Here are some Fun Ohio Facts:
Ohio got its name from the Iroquoian word which means “great river.”
The capital is Columbus.
The state flower is the Scarlet Carnation.
The state bird is the Cardinal.
The state motto is “With God, all things are possible.”
Authors who are found on the Cozy Mystery Site and who feature Ohio locations in their books:
Avery Aames: Cheese Shop Mystery Series…
Kristi Abbott: Gourmet Popcorn Shop Mystery Series…
Isabella Alan (aka Amanda Flower): Amish Quilt Shop Mystery Series
D.B. Barton (aka Della Barton): Cat Caliban Mystery Series AND Movie Lovers’ Mystery Series…
Vivien Chien: Noodle Shop Mystery Series
Melissa Cleary: Dog Lover’s Mystery Series…
Casey Daniels: Pepper Martin Mystery Series…
Amanda Flower (aka Isabella Alan): India Hayes Mystery Series…
Amanda Flower (aka Isabella Alan): Amish Candy Shop Mystery Series
Amanda Flower (aka Isabella Alan): Amish Matchmaker Mystery Series
P. L. Gaus: Ohio Amish Mystery Series…
Cathie John: Journals of Kate Cavanaugh Culinary Mystery Series…
Kylie Logan (aka Miranda Bliss & Casey Daniels): Ethnic Eats Mystery Series…
Kylie Logan (aka Miranda Bliss & Casey Daniels): League of Literary Ladies Mystery Series
Kylie Logan (aka Miranda Bliss & Casey Daniels): Jazz Ramsey Mystery Series
Ralph McInerny (aka Monica Quill): Egidio Manfredi Mystery Series…
Emilie Richards: Ministry is Murder Mystery Series…
Sharon Short: Stain-Busting Mystery Series AND Patricia Delaney Mystery Series…
Heather Webber: Nina Quinn Mystery Series…
Please feel free to contact me if you see an author from the Cozy Mystery Site who belongs on this list, or if you have any comments.
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦
Buffy says
I just found your Cozy Mysteries site and enjoyed it very much. It was interesting to see all the names of mystery writers, some of which I was familiar with and others I didn’t know. I would like to recommend an author that I could not find on your site: Iris Johansen. She started out writing historical romances and then switched to mysteries. Some are stand alone stories, but many are tied together. Eve Duncan is a recurring character along with her family members. I’m not sure if her novels are considered “Cozy” or not, but I have really enjoyed her work.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Buffy, for recommending Iris Johansen. I just added her name to the list of authors who I want to (eventually!) add to the site.
I’m glad you are enjoying the site, and thanks for letting me know.
Jennie Bentley says
Thanks for the shout-out for “Spackled and Spooked”; I really appreciate it!
Ruth says
Thanks for the list of authors writing about Ohio. I’ve lived in Ohio for 68 years with no regrets. A little snow in winter, but no hurricanes, or forest fires or avalanches of snow or mud. All in all, not a bad place to live. I got a Kindle 2 a little over 6 months ago; and have been finding all kinds of new books, and series, and authors. I also downloaded and read all of Anne George’s books. I read all the Insp Lynley books, and have just about finished all the Mrs Jeffrey books. Enjoy your site and info a lot. Thanks.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
That’s a lot of reading!
AND
Thanks for the kind words about the site.
PS>>> My husband grew up in Northfield, Ohio. I always enjoyed going back to visit…
Fran says
Les Roberts’s books are set in Cleveland Ohio. Not a cozy mystery writer; but generally not too graphic. It’s fun to read about real places. Thanks so much for your website!!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks for telling us about Les Roberts.
Rabia says
Hey I’m from Ohio and hope to write a cozy mystery someday soon!
I just stumbled upon this site and instantly loved it!! I am a big fan of cozy mysteries and am happy to have come across a site where there are others that have that in common. I’d like to mention Misa Ramirez, Kayla Perrin and Claudia Mair Burney. They are good writers when it come to mysteries although Claudia Mair Burney’s Amanda Bell Brown series may qualify more so as cozy mystery than the other two authors. Read for yourselves. Great mysteries (although Kayla Perrin and C.M. Burney have books in other genres).
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Rabia, for telling us about both authors!
Olive says
I love this site. I am sure I will be back many times. I have always wanted to find a site like this.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Welcome to the site, Olive. And thanks for the very kind words!
Margo says
Les Roberts writes some great mysteries all set in Cleveland, Ohio. You might add him to your Ohio list. Thanks for your website! I love it! I found it after reading all of Joanne Fluke’s books and looking for someone like her. Is there anyone similar? Thanks for your help.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Margo, for telling us about Les Roberts Ohio mystery series.
linda says
Danna, as I have stated before I live in Ohio. Except for maybe living on an ocean coast for a while, I have never wanted to live anywhere else. After all, if I moved to another location where would I visit or travel to? Ohio!!
Without seeming to be an Ohio travel agent, I think the best way to see what Ohio is and has to offer is to travel across US 40 from Indiana to Pennsylvania or West Virginia. Or to travel US 68 from the Ohio River to Lake Erie. (I think US 68 goes all the way to Lake Erie. A traveler would have to check a map.) Traveling close to the Ohio River is also a great route to take. All three of these routes will take a traveler through many good sections of Ohio. Beautiful scenery, good people and if a traveler would stop at the Mom and Pop restaurants, they will enjoy some very good eating. There are several Amish restaurants in these areas as well.
I think the best time of the year to travel Ohio is in the middle part of spring when the dogwoods are in bloom as well as many of the other spring flowering trees and bushes. Then again about the 2nd to 3rd week of October when the fall colors are spectacular. Almost all of Ohio is gorgeous this time of the year but these routes that I mentioned are extra beautiful. The area around Old Man’s Cave near Lancaster is especially beautiful that time of the year. A person doesn’t really have to travel all the way up to the Northeast to experience Mother Nature’s fall display. Wayne National Forest is in this area.
Enough of that.
I read a book years ago that if I remember right had Aurora Teagarden as the main sleuth. Again if I remember right this series is written by Charlaine Harris. One book from the series had Aurora traveling to a small town in central Ohio called “Middleburgh” to unravel something mysterious concerning her late husband. The reason I can remember the town this book was set in is because my dad was born in this town. What a surprise I had when I discovered this particular book was set in my dad’s hometown! Both of my dad’s parents were originally from this area.
This part of Ohio is a beautiful part of Ohio. The town is actually in a part of Ohio that if a traveler didn’t know exactly where they were going, they would not know how to get there. Several years ago when I was heavily involved with tracing my ancestors, my hubby and I had to stop a few times to make sure we were headed in the right direction. There is another small town called West Liberty where we had to stop and ask how to get to Middleburgh.
The Ohio Caverns are close to this area, as well as many other tourist areas of interest. Going through Ohio anyone could also make a stop at the U.S. Air Force Museum for a wonderful day. (Plan to stay a while, at least one whole day. This place is Ohio’s best museum.) My dad often talked about how he and his siblings would play in those caves.
This Friday, June 1st would have been my dad’s 100th birthday. Because of that, my mind has been on my dad quite a lot here as of late. What a nice thing to find someone asking about novels set in Ohio during this particular week.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, I love Ohio, also. I have never lived there, but my husband and I used to visit his family out there, and I found it to be a beautiful state. I remember the first time his folks picked us up from the airport, I was quite surprised at all of the rolling hills. Beautiful state… You’re lucky to live there.
linda c says
Danna, I love reading the series that are set in Texas. But I just cannot understand how any of you who actually live in Texas can stand that heat. I suppose this is something that a person would have to be a native of a state to be able to endure the drastic weather changes. I have a nephew who moved from Ohio to Texas to work. He and his wife just cannot take that heat so he found a different job near San Diego. They both say they don’t want to listen to anyone from Ohio complaining about the hot summer days Ohio has ever again.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, we moved to Texas from Colorado, and we are still not “used” to this heat >>> and that was over 20 years ago!
Judith says
My parents both grew up in Ohio but moved to Arizona when I was a kid. They love the heat! Of course, it is a dry heat – which really makes a difference.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
You are not kidding, Judith, about the difference between dry and humid heat! I am looking out my window (as I type this) and see a little squirrel sprawled out on a fork in the tree’s limbs. She is absolutely darling, but I’m guessing she’s feeling our summer’s humid heat…
Susan M says
I believe the Buckeye Barrister Mystery Series by David M. Selcer belongs on your site. All Mr. Selcer’s mysteries take place in Columbus, Ohio. They are both cozy and funny.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan M, thank you for telling us about David M. Selcer‘s Buckeye Barrister Mystery Series.
Christine says
Don’t forget Kylie Logan’s League of Literary Ladies series. It’s set at Put-In Bay, which is in Ohio.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Christine, thank you!
Dawn says
I’ve got 2 mysteries for you. One is cozy, and one is not cozy.
The non-cozy one is called the Kate Burkholder mystery series. The author is Linda Castillo. The first book is called Sworn to silence. It’s about an ex-amish woman who becomes the police chief of the Painters Mill police department.
The author actually stayed with some of my grandparent’s on my dad’s side of the family’s amish friends house to write one of her books. She actually mentioned their name in the accknowledgements section of the book. Can’t think of the name at the moment.
The one that’s cozy, is by Laura Bradford, and it’s called the Emergency desert squad. Sadly, there’s only 4 books in the series. But, I read the 1st book and fell in love with it. It takes place in Silverlake Ohio. It’s about a woman named Winnie Anderson, who has to sadly close her bakery, who inherits an old ambulance from a deceased relative, and decides to take her baking business to a whole new level.
Love your website! 🙂