Murder mysteries are one of the most popular entertainment genres – and for good reason. They provide endless entertainment and thrills from the safety of one's home. With a lineage that extends beyond Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, who better to ride along with on a murder mystery than the British?
There have been countless British TV shows dedicated to murder mysteries similar to American shows. However, something that the British excel at is "Cozy Murder Mysteries." In these shows, the sex and violence usually happen off-screen, and the stories take place in cute villages with quaint scenery full of charming locals. While it's not all hunky dory – people get killed, after all – there is something deeply comforting about British murder mysteries.
10 Inspector Morse Leaves A Lasting Legacy
7 Series, 33 Episodes, and 5 Specials
Detective Chief Inspector Morse has graced television screens in some capacity since 1987. Inspector Morse originally ran from 1987 to 2000. A few years later, a sequel show, Lewis, began airing, and currently, the prequel, Endeavour, is getting ready for its ninth and final season.
Like the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, Morse is brilliant but can also be cynical, although he is secretly a romantic at heart. The series is set in Oxford, and many of Morse's cases center around the fine arts and literature. Some episodes of Morse even feature the killer's identity being revealed via Morse code in the music. Morse truly is a show for people who love a cozy mystery.
9 Jonathan Creek Uses Magic To Solve Crimes
5 Series, 32 Episodes
Unlike most mystery shows, Jonathan Creek does not focus on "who" did it or "why" the crime was committed. Instead, Jonathan Creek shows viewers how the crime was committed. On this show, murders often occurred in locked rooms or when the culprit was in two places at once. Jonathan Creek would solve these seemingly impossible cases.
Jonathan Creek lived in a windmill and worked as a magician's assistant. His illusion and deduction skills brought him to the police, where he would help solve impossible cases. Jonathan Creek is not a police officer, but through his knowledge of magic and stagecraft, he went on to help solve many murders.
8 Rosemary & Thyme Balances Gardening And Murder
3 Series, 22 Episodes
On Rosemary & Thyme, the titular Rosemary and Thyme are two gardeners who often stumble upon murders as they travel to cozy gardens across Britain. Laura Thyme is a retired police officer who just broke up with her husband, and Rosemary Boxer is a plant pathologist and University Professor. Together, they get into funny shenanigans.
Rosemary & Thyme features beautiful gardens and scenery in every episode while the two stars try to solve a murder. With stunning imagery and a great friendship, Rosemary & Thyme shows that murder doesn't have to be ugly.
7 David Suchet Is Agatha Christie's Poirot
13 Series, 70 Episodes
Agatha Christie's Poirot was a TV show that ran from 1989 to 2013. It featured David Suchet as the titular detective in what many fans (and Agatha Christie's own family) believe to be the most accurate depiction of the fictional detective. However, Kenneth Branagh has done an admirable job in the two recent films.
Hercule Poirot is a Belgium detective who solves cases with the police. Poirot is extremely intelligent and can find clues no matter how often they've been overlooked. Throughout the series, every Agatha Christie novel and short story featuring Poirot was adapted into an episode. With episodes often taking place in quaint English villages, Poirot is the perfect show to watch on a rainy evening.
6 Grantchester Gives Viewers A Glimpse Into 1950s England
7 Series, 45 Episodes
Set in the village of Cambridgeshire during the 1950s, Grantchester focuses on Detective Inspector Gordie Keating as he works with the Anglican vicar Sidney Chambers to solve crimes. Eventually, Sidney would be replaced by fellow vicar Will Davenport.
Inspector Keating is a great detective who always does things by the book but often puts on a gruff demeanor. This is complemented by the two vicars, who are more approachable to witnesses. While a vicar and a police officer working together sounds like the setup for a bad joke, Grantchester is a charming show with great mysteries.
5 Death In Paradise Provides A Beautiful Backdrop For Murder
11 Series, 89 Episodes
Death in Paradise is set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie. The series starts when a detective is murdered on the island, and Detective Inspector Richard Poole is sent from England to investigate and replace the deceased officer.
Throughout Death in Paradise, Detective Inspector Richard Poole is replaced, and several other detectives are sent to replace him, helping keep the series fresh. Death in Paradise puts Caribbean culture on full display and lets viewers see what it would be like to live on a tropical island.
4 Agatha Raisin Makes Murder Fun
4 Series, 25 Episodes
Agatha Raisin is a relatively new series, only having four seasons so far. The titular Agatha Raisin is a former PR agent who used to live in London, but quit her job and moved to a quiet village in the country. Unfortunately, everything goes wrong when Agatha becomes the suspect in a murder investigation.
After clearing her name, Agatha decides to become a private investigator. She makes numerous friends throughout the series who help her with her cases. While Agatha may not look like it, based on her somewhat over-the-top outfits, she is a fantastic detective, and usually solves cases faster than the police.
3 Father Brown Makes For An Unlikely Detective
9 Series, 100 Episodes
Father Brown is based on the stories of the same name by G. K. Chesterton. The series features Mark Williams as the titular Father, best known for his role as Mr. Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise.
Father Brown is a Catholic priest who lives in the village of Kembleford after the end of WWII. Father Brown often gets wrapped up in murder cases that involve his parishioners, and he tries to help. He does his best to empathize with the criminals, feeling that everyone sins, yet they should be allowed to repent. Father Brown chooses to see the best in people. This optimism helps make Father Brown into such a feel-good TV show.
2 Shakespeare & Hathaway Pair Murder And The Bard
4 Series, 39 Episodes
Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators takes place in the village of Stratford-upon-Avon, the real-life home of William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway. Because of this, each mystery often features a slew of Shakespearean references and themes.
Former police detective turned private investigator Frank Hathaway meets Lu Shakespeare when she hires him to clear her name after she is accused of murdering her husband. Along with Frank's assistant, the aspiring actor Sebastian, the pair solve the case. The three work so well together that after Lu's name is cleared, she joins the team. Frank and Lu act as the investigators, while Sebastian uses his acting talents and seemingly endless wardrobe to go undercover. Shakespeare & Hathaway is one of the peak cozy mysteries, thanks to its quirky scenarios and cute villages.
1 Midsomer Murders Is The Pinnacle of Cozy Mysteries
22 Series, 132 Episodes
Midsomer Murders has been airing since 1997 and has become a beloved staple of cozy British murder mysteries. Set in the English county of Midsomer, each episode sees Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, and later his cousin John Barnaby, travel to nearby villages to solve cases. Each episode also features a Detective Sergeant who works with Barnaby. The first is DS Gavin Troy, while DS Jamie Winter is currently on the team.
Midsomer Murder is known for its unusual deaths. The creators wanted their murders to stand out, so victims have died being crushed by a cheese wheel, boiled in a vat of beer, and run over by a WWII tank. The peaceful scenery, coupled with the bizarre deaths and whity humor, has made Midsomer Murders one of the coziest British Murder Mysteries.