violent crimes prosecutor who solves mysteries in New York City.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Som, thank you for telling us about Nancy Grace’s Hailey Dean mysteries.
Elizabeth says
The late Judi McCoy’s paranormal dog walking series also took place in New York
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Elizabeth, thanks! I’ll go add her to the New York list right now. Thanks, again!
Susan* says
Isidore Haiblum’s ‘Murder in Gotham’ takes place in the Jewish ‘Lower East Side’ of New York. (A specific date is never given, but around the 1940’s / 50’s.)
A brilliant book which I’ve read twice – straight through, both times – and highly recommend. There are supposedly 2 books in the series, but, well, I *wish* I could find the other one!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan, thanks for the suggestion – I’ll have to take a look at Haiblum’s work at some point!
Kathleen Kendler says
ITALIAN CHEF MYSTERY Series by Catherine Bruns takes place in upstate NY
Alexis says
The Dr. Josephine Plantae Paradoxes — Book one is ACONITE Queen of poisons, based on the extraordinary true life of south Brooklyn’s first woman doctor. Dr. Josephine Reva is a Homeopath M.D. who moonlights as a detective. She solves poison botanical mysteries in Roaring 20’s and 30’s Brooklyn and Italy. ACONITE is a madcap, fun read!
Fascinating stories based on true events.