I like my beaches with a side of book, thank you very much, and the cozier the book, the better. The irony in all of this, of course, is that I barely take vacations—I prefer to escape into writing.
But with my most recent release, Murder on Vacation, just launched and the after-writing-glow fading, I’m in the mood for a book that will make me feel like I’m in the Mediterranean. There’s nothing quite as exciting as a murder in a tourist town, a mystery set on a cruise, or a case of missing hikers in a magical town.
The books listed below are to be enjoyed with a cocktail or mocktail with a mini umbrella. Ideally, they should be read lying on the beach or in an Adirondack chair and healthy dose of gratitude that the sleuthing is left to the sleuths, and the murders are taking place on the page.
I love the reads I’ve listed below, particularly because their mysteries are so unique. Here’s the good, the interesting, and the murderous for each.
Danielle Garrett, Sprinkles and Sea Serpents
Ella had no intention of returning to her magical hometown of Winterspell, but after losing her job as a journalist, she has no choice. She’s back in town, helping out at her family’s famous magical bakery with her heart broken. Ella is in her “rebuild my life and get out of here” era, but when girls start going missing and a local sea creature takes the blame, she’s not so sure.
The good: What’s not to love? The heroine is spunky and kind, and she’s not giving up on herself or this case, and she’s competent. It’s important for the sleuth in a mystery to be competent so that the reader can enjoy the story without frustration, and this book delivers.
The interesting: I loved that there was a thread of romance throughout this book. I mean, all of it’s interesting, but cozy mysteries with romance add another layer of fun to the plot.
The murderous: Come on. A sea serpent being blamed for girls going missing in a small town? The implication is that it might not be the serpent. And, wait, there’s a sea serpent in the first place? The concept for the mystery fascinated me, and I was not disappointed.
A. R. Winters, A Berry Deadly Welcome
While this cozy mystery is not explicitly a vacation cozy, it features a sleuth that is endearing and hilarious. When Kylie Berry moves to Kentucky to run her cousin’s café, she’s excited to start fresh after a terrible marriage. She puts out the call for a new chef… and maybe, accidentally poisons her? Just kidding! She’s not the culprit, but she must prove her innocence before she takes the fall for the crime.
The good: A.R. Winters writes funny cozy mysteries in a way that’s easy to read and gives you a hankering for baked goods. I gained five pounds while reading this book, and that is the truth.
The interesting: Kylie’s sense of humor and the way she’s a little bit on the clumsy slide. There’s almost an element of slapstick in the story and it serves this book well.
The murderous: I love mystery that accuses the main character because it instantly elevates the stakes. It also forces the sleuth to stand up for herself and to be active, and Kylie Berry, the main character, delivers on both counts.
Addison Moore, Cruising Through Midlife
Trixie Troublefield has a problem: she can see ghosts. And her husband, on the eve of their anniversary, has decided to betray her completely by having an affair, three times over, if you catch my drift. So she makes the only logical decision left to her—she gets on a cruise with a plan to get her life back together and blog the vacation while she’s at it. It’s the perfect plan until she happens upon a body.
The good: Summer vibes? Check. Cruise ship? Check. This is the perfect cozy summer read packed with betrayal, intrigue, ghosts, murder, and ghosts. Addison Moore’s writing is fantastic, and the book is hilarious.
The interesting: Another cozy mystery with a dash of romance. Everything about the story is interesting, but I love that the setting is a cruise ship set for Hawaii. It’s like you’re right alongside Trixie on the cruise while you’re reading and it’s so easy to get immersed in the story.
The murderous: I loved the fact that the ghost helped Trixie solve the murder mystery and that there was an interesting mechanic (to do with people touching Trixie) that interplayed with her ability to see ghosts.
Leena Clover, Strawberries and Strangers
Jenny King has just been dumped by her boyfriend and is determined to get her life back together in the small town of Pelican Cove. Her bakery is popular, the weather is great, but when her aunt is accused of murder, she’s determined to solve the murder. What’s fun is that the murder in this one takes place at a beach party which is perfect for a vacation.
The good: Pelican Cove leaps off the page at the reader. Not literally. Imagine being hit in the face by an entire small town while sipping your Cosmopolitan. No thanks. Look, it’s easy to imagine walking the beach or heading into Boardwalk Café for a bite to eat in this town and that is what makes it so perfectly cozy.
The interesting: Often, cozy mysteries will feature heroines returning to a hometown or starting a life in an entirely new town. Here, that’s not the case. There’s an element of family and found family in Strawberries and Strangers that’s endearing and feels like being surrounded by loved ones.
The murderous: The victim is a stranger. This is my favorite type of mystery because the sleuth has to work extra hard to solve it. They have to figure out whodunit and they have to discover the identity of the victim. And if this person is a stranger, who would want to kill them? What would their motive be. Fun.
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