Cozy Mysteries discussion

Hi everyone! I am new to the GoodReads site! At the beginning of the year I began reading books by James Patterson and Lisa Gardner and I loved them! I am now looking for some authors that are similar to them. I loved the Alex Cross series! I have really fell in love with mystery books. Does anybody have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Amy

Try Mallory's Oracle by Carol O'Connell. This is the first book in a series and is very well written. Protagonist is a bit odd - an orphan that grew up wild on the streets of New York until a cop took her in as a young teen - she's still somewhat feral at the beginning of the series.... Well, to be truthful, several books into it and she's still mostly feral.

I also like the Alex Delaware series from Jonathan Kellerman. He's got about 25 or more in the series now, so they'll keep you busy for a little while.

I highly recommend Dana Stabenow, too. First in her series is A Cold Day for Murder: A Kate Shugak Mystery. If you like quirky mysteries, you'll love hers. And they're all set in Alaska, so you get lots of beautiful descriptions of the landscape, too.

I've read Patterson, but never tried Lisa Gardner - what's a good one to start with of hers?

IUHoosier wrote: "Try Mallory's Oracle by [a:Carol O'Connell|42353|Carol O'Connel..."

Lisa Gardner is great! I love her books. She has some that are kind of a series and then a few that aren't in a series:

— THE PERFECT HUSBAND (introduces Quincy)
— THE THIRD VICTIM (Quincy and Rainie meet)
— THE NEXT ACCIDENT
— THE KILLING HOUR (focuses on Quincy's daughter, Kimberly)
— GONE
— SAY GOODBYE (focuses on Kimberly, Mac, Rainie and Quincy)

THE OTHER DAUGHTER and THE SURVIVORS CLUB are not connected and can be read in whichever order you would like.

Finally, the character Bobby Dodge ties together ALONE and HIDE, so those books work best if read together (ALONE, then HIDE).

Thanks for replying to me. I will check out your suggestions!

Thanks for the suggestions on Gardner, I'll have to look her up. You might also like J.D. Robb's In Death series. They're set about fifty years in the future and are pretty much cop procedural mysteries.

But don't get me started.... I know I'll come up with another 10 authors to tell you to try in the next 24 hours!!

Happy reading!

Hi Amy,
If you like cozy/traditional mysteries, there's no better list to work off of than the list of Agatha Award nominees and winners from past years at:
http://www.malicedomestic.org/agathaa...

The Agatha Award is named for Agatha Christie and honors the traditional mystery (puzzle books vs thriller/suspense books). You may notice that my own A REAL BASKET CASE was nominated for the 2007 Best First Novel Agatha.

Not sure where you are located, but if you are ever in NYC you should ABSOLUTELY check out Partners & Crime (www.crimepays.com), an amazing mystery bookshop. Check out their website for the "Top 100" and "Partners Picks" lists of recommendations.

I started shopping there about a year ago, and I have been VERY happy with every recommendation. A great one to check out is A PLACE OF EXECUTION by Val McDermid.

I absolutely love LEE CHILD's books. Especially his earlier ones. My parents and I have read all of his books, some even twice. All his books are part of the Reacher series (Reacher is an ex-military policeman) and these are great mystery/thrillers.

Do you love a cozy mystery with an element of the paranormal? If so, please check out the Shannon Delaney Series. Lots of info on author's web site:
www.ElizabethEaganCox.net

Stuart Woods is similar to James Patterson, with a few "sleuth" series.

Amy wrote: "Hi everyone! I am new to the GoodReads site! At the beginning of the year I began reading books by James Patterson and Lisa Gardner and I loved them! I am now looking for some authors that are simi..."
Amy: Don't know if you are still looking for authors similar to James Patterson and Lisa Gardner but I did a search through my library on "if you like" author then try "author". Anyway, here are a few names that came up:

If you like James Patterson:

John Sanford
Greg Iles
Ridley Pearson
Jeff Deaver
Harlan Coben
Douglas Kennedy
Joseph Garber

If you like Lisa Gardner then try:

Eileen Dreyer
Alex Kava
Tess Gerritsen
Catherine Coulter

I don't think these fit the cozy mystery genre but hope at least a couple are what you are looking for.

I'm not too much into the really bestselling authors except for a few but here are some alternatives( things that are a little different if you're interested in trying something that aren't listed so far in the discussion:
William Kent Krueger, Dana Stabenow, Anne Marie Evans ( archeology mysteries, which I thought were fascinating), James Doss, James Swain, ( the gambler mysteries, somewhat humorous. Thomas Perry, the mysteries about the indian girl who takes people in danger and gives them a new life. Rick Riordan. detective series.

I certainly wouldn't class Patterson, or Gerritsen as cozies in any sense. When I think of cozies, and recommend them as the Adult Services librarian in our local library, I think of M.C. Beaton, Diane Mott Davidson, Joanne Fluke, Margery Allingham, Nancy Atherton, Lillian Jackson Braun,Rita Mae Brown, Dorothy Cannell, and many more. Basically light mysteries with little blood and guts, definitely no descriptions of autopsies. Books where place and character descriptions are especially important in developing the series, often based on a particular hobby such as needlework, puzzles, or quilting. Cozies don't keep you up at night or make you check the locks before sleeping liek some of the more popular mysteries. I thought this group would be focusing more on that niche of the mystery field rather than the larger genre.

Cindy wrote: "I certainly wouldn't class Patterson, or Gerritsen as cozies in any sense. When I think of cozies, and recommend them as the Adult Services librarian in our local library, I think of M.C. Beaton, ..."Most of the discussion groups in the cozy mystery category are about cozies specifically but this one was what do you read in between cozy mysteries? So to clear up your confusion as to why anyone was talking about books like Patterson and so on.

Beth wrote: "Hi Amy,
If you like cozy/traditional mysteries, there's no better list to work off of than the list of Agatha Award nominees and winners from past years at:
http://www.malicedomestic.org/agathaawar..."

Great list. Thanks.

my favorite genre! Try Lee Child and any by the Kellermans: Faye, Jonathan, and Jesse

If you like Lisa Gardner, I would suggest the following authors:


Catherine Coulter (FBI series)
Kay Hooper (Psychic FBI series)
Iris Johansen

Elizabeth Lowell
Jordan Dane
Karen Rose
karen slaughter

Lisa Scottoline (more legal thriller, but really good. Her Rosetti series starts with Everywhere That Mary Went. Since some books in the series tie in to others, I do suggest reading in order)

I'm new here so I want to ask help,I love reading about fbi series any suggestion?i already read all Catherine coulter books...thank you

Ailyn wrote: "I'm new here so I want to ask help, I love reading about FBI series any suggestion? I already read all Catherine Coulter books...thank you"

Since you like Coulter, have you tried Iris Johansen, Elizabeth Lowell, Carla Neggers or Kay Hooper?

Any Mari Jungstedt books. They are terribly addictive.

Ailyn: Checkout Julie Garwood's contemporary novels. I just finished Hotshot. Very good.

I just finished reading Tooth For A Tooth by T. Frank Muir, what a great read.

Amy wrote: "Hi everyone! I am new to the GoodReads site! At the beginning of the year I began reading books by James Patterson and Lisa Gardner and I loved them! I am now looking for some authors that are simi..."

Try "Tainted Legacy" by Amanda Brenner. It's the first in my Sid Langdon series. It's a clean mystery (I don't do smut). Happy reading.

My ultimate recommendation of the year: The French De Ception By Jennifer A. Girardin. This is a truly unique and distinguished Cozy Mystery, and would make a fantastic movie series! I simply cannot say enough good things about this book; it's engaging, the characters are ultra funny yet intelligent, and it brings together the best of the British Mystery tradition for a modern audience. If you're looking for the perfect mystery or a wonderful holiday treat, don't miss The French De Ception.

Amy wrote: "Hi everyone! I am new to the GoodReads site! At the beginning of the year I began reading books by James Patterson and Lisa Gardner and I loved them! I am now looking for some authors that are simi..."
Have you tried Erin Hunter yet? Or Michael Scott?

Tami Hoag is another in the same style.Also Jonathan Kellerman.

Amy wrote: "Hi everyone! I am new to the GoodReads site! At the beginning of the year I began reading books by James Patterson and Lisa Gardner and I loved them! I am now looking for some authors that are simi..."

Have you explored the Literature Map at http://www.gnooks.com/? I typed in "Lisa Gardner" and came up with these results: http://www.literature-map.com/lisa+ga...

I hope this helps, and welcome to the word of mystery fiction!

~Susan

Amy wrote: "Hi everyone! I am new to the GoodReads site! At the beginning of the year I began reading books by James Patterson and Lisa Gardner and I loved them! I am now looking for some authors that are simi..."

I think you may enjoy David Baldacci, John Sandford (I enjoy his Prey series)and Michael Connelly, Welcome!!