The coziest cozy

While a cozy mystery can be read anywhere, some are most perfect when you have a cup of tea, a heavy afghan and a rainy day. Anything featuring Miss Marple began this delicious occupation, but now, when I want the coziest cozy mystery feeling I look for something by Rhys Bowen or M.C. Beaton (and both are so prolific that there is usually a new one to read.) Dianne Day perfectly captures the cozy feeling with her Freemont Jones mysteries, but sadly I haven't seen a new one in a long time.

Who is your coziest cozy mystery author?

Patty (ToReadToNap)

For cozy mysteries, I like Ellis Peters's Brother Cadfael series.

There are so many cozy mystery series that I like: Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy series, Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Pollifax series (seems like these have been around my entire life - my mother got me started on them), all of Rhys Bowen's series, Earlene Fowler's Benny Harper series, Lilian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who series, Victoria Thompson's Gaslight mysteries . . . The whole genre appeals to me! And don't even start me on British authors . . .

Yes, alcottacre, but which are the "coziest" for you? Which series, when reading, seem incomplete without a cracking fire, or a rainy day, or cup of tea or cocoa. In other words, which cozy mystery series really sets the mood?

By the way, I adore Mrs. Pollifax and all of Dorothy Gilman's books. I miss reading her. I'll have to look into Victoria Thompson as well.

Patty

#4 ToReadToNap: I went over this and over this, and came to the same conclusion - none of them. I read all books the same way, cozy mysteries or not. So although the mystery might set the mood, obviously I am oblivious to it!

The Mrs. Pollifax books are probably my all time favorites. I bought several of them in audio form from Recorded Books and they are wonderful! I introduced my kids to the character of Mrs. Pollifax that way, so now Dorothy Gilman has a new generation of fans in my house.

I love the Mrs. Pollifax series also. I have just finished reading the Agatha Raisin Series by MC Beaton I really enjoyed those. I have also read the Cat Who Series. I think I enjoy a cozy mystery when I am relaxing in the evening.

I am currently reading a Miss Marple-What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw and loving it. It is my first Agatha Christie in over thirty years and I can't believe how much fun it is to be reading her again.
But I like all sorts of cozy mysteries, except for the cat ones because I'm not a fan of cats.

I am also a huge Mrs. Pollifax fan - as she was my introduction into books that fell into the wild realm of *not* fantasy/sci-fi. She was my gate-way drug so to speak. Lately, I discovered the Brother Cadfael goodness. Many of the cozies I've read get me hankering for a gloomy day, cups of tea, nice fire, and hours to read.

New to this group. I like Rhys Bowen but only the Evan Evans mysteries. Also really enjoy the Fethering mysteries by Simon Brett. Looking for something similar to both of these series.

#9: Have you tried M.C. Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series? I think you would find them similar to the Evan Evans series.

Sorry, I have not read any of Brett's mysteries, so I do not know what to recommend there.

Welcome to the group!!

I love the Anne George Southern sister mysteries. Have you read her? She died a couple years ago; I felt as though I lost a family member.

Have you read Anne George's Southern sister mystery series? When she died, I felt as though I had lost a family member.

That's a hard question, but I love Denise Swanson's Scumble River series. Also, G.A. McKevett's Savannah Reid and Rita Mae Brown's Mrs. Murphy series.

I think I have to vote for Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen series - Now if I could just get some of her cookies to go with my cup of cocoa I'd be in heaven!

I enjoy Joanne Fluke's mysteries, but her recipes are great! Her chocolate cookies from The Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery is the best and has become a family favorite. Every recipe I've tried from her books has turned out well.

Laura Childs' Tea Shop mysteries are definitely cuppa-and-blanket fodder! The mysteries are definitely secondary to the personalities and menu descriptions, but lots of no-brainer fun.

I'm jumping out of genre here, but anything by Rosamund Pilcher (not mysteries, just female fiction/family stories) just begs to be read on a miserable, cloudy day with a quilt and something warm at hand.

Much to my surprise I ended up loving Murder At the Academy Awards by Joan Rivers. I really expected to hate it but it's one of the best cozies I've read in a long time.

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed Murder at the Academy Awards by Joan Rivers.
I thought I would hate it but it is one of the best cozies I've read in a long while. It provides a really
different twist on the traditional cozy.

Glad to know, I would like to read it. I didn't even realize she had written a book.

It is the first of a series of red carpet mysteries that she is planning to write. She wrote it with another mystery writer.

Haven't read it, but I think Willard Scott (yep, there's the touchstone!) has done one with a weatherman sleuth. Wonder if anybody has read/enjoyed.

I like the Brother Cadfael books, but they always feel too much like romances to be real cozies. I've been criticized for calling Sarah Caudwell's books 'cozies', but to me that's what they are -- and they're definitely my favorites. Part of my mind *still* can't grasp the fact that there really are only 4 of them, and there'll never be any more. I envy anyone who doesn't have them memorized.

I love the Mrs. Jeffries series by Emily Brightwell. They revolve around a domestic staff and the bumbling, but lovable detective they work for. Whenever I read these books, I start craving a strong cup of tea.

I love Patricia Sprinkle's Thoroughly Southern Mysteries. Each title asks a question. MacLaren Yarborough is the local magistrate in Hopemore, Georgia and the co-owner of the local feed and seed. The first book is When Did We Lose Harriet?. Begin at the beginning -- some characters appear in multiple novels. There are at least 10 books in the series.

How about Gayle Trent - her newest came out this month. Dead Pan is the second in the Daphne Martin cake decorating series. The first is Murder Takes the Cake. Right now until Dec 22nd, you can enter to win a copy of Dead Pan at Pudgy Penguin Perusals

I have been reading several different cozy mysteries that I have liked. There is an Edwardian mystery series by I beleave this is how you spell it Marion Chesney also know as M. C. Beaton.

I have also been enjoying a series by Cleo Coyle about a coffee house. Through the Grinder is her second one in the series.

My final recomandation is a series on soap making by Tim Meyers. Dead Men Don't Llye.

These are just some fun cozy mysteries that I have discovered.

Hope you enjoy!

One of Marion Chesney's book in the series is called Hasty Death there is also Sick of Shadows this will give you something to look for, since there are quite a few books written by her, and most are romance, but I like the mysteries.

TracyK1, do you happen to know if Tim Myers and Tamar Myers are related in any way? Tamar does Penn Dutch Inn mysteries that are also good and goofy.

I was also a fan of Dianne Day books. But for cozies, have you tried these authors -
Peter Abresch
Susan Wittig Albert
Donna Andrews
Claudia Bishop
Leslie Caine
Jill Churchill
Nora DeLoach
Jonathan Gash
Lee Harris
Joan Hess
Jane Isenberg
Rita Lakin
Sister Carol Anne O'Marie
Katherine Hall Page
Joanne Pence
Maggie Sefton
They are all tea-and-crumpet & curl-up-on-the-couch books. For a long time my favorite writer was Jane Rubino who wrote a series set in Southern NJ - the first was called 'Death of a DJ' and while they are cozy in some respects there are some dark moments - she is more if you like Janet Evanovich but want it a little smarter with snappier dialogue. And then there are Parnell Halls books, one is the Stanley Hastings series about a struggling actor who works as an insurance investigator and the other are the 'Crossword Puzzle Lady' books

Great suggestions, LibrarianBarb! Adding several of these to my club'em-on-the-head-and-bring'em-home list.

LibrarianBarb..you don't happen to live in Halifax do you?

No - NJ about 15 minutes outside of Philly.

The coziest cozy I've ever read was an Aunt Dimity book by Nancy Atherton. I liked it, but I'll have the series in small doses. It's so very cozy I'm afraid that if I read too many I'll start vomiting up something pink and fluffy!

My favorite cozy authors/series are:

Elizabeth Peters (love the Amelia Peabody series!)

Ayelet Waldman's Mommytrack series

Agatha Christie...of course!

Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver series

Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse mysteries

Alice Kimberly

Marian Jackson's Miss Danforth series

M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series

Rhys Bowen's Evan Evans series

Dorothy Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey series

and I know there are so many others!

Haven't read Willard Scott, but I love the books by Steve Allen. They star his wife Jayne Meadows and other celebs from the same era. Very witty. Not necessarily cosy, but really good!