What are some good cozy mystery novels to start with?

One great cozy mystery graphic novel is 'Giant Days'. It follows the lives of three university students and has elements of mystery within their day - to - day adventures. Another is 'Fables'. It combines mystery with fairy - tale characters in a modern - day setting. 'Saga' also has some mystery aspects in its complex and imaginative story of star - crossed lovers from different species.

The 'Flavia de Luce' series by Alan Bradley is among the best. Flavia is an 11 - year - old chemist in 1950s England who solves mysteries in her small village. It has a unique charm with Flavia's precocious nature. 'Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder' by Joanne Fluke is also good. It combines baking and mystery - solving in a small - town Minnesota setting. And 'The Southern Sisters' series by Anne George, which features two elderly sisters getting involved in various local mysteries in Alabama.

Some cozy mystery reader stories worth checking out include 'Death at La Fenice' by Donna Leon. It's set in Venice and the atmosphere of the city really adds to the mystery. The main character, Commissario Brunetti, is a likable detective. 'Three Bags Full' by Leonie Swann is a unique cozy mystery as it's told from the perspective of a flock of sheep trying to solve the murder of their shepherd. And 'The Spellman Files' by Lisa Lutz is about a family of private investigators with a lot of humor and mystery.

The 'Flower Shop Mystery' series by Kate Collins is also great. The main character runs a flower shop and gets involved in various mysteries while having a budding romance with a detective. It has a charming small - town feel and interesting characters.

One great example is 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' by Alexander McCall Smith. It features Precious Ramotswe, a Botswanan detective, and her charming and down - to - earth investigations. The stories are filled with local culture and human nature exploration.

One great supernatural cozy mystery novel is 'The Witch's Daughter' by Paula Brackston. It combines elements of magic and mystery in a really engaging way. Another is 'A Discovery of Witches' by Deborah Harkness. It has a great mix of supernatural beings like witches, vampires, and daemons within a mystery plot. And 'Midnight at the Blackbird Café' also has a touch of the supernatural in its small - town mystery setting.

One great academic cozy mystery novel is 'The Name of the Rose' by Umberto Eco. It's set in a medieval monastery filled with academic debates and mysterious deaths.

Cozy British mystery novels often have a small - town or village setting. For example, in Agatha Christie's works, the village is a place where everyone knows everyone, and secrets lurk beneath the surface. They usually feature an amateur detective, like Miss Marple, who uses her intuition and knowledge of human nature rather than high - tech gadgets. The pace is generally slower compared to action - packed thrillers, allowing for detailed descriptions of the setting, characters' relationships, and the mystery itself.

Academic cozy mystery novels also tend to have a small - town or close - knit community feel even within the academic environment. The characters interact in a more personable way, like faculty members having dinner together and discussing the mystery at hand. There's a charm to the way they go about investigating, often relying on their academic expertise and intuition rather than high - tech forensic methods.

A cozy mystery novel is kind of like a gentle mystery. It typically has a light and pleasant tone. The crimes aren't too gruesome, and there's a lot of emphasis on the community and the characters getting to the bottom of things in a non-threatening way.