Cozy Mystery Books to Get You into the Christmas Spirit

One of the ways that I choose to celebrate the various holidays that come throughout the year is by reading a book that centers on that holiday. And one of my favorite book genres is cozy mysteries! Yes, someone dies. Occasionally multiple someones. But the stakes don't seem nearly as high or the atmosphere as sinister as other mysteries or thrillers.

If you're like me and enjoy cozying up with a good murder mystery, then keep reading. I hope you find some new favorite authors! And merry Christmas.

'The Diva Cooks a Goose' and 'The Diva Wraps It Up' by Krista Davis

The Domestic Diva Mysteries series by Krista Davis has long been a favorite of mine. Not only do I love the characters, but the recipes that are included are terrific! If you enjoy reading about food and home decorating, these book are for you.

The Diva Cooks a Goose is the fourth book in the series, but you don't need to have read the previous books to understand what is going on or who the characters are. I started with the fifth book, the Halloween-themed The Diva Haunts the House, before going back and reading the rest. Many of the books, though not all, in the series revolve around a holiday (the first book, The Diva Runs Out of Thyme, takes place at Thanksgiving). The eighth book in the series, The Diva Wraps It Up, is another Christmas mystery.

'Murder On the Christmas Express' by Alexandra Benedict

I found Murder On the Christmas Express while perusing the holiday eBooks on Overdrive. I believe this title is only available in eBook format, at least so far in the United States. It pays homage to Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, which I have not read. The author brings the story to the modern day with influencers and smart phones, and the bodies pile up along with the snow. There are three main perspectives given: the detective's, the first victim's, and the unknown killer's.

There are also things hidden by the author that have nothing to do with the plot but do add a bit of extra fun, such as anagram references to other works and songs by Kate Bush.

'A Holiday Yarn' and 'A Dark and Snowy Night' by Sally Goldenbaum

The Seaside Knitters Mysteries is a long-running series of 16 books as of 2022 with the publication of A Dark and Snowy Night. A Holiday Yarn is book number four. Both titles are centered around Christmas. As you may have guessed, the sleuths are a small group of people who like knitting and have a talent for solving crimes.

'Not a Creature Was Purring' by Krista Davis

Not a Creature Was Purring is from another cozy mystery series by Krista Davis, the Paws and Claws Mystery series. This title is number five in the series. Like the Diva series, the main character, Holly in this case, has pets, but this series more incorporates the animals into the theme.

A number of the books in this series also revolve around holidays, so if you like that schtick and you are an animal lover, give this series a try.

'Mistletoe Murder' and 'Christmas Cookie Murder' by Leslie Meier

Mistletoe Murder and Christmas Cookie Murder are from another series that likes to center its plots around holidays, Lucy Stone Mysteries, that has been publishing since 1991. Mistletoe Murder is the first in the series, and Christmas Cookie Murder is the sixth. There are two more Christmas books in the series as well.

The series takes Lucy from young mother to grandmother, amateur sleuth to small town news reporter, so if you like to see a character and her family grow over time, this a terrific series for that.

'Away in a Manger' and 'The Ghost of Christmas Past' by Rhys Bowen

Up until now the books have been contemporary (even if the early Lucy Stone books take place in the 1990s). Away in a Manger and The Ghost of Christmas Past both fall into historical novel and cozy mystery. They are books 15 and 17 respectively in the Molly Murphy Mystery series, which takes place around the turn of the 20th century.

Molly is an immigrant from Ireland, and readers follow her through her budding PI career in New York as well as romance and life in general. So here is another sleuth you can follow as she ages and grows.

'Dashing Through the Snowbirds' by Donna Andrews

The award-winning Meg Langslow Mysteries have been publishing since 1999, and there are now over 30 books, which means in several years multiple titles are published. Dashing Through the Snowbirds came out in 2022 and is one of a solid handful of holiday centered titles in the series.

If you want love a big series that publishes regularly, Meg may be the sleuth for you.

'A Christmas Candy Killing' by Christina Romeril

A Christmas Candy Killing kicks off a new mystery series called Killer Chocolate. As of 2022, this is the only title, so here is an opportunity to get in on the ground floor with this one.

Alex and Hannah are identical twins who own a mystery bookshop named Murder and Mayhem. The publishers say this book is "perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Laura Childs."

'An Eggnog to Die for' by Amy Pershing

An Eggnog to Die for is the second book in the fairly new Cape Cod Foodie Mystery Series, so here is another chance to start a new series in its infancy. The sleuth is a food writer with an interest in solving murder on the side. It's also another series for food lovers!

Because this is a new series, there is still lots of potential for future holiday themed books. After all, one of the big components of holidays is the food.

'Blackmail and Bibingka' by Mia P. Manansala

Blackmail and Bibingka is yet another early entry in a new cozy mystery series, book three in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery Series. The sleuth here owns The Brew-ha Cafe (great pun there). Not only is there murder, but family is involved, so this mystery is personal.

I know the title may not sound Christmassy to everyone, but bibingka is a Filipino baked rice cake that is eaten a lot during the Christmas season. Which sounds pretty tasty to me! Maybe I can find one and give it a try.