It’s officially getting colder and the fresh crispness in the air means one thing: long evenings spent inside on the sofa with comfort TV. There’s nothing we love more than a session of armchair sleuthing with brilliant actors, such as Lesley Manville and Julie Graham, playing amateur detectives. And, if you’re on the lookout for a new series, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite mysteries so you can get involved in the action.
From a ‘screwball’ whodunnit set in the White House, to a series that combines food and murder mysteries (what could be more comforting?) and small towns riddled by baffling crimes – we’ve got your next TV obsession sorted. So, get yourself sitting comfortably, here are the 9 fantastic cosy crime dramas to watch now on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more.
Marble Hall Murders
No cosy-crime round-up would be complete without Lesley Manville’s book editor turned detective Susan Ryeland. Following Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders, the final chapter in the Anthony Horowitz TV adaptation series, Susan gets wrapped up in another case where reality and fiction collide. This time, she’s hired to work on a continuation novel of the Atticus Pünd mystery series, written by troubled author Eliot Crace (Jamie Blackley). In the story, Detective Pünd (Tim McMullan) is in Corfu investigating the murder of Lady Margaret Chalfont. But in real life, Eliot’s family become entangled in an actual murder case and Susan ends up being a suspect. Marble Hall Murders is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
Queens Of Mystery
Three sister sleuths Cat (Julie Graham), Beth (Sarah Woodward), and Jane (Siobhan Redmond) don’t only solve crimes, they write about them too. This series takes us to the quaint English village of Wildemarsh where the trio help their niece Detective Sergeant Matilda Stone get to the bottom of whodunnit-style murders. However, there’s one unsolved mystery that haunts them all: the disappearance of their sister and Matilda’s mother. Both series of Queens Of Mystery are available to watch now on Channel 4 and U.
Recipes For Love And Murder
This South African series follows recipe columnist Tannie Maria (Maria Doyle Kennedy) who’s appointed to a new role as an agony aunt at The Karoo Gazette. Why? The paper has axed her recipe column, but she soon learns she can help people through culinary advice, too. Tannie receives a concerning letter from a woman with an abusive husband, and the woman later turns up dead. The foodie teams up with rookie journalist Jessie (Kylie Fisher) to solve the murder that’s rocked their small town of Eden. Both series of Recipes For Love And Murder are available to watch now on U.
The Marlow Murder Club
This ultimate comfort-watch takes us to the picturesque town of Marlow where three amateur sleuths Judith Potts (Samantha Bond), Becks Starling (Cara Horgan) and Suzie Harris (Jo Martin) team up to crack various murder mysteries. From a stabbing in a planned housing development to the killing of a famous chef – it’s never a quiet day in the supposedly sleepy town. The Marlow Murder Club is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
You’re Killing Me
Now we’re travelling across the pond to a small town in New England for our next mystery. Novelist Allie (Brooke Shields) forms an alliance with an aspiring writer and podcaster, Andi (Amalia Williamson) to track down who killed their close friend. They’re also joined by a local detective called Jack (Tom Cavanagh) who’s trying to adjust to small town life after moving in from the big city. But with more murders, secrets and copycat killers, will they be able to crack the case? You’re Killing Me is available to watch now on U&Drama.
Blue Murder Motel
For a sun-soaked escape to New Zealand’s breathtaking coast – look no further. The series follows two former detectives Vinny (Michala Banas) and Cole (Brett Tucker) who retire to start a peaceful new life by running a charming hotel in Mōwai Bay. They’re only weeks into their venture when a body is found on the property. The pair dust off their notebooks and help the local police get to the bottom of the it – but that’s just the beginning of their new case load. Blue Murder Motel is available to watch now on ITVX.
Murder Most Puzzling
Based on Parnell Hall’s books, the series kicks off with a case that stumps the police in the quiet town of Bakerbury in England. A body is found in a cemetery with a crossword puzzle clue pinned to it. Baffled, the detectives enlist the help of the famous ‘Puzzle Lady’, Cora Felton (Phyllis Logan) who has to channel her logic into getting to the bottom of the mystery. Murder Most Puzzling is available to watch now on Channel 5.
The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Need some more sunshine escapism? Sally Lindsay is the creator and lead of this series where she plays Jean White, an antiques dealer turned amateur sleuth in the southern French village of Sainte Victoire. The story starts with Jean in a vulnerable situation. Her husband Rory (Peter Gaynor) is killed in a car crash, and she’s left penniless. She teams up with local taxi driver Dom (Steve Edge) to get to the bottom of his death. She believes his missing valuable ring could be the key to cracking the case. This is only the start of Jean’s investigative work, as she discovers she has a knack for sleuthing. All four series of The Madame Blanc Mysteries is available to watch now on Channel 5.
The Residence
Are you ready to work out the ultimate whodunnit? This series takes us to the White House, where a state dinner goes tragically wrong. When the body of White House Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito) is discovered, the race is on to find the find the killer. But with 132 rooms and 157 suspects, it’s no easy feat. Bridgerton’s Shonda Rhimes is the mastermind behind the show, and the cast even includes the pop sensation – Kylie Minogue. Could she be the culprit? The Residence is available to watch now on Netflix.