Curl Up with Some Cozy Mysteries This Fall

Published by Renee Powers, Oct. 19, 2023


If you’ve ever wandered into the mystery section of a used bookstore, you’ve likely encountered a small-town mystery novel with a punny title and a plucky heroine. Maybe she just moved back home after a devastating breakup and needs to figure out the real culprit when she becomes implicated in the death of an ex-boyfriend (Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala). Or maybe she accidentally killed a blind date and must enlist the help of her nosy aunties in covering up her crime (Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto). Whatever the exact situation, chances are that you've found a cozy mystery, which is one of our favorite genres! So sit back, get comfy, and let's explore all the quirky hijinks cozy mysteries have to offer.

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What is a cozy mystery?

Cozy mysteries are just that – novels that center around a mystery but aren’t too gruesome or unsettling. Many times, cozy mystery novels keep violence, sex, and other explicit language off the page, even when the mystery is a murder. Most cozy mysteries focus on an amateur sleuth who is typically an ordinary woman, rather than a detective or police officer. She works alone to solve crimes or with her friends or pet (yes, pets are a regular feature in this genre!). The setting of these books is usually a small town (Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day), a quaint small business like an ice cream parlor (Death of an Ice Cream Scooper by Lee Hollis), a bookstore (Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae), or a yarn shop (A Killer Stitch by Maggie Sefton). The small town setting is perfect for lots of meddling neighbors trying to thwart the sleuth’s investigation and gives ample opportunities for one-of-a-kind characters to become suspects.

Did Agatha Christie invent the cozy mystery?

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was a prolific English writer whose 66 detective novels have withstood the test of time. Her work has been adapted into films (including the new Kenneth Branagh movie A Haunting in Venice, inspired by Hallowe’en Party), plays (The Mousetrap in London is the longest running show of any kind), and even television shows (Marple and Poirot were incredibly popular on British television). To say that her career has been everlasting and impactful would be an understatement.

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Subgenres of cozy mysteries

One of my favorite things about the cozy mystery genre is the copious subgenres focused on setting. And the more specific a setting, the better. Want to spend time in a Scottish bookshop or English library? Try The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton or The Bodies in the Library by Marty Wingate. If you’re a music lover, look no further than Olivia Blacke’s record shop mysteries like Vinyl Resting Place. Of course, there are the quintessential bakery mysteries like Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews or Murder at an Irish Bakery by Carlene O’Connor. Some cozy mysteries have a touch of witchy magic to them as well. Check out Bailey Cates’ Brownies and Broomsticks, the first in the Magical Bakery series, or Secondhand Spirits from Juliet Blackwell’s Witchcraft Mystery series. Cat lovers should make sure that Lilian Jackson Braun’s “The Cat Who….” series is on their radar, starting with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. There are home renovation mysteries (Renovated to Death by Frank Anthony Polito), noodle shop mysteries (Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien) and even an emerging subgenre called quozy mysteries, or queer cozy mysteries (The Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy)! Looking for a seasonal cozy? Joanne Fluke has you covered with titles like Sugar Cookie Murder or Christmas Cake Murder. Don’t worry, if you prefer pie, just choose your flavor. There’s Blackberry Pie Murder, Key Lime Pie Murder, Banana Cream Pie Murder, Lemon Meringue Pie Murder – all the pies and murder you could want!

How do I know if a mystery is a cozy mystery?

Judge the book by its cover. Seriously. With a few exceptions, the typical cozy mystery will feature a charming setting (Asking for Truffle by Dorothy St. James), often with a cat or dog (Mimi Lee Cracks the Code by Jennifer J. Chow), and a slightly disrupted crime scene (Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes). The title is often punny (Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower) or alliterative (Homicide and Halo-Halo by Mia P. Manansala). Most cozy mysteries are a part of a series with a hobby at the center, like scrapbooking (Parchment and Old Lace by Laura Childs) or baking (Kneaded to Death by Winnie Archer). If the cover boasts that recipes are included in the endnotes (Murder by Mocha by Cleo Coyle), you know it’s going to be cozy!

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Why are cozy mysteries so popular?

I have a theory that women in particular love cozy mysteries, because they give us a sense of control in bad situations. The women at the center of these stories are smart, capable, and willing to take matters into their own hands. In many of the books in this genre, the citizen detective outsmarts the villain and the law enforcement. (For more mysteries with female main characters, check out our curated picks for books with female detectives.) This gives the reader a sense of overcoming great odds and becoming a hero. Plus, who doesn’t love a good puzzle? (Speaking of puzzles, there’s even a crossword-themed cozy mystery series!)


I had the honor of interviewing cozy mystery author Mia P. Manansala. She described cozy mysteries as “Hallmark movies with murder.” That is about the most succinct and apt description for this genre! Cozy mystery lovers know how silly and unrealistic this genre is, but, like romance readers, we’re simply along for the ride. There may not be a happily ever after (because, you know, murder), but the puzzle is always solved by the end and justice, whatever that may be, is always served.

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Top 5 most popular cozy mysteries on Pango

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
Murder lo Mein by Vivien Chien
Read It and Weep by Jenn McKinlay
Death of a Cozy Writer by G. M. Malliet

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