Wow! There sure are a lot of detectives of “a certain age” out there in the world of mystery books! When I started going through all of my authors and trying to categorize them, I divided them into more obvious themes… I had sleuths who cooked and cleaned, amateur detectives who gardened and golfed, accounting sleuths, amateur detectives who skated and golfed, sleuths who owned book stores or worked at libraries, ETC. However, I think that the “senior” sleuth was the most ambiguous of all of the categories. When I was in my twenties, I probably would have said that 60s would be considered senior. Now, however, I don’t think of 60s as anywhere near “retirement time.” (Note that I don’t say just “retirement”…. since I am truly looking forward to the day when my husband can retire and we can really start living… it up, I mean! Travelling during the time when other people are locked into the school schedules, taking off when we feel like it, going where we want to go, ETC… and that’s a BIG “ETC” of all the things that are available once you retire from work… but by no means from life! (Enough philosophizing for the day!)
Here is the last of the three sections with authors who write books which feature “Senior” Sleuths:
Monica Quill: Sister Mary Teresa Mystery Series
Virginia Rich: Eugenia Potter Series
T. Dawn Richard: May List Mystery Series
Cynthia Riggs: Martha’s Vineyard Mystery Series
Fay Risner: Amazing Gracie Mystery Series
Patricia Rockwell: Essie Cobbs, Senior Sleuth Mystery Series
Sharon Rose: Parson’s Cove Cozy Mystery Series
Ann B. Ross: Miss Julia Series
Jean Ruryk: Cat Wilde Mystery Series
Susan Santangelo: Baby Boomer Mystery Series
Mary Saums: Thistle and Twigg Mystery Series
Corinne Holt Sawyer: Benbow & Wingate Series
Margaret Searles: Mrs. Millet & Mrs. Hark Mystery Series
Secrets of Mary’s Bookshop – a Guidepost mystery series
Deborah Sharp: Mace Bauer Mystery Series (& Mama)
John Sherwood: Celia Grant Series
Beth Solheim: Sadie Witt Mystery Series
Patricia Houck Sprinkle: Thoroughly Southern Mystery Series
Nancy Jill Thames: Jillian Bradley Mystery Series
Kathy Hogan Trocheck: Truman Kicklighter Series
Livia J. Washburn: Fresh Baked Mystery Series
Patricia Wentworth: Miss Maud Silver Mystery Series
Eric Wright: Mel Pickett Series
Sue Owens Wright: Beanie & Cruiser Mystery Series
Senior Sleuth by Authors beginning with A – F
Senior Sleuths by Authors beginning with G – P
If you would like me to add another author or series to this list…. Please send me a comment by clicking under the faint gray line.
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link♦
Chica & Jo says
Please add one of my favorites…Mrs. Polifax!
Denise says
I’m so frazzled searching and searching my librarie (s) in Coos county Oregon, for some of the Senior Sleuth mysteries. The one I did find was Lorene McCourtney and I love the Ivy Malone series, LOVE it. But now, I can’t find any others.
Can anyone tell me if we might have an addition to this blog, just to list “most likely to find in library” cozies? I would so appreciate it, the help.
Any ideas are welcome as well, even if that sort of section would be to hard, I do understand;) Any help appreciated:) denise e, Coos Bay, Oregon:)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Denise, I doubt I’d be able to make a “most likely to find in library” Cozy theme, since each library carries different books. However, I have two suggestions:
1) Find out if your library system has their books online. This will save you from having to go from one library to the next.
2) Find out if your library participates in a interlibrary loan system.
Denise says
Thank you so much, although I am hooked up online, thank goodness;) and yes to the interlibrary loan system;)
Thank you again for your response:) I don’t know how author’s work it with libraries, but I am assuming they donate the books, but most likely only after they’ve been out for some time, as I know no one writes books for free;) I wouldn’t:) Denise
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Denise, I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful…
Denise says
no worries;) I can do a pretty good search on library. You can narrow things down etc.;)
Nan says
Good Morning…as a retired librarian I can assure you that authors, very, very rarely donate a book. Each library has a book budget for the year and books are purchased using these funds!
If you are an ebook reader or iPad user and your local library participates in one of the ebook programs, you would be able to check out books from the comfort of your favorite chair. Even if your local library does not participate in these programs, many people are able to obtain an “out of county” library card for a small sum per year from a neighboring county that does participate.
Happy Hunting!
Denise says
thank you Nan:)
I’m finding most of my books through the “freebies” that cozy-mysteries posts. Some I do find, but rarely, at the library.
denise;)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Dorothy Gilman is on the G through P page of the senior sleuth lists. You’re right in thinking that the list wouldn’t be complete without Mrs. Polifax!
Amanda says
Pretty much long out of print, there’s a short series by Graham Landrum with a heroine who is in her 80’s. Of interest partly because it is set in upper East Tennessee, Bristol (which would account for the series called Borderville) or Johnson City.
The Famous DAR Mystery is the first and maybe the best, it’s been a long time since I’ve read them.
The Rotary Club Mystery is the second, and there are at least two more.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for writing and mentioning Graham Landrum.
I actually have Graham Landrums’ Club Mystery Series on the Senior Sleuths G – P page.
Sally says
I need help !!!!! I checked over your list and could not find what I was searching for. In our local library there was a series of mystery books about de-cluttering. There is a series on organization and one on interior design. They are all mysteries. Does anyone recall anything like this? AND, I LOVE this site !!!!!!! Thank you.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sally,
I’m glad to hear you enjoy the site…
As for ideas about your authors:
Professional Organizer: Mary Jane Maffini writes the Charlotte Adams Mystery Series.
Interior Decorator: Peg Marberg writes the Interior Design Mystery Series.
I hope that these are the authors you are trying to locate…
Elizabeth says
I really enjoy mysteries featuring sleuths. I didn’t see Barbara Colley’s Charlotte LaRue series on your list. I am constantly running out of my favorite authors. Your list is a wonderful service! Thanks!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for the kind words about the site
AND
I have Barbara Colley’s Charlotte LaRue series listed on the house keepers / maid services theme page. Also, I don’t know that 59 is considered “senior”… certainly, as I get closer to that age I think it sounds younger! But, I am going to go add her series to my senior sleuths theme page, also.
Tammy says
I recently finished a series by Elizabeth Spann Craig. Myrtle Clover is a retired, octogenarian English teacher and her son, Red, is the Police Chief. She is constantly trying to solve murders before he does and he is constantly trying to keep her out of trouble. Whenever Red does something to upset Myrtle, she fills her yard full of garden gnomes from her shed so that Red, who lives across the street, can see them.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, again, Tammy for telling us about Elizabeth Spann Craig. I think that if I were Red, I would (possibly!) put my house on the market!
Valerie says
Hello.
Don’t forget Livia Washburn’s retired teacher, Phyllis Newsom, in the Fresh-Baked mysteries.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Valerie, and I did forget her! Thank you for reminding me about Livia J. Washburn’s Phyllis Newsom. I just added the Fresh Baked series to the Senior Sleuth list.
June says
Please add mine. June Shaw’s Cealie Gunther series
Nancy Jill Thames says
Jillian Bradley is a senior sleuth along with her Yorkie sleuth-dog, Teddy in The Jillian Bradley Mystery Series.
Thank you for adding my books to the list.
~Nancy Jill
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you for reminding me about your Jillian Bradley Mystery Series, Nancy Jill Thames. I added it (or should I say “her”?) to the Senior Sleuths Mystery theme.
Pat says
When I was young I read a series with 2 retired ladies living in an assisted living community near the ocean.They were both widows and one had been married to a Navy admiral. I would love to find out the author so I can read them again.Can you help me?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Pat, I’m sorry to see you’re still looking for this series! I wrote an entry about it way back on May 19, 2012, but apparently we weren’t able to come up with your author. I’m sorry about that. I hope someone reads this comment and knows who you are looking for this time around! Here’s hoping…
Carole says
Angela Benbow and Caledonia Wingate series by Corinne Holt Sawyer. She hasn’t published anything since 1997. These were great books!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Carole, thank you so much for providing the answer to this question!
Pat says
Thank you Danna and Carole — I have been trying to track this series down for years. Thanks for taking the time to respond. I can’t wait to read them all again
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Pat, I’m so glad Carole was able to figure out who you have been looking for!
Patti says
This series sounds SO good! I’ve found the whole series in my library and just ordered the first book. Can’t wait to read it!
Glen says
I have some books about a couple of elderly men, a bit scatterbrained maybe? Or maybe just a bit naive. They do solve mysteries, and the books are very funny. They’re older books and out of print now. In fact, out of print for quite awhile. And I can’t remember anything else about them. Any suggestions?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Glen, I’m afraid I can’t think of anything immediately for this one! Hopefully someone else can help – I’ve posted it to the front page as part of a longer post.
janiehile says
One of my favorites is by Evelyn S. Smith. Mis Melville Regrets is the first in the series.
Here is what GoodReads has to say: “What can a woman do? Susan Melville’s trust fund is dwindling, her teaching job is terminated, her lover is abroad for the season, and her apartment is going co-op. So naturally Miss Melville decides to shoot herself at a posh society party. Unfortunately, she misses — and kills the guest of honor instead. When she slips out the door, a stranger follows. He thanks her for doing the job for him, and Miss Melville’s new career is born.
Of course she has scruples. Miss Melville won’t kill just anybody, but she’s about to face a job that even she will find a challenge of the most dangerous order, an assignment she just might regret — for good . . . . “
Jane K. says
Oh thank you!!! That’s the one!! I loved that book. You’re a gem for replying!! Now I have to go find it and read it!!
Melissa says
Miranda James Southern Ladies series has senior sleuth sisters (say that 5 times fast!). Also I think the human sleuth from the Cat in the Stacks series is a senior – he’s a retired librarian if I remember correctly. Also by Miranda James.