The leaves are changing colors, and longer nights means more time to commit a crime. Unlike dark thrillers or gritty crime novels, cozy mysteries thrive on quirky characters who come across danger while baking, running bookshops, or going to weddings gone wrong. These ten cozy mysteries are perfect for those who love mystery books with all of the cozy and none of the scary. Because who doesn’t love cuddling up with a good book or two on a fall day?
Trigger Warning: This article and some recommended books contain mentions of murder and suicide. Please exercise personal care while reading.
Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku
Savvy Summers never thought that her highly praised sweet potato pie would become the grounds for a murder investigation — but here she is. When local womanizer, Grandy Jaspers, drops dead at 75 in Savvy’s soul food café, she suddenly has to worry about more than just her reputation. But with an investor following her every move and her ex-husband — the police sergeant — back in the picture, will Savvy be able to save her business and solve a murder mystery?
Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Allison Brennan
If you would look up the word “workaholic” in the dictionary, Mia Crawford’s picture would come up. Being forced into a vacation isn’t the only thing she gets dragged into. She suddenly finds herself on a tropical island and in the middle of a murder investigation. With the help of coded notes in a used book, she tries to find the missing guest, but she uncovers secrets that lead to an adventure and the possibility of transforming herself.
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
A lonely, opinionated San Francisco tea shop owner doesn’t expect to find a dead body in her shop. But when the police write her off, Vera must solve the mystery herself using a flash drive found on the corpse that she believes the killer will return for. As she begins to observe and rule out her customers, she fosters a maternal bond with some of them and ends up with a found family that fulfills her need to take care of others.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
When Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar, finds the diary of her murdered delivery man, she launches an investigation to find the killer. As she gathers clues, she must navigate family drama, ignore her mother’s attempts to marry her off, and restore her bakery’s good name. With the help of the deputy sheriff, Hannah uncovers potential motives which result in a new murder and one last final twist before the killer is revealed.
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
When Lila Macapagal’s ex boyfriend dies from poisoning at her Tita Rosie’s restaurant, all eyes are on her. While navigating the pressures of Filipino-American culture, Lila uses her family’s network and best friend/barista to solve the case. But uncovering the plot that involves her shady landlord becomes the least of her worries.
How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
Follow along with this cozy mystery that stars Annie Adams, who becomes intrigued by her great-aunt Frances. When a fortune teller predicts that Frances will be murdered, she spends her life preventing it by collecting and storing away secrets about everyone around her. Flash forward to sixty years later and France’s fortune comes true. The catch? In her will, she offers her estate to anyone who solves the crime, forcing Annie to get caught up in this web of secrets to find the killer.
The Late-Night Witches by Auralee Wallace
Despite Cassie’s little sister and three wild children, Prince Edward Island is always quiet. That is, until vampires come along and disrupt the peace, thrusting Cassie into an adventure to learn how to become a witch. She has to come to terms with family secrets and learn how to fight for what and who she loves before it’s too late. Oh, and she also has to figure out the mystery of the vampires threatening everything she’s once known.
The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols
Sophie, Hamilton, Ocean, and Nicholas are the only people Mrs. B rent to, until Anthony, a potentially violent person moves in. Three weeks and one dead body later, Anthony is arrested and the current tenants finally have some peace. Mrs. B, convinced Anthony is innocent, turns herself in instead causing the tenants to band together to free their favorite landlord. Full of humor, community, and coziness this mystery will keep you fully engaged until the bitter end.
A Murderer Among Us by Marilyn Levinson
When Lydia’s husband dies, she moves to Long Island to start a new life in a luxurious retirement community. However, soon after running into Lydia, the woman who drove Lydia’s sister to suicide is found dead and all eyes are on Lydia. This mystery is full of clues waiting to be found along with its witty banter and a cozy community as she tries to clear her name.
Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage
Inspired by the iconic Golden Girls, this new cozy mystery blends humor, friendship, and a touch of danger. The wedding of the season turns dark when Dorothy’s date is found dead, making every guest a suspect. Now it’s up to four best friends to find the killer and get the couple down the aisle, all while trying to not get lost in Miami. With lots of laughs, heart, and a finale as satisfying as a bite of cheesecake, this story delivers all of the cozy feelings.
Whether you’re a lifelong mystery fan or trying out the genre for the first time, cozy mysteries offer a perfect blend of both suspense and comfort. They like to remind us that amidst all of the suspense, there’s room for friendship and humor, which makes these reads perfect for those of us who don’t like all of the gore that comes with traditional mysteries.
Check out our article on how to create the coziest reading setup for fall.
In need of some more comfy, cozy mysteries to read? Check out our cozy mysteries bookshelf on Bookshop!
