Podcast Summary: "Which cozy mysteries are right for me?"

What Should I Read Next? — Ep. 503
Host: Anne Bogel
Guest: Amber Richcreek
Release Date: November 18, 2025

Episode Overview

The episode centers on helping reader and guest Amber Richcreek, a lover of emotionally driven fiction and newbie to cozy mysteries, find her way into the wide and sometimes overwhelming world of cozy mysteries. Anne Bogel guides Amber—and by extension, listeners—through a personalized exploration of the genre, breaking down what makes cozies unique, discussing Amber’s book tastes, and recommending a range of titles tailored to Amber's reading hopes. Along the way, the conversation touches on comfort reading, genre expectations, and the joy of finding the right book at the right time.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Getting to Know Amber (07:44–11:33)

• Amber's Background: Pre-K teacher in Bellingham, WA, lifelong reader, parent, loves baking, photography, and cozy video games (esp. Animal Crossing).

  “I love being at the beginning of these children's experience in education...hopefully teaching them to learn, learn to love reading and love learning.” (08:00, A)

• Reading Evolution: Used to resist DNF’ing books, but now recognizes when a book isn’t a fit, listens to a lot of audiobooks due to her commute, and has expanded beyond heavy literary fiction into romance for lighter, comforting reads.

  “Several years ago...I started dnfing. And then soon after that I discovered audiobooks. And my reading life went from about a dozen books a year to like 60.” (09:33, A)

2. Interest in Cozy Mysteries (11:33–12:28)

• Current Curiosity: Amber loves the idea of a light genre that still offers depth and solace, similar to what she enjoys in romance, but is overwhelmed by how to start with cozies.

  “I keep hearing about this genre called cozy mystery and I’m curious about exploring it and...wondering if it would fit into...that category that my romances do where...I know in the end that the mystery is going to be solved and everyone’s going to be happy and healthy.” (11:08, A)

3. Amber’s Reading Favorites and Least Favorites (15:33–24:57)

Three Books Amber Loves:

• East of Eden by John Steinbeck:
  Emotional, character-driven, family saga. “My one singular favorite book...my oldest son, his middle name is Lee, in part because of that character.” (16:01, A)

• Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez:
  Believable, heartfelt romance dealing with real-life complexities: “Abby Jimenez just writes really romantic men...they are sensitive and their heart is on their sleeve.” (18:34, A)

• The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai:
  Quiet, slice-of-life Japanese fiction with a gentle, “cozy” feel: “A really sweet story about how food connects to who we are...but also the memories and who you eat it with.” (21:37, A)

One Book Amber Didn’t Connect With:

• Normal People by Sally Rooney:
  Well-written but off-putting due to uncomfortable teenage relationship dynamics.

  “They’re getting together on a dirty mattress in an abandoned building. And that just kind of gave me the heebie jeebies right from the start.” (23:19, A)

Recent Reads:

• Best Offer Wins by Marisa Cascino:
  Humorous, outlandish thriller with unlikable but compelling characters—appreciated for its “comforting” unreality.
• My Friends by Fredrik Backman:
  Upbeat but emotional and character-driven; “It felt like a less sad A Little Life.” (27:06, A)

4. What is a Cozy Mystery? (32:25–36:20)

Anne explains the essential components and varieties:

• Low gore, profanity, or explicit scenes.
• Small-town or village settings with tight-knit characters.
• Amateur sleuths (could be anyone from a nun to a cafe owner or even an animal!).
• Community, food, animals, and puns feature prominently.
• Agatha Christie and Murder, She Wrote are reference points.

“Cozy mysteries often have a murder, but… you will not get graphic descriptions of anything...the focus is on the why, not on any kind of violence.” (34:09, B)

“If you see a book called the Quiche of Death, that is going to be a cozy mystery.” (35:51, B)

5. Amber’s Cozy Mystery Expectations & Desires (28:02–29:14; 30:26–30:59)

• Looking for comfort, gentle intrigue, community, lightheartedness, and an ultimately happy resolution.
• Not interested in gore, darkness, or unrelieved angst.
• Open to longer books and series as an alternative to simply “short and fun” reads.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Choosing Comfort:

  “When I’m reading...I know that everyone’s going to end up happy in the end. When I’m going for an emotional, 500-page kind of book, I don’t need it to be happy in the end...But sometimes I do want that reading experience.” (10:36, A)

• On Getting Overwhelmed by Cozies:

  “I tried to explore on YouTube to see, oh, what’s top 10 cozy mysteries? And I was pretty immediately overwhelmed by the volume out there and not knowing where to start. So that’s what brought me here today.” (11:34, A)

• On Series vs. Standalone Cozies:

  “I'm thinking that one of those ... cozy mystery series that have a bunch of really short, fun books ... they go real fast. I'm thinking that's not where we're gonna go today. Does that feel right?”
  “Yeah, that feels right.” (30:33–30:59, B & A)

• On Cozy Mystery Elements:

  “Amateur sleuths are a big one. Friends and family members helping solve the crime, often huge...these are books that take place in a community.” (34:49, B)

• On Series Order:

  “I think it’s fair to assume you can jump in any time unless you were explicitly told otherwise...In all the books we've talked about, and this is true for cozies generally, the author is writing to be hospitable to readers, starting at book five or book one.” (45:03, B)

Recommended Cozy Mystery Titles (w/ Timestamps & Commentary)

1. Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Duckess (37:14–40:17)

A lighthearted, character-driven cozy featuring a grieving daughter who attends a “Murder Week” in the English countryside. Themes echo romance and healing—great for Amber’s preferences.

“It doesn’t feel as earnest as it does in Abbey’s explorations, but it’s very much there with kind of the cheeky tone and the intrigue of a Cozy mystery.” (39:33, B)

2. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (40:24–41:59)

Banter-filled rom-com meets mystery; rival writers solving mysteries at an English manor—fun, fast, and with Knives Out vibes.

“This book is also very much inspired by Agatha Christie’s real life disappearance for a short period of time...her own rom com twist on Knives Out.” (41:15, B)

3. Murder at Gull’s Nest by Jess Kidd (41:59–43:53)

A fresh historical cozy, featuring an ex-nun as an amateur sleuth—great on audio and offers depth and humor.

“It features something that we see a lot in cozy mysteries...season protagonists who are older...off the beaten path…” (42:16, B)

4. Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala (44:57–47:27)

First in a Filipino-American culinary cozy series; food, family, community, and a protagonist wrongly accused of murder—full of warmth and humor.

“Absolutely delicious sounding Filipino food, sometimes with recipes, always are front and center in these books.” (46:36, B)

5. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (47:35–50:54)

A meta-mystery with a cozy inside a more traditional framework—ideal for readers who want something character-driven but experimental.

“We have an amateur sleuth who’s a book editor for a small press solving the crimes...It’s definitely metafictional. It’s an homage to the golden age of crime fiction...” (48:53, B)

6. Shady Hollow by Juneau Black (50:58-52:12)

A whimsical series in a “Stars Hollow”-like animal village; quirky, cute, and decidedly comforting.

"Imagine an idyllic town similar to Stars Hollow. But all the townsfolk are animals...this adorable little newcomer named Vera Vixen has to get to the bottom of the mystery..." (51:14, B)

Additional Suggestions Mentioned:

• Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge (Agatha Christie’s housekeeper as sleuth)
• The Marlowe Murder Club by Robert Thorogood
• Number One Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
• Detective Auntie by Uzma Jalaluddin

  “Characters with strong motivations dealing with stuff from their past in the vein of Abby Jimenez.” (52:45, B)

Amber’s Takeaway and Next Steps (52:58–53:54)

Amber feels “absolutely spoiled with choices” and plans to try both Murder at Gull’s Nest and Shady Hollow (one in print, one on audio) to find her cozy entry point. Anne reassures her that comfort and orientation will come quickly after the first fit.

“I think you’ll be oriented in no time. Once you find one you love, it’ll be so much easier to find the next and the next and the next, and then you’ll be a whiz.” (53:38, B)

Final Thoughts

This episode is both a roadmap for curious readers overwhelmed by the cozy mystery genre, and a heartwarming reminder that literary matchmaking is all about knowing yourself and embracing comfort, connection, and joy in reading. Anne’s recommendations are tailored, insightful, and rooted in Amber’s evolving reading life, making this episode particularly engaging for anyone looking to dip a toe—or both feet—into cozies.