Cynthia Riggs Books

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Cynthia Riggs is an American author and a 13th-generation islander that writes mystery novels. Born in 1931, Cynthia has lived a richer life than most. Daughter to an author and poet and a school principal, the author wrote for the National Geographic Society.

She also worked with the Smithsonian. The job saw her spend two months in Antarctica. The author, who has a degree in geology, has operated boat charters. She even ran the Chesapeake Bay Ferry Boat company.

A former Vermont College student who joined the Master of Fine Arts creative writing program, the author’s romantic relationship with Howard Attebery became an international sensation after people learned that Cynthia and Howard met in 1950.

The pair were working in the same San Diego lab. At 28, Howard was ten years older than Cynthia. Even though they had a connection, one that saw them write notes to each other on paper towels in the lab, they went their separate ways after just four months.

62 years later, their paths crossed again when Howard sent the paper towels to Cynthia via mail. This was enough to ignite a relationship. They were officially married in 2013. The author was 81 when Howard proposed.

Cynthia’s first husband was abusive, which is why she swore marriage off altogether. Her reunion with Howard six decades after they first met was so miraculous that various publications covered the story.

Interestingly, Cynthia thinks her life is perfectly ordinary because it’s the only life she’s ever known. Her adventures don’t feel particularly extraordinary. She spends a lot of her time at the West Tisbury home, a structure from the 1700s, which she transformed into a bed and breakfast.

Although, unlike other establishments, this one accommodates writers and artists. The house is filled with books. The author tries to weed out the ones she doesn’t like, especially when she acquires new books and needs more space. But she rarely succeeds because the books have a long and enduring legacy.

She has volumes from her great Aunt Alvida, who lived in the West Tisbury house back in the 1800s and 1900s, surrounded by the same books Cynthia looks at every single day. Alvida cherished many of them.

The author’s father built bookcases for the house and littered them with the biographies he collected. Her mother bought several volumes about the Arthurian legend and poetry to add to the collection. Even though these books don’t appeal to her, Cynthia can’t bring herself to separate them from the house they have called home for so long.

She wonders whether future generations will have room to stack their science fiction and romance novels. The house is not in the best shape. It creaks, and none of the doors shut. It scares many guests away. Those that stay have become Cynthia’s close friends.

Her daughter has tried to sell her the simplicity and convenience of eBooks and the internet. But the author won’t abandon her books.

Best Cynthia Riggs Books

The author is primarily known for the ‘Martha’s Vineyard Mystery’ series. The vineyard is her primary setting. Cynthia’s best books include:

The Cranefly Orchid Murders: Phoebe Elridge is a short-tempered woman that wants to sell her family land to a developer. But the state has regulations protecting land with rare plant habitats. As such, the developer wants Victoria Trumbull to search Phoebe’s property for endangered plants.

The feisty 92-year-old is more than happy to perform the task. But when she started combing the property with her eleven-year-old assistant, the last thing Victoria expected to find was the remains of Montgomery Mausz, the developer’s attorney.

The Cemetery Yew: Relatives want to dig up a coffin for reburying in another location. But things keep going wrong. First, the hearse driver disappears before he can collect the coffin. And then several deaths occur. Some of the victims were definitely murdered, and others perished under suspicious circumstances.

Finally, they unearth the coffin, only to find that it doesn’t contain the body everyone expected. Victoria Trumbull is the only person capable of solving the mystery. At 92, she’s plagued by a litany of aches and pains. But Victoria’s mind is as sharp as ever, and she knows everything there is to know about her community.

When Does The Next Cynthia Riggs book come out?

Cynthia Riggs doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is Cozy Case Files, Volume 19 and was released on August, 22nd 2023. It is the newest book in the Cozy Case Files Mystery Sampler Series.

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