5 Christmas Cozy Mysteries that Feel Like Coming Home

One of the reasons we love cozy mysteries so much, is because we relate to the characters and the setting. It feels like a visit with cherished friends when we return to a book in a beloved series. Add in a touch of Christmas and it feels like you’ve come home. The lights are sparkling, the rooms are warm and filled with cozy comforts like soft blankets. The house smells like oranges and cinnamon. The banter is full of humor and heart.

Wrap yourself in a warm blanket, get a mug of hot cocoa and a peppermint stick to stir it with, then settle in under the Christmas tree for a cozy reading session with these delightful books.

1)  Yule Regret It, Annie McEwen’s latest in her Northwoods Mysteries, transports the reader right into a Northwoods Christmas, resplendent with twinkling lights, the scent of pine, and cozy mugs of hot cocoa…not to mention—murder! The mystery will keep you guessing to the merry end, this book will make your heart race, but leave you feeling as warm and toasty as if you were sitting in the lodge at Cooper’s Cove next to the crackling fireplace. I adore this series and highly recommend it!

2) Rosalie Spielman's Hometown Mysteries are right on the top of my list! Home For the Homicides transports the reader to a small Idaho town where the trees are gorgeous with their frosting of snow, Army veteran Tessa is restoring cars with her Aunt Edna, a gaggle of Grinches are running to raise funds for the local toy drive, and somebody is on the naughty list - breaking windows and starting fires. You won't be able to stop turning the pages and will want to return to New Oslo, Idaho again and again.

3) You'll feel like you stepped right into a Christmas snow globe with Deck the Halls with Homicide by Christina Romeril, the third book in her Killer Chocolates Mysteries. Set in a wintery Montana town where a holiday light contest has turned deadly, this book will have you craving sweet chocolates and mugs of hot cocoa while you try to suss out the killer. More twists than a candy cane!

4) Murder at an Irish Christmas by Carlene O'Connor is pure Christmas delight. I love love love this series, and couldn't have been more pleased with a remote Irish farmhouse, a snowstorm, loads of Christmas music, the O'Sullivan clan and all of their relatable sibling messiness, and, of course, a murder to solve. Get yourself a warm loaf of brown bread, a slab of butter, and a cuppa tea when you read this one.

5) A Zappy Little Christmas is my own festive contribution to this list. It is the third book in my Hometown Hardware Mysteries, and is set in the mountain town of Pine Bluff, Oregon during a snowy December. You'll experience the town Christmas tree lighting, take a ride on the jolly Christmas Lights Trolley, attend Santa's Workshop at Dawna's hardware store, and maybe even run into a ghost or two. Settle in with a steaming cardamom latte and a slice of pecan pie for a fun ride through the streets of Pine Bluff.

There are so many wonderful cozy Christmas reads out there that I had a really hard time narrowing it down. What Christmas cozy would you add to the list?