Get out that hand-knit throw blanket, grab a steaming cup of cocoa, and cuddle up with these wonderful Cozy Mystery audiobooks!
These funny murder mysteries and women sleuth books are the perfect mix of relaxed reading and captivating mystery novels.
One thing I particularly love about Cozy Mysteries – other than wondering who did it – are the absolutely fearless women in these books!
Someone slashes their tires or sends a threatening note? Well, they just find it annoying and sleuth so much harder!
It would be useful to interrogate this scary lady they don’t know? No problem, social anxiety and shyness are not in their vocabulary.
I honestly admire that so much! These aren’t dumb heroines. They might, at times, be a bit naive, but they are fearless and trust that everything will turn out well in the end. And it does!
Because this is the world of Cozy Mystery books, where bad things happen to bad people, and everything ends mostly well.
**The marked links and book covers on this page are affiliate links. If you use them to purchase something, I earn a fee at no additional cost for you. Disclosure**
What is a Cozy Mystery?
A Cozy Mystery (or: Cosy Mystery if it’s a British one) is pretty much exactly what the name implies: While crime and murder mystery are at the core of the story, the atmosphere is less frightening and gloomy than in Thrillers or Suspense novels.
The story is more light-hearted and not so claustrophobic. The detective is also most often an amateur who was initially the suspect, and the setting is a small town.
You can easily spot a Cozy Mystery by its cover. They are much cuter and friendlier than other Mystery or Suspense books with very distinct artwork.
Link Info
With every book, I will include links to Audible because we all use it. But I will add alternatives as well!
Libro.fm: If you buy an audiobook there, you actually own the mp3 and can listen to it in any app. Plus, you support indie bookstores with your purchase!
Audiobooks.com: A very solid audiobook service, and you can grab a book from the list below for free with a trial there.
Everand (formerly Scribd): A very budget-friendly option for listeners as you can borrow several of the audiobooks below for a flat monthly fee.
Flip-Flops and Murder
H.Y. Hanna (Author), Pearl Hewitt (Narrator)
Get the Audible book in a deal**
English girl Ellie has an invitation to a beach resort in Florida. But when she arrives, she doesn’t find her aunt as she expected.
Instead, she finds the body of her aunt’s rival. While her aunt seems to have disappeared!
I have a weakness for British accents, so Ellie, charmingly narrated by Pearl Hewitt, was an instant favorite. This wonderful narration, paired with the beach resort setting, was absolute perfection!
This book flowed so well, and every aspect of the mystery with the different characters and suspects came together neatly.
If you are looking for a great Cozy Mystery series, you absolutely should check out The Barefoot Sleuth Mysteries and author H.Y. Hanna! This is a 4-book series, and all titles are available as audiobooks.
Related article: How to get Audible books cheaper with Amazon Whispersync
Arsenic and Adobo
Mia P. Manansala (Author), Danice Cabanela (Narrator)
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A mean food critic flops over dead right there in the restaurant of Lila’s family! As if that wasn’t awful enough, warm and sweet Tita Rosie is treated as the only suspect by the police.
Lila has to find out what’s really going on and uncovers more than she bargained for.
Arsenic and Adobo is a wonderful culinary Cozy Mystery that I couldn’t turn off (I might actually have gotten too little sleep there). Lila is such a kickass heroine, and her family is completely lovable!
This is an extremely gripping, fantastically crafted story, and Danice Cabanela’s narration has turned this into a must-listen for Cozy Mystery audiobook fans!
The A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery books are among the best Mystery audiobooks when you’re looking for a light yet engaging listen.
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Jesse Q. Sutanto (Author), Eunice Wong (Narrator)
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Or listen on Scribd**
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers looks and feels like a Cozy Mystery. But, like other books by Jesse Q. Sutanto, it breaks quite a few rules of the genre.
This is an absolutely delightful Mystery novel, though, and a truly heartwarming book about finding family. I loved all the different characters here and the way the story builds up.
Vera Wong is the owner of a small tea shop that is not seeing many customers anymore. One morning, she finds a dead person in the shop. Between boredom and unhappiness with the police’s work, Vera takes things into her own hands. And with a trick, she draws out all the people who might have had a motive to get rid of the man…
Eunice Wong is one of my favorite narrators, and I could have listened to this audiobook for many, many more hours! Come to think of it, I will probably listen to it again soon.
Murder Most Actual
Alexis Hall (Author), Remmie Milner (Narrator)
Get the audiobook on Kobo** (The first audiobook is free!)
I was so excited about this book: Alexis Hall, F/F, Cozy Mystery. Three of my favorite bookish things! And what can I say, the book was everything I had hoped for and so much more!!
It is funny, it pulled at my heartstrings (Liza and Hannah are seeing their marriage crumble and try to hold on), and I could not for the life of me guess whodunnit until it was revealed.
The narration by Remmie Milner was utterly delightful! Murder Most Actual is a Kobo-exclusive production. I don’t usually use Kobo, but it was quick and pain-free to sign up, buy the audiobook, and install the app. And so, so worth it!!
Against the Currant
Olivia Matthews (Author), Janina Edwards (Narrator)
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Culinary Cozy Mysteries are so awesome, and Against the Currant is particularly excellent at it!
Lyndsay turns her dream into reality and, with the help of her family, opens a West Indian bakery in New York.
Another bakery owner harasses her, and soon turns up dead. Lyndsay is the main suspect since everybody saw her threatening him.
I found it really difficult to guess who the real murderer was. But honestly, I like just being along for the ride, and this book captivated me instantly! I loved how all the characters were so fleshed out and real.
Janina Edwards did a wonderful narration, and the Spice Isle Bakery Mystery books by Olivia Matthews are such a fun series to dive into.
The Plot is Murder
V.M. Burns (Author), Kate Rudd (Narrator)
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Or listen on Scribd**
Samantha lives and loves Mystery books! She is in the process of opening her very own mystery-focused book store while working on her first novel, a Historical English Cosy Mystery.
But when a corpse turns up in her backyard, the body of a man she was not friendly with, things get very real very quickly.
This book has a wonderful meta-level, and we move between two stories: Samantha’s real life and her novel. The balance is perfect!
The focus is on “the real world”, but we also get a nice taste of the historical Cozy (and we even find out who the murderer is). The perfect cozy vibes are rounded out with an adorable, feisty grandma!
The audiobook is read by a great narrator, Kate Rudd, and even though only the first book in the Mystery Bookshop series is available in audio format, it is worth getting The Plot is Murder!
Pin this list of Cozy Mystery audiobooks for later:
A Half-Baked Murder
Emily George (Author), Chelsea Stephens (Narrator)
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A Half-Baked Murder is set in a bakery, a popular setting for Cozy Mysteries. However, this one is all about edibles. That’s new!
Main character Chloe lost her career as a chef in France and returns to her hometown to care for her grandmother.
Her aunt talks her into opening a weed bakery to combine her delicious pastries with the medical benefits of THC for people like her grandma.
I always enjoy listening to Chelsea Stephens, and her voice fits the character of Chloe in the audio version so well!
Engagement and Espionage
Penny Reid (Author), Chris Brinkley (Narrator), Joy Nash (Narrator)
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Cletus and Jenn seemingly found their Happily Ever After, but things are not well in Green Valley! Someone killed a lot of chickens, and that’s just the beginning.
But Cletus and Jenn are on the case.
If you have read Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers series, you will remember Cletus (he is for sure one of the most memorable Romance heroes). And following Cletus and Jenn on their new adventures is a delight!
While the two navigate their HEA, they also use their devious minds to figure out what’s going on in Green Valley. The audiobook is narrated by beloved Romance narrators Chris Brinkley and Joy Nash.
A Spell for Trouble
Esme Addison (Author), Emily Durante (Narrator)
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After her father’s death and a stressful phase in her job, Alex moves to the hometown her father has always warned her away from. She wants to reconnect with her remaining family.
Turns out, they are witches with a very special heritage!
… and a lot of enemies. When a man turns up dead, Alex’s aunt is taken into custody. But Alex is determined to solve the case.
A Spell for Trouble is a fun paranormal Cozy Mystery. I especially loved the world-building in this book and how it was based on Eastern European folklore. Very unique!
Two audiobooks have been released in the An Enchanted Bay Mystery series by Esme Addison. Both are narrated by Emily Durante, who is a great fit for the story and characters.
A Deadly Inside Scoop
Abby Collette (Author), Chandra Skyye (Narrator)
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Win moves back to her hometown to take over her grandparents’ ice cream parlor and bring back its glory days. Not an easy undertaking in Winter!
And then she stumbles over the body of a man her family hated – and her father is the suspect…
With a warm cup of tea and a cold bowl of your favorite ice cream, you are prepared for this ice-cold culinary Cozy Mystery! I loved the two friends here, and Win’s backstory for returning to her hometown was a particularly touching one.
Chandra Skyye did a great job bringing all the many wonderful characters in this story to life. The Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series by Abby Collette has three books available in audio format.
And Then There Were Crumbs
Eve Calder (Author), Christa Lewis (Narrator)
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After losing her partner and her job, Kate flees to a small island town in Florida. She lands a job in a bakery but is off to a rough start with the old baker, who doesn’t really want her there.
When a body shows up shortly after, Kate is the first suspect, followed closely by the mean baker…
And Then There Were Crumbs is a wonderfully relaxing yet captivating book! The town is described beautifully, and listening to the audiobook will make you feel like taking a trip to this seaside town yourself.
I loved the dog and the wonderful people Kate gets to know. The narrator of all three A Cookie House Mystery audiobooks is Christa Lewis, who did an outstanding performance!
A First Date with Death
Diana Orgain (Author), Eva Kaminsky (Narrator)
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As a favor to her TV producer friend, ex-detective Georgia takes part in a Bachelorette-type TV show. She never even felt like doing this, and then one participant after another is involved in “freak accidents”.
And to top it all off, one candidate is replaced by her ex-fiance, who had canceled their wedding on short notice!
A First Date with Death is a wild story and completely entertaining. Fans of reality shows will surely get a kick out of this setting, and the concept of a dating TV show gone wrong. Eva Kaminsky is a fantastic narrator!
Dial A for Aunties
Jesse Q. Sutanto (Author), Risa Mei (Narrator)
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Or listen on Scribd**
Meddelin accidentally kills her blind date. Whoops! Fortunately, she has a mother and three aunts who have no problem dealing with a body.
But it turns out making a corpse disappear isn’t all that easy. And then there’s the question: Who even is this guy??
Dial A for Aunties doesn’t quite follow the usual pattern of a Cozy Mystery, but it is still perfect when you want a funny murder mystery!
It’s fast-paced, with many laugh-out-loud moments, and the story, writing, and narration flow extremely well. An absolute must-listen! Risa Mei brings the characters to life perfectly in the audio version.
Murder by Page One
Olivia Matthews (Author), Janina Edwards (Narrator)
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Marvey moves from Brooklyn to a small town in Georgia. She has a great group of bookish friends there.
But when the body of an author is found in her friend’s bookstore, and her friend is the only suspect, Marvey has to use her librarian superpower (research!) to find out who the real killer is.
I loved this quirky group of librarians, they’re friendship goals. The story is utterly captivating, and I enjoyed Marvey as heroine so much. A truly great woman!
Janina Edwards is the perfect voice for her. The A Peach Coast Library Mystery series by Olivia Matthews is a wonderful bookish Cozy series and one I will most certainly continue to follow.
Jed Had to Die
Tara Sivec (Author), Amy McFadden (Narrator)
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Everyone in Payton’s little hometown thinks she’s nothing but trouble. She was happy to have left that place behind. But when her friend asks her to come back, she doesn’t hesitate, even though she doesn’t know why.
When the very beloved mayor, her friend’s husband, is found dead only shortly after Payton’s arrival, things once again look pretty bad for her…
This story has it all: Serious feels and lots of fun! From the quirky small-town folks to the serious issues surrounding the murder, this is one of the best funny Mystery books out there, with a good dose of Romance and Happily Ever After.
Amy McFadden did the extremely captivating narration, and this book is actually on our list of 50 of the best audiobooks of all time! This is a stand-alone book.
Sex, Lies, and Online Dating
Rachel Gibson (Author), Kathleen Early (Narrator)
Listen for free with Audible Plus**
Lucy is a successful crime fiction writer, and as research for her next book, she meets men anonymously through an online dating site. She uses them as inspiration for her fictional killer’s victims.
Incidentally, a series of real-life murders begins. And the victims are men who used the online dating site and met with Lucy…
I was so intrigued by all the puzzle pieces in this novel! This is a bit more on the Romance side than the other Cozy Mystery audiobooks I have listed, because the focus is on Lucy and Quinn and how they work through the rather complex issues of building a relationship with each other.
Quinn is an undercover cop and suspects Lucy might be a serial killer. And Lucy notices that Quinn is lying to her a lot but doesn’t understand why, since he seems so nice, and she can’t think of anything that he would really need to hide.
This quirky, funny Romantic Mystery audiobook is narrated by Kathleen Early, who did an absolutely captivating narration!
Eline Blackman (pronouns: she/they) fell in love with books as a child – with being read to and reading herself. 10 years ago, she bought her first Audible book. It was love at first listen! An average of 250 audiobooks per year has become the new normal and you will rarely see Eline without a wireless earbud. Romance and Fantasy are the go-to genres for this audiobook fan.
This is great, I love a good cozy mystery! They make great read/listening on a cold winter day 🙂
That’s true!! It’s really an awesome genre. And I love those cute covers 🙂
Yay! I have been looking for a cozy mystery.
Thank you for stopping by 🙂 Hope you found something you’ll enjoy!
Sex, Lies and Online Dating looks good. After I get through Peen I will check that out. 😉
Awesome! I hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂 How are you liking Peen?