With their quaint settings, unlikeable victims and no on-page violence, cozy mysteries can make murder feel good—at least for the reader. But sometimes you want a shot of something a little extra in your chamomile tea, a la Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series with its complex characters and occasional strays into serious territory. We recommend these six mysteries that are absolutely darling, but not afraid of the dark.
Still Life by Louise Penny
In the tiny, peaceful village of Three Pines, Québec, neighbors are family, warm baguettes are plentiful and an esteemed elderly poet is best friends with a foul-mouthed duck. Oh, and there is a strong possibility that every few months, someone will be murdered. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sureté du Québec is on the job, and the town’s lovable inhabitants make Louise Penny’s 19-book series sparkle, even as Gamache’s cases become decidedly more grisly.
Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
Is there a more iconic heroine than Amelia Peabody? The umbrella-wielding Victorian lady, who travels to Egypt solo, became so beloved by readers that she launched a 20-book series. The wry, comic tone of these books, which fondly parody Victorian adventure novels from the likes of Wells and Haggard, paired with well-plotted mystery and charming romance, make them a wonderful introduction to cozies.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce series, which launched in 2009, has all the best hallmarks of a cozy, including a quirky heroine (11-year-old toxicology expert Flavia) and a bucolic setting (English country estate post-WWII). When a man drops dead in her cucumber patch, Flavia is determined to close the case. Bonus: There’s reportedly a film in the works starring Martin Freeman and Isla Gie.
Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker
The mere jacket of a Bruno, Chief of Police novel lowers the blood pressure. A man of leisure and refinement, the titular police chief of an idyllic French country town is a devoted gourmet cook, discerning wine connoisseur and proud pere d’un chien. But he must step outside the slow rhythms of his comfort zone to investigate a murder that smacks of anti-immigration militancy. Martin Walker is 18 books deep in this series that weaves French history, culture and contemporary issues into Bruno’s intricate cases. (We reviewed the latest installment in the series here.)
The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair
Set in post-World War II London, Allison Montclair’s witty, poignant series debut features wealthy, practical war widow Gwendolyn Bainbridge and zesty former counter-intelligence agent Iris Sparks as they open a marriage bureau and find they have a knack for both matching up lonely singles and solving murders. Humor abounds, but the series is not without its frank examination of social mores that prove to be just as sinister as some of the killers.
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Editor Susan Ryeland has received the latest manuscript of her publishing house’s bestselling mystery series, in which renowned detective Atticus Pund descends upon a hamlet in the English countryside to solve two seemingly connected murders. But there’s just one problem: The manuscript’s conclusion—and Pund’s solve—is nowhere to be found. That’s just the start of Ryeland’s problems in Anthony Horowitz’s brilliantly structured whodunit. (We reviewed the fourth installment in the series here.)
