My taste in books changes with the seasons. I admit last autumn/winter I read far too many murder mystery and thriller books that I could probably write my own! Anyway seeing as my post on the top ten equestrian books proved popular, I decided to go ahead and give you another list of ten books, this time Cosy Mystery series!
Cosy Mystery is as it sounds, a murder mystery series that is a fun read, a little bit of romance, a little bit of drama and of course a mysterious murder! To tick the cosy box, the books have to be short and easily consumed in a cafe with a nice comfortable vanilla cappuccino or spiced latte, or in my case in front of the fire under a pile of blankets. Onto the list!
These I have ranked in no particular order, and would love to hear if I’ve missed any!
Lady Katherine Regency Matchmaker by Leighann Dobbs
Lady Katherine took the matchmaking job under sufferance – but knew it would make a good cover story while she followed her true passion as an amateur sleuth.
An Invitation to Murder is the first in the Lady Katherine Regency Matchmaker series and a wonderfully entertaining introduction to the characters, the themes and the overall series. With plenty of action, and of course, Regency-era swooning ladies and arrogant lords in the mix, plus Emma, Katherine’s adorable pug, this historical cosy mystery series has a lot to offer fans of the genre.
The overall rating for the series 3.5/5
Posie Parker Mysteries by L. B. Hathaway
The Golden Age of Crime, 1920s England upper class full of drama, art, music and high society. Think if Downton Abbey was inspired by Agatha Christie and you have the general atmosphere for this series.
Murder Offstage is the first of the series, and in my opinion, the worst, as they only get better! This is a book to not take too seriously, it doesn’t follow the language tropes of the 1920s and has pretty much every crime in the book, but its fun and fanciful and has a nice bit of escapism.
Keep at the series as they do get better. My favourite is Murder on the White Cliff. Looking forward to seeing what Posie gets up to next…
The overall rating for the series is 3/5
Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren
Vampires who knit
A troublemaking witch
Who killed Granny — and is she really dead?
This is not a series to take seriously. It’s fun as heck, full of supernatural, wool and mystery fun. s the series continues so do the characters, with hints of romance…
This series is short, fun, and cute but not sickly. A feel-good read without the suspense and drama that may make you spill your tea on your knitting.
The overall rating for the series is 4/5
Lady Hardcastle Mystery by T. E. Kinsey
Lady Emily Hardcastle is an eccentric widow with a secret past. Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante, is an expert in martial arts. The year is 1908 and they’ve just moved from London to the country, hoping for a quiet life. This synopsis is enough for me to be completely obsessed with this series. A quiet life in the country is all I aspire to have in life so the title alone appeals.
I love the dynamic between the characters in this book. Lady Hardcastle and her tiny maid are wonderful. It is a period piece that is quirky and fun.
The overall rating for the series is 4.5/5
Ginger Gold Mysteries by Lee Strauss
We start in the year 1923, Ginger Gold, an unfortunate war widow, is traveling across the Atlantic from Boston to her home in London to settle her father’s estate. Murder on the SS Rosa is the prequel to the series, so is a nice short start to introduce you to the characters, how they met and the first time they interact together in a murder situation.
I have a dog called Boss so love this series as Ginger also has a dog called Boss. That and the characters are very likable and develop in a steady and predictable way. I love how the mysteries aren’t too cliche and vary.
The overall rating for the series is 3/5
Cherringham by Mathew Costello
Very short murder mystery series with over 40 episodes. I say episodes as I can see this easily being a TV series like Midsomer Murders. This is a digital series available as e-books or audiobooks. I like it as a podcast-esque listen.
Cherringham is a quiet and peaceful town set in the rural area of the Cotswolds. Like most sleepy southern towns, time moves slowly here, and nothing out of the ordinary ever happens. Our main characters are Sarah Edwards, who has just returned to Cherringham with her two children following the breakdown of her marriage, and former NYPD homicide detective Jack Brennan, who has retired to Cherringham hoping for a quiet life after the passing of his wife. Following the murder of Sarah’s friend, Sarah and Jack, unlikely partners in crime-solving, band together to solve not just one murder… but many mysteries…
The overall rating for the series is 3/5
High Society Lady Detective by Sara Rosset
Another cosy mystery series set in the Golde Age of Crime. Starting in 1923, the high society lady detective series is well-researched and uses a wealth of language appropriate to the era, and references many of the time fads.
Olive Belgrave, our protagonist, didn’t plan to become a detective. But she needed a job, and when asked to look into the background of her cousin’s fiancé, Alfred, she can’t refuse. Before she can really delve into his history the man falls to his death at a party right before her eyes. She knew for sure there was someone else on the balcony, so now her investigation is expanded into looking for a killer. Everyone at the party is now a suspect and the murderer is determined to get away scot-free…
The overall rating for the series is 4.5/5
Bunburry by Helena Marchmont
Another episode-based cosy mysteries that are short reads of 90-120 pages. They are fun and varied with lots of relatable characters.
Miss Marple meets Oscar Wilde in this new series of cosy mysteries set in the picturesque Cotswolds village of Bunburry. Here, fudge-making and quaffing real ale in the local pub are matched by an undercurrent of passion, jealousy, hatred, and murder – laced with a welcome dose of humour.
The overall rating for the series is 4.5/5
Mysteries not your jam? See my last post on spooky books here!
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