Mystery Books For Fall Reading

Do you need some mystery books for your fall reading? One of my favorite genres to read this time of year is mystery. I do not think I am alone when it comes to that.

I love cozy mystery reads. As in I prefer mystery without a lot of gory graphic details.

A lot of people love thrillers and mysteries with lots of details, I am just not one of them. I love true crime books, but fictitious thrillers are not for me. I like more of the slower-paced cozy type of mystery books.

A couple of years ago I put together a list of cozy mystery books that I love. Since then I realized that I have read a lot of non-gory mystery books that don’t exactly fit into that cozy mystery genre, but they are not thrillers either.

I know that others love mystery without all the graphic details too, but sometimes have trouble finding them. So, I put together a list of my favorite mystery books and authors.

All of these are book series or are by authors that have written more than one book. I have not read all the books in all of these series or all the books by all of these authors, but I have read at least one or two from each. Some of the series and authors, I have read quite a few. ‘

I hope you find a book or two to add to your fall reading!

Mystery Books For Fall

Charles Lenox Mystery series by Charles Finch is set in 1800s England. I first discovered this series about five years ago and I have gone on to read twelve of the books in the series.

I love the setting of these books and enjoy reading them during the fall and winter. I have the next one in the series in my to be read pile. It will be perfect for reading by the fire this winter.

I gave the first couple of books in this series to my dad last year and he really enjoyed them, so these work for all ages.

Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache books are more recent reads for me. People have raved about these books for years, but I tend to stay away from over hyped books. This is a case where I should not have stayed away. I read the first one two years ago and instantly knew why so many love this series.

I am currently reading the sixth book in the series. The first few books in this series are currently on Kindle Unlimted, which means if you have Kindle Unlimited you can read them for free.

I will say that these are set in more modern times, so they deal with subjects that are more modern-day, which makes them different from what I would consider a lot of cozy mysteries. They also contain language that makes them more PG than I prefer, but overall, I am still really enjoying them.

Agatha Christie’s books are another example of me being late to reading them. My daughter has been trying to convince me to read them for years. I finally picked one up a year or two ago and loved it. I am not slowly working my way through her books.

I now know why she is a beloved mystery author. The best thing about Agatha Christie books is that they have been around for years so they are easy to find at your library or used bookstore.

Masie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear was published in 2003, but the seventeenth book in this series was released just this year. If you love this series, it will keep you going for a while.

The first book in the series is set in post WWI England. I loved the setting of this book because it was a different time than most mystery books. I have read the first couple of books in this series and am slowly collecting the rest in the series as I find them in used bookstores.

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and the whole Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley is a series that multiple readers have told me I would enjoy. They are considered historical mysteries, but they have that cozy mystery feel.

I finally read the first book in the series earlier this year and enjoyed it. If you were one of the readers that recommended it, thank you! I can’t wait to read more in this series.

A Royal Spyness Mystery series by Rhys Bowen is a series that I have only read the first book but I enjoyed it enough I bought the second book to read this fall. I loved the descriptions of the people and places in this book because it had a cozy mystery set in England feel. I will say that it is a little pg or even pg-13 in places. 

Being A Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron is another book that I have only read one book in the series, but I thought it was an interesting fun read. This is one of those books that I think fans of Jane Austen will either love or hate.

The Jane Austen Mysteries take you back to the world of Jane Austen, except Jane Austen isn’t just a writer, she solves mysteries. Yes, there is a lot of fiction in this. The majority of it is fiction and not what Jane Austen actually did, but the setting takes you back to the world of Jane Austen and the time she lived in.

I went into these knowing they would be a light fun read and that is exactly what they are. I can’t wait to read more in the series.

Murder She Wrote by Jessica Fletcher. Did you know that there are books based on the famous 1980s T.V. show? Yes, the books are based on the show, not the show on the books. I have read a couple of these and they are fun reads that took me back to all the episodes I watched years ago.

This series might not be for everyone because they have a definite 1980s feel, but if you remember watching the show Murder She Wrote these are fun easy reads perfect for fall and winter reading.

Daniel Pitt Novels by Anner Perry. Anne Perry’s books are on all kinds of cozy mystery lists, but the only ones that I have read are from the Daniel Pitt series. Anne Perry is a classic mystery writer. Her first book was published in 1979 and she wrote a lot over the next thirty or forty years.

The interesting thing about Anne Perry that a lot of people do not know is that she was convicted of murder. At the age of fifteen, Anne Perry and her friend killed her friend’s mom. Because of her age, she could not receive the death penalty and was released five years later. She eventually took the name Anne Perry and began writing. Don’t do an internet search on the topic unless you are prepared to go down lots of rabbit trails. I know from experience… It is bizarre, yet, fascinating to read about. A mystery writer with a mystery of her own.

What is your favorite mystery book or series? I would love to hear your favorites!