Sometimes there’s nothing more relaxing than curling up in your reading nook with a cozy mystery novel and a cup of hot cocoa. Often featuring amateur sleuths, quirky characters and intriguing plots, cozy mystery series balance the thrill of crime-solving without too much gore or bloodshed. Instead of an atmosphere of foreboding and menace, such books have a warmer and more welcoming vibe—often set in bookshops or bakeries, with the detectives accompanied by a feline companion or cups of tea.
No matter how busy your day might be, it’s pretty easy to dive into these books, following the characters as they solve puzzles, interview suspects and put the pieces together in a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. And if all this sounds like your favorite cup of tea, take your picks from some of the best new cozy mystery series published recently!
The Jam Sandwich Detectives
Published just last month, The Jam Sandwich Detectives by Clare Thompson is clever, funny and furiously entertaining with a mum-turned detective in the lead. It follows Rachel Walker who’s determined to rebuild her life, but soon after she’s added to a parental WhatsApp group, one of the fellow mums turn up dead and Rachel soon discovers the victim was poisoned. From school-gate gossip to playground antics, this book about mothers getting together to solve a crime is full of wit and charm.
Murder by Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery
If you missed the popular sitcom Golden Girls that aired on NBC from the mid-80s, you can take a refreshing trip down memory lane with Rachel Ekstrom Courage’s Murder by Cheesecake that features the beloved characters on a new adventure. While Rose is busy planning a wedding, Dorothy is on the lookout for a charming date to be her plus one at the event when a dead body is discovered in the hotel freezer, right where Rose’s cheesecakes were stored. Even if you have no prior knowledge of the show, you’ll have plenty of fun with this Golden Girls novel and prepare for its upcoming sequel, Death on the Lanai.
Icing on the Murder (A Baker Street Mystery)
Food-themed books are hugely popular in the cozy mystery genre and Icing on the Murder by Valerie Burns rides on that trend by being set in a charming bakery known for its sumptuous wedding cakes. Maddy Montgomery is an influencer-turned-bakery owner who’s finally enjoying a successful business and is about to marry the love of her life—except right before the marriage, her wedding planner gets skewered. Now Maddy and her friends have to find the killer before the wedding bells start to ring. Fun, heartfelt and filled with delectable treats, Icing on the Murder is a perfect cozy read.
Tea with Jam & Dread
By now, if you’re used to cozy cafes serving coffee and cream, why not switch it up with a visit to a tearoom and a heritage hotel? Vicki Delany’s Tea with Jam & Dread follows Lily Roberts, a tearoom owner on a trip to England to reconnect with an old flame and catch up with her grandmother who once worked in a sprawling manor that has now been converted to a luxury hotel. But when the ancestral jewels and a party guest suddenly dies, Lily knows there’s something dangerous afoot and she’s determined to uncover the estate’s secrets. Balancing murder mystery shenanigans with a careful portrait of aristocratic English society, Tea with Jam & Dread is quite the elegant charmer.
No Roast for the Weary (A Coffeehouse Mystery)
One of the latest entries in Coyle’s Coffeehouse Mystery series, No Roast for the Weary follows master roaster Clare Cosi and her crew as they solve a cold-case crime. Worried about her coffeeshop’s future, Clare tries to reinvent the space with a “Writer’s Lounge”—a move that doesn’t sit well with the café’s elderly owner. There’s a lovely cast of characters, including a bunch of creative types, reminding the readers that there’s more to life than just daily chores. Filled with cozy NYC vibes, this book might just inspire you to catch up with friends at your favorite barista and exchange some spicy gossip!
Detective Aunty
Finally, Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin is a cozy mystery thriller that follows Kausar Khan, an endearing widow who tries to find out the real killer when her grown-up daughter is framed for murder. From examining cultural norms to exploring mother-daughter relationships, Detective Aunty is written with a lot of heart, capturing the diversity of Muslim communities, friendship, family relationships and more. With an excellently-plotted mystery, plenty of laughs and a lot of desi shenanigans, this slow-paced mystery novel deserves to be savored leisurely.
Featured image: Divazus Fabric Store / Unsplash
