Short Cozy Mystery Books You Can Read Quickly

Yes, there are LOTS of cozy mystery books you can read quickly, and my Bob and Shirley series is top of my list. Each book is a fast, funny, murder mystery read that you can finish in a weekend (or in one long bath, no judgement).

Hello, wonderful readers! I get this question a lot, usually from people who love a good whodunnit but have about eleven minutes of free time a day. I completely understand. My own reading pile is currently taller than my cat.

Why Cozy Mystery Books Are Perfect for Quick Reading

Cozy mystery books are built for speed. The chapters are short. The villages are small. The suspects are easy to keep track of, even if you read three pages and then fall asleep on the sofa.

There is no gory detail to wade through, either. You get the puzzle, the humour and the cup of tea, and you get to the answer without needing a lie-down afterwards.

My Top Pick: The Bob and Shirley Series

I am SO biased here, but Bob and Shirley are my very, very own series, so I am going to tell you about them anyway.

Bob and Shirley are pub landlords in the fictional English village of Great Oakley. They keep stumbling over murders, and they solve them between pulling pints and arguing about the quiz night scoring.

The books are written in dual first-person, so you hop between Bob and Shirley's voices. That keeps the pace zipping along and means there is never a dull moment. They are cozy mystery books with a proper laugh on every page.

They are also all free on Kindle Unlimited, so if you are after Kindle Unlimited books that will not cost you a penny, you can start binging today. Start with book one and see how you get on.

More Quick Cozy Mystery Books I Love

I read other authors too (a writer who only reads her own books would be very odd indeed). Here are some fast murder mystery books I keep going back to.

M.C. Beaton is the queen of the quick read. Her Agatha Raisin books are short, spiky and very funny, and Agatha is wonderfully flawed. If you like a heroine who gets things gloriously wrong, she is your woman.

Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club is a favourite with book club books lists everywhere. The chapters are snappy, the pensioners are brilliant and you will want to join them for a cuppa.

Faith Martin writes gentle, easy-to-read cozy mystery books with lovely English settings. They are ideal for a rainy afternoon and a biscuit (or six).

Janet Evanovich is the one to pick up if you want your murder mystery books fast and giggly. Her Stephanie Plum novels are pure escapism and they move at a cracking pace.

Tips for Reading Cozy Mysteries Quickly

Read a chapter while the kettle boils. Keep your Kindle in your handbag for queues. Do not try to solve the murder on page ten, because you will be wrong and it will annoy you (this is what happens to me every time).

And if you are choosing book club books, a short cozy mystery is a brilliant option. Everyone actually finishes it, which is a rare and beautiful thing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are cozy mystery books usually short?

Many of them are. Cozy mystery books tend to have short chapters and a tight cast of suspects, which makes them quick to get through. Bob and Shirley are a good example.

What is the best cozy mystery for a busy reader?

I would say the Bob and Shirley series, because the dual first-person voices keep the story bouncing along. Agatha Raisin by M.C. Beaton is another very good choice.

Are there murder mystery books I can read for free?

Yes. All of my books are free on Kindle Unlimited, so if you have a subscription you can read the whole Bob and Shirley series without paying extra.

Are cozy mystery books good for book clubs?

They are brilliant for book club books because they are easy to finish and great fun to discuss. Everyone has a theory about whodunnit, and nobody agrees.

Happy reading, lovely readers. Pop the kettle on and get stuck in.

Suzy xx