Temperatures are getting lower, and that means I’m ready to settle into my living room, light a fire, sip some gin-and-ginger tea, and catch up on my 2022 Goodreads Challenge (only seven books behind schedule…this is fine…).
One of my favorite things about Kindle Unlimited is how much it has developed over the years. I’ve encountered so many authors I’d never have found at the library or in bookstores, and enjoyed a vast and diverse selection of books.
Mystery books have become my jam recently. I used to avoid them — being something of a weenie — but I now understand their pull and have been devouring them with delighted abandon. I usually have one going either on audio or in hand, and if it’s part of a series, all the better. I prefer my protagonists female whenever possible, and I appreciate an author who sidesteps the Dead Girl Trope. I also enjoy a good historical mystery set outside of Victorian England, which seems to be the default setting for such books. So while the weather outside turns frightful, there are a bunch of mystery series that I’m either in the middle of or are on my TBR that I think are worth sharing. To make it easier to start at the beginning, each series is introduced by its first book.
9 of the Best Kindle Unlimited Mystery Series to Read Right Now
The Heiress of Linn Hagh (The Detective Lavender Mysteries) by Karen CharltonDetective Stephen Lavender was one of the early Bow Street Runners, the precursor to the detectives of today. Charlton takes Lavender’s story and adds fiction, to charming results. Currently there are six Detective Lavender Mysteries, two of which are based on Lavender’s real-life cases. |
Blessop’s Wife (Historical Mysteries Collection) by Barbara Gaskell DenvilDenvil’s readers enjoy her detailed descriptions of 15th century England, and are lucky enough to have eight volumes of the Historical Mysteries Collection. The cover claims you can read them in no particular order, although I’ll end up reading them in numerical order anyway. |
The Dublin Trilogy Deluxe Part 1 (The Bunny McGarry Collection) by Caimh McDonnellAs you can see from the photo, the Dublin Trilogy runs more than three books. In fact, it runs to seven volumes and is “the funniest crime series” many readers have ever encountered. |
Death by Dumpling: A Noodle Shop Mystery (A Noodle Shop Mystery, 1) by Vivien ChienI will never stop recommending this cozy series by Vivien Chien. Her characters are delightful and everything about this (currently) nine book series is fun. I’ve taken to listening to them while cooking so they don’t leave me hungry for noodles. |
A Brazen Curiosity: A Regency Cozy (Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries) by Lynn MessinaCurrently standing at 11 volumes, Messina’s cozy mystery series is sure to delight fans of historical fiction who like a little detecting and a scattering of delicious wit mixed in. |
Itsy Bitsy Spider (Emma Frost Book 1) by Willow RoseThe Emma Frost series has earned Willow Rose the title “Queen of Plot Twists.” Stretching to 13 volumes, this series may find you oscillating between making popcorn and reading — or doing both at once during particularly exciting chapters. |
Vanished (Dixon & Baudin) by Victor MethosVictor Methos is a former defense attorney-turned-author who has written many two-to-three book series, many of which are available on Kindle Unlimited. Dixon & Baudin, in particular, is a dark series about the grey areas of detective work. |
Merciless Legacy: An Asha Kade Private Detective Mystery Thriller (Merciless Murder Thrillers Book 1) by Tikiri HerathAsha Kade was trafficked in her youth and is now a PI, burdened both with her past and the dying wish of an elderly acquaintance. In tracking down their family, she uncovers a deadly family secret — and that’s just in book one (of six, currently). |
Malice: A Mystery (The Kyoichiro Kaga Series, 1) by Keigo HigashinoA best-selling novelist is found murdered in a locked room. Detective Kyochiro Kaga is tagged to investigate, and while doing so he recognizes a face from his own — and the victim’s — past. Higashino is an acclaimed author in Asia, and it’s delightful to see him getting recognition in English-speaking countries. |
This list could honestly go on and on. All together we have 66 books over nine series, and several of the listed authors have multiple series to their credit — whew!
For more recommended mystery reads, check out our picks for the best mystery books of 2022 and our mystery, thriller, and true crime archives for even more.
