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Quick answer: If you loved Aurora Teagarden, read Donna Andrews's Murder with Peacocks, then Lilian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, then Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage, and Joanne Fluke's Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder and Strawberry Shortcake Murder and Diane Mott Davidson's Catering to Nobody. All are gentle small-town cosy mysteries.
Charlaine Harris's Aurora Teagarden books follow a librarian in a Georgia town who stumbles into crimes. These picks share the cosy puzzle.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murder with Peacocks | Donna Andrews | Adult | cozy comedy |
| The Cat Who Could Read Backwards | Lilian Jackson Braun | Adult | animal-mystery fans |
| Murder at the Vicarage | Agatha Christie | Adult | classic mystery fans |
| Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder | Joanne Fluke | Adult | Hannah Swensen book one |
| Strawberry Shortcake Murder | Joanne Fluke | Adult | Hannah Swensen series |
| Catering to Nobody | Diane Mott Davidson | Adult | foodie mysteries |
| Death of a Gossip | M. C. Beaton | Adult | Scottish cosy |
| Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death | M. C. Beaton | Adult | village comedy |
| Death at Wentwater Court | Carola Dunn | Adult | Daisy Dalrymple book one |
| Her Royal Spyness | Rhys Bowen | Adult | cozy comedy |
| The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie | Alan Bradley | Adult | readers who like a young detective |
| Cocaine Blues | Kerry Greenwood | Adult | 1920s Melbourne |
| Maisie Dobbs | Jacqueline Winspear | Adult | readers who like historical mysteries |
| Raven Black | Ann Cleeves | Adult | readers who like remote settings |
| Last Bus to Woodstock | Colin Dexter | Adult | Inspector Morse |
1. Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews
A wedding planner faces chaos and murder. Silly, cozy and quick.
Best for: cozy comedy.
2. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun
Jim Qwilleran, an ex-crime reporter, and his Siamese cat Koko solve an art-world murder. The first in a long cozy series.
Best for: animal-mystery fans.
3. Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
Miss Marple's first full-length novel, with a hated colonel found dead in a vicar's study. A classic of the gentle mystery.
Best for: classic mystery fans.
4. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
A bakery owner in Minnesota finds a body behind her shop. Cosy and full of recipes.
Best for: Hannah Swensen book one.
5. Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke
Hannah investigates a death at a local contest. Light and charming.
Best for: Hannah Swensen series.
6. Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
A Colorado caterer solves murders with recipes included. Cozy and tasty.
Best for: foodie mysteries.
7. Death of a Gossip by M. C. Beaton
Constable Hamish Macbeth investigates a murder at a fishing school. Light and atmospheric.
Best for: Scottish cosy.
8. Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M. C. Beaton
A retired PR woman enters a quiche competition and a judge dies. Light, funny and fast.
Best for: village comedy.
9. Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn
A young journalist finds a body at a country house party in 1920s England. Light and witty.
Best for: Daisy Dalrymple book one.
10. Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
A penniless royal in 1930s London gets drawn into a murder. Light and funny.
Best for: cozy comedy.
11. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old chemist in 1950 England, investigates a body in the cucumber patch. Charming and sharp.
Best for: readers who like a young detective.
12. Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood
Phryne Fisher, a glamorous detective, solves a case in Melbourne. Stylish and witty.
Best for: 1920s Melbourne.
13. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
A psychologist and investigator in 1929 London takes on cases tied to the Great War. Thoughtful and historical.
Best for: readers who like historical mysteries.
14. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves
Inspector Jimmy Perez investigates a death in the Shetland Islands. The first of the Shetland series.
Best for: readers who like remote settings.
15. Last Bus to Woodstock by Colin Dexter
Morse investigates a murder in Oxford. A classic British procedural.
Best for: Inspector Morse.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Aurora Teagarden: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Aurora Teagarden. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For cosy crime, read Murder with Peacocks. For library settings, try The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. For classics, pick Murder at the Vicarage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who writes Aurora Teagarden?
Charlaine Harris.
Is there a TV series?
Yes, Hallmark made a film series.
Are the books cosy?
Yes.
Which book here is best for Inspector Morse?
Try Last Bus to Woodstock by Colin Dexter, which suits readers looking for Inspector Morse.
Which book here is best for readers who like remote settings?
Try Raven Black by Ann Cleeves, which suits readers looking for readers who like remote settings.
Which book here is best for readers who like historical mysteries?
Try Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear, which suits readers looking for readers who like historical mysteries.
Which book here is best for 1920s Melbourne?
Try Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood, which suits readers looking for 1920s Melbourne.