The Cozy Mystery List Blog

On with the hobby/craft themes found in cozy mystery series! This entry is about authors who feature dolls, teddy bears, and miniature dollhouses in their cozy mystery series.

Deb Baker writes two cozy mystery series. One of them (the Yooper Mystery Series) features an older sleuth. Her other series is the Dolls to Die For Mystery Series about an aunt and niece duo who not only collect dolls, but who also solve crimes.

Camille Minichino (aka Margaret Grace) writes the Periodic Table Mystery Series which features Gloria Lamerino, an over-fifty physicist. As Margaret Grace, she pens the Miniature Mystery Series, which features a retired English teacher who makes dollhouse miniatures AND happens to be a very accomplished sleuth.

John J. Lamb used to be a California policeman who now writes the Bear Collectors Mystery Series, in which he is able to combine his past police work with the bear collecting hobby he shares with his wife.

Meg Macy (aka 1/2 of D.E. Ireland) writes the Teddy Bear Mystery Series which stars Sasha Silverman, the manager of a teddy bear shop and factory.

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When you think of cozy mystery series, you probably think of cozy villages, eccentric villagers, and…. gourds!?! How about soap making or candle making?  Hmmmm…..

Tim Myers (aka Elizabeth Bright) writes the Soap Making Mystery Series and the Candle Making Mystery Series, along with the Lighthouse Inn Mystery Series. On the other hand,  Elizabeth Bright writes the Card Making Mystery Series.

Cricket McRae writes the Homecrafting Mystery Series which features a soap maker.

Maggie Bruce (aka Marilyn Wallace) writes the Lili Marino Gourd Crafting Mystery Series. I have seen segments on craft shows that showcase gourd crafting, and I have to say that it looks like a really neat hobby. Right now, though, I think I’ll just stick with the gourd crafting that Lili Marino does. (By the way, Bruce is also a gourd artist!)

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There are just a few more crafting cozy mystery series that I want to present, two of which are the Card Making Cozy Mystery Series and the Scrap Booking Cozy Mystery Series. It seems like our “real life” crafting trends make perfect background settings for some of our favorite cozy mystery series. Imagine Miss Marple without her knitting…. Well, now that scrap booking and card making have hit the local craft stores (big time!!!), I guess that it is no wonder that we have cozy mystery series that feature those arts.

Elizabeth Bright (aka Tim Myers) writes the Card Making Mystery Series that features Jennifer Shane, owner of Custom Card Creations. As Tim Myers, the same author writes the Candle Making Series, the Lighthouse Inn Series, and the Soap Making Mystery Series.

Mollie Cox Bryan pens the Cumberland Creek Mystery Series, which has a stay-at-home scrap booking mom as its sleuth.

Laura Childs writes the Scrap booking Mystery Series that revolves around Carmela Bertrand. Childs also writes the Theodosia Browning Charleston Tea Room Mystery Series.

Christina Freeburn writes the Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery Series, starring the owner of a scrapbooking shop…

Lucy Lawrence (aka Jenn McKinlay) writes the  Decoupage Mystery Series…

Joanna Campbell Slan pens the Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-n-Craft Mystery Series…

Terri Thayer writes the Stamping Sisters Mystery Series …

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Quilting has become a very popular theme in cozy mysteries, and rightfully so! Many more people are now enjoying quilting as a favorite hobby, and even more are reading cozy mysteries!

Isabella Alan (aka Amanda Flower) writes the Amish Quilt Shop Mystery Series. Angela Braddock inherits the quilt shop and sleuths, as well.

Lizbie Brown writes the Elizabeth Blair Mystery Series, which is set in Bath, England… where Brown resides.

Vannetta Chapman writes the Shipshewana Mystery Series, starring the owner of a quilt shop, set in the Amish Indiana town of Shipshewana.

The Elm Creek Quilts Series is not a mystery series but it is very popular with quilters, as well as non-quilters!  This series is written by Jennifer Chiaverini. Chiaverini also has accompanying instructional books that feature the quilts in the novels.

Elizabeth Craig (aka Riley Adams & Elizabeth Spann Craig) writes the Southern Quilting Mystery Series, which is set in North Carolina.

Earlene Fowler writes the Benni Harper Mystery Series. Each of the novels is named after a different quilt pattern.

Amanda Flower (aka Isabella Alan): Amish Matchmaker Mystery Series – The sleuth is a widowed quiltmaker who becomes a matchmaker in her hometown.

Sara Hoskinson Frommer writes the Joan Spencer Mystery Series. While the series is not a quilting mystery series, the second book in the series is called Buried in Quilts.

Sally Goldenbaum pens the Queen Bees Quilt Shop Mystery Series which features Selma Parker, owner of a fabric and quilt shop

Sally Goldenbaum writes the Queen Bees Quilt Mystery Series AND the Seaside Knitters Mystery Series which is set in a Massachusetts coastal town. 

Patience Griffin: writes the Kilts and Quilts Series which is set in Scotland. This series is Cozy but not mysteries.

Mary Marks writes the Martha Rose Quilting Mystery Series, which features a plus-sized quilter in California.

Clare O’Donohue writes the Someday Quilts Mystery Series. O’Donohue is an ex-journalist and writing teacher who has worked for the HGTV network on the “Simply Quilts” show. She mixes quilting with romance and mystery.

The Patchwork Mystery Series is a Guidepost mystery series which will have, as its sleuth, a woman who is good with the needle AND who is good at solving mysteries.

Emilie Richards writes the Ministry is Murder Mystery Series. She also writes a non-mystery series which is called the Shenandoah Valley Series. The novels in this quilting series are named after different quilting patterns, and they have accompanying books that Leisure Arts publishes which actually have the directions for the quilts featured in the Shenandoah Valley Series. I think that’s very clever…. and only wish that I quilted!

Arlene Sachitano writes the Harriet Truman Loose Threads Mystery Series. Harriet inherits a quilting shop…

Leann Sweeney writes the Cats in Trouble Mystery Series. Jillian Hart makes cat quilts that she sells online and at cat shows.

Terri Thayer writes the Quilting Mystery Series, which features a computer technician who inherits a quilt shop.

Vineyard Quilt Mystery Series: This no-profanity series is set in Missouri and is published by the Annie’s Crafts Company. Several authors write this series.

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