Winter is here, and there’s no better way to embrace the chill than by curling up with a hot drink, a blanket, and a good book. If you’re a fan of mysteries that are as warm and comforting as a cozy sweater, cozy mysteries are the perfect genre to dive into this season. Full of quirky characters, charming settings, and just the right amount of suspense, these books will keep you entertained while you stay snug indoors.
Here are 5 cozy mystery books to get lost in this winter:
1. Furballs and Felonies by DeAnna Drake
What’s worse than a murder victim on your doorstep?
For Rebecca Cuthbert, it’s finding a cursed Egyptian charm tucked into the dead woman’s pocket. The ominous discovery propels the fearless shopkeeper and her immortal, chatty cat on a perilous hunt for the killer and another piece of the missing magical collection.
Unfortunately, Citrus Grove’s annual summer festival is tying up police department resources—including Rebecca’s new beau, Detective Nick Devon—which leaves Rebecca, her grandfather’s wisdom, and Aneksi’s mystical powers to crack the case.
As her investigation delves into the amulet’s eerie peculiarities and the deceased’s shocking connections with a menacing foe, as well as an unwelcome old flame from Rebecca’s past, Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust. Can she rely on her newfound friends in her adopted hometown, or will deadly revelations turn her into the killer’s next target?
Prepare to journey through unexpected twists, ancient mysteries, and a dash of romance in this cozy mystery that will keep you guessing till the very end!
2. Black Cat Comes Back by Emmie Lyn
I’m Audrey Fernsby, just a ghost of my former self floating around Moonlight Mansion in Frog Hollow, Georgia. My death was ruled accidental… but nothing is farther from the truth.
When my precious black cat, Mocha, returns on the same night that two friends, Tilly and Sunny arrive from Maine, I plan to out my ghostly self and enlist their clever sleuthing capabilities.
Mocha knows the truth but can she help catch the killer before someone else ends up dead in my rose bushes?
Black Cat Comes Back can be read as a stand-alone. Chronologically it fits as the PREQUEL before Scents and a Suspect in the Accidental Ghost Detective series.
Black Cat Comes Back has characters from the Mint Chocolate Chip Series. Get started with Book 1 Claws of Justice or catch up with the full series.
3. Panic in the Panhandle by J.C. Kenney
This is no ordinary wild animal removal call…
In the sleepy panhandle of Florida, Benjamin “Elmo” Simpson has carved out a comfortable niche as the go-to wild animal removal specialist. Life is sweet until a peculiar service request takes him to a local condo and an unexpected scene. Retired lawyer Fran Cohen is missing and in his apartment is a well-fed alligator that appears to have enjoyed a nice breakfast with…or rather, of…Fran.
All evidence points toward murder, and local alligator farmer, Waldo “Rambo” Quigley has the motive and the means. When Rambo pleads for help to clear his name, old debts and a history of friendship leave Elmo no choice but to investigate. With his girlfriend, Nicola, by his side, and Rambo’s freedom on the line, Elmo’s on the hunt for the real killer, but don’t panic…Elmo’s got a plan…sort of. Maybe.
Reptilian clues lead to unexpected allies, and the call of danger is addictive. Can Elmo uncover the identity of Fran’s killer before becoming the next victim, removed from the scene like an unwanted pest?
“Paradise Springs has got it going on! This book has Tiger King-meets-The Glades all over, and mystery lovers are in for a wild ride.” Sarah E. Burr, author of The Book Blogger Mysteries.
4. Retirement Can Be Murder by Vickie Carroll
What if retirement isn’t the utopia it’s cracked up to be?
Helen Rogers never imagined that she’d be bored at Sunny Days Retirement Village in lovely Peachtree Valley, Georgia, but she wasn’t expecting to start this phase of life as early as her fifties, either. Then fate gave her a hand in solving her friend’s murder, and the sense of accomplishment was heady.
But was it a fluke?
Fate answers again when she stumbles over her second dead body, the city’s deputy mayor.
The corpse is barely cold before the mayor’s wife is killed in a suspicious accident. Bodies are piling up—so Helen and her buddy, Carol Adams, take the next step: enroll in PI classes, apply for her license, and open an official investigation firm.
Helen has found her purpose, and it comes with new partners and a handsome assistant, Ted Morgan.
Yet business will grind to halt before it gets off the ground unless she can break open the truth. Plenty of folks have a motive, but which one of the suspects is desperate enough to plan such elaborate murders?
5. A Corgi Conundrum by M. Alfano
You would think I’d have my life together after helping to solve a few small-town murders and launching a thriving dog grooming business.
But, I, Leslie Winters, am the definition of a dog chasing its tail.
Since my lovely boyfriend, Detective Adam Waltz, hasn’t popped the question, I figure helping my best friend’s husband out and subbing in the ag department to teach the kids dog grooming was a good way to spend my free time and earn some extra money.
I didn’t expect to find the middle-school secretary dead in the ag barn, let alone her corgi leading me right to the body.
Adam tells me to stay out of this crime, but this was on my turf. If someone has a chance to get to the bottom of who would poison an innocent old lady in the barn, well, it’s going to be the best—and only—dog groomer and substitute agriculture teacher in Pecan, Texas.
Regardless of the danger barking my way.
So, as the winter winds blow outside, let these cozy mysteries keep you warm inside. Whether you’re enjoying the crisp air, relaxing by the fire, or sipping hot cocoa, these books will transport you to worlds of charm, suspense, and heartwarming moments. Happy reading this winter season! ❄️📚
