Hey folks! Not long ago I got a question by email that I hoped some of you might be able to help answer!
I have a cozy question for you! Are there any series that you are aware of that are all set in the same town but have a different protagonist in each one? (Like Debbie Macombers Cedar Cove books for example but cozy instead of romance)
I know on one hand that defeats one of the purposes of the cozy, but I’m doing NaMoWriMo and had the best idea for a series based around my fictional town!
The only answer that popped into mind for me was Dani Pettrey‘s Alaskan Courage Mystery Series, which stars various members of the McKenna family in Yancey, Alaska… though like Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove Books, it isn’t necessarily a strictly Cozy series. So can anyone think of more series that are set in the same location, but star different sleuths?
Janet says
Deborah Adams had a series in which she did this. All the characters recurred, but a different character was the main protagonist in each book.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Janet, you’re right, as others have mentioned later this is the Jesus Creek Mystery series.
Ina says
Not sure I have series names right, but Cat in the stacks featuring Diesel the Maine coon cat, and Southern sisters, one of the sisters is named Dixie ( with an unusual spelling of her name)
In the first Southern sisters book the sisters are taking care of Diesel while his owner is out of town.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ina, that’s a great example of a spin-off series, which is certainly in the spirit of the question. Thanks!
Anne says
Gemma Halliday publishing has a series called Danger Cover set in the Pacific Northwest that has several authors. Each has a different protagonist with jobs such as pet sitter, contractor, hairstylist, etc that get involved in murder mysteries in the town of Danger Cove. The secondary characters appear in most of the books, and the various heroines interact.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Anne, yes, I believe this is the Danger Cove Mystery Series. It is written by a number of different authors, but Elizabeth Ashby has a credit for most of them.
Diane says
The wonderful Jesus Creek mysteries by Deborah Adams meet this criteria. And they are newly reissued on Kindle.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Diane, that’s a good suggestion. Thanks!
Joppy says
Can’t help with your query, but have one of my own. What is a ‘NaMoWriMo’ that you refer to? That’s new to me.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joppy, I think it is National Novel Writing Month.
Joppy says
thanks. Not a UK thing then.
Lynn S says
I believe the multi-author Aloha Lagoon series is set in the same town (the resort town of Aloha Lagoon in Kauai, Hawaii) and stars a different sleuth in each book.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lynn, that’s a good suggestion. Thanks!
Doris Christian says
Yes, I think Cold Springs Mystery series would qualify. The cases always end up with the Sheriff but they never start out there. They have some of the same towns people each time but the protagonist is always different.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Doris, thanks for the suggestion. Reading the online synopses of these books (by Sara Caudell, by the way), I wouldn’t have realized that they have different protagonists.
Steve says
Not exactly, but Warren Esby’s initial horse show trilogy had the same main protagonist but then in the following three, that protagonist was relegated to a minor role and three new characters came to the fore to solve three new mysteries although all were related to the other stories. Most of the action takes place in San Diego and London so not all in one place.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Steve, that’s a good suggestion – I think that a book that has several different sleuths definitely fits the spirit of the question, even if some are used several times.
Ginger says
Deborah Adams. Jesus creek
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ginger, thanks, that’s a good suggestion.
Lois says
Not a cozy, but Michael Connelly’s Bosch series crossover with his Mickey Haller series in some of his books.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lois, thanks, that’s a good example of a series crossover, which is certainly in the spirit of the question.
Janice says
Sparkle Abbey’s books involve two cousins who have been feuding for years over a broach left by their grandmother to her “favorite” granddaughter. The main character in each book alternates between the two cousins both of whom are involved with animals – one a pet psychologist and the other the owner of a pet accessories store. They live in the same California coastal community and some characters appear in all of the books. It’s a fun series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Janice, thanks, that’s a good suggestion.
Helene_C says
Hi, what about Gemma Halliday’s Hollywood Headlines series? There are only 3 books, but each features a different person working for the newspaper.
Jayne says
I thought of these too. Fun series. I actually wish it had continued.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Helene, thanks for the suggestion. It certainly sounds appropriate for the question.
Joyce Ann Brown says
Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series is set in London and the surrounding English countryside. There is a cast of characters and each book features a different one as protagonist.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joyce, thanks, that’s definitely a good suggestion.
Terri says
Janet Evanovich did a series with Charlotte Hughes that had the same people, but shifted the ones featured a couple of times. The same ones were featured for a couple of books. It was a great series, very fun. It also included romance, which I normally don’t like, but it all worked in this series. Full Tilt, Full Scoop, Full Bloom, Full Blast & Full Speed are the titles. I liked them much better than the Stephanie Plum books.
Cathy says
Christine Goff’s birdwatcher’s series features different protagonists connected to a birdwatching society in a Colorado community near Rocky Mountain National Park.
Bootigs says
Two of Juliet Blackwell’s series are set in San Francisco. Witchcraft Mysteries. Haunted Home Renovation.
Laura says
Juliet Blackwell also did a mash-up novella featuring both of the protagonists from her San Francisco-based series.
Judy S. says
Nancy Coco’s A Candy Coated Mysteries and Duffy Brown’s A Cycle Path Mysteries are both set on Mackinac Island, Michigan. There are different characters in each series.
Cindy says
What happened to Annette Blair with her vintage magic series? I have been waiting forever for the next one where they hopefully go in the basement. Thanks.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Cindy, I don’t know if she plans on continuing the Vintage Magic Series. I know she is still writing, but the last few releases she put out were all romance novels, not mysteries, so I haven’t listed them on her page.
Susy says
OH NO!!!! I really love the Vintage Magic Series. Her romances are OK, but I am not in a romance phase.
Does anyone know what the status is of the missing Madelyn Alt book? I had heard she was having health problems, but I hope she is well again.
Donna Mc says
Danna, looks like you have a great collection of sleuths here, tracking down all these books! 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Donna, thanks! I’m probably going to compile it into a more concise list for the post soon.
Glenda Wray says
Colleen Coble has a few series that are similar to Dani Pettrey’s series…for example, her Hope Beach, Shadow Bay, and Lonestar series are like that. These are all within the “Romantic Suspense” type instead of “cozy” but they are good books.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Glenda, thanks for the suggestions!
Michelle says
In the “When the Fat Ladies Sing” series by Linda Kozar, the sleuths are Lovita & Sue Jane, who work together at a beauty shop & solve murders together, EXCEPT for in Felony Fruitcake, wherein Lovita is out of the country, & Sue Jan solves the mystery solo.