Must-Read Thanksgiving Cozy Mysteries
Thanksgiving Mysteries With Amateur Sleuths
Thanksgiving cozy mysteries are holiday mysteries with a Thanksgiving theme. They center around the holiday and are usually part of a series. Most of them have an amateur sleuth, a cute pet or two, and plentiful descriptions of fall weather, food, and decor. You can expect crisp air, colorful leaves, and lots of turkey and pumpkin spice.
The storylines can vary, but usually have a seasonal spin. For example, Thanksgiving mysteries almost always include a Thanksgiving dinner, a fall party, or another celebration or community event. And like every other cozy mystery, they often take place in a small town, village, or neighborhood.
If you’re looking for cozy autumn vibes with a side of mystery (and maybe a recipe or two), here are a few fun Thanksgiving cozy mysteries to try.
Death of a Tom Turkey is part of the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery Series by Lee Hollis. In this Thanksgiving cozy mystery, trouble is on the menu for food writer and restaurateur Hayley Powell when a bad-tempered farmer becomes a target at a Thanksgiving turkey shoot in Bar Harbor, Maine. Includes recipes from Hayley’s kitchen.
Peanut Butter Panic is part of the Amish Candy Shop Mystery Series by Amanda Flower. In this clean and cozy Thanksgiving mystery, a candy shop owner comes under suspicion when her killer treats take center stage at a village-wide Thanksgiving celebration in Harvest, Ohio. Includes a recipe for a delicious peanut butter and chocolate treat.
Maple Sugar Magic is a part of the Crescent Moon Mystery Series by Tara Lush. In this enchanting Thanksgiving mystery novella, a midlife witch returns to her Vermont hometown for Thanksgiving and finds a whirlwind of magic, adventure, and friendship. Includes a magical moose and a really amazing themed pie recipe.
Fatal Feast by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain is part of the Murder, She Wrote Mystery Book Series. In this spin-off series of the television show, Jessica is hosting a Thanksgiving Day dinner in Cabot Cove. When a man gets stabbed with a carving knife, her traditional holiday dinner becomes a murder mystery dinner.
Raspberry Danish Murder is part of the Hannah Swensen Mystery Series by Joanne Fluke. In this culinary cozy mystery, Thanksgiving’s coming, but with a missing husband and a murder to solve, Minnesota baker Hannah Swensen isn’t feeling very thankful this year. Includes multiple story-inspired recipes from Hannah’s kitchen.
A Deadly Feast is a part of the Key West Food Critic Mystery Series by Lucy Burdette. In this bestselling Thanksgiving mystery book, Key West food critic Hayley Snow scents-es something fishy when a customer falls stone-crab cold dead on a seafood tasting tour right before Thanksgiving. Includes book-inspired recipes.
Ice Coffee Corruption is part of the Killer Coffee Mysteries by Tonya Kappes. In this Thanksgiving cozy mystery, an attorney turned barista has her hands full serving up cozy treats, prepping for the town’s Friendsgiving Harvest Fest, and solving a brewing mystery in Honey Springs, Kentucky. Includes fall-themed recipes.
Silent Night, Deadly Night is part of the Year-Round Christmas Mystery Series by prolific Canadian author Vicki Delany. In this Thanksgiving mystery, the owner of Mrs. Claus’ Treasures (a shop in a year-round Christmas town) tries to figure out who poisoned one of her mom's old friends during a reunion set over the holiday weekend.
Somewhere in the Night is a part of the Country Club Murder Mystery Series by USA bestselling author Julie Mulhern. In this hilarious Thanksgiving cozy mystery novella, a socialite sleuth and her beau go to the Thanksgiving Plaza Lighting Ceremony in Kansas City and try to solve a mystery. This historical mystery is set in the 1970s.
Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is part of the Savvy Summers Mystery Series by Sandra Jackson-Opoku. In this Thanksgiving cozy mystery, the proprietor of a south side Chicago soul food cafe gets pulled into a mystery when a customer drops dead at a café table after eating a slice of her killer sweet potato pie. Includes soul food recipes.
In the Blink of a Pie is part of the Maple Syrup Mystery Series by Catherine Bruns. In this Thanksgiving mystery, the manager of a maple syrup farm learns there's no one you can crust when a neighbor drops dead at a Thanksgiving pie baking contest. Includes delicious Thanksgiving pie recipes.
Natural Barn Killer is a part of the Farm to Table Mystery Series by award-winning author Amanda Flower. In this Thanksgiving cozy mystery book, an organic farmer in Cherry Glen, Michigan has a cold case on her Thanksgiving plate when her cute pug, Huckleberry, digs up an old skeleton. Includes quick farm tips.
