Need a Cozy Mystery Set in History?

Looking for a cozy mystery that will inspire and entertain you? Check out these two new Inspirational releases that will carry you back in time with mystery, romance, and intrigue.

I receive free electronic advanced reader copies of these books through an arrangement between the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion on NetGalley’s website. I only review books on my blog that I really love.

Not Your Modern Cozy Mystery

So, when I think cozy mystery, I usually think modern-day settings. But these two books have the hallmarks of a cozy mystery set in a different time period. So, if you love history, inspirational romances, and mysteries, you’ll love these books.

A Castaway in Cornwall

By Julie Klassen, Bethany House Publishers, December 2020, 400 pages.

For years Laura Calloway has felt like a castaway in Cornwall—carried in like jetsam on the tides of tragedy. All her blood relatives have died, and she lives with her Uncle Matthew and his second wife—who doesn’t approve of her. Laura spends hours combing the beach for odds and ends cast ashore from the frequent wrecks, hoping to find clues to the identities of shipwreck victims.

While she has no real closure in the deaths of her parents, she yearns to provide closure for others who have lost loved ones. One fateful night she joins the wreckers on the beach and saves the life of the only survivor of a vessel torn apart by the rocks near shore. As she nurses him back to health, she struggles to trust him.

Alexander Lucas narrowly escapes death and finds himself at the mercy of a beautiful woman. He longs to tell her the truth but fears the truth could endanger her and his host’s family. Above all else, he must return home and exonerate his brother and reconcile with his father. But with little money and weakened health, his only hope lies in trusting a stranger.

Why I Loved This Book

I love all things Cornwall—Doc Martin, Poldark, and Sarah E. Ladd’s books. Throw in a Regency setting, smugglers, and the Island of Jersey, and you have the perfect recipe for a moody romance that inspires as well as entertains.

I loved learning about quirky customs and can relate to Laura—a woman who never feels as if she quite fits in. By including quotes from books about life in Cornwall written during different time periods at the start of each chapter, Klassen brings together fact and fiction. She takes the time to fully develop the characters and make them relatable (even the antagonist). 

Poldark fans will love this moody mystery from @Julie_Klassen. #inspy #amreading #cornwall Click To Tweet

Courting Misfortune

By Regina Jennings, Bethany House Publishers, December 2020, 333 pages.

Calista York wants to find her purpose in life, and after encountering a Pinkerton detective, she knows she’s found her calling. Even when Mr. Pinkerton sends her to Joplin, Mo, to find a missing young woman, Calista knows God has her where he wants her. If only her extended family would stay out of her business long enough to let her do her job.

Her parents and siblings live a short train ride away in Kansas City, and a passel of cousins, uncles, and aunts live just outside Joplin. She races to finish her work before her Grandma realizes she’s in town or Mr. Pinkerton decides to send another operative. Once she proves herself, her Pinkerton job will be secure. At which time she can tell her family about her journey from debutant to detective, a life of ease to a life of purpose.

Her only problem? A sweet, but misguided missionary keeps putting himself between her and her job. He thinks she needs saving from misfortune and cluelessness. She just needs him to stay out of her way so she can accomplish her mission. And then her cousins show up.

Matthew Cook answered God’s call to leave his tiny hometown of Pine Gap to help the downtrodden in Joplin. But he seems to spend most of his time rescuing a frivolous young woman from the bad choices she seems determined to make.

Matthew’s ministry grows slowly, but he knows with hard work and determination, he’ll fulfill the call God gave him. If only the careless Miss Calista York didn’t need his protection.

Why I Love This Book

You won’t find fluffy romance with cardboard characters in Regina Jennings’ books. Her characters have unique jobs, relatable questions about how God works through ordinary people, spine-tingling intrigue, and sweet romance. In other words, she creates a cozy mystery set in boomtown Joplin at the turn of the last century. What more could a history lover want?

Don't miss this fun new historical romance from @ReginaJennings! Mystery, intrigue, and a whole lot of interfering family keep the plot hopping. #amreading #inspy #bookreview Click To Tweet