I once again read a lot of mysteries, including starting several new-to-me series.

Mavis Miller series by Elise Bryant

It’s Elementary (2024) (#1), The Game Is Afoot (2025) (#2)

Berkley

Cover by Camila Pinheiro

Another cover that drew me to take a look at the book.

As the author noted, Mavis has some epic side-eye her, and it’s perfect.

Cozy

Joss Miller Mysteries by Tyora Moody

Double Mocha Blues (2023), A Latte Mayhem (2024), Mint Flavored Trouble (2024)

Tymm Publishing

Cover by TywebbinCreations

Joss is a barista, which is clear from all the covers.

I like how she is partially off the cover, so we can see her identity, but her details are left to our imagination. And I love her hair.

It’s a relatively simple cover, but I think it’s excellently done for a small press.

Countess of Harleigh series by Dianne Freeman

George and Frances Roll the Dice (#7.5) (2025), A Daughter’s Guide to Mothers and Murder (#8) (2025)

Kensington Books

To be honest I don’t love the cover of  George and Frances Roll the Dice. Normally the two are much smaller and their faces have less detail. Her face her seems weirdly pinched and it makes me uncomfortable to look at it.

That said, it’s clearly part of this specific series, and I suppose they went with the larger characters as it’s a novella and not a full novel. But it still kinda squicks me out.

The other cover, however, is an excellent addition to the series, with George and Frances as the focal point, but danger lurking in the background. And the theater setting tells you about the story without giving anything away.

Historical

A Countess of Harleigh Mystery: A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder (2018), A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder (2019), A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder (2020), A Fiancée’s Guide to First Wives and Murder (2021), A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder (2022), A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder (2023), An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder (2024), George and Frances Roll the Dice (2025), A Daughter’s Guide to Mothers and Murder (2025)

Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley

A Moveable Feast (#7.6) (2025)

Self-published

Cover by Kim Killion

A Silence in Belgrave Square (#8) (2025)

Berkley Prime Crime

Cover by Larry Rostant

This series has two different cover artists: Larry Rostant for the Berkley covers and Kim Killion for the self-published books.

Although the self-published books are distinct from the Berkley covers, they are internally consistent, and having seen the first cover, are easily recognizable as part of the series.

For the Berkley cover we have the woman in the dress and the staircase. I wish the cover model was supposed to be Kat, but since she’s a cook, she’d likely be wearing the same outfit on every cover, and the stairs would likely be the same as well, since all the books spend time in the kitchen.

Cozy, Historical, Queer

Kat Holloway : A Soupçon of Poison (2015), Death Below Stairs (2018), Scandal Above Stairs (2018), Death in Kew Gardens (2019), Murder in the East End (2020), Death at the Crystal Palace (2021), The Secret of Bow Lane (2022), The Price of Lemon Cake (2023), Mrs. Holloway’s Christmas Pudding (2023), Speculations in Sin (2024), A Measure of Menace (2024), A Moveable Feast (2025), A Silence in Belgrave Square (2025)

Dominoes, Danzón, and Death (2024) Raquel V. Reyes (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery #4)

Crooked Lane Books

Cover by Joe Burleson

Although this cover doesn’t really say murder mystery to me, it does match the other covers in the series, so I knew at a glance what series it was.

I do wish there was more food on the cover, since it’s such an important part of the series.

Cozy

Caribbean Kitchen Mysteries:Mango, Mambo, and Murder (2021), Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking (2022), Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal (2023), Dominoes, Danzón, and Death(2024)

Copper Script  (2025) K.J. Charles

KJC Books

Cover by James T. Egan

This might be my favorite cover of the year.

The art deco seems subtle but immediately tells you the era of the book.  You can the class difference between the characters, as well as the city behind them shrouded in darkness and shadow. And then there’s the mist, and the way his coat is blowing and moving.

And the title font is perfect for the book.

Gorgeous.

Historical, Queer, Romance

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin (2025) Alison Goodman (The Ill-Mannered Ladies #2)

Berkley Prime Crime

Cover by Sveta Dorosheva

Another cover that makes the clearly part of a series. The clothing and the carriage give us the time period, and there is a sense of movement both with the carriage and their clothing showing us there is action, although Gus and Julia remain lady-like.

One ding:  this series is far darker than the cover makes you think.  It looks airy and fluffy and light, but there is a significant amount of darkness here, most of which is time period specific, but the cover doesn’t really warn you of that.

Historical, Queer, Romance

 The Ill-Mannered Ladies: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023), The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin (2025)

A Tarnished Canvas  (2025) Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby #13)

Berkley Prime Crime

Cover by Larry Rostant

I love that we finally get to see Kiera at work. Most of the titles have alluded to her painting but this is the first time we get to see her at work.

As always, the model is facing away from us, but in this case it’s what she is working on rather than the atmospheric scenery. And here the subject of her work is also facing away from us, which fits with the work she has been doing.

I think this might be the best cover of the series.

Historical

Lady Darby: The Anatomist’s Wife (2012), Mortal Arts (2013), A Grave Matter (2014), A Study in Death (2015), A Pressing Engagement (2016), As Death Draws Near (2016), A Brush with Shadows (2018), An Artless Demise (2019), A Stroke of Malice (2020), A Wicked Conceit (2021), A Perilous Perspective (2022), A Fatal Illusion (2023), A Deceptive Composition (2024), A Tarnished Canvas (2025)

Mockingbird Court  (2025) Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow Mystery #6)

Vintage Books

Cover by Perry De La Vega

I love the covers of this series. It’s clearly a mystery, but just as clearly the main characters aren’t the expected humans.

We also get the city in the background, where mystery starts–although much of the story is set in Shady Hollow, and we can see it’s harvest time.

Cozy, Fantasy, Queer

Shady Hollow (2015), Cold Clay (2017), Mirror Lake (2020), Evergreen Chase (2021), Twilight Falls (2023), Phantom Pond (2023), Summers End (2024)

We Solve Murders (2024) Richard Osman (We Solve Murders #1)

Pamela Dorman Books

Cover by Richard Bravery

This is a simple cover, but I really like it.

Although the fonts are different, the way RiCHARD OSMAN’s name is written out matches the Thursday Murder Club series, which I think is a nice subtle touch.

The cat here seems to be a callback to the fox on the Thursday Murder Club books while being distinctly a different series. All in all, it’s a nice simple cover that draws your attention and lets you know this is the same author as the other series.

 

The Persephone Code (2024) Julia Golding (Regency Secrets #1)

One More Chapter

Cover by Lucy Davey

I adored the cover for this book.

Sadly, I didn’t adore the story itself.

It’s been done in other series, but I like the characters being back-to-back, since it can mean both the characters are at odds and / or the characters are working together against an outside danger/foe.

Historical, Romance

 

 

Unlike fantasy, a big publisher is the clear winner for mysteries, with Berkley having six of the best covers.

• Berkley: 6
• Tymm Publishing: 3
• self-published: 2
• Vintage: 2
• Crooked Lane: 1
• Kensington: 1
• Lyrical Press: 1
• One More Chapter: 1
• Pamela Dorman: 1

The Books of 2025