English Village Mystery Read-a-Likes

by | Feb 23, 2018 | 8 comments

The English village mystery has many incarnations.

In books, we have Miss Marple from the Golden Age of mystery fiction. On television–or the telly as the Brits say–we can visit the English countryside with its thatched cottages, rambling roses, and murders aplenty in shows like Midsommer Murders and Agatha Raisin. We can’t get enough of seemingly idyllic villages juxtaposed with the puzzle of whodunit.

If you enjoy Miss Marple and the village setting of St. Mary’s Mead, but you’ve read all of Agatha Christie’s mysteries, check out this reading list of English village mystery read-a-like book recommendations. Each novel has a light tone and a quaint English village setting, but murder and mystery lurk in the cottage gardens and picturesque hamlets.SaveSaveSaveSave

Series Set in an English Village

Series with a sleuth of a certain age

Often it’s not just the setting but the combination of setting and sleuth that attracts us. The village spinster who sees what others can’t is a reader favorite.

If you’re fond of Miss Marple, the her blue-eyed sleuth who has an uncanny grasp of human nature, check out these read-a-likes for some interesting spins on female sleuths. Some books on this list are mysteries with a modern setting, while others are vintage mysteries, but all the sleuths have been around the block a time or two.

8 Comments

  1. Marla on March 2, 2018 at 11:34 am

    Love books set in the English countryside! Love Sara’s series!! I also love books set in Ireland and Scotland if you know of any good series for that!

    • srosett on March 2, 2018 at 12:18 pm

      Thanks, Marla!
      I’ll have to make a new list for Ireland/England books. :)

  2. AnneL on March 2, 2018 at 3:33 pm

    I’d enjoy seeing a list for Scotland and Ireland too!

    • srosett on March 2, 2018 at 5:11 pm

      The search is on! I do know of a few cozies set there, but I’ll search and see if there are others I haven’t come across. I’ll post a list in a future newsletter. :)

  3. Meg brugnoni on March 2, 2018 at 4:07 pm

    I have read all of Miss Seeton. They are even on Audible now. Think I have managed your series too! Will certainly try some of your recommendations.

    • srosett on March 2, 2018 at 5:09 pm

      Hi Meg,
      Good to know the Miss Seeton books are in audio! Hope you enjoy the books!

  4. Margaret Goolia on March 3, 2018 at 6:39 pm

    I love to read cozy mysteries on rainy days, and other times too?

    • srosett on March 5, 2018 at 9:45 pm

      I agree! :)