Books: Reading List: Five (5) Popular Cozy Mysteries Published 2020 and Beyond!

When you checked out my previous post My TOP TEN (10) Best Cozy Mysteries to Watch During the Holiday Season, you may have thought: 'These are classics. But what about more recent cozy mysteries? 

OK! Need a festive reading list of 5 Popular Cozy Mysteries Published in 2020 and beyond!  Perfect for curling up by the fireside during the holiday season?

Cozy mysteries + holidays work: The contrast between cheerful seasonal settings and clever sleuthing creates comforting suspense — like Hallmark meets Miss Marple. (AARP)

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🎄 1. The Mistletoe Mystery — Nita Prose (2024)

Hotel maid Molly Gray (from The Maid) is looking forward to a peaceful holiday… until a Secret Santa twist and a light mystery about trust and gifts put her on the sleuthing trail. It’s heartwarming, gentle, and a lovely festive read with cozy vibes rather than gruesome crime. 

Author: Nita Prose: Canadian mystery author Nita Prose garnered major attention with her debut The Maid, blending quirky protagonists with warm mysteries; she brings the same charm to this holiday outing.

Tidbits: 

• This title is short enough to enjoy in one sitting — perfect for a night in with cocoa and cookies! It’s part of Molly’s expanding cozy world, so fans of character-driven mysteries will adore it. 
• Mistletoe Murders is a holiday mystery TV series — not a direct adaptation of one of the mystery books on your holiday reading list. It’s based on an Audible original podcast series rather than a published holiday mystery novel.  Even so, the series premiered on Hallmark+ on October 31, 2024, and later aired on the Hallmark Channel during the 2025 holiday season. Stars Sarah Drew as Emily Lane, a small-town Christmas shop owner who investigates murders around her town of Fletcher’s Grove. The series is based on a podcast by creator Ken Cuperus (not on a mystery book), though it carries the cozy holiday mystery vibe your readers will love. It’s been renewed for at least Season 2 in 2025, expanding the story and mysteries each year. 

REF: DeRenzo, Nicholas. “These Holiday Mysteries Offer Cozy Chills.” AARP, 15 Nov. 2024, https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/books/holiday-mystery-books/.

Herman, Joly. “Mistletoe Murders.” Common Sense Media, 31 Oct. 2024, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/mistletoe-murders.

“Holiday Cozy Mysteries for the Festive Season.” PenguinRandomhouse.Com, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/holiday-cozy-mysteries/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.

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🧶 2. It Came Upon a Midnight Shear — Allie Pleiter (2022) 

Libby Beckett’s yarn shop holiday celebration unravels when her ex turns up dead, and a rare luxury wool goes missing. As decorations go up, sleuthing begins, blending holiday cheer with small-town mystery. 

Author: Allie Pleiter: a bestselling cozy mystery author with dozens of books to her name and a special knack for knitting and craft-based mysteries. Her experience as a knitter and speaker adds heart to her cozy settings.

Tidbits: Knitting patterns are sometimes included in Pleiter’s books — a festive bonus for crafty readers! 

REF:  Allie Pleiter, https://alliepleiter.com/books/the-riverbank-knitting-mysteries/it-came-upon-a-midnight-shear/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.

It Came Upon a Midnight Shear. 8 Nov. 2022, https://dianneascroft.com/2022/11/08/it-came-upon-a-midnight-shear/.

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🎅 3. Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen — Vicki Delany (2021) 

In Rudolph, New York — a town that celebrates Christmas year-round — cozy sleuth Merry Wilkinson finds that even endless holiday cheer can’t hide a murder. A cheerful setting with holiday traditions on every page. 

Author: Vicki Delany: has written over 30 mysteries with heart and place-based charm, often featuring strong amateur sleuths in quirky communities.

Tidbits: This book launches the Year-Round Christmas series — great if you love holiday legend, season-long cheer, and a bit of sleuthing that never leaves the festive spirit. 

REF: “Holiday Cozy Mysteries for the Festive Season.” PenguinRandomhouse.Com, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/holiday-cozy-mysteries/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.

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📚 4. The Thursday Murder Club — Richard Osman (2020)

In a retirement community, four friends meet weekly to solve cold cases — and suddenly they’ve got a live case on their hands. While not strictly holiday-themed, this cozy (and hilarious) mystery has the warm feeling of gathering with friends — ideal for the season. 

Author: Richard Osman:  British TV presenter turned bestselling author, Osman’s debut was a global hit thanks to its delightful characters, witty prose, and lovable amateur detectives.

Tidbits: 

• This book became a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and is often gifted during the holidays for its charm and wit. 
• The first book in Richard Osman’s beloved series (The Thursday Murder Club, 2020) was adapted into a major motion picture that was released in 2025.  It starred Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Ben Kingsley, among others, and debuted on Netflix after a theatrical run.

REF:  Contributors to Wikimedia projects. “Thursday Murder Club (Series).” Wikipedia, 1 Nov. 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thursday_Murder_Club_%28series%29.

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🕯️ 5. Blackmail and Bibingka — Mia P. Manansala (2024)

In Shady Palms during Christmastime, Lila Macapagal must untangle family drama and murder suspicions involving her estranged cousin — all while navigating cultural holiday traditions.

Author: Mia P. Manansala: brings a fresh, multicultural voice to cozy mysteries, blending heart with holiday spirt, family themes, and sharp sleuthing.

Tidbits: The title’s fun wordplay and inclusion of bibingka (a Filipino holiday treat) make it an especially tasty read for food-loving mystery fans! 

REF:  “Holiday Cozy Mysteries for the Festive Season.” PenguinRandomhouse.Com, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/holiday-cozy-mysteries/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.

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✨ Fun Ideas

📌 Pair each book with a themed drink — check out the drink pairings on my foodie blog.

📌 More fun for the holiday?  Pick a “mystery reading night” and invite family and friends, book club members, etc.  They'll need a blanket, string lights, their favorite warm drink, and one or more of these books!

My TOP TEN (10) Best Cozy Mysteries to Watch During the Holiday Season

Let's Have a Cozy Mystery Holiday!

Cozy mysteries are a subgenre of crime fiction that emphasizes puzzle-solving and character over graphic violence, sex, or gritty procedural elements. Their roots trace back to the Golden Age of Detective Fiction in the 1930s, with authors like Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers crafting intricate whodunits often set in intimate communities.

Here is my curated “10 Best Cozy Mystery Watchlist for the Holidays" and a suggested line-up, i.e., how to maximize your entertainment (like if you're having a watch party).  Grab your cocoa! ☕ 😀

• Start with Jessica Fletcher or Father Brown; add a pinch of Phryne Fisher glamour to your hot chocolate. Save Poirot or Orient Express for last! By then, your puzzle-solving skills will be sharpened. Many people have already seen Murder on the Orient Express”. But there are a bazillion different adaptations for film and/or television. There's even a 2015 Japanese TV adaptation — a two-night miniseries version broadcast on Fuji Television.

1. Murder, She Wrote — “A Christmas Secret” (1992)

This episode leans into pure Christmas nostalgia—small-town charity events, long-buried family secrets, and Jessica Fletcher at her warmest. It’s often cited as the most beloved holiday episode of the entire series. The episode avoids a traditional “on-screen murder,” making it gentler and more emotionally resonant than usual—perfect for viewers who want maximum coziness, minimal darkness.

2. Agatha Christie’s Poirot — “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas” (1994)

A snowbound English manor, a tyrannical patriarch, and a locked-room mystery—this episode feels like a mystery advent calendar in motion. It’s one of the few Christie stories written specifically for the holiday market, and David Suchet considered it one of Poirot’s most psychologically complex cases.

3. Father Brown — “The Star of Jacob” (2014)

A jewel theft tied to the Nativity, candlelit churches, and moral puzzles rather than graphic crime. This episode blends biblical symbolism with classic whodunit logic, making it feel like a Christmas sermon disguised as a mystery.

4. Midsomer Murders — “Ghosts of Christmas Past” (2017)

Christmas in Midsomer means carolers… and corpses. This episode balances festive décor with sharp wit and eccentric villagers. It was filmed in real historic English villages decorated by locals, giving it an unusually authentic holiday atmosphere.

5. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries — “Cocaine Blues” (2012)

While not explicitly Christmas-themed, its jazz-age glamour, champagne energy, and warm friendships make it ideal for December indulgence. Phryne Fisher’s character was intentionally written as a female fantasy figure of independence, and the TV adaptation amplified that spirit, turning her into a global cozy icon.

6. Agatha Christie’s Poirot — “The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding” (1991)

A lighter, almost playful holiday Poirot episode with country-house charm and clever misdirection. The episode adapts multiple Christie short stories into one narrative—making it a puzzle even for devoted Christie readers.

7. Aurora Teagarden Mysteries — “A Bone to Pick” (2015)

Book clubs, inherited houses, and amateur sleuthing in a quiet town—this is modern cozy comfort at its best. The fictional “Real Murders Club” is inspired by real-life mystery-reading groups that meet specifically during winter months.

8. Grantchester — Christmas Special (any season)

A vicar solving crimes during the most spiritually reflective time of year creates a gentle blend of mystery and meaning. Many Christmas episodes intentionally slow the pace, focusing on grief, forgiveness, and community—making them ideal for post-holiday viewing.

9. Agatha Christie’s Marple — “A Caribbean Mystery” (1989)

Sunshine during winter! Miss Marple solves a murder while on holiday, proving that coziness doesn’t require snow. This adaptation was filmed in locations Christie herself visited, giving the episode an unusually authentic connection to the author’s life.

10. Murder on the Orient Express (2017 Film)

A luxurious train, winter isolation, and one of the most famous endings in mystery history—perfect for New Year’s Eve viewing. The film emphasizes the moral dilemma of the ending more strongly than earlier adaptations, making it a conversation starter rather than just a whodunit.

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Where to watch? Check here for the streaming guide.

Are you ambitious? How about a book pairing for your New Year readinglist? (Map the film or series episode to the book it was adapted from.)