Cozy Mysteries With Festive Vibes

12 feel-good whodunits for the holidays

If you love a good whodunit, but can't stomach the bloody bits, you might be a fan of cozy mysteries. With a focus on food, furbabies, and friendship, they're perfect for the holidays. And with the violence happening off-screen, they may even be appropriate for older children to enjoy. Plus they often include recipes for the tasty treats featured in the stories. Here are twelve holiday-themed cozy mysteries to add a little intrigue to your festive season.

The Knife Before Christmas by Kate Carlisle

Christmas has come to Lighthouse Cove, but business hasn't slowed down for contractor Shannon Hammer. When murder throws a wrench in her project renovating a local hotel for the holidays, it's up to Sharon and her fiancé, Mac, to catch a sinister Scrooge in this festive Fixer-Upper Mystery.

Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala

As the third installment in Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries unfolds, it's Christmastime in Shady Palms. Although Lila Macapagal's new business is doing well and she's enjoying a new romance, things are less than jolly. Her shady cousin Ronnie is back in town and where Ronnie goes, trouble follows.

Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop by Otto Penzler (editor)

The oldest mystery specialty bookstore in the world, The Mysterious Bookshop, has for much of its forty-five-year history commissioned an original short mystery set at Christmastime and featuring the NYC bookstore as a holiday gift for its customers. This collection contains a dozen of the best of these tales.

Not a Creature Was Purring by Krista Davis

Sugar Maple Inn owner Holly Miller finds it ruff staying cheerful over the holidays when the dead body of a beloved businessman turns up in the pet-friendly town of Wagtail, Virginia. As with all of the mysteries in the bestselling Paws and Claws series, this volume includes delicious recipes for readers and their pets!

A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay

In this Library Lover's Mystery, famous author Helen Monroe arrives to be the writer in residence of Briar Creek. But her frosty attitude is off-putting to many of the locals. When a woman professing to be Helen's number-one fan is found dead in the town park, the author, herself, becomes the prime suspect.

A Dark and Snowy Night by Sally Goldenbaum

Winter in Sea Harbor is a feast for the senses—crackling bonfires, the scent of snow in the salty air, carols ringing out on the village green. But this year, the Seaside Knitters will have to take a break from crafting cozy Christmas gifts to investigate a murder at the Mayor's holiday party.

Dashing Through the Snowbirds by Donna Andrews

In this Meg Langslow Mystery, the amateur sleuth and her husband, Michael, have dozens of Canadian programmers staying in their Caerphilly, Virginia, home so they can finish a project with her brother's software company. But when their inconsiderate boss is found dead, the suspect list is endless.

God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen by Rhys Bowen

Lady Georgie and her new husband, Darcy, are spending the holidays with his Aunt Ermintrude on the edge of the Sandringham estate, near the royal family. But there's tension in the air and when Georgie pays a visit to the queen, she learns that murder is afoot. Time for Georgie to get into Her Royal Spyness mode.

Murder She Wrote: A Killer Christmas by Terrie Farley Moran

It's Christmastime in Cabot Cove, but there's more homicide than ho-ho-ho in this Murder, She Wrote entry. When a real-estate deal leads to the murder of one of the new homeowners, the natural suspect is the newly returned Kenny Jarvis, who opposed the deal. But Jessica Fletcher isn't so sure he's on the naughty list.

Six Cats a Slayin' by Miranda James

Mississippi librarian and amateur sleuth Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, are busy decking the halls when an unexpected delivery (a box of five kittens!) and a shocking murder shake up the festivities. Now it's up to Charlie and Diesel to wrap up the case in this installment of the Cats in the Stacks series.

Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders by Emily Brightwell

Harriet Andover was a smart businesswoman who did not suffer fools gladly. When she is found strangled inside her mansion with a house full of holiday guests, it seems that everyone present could be a suspect. Now Inspector Witherspoon and his intrepid housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, are collecting clues.

Bones of Holly by Carolyn Haines

Sarah Booth and Tinkie are in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi for Christmas this year, as judges for the annual library tree decorating contest. When one of their fellow judges disappears, they must dive deep into the history of Bay St. Louis, and even Al Capone himself, to get to the bottom of this case.

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