Author Spotlight: Lee Hollis
Author of Multiple Mystery Series
Death of a Kitchen Diva (Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery, Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery), My Father Always Finds Corpses, and Poppy Harmon Investigates (Desert Flowers Mystery) by Lee Hollis
Lee Hollis writes multiple mystery series, including the Desert Flowers series featuring retired actress Poppy Harmon, the Maya & Sandra mysteries set in southern Maine, and the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails series featuring a restaurateur/food writer. In 2025, Lee Hollis released My Father Always Finds Corpses, a new mystery with a father-daughter sleuthing duo.
Lee Hollis is the pen name for Rick Copp, an accomplished graphic novelist, author, and television actor, writer, and producer. He has written for many critically acclaimed shows, including the beloved Golden Girls. When Rick's sister, Holly Simason won an award for her cooking column in their hometown's local paper, they combined his mystery writing talent and her recipe writing talent into a partnership and created the Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mysteries. They have produced nearly two dozen books in this long-running, well-loved cozy mystery series.
Cozy Crime Reads Interview with Lee Hollis
What attracted you to the cozy mystery genre?
I discovered Agatha Christie my junior year of high school when I was cast as the doctor in a stage production of Ten Little Indians. That experience opened a door to a world I didn’t know I’d love so much — clever puzzles, eccentric characters, and the thrill of a well-timed reveal. Around the same time, I was devouring 1970s detective shows like Hart to Hart, McMillan & Wife, and Charlie’s Angels. Those series taught me that mystery could also be glamorous, witty, and fun. Even though my first TV writing job was in sitcoms (The Golden Girls, of all things!), I always dreamed of writing murder mysteries. Eventually, the two passions merged — humor and homicide — and that’s when I truly found my home in the cozy mystery genre.
Books 1-18 and three holiday novellas in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries
What are a few of the essential elements that make a cozy stand out to you as a reader?
For me, humor is essential. I don’t think I could ever write a dark, violent James Patterson–style thriller — too many serial killers and too much gore. What I love is blending the lighthearted tone of a sitcom with the structure of a whodunit: quirky characters, colorful small-town life, and a crime that feels personal rather than sensational. That said, I don’t believe a cozy has to be limited to a tiny village. The heart of the genre lies in community and connection, not geography. While my Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mysteries are set in my hometown of Bar Harbor, Maine, I’ve also written cozies that take place in Portland Maine, Palm Springs, and Los Angeles — all places I’ve lived or spent time in. No matter the setting, the key ingredients are warmth, wit, and characters you’d actually want to spend time with… even if one of them turns out to be a killer.
Do you have a favorite amateur sleuth?
I have so many! Growing up, I loved The Hardy Boys and Alfred Hitchcock’s Three Investigators. Those early stories of ordinary people stumbling into extraordinary mysteries stuck with me. Later, I became obsessed with TV’s great amateur sleuths — Jonathan and Jennifer Hart from Hart to Hart were huge influences. They proved that solving murders could be equal parts danger and champagne.
Books 1-5 in the Maya and Sandra Mysteries
What inspired your first cozy mystery?
My sister Holly was writing a food column for our local paper in Bar Harbor, and my editor suggested I create a mystery series inspired by her life — a single mom juggling work, kids, and bills with a sense of humor. Hayley Powell was born from that idea. In many ways, she is my sister — her warmth, her sass, her resilience. I even based Hayley’s brother on myself. Writing the books feels like hanging out with family, which is fitting because Holly contributes the real-life food columns and recipes featured in each novel. Nineteen books later, we’re still at it — proof that family collaborations can work… as long as nobody gets murdered.
How do you research and create the “cozy” elements in your books, like the settings and community?
We usually start with a title — that’s where the inspiration begins. Working with our editor, John Scognamiglio, we build outward from that spark. For instance, when we landed on Death of a Blueberry Tart, we knew blueberries had to play a major role. From there, we imagined a local blueberry picker who dies from an allergic reaction, only for Hayley to discover someone tampered with her face cream by adding honey extract — which attracts bees. That one was especially fun because it turned into a “mothers versus daughters” mystery, featuring the moms of Hayley, Mona, and Liddy competing with their daughters to solve the case first. It’s that mix of humor, heart, and community — plus a bit of culinary chaos — that makes a cozy come alive for me.
Books 1-5 in the Desert Flowers Mystery Series
What is one key step in your writing process that helps you transform an idea into a finished book?
I’m definitely an outliner. That comes from my television background, where every script began with a beat sheet and a detailed outline. I could never just sit down and write a full manuscript cold. Sometimes the outline takes months to get right — I write synopses for every chapter so that by the time I start the draft, I know exactly where I’m going. It’s my safety net. The one time I ignored my outline and veered off-course, the whole puzzle unraveled and I nearly lost my mind trying to fix it. Lesson learned: outlines are my lifeline.
What advice would you give aspiring cozy mystery authors who want to start writing their first novel?
Write. Then keep writing. And most importantly, write what you love. It sounds cliché, but it’s true — if you’d love to read it, chances are other people will too. I still get a charge every time I sit down to write a new book. If I’m laughing at a line or grinning at a twist, I take that as a good sign my readers will feel the same way. Of course, sometimes I think something’s brilliant and it lands with a thud — that’s just part of the process. But enthusiasm is contagious, and readers can always tell when you’re having fun.
How can readers connect with you online?
Readers can reach me through either of my websites — leehollismysteries.com or rickcopp.com. My sister Holly and I also love hearing from fans on Facebook and Instagram — just look up Lee Hollis and join the conversation. We post updates, recipes, and plenty of photos of food, family, and Maine.
Lee Hollis’s Cozy Mystery Books
Use the arrows on either side of the images below to see cozy mysteries written by Lee Hollis.
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