From Chicago to small towns, you’ll love this fun selection of mysteries set in Illinois.
Whether it’s set in the Chicago area of a small town, you’ll definitely find some delightful settings for this fun list of mysteries set in Illinois.
Grab a good snack, get your favorite beverage, and curl up with a fun mystery novel.
And, once you’re done with Illinois, check out this list of Mysteries From All 50 States to select your next location.
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Fun Cozy Mysteries Set in Illinois
I found so many fun options when I started looking for mystery series set in Illinois. I found some great foodie mysteries, a quirky college town, wedding planning, and even a tiny button shop.
Get ready to add a lot of great books to your TBR list!
Undercover Dish Series by Julia Buckley
Lilah is an anonymous chef in the small town of Pine Haven, Illinois. That means she makes delicious meals for her clients that they can claim they made themselves. What a fun business and a fun idea for a mystery series!
In the first book of the Undercover Dish Mystery series, The Big Chili, someone drops dead at the church bingo night after eating Lilah’s chili. Yikes! To save herself and to save her business, Lilah needs to work to find the killer.
You’ll love this series if you like culinary mysteries with a small town setting – a perfect combination!
Buy the first book in the series, The Big Chili, here.
Chef-To-Go Mystery Series by Denise Swanson
The Chef-To-Go Mystery series is another fun culinary mystery. In this one you’ll meet Dani who inherits a big, old mansion in a small college town. While there, she takes the opportunity to open her own take-out business catering to hungry college students.
In the first book, Tart of Darkness, Dani takes in some college-age boarders. The friend of one of her boarders is murdered and Dani is the prime suspect. Can she get herself out of this mess while still getting her new business off the ground?
This is another great option for readers who love culinary mysteries and also quirky small-town settings. FIND ALL THE BOOKS IN THE SERIES HERE.
Buy the first book in the series, Tart of Darkness, here.
Scumble River Mystery Series by Denise Swanson
Denise Swanson, author of the Chef-To-Go series, also wrote a older & lengthier series set in the small town of Scumble River. Here you’ll meet Skye Denison who never thought she’d never return to her hometown, but instead finds herself there working as a school psychologist.
In the first book, Murder of a Small-Town Honey, Skye discovers the body of a TV celebrity and her brother is the prime suspect. Can she clear his name and find the actual murderer?
This is a great series if you’re looking for a longer series to get lost in and you love small-town mysteries.
Buy the first book in the series, Murder of a Small-Town Honey, here.
Hungarian Tea House Mystery Series
Hana Keller, her mom, and grandmother all run a delightful Hungarian Tea House. One of the Tea House’s biggest draws is Hana’s grandmother who reads tea leaves. This is a fun series that dives into Hungarian culture.
In the first book, Death in a Budapest Butterfly, a guest is poisoned at one of the Tea House’s events after drinking out of one of Hana’s prized antique tea cups. Hana needs to find the killer to save the family and their beloved business.
This is a great series for anyone who loves cozies set in restaurants and anyone interested in learning more about the Hungarian culture.
Buy the first book in the series, Death in a Budapest Butterfly, here.
Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries by Mia P. Manansala
This popular new series features Lila Macapagal, who moves back home to her Filipino family after a bad break-up. While there, she’s asked to help save her Tita Rosie’s struggling restaurant.
In the first book, Arsenic and Adobo, Lila’s ex-boyfriend, a notorious food critic, dies suddenly after a confrontation with her. Lila quickly finds herself at the top of the suspect list. With the help of her fun family and her pet Dachshund, Lila needs to find the killer and clear her name.
This is a great new addition to foodie cozies and perfect for someone looking for a new & upcoming series.
Buy the first book in the series, Arsenic and Adobo, here.
Button Box Mystery Series by Kylie Logan
In this series, you’ll meet Josie who is a renowned expert on buttons and runs a tiny button shop in Chicago.
In the first book of the series, Button Holed, Josie is asked to help a famous Hollywood starlet pick out buttons for her custom wedding dress. But, when she goes to meet the actress, she finds her shop ransacked and the actress dead. The best clue is a unique, hand-carved wooden button. Josie uses her button expertise to help solve the murder and keep one of her good friends from getting arrested.
This is a fun series if your looking for a unique setting (the button shop) or wanting a series set in a big city.
Buy the first book in the series, Button Holed, here.
Perfect Proposals Mysteries by Nancy Parra
In this series, you’ll meet Pepper Pomeroy, an unemployed event planner who stumbles into started her own business planning perfect wedding proposals.
In the first book, Engaged in Murder, Pepper finds a dead man in the ladies’ room while helping her sister’s boyfriends plan a surprise engagement. She’s worried her sister’s boyfriend may be involved and is determined to solve the mystery before her sister marries a potential criminal.
This fun series, set in the suburbs of Chicago, is great for anyone who loves strong-willed characters and likes reading about the wedding industry.
Buy the first book in the series, Engaged in Murder, here.
Do you know of any more mysteries set in Illinois that I should add to this list?
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