While we love learning through books, we’re also big advocates of picking up a novel for pure entertainment and escape. Lighter books often serve as palate cleansers for us between heavier topics. Cozy mysteries are the perfect picks when you need a mental break!
Most of the books in our list kick off a full series of entertaining reads. We have noticed that it’s common for the first book in a series to be slightly lower rated. As readers get to know the characters and the series progresses, the ratings get higher. So, if you’re on the fence about continuing through a cozy mystery series, we recommend reading the second book before deciding.
Cozy Mysteries with Recipes
If you love cooking or baking along with your books, you’ll enjoy these picks!
Book Summary
Suzanne Heart is recently divorced and opened a donut and coffee shop in the heart of April Springs, North Carolina, as part of her new start. However, business takes a weird turn when a body is dumped on her doorstep.
All the customers are clamoring for her delicious donuts and details of the crime. However, the retired sheriff warns her that everyone is a suspect. Suzanne can’t help herself, and she begins her own investigation to figure out whose alibi isn’t legit.
You can also pick up The Donut Mysteries Cookbook to bake along with the heroines.
Kindle Unlimited as of: 09/21/2024
Book Summary
Amateur sleuth Hannah Swensen owns The Cookie Jar bakery in Lake Eden, Minnesota. In between baking, she spends her time dodging her mom’s attempts to find her a husband.
In the first book, her milk delivery man, Ron, is found behind her bakery, with her chocolate chip cookies scattered around his body. Terrified that the situation will give her shop a bad reputation, she sets out to find the killer.
Fans of this long-running series should also check out the companion cookbook – Joanne Fluke’s Lake Eden Cookbook: Hannah Swensen’s Recipes from the Cookie Jar.
Kindle Unlimited as of: 09/22/2024
Book Summary
In a bit of a twist on the culinary cozy mystery genre, the main character in this series is a food blogger. Newly divorced Hope Early was a magazine editor, but when that career failed, she put all her time into her busy food blog.
However, when she attends a group spring garden tour, it becomes a real murder mystery. One of the tour guests has murdered a local real estate agent, and her rival Claire is the top suspect. Claire is Hope’s older sister, so Hope has to set her business aside to figure out what really happened. This book includes recipes!
Kindle Unlimited as of: 09/21/2024
Book Summary
Olivia (Ollie) Paras is the White House Assistant Chef but has her eyes on the Executive Chef position. Unfortunately, her main rival for the job is a TV chef from the same state as the first family, so she’s at a bit of a disadvantage.
Despite needing to focus on a big state dinner, Ollie gets distracted by an event involving the Secret Service. When she can’t get answers, she investigates, despite the situation being way outside her clearance level.
The book includes a presidential menu of recipes!
Book Summary
Winnie and her Granny run Smythe Orchards on twenty-five acres in rural West Virginia. While the scenery is picturesque, their finances are struggling. Winnie plans the First Annual Christmas at the Orchard in an attempt to keep the business afloat another year!
Apple-picking locals and cider-loving tourists are embracing the event…until Granny’s long-time nemesis, Nadine, is found dead in the apple press. Winnie needs to figure out what really happened before Granny is arrested or the murderer strikes again.
The Book Girls Say…
This fast-paced cozy mystery also includes recipes! There are two additional books in the series featuring Winnie and Granny.
Kindle Unlimited as of: 09/22/2024
Book Summary
If you love mild paranormal elements in your cozy mysteries, this series is perfect! You’ll meet Sweet Dreams Bake Shop owner Angie in the first book. She’s frantically trying to find a new location for the bakery because her building’s owners are not renewing her lease.
To make the search even more complicated, she’s also being investigated for murder! Her sisters help her quest to find the killer to clear Angie’s name, but they can’t do it without the help of a cat! The relationship between the four sisters is prominent throughout the story. If you love this series check out J.A. Whiting’s Recipes from the Sweet Cove Bake Shop cookbook.
Kindle Unlimited as of: 09/21/2024
Cozy Mysteries About Cooking or Baking
This cozies will make you just as hungry, but do not include recipes within the book.
Book Summary
Arsenic & Adobo is the first book in a newer series. The main character Lila returns from her life in Chicago to help her Tita Rosie’s restaurant, which is going through a hard time. Lila’s ex-boyfriend, an annoying food critic, visits the restaurant and dies in his dessert shortly after an argument with Lila.
She’s the prime suspect, and to clear her name, she’s determined to find out what really happened. The Filipino food descriptions incorporated throughout the book will make your mouth water! As a bonus, the characters also visit other restaurants in town, and the author provides detailed descriptions of those meals as well. Each restaurant is part of a different culture, so it’s a bit of a culinary tour around the world.
The Book Girls Say…
This debut novel reminded Melissa of the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series. If you love a modern, light-hearted, and amusing whodunit-style story, this is a great pick for you.
If you’ve already read Arsenic & Adobo, there are now two more books in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen series. Each has a strong food theme!
Book Summary
When Faith’s grandmother asks her to come to Florida to help run Bessie’s café, she can’t wait to serve her own desserts. Everything is going so well, and the café is renamed Slice of Paradise to emphasize Faith’s delicious creations.
However, the nearby cupcake shop does not love the new competition, and the owner even publicly accuses Faith of stealing her recipes. So when that woman is found dead, Faith becomes the prime suspect.
Kindle Unlimited as of: 09/21/2024
Book Summary
Sweetwater Falls seems like an idyllic small town when Charlotte arrives to take care of her aunt Winifred. However, on her very first day, she discovers a dead body! Between being interrogated by law enforcement and her aunt repeatedly disappearing, she not sure the big move from Chicago was the right choice.
Could Aunt Winifred’s “Live Forever Club” have something to do with the body?
Kindle Unlimited as of: 09/21/2024
Book Summary
Lana Lee needs a fresh start after a rough break-up and dramatic exit from her job, so she returns to her family’s restaurant in Cleveland to regroup. But her plan for a little break from stress goes awry when Mr. Feng, the property manager for the Ho-Lee Noodle house, dies. Lana delivered him shrimp dumplings from the restaurant, but everyone knew about his deadly shellfish allergy.
Lana must figure out what happened before the restaurant’s reputation is forever ruined.
Book Summary
Aunty Lee runs one of Singapore’s best-loved restaurants, but she also makes time to be an amateur sleuth. She threw herself into building a culinary empire, Aunty Lee’s Delights, after the death of her husband.
When one of her wealthy guests fall to show up at a dinner party, Aunty Lee is afraid it’s connected to the body recently found in one of Singapore’s beautiful tourist areas. Her connections make her a better investigator than rookie Police Commissioner Raja.
The witty and charming book includes an interesting cast of characters, including stepson Mark, his social-climbing wife Seline, a gay couple whose love is still illegal, and an elderly Australian couple. You’ll see the extreme wealth of Singapore but also the tensions lurking below the surface.
Book Summary
Childhood rivals Natasha and Sophie are both determined to win the Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown competition individually. While Natasha is a master of all things entertaining, Sophie believes she can bet her if she can find the perfect secret ingredient.
But before she can find perfection, she finds a corpse! Then, the police find HER name and photo inside the victim’s car. Now she must solve the murder case before she ends up in prison before the big Stuffing Shakedown.
Reviewers also mention that this is a clean read with no adult language.
Book Summary
After opening Fairy Tale Cupcakes in Scottsdale, Arizona, Melanie, and her best friend, Angie are excited to have the first big order of 500 custom wedding cupcakes. Except the client, Christie is a total bridezilla and known for being a nasty businesswoman!
When Christy is killed via a cupcake, Mel becomes the prime suspect. To save the bakery’s reputation (and keep Mel out of jail), they become amateur detectives to find the real killer.
Book Summary
Goldy is a Colorado caterer who throws herself into every job, even if she’s catering a wake she doesn’t want to attend. Everyone is enjoying her poached salmon and strawberry shortcake…until her ex-father-in-law dies, and the food is to blame!
Goldy is accused of poisoning him, and the future of her business is at stake. So when the police and the Department of Health aren’t clearing her name, she starts digging into the case independently. Soon, she discovers more family secrets than she ever knew was possible. And now that she knows, she may be the killer’s next target.
Book Summary
Charleston tea shop owner and event caterer Theodosia is hired to serve 200 guests at an annual historic garden party. Everyone is enjoying her blueberry scones and freshly steamed tea, until a guest is found dead clutching their teacup.
Theo must solve the crime to save her business! If you love the charm of Charleston’s historic district or want to learn more about tea, both topics are covered throughout this light read.
What is a Cozy Mystery?
Cozy mysteries are less graphic, scary, and intense than other books in the mystery genre. They have a familiar storyline of the main character finding themselves accidentally involved in investigating a crime. This is often to clear their own name. Usually, there’s a mix of humor, light suspense, and delightful characters as you try to figure out whodunit. Red herrings are abundant along the way.
We appreciate that these books don’t take themselves too seriously, won’t give us nightmares, and often have amusing punny titles. One of the biggest subsets of the genre is culinary cozy mysteries. Since we love food as much as we love books, it’s a big bonus that several of the titles include delicious recipes within the books or have companion cookbooks!
More Cozy Mystery Recommendations
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