Historical Cozy Mysteries
Historical cozy mysteries are a sub-genre of cozy mysteries with plots and characters set in the past. These cozies are a great way to explore another era while solving a fun puzzle mystery. You can find historical mysteries set in lots of different time periods. All of the historical mystery books on this page have amateur sleuths, clever plots, and positive reader reviews.
Historical cozy mysteries whisk you away to another era and show you what it was like to live in another time. Here are 10 Must-Read Historical Mysteries to help you explore this cozy mystery sub-genre.
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder is a delightful historical cozy mystery brimming with period detail, clever wit, and charming characters. The amateur sleuth, Frances, is sensible, resourceful, and keenly observant.
Not They Who Soar is a shining example of how good historical mysteries can be. This award-winning mystery is impeccably researched, highly entertaining, and peppered with real-life historical figures and events that you'll want to learn more about.
Murder By Cheesecake is a fun, laugh-out-loud cozy mystery featuring Blanche, Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia, the four Golden Girls we all fell in love with during their TV run from 1985 to 1992. In many ways, it reads like a script from the TV show—and that’s a good thing!
The Red House Mystery is an engaging and accessible Golden Age locked-room mystery by A.A. Milne, the author of Winnie the Pooh. The plot is well-crafted, and the everyman sleuth is easy to root for.
Murder at Gulls Nest is an extraordinary historical cozy mystery with a seaside setting, a fascinating protagonist, and dynamite storytelling. This whodunit will stick with you long after you close the book.
The Deep End is a genre-blending novel that masterfully blends cozy mystery and women's fiction with 1970s nostalgia. The result is a humorous, engaging whodunit with a unique heroine.
Bad Blood is an entertaining and satisfying read that skillfully balances humor, suspense, and period details. The heroine is smart and sassy with dry wit and a complicated social life that creates intrigue all on its own.
Danger at Darkmoor Park is an intoxicating blend of romance, yuletide spirit, and clever sleuthing. It's the kind of holiday mystery that makes you want to sip cocoa and solve crimes by the fire.
Murder Under a Mystic Moon is a richly atmospheric 1930s cozy mystery that strikes the perfect balance between glamour, history, and intrigue. Real historical figures are woven into the narrative in ways that feel fun and organic.
Misery Hates Company is a good match for readers who like rich, witty prose and gothic mysteries. The amateur sleuth, Miss Marigold Manners, is also easy to admire. She is a strong and determined New Woman who plans "to do what she was meant to do and let the world learn to catch up."
Murder at Donwell Abbey is an extraordinarily entertaining historical cozy mystery featuring Jane Austen’s clever Emma Knightley as an amateur sleuth. The story's grand estate setting and extravagant betrothal ball provide the perfect backdrop for a Regency-era mystery.
The Drury Lane Murders is an immersive and thrilling story with richly-drawn characters, atmospheric settings, and impeccably researched historical details. A triumph in the historical cozy mystery genre.
The Frost Fair Murders delivers a richly atmospheric and engrossing historical mystery. The vivid details transport readers to a different time and place that is equal parts revelry and peril.
The Brampton Ghost Murders is a delightful fusion of historical authenticity, cozy suspense and sharp-witted sleuthing. Ellis Blackwood has created a story that is brilliantly atmospheric and stays with you long after the final page.
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