Friday, September 16, 2011

Read Alike: Cozy Mysteries

Although many people are familiar with series such as "Father Dowling" or "Daisy Dalrymple" or "The cat who mysteries" few people recognize they have a genre class all their own. NoveList describes cozy mysteries as "generally containing a minimum of violence and graphic unpleasantness (blunt instruments and poisons are popular weapons), and they often take place in a house, village, small town, academic setting, or other benign, familiar and conventional social setting, with characters who are usually civilized and mannerly. The mystery is usually solved by an amateur detective who understands human nature and is gifted in observation and deduction. Cozy is pretty much the opposite of hard-boiled."

I really like this definition of cozy mysteries, as it seems to encompass many facets of cozies. Working on this post, I discovered lots of series that I have read and enjoyed-apparently I like cozies! I also found plenty of new authors and series.

While there are stand alone cozies, most authors seem to prefer to write series. In fact, many writers have multiple cozy series, as well as writing other types of mysteries. I found well over 200 different authors who write cozy mysteries. I've divided them by type and will do several more posts which include lists of mysteries featuring animals, food and drink, crafts and hobbies, gardening, and of course, there are many mystery series about books and libraries.

The list below is just a sample of the many cozy mystery series at the library.

Atherton, Nancy
Aunt Dimity
Albert, Susan Wittig
China Bayles
Beaton, M. C.
Hamish Macbeth
Beaton, M. C.
Agatha Raisin
Block, Lawrence
Burglar-Bernie Rhodenbarr
Bowen, Rhys Constable Evans
Bowen, Rhys Molly Murphy
Braun, Lilian Jackson
The cat who... Jim Qwilleran
Brett, Simon
Fethering mysteries
Brown, Rita Mae
Mrs. Murphy
Cannell, Dorothy
Ellie Haskell
Childs, Laura Scrapbooking mysteries
Childs, LauraTea Shop mysteries
Churchill, Jill Jane Jeffry
Churchill, JillGrace and Favor
Daheim, Mary Emma Lord
Daheim, Mary Bed and Breakfast mysteries
Davidson, Diane Mott Goldilock's Catering
Dunn, Carola Daisy Dalrymple
Dunn, Carola Cornish mysteries
Ferris, Momica Needlecraft mysteries
Fluke, Joanne
Hannah Swensen
Fowler, Earlene Bennie Harper
George, Anne Southern Sisters
Gilman, Dorothy
Mrs Pollifax
Graves, Sarah Home Repair
Greenlaw, Linda
Jane Bunker
Harris, Charlaine Lily Bard-Shakespeare
Harris, Charlaine Aurora Teagarden
Hart, Carolyn G. Death on demand
Hess, Joan Clair Malloy
McBride, Susan Debutante dropout
McCall Smith, Alexander Sunday Philosophy Club
McCall Smith, Alexander No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
McInerney, Ralph
Father Dowling
McKevett, G. A.
Savannah Reid
Myers, Tamar
Den of Antiquity mysteries
Page, Katherine Hall Faith Fairchild
Ripley, Ann Gardening mysteries-Louise Eldridge
Sefton, Maggie
Knitting mysteries
Swanson, Denise
Scumble River mysteries

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