Mysteries by the Pun: 10 of the Best Cozy Mysteries
If you look at the news, even for a few minutes, you know that it’s a scary place out there. So if you’re looking for a way to relax, cozy mysteries are a great way to unwind. They are mystery and murder, but with only a teeny fraction of the sex, violence, and profanity of regular mysteries. They’re often set in libraries, restaurants, or shops. And there are so many of them to choose from! So I’ve done the heavy lifting for you: here are 10 of my favorite cozy mysteries.
Related: Sometimes I think that the cozy mystery genre was invented just so people could show off their punny skills. I love all the imaginative ways writers title cozy mysteries! I think in my next life, I want to write punny titles, too.
Brewed Awakening
Cleo Coyle
When coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi wakes up on a bench in Washington Square Park, her friends and family are thrilled, because she has been missing for days. But part of Clare is still missing–her memory. A kidnapped heiress is at the center of the mystery she must solve to regain her memories.
Wed, Read and Dead
V. M. Burns
When the wedding planner for Samantha Washington's mother's wedding is murdered, the mystery bookstore owner can't resist solving a crime that happened right under her nose. Especially when the main suspect turns out to be her mother's new dearly beloved.
And Then There Were Crumbs
Eve Calder
This new series kicked off this year! It's about talented pastry chef Kate McGuire. She was looking forward to a new start in Florida, in a new restaurant. But when her new boss is accused of murdering a pushy real estate mogul with poisoned cinnamon rolls, Kate is determined to catch the real killer.
The Diva Sweetens the Pie
Krista Davis
Someone has turned up the heat on the Old Town Pie Festival! When the town's beloved judge dies In the middle of the competition, sometime-sleuth Sophie Winston must figure out who is responsible before one of her friends is arrested for the crime.
Beating about the Bush
M.C. Beaton
A severed leg is certainly not something private detective Agatha Raisin wants to encounter on her leisurely walk, but there it is. Now Agatha is embroiled in a case of international espionage, one she must solve quickly before the killer turns their sights to her.
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Iced in Paradise
Naomi Hirahara
Wipeout! When Leilani Santiago returns to the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i to help keep her family's shave ice shack from closing, the last thing she expects is murder. But when she finds the body of one of her father's surfing students, Lelani will have to find the killer to clear her father's name.
No Escape Claws
Sofie Ryan
Sarah Grayson and her cat, Elvis, have a chance once again to sharpen their detective skills when a young girl visits Sarah's secondhand shop in Maine and asks her to help clear her father's name and secure his release from prison.
Cookies and Clairvoyance
Bailey Cates
As hedgewitch Katie Lightfoot readies for her wedding, her fiancé's coworker is accused of murder. Katie must figure out how to juggle wedding preparations and magical baking while helping detective Peter Quinn solve the case.
Drawn and Buttered
Shari Randall
It's the slow season at the Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack until an enormous lobster dubbed Lobzilla brings flocks of visitors to his tank. But when Lobzilla is stolen in another of a string of burglaries, Lazy Mermaid owners Allie Larkin and Aunt Gully set out to crack the case.
Murder lo Mein
Vivien Chien
Lana Lee is the new manager of her family’s Chinese restaurant, Ho-Lee, and as such, decides to enter the restaurant in Cleveland’s Best Noodle Contest. But when a local food critic receives a threatening note in a fortune cookie and is later found dead, Lana joins up with her detective boyfriend to help solve the crime before someone else gets a bad cookie.
What to Read Next
Liberty Hardy is a Book Riot senior contributing editor, co-host of All the Books, a Book of the Month judge, and above all else, a ravenous reader. She resides in Maine with her cats, Millay, Farrokh, and Zevon. You can see pictures of her cats and book hauls on Twitter @MissLiberty and Instagram @franzencomesalive.