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Top 3 Free Cozy Mysteries with a Deadly Twist

Penelope McGrath’s dimly lit library scene with warm light and white text reading “Top 3 Free Cozy Mysteries with a Deadly Twist,” curated for readers who love small-town crime and free ebook mysteries.

Top 3 Free Cozy Mysteries with a Deadly Twist

Disclosure: I’m an Amazon Associate. If you grab a book through my links, I may earn a small commission—fuel for more dark thrills.

Welcome to my library. Cozy doesn’t mean calm. In this Top 3 set, murder walks hand-in-hand with muffins, lighthouses hide more than nautical charm, and one small-town sleuth learns pastries can lead to poison.

These stories may arrive wrapped in comfort and charm, but don’t let warm kitchens and quirky pets fool you—there’s a body behind every clue. If you love mysteries that blend small-town drama with dangerous secrets (and free downloads), these are your next must-reads.

1) Killer Renovation — Calee Claiborne

Genre: Cozy Mystery / Lighthouse • Format: Free

A lighthouse restoration turns deadly when a business partner winds up poisoned—and a golden retriever uncovers more than footprints. Sun-salted air, long shadows, and suspects who know the tides too well.

Read for Free →

2) Murder in Windy Hollow — Iris Kingsley

Genre: Cozy Mystery / Festival • Format: Free

Beth Sanders is elbows-deep in cinnamon dough and secrets when a local historian drops dead. Gossip gusts through town as cozy collides with conspiracy in this breezy small-town whodunit.

Read for Free →

3) Murder by the Crumbs — Clara Storm

Genre: Cozy Mystery / Culinary • Format: Free

Lily Swan trades her city job for bakery life, but when a book critic dies at the festival, she’s neck-deep in clues—and motives as layered as a mille-feuille. Sweet, clever, and just sharp enough to cut.

Read for Free →

Perfect for readers who want…

  • Lighthouse restorations with deadly blueprints
  • Festival sweets dusted with scandal
  • Bakery clues, golden retrievers, and poison in the pantry
Stay curious, stay aware… because in cozy towns, the friendliest face might be holding the sharpest knife.

馃帴 Bonus Escape: Puerto Rican Rainstorm Ambiance

Captured on a stormy night in Puerto Rico—real thunder pounding the windshield, calming and chaotic until you glance at the backseat. Perfect for reading cozy crimes while the rain keeps secrets for you.

Watch the Puerto Rican Rainstorm Ambiance →

Want more cozy crimes, dangerous secrets, and free mystery books?

Join my newsletter and I’ll send you one of my own psychological thrillers—free for new readers—plus fresh Top 3s each month.

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What to Read Next

Curious what’s cooking next? Discover more book recommendations →

With thrills,
Penelope McGrath

馃摎 About Penelope McGrath

Penelope McGrath writes psychological thrillers and twisted mysteries from Puerto Rico, where she’s raising two toddlers and collecting story ideas in every thunderstorm.

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Location: Puerto Rico

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