It’s no surprise that murder mysteries often involve food. After all, the kitchen is full of would-be poisons and sharp blades. And who makes for a better detective than a food critic?
If you’re looking for a fresh take on a cozy mystery, try one of these food-related mystery novels. Set in quaint seaside restaurants, scenic wineries, bustling bakeries and charming tea shops, these page-turners are loaded with tasty surprises.
Looking for even more delicious mysteries? Browse the Cozy Mysteries shelf on cloudLibrary.
Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker
Trouble is brewing! The proud owner of a beachside iced tea shop, Everly Swan is resettling into her coastal hometown. But when she finds a customer dead on the boardwalk with one of her tea jars next to him, she’ll have to dig up clues about who poisoned her customer – before the town’s anger boils over.
One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon
Witch Mia Malone moves to her grandmother’s town in Idaho where magic is commonplace. She starts a gourmet dinner delivery business with her magical recipes – only to find one of her clients has been murdered. Before her fresh start totally spoils, she’ll have to figure out who killed her client with help from her grandmother.
Tea for Three by Laura Childs
This cozy anthology combines the first of Laura Childs’ bestselling Tea Shop Mysteries. Brew yourself a pot of tea and dive into three fantastic mysteries: Death by Darjeeling, Gunpowder Green, and Shades of Earl Grey.
A Deadly Inside Scoop by Abby Collette
Bronwyn is renovating her family’s ice cream shop back to its former glory. But on the day she reopens, she finds a body in the snow that implicates her father in the murder. With help from her best friends and family, she’ll have to catch the killer or risk a meltdown!
Death by Hot Apple Cider by Alex Erickson
Krissy’s bookstore-café supplies the apple cider and apple-bobbing booth at a seasonal event in town. But one unsuspecting person dunks their head to bob for apples…and never comes up. Although Krissy isn’t at fault, the victim was known to harass her bookstore. As she’s drawn into the investigation, Krissy will have to figure out who is secretly rotten to the core.
Farm to Trouble by Amanda Flower
Shiloh is working hard to save her family farm by transforming it into an organic operation with a farm-to-table café. But when her new investor is discovered dead among the flowers, Shiloh must uncover the killer and clear her family’s name.
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke
Hannah Swensen’s famous bakery is always a good place to find something sweet – and a whodunit mystery on the side. In this story, Hannah must help her sister hunt down the killer of Mayor Bascomb while continuing to run The Cookie Jar.
Death of an Italian Chef by Lee Hollis
A successful restauranteur opens an Italian restaurant in the coastal town that Hayley lives in. During the restaurant’s grand opening, the chef has a heart attack and shares a hospital room with Hayley’s brother, who is there for gall bladder surgery. Hayley takes over the restaurant temporarily, only to learn that the chef died at the hospital. Even stranger, Hayley’s brother believes someone came into their hospital room and killed the chef. Now it’s up to Hayley to figure out who had no reservations about murder.
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala
Lila feels like she’s in a rom-com. After a breakup, she moves back home to try to save her Tita Rosie’s failing restaurant while her matchmaking aunties shower her with advice. But when her food critic ex-boyfriend drops dead, she realizes she’s in a mystery and not a romance! The police begin to zero in on Lila while the restaurant’s landlord moves to kick her family out. This tasty, twisty story even comes with recipes!
A Few Drops of Bitters by G. A. McKevett
The latest in the Savannah Reid series! Savannah attends a celebration for the husband of her new friend, Dr. Carolyn Erling. At the party, Dr. Erling’s husband is poisoned, beginning Savannah’s hunt for the murderer who spiked his drink.
A Side of Murder by Amy Pershing
Food writer Samantha Barnes finds herself investigating the death of an old enemy. Although the rest of her Cape Cod neighbors are sure the body found outside the Bayview Grille was the result of an accident, Sam is positive it’s murder. But if she stirs the pot too much, will she suffer the same fate?
