by Shawn Stevens

As winter wraps us in its chilly embrace, what better way to warm your heart and your imagination than with a collection of delightful mysteries? Here is a selection of gripping whodunits, heartwarming tales, and festive whodunnits to cozy up with by the fireplace. So grab a cup of hot cocoa, snuggle up under a warm blanket, and let’s dive into the December reads that are bound to keep you turning those pages.

Public Anchovy #1 by Mindy Quigley: While Geneva Bay’s upper crust gets ready to party down at a Prohibition-themed fundraiser, pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is focused on seeing her struggling restaurant through the winter slow season. The temperature outside is plummeting, but Delilah’s love life might finally be heating up, as hunky police detective Calvin Capone seems poised to (finally) make a move.
But Delilah’s hopes of perfecting a new “free-from” pizza recipe for a charity bash are dashed when a dead body crashes the party. Soon, Capone, Delilah, and her entire staff are trapped in an isolated mansion and embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
To catch an increasingly desperate killer, Delilah will have to top all of her previous crime-solving accomplishments, and a few pizzas, too.

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom by Patricia Johns: Petunia Yoder is determined to celebrate her friends’ weddings with joy. But when her best friend, Eden, gets involved with a man who is damaging her reputation, things take a turn for the worse. Ike Smoker is found murdered, and Eden is found at the scene with incriminating evidence. Homicide detective Asher Nate seeks Petunia’s help as an Amish interpreter to unravel the mystery. As they dig into Ike’s secrets, they uncover a web of potential motives: family protection or past vengeance. With clues emerging, Petunia and Asher race against time to uncover the truth before they become the killer’s next targets.

Death at the Dower House by Jenna Bennett: Following the funerals of the Duke of Sutherland, his daughter-in-law Charlotte, and the valet Grimsby, a weekend party at the Dower House in Dorset turns dark. After the murder of Johanna de Vos, who vied for Crispin’s affections, suspicions run high. With the unexpected death of Lady Peckham in Wiltshire, the case takes a new twist. Now, Pippa and Christopher race against time to unveil the killer’s identity before they become the next targets.

The following books are also recommended:

The Case of the Antique Store Antics (A Tiffany Black Cases, Book 14) by A.R. Winters, Release Date, December 1, 2023
Shoot for the Moon (A Detective Kate Rosetti Mystery, Book 11) by Gina LaManna, Release Date, December 1, 2023
Hometown Murder (A Hollywood Whodunit, Book 13) by Brittany E. Brinegar, Release Date, December 1, 2023
Gingerbread Jeopardy (A Gluten Free Bakery Cozy Mystery, Book 4) by Lorraine Cooke, Release Date, December 1, 2023
Murder on the Cornish Cliffs (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery, Book 16) by Verity Bright, Release Date, December 1, 2023
Josephine West & The Christmas Corpse (The Josephine West 1920s Mystery, Book 2) by Beth Byers and Ann Warren, Release Date, December 3, 2023
Lost Hours (Alaska Wild, Book 5) by Paige Shelton, Release Date, December 5, 2023
City of Betrayal (A Counterfeit Lady Novel, Book 7) by Victoria Thompson, Release Date, December 5, 2023
Sniffing Out Murder (A Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery, Book 1) by Kallie E. Benjamin, Release Date, December 5, 2023
Death by Demo (A Home Renovation Mystery, Book 1) by Callie Carpenter, Release Date, December 5, 2023
Murder at the Polo Club (A Cleopatra Fox Mystery, Book 7) by C.J. Archer, Release Date, December 5, 2023
Hop Scot (A Last Ditch Mystery, Book 6) by Catriona McPherson, Release Date, December 5, 2023
Masters of Hex (A Supernatural Speakeasy Cozy Mystery, Book 13) by Lily Harper Hart, Release Date, December 5, 2023
The Rougarou Rigmarole (A Charlie Rhodes Cozy Mystery, Book 14) by Amanda M. Lee, Release Date, December 5, 2023
Whispers in the Wisteria (A Lovely Lethal Gardens Mystery, Book 23) by Dale Mayer, Release Date, December 5, 2023
Death at the Dower House (A Pippa Darling Mystery, Book 2) by Jenna Bennett, Release Date, December 5, 2023
Lola Baby (A Lola Cruz Mystery, Book 6) by Melissa Bourbon, Release Date, December 5, 2023

Silenced in Little Leaf Creek (A Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery, Book 21) by Cindy Bell, Release Date, December 6, 2023
Yuletide Murder (A Holiday Corner Christmas Cozy Mystery, Book 4) by Ileana Muñoz Renfroe, Release Date, December 6, 2023
Frozen Dough (A Holiday Corner Christmas Cozy Mystery, Book 5) by D.B. McNicol, Release Date, December 6, 2023
Poisoned Pudding (A Holiday Corner Christmas Cozy Mystery, Book 6) by Sharon Michaels, Release Date, December 6, 2023
Gather the Anarchists (A Grace Designs Mystery, Book 3) by Tilly Wallace, Release Date, December 6, 2023
The Holidays can be Murder (A Brambleberry Bay Murder Club, Book 4) by Addison Moore, Release Date, December 7, 2023
Fairy Tales, Fruitcake, and Murder (A Silver Circle Cat Rescue Mystery, Book 4) by Leanne Leeds, Release Date, December 7, 2023
Death at Tower Bridge (A London Cozy Mystery, Book 3) by Rachel McLean and Millie Ravensworth, Release Date, December 7, 2023
Shade Grown (A Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery, Book 8) by Heather Day Gilbert, Release Date, December 11, 2023
Death in the Dark Woods (A Monster Hunter Mystery, Book 2) by Annelise Ryan, Release Date, December 12, 2023
Cyanide and Sensibility (A Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery, Book 3) by Katie Oliver, Release Date, December 12, 2023
Christmas in the Candlelight (The Inn at Holiday Bay Mystery, Book 25) by Kathi Daley, Release Date, December 12, 2023
Murder at the Motel (A Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Book 4) by Beth Dolgner, Release Date, December 13, 2023
Bucatini Bomber (A Jade Sommer Mystery, Book 6) by Nicolette Pierce, Release Date, December 13, 2023
The Jig is Up (The Painted Lady Inn Mystery, Book 14) by MK Scott, Release Date, December 15, 2023
Death So Pretty: A 1920s Murder Mystery (A Mrs. Mortimer Mystery, Book 5) by Elizabeth Oakey, Release Date, December 15, 2023
Midlife Magic & Mayhem (A Magic at Midnight Mystery, Book 3) by Meredith Carlisle, Release Date, December 15, 2023
Midlife Magic & Menaces (A Magic at Midnight, Book 4) by Meredith Carlisle, Release Date, December 19, 2023
Purrfect Prince (The Mysteries of Max, Book 74) by Nic Saint, Release Date, December 16, 2023
Christmas Wrapped Intrigue (Denny Stumbles Through, Book 2) by Beth Byers, Release Date, December 17, 2023
Frosted Plum Fears (A Claire’s Candles Cozy Mystery, Book 9) by Agatha Frost, Release Date, December 18, 2023
The Bookstore at Holiday Bay: Once Upon a Christmas (The Bookstore at Holiday Bay, Book 3) by Kathi Daley, Release Date, December 19, 2023
Green Tea, Greed & Murder (A Dying for a Coffee Cozy Mystery, Book 6) by Sara Bourgeois and Savannah Marlake, Release Date, December 19, 2023
Santa Clause Surprise (A Holiday Cozy Mystery, Book 8) by Tonya Kappes, Release Date, December 21, 2023

Crafting Deception (A Gasper’s Cove Mystery, Book 2) by Barbara Emodi, Release Date, December 25, 2023
Baffling Bachelorettes (A Cozy Corgi Mystery Book 31) by Mildred Abbott, Release Date, December 25, 2023
Bamboozled Brides (A Cozy Corgi Mystery, Book 32) by Mildred Abbott, Release Date, December 26, 2023
Business is Murder (A Middle Age is Murder Cozy Mystery, Book 2) by Nellie H. Steele, Release Date, December 25, 2023
Taken from Dunhaven Castle (A Cate Kensie Mystery, Book 7) by Nellie H. Steele, Release Date, December 25, 2023
Irish Milkshake Murder, by Carlene O’Connor, Peggy Ehrhart and Liz Ireland, Release Date, December 26, 2023
Last Bud Not Least (A Bellbrook Murder Mystery, Book 4) by Reagan Davis, Release Date, December 26, 2023
Deep Fried Death (A Country Store Mystery, Book 12) by Maddie Day, Release Date, December 26, 2023
Coconut Drop Dead (A Spice Isle Bakery Mystery, Book 3) by Olivia Matthews, Release Date, December 26, 2023
Morbid Monday (A A Tabitha Chase Days of the Week Mystery, Book 6) by Denise Jaden, Release Date, December 26, 2023
Killing Me Softly (A Country Club Murders Mystery, Book 17) by Julie Mulhern, Release Date, December 26, 2023
The Secret of the Lady’s Maid (A Useful Woman Mystery, Book 2) by Darcie Wilde, Release Date, December 26, 2023

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new Halloween episode went up this week.

Or click on this link to take you to Mysterious Galaxy’s website where you can purchase any of these books & a portion will go to help support KRL:

Shawn Stevens born in New Jersey and lives there with her husband and rescue pup Piper. She enjoys reading and listening to cozy mysteries whiles she cooks, cleans and is driving. Be sure to visit The Cozy Mystery Party Group for “Cozy” chats, Author Takeovers and more.