Cosy crime time

Whether seeking escapism or the chance to play detective, we can’t get enough of the mystery novels crowding UK bestseller lists

- ZOE WEST

There's been a murder - and we are about to meet the suspects, who quite often live in a sleepy village. Twists, turns, hidden clues and red herrings - it's all in a day's work for the local detective.

It's fair to say, cosy crime novels are having a moment. Those of us who are looking for a little escapism take on the role of amateur detective in a whodunnit or intriguing mystery. No gory murder scenes here.

Of course, this isn't a new phenomenon. Agatha Christie was the doyenne of the genre. Iconic books, such as Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, and famous creations Miss Marple and detective Hercule Poirot, made her an international name, with countless films, TV series and theatre productions adapted from her novels.

And now it seems the genre is enjoying a renaissance. With nearly 11 million crime books sold so far in 2023*, and the likes of Richard Osman breaking literary records, cosy crime authors look set to be a permanent fixture. Here are some of our all-time favourites that are worth a read.

Richard Osman