If your perfect night in involves a gripping mystery, a comforting cuppa, and a cast of delightfully quirky characters, then cosy crime dramas are your callinggg. From sleepy seaside towns to sun-soaked villages in France, these shows blend warmth, humour, and a sprinkle of danger in all the right ways. Freely has gathered the ultimate line-up of binge-worthy mysteries to keep you entertained, so grab your fluffiest blanket, pop the kettle on, and get ready to binge the best cosy crime shows streaming right now!
The Marlow Murder Club
Stream on U
Rotten Tomatoes: 🍅83%
The Marlow Murder Club is cosy crime at its finest. A delightful mystery unfolds in the picturesque village of Marlow, where retired archaeologist Judith Potts (Samantha Bond) joins forces with local dog walker Suzi (Jo Martin) and the Vicar’s wife Becks (Cara Horgan) to crack a string of puzzling murders. Guided by Judith’s sharp instincts and dry wit, this unlikely trio sift through clues, eccentric suspects, and the secrets lurking beneath Marlow’s surface. Rumour has it a third season may be on the way, and we’re already dusting off our magnifying glasses!
Murder Before Evensong
Stream now on 5
Rotten Tomatoes: 🍅89%
Murder Before Evensong brings the Sunday Times bestseller to life with plenty of small-town intrigue. Canon Daniel Clement (Martin Lewis) leads a peaceful life as the rector of Champton – until his plans for a new church toilet set off a scandal. When a body turns up, long-buried secrets bubble to the surface, forcing Daniel to balance faith, community, and a very real murder mystery. Thought-provoking and gently funny, it’s the perfect slow-burn detective tale to sink into.
Sister Boniface Mysteries
Stream on U
Part comedy, part whodunnit, Sister Boniface delivers pure joy from start to finish. Our moped-riding, wine-making, crime-solving nun (Lorna Watson) is a forensic genius who helps local police crack the trickiest of cases – all while maintaining her habit and humour. Light, clever and utterly charming, it’s a much watch for cosy crime lovers.
Whitstable pearl
Watch now on U
Rotten Tomatoes: 🍅86%
Set against the backdrop of the charming seaside town of Whitstable, this cosy crime drama follows single mum Pearl Nolan (Kerry Godliman) as she swaps serving seafood for solving murders. Running a private detective agency from the back of her family restaurant, Pearl teams up with local detective Mike McGuire (Howard Charles) when a friend’s suspicious death shakes the town.
Interested in more dramas on U?
Ludwig
Available now on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes: 🍅97%
Ludwig will have you laughing out loud one moment and puzzling over clues the next. David Mitchell stars as John “Ludwig” Taylor, a reclusive puzzle-setter whose quiet life unravels when his twin brother goes missing. Persuaded by his sister-in-law (Anna Maxwell Martin) to impersonate him, Ludwig is soon knee-deep in investigations (and surprisingly good at them). It’s clever, funny and full of warmth, and with a second season on the horizon, there’s no better time to start binging!
The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Watch now on 5
Sunshine, secrets and a dash of suspense – The Madame Blanc Mysteries whisks you away to the idyllic French village of Sainte Victoire. When antiques dealer Jean White (Sally Lindsay) loses her husband in mysterious circumstances, she turns detective to uncover the truth, soon finding herself solving a string of local cases. It’s escapist, comforting and effortlessly watchable and the perfect cosy crime drama for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Return to Paradise
Watch now on BBC iPlayer
Back for a second season, Return to Paradise is a sun-drenched spin-off of Death in Paradise that takes the action Down Under. London detective Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) returns home to the Australian coastal town of Dolphin Cove after a scandal threatens her career. Determined to clear her name, she can’t resist getting involved in local investigations – much to the annoyance of her ex-fiancé and fellow officers.
Darby and Joan
Watch now on U
A slow-burn, character-driven gem, Darby and Joan pairs retired English nurse Joan Kirkhope (Greta Scacchi) with Aussie detective Jack Darbie (Bryan Brown) after a fateful car accident. Together they roam the Australian outback, uncovering secrets and solving mysteries while Joan searches for the truth about her husband’s death. It’s the kind of road trip drama that makes you laugh, cry and crave another episode.
Grantchester
Stream now on ITVX
An all-time favourite of cosy crime fans, Grantchester takes us back to the 1950s, where faith meets forensics in a picturesque English village. Anglican vicar Sidney Chambers (James Norton) teams up with Detective Inspector Geordie Keating (Robson Green) to solve crimes, with later seasons following Will Davenport (Tom Brittney) as he takes up the collar. From moral dilemmas to murder mysteries, Grantchester is the epitome of vintage charm and clever storytelling.
Recipes for Love and Murder
Watch now on Channel U
Deliciously dark and irresistibly quirky, Recipes for Love and Murder follows Tannie Maria (Maria Doyle Kennedy), a food and advice columnist in South Africa’s Karoo region. When one of her readers is found dead, Maria and her colleague Jessie (Kylie Fisher) set out to solve the murder, much to the frustration of detective Khaya (Tony Kgoroge). Blending culinary comfort with crime-solving flair, this cosy crime drama proves that sometimes the best recipes include a hint of danger.
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