I enjoy romance stories (contemporary & western).  I grew up on Encyclopedia Brown stories and thought I might enjoy some romantic mysteries/suspense stories.  I picked up a book by Cherry Adair, loved her style of writing but was pretty  freaked out by the people using body parts in ziploc bags to open doors that needed fingerprints, etc.  And the latest book I read from someone else had several people that were murdered whose bodies were brutally hacked up into pieces. 

So I'm wondering, are there any romantic mysteries/suspense stories that aren't gory or so scary?  I guess I'm more sensitive than most people, but I can't handle these ones!  I've already started having nightmares! Oh, and definitely no paranormal ones either.

Thanks for any recommendations.  Maybe I need to go to the kids section! lol

Nancy Bush's "Jane Kelly" books aren't gory - CANDY APPLE RED, ELECTRIC BLUE and ULTRAVIOLET. Only 3 in the series right now, keep hoping there will be more. The romance is virtually nil but Jane and her boss are a couple-pending which is one reason there should be more books! You could feel the vibes in every scene they were in.

Nancy Martin's Blackbird Sisters mysteries are enjoyable - the romance again is subtle between one of the sisters and Mick, mob son trying to get away from the Family. I read through the whole series last March and April - inhaled them really.

Sherryl Woods has the Molly DeWitt series and Amanda Roberts mysteries/rom susp books, likely OOP but maybe available through the library or here at PBS. If I think of more mild series I'll post them.

Gail

You can't get much more sensitive than me LOL! just ask the girls here! I enjoy jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle - all the same author but contemporary/historical/futuristic.her later stuff is paranormal/psychic but her older stuff has a decent amount of suspense I think.

someone suggested Brenda Joyce to mea while back but haven'tr ead the series..all have 'deadly' in the title I think but not sure how much romance and some were reading some historical mysteries and I read the first one but had something like 'black tulip' in the title and different colors/flowers seems like...pink carnation was one.

Michelle, you might give Laura Griffin a try, she usually writes two books that tie together. Thread of Fear and Whisper of Warning, is a good set. They have a good romance running throughout the book without getting to gory. Her first of her next two is Untraceable and it was very good, you meet the heroine first in WofW.

Brenda Novak - but people have a love/hate relationship with her, because sometimes her subject matter can be controversial. She writes hers in trilogy. The Stillwater Trilogy remains my favorite, with Clay's story being my fav of the three.

Holly Lisle's Night Echoes is one of my most favored romantic mystery, if you like ghost stories, this is beyond good. (h/h solve the mystery of the ghost) or any of her romantic suspense is very good, but that is a particular fav.

Susan Andersen's older works was more romantic suspense than she currently writes: Exposure, On Thin Ice, Obsessed and Present Danger. Exposure is my favorite with a sexy one-armed sheriff named Elvis, what is not to love?

Susan Donovan and Christie Craig both write romantic w/light suspense, but with more humor and the suspense is not the focus of the book as much as the romance.

Pamela Clare writes romantic suspense very well and with a hint of more spicyness in the love scenes. Naked Edge was very good, but does bring characters from previous books, but I feel can still be read with no problem.

Shannon K Butcher has some contemporaries out there and I liked them all, she is still honing her craft with those books and some people don't like her writing style. No Escape, No Control and No Regrets are my favs. Her Urban Fantasy romances are awesome.

Old Tami Hoag, prior to Ashes to Ashes. Old Sandra Brown Slow Heat In Heaven, Mirror Image, Best Kept Secrets, Where There's Smoke and Breath of Scandal, just to name a few.

Let me know if you need more.

I found Shannon K Butcher to push my limits big time! there was some terrorism stuff and torture mentioned (though prettymuch all was in the past ) but No Escape has a psycho killer and reading about the victims begging for their lives did me in..I couldnt' even enjoy the brief sex scenes due to being so disturbed.

Christie Craig is a fave author of mine!

gosh I need to read Exposure..that was discussed in this foruma  while back and I got the book but alas it's lost in mt tbr!

Exposure is my favorite with a sexy one-armed sheriff named Elvis, what is not to love?

Keri - this is my favorite Susan Andersen!

Gail

Hi Michelle, 

I was wondering, if you have tried some of the cozy mysteries?

There are described as less scary, less gory..etc...

I love them!

Joanne Fluke has some romance with her books, she has a great series of books out!  Also, have you tried the Stephanie Plum books by

Janet Evanovich?

Here is a link for more cozy informatiion  http://www.cozy-mystery.com/

Hope this helps!

Melissa

Thank you all for the suggestions! I will definitely be checking these out! I really appreciate you taking the time to reply with your suggestions!

~Michelle

Michelle, I'm real sensitive by graphic violence and gore and avoid things like that. I have to second amanda quick books--the older, one word titles like Deception or Mistress are wonderful! They are historicals but they hooked me years ago when I thought I didn't like historicals, so please give them a chance. There's about 12(?) of them