Reading Lists of Cozy Mystery Series

If you aren't familiar with them, you might ask,"what is a cozy mystery?" A cozy mystery is a mystery that usually occurs in a small town. A place where everyone knows everyone else and all of their business. A cozy mystery usually has an amateur female sleuth. Someone who is well-known in the town and with whom the locals will talk freely. Her position in town may vary, from local caterer, bookstore owner, herb shop owner or maybe even the minister's wife. She is a very smart and intuitive woman, usually with a college degree of some type, even though she may not be using it in her present occupation. She usually has a friend, a husband or some other relative that is a medical examiner, a policeman, a lawyer or a detective who shares information with her.

A cozy mystery does not contain profanity, violence or explicit sex. It usually contains several red herrings to keep the reader wondering who the killer actually is until the end of the book. According to the website: www.cozy-mystery.com you can differentiate a cozy from other mysteries because it is more "brains than brawn."

To help you get started with your introduction into cozy mysteries I have included a list of some of my favorite cozy mystery series:

Laura Childs - Started out as a writer/producer at several national ad agencies. She then started her own ad agency called Mission Critical Marketing. She wrote TV commercials, 4 screenplays (that never sold) and then turned to mystery writing. She has since sold her ad agency and writes mysteries full time. She is author of three cozy mystery series: The Teashop Mystery series with Theodosia Browning. She is the owner of Charleston's beloved Indigo Tea Shop. A scrapbook mystery series that she started in 2003. The story of Carmela Bertrand who opens her scrapbook store in the heart of New Orleans French Quarter. Ms Childs' newest cozy mystery series is the Cackleberry Club mysteries. The first book in the series is "Eggs in Purgatory" that was released in 2008. This is the story of three sassy ladies who lose their husbands but gain their independence when they open a combination cafe, book nook and knitting shop.

Susan Witig Albert - She has been writing full time since 1985 and writing mysteries for the past 15 years. She was originally Vice President and an English Professor at Texas State University. She lives with her writer/husband Bill Albert in Central Texas. Ms Albert writes the China Bayles Mystery series. The series began in 1992 with her first book "Thyme of Death." The series takes place in the made-up town of Pecan Springs, Tx. China is an attorney turned herb shop owner. Because she was an attorney in her past life, the town's people turn to her when there is a mystery to be solved.

Cleo Coyle (aka Alice Kimberly) - Both of these names are the pseudonyms for the husband and wife writing team of Marc Cerasini and Alice Alfonsi. Together they write two cozy mystery series: The Coffeehouse Mysteries written under the pseudonym of Cleo Coyle. Clare Cosi runs a popular coffeehouse in Greenwich Village and trouble just seems to sniff out her delicious espressos and lattes. The other series written under the name of Alice Kimberly is the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. Penelope Thornton-McClure has come to help her Aunt run her local bookstore, only to find out that is haunted by the ghost of Jack Shepard, a PI that was shot to death in that very store 60 years ago.

Ann B Ross - Ms. Ross is a former teacher of Literature at the University of North Carolina in Asheville. She now lives in Hendersonville, NC and writes the famous "Miss Julia" series. The story of a older, rich, opinionated, southern sleuth. The series began in 1999 with "Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind". There are now 10 books in the series.

Diana Mott Davidson - Ms Mott was born in 1949. At 41, she had written 3 novels before she was ever able to get one accepted for publication. She has since written 14 more mysteries all featuring the character of Goldy Bear, a local caterer who is always cooking up a good mystery in her small town in Colorado. The series began in 1990 with "Catering to Nobody." She also writes short stories and poetry.

Madelyn Alt - Ms Alt writes her bewitching mystery series from her 1870's Victorian home that she shares with 2 Siamese cats and a Shepherd-Lab Mix. The series began in 2006 with "The Trouble with Magic." The story is set in the small town of Stony Mill, Indiana where the clerk of an antique store is a little more than just a clerk. Maggie O'Neill is also a fledgling empath. There are now 5 books in the series with the latest one being "No Rest for the Wiccan."

These are only a few of the many cozy mystery authors and series out there for you to read, but it gives you a great place to get started. For a much larger list of authors and series available check out the website: www.cozy-mystery.com.