What Are Escapist Mystery Books for Relaxing?

Escapist mystery books are the ones that let you solve a murder from the comfort of your sofa, with no gore, no nightmares, and usually a pot of tea somewhere on the page. Cozy mystery books are the best of the bunch for this. Small villages, amateur sleuths, a body that's more of a puzzle than a horror show, and an ending where the right person gets caught. Most of them live in Kindle Unlimited, so you can read a whole series without thinking about it.

I write these for a living. I also read them at 11pm when I should be asleep, so I have both the professional opinion and the eye bags.

What makes a mystery book relaxing?

The trick is that nothing truly awful happens to anyone you like.

There's a murder, obviously. There has to be, or it's just a book about a village fete. The victim is usually someone slightly dreadful who nobody will miss much, and the violence happens off the page. You get the puzzle without the dread.

The other thing is pace. Escapist mystery books don't make you work. Short chapters, clear clues, characters you recognise from your own street. You can read three pages while the kettle boils and not lose the thread.

And the world is nice to be in. That's the bit people underestimate. You're not reading about a serial killer's basement. You're reading about a pub with a wonky sign and a landlady who knows everyone's business.

Why cozy mystery books work so well for winding down

Cozy mystery books have rules, and the rules are comforting.

The sleuth is an ordinary person, not a haunted detective with a drinking problem. The setting is somewhere you'd like to visit. The ending ties up. Nobody gets away with it.

Your brain gets something to chew on (who did it, why, and what was that odd thing on page 40) without any of the horrible stuff. It's a puzzle in a cardigan.

They're brilliant book club books for the same reason. Everyone finishes them, everyone has a theory, and nobody sits there saying they found it a bit bleak.

My own series - Bob and Shirley

I have to mention my lot, because this is exactly what I wrote them for.

Bob and Shirley are pub landlords in the fictional English village of Great Oakley. Bob is a pedant with strong opinions about the correct way to pull a pint. Shirley says what everyone else is thinking and then some. They squabble constantly and they solve murders, mostly by accident.

The books are written in dual first-person, so you get both their voices alternating. It means you get Shirley's version of events and then Bob's slightly grumpier correction of it, which is my favourite thing about writing them.

They're all Kindle Unlimited books, so if you're a member you can read the lot. Start anywhere, though the first one makes most sense.

I'm SO glad readers have taken to them. It's a lovely thing to write about a made-up pub for years and then hear from people who feel like they've been drinking in it.

Three more murder mystery books authors worth your evening

M.C. Beaton. The Agatha Raisin books are the gold standard for escapist mystery books. Agatha is vain, rude and utterly wonderful. Cotswolds villages, quiches, questionable romantic decisions.

Janet Evanovich. The Stephanie Plum series is faster and funnier and set in New Jersey rather than a village green. If you want your murder mystery books with more car chases and more doughnuts, start here.

Faith Martin. The Hillary Greene books are a touch more procedural but still gentle. Good if you want something with a bit more police work and canal boats.

Rotate all three through your Kindle and you'll be busy until Christmas.

How to pick your next escapist read

Look at the setting first. If you don't fancy spending eight hours in that village, town or tearoom, skip it.

Then check the series length. Escapist mystery books are much better in batches. Finding a series with twelve books in it is one of life's small joys.

Then check if it's in Kindle Unlimited. Reading the first three of a series in a weekend is a lot more appealing when you're not buying each one separately.

Frequently asked questions

Are cozy mystery books suitable if I don't like violence?

Yes. Cozy mystery books keep the violence off the page. You'll hear that someone has been found in the churchyard, but you won't be there for it. That's the whole point of the genre.

What's the difference between cozy mystery books and thrillers?

Thrillers want your heart rate up. Cozy mystery books want your heart rate down while your brain does a puzzle. Thrillers often point the danger at the main character. In a cozy, the sleuth is nosy rather than hunted.

Are escapist mystery books good book club books?

They're wonderful book club books. Everyone actually finishes them, which is more than can be said for most literary picks, and there's a built-in discussion because everyone has a suspect.

Where can I read cozy mystery books without buying each one?

Kindle Unlimited is the obvious answer. A huge amount of the genre sits there, including all of mine. If you read more than a couple of Kindle Unlimited books a month it pays for itself.

Happy reading, lovely readers. Go and solve something.

Suzy xx