Cozy Up to These 9 Autumn-Themed Mysteries

There’s something about autumn that seems tailor-made for a cozy mystery. Maybe it’s the crisp air and colorful leaves, the little towns decorated with pumpkins and mums, or the irresistible prospect of curling up beneath a blanket with a warm drink and a good whodunit.

The nine murder mysteries on this list capture the flavor of the season: apple orchards, harvest festivals, pumpkin spice, charming cafés, bookshops, and picturesque small towns glowing with fall color. Any one of these high-ranking books is sure to immerse you in the coziest season.

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Autumn & Alibis by Jules Motschall

Harper Whitmore inherits a bookstore in the appropriately named town of Fall, Michigan, just in time for the Apple Harvest Festival. When the festival’s notoriously difficult pie-contest judge is murdered, Harper finds herself investigating old secrets, hidden passageways, and a killer lurking beneath the town’s cozy autumn charm.

Berried Secrets by Peg Cochran

Monica Albertson heads to the picturesque Lake Michigan town of Cranberry Cove to help her brother with his cranberry farm. But when the farm’s former manager is murdered and her brother becomes a suspect, Monica must dig through small-town secrets to clear his name.

A Deadly Autumn at Bramblewood by Margaret Wren

October brings apple harvests and preparations for the Autumn Fair to the English village of Bramblewood. But when a feared food critic is found dead in an orchard, retired librarian Ellie Marsh discovers that plenty of villagers had reasons to want him gone.

Death by Hot Apple Cider by Alex Erickson

Bookstore-café owner Krissy Hancock is supplying cider for a fall celebration in Pine Hills, Ohio, when an apple-bobbing contest turns deadly. With no shortage of suspects, Krissy must sort through grudges and secrets to find the killer.

Love, Lies and Pumpkin Spice by Rachel Beattie

A return to the small town of Westhaven leads to old friends, old rivalries, and an unexpected entry in a local pie festival. When the competition takes a murderous turn, a cozy homecoming becomes a hunt for a killer.

What are your favorite fall-themed cozy mysteries? List your recommendations in the comments below.

Murder at the Harvest Festival by Poppy Waverly

Seagrove Harbor’s annual Harvest Festival should be filled with good food, local traditions, and small-town fun. Instead, bakery-and-café owner Lila McAllister finds herself investigating when a beloved local grocer suddenly dies after sampling her famous salsa.

Murder Under Autumn Leaves by Lyla Blue

Silver Pines is bursting with fall color as leaf-peepers arrive to stay at Clare Garner’s cozy inn. But the picture-perfect season takes a darker turn when a body is discovered, sending Clare and her dog Lucy in search of a killer among the tourists and townspeople.

Murder With a Hint of Pumpkin Spice by Laura M. Drake

Harper Coleman arrives in Whisper Hollow to take over her grandmother’s charming bookshop and begin a new life. Instead, she discovers a body among the shelves and becomes the prime suspect, forcing her to uncover the secrets hiding behind the town’s friendly façade.

A Whole Latte Trouble by Kayla Hansen

In whimsical Maplewood, where it always feels like autumn, café owner Ella is preparing for the annual Harvest Festival when her grandmother’s treasured maple syrup disappears. Ella and her friends follow the clues through a gentle mystery filled with coffee, friendship, fall atmosphere, and a touch of magic.

Cozy Mysteries Made for the Season

Now all you have to do is grab one of these autumn cozies, pull on your fluffiest socks, pour yourself something warm, and settle into your favorite chair. The leaves are falling, the cider is hot, and somewhere in a charming little town, an amateur sleuth has a mystery to solve.