30 Cozy Mystery Series With Cats

Whether or not you're a cat lover like me, you have to admit there’s something undeniably comforting about a cozy mystery featuring a cat. As intuitive companions, secret sleuths, or magical beings, feline characters bring warmth, humor, and just a hint of the uncanny to every investigation. These stories often unfold in charming small towns or bookish settings, where curiosity (both human and feline) leads straight into trouble. And, of course, murder.

From library stacks to enchanted villages, these 30 cat-themed series highlight some of the very best murder mysteries. If you love clever puzzles, atmospheric settings, and whiskered detectives, this list is for you.

Mrs. Murphy Mysteries by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown

34 books

First book: Wish You Were Here. This beloved and highly recommended series follows postmistress Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen in small-town Virginia. Her tiger cat Mrs. Murphy (along with corgi Tucker—a list of canine cozies is in the works!) quietly solves crimes from the animal perspective, often staying one step ahead of the humans.

The Cat Who… Series by Lilian Jackson Braun

29 books

First book: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. Reporter Jim Qwilleran relocates to a quieter town where he routinely finds himself entangled in intrigue and murder. His Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, are faithful sidekicks through Jim's adventures, and Koko’s uncanny ability to sense clues adds a unique twist, turning everyday observations into breakthroughs.

Midnight Louie Mysteries by Carole Nelson Douglas

28 books

First book: Cat In An Alphabet Soup. Set in Las Vegas, this charming series features Midnight Louie, a streetwise feline with a sharp wit and a flair for noir-style narration. Alongside PR professional Temple Barr, Louie investigates crimes that blend glamour, danger, and humor in unexpected ways.

Norwegian Forest Cat Café Mysteries by Jinty James

23 books

First book: Purrs and Peril. Lauren Crenshaw runs a cozy cat café in a picturesque California town, where customers come for feline comfort. Unfortunately, they sometimes meet darker ends. Her Norwegian Forest Cat Annie proves to be more perceptive than most humans, often guiding Lauren toward answers.

Joe Grey Mysteries by Shirley Rousseau Murphy

21 books

First book: Cat on the Edge. Joe Grey is no ordinary cat. He can understand and speak human language, which becomes an essential tool for this crime-solving feline. In a coastal town full of secrets, Joe and his animal companions navigate danger while trying to protect both themselves and their humans.

Jaine Austen Mysteries by Laura Levine

20 books

First book: This Pen for Hire. Freelance writer Jaine Austen often finds herself embroiled in murder cases while juggling eccentric clients and Hollywood oddities. Her cat Prozac provides both comic relief and quiet companionship as she pieces together clues.

Razzy Cat Cozy Mysteries by Courtney McFarlin

19 books

First book: The Body in the Park. After a strange twist of fate, Hannah Murphy discovers she can communicate with her cat Razzy. This unexpected partnership becomes invaluable when she stumbles into murder investigations that could make or break her career.

Cat in the Stacks Mysteries by Miranda James

17 books

First book: Murder Past Due. Librarian Charlie Harris returns to his Mississippi hometown with his Maine Coon cat Diesel, only to find himself in the middle of a string of mysteries. But Diesel’s calm presence and keen instincts always help Charlie untangle a web of grudges and long-held secrets.

Magical Cats Mysteries by Sofie Kelly

16 books

First book: Curiosity Thrilled the Cat. Kathleen Paulson’s quiet life changes when she adopts two cats with extraordinary abilities. One can turn invisible, and the other can walk through walls. Together, they help her decipher the mysterious murders that ripple through her small town.

Stoneybrook Mysteries by Eryn Scott

15 books

First book: A Crafty Crime. Hadley James just wants to sell her homemade jams, but a simple cat-sitting job pulls her into a murder investigation. Each book introduces a new cat, adding heart and charm as Hadley uncovers secrets lurking beneath her town’s pleasant surface.

Bookmobile Cat Mysteries by Laurie Cass

13 books

First book: Lending a Paw. Minnie Hamilton travels the countryside in her bookmobile, accompanied by her rescue cat Eddie. Minnie quickly realizes her new job comes with more danger than she ever expected, but thankfully she has Eddie to rely on.

Second Chance Cat Mysteries by Sofie Ryan

12 books

First book: The Whole Cat and Caboodle. Sarah Grayson runs a secondhand shop and adopts a scarred but lovable cat named Elvis. In the first book in the series, a friend is accused of murder, and Sarah and Elvis must dig into the town’s secrets to identify the real culprit.

Which cat cozies are your favorites? I'd love to follow your recommendations below.

Cat Café Mysteries by Cate Conte

10 books

First book: Cat About Town. Maddie James opens a cat café on a seaside island, where both cats and customers come with secrets. As murders disrupt the peaceful setting, Maddie increasingly relies on her feline companions to help solve cases.

Bewitched by Chocolate Mysteries by H.Y. Hanna

9 books

First book: Dark, Witch & Creamy. Caitlyn travels to a quaint English village and discovers both her magical heritage and a murder mystery. With the help of her mischievous black kitten Nibbs, she learns that magic and danger often go hand in hand.

Detective Whiskers Mysteries by Chris Abernathy

9 books

First book: Paw and Order. In this imaginative series, Whiskers is convinced he’s a real detective, complete with a badge. Unfortunately, humans don’t take him seriously. As he works with other animals to solve crimes, his biggest challenge is proving what he knows.

Mystic Notch Mysteries by Leighann Dobbs

8 books

First book: Ghostly Paws. After returning home, Willa Chance makes two shocking discoveries: She can see ghosts, and her cat Pandora may have mystical abilities. Together, they untangle mysteries that bridge the gap between the living and the dead.

Kitchen Witch Mysteries by Lynn Cahoon

8 books

First book: One Poison Pie. In a town where magic is an open secret, Mia Malone starts over, launching a catering business infused with a touch of witchcraft. Her feline familiar plays a subtle but important role in navigating both magic and murders.

Cats in Trouble Mysteries by Leann Sweeney

8 books

First book: The Cat, the Quilt, and the Corpse. We all know how lovably mischievous cats can be, but in this series, they're in serious trouble. In the first installment, Jill Lewis’s Abyssinian cat Syrah goes missing, and the search leads to a shocking murder. As she investigates, Jill uncovers a dangerous world tied to stolen purebred cats.

What the Cat Dragged In Mysteries by Sara Bourgeois

7 books

First book: Bewitched and Bespelled. A tattoo apprentice finds herself living in a haunted building with a strange cat and a witch who solves murders. As dark magic enters the picture, the stakes grow far more dangerous than expected.

Mint Chocolate Chip Mysteries by Emmie Lyn

6 books

First book: Claws of Justice. As Sunny Shaw tries to rebuild her life, her struggling bakery, rescued kittens, and unexpected murder cases somehow always collide. It's a lot for one woman to handle.

Cat Aunt Mysteries by Iris Leigh

6 books

First book: Tabby Trouble. Kat Jones never expected to communicate with cats. But once she can, she’s pulled into solving a neighbor’s murder. With reluctant determination, she continues to team up with her feline companions to reveal the bad guys.

Skye O’Shea Mysteries by Rowan Dillon

5 books

First book: Bogs, Brews, and Banshees. Relocating to Ireland for a fresh start, Skye immediately finds herself accused of murder. With help from her grandmother’s enigmatic talking cat, she must navigate Irish folklore, magic, and suspicion to solve this mystery and more.

Wyld Enchantment Woods Mysteries by Kura Jane Carpenter

5 books

First book: Mirror, Mirror, Who’s the Killer? Ella Charming, a disgraced fairy godmother, teams up with Tom April—a man turned into a cat—to solve magical crimes. Together they dive into clever sleuthing in this series that mixes fantasy and humor.

Millie the Miracle Cat Mysteries by Courtney McFarlin

5 books

First book: A New Beginning. Olivia Sutton moves to a small mountain town hoping for a fresh start, but instead stumbles across the first of many mysteries. Along the way, she meets Millie, a stray feline who quickly proves she may be more than she appears.

Hill Country Mysteries by Verena DeLuca

5 books

First book: A Fresh Brew. A café owner juggling a new life in Texas finds herself solving a murder with help from Azure, a snarky cat-dragon companion. The series blends humor, mystery, and a touch of fantasy.

Witch Cats of Cambridge by Clea Simon

5 books

First book: A Spell of Murder. Becca believes she’s developing magical abilities, but her three cats—Harriet, Laurel, and Clara—are the true powerhouses. As she investigates murder, she learns her pets are far more than they seem.

Felines of Fairytale Forest by K.L. Montgomery

4 books

First book: Murder by Moonlight. In a whimsical, fairytale-like theme park, a colony of cats helps uncover a murder that shocks the community. As the series continues, their instincts guide investigations as human and feline sleuths work together.

Tilly Martin Mysteries by Susana Sage

4 books

First book: Murder in the Square. Tilly opens a needlepoint shop in a small Texas town, only to be drawn into suspicious deaths. With help from a playful kitten named Stitches, she begins to unravel long-buried secrets.

Black Cat Investigation Mysteries by Eryn Scott

3 books

First book: Screamish. Queenie Beane teams up with her black cat—of course!—to investigate eerie but cozy mysteries. The series blends a slightly spooky tone with humor and amateur sleuthing.

Chatty Cat Mysteries by Elle Wren Burke

3 books

First book: Purrs & Poison. In the first installment, Brighton the talking cat becomes the key witness when his human is accused of murder. With his sharp wit and curiosity, he continues to solve mysteries, often just in the nick of time.

Cats and Cozy Mysteries: An Ideal Combination

It's funny how cats themselves seem to capture the very heart of the genre: comfort, curiosity, and community with just enough danger to keep you turning pages late into the night. Whether the cats are magical, mischievous, or simply observant, they always seem to know more than they let on.

So, if you’re looking for your next cozy obsession, any one of these series is the perfect place to start. All you need are a cup of tea and a cat curled up beside you.

Now, something tells me that there are more cat-cozy series out there. What have I missed? Comment below.