One of the great parts about reading cozy mystery books is that they are moments of bliss away from the challenges and sorrows of life. We get the view of someone’s life and the world around them as they try to find some justice in the world.
It’s not an accident that so many cozy mysteries seem to focus on small businesses; it’s another way for readers to escape. They may dream of running their own business, but may not be able to in real life.
Instead, we can momentarily see what running a music shop or flower shop is like without investing our lifesavings.
So, to celebrate the fun of self-employment and self-administered justice, here are six little shop cozy mystery books for your enjoyment.
Vinyl Resting Place
Who hasn’t dreamed of running their own record shop?
Juni Jessup and her sisters, Tansy and Maggie, are opening Sip & Spin Records, a joint coffee shop and record store, in their hometown of Cedar River, Texas.
Running your own business can be a challenge, but none of the sisters anticipated finding a body in their supply closet during their Grand Opening. When their uncle is arrested for the murder, they put up their record store as collateral to pay his bail.
But when he disappears, their new business is in even greater peril. Juni will have to find out who is the real murderer before they have to close up shop for good.
It’s the first in the pun-filled three-book Record Shop Mystery series.
(Also Olivia Blacke is an Anthony-award winning author of the Ruby & Cordelia Mysteries paranormal (but not cozy) mystery series.)
Cheddar Off Dead
Willa Bauer has just opened her cheese shop Curds & Whey in her new home, the small town of Yarrow Glen in the Sonoma Valley, California.
But when she has a run in with a food critic who is determined to eat every meal with a scowl, things go sour when he’s found dead with her cheese knife as a murder weapon. As the chief suspect, Willa, along with some new friends, has to find out who really killed the cantankerous critic.
The first in the six-book Cheese Shop Mysteries is a fun view into the world of cheese mongering, with a great cast of characters who want to make the cheese shop a success.
Death in Bloom
Flowers weren’t her first choice, but Sierra Ravenswood is determined to make it work after her career in music didn’t pan out. She’s now working part-time at the Flower House in her hometown of Aerieville, Tennessee until she gets on her feet.
But when someone is poisoned during a flower arranging workshop and her boss disappears, giving her the shop for a dollar, now Sierra has to run the shop and get to the bottom of the crime.
It’s the first in the three-book A Flower House Mystery series.
Ill-Fated Fortune
Here’s a series with a touch of magic.
Felicity Jin works with her mother in their little bakery in Pixie, California. Her mother has inherited the family’s magic to imbue happiness to anyone who eats her egg tarts and pineapple buns.
Unfortunately, Felicity does not appear to have her mother’s gift…until by accident, she realizes that her fortune cookies can predict the future.
When one of her customers is found murdered with her fortune in hand, Felicity’s magic may actually be a curse, as now the police think she and her mother may have had something to do with the unfortunate death.
It’s the first of the three books of the Lefty-nominated A Magical Fortune Cookie series.
Chow is also the author of Sassy Cat Mysteries, featuring a pet grooming shop.
Assault and Pepper
Pepper Reece is turning a new leaf and opening a spice and tea shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. She’s loving being around all the scents and spices while getting to know her customers, while getting past her divorce and losing her job.
But when a local homeless man is found dead on her doorstep, Pepper has to get her hands dirty trying to find out who killed the man and why.
Worse yet, one of her employees is accused of the crime. Now she’s got to sniff out the murderer before becoming a victim herself.
There are nine-books in A Spice Shop Mystery series.
Cloche and Dagger
While McKinlay is known for her Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series, her Hat Shop Mystery series is not to be missed.
What do you do when your worst moment is captured on video and spread like wildfire on the internet? You leave the country.
That’s what Scarlett Parker does, at the advice of her cousin Vivian “Viv” Tremont to join her in London at Mims’s Whims, a hat shop on Portobello Road. Viv has been running the shop since the death of their grandmother, who gave it to both of them.
But when Scarlett arrives, Viv is not at the airport, and no one, even her business manager, knows where she is.
When one of Viv’s clients is murdered wearing Viv’s creation, it looks really bad for Scarlett’s cousin. Scarlett will now have to find her cousin and get her out of trouble…hopefully?
It’s the first in the seven-book Hat Shop Mystery series.
She’s also the author of the Library Lover’s Mystery Books.
Featured image: Annie Spratt/Unsplash
