Mystery Road Trip!
by Heather Weidner
Spring has sprung, and it’s almost time to plan your summer vacation. And even if you’re not traveling, you can escape with a good mystery on a road trip across the United States. In no particular order, I listed as many mysteries as I could find by state.
Alabama
- Carrie Martin and the Mah Jongg Players Mystery Series – Debra H. Goldstein
Alaska
- An Alaskan Diner Mystery – Elizabeth Logan
Arizona
- The Sophie Kimball Mysteries – J. C. Eaton
- The Cupcake Bakery Mysteries – Jenn McKinlay
Arkansas
- The Lily Bard Mystery Series – Charlaine Harris
California
- The Cheese Shop Mysteries – Korina Moss
- The Jaine Austen Mysteries – Laura Levine
- The Material Witness Mysteries – Diane Vallere
- Pampered Pets Mysteries – Sparkle Abbey
- The Sally Solari Mystery Series – Leslie Karst
Colorado
- Goldy Bear Mystery Series – Diane Mott Davidson
- Lila MacClean Academic Mysteries – Cynthia Kuhn
- The Callie Cassidy Mysteries - Lori Roberts Herbst
Connecticut
- The Ice Cream Shop Mysteries – Meri Allen
- The Food Blogger Mysteries – Debra Sennefelder
- The Haunted Library Series – Allison Brook/Marilyn Levinson
Delaware
- The Trending Topic Mysteries – Sarah E. Burr
Florida
- Coffee Lover’s Mysteries – Tara Lush
- All-day Breakfast Café Mysteries – Lena Gregory
- Chloe Jackson, A Seaglass Mystery Series – Sherry Harris
- The Hayden Kent Mysteries – Kait Carson
Georgia
- Aurora Teagarden Mysteries – Charlaine Harris
- The Cherry Tucker Mystery Series – Larissa Reinhart
Hawaii
- Carrie Jorgenson Mysteries – Catherine Bruns
- The Aloha Lagoon Mysteries – Catherine Bruns
Idaho
- Farm-to-Fork Mysteries – Lynn Cahoon
- Kitchen Witch Mystery Series – Lynn Cahoon
- The Hometown Mysteries – Rosalie Spielman
Illinois
- The Alex St. James Mysteries – Julie Hyzy
- The Endurance Mysteries – Susan Van Kirk
Indiana
- The Country Store Mysteries – Maddie Day
Iowa
- Merry Wrath Mysteries - Leslie Langry
Kansas
- Queen Bee Quilt Shop Mysteries – Sally Goldenbaum
Kentucky
- Killer Coffee Mystery Series – Tonya Kapps
- Kenni Lowry Mystery Series – Tonya Kapps
Louisiana
- The Vintage Cookbook Mysteries – Ellen Byron
- Cajun Country Mysteries – Ellen Byron
- The Crescent City New Orleans Mysteries – Martha Reed
Maine
- A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery – Lea Wait
- The Maine Clambake Mysteries – Barbara Ross
Maryland
- The Five-ingredient Mysteries – Maya Corrigan
- The Chesapeake Bay Mystery Series – Judy L. Murray
- The Jesse Damon Crime Novels – K.M. Rockwood
Massachusetts
- Nantucket Candle Maker Mysteries – Christin Brecher
- The John and Sarah Jarad Nantucket Mysteries – Martha Reed
- A Local Foods Mystery – Edith Maxwell
- The Garden Squad Mysteries – Julia Henry
- The Celtic Cozy Series – Lisa Q. Matthews
- Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries – Sherry Harris
- The Book Blogger Mysteries – Sarah E. Burr
Michigan
- The Candy-coated Mysteries – Nancy Coco
- The Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries – Darci Hannah
- The Seamus McCree Mysteries – James M. Jackson
Minnesota
- The Hannah Swensen Mysteries – Joanne Fluke
Mississippi
- Southern Ladies – Miranda James
Missouri
- Gram’s Country Cooking School Mystery – Paige Shelton
Montana
- Food Lovers’ Village Mystery – Leslie Budewitz
- Killer Chocolate Mysteries – Christina Romeril
Nebraska
- Cassandra Sato Mysteries – Kelly Brakenhoff
Nevada
- The Lucky O’Toole Vegas Adventure Series – Deborah Coonts
New Hampshire
- The Cat Lady Mysteries – Linda Reilly
- The Zen Goat Mystery Series – Janna Rollins
New Jersey
- The Poppy McAllister Mysteries – Libby Klein
- Kebab Kitchen Mysteries – Tina Kashian
- The Ferrar Family Mysteries – J. D. Griffo
- Cookies and Chance Mysteries – Catherine Bruns
New Mexico
- Survivors’ Book Club Mystery Series – Lynn Cahoon
New York
- Catering Hall Mysteries – Maria DiRico/Ellen Byron
- Bay Island Psychic Mysteries – Lena Gregory
- Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries – Lena Gregory
- The Twin Lakes Mysteries – Marilyn Levinson
- The Golden Age of Mystery Book Club Series – Marilyn Levinson
- The Glenmyre Whim Mysteries – Sarah E. Burr
North Carolina
- Seaside Café Mysteries – Bree Baker
- The Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries – Molly MacRae
North Dakota
- North Dakota Library Mysteries – Ellen Jacobson
Ohio
- The Amish Candy Shop Mysteries – Amanda Flower
- The Ethnic Eats Mysteries – Kylie Logan
Oklahoma
- The Nela Farley Mystery – Caroyln G. Hart
Oregon
- Hometown Hardware Mysteries – Paula Charles
Pennsylvania
- The Tallie Graver Mysteries – Misty Simon
- The Amish Mystery Series – Laura Bradford
- The Zoe Chambers Mysteries – Annette Dashofy
- The Detective Honeywell Mysteries – Annette Dashofy
- The Laura Bishop Mystery Series – Grace Topping
Rhode Island
- Gilded Newport Mysteries – Alyssa Maxwell
South Carolina
- Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries – Laura Bradford
South Dakota
- Happy Campers Mysteries – Mary Angela
Tennessee
- Dog Club Mystery – V. M. Burns
- House Flippers Mysteries – Diane Kelly
- Haunted Yarn Shop – Molly MacRae
Texas
- The Record Shop Mysteries – Olivia Blacke
- The Faith McClellan Mysteries – LynDee Walker
- A Texas Flower Farmer Mystery – Jackie Layton
Utah
- A Dangerous Type – Paige Shelton
Vermont
- True Confections Mysteries – Sarah Fox
- Grilled Cheese Mysteries – Linda Reilly
- True Confections Mysteries – Sarah Fox
Virginia
- The Finlay Donovan Mysteries – Elle Cosimano
- Headlines in Heels – LynDee Walker
- The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries – Heather Weidner
- The Pearly Girls Mysteries – Heather Weidner
- The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries – Heather Weidner
Washington
- Sloan Krause Mysteries – Ellie Alexander
- Spice Shop Mysteries – Leslie Budewitz
West Virginia
- Cider Shop Mysteries – Jullie Anne Lindsey
Wisconsin
- Deep Dish Mysteries – Mindy Quigley
Wyoming
- The Wind River Mysteries – Margaret Coel
And I can’t leave out some favorite Washington, D.C. ones
The District of Columbia
- The Sophie Medina Mysteries – Ellen Crosby
- Washington Whodunit Mystery Series – Colleen Shogan
What other series would you add to my list?
Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.
Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.
Such fun. I have read many on the list but see new ones to try (and many that I never thought about the state. Another Michigan book was my first, IPPY winning Maze in Blue, a mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s
ReplyDeleteI had so much fun building the list. It started out as how many mysteries set in the U. S. have I read (46) ... and then it grew!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun list! Thank you, Heather, for including Cherry Tucker in Georgia. I am going to enjoy using this list as my family travels. I love reading books set in the place I'm visiting! I'll give you another one for Mississippi -- the Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries by Carolyn Haines are set in Zinnia, MS.
DeleteAlways great to visit new places via books. Thanks for including Jesse and his Maryland setting.
ReplyDeleteI love this! About ten years ago I began the Goodreads 50 state challenge. I'm still missing four - not anymore :)
ReplyDeleteReady for a road trip! (P.S. Anyone searching on Amazon for Lisa Q. Mathews' Massachusetts-based series will find it under Irish Bed & Breakfast Mysteries. It's so good!)
ReplyDeleteLove road trips -- both on wheels and armchair travel! Thanks for the list -- and for including my two series.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Heather! I love lists like this and love reading books set in the states we visit. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFor Alaska, always, Dana Stabenow’s Kate Shugak series; for Calif., Marcia Muller’s Sharon McCone series, now completed. Cathy H-S
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteAlabama
ReplyDeleteSouthern Sisters series. Anne George
Darling Dahlias. Susan Wittig Albert
California
Savannah Reid series. G A McKevitt
Cece Barton. Maddie Day
Connecticut
Library Lovers series. Jenn McKinlay
Florida
Key West food critics series. Lucy Burdette
Miss Fortune series. Jana Deleon
Hawaii
Orchid isles series. Leslie Karst
Indiana
Flower shop series. Kate Collins
Massachusetts
Orchard series Sheila Connolly
Cozy capers series. Maddie Day
Martha’s Vineyard series. Philip Craig
Brady Coyne mysteries. William Tapply
Spencer mysteries. Robert Parker
Faith Fairchild series. Katherine Hall Page
Sherlock Holmes bookshop mysteries. Vicki Delany
Tea shop by the sea. Vicki Delany
Michigan
Chocoholic mystery series. JoAnna Carl
New Hampshire
Josie Prescott antiques series. Jane Cleland
New Jersey
Plum series. Janet Evanovich
New York
Golden Age authors: Ellery Queen. Ellery Queen
Nero Wolfe. Rex Stout
Mr and Mrs North. Frances and Richard
Lockridge
Molly Murphy series Rhys Bowen
North Carolina
Laura Fleming series. Toni Kelner
Lighthouse library series. Eva Gates
Ohio
Pepper Martin series. Casey Daniels
Pennsylvania
Museum mysteries. Sheila Connolly
South Carolina
Death on Demand series. Carolyn Hart
Tea shop mystery series. Laura Child
Texas
Death and Taxes (Tara Holloway) mysteries. Diane Kelly
Magical dressmaking mysteries. Melissa Bourbon
China Bayles series. Susan Wittig Albert
Virginia
Meg Langslow series. Donna Andrews
Wine country series Ellen Crosby
Washington DC
White House chef series. Julie Hyzy
Eleanor Roosevelt series. Elliott Roosevelt
A wonderful list! Great fun to see my favorite authors and the settings for their books. I hope you can add my Florida cozy mystery series, The Dream Club Mysteries and the Talk Radio Mysteries. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteCorrection - I mislocated Jana Deleon’s Miss Fortune series. They take place in Louisiana not Florida
ReplyDeleteOops, I meant to say my Talk Radio Mysteries are set in Florida and the Dream Club Mysteries are set in Savannah, Georgia, Thanks! Mary Kennedy
ReplyDeleteEllie Alexander's Torte Bakeshop series in Oregon
ReplyDelete