Cozy mysteries have long been a beloved subgenre of crime fiction, offering readers a perfect blend of intrigue, charm, and comfort. This article delves into the world of cozy mystery authors, showcasing both established names and rising stars in the genre. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to cozy mysteries, you’re sure to discover your next favorite author on this list.
What Makes a Cozy Mystery?
Before we dive into our list, let’s briefly explore what defines a cozy mystery. These lighthearted whodunits typically feature:
- Amateur sleuths
- Small-town or close-knit community settings
- Minimal violence or graphic content
- A focus on character relationships and everyday life
Now, let’s meet some of the authors who have mastered this delightful genre.
Classic Cozy Mystery Authors
These writers laid the foundation for the cozy mystery genre we know and love today:
- Agatha Christie (1890-1976)
- Short bio: Born in Devon, England, Christie worked as a nurse during World War I before becoming a writer. She is recognized as the best-selling novelist of all time.
- Notable works:
- Hercule Poirot series (e.g., “Murder on the Orient Express”)
- Miss Marple series (e.g., “The Murder at the Vicarage”)
- Christie penned 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, selling over 2 billion copies worldwide.
- Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957)
- Short bio: Sayers was born in Oxford and was one of the first women to graduate from Oxford University. She worked in advertising before becoming a full-time writer.
- Notable works:
- Lord Peter Wimsey series (e.g., “Whose Body?”, “Strong Poison”)
- Sayers was a renowned English crime writer and poet who helped elevate the mystery genre to a form of literature.
- Margery Allingham (1904-1966)
- Short bio: Born into a family of writers in London, Allingham published her first novel at 19 and went on to become one of the four “Queens of Crime” in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.
- Notable works:
- Albert Campion series (e.g., “The Crime at Black Dudley”, “Police at the Funeral”)
- Allingham was a prolific writer who contributed significantly to the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.
Contemporary Cozy Mystery Bestsellers
Here are some modern authors who have become household names in the cozy mystery world:
- Joanne Fluke
- Short bio: Born in Minnesota, Fluke worked various jobs including teaching and running a catering business before becoming a full-time writer. Her experiences inform her culinary mysteries.
- Notable works:
- Hannah Swensen series (e.g., “Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder”, “Strawberry Shortcake Murder”)
- Fluke combines baking and sleuthing in her charming Lake Eden, Minnesota setting, with each book featuring delicious recipes.
- Laura Childs
- Short bio: A pseudonym for Gerry Schmitt, Childs was formerly the CEO of a marketing firm before turning to writing full-time. She lives in Minnesota and is known for her multiple cozy mystery series.
- Notable works:
- Tea Shop Mysteries (e.g., “Death by Darjeeling”, “Gunpowder Green”)
- Scrapbooking Mysteries (e.g., “Keepsake Crimes”, “Photo Finished”)
- Cackleberry Club Mysteries (e.g., “Eggs in Purgatory”, “Scorched Eggs”)
- Childs is a pseudonym for Gerry Schmitt, who writes multiple successful cozy mystery series.
- Lilian Jackson Braun (1913-2011)
- Short bio: Born in Massachusetts, Braun worked as a publicity writer for several Detroit department stores. She began writing her famous series in her 50s, taking a break for 18 years before resuming in her 70s.
- Notable works:
- The Cat Who… series (e.g., “The Cat Who Could Read Backwards”, “The Cat Who Played Post Office”)
- Braun’s books feature journalist Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats solving mysteries in a small town, with 29 books in the series.
Culinary Cozy Mystery Authors
For those who love a side of recipes with their mysteries:
- Diane Mott Davidson
- Short bio: Born in Maryland, Davidson has lived in Colorado since 1976. She combines her love of cooking with her passion for mysteries in her popular series.
- Notable works:
- Goldy Schulz series (e.g., “Catering to Nobody”, “Dying for Chocolate”)
- Davidson’s series features a caterer-turned-sleuth in Colorado, with each book including recipes.
- Cleo Coyle
- Short bio: A pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi and her husband Marc Cerasini, both accomplished authors in their own right. They live and write in New York City, the setting for their Coffeehouse Mysteries.
- Notable works:
- Coffeehouse Mystery series (e.g., “On What Grounds”, “Through the Grinder”)
- Coyle is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi and her husband Marc Cerasini, who write this popular series set in New York City.
- Leslie Meier
- Short bio: Born in Massachusetts, Meier worked as a journalist before turning to fiction. She draws inspiration from her experiences as a mother and her life in New England.
- Notable works:
- Lucy Stone series (e.g., “Mistletoe Murder”, “Trick or Treat Murder”)
- Meier’s series follows a small-town mom in Maine who balances family life with amateur sleuthing.
Craft and Hobby-Themed Cozy Mysteries
These authors combine creative pursuits with crime-solving:
- Betty Hechtman
- Short bio: A Chicago native now living in Southern California, Hechtman has worked various jobs including teaching crocheting and selling lawn chairs. She combines her love for crafts with her writing.
- Notable works:
- Crochet Mystery series (e.g., “Hooked on Murder”, “Dead Men Don’t Crochet”)
- Hechtman’s series features a bookstore owner and crochet enthusiast who unravels mysteries in California.
- Monica Ferris
- Short bio: A pseudonym for Mary Monica Pulver, Ferris has been writing mysteries since the 1980s. She lives in Minnesota and is an avid needleworker herself.
- Notable works:
- Needlecraft Mystery series (e.g., “Crewel World”, “Framed in Lace”)
- Ferris’s series centers around a needlework shop owner in Minnesota who stitches together clues.
- Maggie Sefton
- Short bio: Born in Virginia, Sefton had a career in accounting and real estate before becoming a full-time writer. She learned to knit as research for her popular series.
- Notable works:
- Knitting Mystery series (e.g., “Knit One, Kill Two”, “Needled to Death”)
- Sefton’s series combines fiber arts and murder mysteries in the backdrop of Colorado.
Animal Lovers’ Cozy Mystery Authors
For readers who enjoy furry companions in their mysteries:
- Rita Mae Brown
- Short bio: Born in Pennsylvania, Brown is a prolific author and screenwriter. She’s known for her activism and her unique collaboration with her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown, on her mystery series.
- Notable works:
- Mrs. Murphy series (e.g., “Wish You Were Here”, “Rest in Pieces”)
- Brown co-authors this series with her cat Sneaky Pie Brown, featuring a postmistress and her crime-solving pets.
- Sofie Kelly
- Short bio: A pseudonym for Darlene Ryan, Kelly is a Canadian author who has written for both adults and young adults. Her love for cats inspired her Magical Cats Mysteries.
- Notable works:
- Magical Cats Mystery series (e.g., “Curiosity Thrilled the Cat”, “Sleight of Paw”)
- Kelly’s series follows a librarian and her two cats with special abilities in solving crimes in Minnesota.
- Krista Davis
- Short bio: A former teacher, Davis lives in Virginia with her pets. Her love for animals is reflected in her pet-friendly mystery series.
- Notable works:
- Paws & Claws Mystery series (e.g., “Murder, She Barked”, “The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer”)
- Davis’s series is set in a pet-friendly town where the protagonist runs an inn while solving mysteries.
Rising Stars in Cozy Mysteries
Keep an eye on these up-and-coming authors:
- V.M. Burns
- Short bio: Born and raised in Indiana, Burns holds a degree in Criminal Justice. She draws on her love for mystery books and her experience working in a library for her series.
- Notable works:
- Mystery Bookshop series (e.g., “The Plot Is Murder”, “Read Herring Hunt”)
- Burns’s series features a mystery bookstore owner who solves real crimes while writing fictional ones.
- Vivien Chien
- Short bio: Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Chien draws on her Asian-American heritage and her experience working in her family’s restaurant for her Noodle Shop Mystery series.
- Notable works:
- Noodle Shop Mystery series (e.g., “Death by Dumpling”, “Dim Sum of All Fears”)
- Chien’s series brings diversity to the genre with its Chinese-American protagonist running her family’s restaurant.
- Ellie Alexander
- Short bio: A Pacific Northwest native, Alexander comes from a family of bakers. She combines her love for the region and baking in her popular Bakeshop Mystery series.
- Notable works:
- Bakeshop Mystery series (e.g., “Meet Your Baker”, “A Batter of Life and Death”)
- Alexander’s series combines Pacific Northwest charm with delectable pastries and intriguing mysteries.
Diverse Voices in Cozy Mysteries
These authors bring fresh perspectives to the genre:
- Kellye Garrett
- Short bio: A New Jersey native, Garrett worked as a TV writer in Hollywood before turning to mystery writing. Her experiences in the entertainment industry inform her Detective by Day series.
- Notable works:
- Detective by Day series (e.g., “Hollywood Homicide”, “Hollywood Ending”)
- Garrett’s series features a semi-famous, mega-broke black actress turned amateur sleuth in Hollywood.
- Mia P. Manansala
- Short bio: A Filipino-American writer from Chicago, Manansala won the 2018 Hugh Holton Award before publishing her debut novel. She infuses her mysteries with her cultural background.
- Notable works:
- Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series (e.g., “Arsenic and Adobo”, “Homicide and Halo-Halo”)
- Manansala’s series blends Filipino culture, food, and family with cozy mysteries.
- Abby Collette
- Short bio: Also writing as Abby L. Vandiver, Collette is a lawyer turned writer from Cleveland, Ohio. She brings her legal background and love for her hometown to her cozy mysteries.
- Notable works:
- Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series (e.g., “A Deadly Inside Scoop”, “A Game of Cones”)
- Collette’s series follows a lawyer-turned-ice cream shop owner solving crimes in an Ohio beach town.
Where to Find More Cozy Mystery Authors
To discover even more cozy mystery authors:
- Visit your local library or bookstore
- Join online cozy mystery reading groups
- Check out cozy mystery blogs and review websites
- Explore online booksellers’ cozy mystery sections
By exploring this diverse list of cozy mystery authors, you’re sure to find plenty of engaging reads to curl up with. Each author brings their unique background and interests to their writing, creating a rich tapestry of cozy mysteries for every taste. Whether you’re drawn to culinary capers, craft-related crimes, or animal-assisted investigations, there’s a cozy mystery author waiting to sweep you into their world of small-town intrigue and amateur sleuthing. Happy reading and happy sleuthing!