Today, the Chicks are thrilled to welcome acclaimed author, Mary Feliz, who pens the Maggie McDonald mysteries, featuring a professional organizer-turned-amateur-detective and her sidekick golden retriever. The newest in the series, Cliff Hanger, was released just yesterday!
Read on, to learn about some fabulous books that may be outside your radar, but which you might very well want to check out:
Fans of the traditional or cozy mystery are as dedicated as they come. Hundreds flock to the Malice Domestic conference every spring to honor the grand dame of the mystery subgenre, Agatha Christie.
But a constant diet of anything can be enlivened by branching out. Personally, I’m a promiscuous reader, but my favorites outside the cozy genre all have elements likely to appeal to Christie fans.
The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Science Fiction/Historical)
Willis’s work straddles the line between science fiction and historical, following the career of a time-traveling historian who, due to miscalculations, lands in Medieval England at the height of the Black Death. Fans of World War II fiction might also enjoy her Blackout and All Clear which focus on the home front in war-torn Britain. Contains some violence due to an accurate depiction of historical elements, but characters working together to restore the status quo while clinging to an overall sense of hope and love are what drive the stories. And those are key elements of any cozy.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (Traditional Mystery)
The reason that today’s mystery shelves are divided into so many sub-genres may be the fault of the father of them all, Wilkie Collins, who wrote the first detective novel. At heart a British country-house mystery, The Moonstone is also a detective thriller, a study of Victorian manners, and and contains the seeds of every suspense movie or book popular today.
Riverside Drive by Laura Van Wormer (Romantic suspense)
Published by romance giant Harlequin in their Mira line, Van Wormer’s books fit firmly within the parameters of page-turning urban romantic suspense. But what a treat it is to discover that within the confines of the upscale Riverside Drive apartment building and the Manhattan news studio of anchorwoman Alexandra Waring are the close relationships, support, and intrigue of an English village mystery.
The Dead Zone by Stephen King (Horror)
No die-hard cozy fan is going to become a horror aficionado after reading one Stephen King book. But all of his novels are set in small towns with close-knit groups of friends banding together to restore order…with masses and masses of page-turning suspense. The Dead Zone plot is similar to The Manchurian Candidate, with a hero to root for and few traditional horror elements. It combines chilling and hopeful as only Stephen King can.
The Jackdaws by Ken Follett (Spy Thriller)
The story follows a small band of amateur spies recruited in the darkest days of the Nazi occupation of Europe to disguise themselves as cleaning women and take down the heart of the German communications network. At times grim, gruesome, and funny, the book combines camaraderie and hope in true cozy fashion.
That’s just a sampling of some of the treasures I’ve found outside the boundaries of what is customarily considered a cozy.
Readers: Are there books among your favorites that would be shelved outside the mystery section but contain some of the warmth, wit, and wisdom you look for in a good read?
Mary Feliz writes the Maggie McDonald Series of cozy mysteries featuring a professional organizer-turned-amateur-detective and her sidekick golden retriever, set in California’s San Francisco Bay Area. Cliff Hanger, the fifth book in the series, is set on the shores of Monterey Bay, and released on July 16 from Kensington Publishing. Address to Die For, the first title in the six-book series, was named a Best Book of 2017 by Kirkus Reviews.
A resident of Northern California for decades, Mary now lives on the Monterey Bay, enjoying the area’s myriad natural treasures. Mary is a certified California Naturalist and delights in introducing readers to her state’s natural beauty. She attends organizing conferences in her character’s stead, but Maggie’s skills leave Mary in the dust.
For more about Mary and her books, visit her website at https://www.maryfeliz.com or follow her on Bookbub for news about sales and new releases.
Chicks on the Case 
Congratulations on CLIFFHANGER, Mary! Love your series.
I have to read “The Moonstone.” I recently read another book where the author kept talking about Wilkie’s book and I was intrigued. As to books that push the boundaries of a cozy, I need to think about that. If I come up with something, I’ll be back!
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I love the Moonstone. I first read it in a high school literature unit in which we got to choose our genre fiction. And have read it several times since. While it’s Victorian to its bones, its themes are as contemporary as it gets!
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Congrats on Cliff Hanger, Mary! While mysteries are my favorite, I enjoy other genres too. More often than not, when I’m not in the mood for a mystery I’ll pick up a women’s fiction novel. I haven’t read any of the books on your list, but some of your descriptions have intrigued me. I will have to check them out!
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If you check them out, Leslie, let me know what you think. Even if you hate them. I love a good knock down drag out over a favorite book!
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I read The Moonstone ages ago; must go back and read it again! I have to admit I’ve never read Stephen King (other than his book on writing), so perhaps The Dead Zone is the one I should try.
Congrats on your new release–yay!!! And thanks so much for visiting the Chicks today!
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I love The Dead Zone! 11/22/63 could also make a good first King read!
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Yes, I think the Dead zone is a good to start with. They made a movie of it with the “more cowbell” guy, the dancer–I can’t for the life of me remember his name!
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Good movie! Is it Christopher Walken?
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I still read the occasional Middle Grade novel. Yes, some are mysteries, but some are fantasy. They contain the small town feel with a circle of friends elements from cozies.
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Me too, Mark!
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My favorite Middle Grade author is Joan Bauer. But there are so many! Who is your favorite?
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Stuart Gibbs. His books are fantastic.
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I’ll have to check him out, Mark! Thanks!
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Mary, great to have you with us today and congrats on the new release! Like Ellen I’ve seen recommendations for Wilkie Collins — you’ve convinced me it’s about time I got around to reading him!
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Reading the Moonstone requires putting yourself in a place where you can read and absorb slowly — it’s like the yoga of reading. Also, we tend to get caught up in all the restrictive sexual agenda of the Victorians, but it’s easy to forget the speed of social change in that era. That alone makes it seem very connected to our world today.
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Huge congrats, Mary, on the pub of CLIFF HANGER!!!! (And who can resist a Golden Retriever on the cover?) I have always meant to read The Moonstone. Thanks for reminding me. I’ve always thought Maeve Binchy could have been a fabulous cozy writer. My favorite title of hers was Light a Penny Candle. Congrats again, and thanks for the great post here on Chicks!
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Wait. Maeve Binchy wasn’t a cozy writer? Why is it that when a cozy writer writes a stellar book, it’s suddenly not a cozy? PD James gets to be called Literary Mystery Thriller, but she’s really a cozy writer. Same with Louise Penny. Agatha Christie, the matriarch of cozy mysteries, is most often considered “Traditional.” Same with Josephine Tey. It’s enough to drive a writer bonkers (or more bonkers as the case may be!)
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Thanks, Chicks for hosting me today! Dentistry demands made me chime in late, but I LOVE you guys and you’ve been so welcoming!!
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I’ve been reading a Ngaio Marsh mystery to my mom, and she is HILARIOUS! And slightly naughty, as well.
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I’d forgotten how much I like her!
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Congratulations, Mary, on the new release. Like others on here, I’m now convinced I need to read The Moonstone.
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So happy to see you here, Mary! Huge congrats on the new release!!
I love this post. I read almost any genre, but have a special affection for crime fiction and its varied sub-genres. So many titles here are calling my name! Thanks so much for hanging out with us and this great post. ❤
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Jackdaws is one of my all time favorite thrillers. I’m always recommending it to people! Great list.
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Great minds, Sherry!
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Wonderful post, Mary! Was just talking today with someone about this very issue–though we were discussing HAMLET. 🙂
Thanks so much for visiting us! (Sorry for the delay–was traveling.)
Congrats on the new book!
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