Cosy Crime

Jane Austen returns to solve another devilish mystery, in the compelling follow-up to Miss Austen Investigates. Welcome to Godmersham Park, 1797. Jane Austen is spending the summer with her estranged brother, Neddy. As heir to wealthy widow Mrs Knight's fortune, it is imperative that Neddy stays in his benefactor's good graces. But upon arrival in Kent, Jane realises Neddy is...

A race against time for justice on the edge of the world When a desperate young man arrives on an isolated Scottish isle, the locals view him with suspicion. But Niko is there for a reason—he's running for his life, pursued by those who want him silenced for what he has seen in the Balkan War. His neighbour is a...

A weekend away that has lasted a century. True love's kiss can't break this spell ... A cosy, romantic fantasy mystery for all fans of Rebecca Ross, Legends and Lattes and Assistant to the Villain. A hundred years ago, Genevieve and Oliver spent an amazing weekend together in Riverswood manor. They wished they could stay there forever ... and then...

Not everything that goes bump in the night brings gifts ... As the nights draw in, the veil between worlds thins, and all sorts of ghosts and ghouls come tumbling in. In the shadows, under the bed, in wind-whipped snowy landscapes and in rooms lit by guttering candles, the dead of winter are waiting for us ... and their hearts...

Gift a murder mystery puzzle book stocking filler this Christmas. Murder at the Millpond offers 100 cosy crime puzzles. Two people have died in quick succession in the usually sleepy village of Upper Gorsetown. One has been poisoned, the other stabbed. But are the deaths linked, and who is the killer? Detective Heather Vintner investigates the details of the case...

Put your little grey cells to the test with this dastardly deck of Christie questions! What's the name of the (seemingly) picturesque village where Miss Marple lives? Which water sport was Agatha Christie a natural at? And just how tall is that diminutive Belgian detective? Divided into ten cunning categories - including Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, famous...

The journey of the Mexico City-bound Pullman seems ill-fated from the outset, with engine troubles and the threat of an impending railway strike. However, no one aboard expects the terror that will descend upon the luxury train between Laredo and its destination. First, a man dies as the vehicle passes through a dark tunnel, and then, just as United States...

Don’t miss the second book in the series, Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man), out now! Put the kettle on, there’s a mystery brewing… Vera Wong is my new favourite sleuth - Elle Cosimano Tea-shop owner. Matchmaker. Detective? Sixty-year-old self-proclaimed tea expert Vera Wong enjoys nothing more than sipping a good cup of Wulong and doing some...

A dead body in Santa's lap is not what Harvey Beckett wanted for Christmas. The streets of St. Marin's are decorated for Christmas, and Harvey Beckett has decided that she'll host Santa Claus at her bookstore, reviving the town's long-standing tradition. But on the first day of the holiday season, a man stumbles into Santa's lap and dies, threatening the...

For the staff of the library at the centre of The Widening Stain, it's easy enough to dismiss the death of a woman who fell from a rolling ladder as nothing more than an unfortunate accident. It's more difficult, however, to explain away the strangled corpse of a man found inside a locked room, surrounded by rare and obscure erotica....

But when a former acquaintance of Christopher's reminds him of a promise he made a decade previously, their lives soon take a sinister—and deadly—turn. Yet even with a young baby to consider, Simmy cannot ignore her instinct to investigate, especially with the personal link to her soon-to-be husband. Ably assisted by her would-be detective friend Ben, can Simmy puzzle out...

From the Dagger-nominated author of The Twelve Strange Days of Christmas come twelve even stranger stories. With a tale for each day of Christmas, these spooky stories are the perfect companion for long, dark winter nights. So wrap up warm and let yourself get lost in the world of the strange, the scary and the supernatural...

The Suspicions of Mr Whisker by Mandy Morton introduces us to the feline detectives, Hettie Bagshot and Tilly Jenkins, who are hired to investigate a series of mysterious deaths at Mr Whisker's Academy for Wayward Cats. Before Tilly even opens her notebook, the hockey mistress is brutally murdered on the playing field, setting the stage for a thrilling investigation. Faced...

The dead man was a mere fifty, too young to have much in common with the well-heeled oldsters at the beautiful Camden-sur-Mer retirement community in southern California. His death looks like an accident, but when those ever-alert senior sleuths Angela Benbow and Caledonia Wingate discover that he was courting one of their neighbours, they can't help hoping they'll luck into...

When a collection of rare and valuable volumes is stolen from a West London yoga ashram, its leaders turn to Cordelia, the Paperback Sleuth, to recover them—a request that’s a little awkward, as they’ve previously booted her out for dealing weed to the other students. But once Cordelia takes the job, she finds her quest for the missing paperbacks turning...

When Agatha Dorn, cantankerous archivist and gin aficionada, discovers a lost mystery novel from the Golden Age of detective fiction, her life takes an unexpected turn. But just as she basks in her newfound literary fame, the book is exposed as a hoax. And when her ex-lover turns up dead, with a scrap of the manuscript by her side, Agatha...

Tokyo, 1869. It is the dawn of the Meiji era in Japan, but the scars of the bloody recent civil war are yet to heal. The new regime struggles to keep the peace as old scores are settled and dangerous new ideas flood into the country from the West. A new police force promises to bring order to this land...

But all is not as it seems. Hiding behind lifelike masks are five local celebrities. Desperate to keep their identities secret, they are all unmasked when a body is discovered in the lead singer's garden the morning after their post-gig party. Who is the victim? Why was he wearing the lead singer's Mick Jagger mask? And why have all the...

Gwinny Tuffel is preparing for her first acting role in a decade in the West End, but she is dog-sitting on the side to keep the wolf from the door. So, when ageing rock star Crash Double needs help with his Border Collie, she jumps at the chance. After all, looking after the charming Ace on Crash's Little Venice houseboat...

While filming a small role in Draculania, a gender-swapped remake of Bram Stoker's classic tale, Gwinny Tuffel finds life imitating art in the misty Yorkshire Dales. A cast member is found dead in a locked trailer, a stake through their heart. With a prima donna, mounting filming delays, and the chaos of caring for a friend's Jack Russell terrier, Gwinny...

The town is celebrating its first literary festival, and The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency has been hired to oversee security. When the body of the most popular author, Sir Downton Tabby, is found in a secluded part of the grounds, however, Hettie and her faithful sidekick Tilly are plunged into crisis as a serial killer stalks the festival. As...

A body surfaces off the Isle of Man in a puzzling mystery by the master of the "pure British detective story" (The New York Times). The Manx Shearwater was scallop dredging—but it dragged up a body from the water instead. Considering that the corpse was tied at the ankles and weighed down with stones, it's clear this was no accidental...

Two days before an auction of the contents of High Gates House in Borrowdale, Christopher Henderson bumps into Jennifer Reade, the heir to the entire estate, and the expected recipient of the proceeds of the house clearance sale. She discovers a dead man in the cellar of the house but threatens and cajoles Christopher into remaining silent about it until...

Brilliant. The Times One of Upson's most evocative novels. Guardian September 1939: The worries of war follow Josephine Tey to Hollywood, where a different sort of battle is raging on the set of Hitchcock's Rebecca. Little does Josephine realise that the man she has befriended in Hollywood is the perpetrator of a shocking act of violence and is being sought...

Snow days aren't supposed to end with dead bodies. Harvey Beckett has just finished a quiet meal after shovelling the sidewalks around Main Street when the body of the new bartender in town is discovered behind the bar. As Harvey begins to look into the victim's pseudonym, she uncovers far more than she bargained for, enough to put her in...

The murders in St. Marin's Library's mystery section just got very real. When the local librarian is found dead among the stacks, the rumours about his reputation reach a fever pitch. Harvey Beckett can't let a fellow book-lover's name be sullied, but when she drags her friends and her dogs into the investigation, she finds that it's more than just...

The NEW cosy crime novel from million-copy-selling author Leigh Russell! The fair is in town in Ashton Mead and everyone is keen to join in the fun, that is until a young woman falls from the Ferris wheel and all fingers point to Emily's new friend, Dana. With her outsider status, mysterious past and penchant for stretching the truth, who...

She has always said if she was running, it's because she was being chased. That's never been more true. It's Autumn, bookstore owner Harvey Beckett's favourite time of year, and she's most excited about two things – her bookshop's float in the annual Harvest Parade and pumpkin everything. But when her best friend Mart finds the body of her running...

Secrets long held are sometimes secrets best kept, right? When the sweet but reclusive clockmaker in town reaches out to Harvey to ask for her advice about a situation, the bookstore owner finds herself wrapped in a web of tales that leaves her unclear about what's true and what's not. As Harvey and her friends begin to unravel the truth...

Thea Slocombe is trying to settle into normal family domestic life with Drew and his two children in Broad Campden. But any sense of cosy domesticity is shattered when Thea finds the body of a neighbour. No longer a house-sitter, Thea has no choice but to stay in the village and deal with whatever happens next, even when this risks...

'So great ... it's criminal' - SAGA 'With Cecily Gayford in charge, we are on safe ground' - DAILY MAIL From beneath the beach umbrella, all might seem idyllic - children playing, sunbathers relaxing, ice slowly melting in a cocktail glass. But look a little closer, and all is not as it seems... In these classic crime stories of midsummer...

First published as Twist of Fate under A. C. Koning. Summer, 1937. Fred Rowland's peaceful holiday in Cornwall is derailed when a fellow hotel guest and film star is found dead. Fred soon learns that this death took place under suspicious circumstances and finds himself tied up in the police investigation. When his old flame, Secret Service agent Iris Barnes,...

As the days get longer, escape your troubles and take a trip to the desperately hot towns where nightfall lingers and a sun-drenched picnic can end in panic. No matter how murderously high the temperatures rise, these stories will chill you to the bone. So grab a cool drink and step into the shade ... if you dare. Murder in...

It's the height of summer. As the heat shimmers on the streets and ice cream melts onto sticky fingers, tempers begin to rise and old grudges surface. From Cornish beaches to the French Riviera, it's not just a holiday that's on people's minds ... it's murder. In these ten classic stories from writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Cyril Hare...

The murder of the gardener at Camden-sur-Mer is a break in routine for Angela Benbow and Caledonia Wingate's retirement community. For those far-from-over-the-hill senior sleuths, Angela Benbow and Caledonia Wingate, the murder of the gardener at posh Camden-sur-Mer retirement complex is a delightful break in their rather dull routine. Unfortunately, a bad-tempered police officer warns the ladies to stick to...

One suspicious death. Two amateur sleuths. And an utterly impossible crime… The NUMBER ONE ebook bestseller! 'Amuses and intrigues in equal measure… a splendid start to what promises to be a long-running series’ Daily Mail The Cotswolds, 1924. At the Old Forge in the quiet village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh, a cry of anguish rings out: the lady of the house, Amy...

As the nights draw in and the old year slips away, the haunting season begins. Twigs scrape at windowpanes in the darkness, mysterious footprints are found in the snow, and all sorts of mysteries, monsters, and nastiness are in the offing. Bringing together ten classic tales of mystery, murder, and mayhem from the greatest writers in the genre, Murder by...

The brand new Christmas murder mystery from the author of The Twelve Days of Murder. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Alexandra Benedict and Janice Hallett's The Christmas Appeal. Christmas shopping can be murder. It's Christmas Eve at the Emporium, a bespoke gift shop hidden in the depths of London's winding streets, where a select few shoppers are browsing its...

This deliciously funny first in a new series of country house murder mysteries is full of 1920s flavour and introduces feisty dressmaker Jemima Flowerday. Jemima Flowerday combines her skills as a dressmaker and sleuth to solve crimes in the crumbling stately homes of 1920s Britain. 'A brilliant cosy mystery and a fantastic introduction to what is promising to be an...

The debut cosy culinary crime thriller from Suk Pannu, creator of BBC Radio 4’s Mrs Sidhu Investigates and writer for Goodness, Gracious, Me and The Kumars at No. 42. Shortlisted for the 2024 McDermid Award. ‘Stuffed with warmth and wicked, cross-cultural observations, Dead and Scone is a dollop of cosy crime goodness’ – Vaseem Khan, author of The Malabar House...

Everyone is guilty of something. Handywoman Barb Young has lived in the sleepy coastal town of Bullford Point for over fifty years—frankly, in that time, not much has happened, unless you count that business where a bush turkey managed to board the ferry a couple of years ago. When Joe Griffiths returns from Sydney after six years of drug addiction,...

Easter, 1895. The biggest event in the Catholic calendar is a disaster in Zofia Turbotynska’s household. Her maid Karolina has handed in her notice and, worse, gone missing. When Karolina’s body is discovered, violated and stabbed, Zofia knows she has to investigate. Following a trail that leads her from the poorest districts of Galicia to the highest echelons of society,...

A corpse in a country house brings Scotland Yard to an eerily quiet English village, in this tale by a master of British mystery. Cyril Savage has inherited the home of his wealthy and estranged aunt. But before Savage has the chance to discover her fortune, he is struck dead in the cellar of this once grand country house in...

A CRITIC CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 RUNNER UP 'Martin Edwards is a true master of British crime writing' RICHARD OSMAN 'Combines all the things I love most about crime fiction: atmospheric settings, twisty plots, intriguing characters and an unforgettable protagonist' ELLY GRIFFITHS TEST YOUR WITS AGAINST RACHEL SAVERNAKE! A CLUEFINDER AT THE BACK OF THE BOOK HIGHLIGHTS 47...

'A glorious debut' - SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Recommended reading for a long winter night' - GUARDIAN 'A love letter to the classic country house murder mystery' - J.M. HALL A snowstorm. A country house. Old friends reunited. It's going to be murder... Torben Helle - art historian, Danish expat and owner of several excellent Scandinavian jumpers - has been dragged to...

Hattie Steals the Show by Patrick Gleeson follows the intriguing tale of stage manager Hattie Cocker. While exploring the West End theatre in preparation for her new temporary gig, she unexpectedly stumbles upon the dead body of the current musical's composer. A week later, the prime suspect in the murder case appears at Hattie's doorstep, pleading for her assistance in...

Hardcover Homicide by ACF Bookens Nail guns have always terrified Harvey Beckett, and now she knows why. Harvey loves sharing the parking lot of her bookstore with the hardware store across the way, but when an unruly customer is killed in the lot one night, she begins to wonder if the men who own the store are responsible. A few...

Everyone loves getting mail, but not when it's clasped in someone's cold, dead hands. Harvey Beckett had heard the tale of how the postmistress steams open people's mail to feed her gossip-hungry customers, but when the postmistress is murdered, Harvey learns that the mail carrier might have been doing more than passing along juicy details. Soon, Harvey and her father...

Entitled To Kill by ACF Bookens Mother-daughter bonding time shouldn't involve running from a big tractor. When Harvey Beckett stumbles upon the body of the community's most reviled dairy farmer, she, her friends, and her parents are launched into an investigation that reveals a family secret that wasn't really that secret after all. Soon, Harvey's curiosity lands her and her...

The belief is that all animal lovers are good people, but sometimes, that's just not true. In preparation for her wedding day and to thank her loyal companions, Harvey Beckett has scheduled a spa day for her pups, Mayhem and Taco, at the brand new doggy daycare in town. But when the pups return from their escape bedraggled and anxious,...

A scientist nobody liked has been murdered on the Arctic ice . . . 'A brilliant modern cosy.' Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants 'Fun ahoy!' Orlando Murrin, author of Knife Skills for Beginners 'How can something so damn cold be so damn cosy?' Oskar Jensen, author of Helle and Death 'Clever, quirky and irresistibly fun.' Jessica Bull, author...

Death of a Mystery Guest by Alex Coombs introduces readers to the thrilling world of Charlie Hunter as she arrives in Edinburgh, only to find a mystery on her doorstep. Just as she arrives, her head chef is being stretchered out. An autopsy soon reveals that he has been poisoned with mushrooms. The question arises: Was it an accident or...

Thea Osborne is thanking her lucky stars. After two disastrous house-sitting incidents in which she unwittingly became embroiled in murder and mayhem, she is only too happy to have a bit of time to concentrate on her blossoming relationship with DI Phil Hollis. But the bad luck that plagues the hapless Thea and her beloved spaniel Hepzibah is never far...

Inspector Littlejohn confronts a challenging case across the Channel in this classic mystery from the "venerable" British author (Kirkus Reviews). When Alderman Dawson is stabbed to death while visiting the Riviera with a group of English tourists, Inspector Littlejohn puts his holiday on hold to assist the French police. But the suspects are plentiful. The culprit could be one of...

Things get murky when a ferry captain is found dead in the water in this mystery starring Inspector Littlejohn, "the model of a calm, rational policeman" (Publishers Weekly). After a ferry to Falbright carrying forty people runs aground, the skipper is nowhere to be found. When the ferry pilot is discovered under a pier with a knife in his back,...

The things Harvey Beckett doesn't know about her neighbours could get her killed. In the perfect days of early May, bookshop owner Harvey Beckett is looking forward to evenings of walking Mayhem, reading before bed, and maybe even enjoying a snuggle with her favourite mechanic. But a meandering dog walk pushes pause on those plans when she and Mayhem stumble...

As winter begins to bite at Sunset Hall, Agnes Sharp is grudgingly pleased to discover that one of her fellow OAP housemates has won a luxury holiday to a secluded Cornish hotel called the Eden. The incredible menu, spa treatments and an unexpected boa constrictor aside, Agnes and her geriatric companions will soon discover that the hotel is a long...

Three murder scenes; two causes of death; one body. It is a case that would challenge Domenic Jejeune even under the best of circumstances. But his DCS’s temporary absence means that Jejeune must work under Marvin Laraby, an ex-superior with whom he has a particularly fractious history. Jejeune and Laraby must work together to discover why a ruthless land contractor...

As brilliant a cosy crime novel as you'll ever read – JANICE HALLETT A masterful voice in the mystery world – S. J. BENNETT 1901. Gabriel Ward KC is hard at work on a thorny libel case involving London's most famous music hall star and its most notorious tabloid newspaper, but the Inner Temple remains as quiet and calm as...

French Windows by Antoine Laurain is a captivating novel that delves into the complexities of human psychology and intrigue. Nathalia Guitry is an enigma that psychotherapist Doctor Faber can't solve. A photographer who can't take photographs since witnessing a murder, she is self-assured, self-aware, and seemingly impervious to his usually effective techniques. He hasn't been able to stop thinking about...

The ultimate stocking filler for the crime fan in your life. The book Miss Marple wishes she owned. This is your essential guide to not getting murdered in a quaint English village, where danger lurks around each cobblestoned corner and every bite of scone or sip of tea may be your last. If you insist on visiting, do yourself a...

‘Tis the season for murder in this seasonal locked room mystery. Welcome to Mistletoe Manor Hotel. Four days before Christmas, twelve stranded strangers gather round a crackling fire... They are sheltering from the storm raging outside. But their relief is short-lived—as the snow deepens, the tree-lined avenue winding through the hotel's parkland becomes impassable. Their isolation is complete. The next...

Molly the maid is used to being invisible. Now someone is watching her every move… The Sparkling New Mystery from the Multi-Million-Copy Bestselling Author of The Maid As a hotel maid, Molly Gray wipes away fingerprints as a matter of routine. But when a priceless Fabergé egg is stolen from the Regency Grand Hotel – and she receives an ominous...

The Chilterns are at their best in May, and The Old Forge Cafe is flourishing. This success leads Charlie to consider furniture that matches the standards set by her menu. This thought persuades her to take on a job for a wealthy local businessman who suspects that his daughter has fallen for a man who is not only a gold-digger...

It's the hottest summer Cornwall has seen in 15 years. Eco-architect Olivia, who specialises in breathing life into old buildings in cutting-edge and sustainable ways, is launching her latest project, a boutique hotel. Jago Trevithick KC meets her there after a disastrous trial, seeking peace and a refuge from the underworld. But when the couple discover the dead body of...

After a two-day train journey, peripatetic dressmaker Jemima Flowerday makes the final approach to her new job on foot, following the canal to Castle Gloaming, which stands in the rugged North Wales countryside overlooking the foaming River Dee. Jemima has come to clothe Mrs Cornelia van Doorn, a wealthy South African widow who has leased the castle from its impoverished...

Eco-architect Olivia Wells's return to the small Cornish seaside village of Penbartha is troubled. She's taken leave from her successful life in Manhattan to create the legacy her godfather wanted, a sustainable group of entrepreneurs working out of his beloved disused railway station, boosting the local economy and bringing more life to the village. But it seems that not everyone...

A directionless young woman takes a magical train journey that will bring meaning to her life, but only if she can evade a dangerous stowaway and find her seat before time runs out... Raya is a lost soul, going through the motions of life without a dream of her own. One night, on her subway ride home, Raya's thoughts wander...

A school reunion at Midwinter ends in death. Could it be related to the unsolved kidnapping that happened there twenty years before? From the popular seasonal mystery writer Ada Moncrieff comes a brand-new Christmas Crime Caper! THE COSIEST OF CRIMES FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON A SCHOOL REUNION... A PARTY TO DIE FOR. December 1937. Daphne King is attending the twentieth...

Filled with wit and verve, Vaseem Khan brings his vibrant and dynamic style to this spin-off cosy crime series set in the world of James Bond. Charming, drily humorous, and intelligently crafted, Quantum of Menace, the first in the Q mystery books, will appeal to Bond fans, readers of Murder Before Evensong, The Thursday Murder Club, and Slow Horses novels,...

Tokyo, 1947. The Pink Labyrinth is one of the bomb-scarred city's most shady neighbourhoods. There, in the dead of night, a patrolling policeman catches a young Buddhist monk digging in the backyard of The Black Cat Cafe, a notorious brothel. In the shallow grave at his feet lie the dead body of a woman, her face disfigured beyond recognition, and...

A brand new Golden Age cosy crime mystery from the multi-million-copy bestseller Faith Martin. 'A masterfully constructed page-turner of a murder mystery. Clever, compelling, and intriguing. An excellent read' TA Williams 'Hugely entertaining with an ingenious solution! I loved it!' Clare Chase 'Suspicious notes, a lethal hat pin and a body in the library … As far as I'm concerned...

Frayed Edges Cozy up with Sarah and her friends for more murder, quilting, and community. When sixty-eight-year-old Sarah Miller moves into the Cunningham Village retirement community, she is mourning the loss of her husband and the place that has been home for forty-two years. But Sarah is a survivor. As she reaches out into the retirement community that is to...

Dyslexia-Friendly Edition: This edition uses a sans serif font printed with blue ink on cream paper. Anything written by Celia Imrie is guaranteed to put a smile on our faces and her latest book is no exception – Good Housekeeping "A dashing roller coaster. She is extraordinary" – Joanna Lumley "A very witty woman. Hugely entertaining" – Julian Fellowes The...

It was the considered view of the elderly residents at the posh retirement community on the California coast that the death by stabbing of Mrs Amy Kinseth (only six weeks after her arrival) occasioned no great loss. There'd be no more of her tasteless display of jewellery, no more overtures of friendship suddenly withdrawn, no more doors slammed in other...

On the surface, Richard Ainsworth has life where he wants it. Middle-aged navel gazing and Olympic levels of procrastination are exactly what rural life in France should be about. Then crisis hits his posh B&B when redoubtable housekeeper, Madame Tablier, is accused of murder. Even more surprisingly, it's the murder of a former fiancé, turned brother-in-law. None of which the...

The holiday season is here, and for most of us, our minds are on carefree days in the sunshine. But for every trip to the seaside or sultry afternoon on the sun lounger, there's someone who's busy packing a suitcase full of secrets and a motive... for murder. Join ten of the best crime writers in history for the trip...

Persuaded by Mrs Bennet to sponsor a London social season for Elizabeth's sister Kitty, the Darcys reluctantly return to the glittering ballrooms and parlours of the fashionable world. There, Kitty meets Harry Dashwood, the handsome young owner of Norland, and they quickly fall in love. But, for the Bennet sisters, it seems the course of true love simply cannot run...

The perfect read for fans of Richard Osman, JM Hall, MC Beaton, or Julia ChapmanA rousing whodunnit of oldsters taking life into their own hands

Don't miss Murder on Bluebell Hill, the next book in the series, available to pre-order now! 'Perfect cosy mystery.' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An interesting story by an excellent writer…I look forward to more.' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Maple Grange is the perfect place to retire for the residents of Merrywell. But when a murder investigation unfolds on its grounds, Violet Brewster...