Wasn't sure if this is the correct forum for them, so if it isn't feel free to shoo me away & I apologize in advance.

I recently discovered the cozy mystery genera & love them! I've read a handful & very much enjoyed them all. So I thought if the ones I just picked up & read on a whim are so good, what are some of the series I should be seeking out? If you had to pick just one series as your all time favorite what would it be?

That question is almost impossible to answer for me. There are so many series I love. The first few that come to mind are the Death on Demand series by Carolyn Hart, The Gaslight series by Victoria Thomson, the Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier, and the Arly Hanks Maggody series by Joan Hess. Those 4 are probably my top favorites.

ETA: I forgot about The Grace and Favor series by Jill Churchill. I really love that one, too.

Absolutely!  Cozy is definitely spoken here!  While I am more of a British police procedural/gritty noir-ish reader, I definitely read my share of cozies as well.  I would say that Victoria Thompson's "Gaslight Mysteries" featuring midwife Sarah Brandt and police detective Frank Malloy is one of my favorite cozy series.  The early  Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Raisin mysteries by M. C. Beaton are really good too.  Those are two different series, btw!  Louise Penny's Inspector Armand Gamache series is excellent as well. 

I'm sure you'll get lots more suggestions from people who read more cozies than I!

I'm not much of  cozy reader  either  but  I really enjoy these series  Victoria Thompson" Gaslight series",  Jo Dereske"  Miss Zukas series " ,  Ghost Duster series by Wendy Roberts.

Happy reading

Tammy

Joan Hess' Arly Hanks is tops.

The Lucy Stone books by Leslie Meier

H Mel Malton's  Polly Deacon series.

Lou Allins  Belle Palmer series.

There are so many I like! 

Cozies are wonderful!!  This is my favorite genre and I could go on for an hour giving you some suggestions.  I second the Leslie Meier series.  Since it is set in my native Maine, I feel free to call it "wicked" good.  :)  There are lots of sub-genres in this cozy sub genre, there are mysteries involving main characters who cook, cater, run cookie, pizza, ice-cream, tea, and candy shops.  Then there are those related to some form of inn or bed & breakfast running.  Antique shops, book stores. Historical cozies.  British detectives, Tons of crafting cozies including scrapbooking, knitting, quilting, crocheting, inking.  Homemaker cozies (like the Leslie Meier series).  I would suggest if you do decide to read Meier, that you start at the beginning and read them in order.  There is quite a long backlist here, so this one alone should keep you busy. 

Like Ellie said, it's difficult for me to pick out one to call a favorite.  But I guess I would choose books written by Susan Wittig Albert.  She has two series going, one completed series and a third starting in July.  The two current series are the China Bayles and Beatrix Potter.  China Bayles lives with her husband and step son in a small Texas town.  DH is a retired cop turning private investigator, and China owns an herb store.  Beatrix Potter (you may remember the name from her children's books) is set in a small English village.  It is pretty historically accurate, a gentle cozy.  Her completed series is written with her husband Bill under the name Robin Paige.  This is a historical cozy set in late Victorian, early Edwardian England.  Excellent.

I have just finished the first book and am reading the second in a new mystery series written by Sheila Connelly, "Orchard Mysteries."  Absolutely great!  MC as you may have guessed, owns an apple orchard and is re-storing an old Colonial house in western Mass.  Unfortunately fo her, dead bodies keep showing up on her property. 

Hope this helps you out! 

An early entrant in the cozy mystery genre is Charlotte MacLeod.  She wrote two series, one featuring Sarah Kelling, an impoverished branch of an old and eccentric Boston family making ends meet by running a boarding house, and the other featuring Peter Shandy, a professor at a mythical agricultural college in rural Massachusetts.

Her spiritual successor is Donna Andrews, whose main character Meg Lanslow must cope with a large and ditzy family.

Check this site out for a long list and discussion of cozy mystery authors:  http://www.cozy-mystery.com/

I love cozies and some of my favorite authors are Joane Fluke, Victoria Laurie, Linda O. Johnston, Miranda Bliss, Sammi Carter, Lee Charles Kelly.

along with that cozy site, www.stopyourekillingme.com will give you some great references by location, career, etc.

Hi, just had a question for all you cozy mystery experts.  I keep seeing discussions on cozy mysteries.   They sound good but I am trying to determine what makes a mystery a cozy mystery.  Is it particular authors or just a type of mystery and are cozy mysteries marked as such when you are buying them?  In other words, how do I determine if something is a "cozy mystery"?

Thanks for any help you can give me.  I guess I need a book titled "Cozies for Dummies"!

Nancy

Hi Nancy!  Check out this website:  http://www.cozy-mystery.com/ 

It will give you and excellent definition of the genre plus list scores if not hundreds of cozy authors and their books.  Have fun!

Just one word of caution about the cozy-mystery.com website.......   It's a great resource and I think has a great definition of what is a cozy mystery.  But the series listed are not JUST cozy mystery series.   Heck, it even says that at the top of the page - "A Guide to Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books"

To me..a Cozy Mystery is not so "graphic and less blood, etc" than regular mysteries.

Ive never been a regulary mystery fan, but I like a little romance and mystery together.  :0)

I really ~ like cozy mysteries!  I think I started with Monica Ferris, have also read cozies by Miranda Bliss, Joanne Fluke, Joanna Carl, and

Cleo Coyle.  I really lke them all!   Depending on if you like Chocolate, Scrapbooking, Restaurant business, Coffee, Needlework,

Scrapbooking, etc....there is a series for you!

Just wanted to thank everyone for their information on the cozy mysteries.  LeeAnne thanks for the website.  I have gone to take a look at it briefly.  Decided there is so much stuff there I have to go back when I have a little more time!  Seems to be ALOT of cozy mysteries. 

I just finished the Aurora Teagarden series and started on the Lily Bard series by Charlaine harris. Got the harper connelly series coming. My question is what other series are like these? I am new to this genre and find the selection a little daunting.

Thanks

I have tons of favorite authors - especially Charlaine Harris (although some of her's are a little dark),  Joan Hess,  Carolyn Hart,  Rett McPherson, Joanne Fluke,  Joanna Carl,  Charlotte MacLeod (also writes under Alisa Craig),  Sarah Shankman,  Sarah Graves,  Mary Jane Maffini,  Margaret Maron, Rita Mae Brown,  Nancy Martin (her Blackbird Sisters' mysteries),  and of course - Janet Evanovich.

I have to second Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series--absolutely my favorite series.  The main character is a judge with a huge and crazy family.  Great descripton/information on the Carolina setting, and the mysteries are always good. 

Love, Love cozies, also!!!

I just read this, this past weekend: Truly, Madly by Heather Webber.   Her second book will be out in Aug.   I really, really enjoyed it.  It was a different and enjoyed that difference.

Here is my list of favorite authors:

Deb Baker ( 3 series)

Maddy Hunter  (her series is a dead series but has been picked up by another publisher, new book due out in June 2011)

Anne George

Mary Kenndey  (new book released today, 6/1/10)

Laura Levine

Carolyn Banks (writes about horses, and is very funny)

Christy Evans

Joann Fluke

Lorna Barrett

Katie Collins

Mary Ellen Hughes

Rita Lakin  (book 6 released today, June 1st, 2010)

Leann Sweeny ( 2 series)

So many more authors that I could list!! LOL!!

   I am a member of Good Reads.com and member of the cozy mystries group.  Have gotten a lot of new authors from there. 

Just to update - I absolutely loved both of the "Orchard" series books by Sheila Connelly I referenced above.  Have the next two on my waiting list.

I've been reading some reviews of Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series.  How much of a cozy are these do you think.  A few reviewers kind of questioned whether it is a cozy or not.  How much language, lust, violence, etc. is there?  Thanks in advance for giving me your opinion!

I also love cozy mysteries. To get a list of authors and books go to: www.cozy-mystery.com. Some suggestions of good books: Joanne Fluke, Laura Childs, Denise Swanson, Jill Churchill, Joan Hess, Maggie Sexton to name a few.

Donna

Joy, I've never really considered the Deborah Knott series cozy.  However, they certainly are not graphic.  There are no graphic sex scenes and really no sex to speak of that I remember, and not much bad language.  There is some violence from time to time but not what I consider graphic.  This series is one of my all time favorites but I was on book three before I became hooked.  I hope Maron doesn't run out of material for a very long time!

I just got into "cozies" myself and I loved the Anne George series.  I laughed so hard when I read each book.  I am reading Sheila Connolly's series now and so far, I am really enjoying them.  I have Laura Levine's series to read next.  In fact, I got all my suggestions for these books from posts on this sight.  Happy reading everyone!

I think of a cozy mystery as a book that takes place in Small Town, USA and the sleuth is usually a female who just happens to stumble on solving a mystery. Kind of like  'Murder She Wrote'. They are easy read and will have several suspects. And if written well will leave you guessing until the end of the book.

I have also read Sheila Connolly's books and love them. Anne George books are a hoot. Another book that I haven't seen mentioned is the books by Carol Ann O'Marie. She is a retired nun and her books are about Sister Mary Helen an elderly nun. They are very good.

Donna