All this cold weather has made me want to make a mystery book theme for the cold! This list of mystery books brings to mind dark, shadowy events on dark, dreary days.
Mystery Books that Feature: Snowed-In / Snow-Bound Settings:
Gilbert Adair: The Act of Roger Murgatroyd
Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity’s Christmas
Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Snowbound
Marian Babson: Murder on a Mystery Tour
Nevada Barr: Winter Study
M. C. Beaton: A Highland Christmas
C.C. Benison: Eleven Pipers Piping
Kate Carlisle: Peril in Paperback
C.S. Challinor: Christmas is Murder
Agatha Christie: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express
Agatha Christie: Three Blind Mice
Sheila Connolly: Cruel Winter
Mary Daheim: The Alpine Christmas
Carola Dunn: Death at Wentwater Court
Carola Dunn: Mistletoe & Murder
Dawn Eastman: Fright to the Death
J. Jefferson Farjeon: Mystery in White: A Christmas Crime Story
Monica Ferris: Crewel Yule
Monica Ferris: Thai Die
Joanne Fluke: Sugar Cookie Murder
Martha Grimes: Jerusalem Inn
Steve Hamilton: A Cold Day in Paradise
David Handler: The Burnt Orange Sunrise
Cyril Hare: An English Murder
Jim Kelly: Death Wore White
Ngaio Marsh: Tied Up in Tinsel
Catriona McPherson: The Winter Ground
Leslie Meier: Christmas Cookie Murder
Leslie Meier: Mistletoe Murder
Leslie Meier: Valentine Murder
Judy Moore: Murder in Vail
J. J. Murphy: A Friendly Game of Murder
Katherine Hall Page: The Body in the Sleigh
Katherine Hall Page: The Body in the Snowdrift
Anne Perry: A Christmas Journey
Mary Monica Pulver: Original Sin
Patrick Ruell (Reginald Hill): Red Christmas
Phoebe Atwood Taylor: Death Lights a Candle
PS>>> I made the above list by consolidating comments from two previous posts: Cold, Howling Wind, Snow… AND … Winter Snow-Ins. As these are from a lot of Cozy Mystery site readers comments, I have not read all of the books. (But, a lot of them are now in my TBR pile! – (To Be Read)
Please feel free to comment if you see an author from the Cozy Mystery Site who belongs on this list, or if you have any corrections.
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦
Sean says
It has generally occurred to me that not only have I not written anything set in the cold, I am having a hard time remembering anything set in the cold. While I’m sure I have, I can’t remember a thing. I live and write in Charleston, SC so cold weather is something that is, well, actually a treat. Meaning we get a little of it and hopefully it doesn’t stay that long. My most recent novel, The Trust, is set in my hometown, but I will look forward to reading my way through this list!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
I never would have imagined that I would see snow in San Antonio! When we moved here 17 years ago, I always hoped for snow so that our children could enjoy it. No such luck on that one. And, our 16 year old “puppy” didn’t enjoy it at all!
Donna says
As always, love the site. I found a new writer which I don’t think you have. It is set in California and it is about a zoo keeper. A pretty good cozy mystery…Betty Webb writes the Gunn Zoo Mysteries – 1st book is the The Anteater of Death and the second is The Koala of Death. Kind of lame titles but great facts about the animals and life as a zoo keeper plus the famous woman sleuth solving an interesting death!
Melanie Jackson says
Joanne Fluke’s Sugar Cookie Murder fits this theme. People are only snowed in for a night, but that is when the murder happens and is solved (most of the book happens that night).
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Oh my goodness, Melanie, I forgot to thank you for telling us about this “snowed in” theme mystery book.
Thank you!
Linda P says
The characters in C.C. Benison’s Eleven Pipers Piping are stuck in a snowstorm at a Burns Dinner.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you, Linda P, I added C.C. Benison’s Eleven Pipers Piping to the snowed-in mysteries theme.
Mancho says
There is Martha Grimes’ “Jerusalem Inn”, which also takes place around Christmas
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mancho, I read Jerusalem Inn so many years ago that I totally forgot about it being a snowed-inn mystery.
Lynn T. says
The Burnt Orange Sunrise, the 4th book in the Mitch Berger and Dez Mitry series by David Handler is a snowed in mystery. Mitch and Dez go to Astrid Castle for a small intimate dinner with the family that owns the Castle. They become prisoners of the storm. Trees and electricity wires are snapping due to the ice and snow, Roads are blocked or shut down.Murders start to occur.
From the title of the book, I wouldn’t have known that it was a snowed-in mystery.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lynn T, thank you so much for telling us about David Handler’s The Burnt Orange Sunrise being a “Snowed-In” mystery. I just added it to this theme’s page.
Lynn T. says
I just read a new cozy with a snowed in theme. It is Fright to the Death by Dawn Eastman.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lynn T, thank you for this addition to the Snowed-In mysteries list!
Lynn says
The book “Christmas is Murder” by C. S. Challinor is the first Rex Graves mystery. The setting is a “secluded Victorian hotel in the English countryside, and they are snowed-in. I don’t think I saw it on the list. Sorry if I missed it. 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lynn, thank you for mentioning this snowed-in mystery! (I’ve added it to the list.)
Tiffani says
A great addition to this list is Valentine’s Day murder by Leslie Meier. Although the entire book is not set in a snowstorm the book is set in the winter in Maine. So the setting is cold and snowy and the final climax Takes place during a big snowstorm. I also would like to take the time to mention how much I love your website. It has become a Wikipedia of cozy mysteries for me. Lol keep up the good work!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Tiffani, thank you for the Valentine Murder addition to the snowy theme list AND I am so happy to hear you are enjoying my site! Thanks for the very kind words!
Maureen S. says
I just finished Death and the Dancing Footman, by Ngaio Marsh, where the characters were snowed in in a British country house – it was very good! This site is a wonderful resource – thank you so much for providing it!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Maureen, you’re welcome! I’m glad you’re enjoying Ngaio Marsh – she is definitely one of my favorite classic Cozy authors!
Austin Edwards says
Just finished reading Donna Andrews’ new Meg Langslow book Owl Be Home for Christmas which is set in the fictional town of Caerphilly during Owl Fest 2019. Everyone staying at the Caerphilly Inn and in the town itself are snowed in and unable to return home for Christmas.
Lauren S says
Murder She Wrote- The Murder of Twelve by Jon Land was just released and it is a snowed in mystery.