I like Agatha Christie and certainly her books are not raunchy or gruesome. I prefer Poirot to Miss Marple but like them both.
But my first suggestion would be the books by Louise Penny which were recommended here. The first is Still Life. They have wonderful characters and are gentle, 'village' books while the mystery is still very good.

I second Christie (all of them, every character) and Penny.
Also, two contemporaries of Christie are Ngaio Marsh and Dorothy Sayers. Heyer was also a contemporary-her mysteries are not Victorian, they are of the time she wrote them. Her romances are Victorian. The two are very different.

Other authors I would recommend with your friend's caveats in mind:

Elizabeth Peters-the Amelia Peabody series-Edwardian archeologists

P.D. James-contemporary, sometimes gritty but not raunchy

Catherine Aird-Scotland Yard detecive who grows roses as a hobby

Anne Perry-she writes two-I like the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series best, but her William Monk series is very popular too.

The link below is a gold mine of information. You can find series lists in order, read-alikes, recommendations, publication information....I use it all the time to hlep patrons at the library, and for myself because I like to read series in order.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stop, You're Killing Me

We have a great thread about mysteries on this forum, CMK. "Mysteries--desperate for recommendations". I will bump it up for you now.

-astrokath, I forgot Poirot was by her! Thanks for mentioning that.
-CC, thanks for the link. It is always confusing to find out which book is first in a series, especially if there are quite a few.

-ginny, Thanks for bumping it up! The requrements you set in the thread coincide with those of my friend, so I know that the books mentioned will work wonderfully.
CMK

I think she would really enjoy the #1 Ladies Detective Agency books....mysteries, but no blood and gore. Besides, they are fun to read!

Thank you Phyllis! I will be sure to let her know that that is a good series.

I was finaly able to get to the library the other day! I got some books for myself, as well as a few for my friend. The library I went to is not the main branch, which is the largeset, so there wasn't a large selection. I cound not find any of the first books in certain series, but my freind says she does not mind; she will sample the books I got and if she likes them she will likely read the whole sereis.
I checked out:
The Crelest Month- Louise Penny
Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday- Nancy Atherton
Double Shot- Diane Mott Davidson
Death on the Nile- Agatha Christie (I remember I once saw a movie or something on this book)

I will let you know how she likes them.
CMK

I also recommend Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt Series as well as William Monk. I like how she included social issues of the Victorian age in her stories, as well as lots of details about everyday life. She does not dwell on the crime details but on what led up to it. I've found all of her books to be well-written and entertaining.

Here is a link that might be useful: Anne Perry series in order

-indiana_homemaker, I will be sure to mention those books to her!

My friend asked me to thank all of you for the recommendations. She still has the Penny book to read and part of the Agatha Christie, which she likes a lot.
Her favorite was the Aunt Dimity book. She is going to read more of Diane Mott Davidson's work in the future too.
So thanks all for the ideas (and to ginny for pulling up that other thread!).
CMK

A newer cozy mystery series I started are the 'Booktown' ones by Lorna Barrett. They take place in a small N.H. town in which the downtown business district is made up of all different bookstores. The first book is called 'Murder is Binding' and the next one comes out in a few weeks, I think. They're fun, and if she liked the Aunt Dimity series she might like these.

Now that your friend is refining her taste in authors, there is a feature on "Stop, You're Killing Me" called "read-alikes." If you like Christie, you might like......

I have found this useful for digging up new authors.

I looked up that Charlotte Pitt Series and think she might like it.
-hmm214, I looked up that book you suggested and it sounded good too. Our library doesn't have it yet, so I will check back again in the future. But if it is pretty popular I am sure it won't take too long for them to get it in.

-CC, that is a really neat site! I have gone back there several times to jot down some lists for her. I did not notice that feature before. Very neat! I will have to show it to her.
CMK