Growing up in North Carolina, going to the beach was a common family vacation trip. We have so many gorgeous beaches, and no matter where you’re located in the state, you’re only a few hours away. As a child, our family annually trekked to Myrtle Beach, SC for vacations. As a military spouse, I lived near Topsail Island and Surf City, and now that I live in Raleigh, we travel to the Outer Banks for vacations
The question is, why do we love the beach so much? Is it the tranquil blue water? The sound of the waves crashing on the surf? The meditative ebb and flow of the tide? Or the feel of hot sand between our toes? Whatever it is, it’s a fun relaxing place to while the day away. And there’s nothing I love more than to roll out my beach towel, stake my umbrella in the sand and get comfortable with some cold drinks and snacks. I can spend hours on the beach as long as I have something to read.
Like most bookish-types, I never go to the beach without a good read. And when I’m at the beach, I love reading mysteries with a beautiful beach setting. Heck, when I’m not seaside and I want to be there I read books set on the coast. Why not live vicariously through characters who lives at the beach, on islands, bays and coves?
Below are six of my favorite cozy mysteries set at the beach and perfect for a summer read.
Bree Baker’s Seaside Café Mystery series is set in the Outer Banks, North Carolina and features good food and drink, a pet sea gull, and pretty beaches. Fast paced plot and comic timing makes this a breezy fun read.
Live and Let Chai is the first book in this series.
The Lighthouse Library Mystery series by Eva Gates is also set on the Outer Banks. This series features books, the beach and more books. And oh yes, there’s a lighthouse. Lots of local lore and history makes this series an engaging read.
By Book Or By Crook is the first book in the series.
Located on beautiful Cape Cod, Vicky Delaney’s Tea By The Sea Mystery series features the owner and head pastry chef of Tea by the Sea, a traditional English tearoom. Pretty scenery, plentiful cups of tea and sweet treats makes this a fun start to a new series.
Tea & Treachery is the first book in this series.
Victoria Gilbert’s Book Lover’s B&B Mystery series is set in a historic home in Beaufort, NC. Filled with bookish delights, plenty of southern food and scenic views gives this story all the cozy feels and will have you planning a trip to this beautiful waterfront town.
Booked For Death is the first book in this series.
In Maggie Blackburn’s A Beach Read’s Mystery series, a Virginia-based Shakespeare professor returns to her hometown of Brigid Island, NC when her mother dies with plans to handle her estate and leave. What she doesn’t plan on doing is taking over her mother’s romance-themed bookstore and solving a murder. If you love books and the beach, you’ll enjoy this fast paced mystery with all of the traditional hallmarks of a cozy whodunit.
Little Bookshop of Murder is the first book in the series.
Books By The Bay Mystery series written by Ellery Adams is located in a fictional town on a bay near New Bern, this series features a beautiful, wealthy business owner who is as successful as she is flawed. Adams’ plots are heavy with local history, which makes this series an all-time favorite! Beautiful beach settings, good seafood and an aspiring writer’s club gives this series all the bookish elements.
A Killer Plot is the first book in the series.
Kate Young’s Marygene Brown Series is set on an island off the coast of Georgia. The story centers around a recent divorcee heading home to work in her family’s diner. Lots of feisty southern belles, hearty southern comfort food—and oh yeah, there’s a ghost to keep things interesting.
Southern Sass and Killer Cravings is the first book in the series.
A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series by Dorothy St. James is located on an island off the coast of South Carolina. Centered around a chocolate shop that creates some of the most delicious and decadent treats around, this story features a sleuth new to town and trying to find herself—and family—in a small, close-knit community that keeps lots of secrets.
Asking For Truffle is the first book in the series.
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