Discover the best cozy mysteries to add to your reading list, from charming amateur sleuths to historical favorites and must-read series.
I love a good mystery. Give me an interesting cast of characters, plenty of plot twists, and a mystery I can try to solve before the main character does, and I’m in.
But sometimes I want the mystery without all the…murder-y parts of a murder mystery. Which sounds a little ridiculous considering there is very often still a dead body involved.
What I really mean is that I don’t always want something dark, disturbing, graphic, or likely to have me checking the locks before I go to bed. I enjoy thrillers too, but sometimes I want something a little lighter.
That’s where cozy mysteries come in.
I’ve realized over the past few years that I’ve read (or listened to) quite a few books that fall somewhere within the cozy mystery genre. Some are traditional cozy mysteries with an amateur detective and a small-town setting, while others mix in historical fiction, romance, family drama, or a little more suspense.
The Best Cozy Mystery Books & Series: My Favorites
If you’re looking for a good mystery that won’t completely stress you out, here are some of my favorites, along with a few more that are on my reading list.
What Is a Cozy Mystery?
If your idea of a mystery novel is a gritty police force chasing a serial killer, cozy mysteries are a very different experience.
While there are definitely exceptions, the cozy mystery genre typically focuses less on graphic violence and more on solving the crime. Yes, you might still have a murder, but you generally aren’t getting detailed descriptions of the crime or pages of disturbing details.
Instead, you’ll often find an amateur sleuth who somehow keeps finding themselves in the middle of a mystery. (Apparently, owning a bakery, running a bookstore, or simply living in a charming small town greatly increases your odds of needing to solve a murder. Who knew?)
The setting and characters are a big part of the appeal. There are recurring friends and family members, familiar locations, and usually an interesting main character you actually want to spend an entire series with. Bonus points if they have a secret of their own that’s revealed over the course of the book or series!
The cozy genre isn’t always easy to define, though. Some of my favorite books on this list might fall more into the “cozy-adjacent” category. They may have more romance, historical fiction, or suspense than a “traditional” cozy mystery.
I’m including them anyway. If what you really want is a good mystery that’s intriguing without being overly dark or graphic, I think you’ll find something here.
Favorite Cozy Mysteries I’ve Read and Recommend
The Homefront Sleuths Series
We’ll start with one of my favorites because I’ve clearly committed to this one.
I’ve listened to the first 11 books in the Homefront Sleuths series by Anna Elliott and Charles Veley on Audible. The series begins with The Blackout Murders, and there are now 12 books, so I have one more waiting for me.
The books take place during World War II and center around a group of amateur sleuths in the English village of Crofter’s Green. Along with the murder mysteries, you get a glimpse of everyday life on the home front during the war.
That’s a big part of what makes the series so interesting to me. The historical setting isn’t just background decoration. The war affects what’s happening in the village and becomes part of the stories themselves.
I also love a series where you get to stay with the same characters for a while. By the time you’re several books in, you’re invested in more than figuring out the prime suspect. You know the characters, their relationships, and the town, which makes starting the next book feel a little like going back to a familiar place.
If you like historical fiction along with your mysteries, this is a great series to try. And with 12 books available, you won’t have to immediately go searching for something new if you love the first book.
I’d definitely recommend starting with The Blackout Murders and reading or listening to these in order.
Small towns always seem to have the biggest secrets.
Mistletoe Murders
Apparently I particularly enjoy fictional murder when Christmas decorations are involved.
I’ve listened to four of the Mistletoe Murders stories, and they’ve become such fun holiday listens. They originally debuted as Audible Originals, which is how I discovered them, and they’re perfect for putting on while you’re driving around, wrapping presents, cleaning the house, or doing any of the other approximately 4,000 things that need to happen in December.
Don’t let the Christmas setting fool you into thinking there’s barely a mystery involved, though. There are still suspicious characters, secrets, clues, and plenty to figure out.
I love having books that match the season I’m in, and these are an easy addition to a holiday reading or listening list. If your December entertainment usually leans more Hallmark movie than psychological thriller, but you still enjoy a good mystery, give these a try.
Just one more chapter…we’ve all been there.
The Maisie Dobbs Series
Maisie Dobbs is another good choice if you love historical fiction as much as the actual mystery.
I’ve read the first few books in Jacqueline Winspear’s series, which begins with Maisie Dobbs. The first book introduces Maisie, who served as a nurse during World War I and later becomes an investigator in England.
These books have a little more weight to them than some of the other cozy mysteries on this list. The aftermath of World War I and its effect on the people who experienced it plays an important role in the story.
That doesn’t make the books overly dark, but they’re definitely more than a simple “someone has been murdered at the village bake sale” type of mystery.
Maisie is also the kind of main character you can really get invested in, and there are lots of books in the series. If you’d rather find one character you like and follow her through multiple mysteries, you could stay busy with this series for quite a while.
Books, tea and a little fictional murder.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year
Another Christmas mystery? Apparently I have a type.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter combines mystery and romance, so I wouldn’t consider this the most traditional cozy mystery on the list. But if what you really want is a fun mystery without venturing into creepy thriller territory, I think it fits perfectly.
Mystery writers Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt find themselves at an English estate for Christmas, where a famous mystery writer disappears from a locked room.
There’s an isolated setting, a group of suspects, plenty of clues, and romance mixed in with the mystery.
Basically, it’s a holiday romcom for people who would also like someone to disappear under suspicious circumstances.
I really enjoyed this one, and it’s a great choice if you’re looking for a standalone book instead of committing to a long new series.
The Molly the Maid Series
The Molly the Maid series by Nita Prose is probably one of the more recognizable series on this list.
The first book, The Maid, introduces Molly Gray, a hotel maid who takes great pride in her job and in returning every hotel room to perfect condition. When she discovers a wealthy guest dead in his room, she suddenly finds herself right in the middle of a murder investigation.
Molly is what makes these books stand out for me. She’s a memorable main character, and I liked getting to return to her world as the series continued.
The hotel setting is also a nice change from some of the more traditional small-town cozy mysteries. There are constantly people coming and going, which means lots of potential suspects and secrets.
There are definitely some serious subjects in these books, but they’re not written like dark crime novels. If you like mysteries that are character-driven and a little quirky, start with The Maid. (Do not confuse this with The Housemaid series. Though also good, they are not cozy!)
The Union Street Bakery
I’ve read the first two books in Mary Ellen Taylor’s Union Street Bakery series, and these are a good pick if your ideal book involves a bakery, family secrets, history and a mystery.
The first book follows Daisy McCrae as she returns to her family’s bakery in Alexandria, Virginia. As the story unfolds, there’s much more going on than simply running a bakery.
This is another series I’d probably call cozy-adjacent rather than a textbook example of the cozy mystery genre. The mystery is mixed with family relationships, history and secrets from the past.
That’s actually what I enjoyed about it. You’re not just waiting for an amateur detective to announce who committed the murder. There’s a larger story to uncover.
If you like books involving old houses, bakeries, family history and mysteries from the past, put this series on your list.
How to Solve Your Own Murder
Honestly, the title alone was enough to make me want to read this one.
In Kristen Perrin’s How to Solve Your Own Murder, Frances Adams receives a prediction as a teenager that one day she will be murdered. Rather than brushing it off, she spends decades trying to figure out who might eventually kill her.
And then…well, you can probably guess where this is going.
Her great-niece Annie becomes involved in solving what happened, giving us the amateur sleuth element I love in a good cozy mystery.
This book checks a lot of my mystery boxes: an English village, family secrets, an old mystery, a current mystery, and plenty of possible suspects.
It’s also the first book in a series, so if you finish it wanting more, you aren’t done with the characters yet. I plan to start the second book in this series ASAP.
Ready to solve another mystery?
Next on My List: The Coffee Shop Detectives
I’m about to start the first book in the Coffee Shop Detectives series on Audible, and I’m hoping I’ve found another series to work my way through.
I haven’t listened to it yet, so I’m obviously not calling this one of my favorite cozy mystery series just yet. Consider this my public reminder to come back and update this post once I’ve finished it.
But coffee shop + amateur detectives (four little old ladies, to be exact) + murder mystery sounds promising, doesn’t it?
More Cozy Mysteries I Want to Try
One of the problems with discovering the cozy mystery genre is realizing just how many series there are. My TBR list does not need any assistance getting longer, but here we are.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman is one I’ve had on my radar. It follows a group of friends in a retirement community who spend their time investigating old crimes before finding themselves involved in a current murder case. It sounds exactly like the kind of setup I’d enjoy. (Plus there’s a Netflix movie I can watch when I’m done starring Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan, who happens to be my favorite James Bond.)
I’ve also seen The Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series by Mia P. Manansala recommended frequently. The first book, Arsenic and Adobo, combines food, family and murder, which feels very on-brand for the cozy genre.
Amanda Flower is another cozy mystery author with several different series, including the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries. If you’re someone who loves discovering a series with lots of books already available, she’s worth looking into.
And then, of course, there are the classics.
You can’t really talk about mystery writers without Agatha Christie, and if you’ve never read a Miss Marple mystery, Murder on the Orient Express, or The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, there’s an entire world of classic detective fiction waiting for you.
You could even trace some of the things we love about modern cozy mysteries back to books like Nancy Drew. An amateur detective, a cast of familiar characters and a new mystery to solve? Maybe some of us have been cozy mystery fans much longer than we realized.
Murder, but make it cozy!
Why I Keep Coming Back to Cozy Mysteries
I think the main reason I enjoy cozy mysteries is pretty simple: they’re fun to read.
I like thrillers and more serious mystery novels too, but I’m not always in the mood for something disturbing. Sometimes I just want an interesting mystery, characters I enjoy, and enough plot twists to keep me guessing.
I especially love finding a good cozy mystery series. Once you know the characters and their world, picking up the next book is easy. You get a brand-new mystery while still returning to familiar people and places.
And there really is something for everyone. Your amateur sleuth might be investigating a murder in a small English village during World War II, cleaning rooms in a fancy hotel, solving a decades-old family mystery, or simply trying to figure out why people keep dying around their otherwise perfectly charming town. (Have we learned nothing from Jessica Fletcher?)
If you have a favorite cozy mystery—or an entire series I need to add to my list—tell me! Your favorite cozy mystery authors, too! Apparently, my TBR list can always make room for another murder.