July Cozy Crime Reads Newsletter

Happy July!

The July edition of the Cozy Crime Reads Newsletter has news, free cozy mysteries, promotions, book recs, recipes, giveaways, & more!

COZY MYSTERY NEWS

1.) International multimillion-copy bestseller Faith Martin is launching a new series about an Oxford biographer who solves mysteries with her friends.

The first book in the series, The Oxford Detective Society, is available for free in July through Amazon Prime First Reads, a monthly program that offers Amazon Prime members early access to new books.

Get The Oxford Detective Society on Amazon

2.) Hallmark recently announced plans for a new Garage Sale Mystery movie that will premiere in the fall of 2026. Actress Lori Loughlin will return as series lead, Jennifer Shannon, an antique store owner who uses her observation skills and bargain-hunting skills to solve mysteries. There have been 16 Garage Sale Mysteries so far. The most recent movie, Search & Seized, premiered in 2019. The movies are adapted from the Garage Sale Mystery book series by Suzi Weinert.

3.) The 2026 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Finalists were announced earlier this month. The nominees in the cozy mystery category are Killer Cache by Michelle Bennington, Tough Fluff by Sheryl C.D. Ickes, Death By Mistake by Abigail Keam, Murder on the Green by Christine Knapp, Airplane, Atlanta & an Assassin by Mary Seifert, and Seven For a Secret Never To Be Told by Derek Wheeless. The winners will be announced at the Killer Nashville Awards Dinner on August 22, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee.

4.) To celebrate her latest release, A Murderer's Guide to Mardi Gras (coming August 4), Ellen Bryon will take over the Cozy Mystery Party Group on Facebook on Tuesday, August 4th at 7 pm ET via Zoom. She will discuss her Vintage Cookbook Cozy Mystery Series, among other things. There will also be giveaways! Note: You must be a member of the free Cozy Mystery Party Group on Facebook to participate, so be sure to sign up ahead of time if necessary.

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FREE COZY MYSTERIES

The Corpse in the Cabana is the first book in the Viola Roberts Mystery Series by Shea Macleod.

In this bookish cozy mystery novel, Viola Roberts discovers the diva of the author world dead at a writers’ conference at an exotic Florida resort. With the police eyeballing her and her best friend for the murder, Viola sets aside her plans to read by the pool and starts sleuthing.

Get A Corpse in the Cabana free from Amazon

FIND 70+ FREE COZY MYSTERIES ON COZYCRIMEREADS.COM

Murder at an English Pub is the first book in the Sarah Vane Mysteries by Alice Castle.

When retired doctor Sarah Vane moves to the quaint seaside town of Merstairs, she expects it to be as friendly as it is picturesque. So it’s quite the shock when she discovers a body in a friend’s storage trunk and deadly secrets that link it to a second murder in the village.

Get Murder at an English Pub free from Amazon

BOOK GIVEAWAYS

Enter The Killer Brownies Book Giveaway for a chance to win a paperback or ebook copy of Killer Brownies, the first book in the Sea Glass Beach Mystery Series by Amelia Pine. The giveaway ends July 31, 2026.

Enter The Killer Brownies Audiobook Giveaway for a chance to win an audiobook copy of Killer Brownies, the first book in the Sea Glass Beach Mystery Series by Amelia Pine. The giveaway ends July 31, 2026.

Enter The Dying to Draw Audiobook Giveaway for a chance to win an audiobook copy of Dying to Draw, the first book in the Sam Holliday Mystery Series by Honor Brightwell. The giveaway ends July 31, 2026.

SUMMER READING

Cozy Crime Reads has six July cozy mystery book recommendations perfect for poolside lounging or porch-swing reading. All of these books have clever amateur sleuths, warm humor, comforting vibes, and irresistible small-town charm.

If you’re ready to dig up a few clues alongside a gardening sleuth, check out these six cozy garden mysteries in the Cozy Crime Reads Amazon store.

COZY MYSTERY DEALS

$1.99 For a Limited Time

The ebook version of No One Lives Twice by Julie Moffett is $1.99 on Amazon for a limited time. This rom-com mystery features a geeky ex-NSA agent whose search for her missing best friend collides with a sexy government agent and a rich, handsome lawyer, both of whom seem to have the hots for her.

See No One Lives Twice on Amazon

$3.99 For a Limited Time

Volume One of the Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries by Dorothy L Sayers is $3.99 on Amazon for a limited time. This special edition mystery box set features the first three classic mysteries in the series: Whose Body?, Clouds of Witness, and Unnatural Death.

See the Lord Peter Wimsey Set on Amazon

MYSTERY OF THE MONTH

The CozyCrimeReads.com Mystery of the Month is Killer Brownies, the first book in the Sea Glass Beach Mysteries by Amelia Pine. This cozy seaside mystery is fun, full of heart, and hard to put down. Now is the perfect time to read Killer Brownies since Killer Wedding Cupcakes, the last book in the 5-book Sea Glass Beach Mystery Series, is coming out July 31.

See a Reading Guide for Killer Brownies with a spoiler-free overview, reader reviews, and more
Get a Reading Kit for Killer Brownies with reader questions, activities to take you beyond the book, recipe cards, and other fun extras
Get a printable Recipe Card for Paige’s Lemony Herbed Rice Salad with Feta and Blueberries, a dish created by author Amelia Pine
Get a printable Recipe Card for Paige’s Blackberry Cream Cheese Cobbler Bars, a dish created by author Amelia Pine
Read an interview with author Amelia Pine
Visit Amelia Pine’s website to learn more about her books

COZY MYSTERY RECIPE

Darci Hannah’s Delightful Lemon Scones are a delicious and light summer treat. They make a perfect accompaniment to reading or tea and can even be served for breakfast or as a dessert. This scone recipe appears in Murder at the Lemonberry Tea, book six in the Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries.

Get Darci Hannah’s Delightful Lemon Scones Recipe

NEW RELEASES

Mildred Wiggins insists she isn't nosy. She simply pays attention. After fifty years in Maple Hollow, Indiana, she knows when something feels off. So when her troublesome neighbor is found dead at the bottom of his porch steps, she's not convinced it was an accident, no matter what the sheriff says. Armed with sharp instincts, an unshakable sense of justice, and her opinionated rooster, Sir Alphonse Beauregard Clucksworth III, Mildred starts asking questions.

See Murder on Mulberry Lane on Amazon

Sara's plan was simple: stay on the strange magical island for six months to get her inheritance, sell the house, and figure out what comes next. What she didn't plan on was discovering she's half witch, half undine, has magic she can't control, and has a family history she was never meant to know.

See Tides Wait for No Witch on Amazon

COMING SOON

Dee Stern is starting to feel at home running her Golden Motel in the quaint California village she moved to, leaving behind her LA life as a sitcom writer. But a killer sees the town’s Halloween celebration as a golden opportunity to write a script for murder. Dee’s dad Sam is convinced his friend is the victim of foul play and urges his daughter to apply her sleuthing skills.

Pre-Order All Aboard for Murder

In Patchwork Pines, murder is never the only thing being covered up. The village is a vibrant, upscale retirement community for crafty professionals with colorful pasts, where life is supposed to be peaceful... if you can ignore the gossip, the feuds, and the occasional murder. Stella Thimbleton made her career turning crime scenes into a profitable business. But to catch a killer hiding in plain sight, this retired crime scene specialist will have to become the bait.

Pre-order Patchwork of Suspicion

COZY MYSTERY EVENTS

Plotting With Plottr

Saturday, August 15, 4:00 pm-5:00 pm

The creator of Plottr, Cameron Sutter, is hosting a webinar through the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime to teach attendees how to use Plottr for their writing career. Plottr is book-outlining and series-bible creation software for professional and aspiring writers. Cameron will be offering a walkthrough of the program and a Q&A session. He is also bringing two free gifts and a discount on Plottr to those who attend.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Register for the event. Get a 30-day free trial of Plottr.

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COZY MYSTERY SERVICES

Joyce Mochrie, Certified Copyeditor and Proofreader and owner of One Last Look, offers copyediting and proofreading services.

Cozy Mystery Author Interviews

New and Coming Soon

Book Recommendations

You can find more cozy mystery content on CozyCrimeReads.com.

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