Cozy cat mysteries put a cat at the crime scene. It may be a clever Siamese, a Maine Coon on a leash or a black cat with a scar on its nose. A cat stares at a wall, knocks a book off a shelf, and a human sleuth starts asking the right questions. Here are the best cat cozy mystery series, the books we have reviewed, and the reading order of the series that started it all.
What Are Cozy Cat Mysteries? The Clever Cat at the Crime Scene
A cozy mystery is the gentle side of crime fiction. There is a murder, but the violence stays off the page, and the heroes are amateur sleuths. A cat mystery adds a feline partner. Some readers call the subgenre ailuromystery, from the Greek word for cat. Most readers just say cat cozies. Most of them are set in small American towns, not an English village.
The cat’s role changes from series to series. In some books the cat is simply a beloved cat who notices things. In others it has magical abilities, or it talks to other animals. In a few, the cat is the real sleuth and the humans never find out.
Why Readers Love Cozies with a Paw in the Plot
Cat owners know the look: a cat staring at an empty corner as if it sees a ghost. These books take that feeling and turn it into a clue. The cat can’t explain what it saw, so the human has to work it out. That keeps the puzzle fair, the tone light, and there is always a good mystery to solve.
A cat cozy also gives you the classic cozy mix. You get a small-town setting, quirky characters and a suspect list full of neighbors. The amateur sleuth has to catch a killer before someone else winds up dead. Cats simply make the comfort part stronger.
The Best Cozy Mystery Series with Cats
These are the cat cozy mysteries we recommend first. We have reviewed two of them as cat books. Several more of our reviews have a bookshop cat or a bakery cat in the cast.
The Cat Who… Series by Lilian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards and After
The series that started the subgenre. Jim Qwilleran is a broke, divorced ex-crime reporter who writes about the art scene for the Daily Fluxion. Koko, a Siamese cat, becomes his partner after the art critic who owned him is murdered. Koko has no magic and never talks. He just behaves like a very smart cat, and Qwill reads his behavior as clues. The first book is from 1966, and the series ran to 29 novels. It is still the best murder mystery series for purrfect realism. Read our The Cat Who Could Read Backwards review.
Cat in the Stacks Mystery Series by Miranda James: A Bookshop of a Library
Charlie Harris is a widowed librarian in Athena, Mississippi. His companion is Diesel, a Maine Coon cat big enough to walk on a leash and ride in the car. The two go everywhere together, which puts them near every murder investigation in town. His friend Melba keeps the gossip coming. The first book in this New York Times bestselling series is Murder Past Due (2010). The same author writes the Southern Ladies Mysteries, starring the Ducote sisters and their own cat.
Magical Cats Mysteries by Sofie Kelly
Librarian Kathleen Paulson moves from Boston to Mayville Heights, a fictional town in Minnesota. Two cats follow her home. Owen can turn invisible, and Hercules can walk through walls. She keeps Hercules and Owen secret while they help her crack the case, and she tries hard to keep them safe. The first book is Curiosity Thrilled the Cat (2011).
Second Chance Cat Mystery Series by Sofie Ryan: A Black Cat with a Scar
The same author writes this series under another name. Sarah Grayson runs Second Chance, a shop in North Harbor, Maine, that sells repurposed furniture. Her rescue cat Elvis, a black cat, has a scar on his nose and a talent for finding clues. Readers love Sarah and Elvis together. The first book is The Whole Cat and Caboodle (2014).
Mrs. Murphy Mysteries by Rita Mae Brown
Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen is the postmistress of Crozet, Virginia. Her tiger cat Mrs. Murphy, a gray cat named Pewter and a Welsh corgi dog named Tee Tucker help her solve the crime. The animals talk to each other, but not to the humans. The books are co-credited to Sneaky Pie Brown, the author’s own cat. The first book is Wish You Were Here (1990).
Booktown Mysteries by Lorna Barrett
Tricia Miles runs a mystery bookshop in Stoneham, New Hampshire. Her bookstore cat is called Miss Marple, after Agatha Christie’s sleuth. When a shop owner is killed in the first book, Tricia finds the body and becomes the prime suspect. The cat is not the detective here, but she adds classic cozy warmth. Read our Murder Is Binding review and our Not the Killing Type review.
The Cat Who… Series Reading Order
Braun published three books in the 1960s, then stopped for eighteen years. She came back in 1986, and the series became a bestseller. Read the books in order. Qwill’s life changes a lot, and his move north to Pickax in Moose County comes in book six. Yum Yum, Koko’s companion, joins in book three.
| # | Title | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Cat Who Could Read Backwards | 1966 |
| 2 | The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern | 1967 |
| 3 | The Cat Who Turned On and Off | 1968 |
| 4 | The Cat Who Saw Red | 1986 |
| 5 | The Cat Who Played Brahms | 1987 |
| 6 | The Cat Who Played Post Office | 1987 |
| 7 | The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare | 1988 |
| 8 | The Cat Who Sniffed Glue | 1988 |
| 9 | The Cat Who Went Underground | 1989 |
| 10 | The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts | 1990 |
| 11 | The Cat Who Lived High | 1990 |
| 12 | The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal | 1991 |
| 13 | The Cat Who Moved a Mountain | 1992 |
| 14 | The Cat Who Wasn’t There | 1992 |
| 15 | The Cat Who Went into the Closet | 1993 |
| 16 | The Cat Who Came to Breakfast | 1994 |
| 17 | The Cat Who Blew the Whistle | 1995 |
| 18 | The Cat Who Said Cheese | 1996 |
| 19 | The Cat Who Tailed a Thief | 1997 |
| 20 | The Cat Who Sang for the Birds | 1998 |
| 21 | The Cat Who Saw Stars | 1999 |
| 22 | The Cat Who Robbed a Bank | 2000 |
| 23 | The Cat Who Smelled a Rat | 2001 |
| 24 | The Cat Who Went Up the Creek | 2002 |
| 25 | The Cat Who Brought Down the House | 2003 |
| 26 | The Cat Who Talked Turkey | 2004 |
| 27 | The Cat Who Went Bananas | 2005 |
| 28 | The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell | 2006 |
| 29 | The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers | 2007 |
A thirtieth book, The Cat Who Smelled Smoke, was announced but never finished. The author died in 2011.
Cat Cozy Mysteries Where the Talking Cat Is the Sleuth
In most cat cozies the human solves the crime. In these series the cat does the real work:
- Joe Grey Mysteries by Shirley Rousseau Murphy. Joe Grey is a tomcat in Molena Point, California, who talks to people. He and his friend Dulcie are hot on the trail of every killer. Joe solves mysteries and phones in tips to the police. The first book is Cat on the Edge (1996).
- Midnight Louie Mysteries by Carole Nelson Douglas. Louie is a big black cat in Las Vegas, and he narrates part of every book. The first is Catnap (1992).
- Mrs. Murphy Mysteries. The cats and the corgi often find the killer before Harry does.
- The Cat Who… series. Koko never talks, but he is always one step ahead of Qwill.
Paranormal Cozy Mystery Picks with Magical Cats
If you like a little magic with your paw prints, try these. In Carolyn Hart’s What the Cat Saw, journalist Nela Farley can pick up words and images from cats through eye contact. She moves into a murdered woman’s apartment in Craddock, Oklahoma, and her cat Jugs shows her the fall was no accident. Read our What the Cat Saw review.
In Tonya Kappes’s Magical Cures Mysteries, June Heal’s cat Mr. Prince Charming is a sassy Fairy-God cat in a town full of witchcraft. Read our Magical Cures Mysteries review. The Owen and Hercules books and the Joe Grey series belong here too. For more ghosts and witches, see our paranormal cozy mysteries page.
Popular Cat Mystery Books: Where to Start Your Next Murder Mystery
New to cat cozies? Start with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards if you want a classic with a realistic cat. It is slow in the first half, but it pays off. Pick What the Cat Saw for a purr-fect psychic twist and a slow-burn romance. It is a standalone, since Hart never wrote a second Nela Farley book.
Some favorite cozy mystery series have a cat in a supporting role. In Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen books, Hannah runs a bakery, and her feline companion Moishe waits at home. Read our Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder review. Carolyn Hart’s mystery bookstore has Agatha, the bookstore cat. Read our Death on Demand review.
Cozy Cat Mysteries We Have Reviewed
Recommended Cozy Cat Mystery Authors
- The creator of Koko and Qwill, the pioneer of the genre.
- Miranda James, the USA Today bestselling author of Cat in the Stacks, with Charlie and Diesel.
- Sofie Kelly, who also writes as Sofie Ryan: one writer with two series.
- Rita Mae Brown, whose animals keep a small Virginia town safe.
- Shirley Rousseau Murphy and Carole Nelson Douglas, for cats who investigate on their own.
- Clea Simon, whose Theda Krakow is a Boston music writer with a cat named Musetta. The first book is Mew Is for Murder (2005).
- Cate Conte, whose Cat Cafe Mysteries are set in a café full of rescue cats and a kitten or two, on an island off Massachusetts.
- Carolyn Hart, for the paranormal twist.
New Cozy Cat Mystery Books and Upcoming Cozies
The long-running series put out a new mystery about once a year. The Cat in the Stacks, Owen and Hercules and Second Chance series keep growing. Check each author’s website or newsletter for the next title. We add every cat cozy we review to this page. The newest reviews show up in the list above first.
Are There Cozy Cat Mysteries on Netflix?
Not really. As far as we know, none of the big cat series has a TV adaptation, and The Cat Who… books have never been filmed. Some Hallmark mystery movies feature pets, but no cat plays the detective. For now, the good ones live on the page and in audiobooks.
Where to Find a List of Cat Cafe, Bookshop and Small-Town Cat Mysteries
This page is our list of cat mystery books, and it grows with every review. The Best Cozy Mystery Series list on Goodreads is the biggest reader list. The Cat Who… series ranks #11 on it, with 3.87 from nearly 34,000 ratings. The cozy mystery fan sites also keep lists sorted by series.
Tips for Enjoying Purrfect Mysteries with Cats
- Choose your kind of cat. Realistic, magical or talking cats read very differently.
- Start with book one. The bond between the sleuth and the cat grows through the series.
- Don’t expect the cat to find the murderer alone. Half the fun is the cat and mouse game between the reader and the clues. You want to find a killer before the cat does.
- Pair them with a food cozy. Many cat series share shelf space with culinary cozy mysteries.
- Try the audiobooks. A good narrator makes the meows and the gossip even better.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cozy Cat Mysteries
What is the best cozy cat mystery series?
The Cat Who… series is the classic and the most popular. For a modern pick, try Cat in the Stacks by Miranda James or the Magical Cats Mysteries by Sofie Kelly.
What is the first book in The Cat Who… series?
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (1966). Koko got his name from the way he seems to read newspaper headlines backwards with his nose.
How many books are in The Cat Who… series?
There are 29 novels, published between 1966 and 2007. A thirtieth book was never finished.
Are there cozy mysteries where the cat talks?
Yes. In Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s Joe Grey books the cats talk to people. In Rita Mae Brown’s Mrs. Murphy books the animals only talk to each other.
What kind of cat is Diesel?
A large Maine Coon. In the Cat in the Stacks series he goes everywhere with his librarian owner.