12 funny mysteries to brighten your day – Modern Mrs Darcy
It was a dark and stormy night when I fell in love with funny mysteries. My babysitter had put on the VHS of the extremely quotable 1985 classic Clue and I was hooked by the opening credit music and fabulous ensemble cast list. (I am totally listening to the atmospheric soundtrack while I write this post.) I already loved the classic board game; since that night, I’ve sought out reads that gave me that same feeling of intrigue, excitement, and laughs. After all, what’s better than your favorite movie and game but a treasure trove of books with those same comedic tones and whodunnit vibes?
After devouring acerbic Agatha Christie books and a slew of silly Carl Hiaasen stories, I vividly remember complaining to my brother that I wished there were even more funny mysteries out there to enjoy. That all changed in the fall of 2019 when both the film Knives Out and the book Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts were released. In fact, I loved Tuesday Mooney so much, it ended up being one of my picks for WSIRN #275: How many book clubs is too many book clubs? So just in case they are reading, thank you to Rian Johnson and Kate Racculia for inspiring a recent renaissance of hilarious sleuths and murderous riddles.
I’ve compiled this list of whodunits in the hopes that they will have you grinning, chuckling, and even laughing out loud. Since humor can be very subjective, these mysteries range in style to offer something for every reader, from goofy jokes or clever wit all the way to the darkest of dark comedy. Whether you try to figure out the killer like some of my bookish friends or just go along for the ride like myself, funny mysteries can be the perfect read when life feels heavy or you need an exciting escape.
The cunning delight doesn’t stop there. Please make sure to share in the comments all about your favorite funny mysteries. I can’t wait to hear which titles on this list you have read and what titles you would add. Until then, happy sleuthing!
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A darkly comedic and twisty tale of true crime podcasts and small town murder. It has been five years since Lucy’s best friend Savvy was murdered in their Texas hometown and Lucy was found covered in her blood with no memory of what occurred. After the traumatizing events, Lucy has successfully slipped into anonymity by moving to LA and trying to forget all about her old life. All her hard work is completely ruined when hugely popular Listen for the Lie podcast host Ben Owens starts investigating the unsolved case. The captivating audiobook narrated by real life husband and wife duo, Will Damron and January LaVoy, is a must-listen due to their performances bringing the interspersed podcast episodes to life in a way that is lost in print. It reminded me of an R-rated Only Murders in the Building. Content warnings apply. More info →
Raise your hand if you also love a gothic house as a character! Jo Jones has come to England from New York after inheriting a crumbling estate and wouldn’t you know it—the groundskeeper is found murdered almost immediately after Jo arrives. Oh and Jo just fired him, so she’s a potential suspect who is also in grave danger from the true killer. I really enjoyed Jo’s sleuthy observations and humor as a neurodivergent divorcée who has moved into a possibly haunted home across the pond. The audiobook performed by Lindsey Dorcus was particularly delightful. With a great cast of interesting characters and detailed atmosphere, this would be a good fit for fans of Anthony Horowitz’s Susan Ryland books. More info →
Indiana Jones meets Bridget Jones’s Diary in this funny and fast-paced cozy adventure. Historian Jaya Jones is shocked when she receives an unexpected package from her ex (mailed on the same day he was in a fatal car accident) containing some seriously blinged out antique jewelry. With the assistance of her magician best friend and a handsome art historian she is quickly thrown into a worldwide treasure hunt with ancient artifacts, Indian royalty, and an archeological dig in the Scottish Highlands. This lighthearted backlist book is great on audio narrated by Allyson Ryan. If this series sounds like your cup of tea, there are five more installments to check out. More info →
Ever wonder what it would be like to be a grim reaper? Well, for forty-two-year-old and soon-to-be divorced Kathy Vallance, working for S.C.Y.T.H.E. (Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences) is like being employed by a paranormal version of The Office. She has a boring cubicle, wacky coworkers, awkward work events to attend, and a new assignment that is proving to be somewhat difficult. Kathy finally tracks down her latest soul: Connor Ortiz, a video game loving teenager who curses like a sailor and is convinced someone from her office killed him. She is skeptical at first but quickly stumbles on to some murderous evidence and agrees to work together to find out what truly happened before Connor’s soul becomes a ghost. Full of laughs, characters to root for, and quite a bit of heart, this is a perfect mix of the Finlay Dononvan series and Bill & Ted’s Bogus Adventure. More info →
An innovative interactive tale with a killer premise and laugh-out-loud moments. Ernest Cunningham is a quick-witted expert on murder mysteries; he even writes books about the genre. All that knowledge soon comes in handy as he finds himself snowed in during a family reunion and learns that everyone has killed someone and there is a killer on the loose. There are lots of meta references like the “10 Commandments of Detective Fiction” and I absolutely adored all the times Ernest breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the readers. Important to note — the plot, deaths, and backstories might be grittier than one expects from the cover and title. In fact, after a particularly upsetting scene, I almost DNF’d the print book around the halfway mark. Luckily, a friend mentioned she tore through the audiobook narrated by Barton Welch, inspiring me to pick it back up in audio to find out whodunnit. I am so glad I did! Especially since the second in the series has the rare honor of being EVEN better than the first and there is a fabulous Christmas novella as well. More info →
Author Emma Rosenblum’s thrilling page-turners with unlikable characters making awful decisions are quickly becoming auto-buy reads for me. They are acerbic and full of sharp observations without being too scary or gory. Her latest is a fascinating look into a tech start-up’s swanky executive retreat. There is an absurd CEO obsessed with Winston Churchill, an anxious head of HR, an overeager assistant, a newcomer to the team, and more on the doomed weekend getaway. Plus, this Floridian reader was entranced by the swanky Miami setting and itinerary jam-packed with real life locales that I have either visited in person or found entertaining to Google. Think Very Bad Things plus The Social Network in South Beach. Content warnings apply. More info →
The first in a sharply funny new series about Glory Broussard, a quite unique older amateur sleuth. Glory is a church-going, red hat club member who also happens to be a bookie. She runs her gambling business from the local coffee shop and isn’t above a bit of blackmail. Glory is soon sparked into action after news that her oldest friend, a nun at a local Catholic church, has passed and her death is suspiciously ruled a suicide. Luckily, Glory has the help of her daughter, Delphine, a lawyer living in NYC who has come back home with a few troubles of her own. Readers looking for a strong sense of place will appreciate the Lafayette, Louisiana setting that grapples with issues like segregation and racism. The story comes to life on audio fantastically performed by the one and only Bahni Turpin. Since this mix of cozy mystery meets crime novel has a bit of a grit, content warnings apply. More info →
My favorite self-aware, media-loving Security Unit investigates a murder? Sign me up! When Murderbot finds a dead body on the normally peaceful Preservation planet, they are tasked by their companion Dr. Mensah to assist the local security office with the investigation. As usual, Muderbot’s trademark snarky sarcasm is on full display and it’s even more entertaining when they are on the trail of a killer. Written as a standalone whodunnit, readers new to the series can feel free to start with this quick paced novella. Highly recommend the wonderful audiobook narrated by Kevin R. Free that perfectly captures Murderbot’s sly humor. More info →
The cover may look light and breezy but a delightfully layered puzzle of a story lies inside. I was immediately hooked into this creative tale by the witty and cynical footnotes provided by famous author Eleanor Dash. While on the tenth anniversary tour for her popular “Vacation Mystery” series, Eleanor is quickly drawn into mysterious happenings that seem targeted to kill her ex-boyfriend and star of her books, Connor Smith. (It doesn’t help that she was actually thinking of offing him herself.) This first in a series is full of beautiful locations and rollicking twists. Some of the action takes a bit of time to really get going but the ending is worth the slow build. I’m looking forward to reading more of Eleanor’s adventures and hoping she keeps providing her hilarious footnotes. More info →
Readers may recognize Lucy Score’s name from her popular romance novels but she also writes amusingly zany mysteries! Moonlighting meets Psych in this whodunit filled with silly jokes. Riley Thorn is simply trying to put her life back together after a nasty divorce while living in a not-really-legal rental home with a crew of wacky neighbors. But she keeps having pesky psychic visions of a murder and unfortunately, they come true when her neighbor is killed right under her nose. Now Riley has to work with Nick Santiago, an annoying yet handsome P.I., to figure out the case before the bad guy comes back to get her. Fun (and a bit absurd) detective work ensues. (Open door.) More info →
Oh what fun it is to read a fabulous romystery! I told Anne this 2024 Fall Book Preview title was legit created in a lab for me. It has a ton of my favorite things: a locked room setting, smart comedy, intriguing flashbacks, steamy chemistry, and SO. MUCH. BANTER. The story begins with Maggie Chase, cozy mystery writer, and Ethan Wyatt, tough guy thriller author, receiving identical mysterious invites to spend the holidays abroad. They find themselves smack dab in the middle of a real-life whodunnit at the estate of enigmatic best-selling murder author Eleanor Ashley. The clever plot and layered romance had me turning the pages as fast as I could. (Closed door.) More info →
Fans of Murder, She Wrote and Sabrina the Teenage Witch take note. I am so glad I stumbled upon this under-the-radar paranormal cozy mystery. The quirky title really says it all. It ended up being a surprise five star read for me. I absolutely adored Sherry Pinkwhistle, a sixty-three-year-old librarian and local amateur sleuth living in the small town of Winesap. Just when Sherry starts to wonder why there have been so many strange murders lately, her cat Lord Thomas Cromwell starts giving her demon hunting advice. By talking! Thanks to her trusty group of friends and Columbo-inspired investigation style, Sherry is ready to get to the bottom of all the bizarre coincidences. While there are some creepy parts to this tale, the observant humor outweighs the scary bits; I enjoyed it before bed without being worried about nightmares. There were so many hilarious lines, I found myself reading them aloud to my husband Chad often. I will be thinking of this story for a while and I sure hope it gets a sequel! More info →
What are your favorite funny mysteries? Please share in the comments.
Brigid Misselhorn is our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. Her go-to genres are mystery, romance, and sci-fi. You can find Brigid on Instagram @brigid_emily.
