Cozy Mysteries discussion

This list is a life saver for me because I am tired of love triangles.

@Heather - Martha Grimes's Richard Jury series is without a love triangle (to the best of my recollection) but not cozy. Just a heads up.

I'm currently reading No Rest for the Wiccan which is #4 in the series and so far it does seem to have a pretty strong love triangle aspect. **Spoiler** In the last one Hex Marks the Spot she was kissing two different guys throughout the course of the book.

I really like this series and the love triangle doesn't ruin it or anything, but maybe it needs a star next to it in the list, because if you were really looking for no love triangle, I don't think this fits. I still enjoy the books though! :)

For myself, I just started a list on Listopia called Mysteries with Married Couples or Permanent Partners. I would love to see any you would like to add. Feel free to include the first book of series where they are not married to begin with, but the relationship continues through several books (for example, Charlotte and Thomas Pitt, Abby and her partner in the Psychic Eye mysteries).

I tried to link to the list, but couldn't. I believe you could pull it up on my profile. I also put 'married' in the Tags if you want to do a search on that word.

Bats and Bones is the first book of
Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mysteries features a married couple, actually several of them. I added this to your list on Listopia.

Thanks, Evgeny. I've not heard of that one. Love getting new suggestions that way.

Elaine, maybe you'd like to start your own discussion in this section for "married" mysteries, rather than hijack this one? I'm sure you'd receive more suggestions that way! ;)

My apologies, I wasn't trying to hijack the discussion. It seemed to fit.

Heather L wrote: "Elaine, maybe you'd like to start your own discussion in this section for "married" mysteries, rather than hijack this one? I'm sure you'd receive more suggestions that way! ;)"

Geez! No harm no foul for Elaine. Way to keep the list friendly Heather. Could you be just a bit more rude and churlish?
Elaine, I apologize for Heather's rude comment. Most of us are relaxed and friendly.

Thanks Michele! I was thinking the same thing, but didn't want to come across as harsh as Heather.

Michele wrote: "Heather L wrote: "Elaine, maybe you'd like to start your own discussion in this section for "married" mysteries, rather than hijack this one? I'm sure you'd receive more suggestions that way! ;)"

..."

Elaine, I think dedicated couples is a good subset of "no love triangles" unless no romance is a goal. A separate discussion is fine too. I really like that you started the List and I've voted and added to it, including one of my all time favorite books in a loved series:

by Donna Andrews

I think is quite better, as Heather has said, to have a new thread with an specific title about this that mixing threads. It's easier to find info about it.

Marisa wrote: "I think is quite better, as Heather has said, to have a new thread with an specific title about this that mixing threads. It's easier to find info about it."

I like this idea as well - I hate love triangles, but I'm not automatically a fan of series that have established/married couples. I like reading about a character's journey to established coupledom. :D So splitting it into two lists makes sense to me.

Thanks Marisa and Jennifer.

I wasn't trying to be rude, and didn't think it came across that way myself. It was a simple suggestion to start another topic. I don't think it was an intentional "hijack," and just because a book contains no love triangle doesn't mean it has a married or monogamous couple. Plus, if someone is looking specifically for a book with a married couple, looking here isn't likely to occur to them.

Heather L wrote: "Thanks Marisa and Jennifer.

I wasn't trying to be rude, and didn't think it came across that way myself. It was a simple suggestion to start another topic. I don't think it was an intentional "hi..."

Sort of off-topic - but not. I used to work for an international company based in Denmark (I was in the USA office) and I had a co-worker in the Danish office that was infamous for his rude, abrasive, blunt emails - all written in perfect, impeccable English. Needless to say he was known for being an arrogant um, jerk. Then we had to work on a project together in Canada and I was dreading meeting him and working side-by-side with him.

As you can guess, he was an absolute teddy bear - the sweetest, funniest man (and smoking hot, btw) - who had no idea how his emails were perceived (but thought it hysterical when I told him). He's one of my most favorite people in the world now.

LSS: It's easy to misinterpret someone's digital communications so it's probably always a good idea to give the benefit of doubt.

I'll just add my 2 cents before we all return to the original topic of books.

I didn't perceive Heather's comment as rude but I did feel Michele's comment was... but I decided to follow Jennifer's advice of giving the benefit of doubt.

Back to book talk now, please?

Thanks for this! Was looking for a list just like this.

BSP: no triangles in my Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series, although a light romance with no sex begins in book two.

Mary Daheim Alpine series does not have a love triangle.
Sheila Connolly has Cork County and Museum series have no triangle.
I deal like Leanne Sweeny Yellow Rose series wish there were more of them. Cats in Trouble very good.
The Marty Winston Series by Annelise Ryan does not have a love triangle.
Marty Wingate's Potting Shed series does not have triangle.

I actually stopped reading two series because of the love triangles in them. I have to think of the two series.

If you're still looking for additions I find that I've been fortunate lately in not running into love triangles. Hooray! Not sure how to link so I'll just list:

Deborah Brown - Florida Keys Mystery series (borderline cozy)
Laura Levine - Jaine Austen series (opposite, can't seem to find a good guy!)
Raven Snow - Harper Foxxy Beck series
Maddy Hunter - Passport to Peril
Dawn Eastman - Family Fortune (so far, in 1st two books)
Angie Fox - Southern Ghost Hunter
Ellen Byron - Cajun Country (so far, in 1st two books)
Amanda M. Lee - Wicked Witches of the Midwest
Ann Charles - Deadwood series and Jackrabbit Junction series
Chelsea Fields - Eat, Pray, Die
Joanne Pence - Angie Amalfi culinary mystery
Harper Lin - Cape Bay Cafe
Julie Moffett - Lexi Carmichael (borderline cozy)
Cindy Sample - Laurel McKay
Lynn Cahoon - Tourist Trap
Nancy Cohen - Bad Hair Day
JoAnna Carl - Chocoholic Mystery
Elaine Viets - Dead-End Job
Terri Reid - Mary O'Reilly Paranormal
Diane Mott Davidson - Goldy Schultz
Kennedy Chase - Harley Hill
Connie Shelton - Charlie Parker and Sweet's Sweets
Jenna Bennett - Savannah Martin
Kate Collins - Flower Shop

If anyone feels any of the above is in error please let me know! I don't remember triangles in any of the above, though. Also, hope these aren't duplicates...

Heather L wrote: "In another discussion, someone asked, "Any good cozy mysteries that DON'T have love triangles as part of the story? I've grown quite weary of that particular writing cliché and would really prefer ..."

Thanks Heather L, I'm not a fan of love triangles so this is helpful.

One quick question, I read the first book of charmed pie shop series and thought there was something going on - among the MC, the main male character (was he a firefighter or something?) and the MC's old rival girl. Was I mistaken?

Not sure if this is related to any spoiler or if the relationship develop differently in the subsequent series.

You might want to take a look at my Emlyn Goode Mysteries. Yes, there are one or two love interests, but no triangles (in school, geometry made me crazy :-) )Dead Again

I've actually stopped in the middle of a series because of the love triangles.

Jess:

Regarding the Charmed Pie Shoppe series... It's not a love triangle per se. The one girl likes to interfere and assert her influence (I don't want to give anything away, so that's the best word I can use right now), but it's not really a love triangle. More like arch rivals, and one girl always wants what someone else has, whether she really wants it or not, just to make people suffer.

Vintage Magic Series by Annette Blair has a love triangle.

I have read most of the series mention in this post Some of them in one or two books and then had a love triangle, which turns into a couple. The subject to me is hard to separate as most cozies have a romance theme of something. I stopped reading Joanne Fluke because of a love triangle.
Joanne Pence has two series that don't have a love triangle

Betty wrote: "Mary Daheim Alpine series does not have a love triangle."

I'm going to disagree with this. Not to say too much, but there is a bit of a triangle in the books in my opinion.

A Woman of World War II Mystery series by Tessa Arlen and A Hungarian Tea House Mystery series by Julia Buckley are love triangle free so far and unlikely to have one.

I've grown weary of love triangle stories too! Thanks for bringing that up.

I agree that love triangles are overdone and can be boring in a cozy mystery. Somebody should tell the writers of daytime drama. Hah.

I love this topic! Thank you so much. I enjoy romance in cozies, but I detest love triangles. A lot of these cozies have a side of romance, don’t they?

have you tried the Den of Antiquity series by Tamar Myers?

It's strange how many authors jump to the love triangle story for conflict in their books. There are lots of other conflicts, humorous, dramatic, and mysterious to write about. Life is full of them. JoeCosentino.weebly.com

Since thruples are becoming more public, the love triangle storylines have shifted into a new arena. JoeCosentino.weebly.com