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Romantic Cozy Mysteries Theme

As we just discussed, this may be a rather impossible theme, but let’s go ahead and try to make up a list of some Romantic Cozy Mysteries that are truly romantic. Let’s see if we can limit the list to those mysteries that have our sleuth meeting someone who, through either just one book or several books goes through a “courting” of sorts.

If you have any other Cozy Mysteries that you think truly qualify as romantic Cozy Mysteries, please post a comment.

I’m going to start the Romantic Cozy Mysteries theme with two of the most obvious authors: Victoria Holt and Daphne du Maurier. Let’s see what other authors Cozy Mystery readers think should be in this Romantic Cozy Mysteries theme!

Romantic Cozy Mysteries

Avery Aames (aka Daryl Wood Gerber): Cheese Shop Mysteries

P. J. Alderman: Port Chatham Mysteries

Conrad Allen (aka Edward Marston & Keith Miles): George Porter Dillman & Genevieve Masefield Mysteries

Donna Andrews: Meg Lanslow Mysteries

Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Mysteries

M. C. Beaton: Agatha Raisin Mysteries

C. A. Belmond: Penny Nichols Rather Mysteries

Annette Blair: Vintage Magic Mysteries

Rhys Bowen: Royal Spyness Mysteries

Barbara Bretton: Chloe Hobb’s Sugar Maple Knitting mysteries

Rita Mae Brown: Mrs. Murphy Mystery Series

Dorothy Cannell: Ellie Haskell Mystery Series

JoAnna Carl (aka Eve K. Sandstrom): Chocoholic Mysteries

Kate Carlisle: Bibliophile Mystery Series

Agatha Christie: Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries

Agatha Christie: A lot of her Miss Marple Mysteries and Hercule Poirot Mysteries had secondary characters in the process of falling in love.

Jill Churchill: Jane Jeffry Mysteries

Kate Collins: Flower Shop Mysteries

Cleo Coyle (aka Alice Kimberly): Coffee House Mysteries

Mary Daheim: Hillside Manor Bed & Breakfast Mysteries

Diane Mott Davidson: Goldy Bear Mysteries

Jana DeLeon: Ghost-in-Law Mystery Series

Daphne du Maurier: Stand Alone Mysteries

Carola Dunn: Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries

Joanne Fluke: Hannah Swensen Mysteries

Earlene Fowler: Benni Harper Mysteries

Victoria Gilbert: Blue Ridge Library Mystery Series

Carolyn Haines: Sarah Booth Delaney Mysteries

Linda Hall: Whisper Lake Mysteries AND Shadow Mysteries

Charlaine Harris: Aurora Teagarden Mysteries

Carolyn Hart: Death on Demand Mysteries

Joan Hess: Claire Malloy Mysteries

Victoria Holt: Stand Alone Mysteries

Maddy Hunter: Passport to Peril Mystery Series

Julie Hyzy: White House Chef Mysteries

Sofie Kelly: Magical Cats Mysteries

Diana Killian: Poetic Death Mysteries

Kate Kingsbury (aka Allison Kingsley & Rebecca Kent) Pennyfoot Hotel Mysteries AND WW II Manor House Mysteries

Joyce and Jim Lavene (aka J.J. Cook & Ellie Grant): Renaissance Faire Mystery Series

Kylie Logan (aka Miranda Bliss & Casey Daniels): League of Literary Ladies Mysteries

Charlotte MacLeod (aka Alisa Craig): Peter Shandy Mysteries AND Sarah Kelling Mysteries

Margaret Maron: Deborah Knott Mysteries 

Nancy Martin: Blackbird Sisters Mysteries

Jenn McKinlay: Cupcake Bakery Mysteries AND Library Lover’s Mysteries

Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Michaels): Amelia Peabody Mysteries

Ann B. Ross: Miss Julia Mysteries

Hank Phillippi Ryan: Jane Ryland & Jake Brogan Mysteries

Dorothy L. Sayers: Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries

J.B. Stanley (aka Jennifer Stanley, Ellery Adams, & 1/2 of Lucy Arlington): Supper Club Mysteries

Denise Swanson: Scumble River Mysteries

Victoria Thompson: Gaslight Mysteries 

Heather Webber (aka Heather Blake): Lucy Valentine Mysteries

Phyllis A. Whitney: Stand Alone Mysteries

Lauren Willig: Pink Carnation Mysteries

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

Comments

  1. Nancy Atherton First several of Aunt Dimity books have the heroine gradually meet and marry her husband.
    Carole Dunn’s series that cover the 1920s also has the heroine meet and marry her husband.

    Reply

    • Patti S, I don’t believe I have read any of Phyllis Whitney’s mysteries, but I just took a look at them on Amazon, and they look like they are similar to Victoria Holt and Daphne du Maurier. Thanks for the addition!

      Reply

      • She was my favorite author when I was in high school. Yes, she is very like Victoria Holt another favorite of mine. I think you would like her, Danna. By the way, she lived to be either 101 or 102. She wrote a lot of books in that time!

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          • Teressa, while I don’t remember reading any Phyllis Whitney, I do remember reading lots of Victoria Holt mysteries while I visited my grandmother. (Looks like I’ll have to take a serious look at Whitney.)

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        • I read those books throughout my teens, too, and still love them today. (A long way from teen!) Whitney’s books are like modern day versions of Holt’s books, which were generally set in the Victorian era. They were both very good writers, good quality writing.

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          • I so agree! I am a long way from my high school years, too, but I never get tired of reading these two authors!

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          • I agree with you Donna, These were two very good writers. I think a lot of new want-to-be writers could and just maybe should, take lessons from writers such as Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt.

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      • Danna,

        I’m really surprised you haven’t read Phyllis Whitney. Her books are all ‘stand alones’, but very good (however I don’t think of them as cozies, but I guess others do). These books epitomize the Suspense Romance category. I know you have a huge TBR pile, but I am positive you’d really enjoy them. My suggestion would be to start with ‘Emerald’. I believe she wrote her last book when she was in her mid-nineties. Wow – what a mind! I think she was over 100 when she died a few years ago.

        This is ‘off topic’, but since Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and Phyllis Whitney are mentioned, one cannot forget the ‘queen’ of ‘international/spy intrigue’ and romance – Helen MacInnes.

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        • MJ, I know! I got so excited hearing about Phyllis Whitney that I immediately went to find if she has any Kindle format mysteries out there. Nope. Nada. Zilch. Now that I pretty much only read Kindle format books, I guess I’ll have to keep checking to see when someone transcribes one of her books. What a disappointment!

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          • Years ago Danna, if I would see Phyllis Whitney’s name on the front cover of a book I picked it up. She was a great writer. I don’t know if she is still alive and/or writing or not. But this is another author that to me only had to pick up a pen to have a best seller. For some reason she is another of those writers that I have forgotten. Shame on me!!

            Reply

  3. Danna, I like this theme but it sure is a fuzzy, foggy one…not for sure where the line is or where the boundaries are, lol.

    I’m thinking back to some of my favorites that also included romance and it seems almost all of them did…
    Annie Darling had ol’ Max (Carolyn Hart)
    Goldie Schulz had her Tom (Diane Mott Davidson)
    Aurora Teagarden had her Martin (Charlaine Harris)
    Jane Jeffry had Mel…sorta, lol (Jill Churchill)
    Judith McMonigle Flynn had Joe (Mary Daheim)
    even Agatha Raisin (M C Beaton) fell in love with every new man she met, lol

    Was the romance part of the mystery?….not really, but it sure added a lot!!…guess it kept the main character real/genuine to me.
    I hate those romance stories where the characters can’t control themselves…that excuse only works in junior high, lol, and only makes them look stupid. I don’t waste my time on those!

    Anxious to see what everyone else thinks….thanks for listening to me!

    Reply

    • I have an Insurance series that begins with a “Mystery Man” who pursues a beautiful professional woman and finally meets her through her work when she comes to check a contents list on a fire at his tie shop – the romance continues for the three I have already finished and there may be another coming farther down the road. The ones I have now are: Once Burned; Varmint; and Actual Corpse Value (re: arson; varmint exclusion; and double indemnity).

      Reply

    • Cathy, thank you for all of these Romantic Cozy Mysteries authors/series. I totally agree with what you say about the romance not being part of the mystery, but it sure does add a lot.

      Reply

    • Sheila, Kate Collins’ Flower Shop Mysteries were actually used as an example in the last letter I got asking me to add a romantic mysteries theme.

      Reply

  5. Kate Kingsbury’s Pennyfoot Hotel and WWII series both had a romantic story arc that carried through the series.

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  6. Elizabeth Peters with Amelia Peabody and her husband, plus assorted more minor characters, throughout. (Rameses and Nefret, for instance, as well as Emerson’s brother Walter, and his wife, who’s name I cannot for the life of me remember!)

    Reply

  7. The “rather” Series by C.A. Belmond are very romantic, but might be more of a “romp through Europe” than a cozy.

    Also the Poetic Death Mysteries by Diana Killian are great fun. I wish she would write more of those!

    Reply

    • It’s interesting that you mentioned C. A. Belmond, NancyF. She is on my “authors to post” list. Thanks!

      Reply

  10. Conrad Allen’s Shipboard Mysteries Series with George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield would seem to fit this category. I loved this series.

    Reply

  12. Dorothy L. Sayers’ books featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane are delightful! There is an ongoing romance between two characters in my Sparrow Falls Mystery series, their relationship is loosely inspired by Tommy and Tuppence. I was going to recommend Christie’s books but someone beat me to it. 🙂 I enjoy the kind of fun, youthful, sassy relationship T-N-T shares (and they were dynamite together!). There is a British TV series of the Tommy & Tuppence stories that was made in the 1970s, and it is available on Netflix. Very enjoyable and highly recommended to those who haven’t seen it.

    Reply

  13. Not sure if she’s considered a cozy author but Margaret Maron’s character, Judge Deborah Knott, has a long and complex relationship with her boyfriend and eventual husband who is also the local sheriff. Both are deeply committed to their jobs and initially ignore their attraction to each other. When they do go on a date, everyone in their small town has an opinion about it. In some books I think the author has made the characters’ relationship more important than the mystery. This isn’t the case with Maron’s books where I think the relationships make solving the mystery even more interesting.

    Reply

    • Kalena, I have a tentative list of Romantic Mysteries, and Margaret Maron’s Deborah Knott mysteries were on it >>> until I just copied and pasted it onto this list.

      Reply

  14. Would Avery Aames’ series The Cheese Shop Mysteries count. I know the first (The Long Quiche Goodbye) has the main character in love with another character through out the book. They finally get together (sort of) at the end of the book. I have not read the others yet so I am not sure.

    Reply

    • NitaR, I’m going to just say “ditto my remark to Kalena” to your question! (Avery Aames’ Cheese Shop Mystery Series was also on my tentative list.)

      Reply

  15. Just thought of another series for the list: Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight series with Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy.

    Reply

    • Sheila, I have added Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight mysteries to the Romantic Cozy Mysteries list. Thanks!

      Reply

  16. I’ve come to the conclusion that it appears easier for an author to write a strong romantic storyline for the first book or two of a series, but it’s difficult to maintain that level of creativity along with a good mystery in subsequent books.

    An author who does this well (I think) is Earlene Fowler’s Benni Harper series. Fowler not only writes a good mystery plot, but she also creates an interesting romantic storyline consistently throughout the series, with the Benni (protagonist) and Gabe (police chief) characters. Even after they’re married there is angst, love, and passion. There are also several ‘bumps in the road’. Gabe is present in most of the 15 books, only ‘away’ in a couple of them. The romantic storyline always compliments the mystery. In fact, Fowler also creates a fun romance (and marriage) between Benni’s grandmother and a famous photographer, and an exciting romance (and marriage) between Benni’s cousin and her best friend. In all of these story lines the women are very strong characters. And then to make it more interesting, Fowler throws in the character of the sheriff……………….

    I’d also suggest JoAnna Carl’s Chocoholic series. The romance storyline between the main characters has been enjoyable/fun to follow. And, again it continues even after marriage. Carl creates this romance with a much lighter touch. It isn’t as intense as in the Fowler books.

    I just finished reading the fourth book of a series and the mystery is very good. Although the author continues a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship in this fourth book, there really isn’t any story along these lines. In this entire book, the lead character and her policeman boyfriend have only one breakfast and one dinner together at the local diner, where they discuss the murder mystery. Yes, he goes to her shop once in awhile and they do call each other (about the case)……..but there isn’t any ‘romance’. There isn’t even a ‘lingering kiss’! Someone may recommend this series as a romantic series based on the first book (or because there is a boyfriend), but the author doesn’t continue any romantic storyline in the other books of the series.

    Sometimes a book in a series can be considered a ‘romantic mystery’, but not necessarily the whole series (especially a lengthy one).

    Reply

    • MJ, thanks for mentioning Earlene Fowler’s Benni Harper mysteries, as well as JoAnna Carl’s Chocoholic mysteries. I have added them both to the Romantic Cozy Mysteries list.

      Reply

  17. I think Rhys Bowen’s Her Royal Spyness series would definitely fit. Lady Georgie has a romantic arc with Darcy that has spanned all the books so far.

    Reply

    • I totally agree with you, Becky B. Claire Malloy and Peter Rosen definitely make this series a Romantic Cozy Mystery.

      Reply

  19. There are a couple of cozies where the author has ‘changed’ the boyfriend midstream and added a different romantic story line into the series. Two that have done this well (in my opinion) is Hyzy’s White House Chef and Denise Swanson’s Scumble River series. I’ve enjoyed both of the romantic story lines in each of these series.

    Although it’s a ‘see saw’ romantic story line between two male characters (or, a ‘romantic triangle’), I think you can add in Fluke’s Cookie Shop series. In some ways it is frustrating and in other ways it keeps the reader guessing as to whether there will ever be a decision by the protagonist. Someday Fluke will end this series and there won’t be a ‘decision’ until then (in the last book!). At least, that’s the ‘bet’ I would put money on.

    I also enjoy the budding (even though it’s a bit slow) romantic storyline in Sofie Kelly’s Magical Cat mysteries.

    Based on the first books of their new series both Hank Phillippi Ryan (Other Woman) and Kyley Logan (Literary Ladies) have introduced very intriguing ‘future’ romantic story line possibilities. I just don’t know if it will pan out.

    I KNOW there are many others series I read that qualify for this classification. I may post additional series suggestions to this blog as I read the next ‘installment’ and realize they may have a place here.

    Reply

    • MJ, I just started reading Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen Cookie Jar mysteries, and can see where there is a romantic story line, but it is great because it isn’t overwhelming >>> very behind-the-scenes.

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      • I ran into a high school student working at a local farm market, reading one of Fluke’s books. She told me how much she enjoyed the book, especially the story line between Hanna, Norman, and Mike. She said she was looking forward to the next book because she wanted to see ‘who Hannah selected’. (I didn’t burst her bubble and let her know several books later there still is no ‘selection’.)

        But this brings me to another point. I feel very comfortable recommending this series to high school students. Recently the librarian at my branch library said she is stymied for recommendations to strong ‘younger’ readers. Our library system has author recommendation lists for a variety of novels (medical, legal, etc.), but none categorized cozies (or mysteries) appropriate for the ‘teenage readers’. That is, it could contain light romance, but no sex (or, bedroom scenes), no living together or ‘sleepovers’, and no foul language. Teenagers are probably well aware of all this, but an adult doesn’t want to ‘recommend’ books with this content.

        Perhaps a category of cozies could be created with these parameters, especially for the teenage reader.

        Reply

        • MJ, it sure is nice that authors like Joanne Fluke can be read by a whole gamut of people.

          Reply

  20. Mary Stewart is credited with the founding of the romantic suspense novel. I was first introduced to her books with the moon spinners in 1963. I re read several of her books every couple of years

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    • Lorrie K, that would make sense. I just looked up Victoria Holt (who I thought would have been the founder of romantic suspense) and it turns out she actually didn’t publish her first book until five years after Mary Stewart published hers. Thanks for the tip!

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  21. How about the Lucy Valentine series by Heather Webber??? Lucy is a matchmaker so I think it definitely qualifies!

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  22. Haunting Jordan and Ghost Ship are 2 books in a series by PJ Alderman. The books have a dual mystery theme with a little romance. Jordan discovers ghosts in the Victorian home she has just purchased and they ask her to solve a 19th century murder while she attempts to solve a recent murder. The romance has barely begun in these two, but the books are great and I am yearning for the next in the series.

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  23. Danna, this is another topic that I have expressed my opinion on quite a few times. I love the romance in the mystery series. To me that just adds to the flavor of the series. I like this especially if the romance part is developed as the series progresses.
    What I don’t like is the step by step sexual description that some writers think we need to read about. Quite a few times sex and romance don’t always mean the same!!

    Reply

  24. Barbara Bretton’s Sugar Maple series would certainly fall under the romance category as well. Janet Evanovich’s Plum series has an ongoing triangle, usually more humorous then romantic but it still seems to fit the category.

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  25. Victoria Laurie’s Psychic Eye series has her meeting someone on the internet in the first series and develops the relationship over the course of the series.

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  26. J. B. Stanley (aka Ellery Adams aka Jennifer Stanley) A Supper Club mysteries. Has romance going back and forth between several of the characters. The Head Librarian and Deputy Sheriff and Editor of the local paper.

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    • You’re so right, Nita R, about J.B. Stanley’s Supper Club mysteries having a romantic thread. I’ll go add them to the romantic mysteries theme. Thanks!

      Reply

  27. Also do you know if she is going to write another book for the supper club? I am on the final one and it was published in 2010.

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    • I’m sorry, Nita, but I don’t know. (I somehow doubt it, since her other series are doing so incredibly well.)

      Reply

  28. Does anyone know of another series as “sexy” besides the Body Movers series by Stephanie Bond? It’s a little racy, but a great read.

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    • Dee, I could be wrong, but I always thought of the Stephanie Plumb series (by Janet Evanovich) as sexy.

      If anyone thinks it isn’t, please feel free to correct me. (I will not be offended.)

      Reply

  30. Gemma halliday’s high heel mysteries is romantic throughout the series. Jenna Bennett’s cutthroat mysteries and DIY series are as well 🙂

    Reply

  31. I really enjoy “romantic cozy mysteries” and this list has been very helpful in finding authors that I haven’t read yet. I just finished G.A. McKevett’s “Savannah Reid” series, and I’m waiting for the latest paperback to be delivered (#18). I wasn’t able to find the first book, but I’ve enjoyed all of the others and plan to re-read them from the beginning.

    Reply

  32. I just published the first book in a series called “Hazardous”. It is a Mystery/Action Romance with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. The description is listed below. Please let me know what you think.

    Emmie Slayde is an intelligent, independent, self sufficient woman with a deep mistrust of men. Donovan Richman, an old flame, dangerous and deceitful. A regrettable not so chance encounter and a point Emmie now wishes she had never tried to prove. Gil Cabrera is a Detective with the ABI. Emmie’s unintentional new best friend? or another kind of trouble? It’s a dangerous game of cat and mouse and Emmie Slayde is about to reach her boiling point in more ways than one. It’s easy to go all in when you have nothing to lose but fate still has a card to play and for Emmie the stakes could mean her life.

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  33. Danna
    Would you happen to have access to the list of book series The Secrets of the Blue Hill Library. It is a current series and Guidepost is the publisher. They seem to be very secretive about giving out info on their books. Would love to have one as I’ve been checking these books out from the library.

    Reply

  34. Loved reading the list of “romantic cozies”. Always looking for new authors to try.

    I’d add the following to the list: Rita Mae Brown – Mrs. Murphy series, Maddie Hunter – Passport to Peril series, Joyce and Jim Lavene – Renaissance Faire series, Jana Deleon – Mudbug series, Dorothy Cannell – Ellie Haskell series.

    While the romance isn’t always in the forefront of these series it’s very much a part of the books.

    Reply

  35. I looked up this theme because I was looking for something like the Nikki Heat series by Richard Castle. Good Romance plus Mysteries.

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  36. Thanks for the great cozy mystery info! I see this was written awhile ago. If you’re still updating, I’d like to suggest a few; P.B. Ryan (aka Patricia Ryan) The Nell Sweeney Mysteries, add the Haunted Bookshop to the Cleo Coyle list, Molly MacRae Haunted Yarnshop, and I just started and love the Cornwall and Redfern Mysteries by Gloria Ferris.
    I’m sure there are more I’ll think of later, but these are all great reads.
    Thanks again!

    Reply

  37. Thank you for this great list! I found it because my teenage daughter likes mystery novels but she’s outgrown The History Mysteries series. I heard about Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight Mysteries and was trying to find out if they’re appropriate for a 14 year old – a little romantic theme but no sex, etc.

    So I’d like to ask you ladies which of these authors do you feel are appropriate for young readers? Is VT’s Gaslight series good for young readers?
    Thank you!

    Reply

  39. Since some reviewers think there is too MUCH romance in my Blue Ridge Library Mystery series (LOL) I think maybe it qualifies in this category as well? My protagonist, librarian Amy Webber, is courted by her new neighbor, dancer and choreographer Richard Muir, over the course of the series. Book One: A MURDER FOR THE BOOKS. Book Two: SHELVED UNDER MURDER. Book Three (which releases in Feb. 2019): PAST DUE FOR MURDER. Good bit of romance in these.

    Reply

  40. What about Sandra Balzo’s Maggy Thorsen with the local sheriff Jake Pavlik?! I love her Romantic Cozy Mysteries.

    Reply

  41. Hello Danna,
    Thank you so much for your wonderful cozy work! 🙂
    I’d like to add Sara Rosett’s “On the Run” cozy series. It’s fun, is international, and has mystery, murder, and a romance fit for a cozy.

    Reply

  42. This is an amazing list and even a more detailed comment section. Now there is too many books and not enough time situation on my end. Thank you everyone for every contribution. I really appreciate this. I recently discovered this genre and I am hooked. The two series that I really loved and I think would fit in this category are Firefly Junction Cozy Mystery Series by London Lovett and also Movie Club Mysteries by Zara Keane.

    Reply

  43. The Viviana Lux series by Carrin Mahmood is an awesome cozy mystery set of books that I have been thoroughly enjoying and can’t wait to read more as the author keeps releasing them! Highly recommend!!

    Reply

  44. Gigi Pandian’s Jaya Jones mystery series have romance and great adventure who-done-its.
    Laura Child’s tea shop mysteries are always good too

    Reply

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