Summer 2025 Cozy Mystery Releases to be Excited for!
Looking for the perfect cozy mystery books to pack in your beach bag this summer? Whether you're lounging by the pool, relaxing on the porch, or escaping the heat with a good whodunit, we've rounded up 10 must-read cozy mystery new releases that belong on every fan’s summer reading list.
If you love lighthearted murder mysteries with lovable characters and puzzling plots, these new books are sure to keep you guessing (and grinning) all season long.
1. The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray
Available June 17th, 2025
Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery #4
In the fourth installment of Claudia Gray's Jane Austen sequel series, Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney are swept into the London Season and a shocking murder mystery. While their families deem them unsuitable to wed, the pair joins forces when Mr. Rushworth, the scandal-plagued ex-husband of Maria Bertram, is found dead. With inheritance disputes and past betrayals swirling, Jonathan and Juliet must solve the case to protect Edmund and Fanny Bertram from further disgrace—and uncover a killer before tragedy strikes again.
This series topped our list of The Best Jane Austen Inspired Cozy Mysteries and it has quickly become one of our favorites. We can’t wait to see more of Jane Austen’s characters come together and to be part of a mystery and we’re still rooting for romance to win out!
2. A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant
Available June 10th, 2025
Miss Hortense, a sharp-tongued retired nurse and cake maker in a quiet English suburb, is drawn back into the past when a man is found dead in a former friend's home—one tied to the Pardner network she was ousted from 30 years ago. With a Bible quote left at the scene and secrets resurfacing, Miss Hortense must face old wounds and solve a long-buried mystery that could shake her community to its core.
We’re excited to read this bold debut with a sleuth who promises to be fearless!
3. The Game Is Murder by Hazell Ward
Available July 29th, 2025
You're invited to solve a decades-old murder in this immersive mystery that puts you in the role of the Great Detective. Set at a 1970s-themed murder mystery party, you'll examine evidence, question suspects, and unravel a chilling cold case. But beware—nothing is as it seems, and only a full solution will do. Can you uncover who did it, how, and why?
How could we not be excited to take on an immersive mystery that riffs on crime classics? We can’t wait to play!
4. Laying Down the Latte: A Bakeshop Mystery by Ellie Alexander
Available August 26th, 2025
#21 in A Bakeshop Mystery series
Another delectable mystery brews in the Bakeshop Series, this time set against the lush backdrop of Costa Rica! Baker Jules Capshaw, her husband Carlos, and barista Andy head to a renowned coffee farm at the invitation of Carlos’s old friend, Valentina. The plan? Savor local flavors, relax by the pool, and help Valentina prep for her new café and bakery. But paradise takes a dark turn when an employee is found dead in the pulping machine. With danger lurking among the coffee beans, Jules must trade her spatula for sleuthing skills once again—before another friend ends up in hot water.
We love this series as much as we love Jules, and we can’t wait for another installment!
5. Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman
Available August 26th, 2025
Book conservator Tory Van Dyne is pulled into a real-life mystery when a woman claiming to be Agatha Christie appears in the library’s Christie Room, announcing she’s there to solve a murder that hasn’t happened yet. Tory dismisses her as an eccentric fan—until her cousin Nicola becomes entangled in the suspicious death of her difficult talent agent. With Nicola seeking Tory’s help, and the mysterious Christie proving shockingly adept at crime-solving, Tory teams up with her, a sarcastic librarian, a tech-savvy kid, and a fashion-challenged NYPD detective to track down a cunning killer.
6. A Catered Bake-Off by Isis Crawford
Available June 24th, 2025
Book #18 in A Mystery with Recipes series
When sisters Bernie and Libby Simmons take their catering talents from A Little Taste of Heaven to a televised baking competition in Upstate New York, they quickly discover the real recipe includes a dash of danger. What starts as a friendly bake-off at a charming estate quickly crumbles. Faulty appliances, sabotaged ingredients, and a surprise goat stampede are just the beginning. Anonymous threats soon follow—and things turn deadly when a judge is killed by an exploding espresso machine. Now, with another contestant targeted, Bernie and Libby must sift through the suspects to unmask a killer before the final round claims its next victim.
We love deadly cooking competitions and are excited to read about how these sisters take on the challenge while finding a killer.
7. The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols
Available August 19th, 2025
At The Marigold Cottages in Santa Barbara, idealistic landlady Mrs. B rents only to tenants she cares about, including a troubled playwright, an oversharing agoraphobe, a queer single parent, a perfectionist, and a secretive finance bro. Their peaceful lives are upended when a mysterious ex-con, Anthony, moves in—and weeks later, a body is found. Though Anthony is arrested, Mrs. B shocks everyone by confessing to the crime. Convinced she’s innocent, the tenants form “The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective” to clear her name. As they dig into the mystery, uncovering secrets and growing closer, another body turns up—raising the stakes in this quirky, heartfelt whodunit.
This new books sounds charming and the Santa Barbara locations seems perfect for a summer read!
8. Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra-Jackson-Opoku
Available July 29th, 2025
Book #1 in the Savvy Summers Mysteries
On Chicago’s South Side, café owner Savvy Summers finds herself in hot water when a customer dies after eating her famous sweet potato pie. Though police call it an accident, bad press threatens her soul food spot, Essie's. With help from her nosy assistant and despite pressure from a shady investor and the return of her ex-husband, Savvy sets out to uncover the truth and save her café—because while her pie was said to be “to die for,” she never meant it literally.
We’re excited to read the debut of this series and look forward to the soul food described on the page!
9. A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder by Melinda Mullet
Available July 29th, 2025
Maeve Gardner makes a living crafting fictional murders as the ghostwriter behind the bestselling Simon Hills mysteries. Though she dreams of publishing under her own name, she's content writing from her beloved houseboat on London’s canals. But when her cheating ex turns up dead in the water outside her home and Maeve is arrested for his murder, her carefully plotted fictional crimes suddenly feel all too real—and she’s at the heart of the mystery.
This sounds like a book that will keep us laughing with its meta mystery approach!
10. Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Available August 26th 2025
A Hannah Swensen Mystery Book #30
In Joanne Fluke's latest Hannah Swensen mystery, Lake Eden’s Harvest Festival brings pumpkin spice mania to The Cookie Jar, while Hannah juggles baking, solving crimes, and sharing her condo with Norman and his cat, Cuddles. After a farmhouse fire reveals a body and a mysterious class ring, another murder points to a vengeful connection among local high school alumni. With an alumni party as bait, Hannah must unmask the killer before they strike again—and before she bakes her last pie!
We’re still invested in Hannah’s sleuthing, love life, and cat! We look forward to the latest edition from the Queen of the Culinary Mystery!