Nothing could tear Detective Michael Bennett away from his new bride—except the murder of his best friend. NYPD master homicide investigator Michael Bennett and FBI abduction specialist Emily Parker have a history. When she fails to show at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC, Bennett ventures outside his jurisdiction. The investigation he undertakes is the most brilliant detective work of his career…and the most intensely personal. A portrait begins to emerge of a woman as adept at keeping secrets as forging powerful connections. A woman whose enemies had the means and the motives to silence her —and her protectors. It’s a beautiful day at the seaside. The tide is headed out, and you’re off to collect colorful shells with your favorite seashell basket…but what’s that up ahead? Is that piece of driftwood wearing pants or is it…someone? It’s a beautiful day at the winery. The harvesters are out in the fields, and the grape stompers are stomping grapes to their bare feet’s content. But what’s that? Something large is floating in the vat, and it’s not the correct vintage at all. Ah, a cozy mystery. The nicest settings with the worst happenings. The kindest people hiding the most hideous secrets. The most unlikely of detectives running afoul of police and getting themselves locked in closets without cell service. Or getting lost in the woods without cell service. Or getting swept out to sea in a charming dinghy, again, without cell service. You would think some of these more picturesque villages would band together to get a cell tower installed, but I suppose it does harm the view. There are a few different ways to define a cozy mystery, but the way I define them is this: a cozy mystery is a mystery, often a murder mystery, set in a pleasant location with pleasant people and usually excludes explicit details of anything too gory or adult in nature. Even though the crime is often quite violent, there is a level of innocence to cozies that, I think, appeals to their readers. The crimes are always solvable, usually by an amateur. (Though, some of these series are quite long. You’d think the lay detective is a professional by book 15 or so.) I find myself reading (and listening to!) cozies quite often in the summer. There’s something about the gentle stories that meshes nicely with long walks or days spent gardening. I don’t need complicated while I’m weeding my veggies, and I love a nice, gentle, fictional murder in my earbuds. In case you’re of a similar mind, I rounded up 10 cozies. But of course, please enjoy responsibly: keep a sharp eye out for any sinister looking curates, and always hold the handrails as you head up to the tower or down into the crypt. Want more mystery in your life? Check out this bi-weekly mystery podcast. Dive into some classics with the 15 best mysteries of all time. Nostalgic about your Nancy Drew days? How about some middle grade mysteries?
