This mystery book theme features stay-at-home moms and/or housewives. I’m not sure if the term “housewife” is “P.C.”…. but it’s a term I grew up with and don’t find offensive… so I hope I don’t offend anyone…. since that is what I think of myself as being these days. With both of my children grown up now… I can hardly call myself a stay-at-home mom ….. They don’t require me to lovingly adhere band-aids anymore!
Stay-at-Home Moms:
Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Mystery Series…
Mollie Cox Bryan: Cumberland Creek Mystery Series has a stay-at-home scrap booking mom as its sleuth.
Jill Churchill: The Jane Jeffry Mystery Series features a Chicago housewife who along with having three children, also has time to sleuth.
Susan Rogers Cooper: The E. J. Pugh Mystery Series features a romance novelist housewife who solves crimes when not taking care of her family and home.
Anne George: The Southern Sisters Mystery Series is set in Alabama and features “Mouse,” the housewife part of the sister duo and her wildly different lovable sister “Sister”.
Dorothy Gilman: The Mrs. Pollifax Mystery Series features a “mature” woman who, upon finding that she is simply tired of the types of activities that are relegated to women of her age, becomes a globe-trotting spy.
Heather Horrocks: The Bad Mothers Club Mystery Series stars a stay-at-home mom in Denver, Colorado.
Josi S. Kilpack: The Culinary Mystery Series features a stay-at-home mom/sleuth. This series is also on the “No Profanity” list…
Leslie Meier: The Lucy Stone Mysteries Series is a series which features a housewife, mother of three, along with different holidays… Christmas, Halloween, Fourth of July, etc.
Diana Orgain: Maternal Instincts Mystery Series features a new mom/sleuth…
Emilie Richards: Ministry is Murder Mystery Series features the wife of a minister…
Sara Rosett: The Mom Zone Mystery Series has an Air Force mom as the main sleuth…
Ayelet Waldman: The Mommy Track Mystery Series features a lawyer who becomes a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her daughter, and who is able to put her legal background to work while solving crimes.
Valerie Wolzien: The Susie Henshaw Mystery Series is full of crimes that need to be solved during different holiday seasons.
Motherhood is Murder: Four Mysteries by Mary Daheim, Carolyn Hart, Jane Isenberg, & Shirley Rousseau Murphy
Stay-at-Home Dads:
Jeffrey Allen: Stay at Home Dad Mystery Series
Stay-at-Home Dad: Jeffrey Cohen (aka E. J. Copperman) writes the Aaron Tucker Mystery Series which features a Stay-at-Home Dad as its sleuth.
PS >>> I just added a few more sleuths to this list on my Mothers as Sleuths. They clearly overlap, although Kate Borden, Diane Mott Davidson, and Joan Hess all have working-outside-the-home mothers as their sleuths…
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦
Dennis says
I found your blog (and your website). I was curious about what a “cozy” was. Apparently I like these kind of mysteries as well (Megan Clark, China Bayles, Abby Rose, and Natalie Barnes for example). Your lists are great. I know I will be checking back often. Looking forward to more!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Dennis,
I hope that you get a lot more ideas of authors to try. I have gotten many new additions of authors from site readers. My husband asked me yesterday just how many “cozy mystery authors” there could possibly be. (I think he thought that I had posted most of them.) Who knows!
Toni says
Sara Rosett is a cozy mystery writer who writes the mom zone mystery series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks for telling us about Sara Rosett, Toni. I have added her to my list of authors to do in the near future.
cindy says
There is another series about a wife who stays home. Her husband is in the service and she follows wherever he is sent. The first title is I believe "Moving can be Murder" and the second one -just out-something like "Staying Home…" It takes awhile to start getting interesting.
Janet says
I am a Church Librarian who loves Cozy Mysteries. One of the author’s who I can recommend is Peggy Darty. Her first book in the series is “When the Sandpiper Calls” and there are 2 more after that one.
As a Librarian, would it be possible to make a list of all the author’s by name?
Also, would it be possible to add “Christian Cozy Mysteries” as one of your topics?
Thanks!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Janet,
I have Peggy Darty already listed on the Cozy site… Also, each alphabet page has the lists of the authors posted on the site. For example, the Cozy Mystery A page, the Cozy Mystery B page, etc.
I just did a search for you and will be sending a list of addresses for you to look at…
Sprite says
Yes, please add Christian Cozies!!! I came across this site by accident, searching for some information of Lord Peter Wimsey. Now it seems I’ve visiting several times a week, and ALWAYS before a trip to the library!
Anne says
I just finished Anne George’s Southern Sisters series and loved it. My first time as a cozy mystery reader. Can your recommend someone on the same line as her – mystery yet funny.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Anne, I just did a search for all of my Anne George entries and this is what I came up with:
Anne George: Southern Sisters Cozy Mystery Series
Mystery Authors with Authors Who Are Similar… A Little…
I hope that you are able to find a few authors from site readers’ comments… a lot of good ideas…
Jeanne Marie Ford says
Thank you for this website! I have been doing google searches and amazon searches to little avail, and it finally dawned on me to look for a website devoted to cozy mysteries to help me find the books I was seeking. I found them — in spades. Many thanks to you!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Welcome to the site. I spent some time on your “Teaching Authors” site, and I can’t imagine when you have time to squeeze in any reading!
I love that the six of you (Children’s Authors) teach others to be authors.
Judy says
hi danna how are you? just touching base and always checking your site. I have just finished all jill churchill, valerie wolzien, and leslie meier. LOVE THEM ALL but struggling to find similiar novels that are mom home-based with family and mysterys. I love the feel these books bring being so cozy. any more ideas you can suggest what about dorothy cannell’s ellie haskell series? any ideas would be great. I think I am reading these too fast. so take care and look forward to hearing from you. thanks again, judy
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Judy, even though Peggy Jean Turner isn’t a stay at home mom, you might enjoy reading her series. She is written by Kate Borden.
Judy says
thanks danna I will keep looking take care and many thanks again judy
Judy says
OOPS SORRY DANNA WHAT ARE THE ELLIE HASKELL SERIES LIKE BY DOROTHY CANNELL? DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW? ALSO LOVE SMALL TOWN COZIES. LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM YOU. KIND REGARDS JUDY
Judy D says
hi danna I was also wondering what the cleaning lady series is like by ann purser murder on monday etc many thanks and so sorry for all the questions kind regards judy
Jane says
I love your website! I’ve just started getting into ‘cozy’ mysteries, and your site is really helpful with all of the different lists!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Welcome to the site, Jane! I’m glad you are finding it helpful on your cozy Mystery author quest.
linda c says
Danna, I love checking out the authors that you list on topics like this. I am able to find new-to-me favorite authors this way. I have seen several books by Jill Churchill but have never read any. The front covers of her books make the books look very interesting.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda C, I also use some of the different theme lists when I’m looking for a new author to follow. (Although recently most of my new-to-me authors have come from the monthly recommendations you all tell us about.)
Lexi Strasheim says
I think it’s awesome that you have Mrs Pollifax in 2 different categories ??
I grew up reading the series