The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

Culinary Theme Mysteries : Cooking Mysteries….. S – W Plus More…

As I have said several times, there seems to be an abundance of culinary theme cozy mystery series. This is great for us, the cozy mystery readers…. In case we don’t particularly care for one of the series, not to worry…  there are plenty more culinary cozy mysteries to pick from…

Connie Shelton writes the Samantha Sweet Mystery Series. Samantha owns the Sweet’s Sweet bakery in Taos, New Mexico. She is able to use her magical powers to help her solve mysteries, as well as have a wonderful bakery.

Karen Rose Smith: Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery Series stars Daisy Swanson as a mom and widow who has a tea house in Amish country in Pennsylvania.

J. B. Stanley‘s Supper Club Mystery Series features a retired English Literature Professor who belongs to the Flab Five Supper Club with four of his friends. They get together to commiserate about their weight issues and to take issue with crime. The books have recipes which are tasty, yet at the same time healthy fare.

Lou Jane Temple writes two series: Heaven Lee and Spice Box Mystery Series. Aha! The Spice Box Mystery Series is the second culinary mystery series that I have included that is historical in its nature…. Both of the books in this series feature a different time in history and, obviously, different characters. Temple’s Heaven Lee Mystery Series is a present day culinary mystery series.

Joyce Tremel writes the Brewing Trouble Mystery Series, which stars a certified brewmaster and pub owner.

Gayle Trent writes the Daphne Martin Mystery Series which features a cake decorator who has a taste for solving mysteries.

Livia J. Washburn  writes the Fresh Baked Mystery Series whose sleuth is an ex-teacher/turned baker who solves more than the mystery of a soufflé.  Washburn’s second book in the series is a Halloween cozy, and her upcoming third book is a Christmas cozy mystery. I am hoping that we have a new holiday cozy mystery series!

Kirsten Weiss: Pie Town Mystery Series – Valentine Harris is the owner of Pie Town, a pie shop in San Nicholas, California.

Christine Wenger writes the Comfort Food Mystery Series. The sleuth, Trixie Matkowski, manages a diner in a small town in upstate New York.

Linda Wiken (aka Erika Chase) writes the Dinner Club Mystery Series. J.J. Tanner, the sleuth is an even planner and member of the Culinary Capers Dinner Club

Nan & Ivan Lyons wrote two culinary mysteries: Someone is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe  &  Someone is Killing the Great Chefs of America.

When trying to get my list together for this culinary (cozy) theme of mystery books, an author who I kept coming across was Cathy Pickens…. with her Southern Fried Mystery Series… Now, I know that the title of her series and the covers of her books make it look and sound like the Southern Fried Mystery Series is going to have all sorts of delicious, deep-fried recipes and culinary references, but when I went on the author’s website to check it out…. nope, this series is a fun time, but not culinary in nature!

Here are some more of my CULINARY – COOKING THEMES:

Mysteries with Recipes AND Recipe Books by Mystery Authors

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: A – D

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: F – K

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: L – R

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: Even More!

Where to Start with Culinary Cozy Mystery Series…

♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦

Anne George

Nancy just posted a comment about the Anne George blog which I wrote, asking if anyone knows of another series that is similar to the Southern Sisters Series…

I am going to have to give that a lot of thought. My problem is that the Southern Sisters Series is one of my favorite series, and I don’t know another one that is really similar to it. It would be sort of like asking me if there is something really similar to chocolate… There might be for some people, but not for me! I could give some examples of other types of food that I "crave/long for/love" but, how could you say that… caramel is close? Or potato chips? Or pralines and cream ice cream?

That is how much I like Anne George’s Southern Sisters series!

I can think of some series that I like a lot that might be "somewhat similar," but by no means VERY similar… Charlotte MacLeod is an author who I follow and appreciate a lot. She has two series: the Sarah Kelling books and the Peter Shandy novels. Also, Joan Hess writes two series: the Claire Malloy and the Maggody novels…. Diane Mott Davidson‘s Goldy Bear’s Catering Series is another series that comes to mind. (In the Hess and Davidson cases… I much prefer the first (+/-) five novels in each of the series over the later novels.)

But, as much as I like other authors, and there are many authors who I do like, I don’t think any series can be categorized as really similar to Anne George’s Southern Sisters. So, Nancy, I am blogging in hopes that a blog reader is able to let us know of another author. I (like you) would love to know of another author who is really similar… I miss reading about the Southern Sisters’ sleuthing exploits… and I truly miss the love between the sisters that Anne George was able to convey throughout all of the books.

If you can think of another series that is really similar to the Southern Sisters Series… please post a comment… (The comment button is just below each particular blog entry, under the faint line.)

PS>>> Some people have likened the George series with Sophie Dunbar‘s Clair Claiborne, Sharon McCrumb‘s Elizabeth MacPherson Series, and Jill Churchill‘s Jane Jeffry Series.

Culinary Theme Mysteries : Cooking Mysteries….. L – R

On with the Culinary Theme Cozy Mystery Series!

Cecille Lamalle writes the Charly Poisson Culinary Mystery Series. Charly is an amateur detective and a French restaurant owner in New York.

Janet Laurence writes the British Darina Lisle Mystery Series. Darina is a caterer who not only cooks up a storm, but who also is able to search out culprits!

Kylie Logan (aka Miranda Bliss & Casey Daniels) writes the Chili Cook-Off Mystery Series, which features Texan Maxie Pierce.

Kylie Logan (aka Miranda Bliss & Casey Daniels) pens the Ethnic Eats Mystery Series, which stars Laurel Inwood, a Hollywood star’s personal chef who movies to Ohio to cook in her aunt’s greasy spoon diner.

Colette London writes the Chocolate Whisperer Mystery Series, which features Haydon Mundy Moore, traveling consultant and chocolate lover.

Virginia Lowell writes the Cookie Cutter Shop Mystery Series. The series follows the owner of the Gingerbread House Cookie Shop (Olivia Greyson), who solves mysteries when not baking.

Edith Maxwell (aka Maddie Day & Tace Baker): Local Foods Mystery Series – Cam Flaherty is an organic farmer in Massachusetts. The mystery books contain recipes!

Maggie McConnon (aka Maggie Barbieri): Belfast McGrath Mystery Series – Bel is an Irish-American master chef.

Jenn McKinlay (aka Lucy Lawrence) writes the Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series which features the owner of the Fairy Tale Cupcakes Bakery Shop…

Amy Myers writes a culinary mystery series which is quite different from the rest. The Auguste Didier Mystery Series takes place during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Auguste is a master chef who solves mysteries, although not because he wants to…

Carlene O’Connor writes the Irish Village Mystery Series, starring the owner of a family bistro employing her five siblings.

Katherine Hall Page writes a culinary theme mystery series that features a Massachusettes caterer. The Faith Fairchild Cozy Mystery Series provides not only “great reads” but also some very good recipes!

Nancy J. Parra (aka Nancy Coco) writes the Baker’s Treat Mystery Series, which features a gluten-free baker in Kansas.

Joanne Pence  gives us a really good culinary theme cozy mystery series… The Angelina Amalfi Mystery Series features Angie, a food critic.

Shari Randall writes the Lobster Shack Mystery Series which features an ex-ballet dancer who now works at her aunt’s lobster shack in Connecticut.

Virginia Rich is the author who brought us the Eugenia Potter Cozy Mystery Series. The first three books in this culinary cozy mystery series were written by Rich. Nancy Pickard completed the fourth and has since then added the fifth and sixth book to this highly popular series that features Eugenia, a chef/rancher. Although I haven’t tried any of the included recipes, they look great!

Phyllis Richman writes the Chas Wheatley Mystery Series which is about a Washington, D. C. restaurant critic who also sleuths on the side.

Delia Rosen writes the Deadly Deli Mystery Series which features “Nashville Katz” – a woman who inherits her uncles Jewish deli in … Nashville.

This is yet another culinary theme cozy mystery list. I will be posting at least one more, making the culinary theme cozy mystery list at least four blogs… possibly even more!

Here are some more of my CULINARY – COOKING THEMES:

Mysteries with Recipes AND Recipe Books by Mystery Authors

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: A – D

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: F – K

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: S – W Plus Some!

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: Even More!

Where to Start with Culinary Cozy Mystery Series…

♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦

Culinary Theme Mysteries : Cooking Mysteries….. E, F, G, H, I, J, & K

The Culinary Theme in Cozy Mystery Novels has become quite popular amongst die-hard cozy mystery readers. This is a continuation of the list of the mystery authors who have chosen culinary themes:

K.J. Emrick writes the Soul Wine Shop Mystery Series, starring the owner of a wine shop.

K.J. Emrick: Cookie and Cream Mystery Series –  Karen ‘Cookie’ Williams is a grandmom who owns a bakery shop.

Nancy Fairbanks writes the Carolyn Blue Culinary Mystery Series which (of course) features Carolyn… with her husband who happens to be a scientist. The books include recipes. (Fairbanks is also known as Nancy Herndon… who writes the Elena Jarvis mystery series.)

Jerrilyn Farmer ‘s Madeline Bean Mystery Series features Maddie, the owner of Mad Bean Events Catering. Maddie not only caters to the Los Angeles elite, but she also manages to work in time to solve crimes when she’s not whipping up a delicacy.

In 2006, Honora Finkelstein and Susan Smily put out their first novel in the Ariel Quigley Series, which features an English teacher/Psychic sleuth. The novel was nominated for the Best First Novel category of the prestigious Agatha Awards. There are now two novels in the series and both of them have accompanying recipe books.

Amanda Flower (aka Isabella Alan): Amish Candy Shop Mystery Series – Bailey King is a chocolatier in her grandparents’ Swissmen Sweets Amish candy shop in Ohio.

Joanne Fluke is the author of the Cookie Jar Cozy Mystery Series that takes place in Minnesota. Hannah Swensen not only manages the bakery, but she also manages to solve crimes between baking up batches of delicious treats. And, as a special bonus, the recipes of these sweet treats are included in the novels.

Sarah Fox writes the Pancake House Mystery Series, which stars the owner of a restaurant.

Cynthia Gallant-Simpson writes the Nantucket Mystery Series, which features a caterer in Nantucket.

Rosie Genova writes the Italian Kitchen Mystery Series. This series is set in New Jersey and features a sleuth who is a mystery author turned chef.

Daryl Wood Gerber (aka Avery Aames) writes the Cookbook Nook Mystery Series. This series features the owner of a cookbook store, on the California coast.

Nadia Gordon writes the Sunny McCoskey Napa Valley Mystery Series. Sunny is the chef of an organic restaurant in the wine country valley.

Sarah Graves  writes the Death by Chocolate Mystery Series which features Jacobia (Jake) Tiptree, owner of a bakery that specializes in chocolate. This is the continuation of Graves’ very popular Home Repair is Homicide Mystery Series.

Lena Gregory writes the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery Series. Gia Morelli is owns a diner in Florida.

Kerry Greenwood has the Corinna Chapman Mystery Series which takes place in beautiful Melbourne, Australia, with Corinna being a baker.

Victoria Hamilton pens the Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series, which features Jaymie Leighton, a collector of vintage cookbooks and cookware. Hamilton also writes the Merry Muffin Mysteries, which take place in New York and feature a muffin baker.

Susannah Hardy (aka Sadie Hartwell) writes the Greek to Me Mystery Series, which stars Georgie Nikolopatos, manager of Bonaparte House, a Greek restaurant and historic landmark in upstate New York.

Ellen Hart writes the Sophie Greenway Culinary Mystery Series which features a food critic and magazine editor who solves mysteries on the side.  (Hart also authors another series that is sort of culinary in theme…. the main character is a restaurateur.)

B. B. Haywood writes the Candy Holliday Mystery Series which has as its sleuth, a woman who returns home to Maine to co-manage a blueberry farm with her father. Blueberry-based recipes are included.

Betty Hechtman writes the Yarn Retreat Mystery Series, which features a dessert chef who inherits a yarn retreat business in California.

A.L. Herbert writes the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery Series, featuring the owner of a sweet tea restaurant in Maryland.

Lee Hollis write the Hayley Powell Food & Cocktail Mystery Series, which features a single mom/sleuth who “runs” a newspaper and writes a newspaper food column.

Mary Ellen Hughes writes the Pickled and Preserved Mystery Series. The sleuth (Piper Lamb) owns a pickles and preserves shop in New York. (Recipes are included.)

Julie Hyzy writes the White House Chef Mystery Series which is obviously set in Washington, D.C., and features an assistant chef at the White House as its sleuth…

Cathie John   Husband and wife duo Cathie and John Celestri pen the Journal of Kate Cavanaugh Culinary Mystery Series, in which Kate is a caterer who solves mysteries. The Cathie part of the duo has a culinary background and the John part adds (what their website describes as) the “quirky” side of the series.

Claire M. Johnson, who writes the Mary Ryan, Pastry Chef Mystery Series.

Leslie Karst: The Sally Solari Mystery Series features an ex-lawyer at an Italian eatery.

Tina Kashian writes the Kebab Kitchen Mystery Series which stars an ex-lawyer who works at her family’s Mediterranean restaurant in New Jersey.

So far, Nina Killham‘s culinary mystery series is only a stand alone book. The Jasmine March Mystery “Series” involves Jasmine March, a cookbook author and gourmet (or is it gourmand?!?) who lives in Washington, D. C. This book was published in 2002, I am not sure if there is another book in the makings…

Josi S. Kilpack writes the Culinary Mystery Series, which features Sadie Hofmiller as its sleuth.

Peter King is the next culinary-theme mystery author. His culinary mystery is set in London, and features a food consultant by the name of Goodwyn Harper. The Goodwyn Harper Mystery Series is unique in that it is written by a real-life Cordon Bleu Chef!

Here are some more of my CULINARY – COOKING THEMES:

Mysteries with Recipes AND Recipe Books by Mystery Authors

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: A – D

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: L – R

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: S – W Plus Some!

Cozy Mystery Authors with Culinary Themes: Even More!

Where to Start with Culinary Cozy Mystery Series…

♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦

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