9 Cozy Mystery Authors Worth Reading | The Curious Reader (2024)

One of the best cozy mystery authors out there, Clara Benson’s Angela Marchmontseries are a perfect blend of cozy mystery and Golden Age mystery. Set in 1920s England, it stars the mysterious Angela Marchmont as she reluctantly solves mysteries she happens to stumble upon. She is often assisted by Freddy Pilkington-Soames, a newspaper reporter and general man-about-town. Currently consisting of 10 books, this series would appeal to anyone who loves Agatha Christie and enjoys British humour. Recently, Benson has spun off the character of Pilkington-Soames to feature in his own series which is equally delightful.

See all of Benson’s workhere.

Hanna has authored a number of series. Her Oxford Tearoom Mysteries consists of 8 books where Gemma, a traditional tearoom owner based in a small Cotswold village near Oxford, goes about solving murders while dealing with an overbearing mother and the return of an ex-boyfriend.

In her Bewitched By Chocolate Mysteries, we follow Caitlyn whose life changes after she discovers that she has magical blood. Set in the tiny English village of Tillyhenge, Caitlyn is dragged into murder investigations, reconnects with her family as she begins working with her grandmother (rumoured to be a witch), and tries to discover more about her past and her birth mother.

See all of Hanna’s work here.

Annabel Chase has become one of the most popular cozy mystery authors. In Chase’s Spellbound books, Emma Hart’s chance encounter with a suicidal angel lands her in Spellbound, a cursed town whose supernatural residents are not allowed to leave. Hart herself is unable to leave and discovers that she is a witch. As she tries to learn magic at the town’s academy for witches, she also doubles up as the public defender since the last one was murdered. Along the way, while solving mysteries, she discovers more about her past, makes friends and even falls in love.

In the Starry Hollow Witches series, Ember Rose is a sassy single mom who calls New Jersey her home. When a repo job goes wrong, she receives a visit from her estranged relatives who inform her that she is a witch and transport her to Starry Hollow. She reconnects with her family, tries to learn more about her witchy heritage, solves murders and finds herself in a romantic triangle.

See all of Chase’s work here.

In Lee Strauss’ Ginger Gold mysteries, set in 1920s, young war widow Ginger Gold is on her way to England to settle her father’s estate along with her companion Haley Higgins. On the way, the ship’s captain is found dead, and Ginger finds herself assisting Chief Inspector Basil Reed in solving the mystery. On reaching England, she continues to solve mysteries with Reed. Meanwhile, her grandmother-in-law and sister-in-law move in with her, she opens up her own boutique, and struggles to let go of her grief for her dead husband as she finds herself falling for Reed.

See all of Chase’s work here.

USA Today bestselling writer Gina LaManna is also one of the most popular cozy mystery authors having written multiple series. While they are all worth reading, the Lacey Luzzi series definitely stands out. Luzzi has failed as a stripper and after spending a year trying to find her true family, she discovers she is the long-lost granddaughter of Carlos Luzzi, the Godfather of the Italian Mafia. Determined to prove herself, she accepts her first assignment for the mob and soon finds herself involved in several mysteries. With a colourful cast of characters that includes Meg, her mouthy best friend, her tech genius cousin, her grandmother who is obsessed with Luzzi’s love life and Antonio, her love interest, this series will make you laugh and is perfect for a light read. Also worth checking out are her Magic In Mixology series and The Hex Files series.

See all of LaManna’s workhere.

Johnson’s Spells & Caramels mystery series features Imogen Banks who has always dreamed of opening her own bakery in Seattle until she accidentally sets fire to her apartment and loses everything. Everything changes when she receives a cryptic invitation that offers her entry into a mysterious baking competition on a beautiful French island. After reaching the island village, she discovers that not only is it magical but all the participants of the bake-off are witches and wizards. Turns out, Banks is a witch too but doesn’t know how to use her powers. This, of course, is the least of her concerns as she not only ends up getting mixed up with murder but, as the series progress, discovers her troubling past and her connection to one of the most notorious villains in the magical world. Erin Johnson has built up a delightful world with a wonderful cast of characters.

See all of Johnson’s work here.

Amy Boyles has written three series of cozy mysteries. The Southern Single Mom Paranormal Mysteries consist of three books featuring Andie Taylor, an average single mom with a huge secret- she used to hunt vampires. Still reeling with the loss of her beloved husband, she is trying to lead a normal life until a meteor rips through her small town, a janitor is found with fang marks on his neck and she is attacked by vampires on her front lawn.

In the Sweet Tea Witches series, Pepper Dunn is having a bad day- within 24 hours, she has lost her job, her boyfriend, and her home. When she is attacked by a strange man, she finds herself reluctantly whisked away to the magical town of Magnolia Cove, Alabama, where she discovers that not only has she inherited a pet store but she also has magical powers. As tries to adjust to her new life, she also finds herself embroiled in multiple murder mysteries.

See all of Boyles’ work here.

Alice Simpson’s Jane Carter Historical Cozy Mysteries are set in the fictional American town of Greenville during the 1920s. Jane Carter is a young widow living with her father after the tragic death of her husband. Determined to be independent, she writes melodramatic serials for magazines to earn her keep and refuses to be a reporter for her father’s local newspaper. Soon, Jane is involved in multiple mysteries which she solves with assistance from her best friend, Florence and sometimes partner-in-crime, Jack, a reporter on her father’s staff.

See all of Simpson’s work here.

Zara Keane’s Movie Club Mysteries are set in Whisper Island, Ireland. Maggie Doyle moves to Whisper Island to escape her ex and pick up the pieces of her crumbling career as a member of the San Francisco Police Department. What was meant to be a temporary getaway soon turns into a permanent stay as Maggie ends up investigating mysteries while helping her aunt with her movie theatre-themed café. She is assisted in her crime-solving by her pot-smoking, UFO-enthusiast friend, Lenny. With the arrival of Police Sergeant Reynolds, Maggie now has an insider within the police as he soon becomes her boyfriend. With Reynolds encouragement, Doyle becomes a licensed private investigator on the island and takes on more cases.

See all of Keane’s workhere.

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Devanshi has been reading ever since she can remember. What started off as an obsession with Enid Blyton, slowly morphed into a love for mystery and fantasy. Even her choice of career as a lawyer was heavily influenced by the works of Erle Stanley Gardner and John Grisham. After quitting law, and while backpacking around India, she read books on entrepreneurship, taught herself web design and delved into social media marketing. She doesn’t go anywhere without a book.

She is the founding editor of The Curious Reader. Read her articles here.