I asked for help in compiling a list of Cozy Mystery authors who you all (site readers) would recommend to someone who is a NEW reader of Cozy Mystery books. I knew who I would recommend, but since everyone has different ideas about who is a great Cozy Mystery author and who is NOT (unfortunately, I have more than just a few of these!) I thought I could definitely use the help in identifying authors who would be good “starting authors” for NEW readers of the genre.
Here is a list of the authors who came recommended by seasoned Cozy Mystery readers:
Susan Wittig Albert: China Bayles Herbal Mystery Series…
Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Mystery Series…
Lorna Barrett (aka L. L. Bartlett): Booktown Mystery Series…
M. C. Beaton (aka Marion Chesney): Hamish Macbeth Mystery Series AND Agatha Raisin Mystery Series…
Nancy Bell: Biggie Weatherford Mystery Series…
Miranda Bliss: Cooking Class Mystery Series…
Rhys Bowen: Constable Evans Mystery Series AND Molly Murphy Mystery Series…
Laura Bradley: Hair Raising Mystery Series…
Lilian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who * * * Mystery Series….
Emily Brightwell: Mrs. Jeffries Mystery Series…
JoAnna Carl (aka Eve K. Sandstrom): Chocoholic Mystery Series…
Laura Childs: Tea Shop Mystery Series and Scrapbooking Mystery Series…
Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell): Orchard Mystery Series AND Museum Mystery Series…
Cleo Coyle (aka Alice Kimberly): Coffeehouse Mystery Series…
Alisa Craig (aka Charlotte MacLeod): Inspector Madoc Rhys Mystery Series AND Dittany & Osbert Monk Mystery Series…
Mary Daheim: Emma Lord Alpine Mystery Series…
Casey Daniels: Pepper Martin Mystery Series…
Dianne Mott Davidson: Goldy Bear Mystery Series…
Carola Dunn: Daisy Dalrymple Mystery Series…
Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum Mystery Series…
Monica Ferris (aka Margaret Frazer & Mary Monica Pulver): Needlecraft Mystery Series…
Joanne Fluke: Cookie Jar Mystery Series…
Sally Fredman: Brandy Alexander Mystery Series…
Erle Stanley Gardner (aka A. A. Fair): Perry Mason Mystery Series AND Doug Selby Mystery Series AND Cool Detective Agency Mystery Series…
Anne George: Southern Sisters Mystery Series…
Dorothy Gilman: Mrs. Pollifax Mystery Series…
Ann Granger: Markby & Mitchell Village Whodunit Mystery Series…
Martha Grimes: Richard Jury Mystery Series…
Joan Hess (aka Joan Hadley): Claire Malloy Mystery Series AND Maggody Mystery Series…
Hazel Holt: Mrs. Mallory Mystery Series…
Jan Karon: Mitford Series (not mysteries…)
Alice Kimberly (aka Cleo Coyle): Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series…
Kate Kingsbury: Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery Series…
Joyce & Jim Lavene: Missing Pieces Mystery Series…
Richard & Frances Lockridge: Mr. & Mrs. North Mystery Series…
Charlotte MacLeod (aka Alisa Craig): Peter & Helen Shandy Mystery Series AND Sarah Kelling & Max Bittersohn Mystery Series…
Debbie Macomber: Cedar Cove Series AND Blossom Street Series (not mysteries)
Rett MacPherson: Torie O’Shea Mystery Series…
Nancy Martin: Blackbird Sisters Mystery Series…
Jenn McKinlay (aka Lucy Lawrence): Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series…
Leslie Meier: Lucy Stone Mystery Series
Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Michaels): Amelia Peabody Mystery Series AND Vicky Bliss Mystery Series…
Ellis Peters: Brother Cadfael Mystery Series…
Spencer Quinn (aka Peter Abrahams): Chet and Bernie Mystery Series…
Cynthia Riggs: Martha’s Vineyard Mystery Series…
Paige Shelton: Farmer’s Market Mystery Series…
Patricia Sprinkle: Thoroughly Southern Mystery Series…
Fran Stewart: Biscuit McKee & Marmalade Mystery Series…
Sarah Strohmeyer: Bubbles Yablonsky Mystery Series…
Leann Sweeney: Cats in Trouble Mystery Series…
Victoria Thompson: Gaslight Mystery Series…
Livia J. Washburn: Fresh Baked Mystery Series AND Literary Tour Mystery Series…
Heather Webber: Lucy Valentine Mystery Series…
Patricia Wentworth: Miss Maud Silver Mystery Series…
Jacqueline Winspear: Maisie Dobbs Mystery Series…
PS>>> I wasn’t surprised to see that several of these recommended Cozy Mystery authors are some of the authors on my “Favorite Authors” list! Also, since Agatha Christie is probably the Queen of the Cozy Mystery, here is a list of authors who are similar to Agatha Christie.
Thanks, again, to all who submitted the names of their favorite Cozy authors!
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by theme, click on this link.♦
Petie says
What a great list – I see a few I’ve never read before so I’m now printing it & putting it in my “little bookstore book” to have at all time! Thanks again, dear Danna, for giving us such a fantastic site!
Marianne says
Add to the list Rhys Bowen’s “Evan” series. Makes me want to move to Wales!
Patti says
Can’t forget M.C. Beaton and the Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin books. They are wonderful!
Eliz says
Where is Martha Grimes and the very funny Richard Jury series?
Lizz says
Please add The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse (A Cats in Trouble Mystery, #1) by Leann Sweeney.
Vickie B says
Excellent and nicely comprehensive. I posted this link for my friends on Booktalk the Original on the WeightWatchers message boards. We have quite a few cozy readers and ones who were just asking for recommendations…how timely!
Kay says
Charlotte MacLeod aka Alisa Craig! Alas, gone now, but she wrote wonderfully funny cozies. There are four separate series: Peter Shandy is a professor at a New England agricultural college; Sarah Kelling is a young Boston matron; Dittany Henbit copes in small-town Ontario, and Janet Wadman meets the Mountie of her dreams in Nova Scotia. Each book can stand alone, but you will enjoy them more if you start with the first one in the series.
Danniele says
I LOVE THIS SITE!! Found it by mistake looking for books for my Kindle. Amazon really needs to add Mystery/Romance to their category list. I couldn’t find what I was looking for so I Googled Mystery/Romance novels and the Cozy site came up in the list of choices. I AM IN HEAVEN. You have given me so many new (NEW to me) authors and series to choose from. As the mother of a recent college student and a 2nd grader, I am just getting to the point where I have a little “cozy time” before bed to read. Again, thank you, your site complete’s me. Any suggestions on cozies set in England or Ireland, I love castles, lush landscapes, small cottages etc.?
Shirley says
I see many, many favorites on your place……
I love Cynthia Riggs..she wrotes delight mysteries,
Another is Patricia Wentworth….
I found in the used book store called ALIBRI…one of her old ones called The Fingerprint. She wrote in the 30’s….but some are being reissued…usually get them from Amazon or Alibri.
The Third series is another older book and the author is
Frances and Richard Lockridge…(a Mr. & Mrs. North) that in the
early 50’s it was made into a series…I loved it. Bill Denning, & Barbara Britton were the stars. They also wrote a 2nd series
about a Police Captain I think…..Smile & Hugs
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks AGAIN! I am adding all of the new authors to the list as I get them. Thank you! The list may be long, but it sure does give a NEW Cozy reader some great places to start!
THANK YOU!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Welcome to the site, Danniele!
You might want to take a look at the “British-English Cozy Mysteries-and some not so Cozy!” theme pages on the Cozy Mystery theme page. There should be a few authors (amongst all of the rest) who you might like.
Heron Carvic is a possibility…
Of course, there is Agatha Christie (especially her Miss Marple series)…
And, there is Carola Dunn…
Victoria Holt comes to mind…
Jo R says
Danniele, you might enjoy the Aunt Dimity series by Nancy Atherton that Danna has listed above.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Jo R!
Jo R says
Danna, you are so welcome. Aunt Dimity was another series I found on this site that I thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks.
Deb says
I’d add the Torie O’Shea books by Rett MacPherson. 🙂
Wonderful list. Have read many, but you’ve given me more writers to track down.
Love this website!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Deb, for both the kind words about the site AND for recommending Rett MacPherson. I’ll go add the Torie O’Shea mystery series to the list.
Linda says
And if you can find them, “The Pennyfoot” Mystery Series by Kate Kingsbury…….Really should read them in order to follow the character development……..
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Linda, I’m going to go add Kate Kingsbury to the list.
Bernadette says
Additional authors I would recommend are:
JoAnna Carl
Victoria Thompson
Rhys Bowen (Molly Murphy Series)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Bernadette, for the additional authors. I am going (right now!) to add them.
Linda says
I would certainly add Hazel Holt. Excellent writer of cozy mysteries.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Linda, for reminding me about Hazel Holt. She is one of the authors who I follow, and I cannot believe I didn’t have her on the list!
Thanks, again…
Laurie says
Thank you for this wonderful website! I refer to it, time and time again. Thank goodness you took the time to actually do it!! It is so helpful. Full of good authors, new and old. I always find something ‘new’ to read! Keep up the fantastic work, Danna!!
Yours in Cozies,
Laurie in Canada
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Welcome to the blog part of the site, Laurie! I hope you are able to benefit from this list of recommended authors. I have!
Nancy says
You’ve listed so many of my favorites! Here are a couple of mine; Stuart Kaminsky’s Toby Peters series, very funny! Also Marlys Milhiser, Phillip Depoy, if you can find him, he has a couple of series going both very good with humor! Enjoy
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Nancy, for telling us about Phillip Depoy, Marly’s Milhiser, and Stuart Kaminsky.
Karen says
Add Gemma Halliday for Murder in High Heels mysteries. They are fun!
Ann says
I would also like to suggest cozy authors/series with an emphasis on appealing to new cozy readers in the < 35 years old range. Whilst I have always enjoyed cozies since the age of 12….I felt I was alone in this. I would suggest Sheila Connolly's new series in County Cork gets fairly close to this. I would love to hear other suggestions of cozies which is attempting to appeal and nurture the next generation.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ann, I’d be willing to consider it. Anybody have any suggestions?
I have a theme: Mystery Books with Sleuths in Their 20s, which might be a good starting point.
Ann says
Danna: thank you…apologies, now I see your category and will add to that. I am always impressed at how many categories this site has; and I feel I never find all of them!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ann, no apologies needed! I have tried to give order to that theme page on my site, but I never know what to do with the miscellaneous themes. I don’t even know what to name the themes, let alone where to put them.
I hope the Sleuths in Their 20s helps.
Stacy says
Please add Duffy Brown, Consignment Shop series and Cycle Path series. Rae Davies Dusty Deals Mystery series. Kathi Daley’s Zoe Donovan series and Whales and Tails series. All are humorous, amateur, female sleuth mysteries with flawed, usually accident prone heroines.
Joyce C says
Thank you for mentioning many of my favorites and suggesting more. I would add three series to your list.
Charles Todd, a mother/son team with two series: Inspector Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford.
Diana Xarissa: three series set on the Isle of Man.
Susan Elia MacNeal: Maggie Hope series set in WWII