Chilly autumn weather means it’s the perfect time to curl up with a good book — a cozy mystery book, to be more specific. This quirky subgenre takes all the key elements of a murder mystery (a shocking crime, a trail of clues, and a detective or amateur sleuth who works to piece it together) but it tones down the grisly, uncomfortable details that often come with crime novels. These books are sweet, funny, and just plain cozy.
If you can’t get enough of cozy mysteries, or if you’re looking for a place to start, check out these four literary events dedicated to the genre.
Planning the Perfect Murder at the Crozet Book Festival
October 26, 3:30 p.m.
The booksellers at Bluebird & Company will host the first annual Crozet Book Festival on October 25 and 26, complete with a panel dedicated to murder mysteries on Saturday. Hear from authors Elle Cosimano of the Finlay Donovan series; Katharine Schellman, author of the Lily Adler Mysteries and Nightingale Mysteries; K.T. Nguyen, author of You Know What You Did; and more. Make a day trip of it, and don’t forget to check out other events, like S’mores & Stories and Bookish Trivia. Reservations are recommended. Mudhouse Coffee: 5793 The Square, Crozet
Cozy Mystery Panel at One More Page Books
October 30, 7 p.m.
Several mystery authors will gather in Arlington for a discussion about the spooky and mysterious world of mystery writing, including Donna Andrews, author of the Meg Langslow Mysteries; Korina Moss, author of the Cheese Shop Mysteries series; Maya Corrigan, author of the Five-Ingredient Mystery Series; and Maureen Klovers of the Rita Calabrese Culinary Mysteries. And if you still can’t get enough of mysteries, check out OMP’s book clubs — there are both in-person and virtual clubs dedicated to the genre. Register ahead of time. 2200 N. Westmoreland St., Arlington
Cozy Halloween Mystery Panel at Scrawl Books
October 31, 7 p.m.
Celebrate Halloween with this cozy event, featuring Olivia Blacke, whose new book A New Lease on Death is out October 29; Donna Andrews; Deep Dish Mysteries author Mindy Quigley; and Korina Moss. 11911 Freedom Dr., Reston
14th St. Cozy Mystery Book Club at Solid State Books
November 20, 7 p.m.; Every third Wednesday of the month
This DC bookshop hosts a monthly book club completely dedicated to cozy mystery books. The club meets at Solid State’s 14th Street location on the third Wednesday of each month. The club is free to attend, but you must register online. In November, the book of the month is Death & Croissants by Ian Moore, and it will be paired with a book swap. This is one of the shop’s many clubs, including new fiction, horror, and romance picks. 1809 14th St. NW, Washington, DC
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
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