Cozy Mysteries discussion

I have been reading Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries,and I am loving them. Anyone know of a similar author?

I read one last month Antidote to Murder. It's actually the 2nd in the series, I think, but the first on I've read. I usually don't care for period pieces, but this one was pretty good!

Kerry Greenwood has a series set in Australia in the 1920s. There are a lot of books in the series. The first one is Cocaine Blues.

Love the "Gaslight" series. Have you read any of "Mrs Jeffries" series by Emily Brightwell? They are referred to as a Victorian Mystery.

Conrad Allen has a series of historical mysteries set on cruise ships which are very good.

Robin Paige (a nom de plume of Susan Wittig Albert and her husband) has a series set in Victorian/Edwardian England which are quite fun.

Kate Ross's Julian Kestrel series is a very good Regency adventure. I am really sorry there are only 4.

Margaret Miles has a good series set in Pre-Revolutionary US.

Rosemary Stevens has a Beau Brummel series that is fun, but I would not call it great literature.

Hannah March's Robert Fairfax and Charles Finch's Charles Lenox series are very good as well.

Barbara Cleverly's Detective Joe Sandilands series is very good as well, but might be pushing the boundaries of "cozy."

Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin mysteries are excellent, but definitely not cozies, if you are interested in branching out a bit.

I enjoyed the Julian Kestrel series. The author died very young.

Two I haven't seen mentioned above -

Rhys Bowen has two series that are historical mysteries: Lady Georgianna and the Molly (Murphy?) series.

Carol K. Carr's India Black Series

ETA:
Oh, and the Daisy Dalrymple mystery series by Carola Dunn

(and I'll second the Phyrne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood, mentioned above - it's one of my favourites!)

I will endorse Kate Ross's Julian Kestrel mysteries!

No-one has mentioned Bruce Alexander's Sir John Fielding series, which is very good. Set a bit earlier than the Gaslight series, 1760s or so.

Ellis Peters's Cadfael series is set in Wales in the Dark Ages, and Ariana Franklin's books are set in a similar timeframe.

Lindsey Davis's Falco series set in ancient Rome is fun too.

Gwen wrote: "I have been reading Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries,and I am loving them. Anyone know of a similar author?"

Have you tried the literature map? Here's the link:

http://www.literature-map.com/victori...

I love a number of the series that have been mentioned. I also have really enjoyed:

Charles Finch's Charles Lenox series A Beautiful Blue Death

Charles Todd's Bess Crawford series An Impartial Witness

And Jacqueline Winspear's Maise Dobbs series Maisie Dobbs

Have you tried Deanna Raybourn?

Ohh, and Ashley Gardner's Captain Lacy series is excellent. A new one is coming out on September 20th and I can't wait.

Thank you so much,you guys are amazing!

It depends on how far back in history you want to go, but I've also enjoyed Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma series.

I can second the Molly Murphy series and the Daisy Dalrymple series :)

What a great list! I love a lot of the series listed, and could add Elizabeth Peters and the Amelia Peabody books, though I've only read the first one so far, having just discovered them thanks to this group :)

I also realize that several of my favorite authors are historical now, though they weren't when they were writing: Dorothy Sayers, Ngiao Marsh, etc.

All the authors mentioned make a great list and add more to my want to read shelf. Some I have read but others I have not. One author I have to add is Anne Perry. She has two series going - one with William and Hester Monk and the other with Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. I just finished Blind Justice her newest Monk novel. I have to say it was as good as her previous ones. If you have not read any of her work, you should pick up a book or two and become friends. I think you will like her.

Rebecca wrote: "I also realize that several of my favorite authors are historical now, though they weren't when they were writing: Dorothy Sayers, Ngiao Marsh, etc."

This is a pet peeve of mine, so I am going to rant a bit. Historical does NOT mean old! Sayers, Marsh, Allingham, Christie etc. did NOT write historical mysteries - they wrote mysteries contemporary to their time. Historical fiction is when a book is set at least 50 years prior to the time of writing, not the time of reading!

Leslie wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "I also realize that several of my favorite authors are historical now, though they weren't when they were writing: Dorothy Sayers, Ngiao Marsh, etc."

This is a pet peeve of mine, s..."

OK..............her post SAYS they're historical NOW, but not when they were written. But, whatever! Everyone has their own way of looking at things.

Gwen wrote: "I have been reading Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries,and I am loving them. Anyone know of a similar author?"

I loved the Gaslight series. I read all of the books currently out in about two and a half weeks and, like you, started looking around for other historical mysteries. So far I've read:

- the first two in the Victorian Mystery series by

Robin Paige, and . The dual leads tend to run into famous historical figures in this series - or at least in the first two books.

- all the books and short stories currently out in the India Black series by Carol K. Carr. These are more over-the-top, fun spy capers in my opinio but I've found them enjoyable, light reads.

- the first book in the Sebastian St Cyr series by C.S. Harris,

- I've read a novella in the Malcolm/Charles and Suzanne/Melanie Fraser series by Teresa Grant,

- and I'm currently reading the first William Monk book by Anne Perry, .

I've liked them all to varying degrees but so far no one has come close to taking Sarah's and Frank's place in my heart. :)

Melodie wrote: "I read one last month Antidote to Murder. It's actually the 2nd in the series, I think, but the first on I've read. I usually don't care for period pieces, ..."

That's good to hear, Melodie. I was eyeing this series next.

Melodie wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "I also realize that several of my favorite authors are historical now, though they weren't when they were writing: Dorothy Sayers, Ngiao Marsh, etc."

This is a pet p..."

Thank you, Melodie. Yes, I realize the meaning of "historical fiction." But I was also noting that I like some "old fiction" as well. It's also interesting to compare, say, Sayers' depiction of the period between the Wars to that of Bowen or Winspeare.

Ellis Peters Cadfael series brought me to history mysteries. I really love these books, they are old friends that I reread.

Falco is another series I adore. I came to them late and devoured the books as fast as I could get my hands on them. I think the BBC radio versions of the first 4 books with Anton Lesser as Falco are some of the best audio stories I've heard to date. Of course, Anton Lesser could read the phone book and I would listen; his voice is amazing.

Leslie wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "I also realize that several of my favorite authors are historical now, though they weren't when they were writing: Dorothy Sayers, Ngiao Marsh, etc."

This is a pet peeve of mine, s..." Thank you for this comment! I'm always having to clarify the same thing when people offer me a new "old" author they found and claim the books are historical mysteries.

I am reading Death On The Cliff Walk, it's the first of the Gilded Age Mysteries by Mary Kruger. They are set in 1895 Newport, Rhode Island.

I'm about 60 pages into it and I'm really enjoying it so far. I visited some of the mansions in Newport a couple of years ago, so it's fun to read about it. Sadly, I think there are only three books in the series, but so far they seem to be a worthwhile read.

BTW, while I got the hardcover from the library, the kindle version is only 99 cents on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Death-Cliff-Gil...

I like two set in Ancient Rome. One by Lindsey Davis during the first century A.D. and one by Steven Saylor that follows the last days of the Republic and the first years of Imperial Rome.
Also like the Benjamin January books by Barbara Hambley. It is set in the free black community of New Orleans just after the War of 1812.

Leslie wrote: "I will endorse Kate Ross's Julian Kestrel mysteries!

No-one has mentioned Bruce Alexander's Sir John Fielding series, which is very good. Set a bit earlier than the Gaslight series, 1760s or so..."
If you enjoy the Falco series (and I do) you might like to try the Sister Fidelma stories.

My current favorite are Laurie King's Mary Russell series. Mary is Sherlock Holmes much younger wife, and the books take place at the beginning of the twentieth century. They are clever and literate, funny and thoroughly intriguing.
Also Alan Bradley's Flavia De Luce series, set in 1950 English country house but feels older. Flavia is a delightful brilliant 12 year old with a passion for poisons.
Thanks for the list.

Thanks for the list.

Tasha Alexander write a good series about happenings in the Victorian era.

And off the beaten track a bit are Gail Carriger's Steampunk. I like the Souless series, but there is a new one out. (I did not really like Steampunk for quite some time, then found this author and I like her. Not sure I would like all of them, but....)

I liked so much the Sir John Fielding series. I was so sorry to hear of the author's passing.

And I am also a fan of the Gaslight series, as well as Kerry Greenwood's series.

Has anyone mentioned Alan Gordon's Fools' Guild mysteries? The 'detective' is a jester and they are set around 1200 A.D. Many of the books are set in Shakespearean settings such as Thirteenth Night: A Medieval Mystery which tells the "true" story of Twelfth Night.