Comfort Reads discussion

Misfit has wisely suggested this thread for the likes of Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. Add your favourite titles here along with any other authors you enjoy in this genre.

This genre is my favorite choice for when I'm in the mood to snuggle up on a rainy weekend afternoon with the cat(s). I really enjoy Mary Stewart and plan to read more soon - her exotic settings (oooh, Greece) really put her over the top.

Favs so far (and I'm not done),


Its a lot of fun to look at the older editions of her books here and at Amazon. Love the older covers. This is a really fun place to look at some of her covers as well, http://marystewartnovels.com/extras/c...

Yes, I love Mary Stewart. I discovered her books in college and read them to excape the stress of finals!!

I've only ever read one romantic suspense novel by Mary Stewart, Thornyhold, but I loved her Arthurian novels when I was in high school, particularly The Hollow Hills. I don't read a lot of romantic suspense novels, but I really enjoyed The Night Child by Celeste De Blasis, even though it was extremely formulaic (but every once in a while, you don't want to think at all while reading).

I read The Moon-Spinners by Mary Stewart last year and thought the descriptions of Greece were lovely.

I've also read The Night Child and thought it good.

There's also Victoria Holt who has also written a ton of historical novels under the name Jean Plaidy. She is very formulaic so you need to spread them out or you will burn out very fast. I did like Bride of Pendorric and Mistress of Mellyn. She likes the Cornwall settings a lot (shades of Dame Du Maurier).

I haven't tried them yet but Susan Howatch has wrote a few in this genre as well. No idea how they are but I have loved two the *historical* novels she's written that I've read, Penmarric and Cashelmara. I still have to read Wheel of Fortune. Those three books while set in 19 and 20C parallel the Plantagenets of England.

I really over-read Victoria Holt in high school, and I have not been able to get into her books again.

Gotta plug my new favorite author: Canadian author Susanna Kearsley. She's the younger version of Mary Stewart IMO. I haven't read all her books yet (she's got about 6 books out, and they're hard to get a hold of in the US), but I'm getting there. My favorites are:

Mariana: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96...

The Shadowy Horses:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96...

Named of the Dragon:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96...

And writing as Emma Cole - Every Secret Thing:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65...

I've got one of hers called The Winter Sea (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33...) that I'm holding off reading until I get through some of my TBR pile. I'm going crazy to start it, but I'm being a good little reader and saving the best for later :)

Gundula wrote: "I've only ever read one romantic suspense novel by Mary Stewart, Thornyhold..."

Loved Thornyhold, although it's really one of Stewart's "cottage" novels as opposed to one of her suspense novels. Probably my favorite Stewart book.

I do intend to read Kearsley one of these days. I had one out from the library once but M. Dumas was calling me and I ended up taking it back. I think it was the Shadowy Horses, the one set in Scotland with the archeologists digging up the Roman ruins.

I gave away my collection of Victoria Holt books in my last move, but still have all Mary Stewart's. I've carted them around with me for more years than I care to say!

I also like Nora Roberts, however I also like Elizabeth Lowell her “gem” series – Amber Beach, Pearl Cove, Ruby something, I think there were 4 total in the series, were very good. I’ve also read and enjoy anything Carla Neggers, Heather Graham Iris Johansen. I’ll have to add Mary Steward and Victoria Holt to my TBR list not that it needs any more.

I like Sandra Brown and Erica Spindler.

Dara wrote: "I like Sandra Brown and Erica Spindler."

Dara, Any in particular?

We need the very favorite books (not just authors) in order to get books onto the group's bookshelf. ;-)

I just discovered Eve Silver. I loved her book His Dark Kiss.

Lisa wrote: "Dara wrote: "I like Sandra Brown and Erica Spindler."

Dara, Any in particular?

We need the very favorite books (not just authors) in order to get books onto the grou..."

Sandra Brown--Envy is the best one I have read. I also liked Hello Drkness, The Alibi, and Switch


Erica Spindler--I have hardly read a bad book. I really liked Cause for Alarm. In Silence, and Forbidden Fruit.

Thanks, Dara! I added those three books to the group's bookshelf, and that will also alert people to the author and her other books too.

The two books that I just finished were by CJ Snyder"While You Were Dead" and "Dead Reckoning". This in a new series. OMG, I haven't read more suspensful books in ages. I never knew from page to page what was going to happen next. Who the good gus were and who the bad guys were. I even had to re-read some parts because I couldn't beleive what I was reading. The romantic parts were excellent to.

Actually, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty: A Novel could be put here. It also has to do with being an orphan. I REALLY did enjoy it. I am so terribly shocked I liked a suspense novel. Don't read it;listen to it. The author's southern dialect is wonderful in her narration.