Cozy Mystery Writers

I thoroughly enjoy both reading and writing cozy mysteries. For those who are not sure what a cozy mystery is, they can be defined as gentle mysteries, with no blood and guts, no violence, no cursing, no graphic sex, where the action in general takes place in small communities, and those doing the detecting are amateurs. The following are cozy mystery authors that I follow:

Susan Wittig Albert - The series that I follow here is the China Bayles Herbal Mysteries. It is a small town setting, with interesting characters and a lot of useful information on herbs,

M.C. Beaton - The series that I follow here are the Agatha Raisin series and the Hamish McBeath series. Both take place in small communities, are laced with humor, and push credulity.

Lilian Jackson Braun - The series that I follow here is the Cat Who series. The background is a small town community, where the protagonist writes a column for the local newspaper, as well as being the wealthiest person in the area. There is a strong cat theme here, as the protagonist is "owned" by two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum.

Rita Mae Brown - The series that I follow here are the Mrs. Murphy series (all the animals talk, with Mrs. Murphy as the leading animal character), and the Sister Jane series, which is all about fox hunting (no, the fox is chased, but not hurt). 

Hope Callaghan - The series that I follow here are the Cruise Ship Christian Cozy mysteries, and the Garden Girls Christian Cozy mysteries. Both series have wonderful characters, great story lines, and they leave the reader smiling.

Laura Childs - The series that I follow here is the Tea Shop Mysteries.  Great reads, with recipies included!

Agatha Christie - Yes, these are older books, but I love re-reading them! I follow both the Miss Marple series (small community spinster sleuth) and the  Hercule Poirot series (dashing, celebrated Belgian detective). I love following the clues in both of these series!  

Cleo Coyle - The series that I follow here is A Coffeehouse Mystery. I do love coffee - and strong female protagonists! We get loads of info on coffee, and recipies!

Krista Davis - The series that I follow here is the Paws & Claws mysteries.

Vicki Delaney - The series that I follow here is the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. I am a tremendous Sherlock Holmes fan, and this series carries on a great tradition. With the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop right next door to Mrs Hudson's Tea Room, what can go wrong!

Joanne Fluke - The series that I follow here is the Hannah Swensen series. Set in Lake Eden, MN (my home state), we have a protagonist that owns a bakery, and a book filled with local culture and ... recipies! 

Dorothy Gilman - The series that I follow here is the Mrs. Polifax series. Retired garden club lady becomes first class spy ... and it is believable! 

Carolyn Hart - The series that I follow here is the Death On Demand series. The setting is the small seaside community of Broward's Rock. The protagonist is the owner of a local bookstore that focuses on mysteries.

I hope that you find one or two authors here that you would like to get to know. There is nothing better than a good mystery!

(c) September 2018 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

How Joanne Fluke Influenced My Writing

I have decided to institute a monthly theme to my author's blogs. My theme for the month of March is female writers of (cozy) mysteries that have influenced my own writing in some way. This week I am talking about Joanne Fluke.

Fluke is the author of the "Hannah Swensen" series of cozy mysteries, as well as a young adult horror series under the pseudonym Jo Gibson, and a series of edgier mysteries (as Joanne Fluke) from Kensington Press. (Note: Kensington Press is in the process of reissuing many of these books.)

There are so many elements of Fluke's writing that I am drawn to. In the Hannah Swensen series we see a single woman running her own business (a bakery), and is owned by an adorable cat by the name of Moishe. The series is located in Lake Eden, MN (I am a MN native), and features the culture of that area. There is a food thread that runs through each plot, with recipies at the end of each book. This is old home week for me!

Fluke not only developes her characters well, but has them interacting with each other consistently. We are talking about small town america here, where everyone knows everyone, and anything can happen! The Hanna Swensen series is centered around family and community, and will bring out good memories for anyone that is from this area, or is familiar with it.

My hope is that in my books I can reflect the world that my characters live in accurately, as well as their lives, their hopes, and how their pasts can act as shadows.   

Next week I will be talking about Susan Wittig Albert.

(c) March 2018 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.  

Christmas Books That I Love!

Christmas is a lovely time of year! I look forward to decorating my house, playing Christmas music, cooking, baking, and, of course, reading Christmas themed mysteries! The following are some that I would like to share, in the spirit of the season. Enjoy!

Victoria Benchley. The Christmas Contest. This is part of t he Duncan Dewar series, and takes place Scottish village. He is trying to solve a murder, while at the same time vying for Angela's heart!

Kathi Daley. The Christmas Letter. This is part of the Tess and Tilly cozy mystery series. This story is based in the small town of White Eagle, Montana, and thrives on small town shenanigans! 

Francis Duncan. Murder For Christmas. This is part of the Mordecai Tremaine series, and takes place at a country retreat.

Joanne Fluke, Sugar Cookie Murder. This is part of the Hannah Swensen series, based on a community Christmas celebration. I love that there are a ton of recipies included!

Ellen Elizabeth Hunter. Murder On the Candlelight Tour. This is part of the Magnolia Mystery Wilmington series, featuring historic preservationist Ashley Wilkes, and the proverbial murder in the library!

Margaret Maron, Rituals of the Season. This is a Deborah Knott mystery that combines Christmas and Deborah's impending wedding. Excellent read!

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(c) November 2017 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written consent of the author.