Cozy Cinematic Mysteries for Reluctant Readers That Give off Movie Vibes
It’s Friday night, you’ve had a long day at work, and all you want to do at the end of the day is turn off your brain with a greasy bowl of popcorn, a sparkling beverage, and a good movie.
Maybe you’ve had that tantalizing romance film on your radar for the last few months, or you’re finally ready to unravel the mystery behind the hair-raising thriller that everyone’s talking about. Regardless, you have no plans to start off the relaxing weekend by cracking open a book and actually reading. That would mean you’d have to think, and you’ve done enough of that for one week.
Here at Tule we understand the desperate need to sit back and unwind at the end of a very long week with a riveting story. That’s why we’ve curated our five best cozy mysteries that will transport you to the sleek recliners of the cinema without needing to spend any money on gas, tickets, or snacks.
These compelling and suspenseful reads are guaranteed to entice even the most reluctant readers, and keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.
Before you reach for the TV remote this weekend, try checking out these five cozy cinematic mysteries that give off the very best movie vibes.
Murder Below the Mistletoe by Kaz Delaney
“Murderously clever” –Goodreads Author, Tanya Nellestein
Picture this: you’re on your way to your best friend’s wedding, one that you have been excited for for ages. It’s a Christmas wedding, and the snowy Colorado lodge that you’re going to be staying at looks even grander in person than it did in the photos. You walk into the lodge, instantly greeted by a crackling, warm fire and the most elaborate holiday ambience that you could ever imagine, blanketing the vaulted ceilings. Everything is going to be perfect—
Unless you’re Rosie Hart, that is. Because there is nothing she hates more than Christmas and weddings—nothing, that is, until one of the members of the wedding party turns up dead, and a snowstorm traps the remainder of the guests inside the lodge with a killer picking them off one-by-one, Agatha-Christie style.
Cue the theatrical music.
Will Rosie’s final adrenaline kick give her the investigative skills she needs to solve the mystery and make it out of the snowy prison alive? Or will she be doomed to leave her legacy at one of her least favorite events in the world?
Start off the holiday season right with this cinematic thriller by Kaz Delaney that will have you feeling like you’re in a Knives Out and Stephen King movie crossover! Claim your copy today!
The Aconite Amulet by Louise Marvin is perfect for fans of all things paranormal, stormy, suspenseful, and cozy.
A fast-approaching Nor’easter into the small-town of Honesty Harbor isn’t enough to incite panic, but it is enough to inspire the elaborate train of gossip that keeps the residents both relaxed and thoroughly occupied. The current gossip circling around the mouthy citizens’ homes centers on the town B&B’s A-list occupants—who they are, where they came from, and of course, their latest juicy scandals.
But when famous actress and Honesty Harbor-guest Sabeen exits the patch of woods screaming about a “mountain lion attack” that resident Pax Hawthorne doesn’t believe, more strange things continue to happen that beg the town’s attention.
A strange man arrives who’s clearly withholding information, residents go missing, and bloody footprints increase in the stormy town.
Will Pax and the remaining residents be able to uncover the truth amidst the heavy rain and snow? Or will they be sorry that they let their guards down and didn’t take the storm more seriously?
Find out by ordering your copy of The Aconite Amulet today!
Maid of Dishonor by Nancy Robards Thompson
An A-list wedding, a bloody bludgeoning, and a cursed mansion? Immerse yourself in this fast-paced wedding-gone-wrong and clear the suspected bride of murder!
Instead of walking down the aisle, the bride is suspected of murder….
Maddie Bell’s life and career have hit peak stride. She’s sold her cozy mystery series and is contracted for two more books; she’s engaged to Hemlock’s chief of police; and her mother has purchased and restored the beautiful historic mansion, Gracewood Hall, in their hometown of Hemlock, North Carolina. Three generations—Gigi, Maddie, and Jenna–are now happily engaged in the wedding and special event business.
But their highly scrutinized inaugural event—the wedding of an A-List social media influencer—becomes a murder scene before the rehearsal dinner. Kate Archer, the professional bridesmaid Jenna hired, is found bludgeoned by a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, not only threatening their new business, but also sending Jenna into a tailspin of guilt. She knew Kate from college and had begged her to fill in as the maid of honor.
Even as the police warn Maddie not to interfere with the investigation, mother and daughter set out to discover who killed Kate and dispel the growing rumors that Gracewood Hall is cursed.
This novel is a movie in and of itself! Get your highly-coveted ticket by purchasing a copy today!
Spring Break Slaying by Jody Holford
Gatsby, spring break, a murder mystery party, and an actual murder? You wouldn’t want to be a college student in this town…
What happens on spring break stays on spring break…except murder.
It’s spring break in Rainbow Falls and true crime aficionado Annie Abbott is hoping to cater to the hoards of college kids descending on her coastal town by hosting a Gatsby-themed murder mystery party. She’s hoping her twenties era whodunnit at a local historic mansion will increase tourist revenue and build her business’s brand.
The party is the talk of the town when a despised social media influencer is attacked and left for dead on the estate’s grounds. With the help of her online friends, Annie searches for clues. The list of suspects reads like the town’s social directory—but who benefits most from the victim’s silence?
Annie’s parents are due home from their year-long adventure, so her time in Rainbow Falls is winding down. With a growing suspect list and tension among her friends, Annie worries about her own future. Should she settle in Rainbow Falls? Do she and Ben, her boyfriend and the town vet, have a future? Will she live long enough to find out?
So many movies wrapped up in one… Get your copy today and spend your relaxing weekend solving the mystery!
A Mid-Summer Murder by Geri Krotow
“Terrific second installment in the author’s Shop ‘Round the World series… [full of] intriguing twists, nail-biter[s], and vivid[ity].” –Goodreads Reviewer
This small Pennsylvania town once again becomes a hotbed of secrets.
Only Angel Warren, a retired Navy Pilot and owner of Shop ‘Round the World, can turn a summer day at the river into a murder investigation. But when her brother Bryce’s unicorn float snags on a corpse’s hand, suddenly Angel and Bryce are suspects. It doesn’t help that Angel knows the victim and was one of the last people to see Hank Price alive, or that Angel witnessed a disturbing argument between Hank and his wife. Plus, she and Bryce may have heard the shot that killed Hank.
Once more, Angel inserts herself into the middle of the investigation, this time with her best friend Detective Trinity Colson’s tacit approval. Who could have wanted Hank dead? Angel soon discovers Hank had a secret life that included sketchy business dealings and a gambling addiction.
The question isn’t how Angel will juggle her sleuthing alongside managing her gift store during the height of tourist season, family drama, and a burgeoning romance. It’s how will Angel solve the crime without stumbling into the killer’s sights?
Why choose a movie when you have all sleuthing, drama, and suspense right here in A Mid-Summer Murder? Look into the secret life of the victim, Hank Price, and clear the two amateur detectives of being suspected of murder by ordering your copy!
Written by Tule intern, Kristina Gaffney
