I simply adore a mystery. And while I agree with Anne Shirley that Octobers are fabulous, I am so glad to live in a world where there are cozy mysteries. As I mentioned in 21 spine-tingling but not TOO scary audiobooks for fall, I cannot read about gory murders and often avoid popular gritty thrillers. With cozies, I can enjoy the book knowing that there won’t be any violent or graphic scenes on the page and rest easy that the culprit will be caught in the end. Plus, they remind me of being a kid and checking out all of my neighborhood library’s Encyclopedia Brown books and watching reruns of Matlock after school. (Did you know Matlock is coming back with Kathy Bates in Andy Griffith’s old role? I cannot wait!)
Cozy mysteries are a subgenre of mystery novels that have a number of tropes unique to them. These hallmarks are often compared to the classic Angela Lansbury show Murder, She Wrote and perhaps that is because the term cozy was coined around the same time as the show aired. And just like Jessica Fletcher, cozies feature amateur sleuths who have stumbled across a mystery and work to solve the case. Many of the main characters own small businesses and work as bakers, booksellers, chefs, florists, baristas, and the like which allow them to have access to lots of people/suspects and flexible times to investigate clues.
Let’s highlight some of the other important ingredients that make up the recipe for a fabulous cozy.
Small town or close-knit community settings
Most cozy mysteries take place in a small town or village where everyone knows each other. Or a close-knit community within a larger city. The kind of place where everyone knows your name, a real Cheers vibe. This allows our sleuth to have many close suspects and be familiar with the areas they are investigating.
Food and cooking
The recipe to a great cozy usually includes detailed descriptions of the food and beverages characters enjoy throughout the novel. Most of the time these treats are not part of the mystery per se but occasionally they can be the biggest clue. Many series even include recipes for the delicious items created in the book! When I see a recipe in the back of a book, I feel like I found the toy in the cereal box.
Sidekicks and professionals
Another integral ingredient are friends and family members who help our main sleuth to uncover the clues. Often, they also have connections to professional detectives or investigators that allow them to gain access to additional information for the case. This can be a relative, ex, or neighbor—and this person usually warns them to stop snooping around, to no avail.
Animals
The cutest aspect of cozies is without a doubt the sweet (or sometimes cantankerous) presence of animals and pets. Many are cats or dogs owned by the sleuth and they usually have a clever name, quite the personality, and assist in the case. Plus as you will see in the recommendations below, every so often they can talk!
Puns
We have come to my absolutely favorite part of cozy mysteries, the puns! They are truly the cherry on the top of the sundae. Who can resist a title like Vinyl Resting Place and business names that rival the “Curl Up & Dye Salon” owned by Carrie Fisher’s character in The Blues Brothers? These types of puns bring humor and lightheartedness to what could otherwise be a scary or sad tale. Seriously though, if a cozy isn’t punny, it ain’t for me.
Below you will find 12 cozy mysteries that are the first book in their series and one bonus mid-series recommendation to make this book list a true baker’s dozen! My personal preference is to read book series in order, no matter the genre. However, long-running series can be intimidating to readers so cozies are often written as standalones that can be picked up at any point. (Just ask my bookworm mother-in-law, who loves to read whichever number is available at the library!) We have made sure to note in the recommendations below which series are best read in order.
With a mix of historical and contemporary cozy mysteries, this list offers a great sampling of titles for those that are new to cozies. Plus, hopefully readers who have been enjoying this subgenre for years will discover something new to add to their “to be read” list.
The cozy mystery subgenre is filled with so many fabulous series, authors, settings, and characters! I look forward to hearing about your favorite cozies in the comments.
13 cozy mysteries to whet your appetite
Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
On a list of cozy mysteries, Shady Hollow is the coziest of them all! Imagine an idyllic town similar to Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls but all the townsfolk are animals like in Fantastic Mr. Fox and Zootopia. When the normally peaceful Shady Hollow is disrupted by the murder of a curmudgeonly old toad, newcomer Vera Vixen has to use her reporting skills to get to the bottom of the mystery before the killer strikes again. I absolutely loved the adorable setting, quirky characters, and clever names of the villagers. I'm looking forward to reading more of Vera’s sleuthing adventures! More info →
Book lists, deepest secrets, AND made-for-you comfort scones? Yes, please! Bookshop owner Nora is able to recommend the exact book a reader needs in their life to help lighten their load. So when a troubled businessman who has asked Nora for her book assistance is found dead, it is up to the society of friends Nora forms to follow the clues and crack the case. If you like Sarah Addison Allen’s novels, this poignant cozy may be good fit for you! I am currently reading it and trying to figure out how to visit Miracle Springs, North Carolina in real life. In the meantime, I am happy to be able to travel there in the pages of the series. More info →
What a perfectly punny title and entertaining start to a new series! Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie have recently reopened Sip & Spin, their family’s vinyl record store and coffee shop in suburban Austin when a murder victim is found in their supply closet, putting a huge record scratch on their grand opening festivities. When their Uncle Calvin suddenly disappears and is wanted as a suspect for the murder, it is up to Juni and her sisters to figure out whodunit, and quickly, before they lose the shop they worked so hard to reopen. Filled with cool musical references and clever coffee drinks like "Oops..I Did it Americano" "All the Single Lattes" and "Friends in Mocha Places," I wish I could visit Sip & Spin in real life - sans murder! More info →
This debut “quozy” (queer + cozy) set in the trendy Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City is delightful on audio narrated by Robert Mac Minshew. After divorcing his husband, Ben Rosencrantz moves back to his hometown to help his ailing father run their family’s board game shop and cafe. However, things do not go as planned—and soon enough a local toy and antiques dealer is found dead on the shop’s doorstep and Ben is the number one suspect. Luckily, Ben has the help of flower shop owner Ezra as they try their hand at investigating and making a possible love connection. Plus, Ben owns a cute chihuahua named Beans! Board to Death reminded me of one my favorite movies, Game Night, and I adored all the playful board game details. More info →
A surprising novel set at Windsor Castle that asks “What if Queen Elizabeth was actually a nonagenarian amateur sleuth?” The answer is it makes a great premise for a unique cozy series! When a guest at an exclusive “Dine and Sleep” event is found murdered in a compromising position, it is up to Her Majesty and her Assistant Private Secretary to uncover the truth about his untimely demise. While this may sound quirky and silly, rest assured that the tone of The Windsor Knot is more regal, witty, and nuanced. Perfect for fans of The Crown, The Diplomat, and Rising Sun by Michael Crichton. The author notes on her website that this series does not need to be read in order, but “the first 3 are set chronologically in the spring, summer, and winter of 2016. The fourth takes place in 1957, when the young Queen was busy traveling the world.” More info →
Inspired by the author’s experience in the entertainment industry, this delightfully fresh series set in Los Angeles reminded me of The Bling Ring and Search Party meets Insecure. Dayna Anderson used to star in Super Bowl commercials but now she is trying to make ends meet when she unwittingly witnesses a hit and run. After realizing there is a hefty reward for information about the murder, Dayna is on the case with the help of her friends. I highly recommend the audiobook read by the incomparable Bahni Turpin! (And just to note, while I enjoyed all the book’s twists and turns, I could have done with less discussion about dieting and individuals’ weights.) More info →
Hats off to team member Donna for cracking the code to an excellent recommendation with this captivating mystery series set during WWII. Electra McDonnell is a quick-witted safe breaker and cat burglar, who is scraping by during the war with the help of her locksmith Uncle Mick. That is until they get caught redhanded one evening by the British government and Ellie is offered a deal: help Major Ramsey break into a safe to retrieve blueprints integral to stopping a German spy or head to prison. She chooses to complete the mission, yet when they arrive Ellie discovers the alleged spy dead at the scene. The unlikely pair of Major Ramsey and Ellie must then team up to keep the plans from getting into enemy hands. Chock full of engaging lock-breaking details and spy-heist intrigue, this series is best read in order—and fabulous on audio as performed by Alison Larkin. More info →
A talking cat? Punny business name? And a whole litter of adorable chihuahuas? Count me in! Mimi Lee is struggling to get her pet grooming business, Hollywoof, off the ground and running when she is accused of murdering a local puppy mill owner. To prove her innocence, she starts investigating with the help of her handsome neighbor Josh who just happens to be a lawyer. And did I mention she has a very sassy talking cat named Marshmallow who totally steals the show? Fluffy and funny, the audiobook is such a great time as narrated by Natalie Nandus, who is a hilarious follow on instagram! More info →
The first in a fantastic YA series inspired by Jane Austen’s novels, I adored this clever book and its twisty murder mystery. Teenager Lizzie Bennett dreams of being a solicitor when she stumbles upon a scandalous society murder that may help her prove her place in the field of law. Of course, she will have to work with the insufferable snob Fitzwilliam Darcy to solve the case and catch the killer. Author Tirzah Price's writing is vibrant, creative, and fun while staying true to the source. The Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series can be read in any order, making it easier to snag a copy from the library. Plus, the entertaining audiobook narrated by Morag Sims made me want to keep listening long after I finished folding the laundry and doing the dishes! More info →
With its punny title, delicious food descriptions, and fictional Southwest Florida island town setting, And Then There Were Crumbs is right in my wheelhouse! After losing her Manhattan restaurant job and leaving her cheating fiancé on the same day, pastry chef Kate makes an impromptu move to their planned honeymoon location, Coral Cay. She is in desperate need of a job and as luck would have it Sam, the grumpy baker and owner of The Cookie House, is hiring. But Kate is only working there a few short days before Sam is accused of poisoning a sneaky land developer with his secret ingredient cinnamon rolls. I really enjoyed the book’s quick chapters and wonderful banter-filled friendship between Kate and florist Maxine as they work together to clear Sam’s name. I can’t wait to read the rest of this charming series. More info →
Back in February 2022, fellow MMD team member Donna and I made the excellent decision to start buddy reading the amusing Agatha Raisin books monthly and watching their corresponding TV episodes together. I look forward to it every month! Agatha Raisin is quite the character and her transition from London PR firm owner to early retiree Cotswolds cottage owner is a hoot. When Agatha arrives in Carsley, she hopes entering the local baking contest will help her meet her new neighbors. But that idea quickly burns to a crisp when the contest judge dies from poisoning after eating Agatha’s entry. Donna and I agree that this long-running series full of lively villagers is best read in order. More info →
I picked up this pleasant mid-series title without reading any of the previous books thanks to my mystery buddy read group—Murder, She Read! It is fall in Oregon and Torte bakeshop owners Juliet Montague Capshaw and her husband, Carlos are busy creating one-of-a-kind chocolate showpieces for an extraordinary exhibit of lost Shakespeare pages on display at the local museum. But on opening night the security guard tasked with protecting the manuscripts is killed and the Bard’s work is stolen. This book made me want to eat every single delicious recipe Jules and her team created at Torte. More info →
The premise of this culinary and comedic cozy is top notch! After Lila Macapagal moves back home and starts helping out at her Tita Rosie’s struggling restaurant, a visit from her ex-boyfriend/town food critic is the last thing she wants. Then to make matters much worse, he drops dead while eating the food Lila prepared for him—and she is accused of killing him. With the help of her bestie, who is a barista next door, and her cute dachshund, Lila works to prove her innocence. The food descriptions were all so fun, it inspired me to bake my own tasty batch of Lila's Ube Crinkle Cookies immediately and I have heard the series gets even better as it goes along. More info →
What’s one of your favorite cozy mysteries? Please share in the comments.
Brigid Misselhorn is our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. Her go-to genres are mystery, romance, and sci-fi. You can find Brigid on Instagram @brigid_emily.
I’m so glad to see this list. Mysteries and thrillers are my favorite, but the grittier ones are too much for me right now. I’ll be searching for these at the library.
I like Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries. Phryne Fisher is quite the character, and in the Netflix version we get to see her fabulous wardrobe. I also like Rhys Bowen. But my all-time favorites are my very own Meg Miller Mysteries beginning with Dickens of a Crime, set in a holiday homes tour Victorian celebration in a small Texas town. Meg is a volunteer and retired librarian.
I love the Laine Winslow series set in BC. She’s a former WW2 spy who moved to Canada to get away from the memories of the war (and other things). There are lots of helpful neighbors, scones, and a handsome police officer.
Susan Wittig Albert has four series that fit the ‘cozy’ description. https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/susan-wittig-albert/
My favorite series are the Cottage Tales based on Beatrix Potter, or maybe it’s The Darling Dahlias? They’re all good.
I second the recommendation for the Miss Fisher Mysteries, both books and TV series.
Thank you for all the great recommendations! I love the Tita Rosie series and am just getting into the genre so it’s a great place to start. I’m also a big fan of the Noodle shop mystery series by Vivien Chien and the Sassy Cat Mystery series by Jennifer Chow.
My introduction to “cozies” was the Goldy Schulz series by Diane Mott Davidson back in the 1990s and it’s still my all-time favorite of this genre. Here’s the list: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/diane-mott-davidson/
I have been working my way through Booktown Mystery series by Lorna Barrett. Love finding books about books and the main character owns a mystery bookstore and a cat,while her sister owns the cookbook store next door.
I’m glad to see MC Beaton mentioned. I loved her Agatha Raisin series. She wrote another cozy mystery series starring Hamish McBeth which is also very good. I want to mention another favorite of mine, Lillian Jackson Braun, who writes “The Cat Who” cozy mystery series. Happy Reading everyone!!
The Maisie Dobbs (by Jacqueline Winspear) series is a favorite of mine . You can start anywhere in the series but I highly recommend you start at the beginning to become friends with Maisie.
That is another series I have sitting on my nightstand waiting to be read! Love the idea of becoming friends with Maisie and other amateur cozy sleuths. Thank you, Francesca!
Thanks for these recommendations! I discovered cozy mysteries with the Secret Books & Scone Society. Want to take this opportunity to promote a friend’s first book, a cozy mystery that has everything you want. A great read, it’s “Murder Inmortal” by PD Underhill. Check it out!
I am also a huge fan of cozy mysteries. Plot driven feel-good reads, with wit and humour, and the puns! Also the characters and communities are so wonderful. A recent favourite is the author Ann Claire, The Christie Bookshop series. Two of them so far. And if you are a knitter the longstanding series The Seaside Knitters by Sally Goldenbaum is very good. That one I prefer in print (vs audio) as I find it easier to keep track of the extensive cast of characters.
Ashley Weaver has another cozy series that I adore, Amory Ames. Set in England after WWI, Amory solves her cases while also dealing with her philandering husband. Thanks for this list Brigid.
I love all mysteries but there are definitely times when only a cozy will do! I second the recommendations for Ellery Adams (Secret, Book & Scone Society) and SJ Bennett (Her Majesty the Queen Investigates), and can’t wait to try Kellye Garrett’s Hollywood Homicide. My recent favorite cozies are the Molly Sutton series (recent divorcee flees to France to start over) by Nell Goddin and the Christie Bookshop series (two sisters run a bookstore in the Colorado mountains) by Anne Claire.
I agree that sometimes only a cozy will do, NK! I have the first in the Christie Bookshop on my kindle and will have to look up the Molly Sutton series. Thank you!
I thoroughly enjoyed three cozy mysteries set in the Minnesota lake country, called the North Lakes Murder Mystery Series, by Marjorie Mathison Hance. The first book is Murder at Pelican Lake, followed by Cormorant in the Net, and The Man Three Cottages Down. Engaging characters and great reads!
Perhaps a bit more hard boiled than a traditional cozy but still contains many of the same tropes such as a strong found family/community and a very strong sense of place. I cannot, however, recommend more strongly the Alphabet series by Sue Grafton featuring the PI, Kinsey Milhone. I have reread the entire series over this past year. Kinsey is a hard boiled female private eye with an excellent back story. Sadly, I am in the middle of the last mystery, Y is for Yesterday. The author, Sue Grafton, died before completing the series and her family decided that at least for them, the alphabet ends in Y.
Yes, Kinsey made my list of four (so far) Greatest of All Time sleuths! I agree she may not fit exactly into the cozy category but there’s so much debate about what makes a cozy these days – and I really appreciate Brigid, the post’s author, for giving us a great definition.
Can I suggest as a fun cozy mystery: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto. Filled with quirky characters, laugh out loud moments and of course a murder. I can’t wait until the next book in the series is published.
The Agatha Raisin mysteries are a favorite of mine! I also love the Lighthouse Library Mystery series by Eva Gates. They take place on the NC Outer Banks at a pretend library in the real Bodie Island Lighthouse. Library cat Charles is one of my favorite characters. The author does a great job of capturing the feel of and places on the Outer Banks.
I love cozies! There’s truly something for everyone. I just finished Jenn McKinlay’s Sprinkle With Murder, which takes place in a cupcake shop. It was great! One of my favorites is Ellie Alexander’s Sloan Krause series set in a Leavenworth, Washington brewery. The Bavarian setting is fabulous. The Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost is perfect for this time of year. Loved it! Lastly, Kate Lansing’s Colorado Wine Mystery series and Diane Kelly’s two series, Mountain Lodge and Southern Homebrew, are next on my list! Thanks for this post. I’d love to see more cozies featured on the MMD website and WSIRN podcast!
So glad you enjoyed the post, Lindsay! And thank you for recommending all those series, they sound fabulous. I have enjoyed Ellie Alexander’s other series and have been meaning to pick up Death on Tap!
Oh my gosh, so many of my favorites are missing from this list! But there are SO many good cozy series out there, it’s hard to capture them all. Here are a few I’ve loved:
* Hat Shop mystery series by Jenn McKinlay
* Cupcake Bakery mysteries, also by Jenn McKinlay
* Magical Bakery mysteries by Baily Cates
* Lighthouse Library mysteries by Eva Gates
* Fixer-Upper mysteries by Kate Carlisle
* Noodle Shop mysteries by Vivien Chien
my favorite genre! You found some I hadn’t heard of, so I’m excited. Thank you! Adding the “Magical Cats Mysteries” by Sofie Kelly, the “Camper and Criminals” series by Tonya Kappes, and anything by Ellery Adams or Krista Davis to the list for anyone mining the comments for ideas.
Considering all the new titles I’ve added to my ‘to be read’ list, good thing I’m a speed reader. Hey, I’m supposed to be decking the halls right now, not reading.
The Colorado Wine Mystery series by Kate Lansing. I love all the Colorado life details, yummy wine descriptions and the main character and her friends/family. The mysteries do not disappoint and these are so fun to read!!
Seconding these as well! I live in Colorado, as does Lansing, and can vouch for the authenticity of her work. I also went to an author signing she gave and she was just super nice and fun to hear talk about her writing.
Great list with some new authors for me.
Here are some of my favorite cozy mysteries:
Country Club Murders — Julie Mulhern
Sparks and Brainbridge Mysteries — Alison Montclair
Tea Shop Mysteries— Laura Childs
I laugh when I tell my friend that she should read cozy mysteries when she asks if there is a death, “yes, but it’s an okay murder”, I reply.
I was a big fan of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple books and Dorothy Sayers’ books, but I find so many more current cozy mysteries to be too gimmicky and improbable for me. I completely understand their allure to many and am not trying to insult anyone, but they just don’t work for me the way the classics did, and that makes me sad, because I want to recreate that cozy feeling for myself! Lately I have only been able to find that old comfort in cozy fantasy/sci-fi — possibly because I am not holding them to such a high standard? Does anyone have book suggestions for me books or ideas on how to find cozy mysteries that are a little less gimmicky and more probable?
Answer is my own comment to say that maybe the reason I struggle with cozy mysteries now is that I grew up in NYC, but for the last two decades I have lived in the kind of quaint rural village where these books are often set (it could almost fill in for Three Pines), and the idea of even one mysterious murder happening here let alone multiple murders over the years and ones that actually feel cozy is just preposterous. It was easier to dream of such a place when I didn’t live here.
I love Christie and Sayers too, and was so delighted to discover Patricia Wentworth who wrote at the same time. Her Miss Silver mysteries are really fun and feel less “gimmicky” than modern cozies. Other writers of that era I’ve enjoyed are Margery Allingham and Elizabeth Daly. I’m not sure whether or not these stories are more probable but I do think they’re better written and feel more authentic to the original genre, if that makes sense.
A newer author who I feel has really captured the old ways of writing is Clara Benson, with her Angela Marchmont and Freddie Pilkington-Soames mysteries. Lots of fun but with an authentic old-school feel.
Another option are the ’round robin’ books written by the members of the Dectective Club, where each author (including Sayers) took a chapter. To me these books are more proceedural than cozy, but still fun.
Lastly I just found Anthony Berkeley’s The Wintringham Mystery on audio from my library – another fun one of it’s era: apparently even Agatha Christie couldn’t solve it! 🙂
For those who love RVing and camping, we found a fun series by fellow RVer, Karen Musser Nortman. Set at various campgrounds, Frannie Shoemaker is a grandmother who solves mysteries along with her retired cop hubby and in-laws when they go out camping. Fun! We interviewed her on our channel and she was a delight. https://youtu.be/ji1t28LoUIU?si=RodyYGQySsqDxetg
The Alyssa Maxell Gilded Newport Mysteries are amazing. Each mystery takes place in a different Newport mansion during the Gilded Age. I read the first while visiting my daughter who was living in Newport last year. When I returned home I tore through the next 9 mysteries in order. There are currently 11 different mysteries and a 12th due next August. I love the notes she includes at the end of each book with insights about each mansion and the family who lived there.
Cozy Mystery series I highly recommend:
Cat in the Stacks Mysteries by Miranda James
Domestic Diva Mysteries by Krista Davis
Paws & Claws Mysteries also by Krista Davis
Bakeshop Mysteries by Ellie Alexander
Sloan Krause Mysteries also by Ellie Alexander
Hannah Swenson Mysteries by Joanne Fluke
Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley (set in Victorian England)
Wrexford & Sloane Mysteries by Andrea Penrose (set in Regency England)
And if you can stand a bit of gore – the Will Trent series by Karin Slaughter
As I type this all out, I didn’t realize I follow so many cozy mystery series.
I love cozy mysteries! So many good ones out there. I really enjoy the ones by Victoria Thompson. The ones that start
w/names like Murder on Sister’s Row, Murder in Chinatown, Murder in The Bowery,etc. I would recommend reading them in order. She also has another series: ” City of—” I am collecting the whole set of the first series.
A quick read that’s fun are the Garden Girls mystery series and the Cruise Ship mystery series, both by Hope Callaghan. They feature women retirees from Michigan (my home state). Good stories with well developed characters and plots. My gal friend and I have shared all the books in both series. Hope has a couple other series but I haven’t read them…yet.
This list is so exciting to me because I adore cozy mysteries and there are some titles here that are new to me. My all-time favorite is the Her Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen. It takes place after WWII & features Georgie, a young woman who is a cousin to the King, but a bit down on her luck and lacking funds. It’s very funny and just the perfect cozy series.
I’m a little late to this discussion but since no one mentioned the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters I had to chime in. Set in Egypt in the late 1800s, they are what got me into cozy mysteries many years ago.
We appreciate a good conversation in the comments section. Whether we’re talking about books or life, differing opinions can enrich a discussion when they’re offered for the purpose of greater connection and deeper understanding, which we whole-heartedly support. We have begun holding all comments for moderation and manually approving them (learn more). My team and I will not approve comments that are hurtful or intended to shame members of this community, particularly if they are left by first-time commenters. We have zero tolerance for hate speech or bigotry of any kind. Remember that there are real people on the other side of the screen. We’re grateful our community of readers is characterized by kindness, curiosity, and thoughtfulness. Thank you for helping us keep it that way.
Find your next read with:
100 Book recommendations for every mood
Plus weekly emails with book lists, reading life tips, and links to delight avid readers.
77 comments
The Scottish Highlands Bookshop mysteries – Jessica Fletcher in tartan as people in this small town keep getting knocked off.
Oooh, Carolyn looking up these now! Are they the series by Molly MacRae? As a descendant of the Clan Campbell, thank you for the rec!
This series sounds perfect for me as well. I too, am a Clan Campbell descendant (among others). Carolyn had me at “Highlands!”
I’m so glad to see this list. Mysteries and thrillers are my favorite, but the grittier ones are too much for me right now. I’ll be searching for these at the library.
Happy to hear that and good luck hunting at the library, Annette!
I like Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries. Phryne Fisher is quite the character, and in the Netflix version we get to see her fabulous wardrobe. I also like Rhys Bowen. But my all-time favorites are my very own Meg Miller Mysteries beginning with Dickens of a Crime, set in a holiday homes tour Victorian celebration in a small Texas town. Meg is a volunteer and retired librarian.
The Miss Fisher series wardrobe is fabulous, indeed! Great recs!
I love the Laine Winslow series set in BC. She’s a former WW2 spy who moved to Canada to get away from the memories of the war (and other things). There are lots of helpful neighbors, scones, and a handsome police officer.
You had me at scones, Barb!
I just finished the first Laine Winslow and loved it.
Susan Wittig Albert has four series that fit the ‘cozy’ description.
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/susan-wittig-albert/
My favorite series are the Cottage Tales based on Beatrix Potter, or maybe it’s The Darling Dahlias? They’re all good.
I second the recommendation for the Miss Fisher Mysteries, both books and TV series.
Yes, I second the Susan Wittig Albert books, especially the Beatrix Potter ones! They’re so fun and cozy!
I love The Cottage Tales. Wish there were more. And Phryne Fisher? Perfection!
Thank you for all the great recommendations! I love the Tita Rosie series and am just getting into the genre so it’s a great place to start. I’m also a big fan of the Noodle shop mystery series by Vivien Chien and the Sassy Cat Mystery series by Jennifer Chow.
Thanks Jen! I need to start the Noodle shop ones, I have had them on TBR for years. Have you read them on audio by chance?
I’m a huge fan of the Murder in an Irish Village series by Carlene O’Connor. The audio is fabulous and they are as cozy as they come.
Thanks for the tip, Emily. On my library holds list now! I love the recs here from this community, especially the audiobooks.
These are a favorite of both my mom and my Irish cousins! I need to pick up the first.
Likewise Emily! And I agree that the audio is fantastic.
These are super fun!
Just found these and am running through them quickly. Love the audio! The Irish gets into my head and I starting thinking in that accent!
My introduction to “cozies” was the Goldy Schulz series by Diane Mott Davidson back in the 1990s and it’s still my all-time favorite of this genre. Here’s the list: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/diane-mott-davidson/
I have been working my way through Booktown Mystery series by Lorna Barrett. Love finding books about books and the main character owns a mystery bookstore and a cat,while her sister owns the cookbook store next door.
Haha! Not my cup of tea! Pun intended!!
Maybe this is a new genre I should try?
I’m glad to see MC Beaton mentioned. I loved her Agatha Raisin series. She wrote another cozy mystery series starring Hamish McBeth which is also very good. I want to mention another favorite of mine, Lillian Jackson Braun, who writes “The Cat Who” cozy mystery series. Happy Reading everyone!!
Yay, glad to hear it, Kathy! My mother-in-law likes the Hamish ones too.
Also MC Beaton’s series, Her Royal Spyness set between the wars with the King’s young, and impoverished, cousin as the heroine. Cheeky and fun!
Love this post! Thank you for all the recs!
The Maisie Dobbs (by Jacqueline Winspear) series is a favorite of mine . You can start anywhere in the series but I highly recommend you start at the beginning to become friends with Maisie.
That is another series I have sitting on my nightstand waiting to be read! Love the idea of becoming friends with Maisie and other amateur cozy sleuths. Thank you, Francesca!
Thanks for these recommendations! I discovered cozy mysteries with the Secret Books & Scone Society. Want to take this opportunity to promote a friend’s first book, a cozy mystery that has everything you want. A great read, it’s “Murder Inmortal” by PD Underhill. Check it out!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLYPZ9KD?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
I am also a huge fan of cozy mysteries. Plot driven feel-good reads, with wit and humour, and the puns! Also the characters and communities are so wonderful. A recent favourite is the author Ann Claire, The Christie Bookshop series. Two of them so far. And if you are a knitter the longstanding series The Seaside Knitters by Sally Goldenbaum is very good. That one I prefer in print (vs audio) as I find it easier to keep track of the extensive cast of characters.
The Grace Texas series by Cherry Northcutt is so funny! The first in the series is Jess Sayin’.
Leslie, that title is so perfect! Love a funny cozy.
I have long enjoyed the Meg Langslow series by Donna Andrews. It is set in rural VA. Every title has the name of a bird in it!!
Also fun is the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenblatt, set in suburban New Jersey. Those books feature dogs, dogs, and more dogs!!
Ashley Weaver has another cozy series that I adore, Amory Ames. Set in England after WWI, Amory solves her cases while also dealing with her philandering husband. Thanks for this list Brigid.
Oh how fun, Hannah! I will have to check out her other series.
I adore the Magical Bookshop Mystery series by Amanda Flower. What’s better than a magical bookshop?? The first one is Crime and Poetry.
I love all mysteries but there are definitely times when only a cozy will do! I second the recommendations for Ellery Adams (Secret, Book & Scone Society) and SJ Bennett (Her Majesty the Queen Investigates), and can’t wait to try Kellye Garrett’s Hollywood Homicide. My recent favorite cozies are the Molly Sutton series (recent divorcee flees to France to start over) by Nell Goddin and the Christie Bookshop series (two sisters run a bookstore in the Colorado mountains) by Anne Claire.
I agree that sometimes only a cozy will do, NK! I have the first in the Christie Bookshop on my kindle and will have to look up the Molly Sutton series. Thank you!
Thanks for the list and all of the comments with additional ideas! My library requests list is now even longer.
I will always recommend the Chet & Bernie books. It starts with Dog on It. Chet is a dog and the narrator of the books. They are just fun.
I had forgotten about this series, Cecilia!! Love a dog narrator and it has been years since I read Dog on It. Thank you!
I thoroughly enjoyed three cozy mysteries set in the Minnesota lake country, called the North Lakes Murder Mystery Series, by Marjorie Mathison Hance. The first book is Murder at Pelican Lake, followed by Cormorant in the Net, and The Man Three Cottages Down. Engaging characters and great reads!
I love Minnesota and a cozy set there sounds wonderful, Bryce. Thank you for the recommendation!
Perhaps a bit more hard boiled than a traditional cozy but still contains many of the same tropes such as a strong found family/community and a very strong sense of place. I cannot, however, recommend more strongly the Alphabet series by Sue Grafton featuring the PI, Kinsey Milhone. I have reread the entire series over this past year. Kinsey is a hard boiled female private eye with an excellent back story. Sadly, I am in the middle of the last mystery, Y is for Yesterday. The author, Sue Grafton, died before completing the series and her family decided that at least for them, the alphabet ends in Y.
Yes, Kinsey made my list of four (so far) Greatest of All Time sleuths! I agree she may not fit exactly into the cozy category but there’s so much debate about what makes a cozy these days – and I really appreciate Brigid, the post’s author, for giving us a great definition.
Can I suggest as a fun cozy mystery: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto. Filled with quirky characters, laugh out loud moments and of course a murder. I can’t wait until the next book in the series is published.
The Agatha Raisin mysteries are a favorite of mine! I also love the Lighthouse Library Mystery series by Eva Gates. They take place on the NC Outer Banks at a pretend library in the real Bodie Island Lighthouse. Library cat Charles is one of my favorite characters. The author does a great job of capturing the feel of and places on the Outer Banks.
I love cozies! There’s truly something for everyone. I just finished Jenn McKinlay’s Sprinkle With Murder, which takes place in a cupcake shop. It was great! One of my favorites is Ellie Alexander’s Sloan Krause series set in a Leavenworth, Washington brewery. The Bavarian setting is fabulous. The Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost is perfect for this time of year. Loved it! Lastly, Kate Lansing’s Colorado Wine Mystery series and Diane Kelly’s two series, Mountain Lodge and Southern Homebrew, are next on my list! Thanks for this post. I’d love to see more cozies featured on the MMD website and WSIRN podcast!
So glad you enjoyed the post, Lindsay! And thank you for recommending all those series, they sound fabulous. I have enjoyed Ellie Alexander’s other series and have been meaning to pick up Death on Tap!
For an Australian series set in Tasmania with a cast of queer characters, try Livia Day’s Cafe La Femme. The first is A Trifle Dead.
Oh my gosh, so many of my favorites are missing from this list! But there are SO many good cozy series out there, it’s hard to capture them all. Here are a few I’ve loved:
* Hat Shop mystery series by Jenn McKinlay
* Cupcake Bakery mysteries, also by Jenn McKinlay
* Magical Bakery mysteries by Baily Cates
* Lighthouse Library mysteries by Eva Gates
* Fixer-Upper mysteries by Kate Carlisle
* Noodle Shop mysteries by Vivien Chien
I could go on and on, but I’ll leave it at these!
You are correct, Jamie! There are so MANY to choose from and a baker’s dozen seemed like a cozy place to start. Thank you for the recommendations!
my favorite genre! You found some I hadn’t heard of, so I’m excited. Thank you! Adding the “Magical Cats Mysteries” by Sofie Kelly, the “Camper and Criminals” series by Tonya Kappes, and anything by Ellery Adams or Krista Davis to the list for anyone mining the comments for ideas.
Considering all the new titles I’ve added to my ‘to be read’ list, good thing I’m a speed reader. Hey, I’m supposed to be decking the halls right now, not reading.
Yay for adding new titles! Wish I could speed read too, Patricia. Alas, it will be audiobooks and decking the halls for me. Haha!
The Aunt Dimity series by Nancy Atherton is my favorite
The Colorado Wine Mystery series by Kate Lansing. I love all the Colorado life details, yummy wine descriptions and the main character and her friends/family. The mysteries do not disappoint and these are so fun to read!!
Seconding these as well! I live in Colorado, as does Lansing, and can vouch for the authenticity of her work. I also went to an author signing she gave and she was just super nice and fun to hear talk about her writing.
Electra McDonnall is an engaging heroine in Ashley Weaver’s books. Also enjoyed Chet & Bernie.
Great list with some new authors for me.
Here are some of my favorite cozy mysteries:
Country Club Murders — Julie Mulhern
Sparks and Brainbridge Mysteries — Alison Montclair
Tea Shop Mysteries— Laura Childs
I laugh when I tell my friend that she should read cozy mysteries when she asks if there is a death, “yes, but it’s an okay murder”, I reply.
Ha! I was just saying something similar to a neighbor about the murders in cozy mysteries, Margie!
I was a big fan of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple books and Dorothy Sayers’ books, but I find so many more current cozy mysteries to be too gimmicky and improbable for me. I completely understand their allure to many and am not trying to insult anyone, but they just don’t work for me the way the classics did, and that makes me sad, because I want to recreate that cozy feeling for myself! Lately I have only been able to find that old comfort in cozy fantasy/sci-fi — possibly because I am not holding them to such a high standard? Does anyone have book suggestions for me books or ideas on how to find cozy mysteries that are a little less gimmicky and more probable?
Answer is my own comment to say that maybe the reason I struggle with cozy mysteries now is that I grew up in NYC, but for the last two decades I have lived in the kind of quaint rural village where these books are often set (it could almost fill in for Three Pines), and the idea of even one mysterious murder happening here let alone multiple murders over the years and ones that actually feel cozy is just preposterous. It was easier to dream of such a place when I didn’t live here.
This makes sense, Deirdre! Maybe give A Pecuilar Combination a try? I would say it is more unique and interesting since Electra is a lockbreaker.
Thank you Brigid! I will check that out.
I love Christie and Sayers too, and was so delighted to discover Patricia Wentworth who wrote at the same time. Her Miss Silver mysteries are really fun and feel less “gimmicky” than modern cozies. Other writers of that era I’ve enjoyed are Margery Allingham and Elizabeth Daly. I’m not sure whether or not these stories are more probable but I do think they’re better written and feel more authentic to the original genre, if that makes sense.
A newer author who I feel has really captured the old ways of writing is Clara Benson, with her Angela Marchmont and Freddie Pilkington-Soames mysteries. Lots of fun but with an authentic old-school feel.
Another option are the ’round robin’ books written by the members of the Dectective Club, where each author (including Sayers) took a chapter. To me these books are more proceedural than cozy, but still fun.
Lastly I just found Anthony Berkeley’s The Wintringham Mystery on audio from my library – another fun one of it’s era: apparently even Agatha Christie couldn’t solve it! 🙂
For those who love RVing and camping, we found a fun series by fellow RVer, Karen Musser Nortman. Set at various campgrounds, Frannie Shoemaker is a grandmother who solves mysteries along with her retired cop hubby and in-laws when they go out camping. Fun! We interviewed her on our channel and she was a delight. https://youtu.be/ji1t28LoUIU?si=RodyYGQySsqDxetg
Debra, this is so wonderful! How fun that it is a kind of traveling mystery series and that you interviewed her. Thank you so much for sharing.
The Alyssa Maxell Gilded Newport Mysteries are amazing. Each mystery takes place in a different Newport mansion during the Gilded Age. I read the first while visiting my daughter who was living in Newport last year. When I returned home I tore through the next 9 mysteries in order. There are currently 11 different mysteries and a 12th due next August. I love the notes she includes at the end of each book with insights about each mansion and the family who lived there.
Cozy Mystery series I highly recommend:
Cat in the Stacks Mysteries by Miranda James
Domestic Diva Mysteries by Krista Davis
Paws & Claws Mysteries also by Krista Davis
Bakeshop Mysteries by Ellie Alexander
Sloan Krause Mysteries also by Ellie Alexander
Hannah Swenson Mysteries by Joanne Fluke
Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley (set in Victorian England)
Wrexford & Sloane Mysteries by Andrea Penrose (set in Regency England)
And if you can stand a bit of gore – the Will Trent series by Karin Slaughter
As I type this all out, I didn’t realize I follow so many cozy mystery series.
Wow, great list Pamela!
I love cozy mysteries! So many good ones out there. I really enjoy the ones by Victoria Thompson. The ones that start
w/names like Murder on Sister’s Row, Murder in Chinatown, Murder in The Bowery,etc. I would recommend reading them in order. She also has another series: ” City of—” I am collecting the whole set of the first series.
A quick read that’s fun are the Garden Girls mystery series and the Cruise Ship mystery series, both by Hope Callaghan. They feature women retirees from Michigan (my home state). Good stories with well developed characters and plots. My gal friend and I have shared all the books in both series. Hope has a couple other series but I haven’t read them…yet.
This list is so exciting to me because I adore cozy mysteries and there are some titles here that are new to me. My all-time favorite is the Her Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen. It takes place after WWII & features Georgie, a young woman who is a cousin to the King, but a bit down on her luck and lacking funds. It’s very funny and just the perfect cozy series.
I’m a little late to this discussion but since no one mentioned the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters I had to chime in. Set in Egypt in the late 1800s, they are what got me into cozy mysteries many years ago.
Never too late to chime in, Randi! And very interested in an Egyptian setting.