Kisses and Killers: Kim Harrington's Favorite Rom Com Mysteries

As a reader of mystery and romance, I find myself pulled to both genres for the same reason—comfort. In mysteries, there may be tragedy, mistakes, and suspense. But I know by the end the villain will be unmasked and order will be returned. In romance, there may be conflict, yearning, and misunderstandings, but by the final page, love wins.

Both genres promise emotional satisfaction, closure, and the reassurance that no matter how chaotic things become, everything will eventually make sense. Let’s be honest, in an increasingly stressful world, that kind of narrative feels more appealing than ever.

The idea for my upcoming novel, A Killer for Christmas, came when I told my husband I was heading upstairs to watch TV in bed and he asked, “What is it tonight? A Hallmark romance or a murder show?” Because, with me, it’s always one or the other. And I replied, “If only there was one with a cozy Christmas town, a budding romance…and a serial killer.”

The more I thought about it, the more obvious the appeal became. Cozy mysteries and romantic comedies have a lot in common, from quirky supporting characters and tightly woven social worlds to high-stakes emotional entanglements wrapped in humor. At their core, both genres are built around a central question. Romance asks, “Can these two people find their way to each other?” while mystery asks, “Can the truth come to light?” Combining them felt natural.

I was hooked on the idea of the genre mashup and had to write it.

And I’m clearly not alone. Readers seem increasingly drawn to stories that balance suspense with humor and murder investigations with kissing scenes. Whether you call it a romcom mystery, romstery, or rom-cozie, reading a mystery-romance mashup comes with two guarantees: a happily-ever-after and justice served. Usually with some laughs along the way. Here are a few of my favorites.

*

Liz Lawson, It Happened One Murder

Almost all of us have experienced a bad birthday, but in Liz Lawson’s adult debut, her main character’s twenty-sixth birthday party starts with her not recognizing her old high school fling and ends with a dead body. That beats my most memorable one!

After losing her dream magazine job, Harriet Baker returns to her sleepy New Jersey beach hometown determined to leave again as soon as possible. A murder at her birthday party gives her the perfect story to win her career back. The only problem? To investigate the case and clear the prime suspect, she’s forced to work with Nic, the ex-fling she never wanted to see again.

As sparks fly and secrets unravel, Harriet and Nic must navigate small-town scandals, buried feelings, and a killer hiding in plain sight.

Sarah Fox, Definitely Maybe Not a Detective

When unemployed Emersyn Gray creates a fake detective agency to scare her thieving ex-boyfriend, she never expects a charming stranger named Wyatt to step in and play detective alongside her. But after a murder rocks her quirky seniors-only apartment complex, the residents turn to Emersyn and Wyatt for help solving the case for real. As the pair investigate suspicious neighbors, hidden secrets, and a growing list of suspects, their fake partnership quickly turns into real chemistry.

I’m delighted that Wyatt Investigations will be back with a new book in 2027.

Ally Carter, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

As soon as I read Ally Carter describing this book as “Knives Out with kissing,” I was like, “Yes, please.”

In this romantic twist on a locked room mystery, rival authors Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt are invited to a secluded Christmas house party hosted by the world’s most famous crime writer. Then their legendary host vanishes from a locked room. Snowed in at a remote English estate with no way out, Maggie and Ethan are forced to work together to unravel the disappearance, navigate a mansion full of secrets, and determine who they can trust.

To solve the mystery, these enemies must become allies…and maybe something more.

Elise Bryant, It’s Elementary

Elise Bryant, The Game is Afoot

In this series, Mavis Miller, a witty, recently divorced mother, unexpectedly finds herself solving murders in her tight-knit suburban community.

In the first book, she uncovers the dark underbelly of the PTA, while the follow-up throws her into the cutthroat world of MLM girlbosses. As Mavis investigates the scandals lurking beneath the surface of everyday suburban life, she navigates complicated feelings for her ex-husband and growing sparks with the charming school psychologist. Blending clever mysteries with slow-burn romance, the series is both heartfelt and delightfully fun.

As a suburban mom myself, I loved following Mavis as she uncovered secrets behind the perfect picket-fence facades.

Bellamy Rose, Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder

Bellamy Rose, Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer

Bellamy Rose’s greatest trick is convincing me to root for a spoiled Manhattan hotel heiress, and she’s done it twice.

Pomona Afton’s glamorous life is turned upside down when her powerful grandmother is murdered and the family fortune is frozen until the case is solved. Suddenly cut off from her penthouse lifestyle, Pomona is forced to trade luxury for cramped apartments, actual jobs, and amateur sleuthing. Along the way, she’s reluctantly paired with Gabe—the sarcastic yet charming son of her former nanny—whose grounded personality clashes with Pom’s over-the-top world.

In the second book, Pomona is pulled into another high-society mystery filled with scandal, secrets, and increasingly complicated feelings for Gabe.

***