Top Ten Tuesday - Cozy Mysteries Featuring Teachers as Amateur Sleuths

As we approach the traditional end of summer and begin the new school year, this week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is all about books that tie to education. There you will find links to everyone participating in this blog hop. I encourage you to click on them to find out how we each put our own spin on it.

Having once been a teacher myself (I taught second and third grade before retiring on disability in 2010), my list consists of ten cozy mystery series that feature teachers or former teachers as the amateur sleuths. There are a lot more than what is on this list, but when I searched for them, these are ten that really stood out to me. I have not yet read any of them.

1.  Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery Series, by Erika Chase

This series features a reading specialist. Since I like to read, I thought this would be an interesting theme. I also love the idea of a book club premise.

2.  Daisy Arthur Mystery Series, by Liesa Malik

This series features a retired special education teacher as the amateur sleuth. This intrigues me because my Master's Degree is in special education. Also, having a disability (spina bifida), I have experienced it firsthand to some degree (although I was mostly mainstreamed throughout my education). So I can appreciate special education from two different perspectives.

3.  Downward Dog Mystery Series, by Tracy Weber

I love yoga and this series features a yoga instructor as the amateur sleuth.

4.  Fresh-Baked Mystery Series, by Livia Washburn

After reading some reviews, I learned that this series features a group of retired teachers. I'm curious if they all work together to solve the mysteries.

5.  Lainie Lovett Still Kicking Mystery Series, by Judith Arnold

Is it really called "grade school"? I taught elementary school, and I'm assuming it's the same thing. This one features a "grade school" amateur sleuth.

6.  Life Coach Mysteries, by Victoria Laurie

The idea of having a life coach amateur sleuth in these books seems like it would make for an interesting series. I think a life coach can certainly be considered a teacher.

7.  Melanie Travis Mystery Series, by Laurien Berenson

This is another series that features a special education teacher as the amateur sleuth.

8.  Miss Dimple Mystery Series, by Mignon F. Ballard

This series features a 1st grade teacher as the amateur sleuth. I'm intrigued by this.

9.  Miss Seeton Mystery Series, by Heron Carvic, Hampton Charles, and Hamilton Crane 

When I saw this one, I noticed the series has three different authors. After further research, I learned that it was started by Heron Carvic. After the originally author passed away, the series later continued with Hampton Charles and Hamilton Crane as the new authors. I am not familiar with any other cozy series that was continued by different authors. This one features a retired art teacher as the amateur sleuth, which seems interesting to me.

10. Murder, She Wrote Mystery Series, by Donald Bain

This is probably the most well-known cozy series on my list. It was, of course, inspired by the Murder, She Wrote television. series. It's the only one featuring a teacher (retired English teacher, to be exact) that I was familiar with before compiling this list. I am currently in the middle of watching season two of the television series. I want to read the books after watching all 12 seasons, but I'm not sure I can wait that long!

Have you read any books on this list? What are your thoughts on them or on any others I didn't list?