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23 Cozy Mystery Series for Your Next Whodunit Binge Read
Crime fiction has lots of interesting nooks and crannies. You’ve got your traditional detective stories (invented by Edgar Allan Poe, most historians agree) and classic mystery stories that wander off into subtypes: historical mysteries, police procedurals, legal thrillers, heist stories.
The cozy mystery is a relatively recent term that refers to stories in which the violent and graphic elements are generally kept off-page. These gentle whodunits often come in series and center on unique and often eccentric investigators, like Mumbai police inspectors or 12-year-old chemists. One of the genuine advantages of the cozy mystery series is that if you find a book you like, you’ve instantly got a reading list of several more books. Several dozen, in some instances.
In this specially curated collection, we’ve gathered 23 top cozy mystery series along with a quick description, the series' first installment, and the total number of books in the series so far. Be aware that acquiring a cozy mystery habit can result in thousands of hours of reading pleasure. In fact, we did the math, and if you want to read every title in every series on this list, you’ll want to make time for more than 200 books in total.
Click through the book cover images for more information on each title, and add any interesting leads to your Want to Read shelf.
What's cozier than a dozen cookies fresh out of the oven (with a heaping side of fictional murder)? The misadventures of baker-and-erstwhile-detective Hannah Swensen are a popular staple of the cozy mystery subgenre.
Number of books in the series: 29
Charming is the word that springs to mind for this series, which features a precocious 11-year-old budding chemist who solves crimes in the bucolic countryside of 1950s England.
Number of books in the series: 10
These deliciously tasty culinary mysteries follow the mishaps of Lila Macapagal, chef and amateur sleuth, in the aptly named town of Shady Palms, Illinois. Look for Book 4 to hit U.S. shelves this October.
Number of books in the series: 4
Speaking of culinary mysteries, murder is a dish served hot with this series of books whose food pun titles are simply to die for.
Number of books in the series: 9
This series featuring a classical violinist and a snarky ghost solving crimes in an Irish village hits a lot of high notes with cozy mystery fans.
Number of books in the series: 5
The Secret, Book & Scone Society Series
by Ellery Adams
Start with: The Secret, Book & Scone Society
by Ellery Adams
Start with: The Secret, Book & Scone Society
These small-town mysteries feature a bookshop owner who's as good at uncovering secrets as she is at keeping them. Also: Author Adams has penned several other cozy mystery series, in case your tastes run more toward magical pie shops, antiques and collectibles, or getaway vacations for bibliophiles.
Number of books in the series: 6
The Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation Series
by Vaseem Khan
Start with: The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra
by Vaseem Khan
Start with: The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra
Elephant sidekick! Elephant sidekick! Has there ever been a more adorable Watson than the titular baby elephant of this series, which features crime investigations in modern-day Mumbai? We think not!
Number of books in the series: 7
Elderly sleuths have been in fashion since the days of Agatha Christie, of course, but Osman's runaway hit series set in a retirement home has breathed new life into this old trend.
Number of books in the series: 4
One Goodreads reviewer describes the first book of this historical mystery series as "a weighted blanket for my brain." That's pretty darn cozy!
Number of books in the series: 17
A feisty former PR exec turned amateur sleuth sets up shop in the Cotswolds in this beloved long-running series.
Number of books in the series: 34
A Cuban American TV cooking show star finds herself investigating murder most foul in these savory culinary mysteries.
Number of books in the series: 2
These OG Golden Age cozy mysteries offer surprising depth by pairing deeds of deduction with thematic explorations of post–World War I trauma, the changing roles of women in British society, and more.
Number of books in the series: 11, plus 2 short story collections
Indiana Jones–esque adventures that blend twisty mysteries and travel to far-flung places. If you like these books, also be sure to check out Pandian's new series that kicked off with last year's Under Lock & Skeleton Key.
Number of books in the series: 6
The owner of a bookstore specializing in mysteries gets pulled into some whodunits all her own. We love a genre-savvy amateur sleuth! If you're left hankering for more after finishing this series, try V.M. Burns' newest genre foray, Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder (published as Valerie Burns).
Number of books in the series: 8
Another Golden Age classic, Marsh's Inspector Alleyn series was written over the course of 50 years, from the 1930s until the author's death in the 1980s. Impressive longevity, that.
Number of books in the series: 33
Tinseltown makes a dramatic backdrop for this cozy series from author and Goodreads guest columnist Kellye Garrett. (Check out her picks for queer crime series if you're looking for even more great serialized reading!)
Number of books in the series: 2
Commonly compared to Agatha Christie's writing, these modern-day mysteries each also contain a whodunit within a whodunit. That's basically four books for the price of two, if you're counting.
Number of books in the series: 2
If you're a fan of books with sleuthing maids that have been all the rage lately, try this groundbreaking and very funny series from the 1990s.
Number of books in the series: 4
Go back in time to 1920s India with this historical mystery series, featuring an enterprising female lawyer whose championing of women's rights leads her to take on some very thorny cases.
Number of books in the series: 4
Aside from having a very cool name, Odessa Jones also possesses the psychic ability to read other people's emotions and foretell when danger is coming. Turns out, that's a very handy trait for an amateur detective.
Number of books in the series: 3
If talking cats are your thing, you're in luck with this charming series about a hapless pet groomer, her chatty pet feline, and the murder investigations they keep finding themselves involved in. Purr-fect cozy vibes for a rainy day.
Number of books in the series: 3
Author Abby Collette's punny cozy mystery titles might just be the very best in the business—after all, she came up with A Game of Cones! In this new series, fraternal twins reunited as adults attempt to open a bookstore/soul food café together. If only those pesky murders would stop happening…
Number of books in the series: 2
You can't mention cozy, laugh-out-loud mysteries without including Stephanie Plum, author Evanovich's iconic, humorous, down-on-her-luck bounty hunter. Leaving her out would be positively criminal!
Number of books in the series: 33
Do you have a favorite cozy mystery series to binge read? Let's talk books in the comments below!
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Ckm wrote: "Hmmm. No Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency mention"I agree! This should definitely be on the list! Set in a cozy town in Africa, Botswana.
Surprisingly Carl Hiassen wasn't mentioned. These are totally hilarious murder mysteries. His latest (2020) is titled "Squeeze Me" and I think it's the best.Also, Robert Ludlum had two wonderful humorous novels, "The Road to Gandalfo" and "The Road to Omaha." Gandalfo should be read first as it introduces the cast of characters.
Kristin wrote: "Surprised this list didn't include S.J. Bennett's Her Majesty the Queen Investigates"quite - it's fabulous!
David Dickinson's Lord Powerscourt series - late Victorian/early Edwardian London - highly recommended. Also Lindsey Davis' Falco series set in ancient Rome (but very modern day characters) and Donna Leon's excellent present-day Venetian series. And I can't go past Elly Griffiths' 3 brilliant series - either Ruth Galloway and Harbinder Kaur (present day) or Brighton (1950s) - or Jessica Fellowes' Mitford Murders (Britain between the wars).. Enjoy!
I also highly recommend the Faith Fairchild books by Katherine Hall Page. Set in small town New England, with many recurring characters, you feel as though you know the town and its inhabitants.
Both series move through time, with characters aging and having changes in their lives.