Maybe look at
http://www.cozy-mystery.com/
While not considered cozy, I find these authors overall relaxing reading.
Rex Stout (as mentioned above.
Margery Allingham
Robert B. Parker
Lawrence Sanders Archie McNally series
Martha Grimes
Janet Evanovich
Robert K. Tanenbaum
Donald Strachey
Donna Andrews
Colin Cotterill
Dorothy Gilman
Rita Lakin
William Lashner
And the list could go on and on and on
Helen