I just cannot get enough of historical mysteries, especially series. For a long time, my go-to comfort reads were romance/rom-coms, but ever since spring I’ve made the switch to historical mysteries. 

What’s the appeal of historical mysteries? Several reasons pop out at me:

I find the historical details fascinating (I’m learning something without it feeling like homework). I often find myself looking up the time period to learn more. 

It’s perfect arm-chair time travel. I like the escape to another time period and the lack of today’s technology. (Many of the series I read are cozy, so the coziest details of the time period are highlighted, while the not so cozy details, like oh say the plumbing situations, aren’t highlighted. 

Frequently these series feature out-of-the-box sleuths for the time period–often women in a time where women weren’t supposed to be doing much besides looking pretty. 

Author Sara Rosett a 2022 Historical Mystery Reader Survey and the results can be found on her website. I loved this quote especially: 

“For the second year in a row, the number one reason for reading historical mysteries was to learn about history and/or other cultures followed closely by a desire to take part in an intellectual puzzle and use the “little gray cells” instead of forensics to solve a whodunit. Mysteries are a contest between the detective and the readers with both racing along to see who can solve the puzzle first. Readers also reported that they enjoy historical mysteries because the genre lets them escape the current world and vicariously experience a simpler time.”

What about you? Do you enjoy historical mysteries? Dark ones or cozy ones? 

Below I’ve made a list of series I’m all caught up on, series I need to catch up on and series I want to try. It looks like I’ll never run out of reading options in this genre.

I’ve read all the entries: 

Stella and Lyndy Mysteries by Clara McKenna 

Jane Wunderly Mysteries by  Erica Ruth Neubauer 

Lily Adler Mysteries by Katharine Schellman

Veronica Speedwell by Deanna Raybourn

London Ladies’ Murder Club by Marty Wingate

The Darling Dahlias by Susan Wittig Albert 

A Catskill Summer Resort Mystery by Vicki Delany

Still catching up:

Countess of Harleigh by Dianne Freeman

Electra McDonnell Series by Ashley Weaver 

Maisie Dobbs Series by Jacqueline Winspear 

Amory Ames Series by Ashley Weaver

High Society Lady Detective Series by Sara Rosett

Rosalind Thorne Mysteries by Darcie Wilde

Lady Darby Mysteries by Anna Lee Huber

London Ladies’ Murder Club by Marty Wingate

Gilded Gotham Mystery Series by Kate Belli

TBR:

Lady Eleanor Swift Series by Verity Bright

Cleopatra Fox Series by C.J. Archer

Her Royal Spyness Series by Rhys Bowen

Gaslight Mystery Series by Victoria Thompson

Looking for more? Off the Shelf’s article: 10 Historical Fiction Mysteries Ideal for Winter