Yoga Cozy Mysteries to Bend Your Wit and Soothe Your Mind

Finding your zen… and the murderer.

Covers of three books on list.
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When people think of yoga, they think of quiet rooms and poses like “Downward Dog” and “Warrior.” Yoga is a time to concentrate on your mind and body. It’s extremely popular too. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2024 that one in six adults practiced yoga. 

With that many people practicing yoga, there’s naturally opportunities for murder and mayhem. How far will some people go to be the star pupil? Or get rid of that mouth breather in the second row? 

Some people want to reduce stress…at any cost. And for some murder mystery writers, they do. 

Here are six mystery authors who have created mystery cozies focusing on the world of yoga.

Downward Facing Death

Downward Facing Death

By Michelle Kelly

Keeley Carpenter has turned a new leaf.  She’s opened a yoga cafe in her hometown of Belfrey, an English village. She wants to help people find healthier versions of themselves with yoga and vegetarian food. 

But the townspeople are a little suspicious of this new business and food without meat. Things get hot really quickly when Detective Constable Ben Taylor, and Kelley’s childhood crush, tells Keeley that someone tried to burn down the shop. 

Worse yet, when they put the blaze out, they find a body in the building. Now she’s got to find the murderer and arsonist, or she might find herself in the corpse pose…forever.

A Death at the Yoga Cafe

A Death at the Yoga Cafe

By Michelle Kelly

In the second book in the Keeley Carpenter series, things are going pretty well for Keeley. She’s enjoying running her business and becoming part of the culture in her hometown. 

In that spirit, she decided to participate in the annual Belfrey Arts Festival but it’s not a stress-free life. She has to deal with her enemy, Raquel, who has her own booth. 

Keeley finds herself trying to protect Raquel after her boyfriend and the mayor are found dead after a public spat. Keeley may not like the woman, but she doesn’t think she’s a killer. But her decision to investigate may have put her into the real killer’s bullseye…

An Escape Goat

An Escape Goat

By Janna Rollins

Yoga and goats? Yes, please! Callie is excited for her first guests at her goat yoga studio and retreat. She has moved to New Hampshire after finding a new family thanks to a DNA test.

She now lives and works on her great uncle and great aunt’s farm and is opening her own goat yoga studio and retreat. The idea is that people do yoga while baby goats prance and play around them. But the first guest booking goes sour quickly with leader of the pack Angilene Claudson bullying all of her friends during the retreat. 

That’s bad enough, but when the mean girl is found dead, next to a wine glass and a goat. What seems to be an accident turns to homicide. 

Now Cassie has to find the killer or will her new dream go bust? It’s the first in the two book series Zen Goat series so far.

Murder Strikes a Pose

Murder Strikes a Pose

By Tracy Weber

Kate Davidson is just trying to run her yoga studio. So when the local homeless man, George, and his German Shepard, Bella, start selling newspapers right in front, she’s really annoyed. 

But what began as an acrimonious exchange becomes the start of a friendship. Unfortunately, George turns up dead, and everyone is content to believe it was just drug-related; no need to investigate further. 

Not only does Kate have to figure out what to do with his giant dog, Kate thinks that George should get justice and decides to find out who is responsible. It’s the first of six books in the Downward Dog Mystery series.

Corpse Pose, Indeed

Corpse Pose, Indeed

By Jacqueline M. Green

Yoga gets even hotter when yoga instructor Mariah Stevens finds herself in the hot scene. A student, a very wealthy student, dies during one of her classes. Worse yet, the police think Mariah was involved since she benefited significantly from the deceased’s will. 

Thankfully, Mariah’s sister is the sheriff, but her connection will only keep her out of jail for now. She’s got to pull out all the poses to find her student’s real killer and keep her freedom. 

It’s the first of the four book two novellas of the Yoga Mat Cozy Mystery series.

Yoga Can Be Fatal

Yoga Can Be Fatal

By Jinty James

It’s the third book of the seven-book Senior Sleuthing Club Cozy Mystery series. Assistant librarian Pru, roommate of senior citizen Martha, tries her hand at yoga, but it does not go well. 

She may be done with yoga, but yoga is not done with her. Pru, Martha, and Teddy, Martha’s puppy, find a body, someone from the yoga class. 

Naturally, that means Pru has to hold her own yoga class to find the culprit. But the stakes get even higher as more bodies fall.