It's the genre that's found a firm place in the hearts of TV viewers everywhere - and luckily for those who love a weekend binge-watch, there's plenty of it to tune into.
'Cosy crime' has risen up the ranks of the most-watched in series in recent years with the release of a number of book adaptations transformed for the screen.
From Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club on Netflix to Reverend Richard Coles' Murder Before Evensong on Channel 5, both streamers and TV channels alike are getting involved with the trend.
Unlike traditional crime dramas, while they're packed with often gritty twists and turns of the classics, there's also an injection of humour that keeps thing soft.
And now experts in the genre think they have discovered why the upcoming genre has got TV viewers around the globe hooked.
Author Ross Montgomery told the Irish Times of the books inspiring the TV series: 'I think we're in a period of time that feels particularly unsettled and hectic, and nothing makes any sense, and everybody is arguing with each other.
'Cosy crime' has risen up the ranks of the most-watched in series in recent years with the release of a number of book adaptations transformed for the screen including Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club
Murder Before Evensong on Channel 5 is another example of a cosy crime series
'It's a relief to enter into a book in which this terrible thing has happened, and there's only one explanation for it, and it's just systematically explained.'
Another writer, Kitty Graham, added: 'It's murder-lite. No gore, no horrific autopsies - just a mystery and a resolution, all surrounded by a strong sense of community.'
Here, we run down the eight best cosy crime dramas to tune into this weekend.
Bookish - U&Alibi
Created by Sherlock star Mark Gatiss, Bookish won rave reviews from fans after it made its debut on U&Alibi in July 2025.
Fans fell head over heels for main character Gabriel Book, a London-based bookshop owner who gets involved in helping the police solve crimes.
The story, which is set in 1946, also draws focus on the lavender marriage between Gabriel, played by Mark, and his long-ter friend Trottie, played by Polly Walker.
Much of the action follows Gabriel's work with his new assistant Jack, portrayed by Connor Finch, as they take on a variety of cases together.
The series also stars the likes of Joely Richardson, Daniel Mays and Paul McGann.
A synopsis teases: 'Gabriel Book, proprietor of an antiquarian bookshop, relies on his vast collection to unravel baffling cases; he nurtures a group of lovable yet troubled individuals, providing informal protection and guidance.'
High Potential - Disney+
High Potential sees Kaitlin Olsen play Morgan Gillory, a single mother with an exceptionally high IQ who works as a cleaner at the Los Angeles Police Department.
Thanks to her marvellous brains, she's able to see things that others aren't able to, and inadvertently finds herself helping out the LAPD with an investigation.
After interfering with one of their murder boards and spotting information the police had not yet seen, she begins working as a consultant on their cases.
She teams up with Detective Adam Karadec, played by Daniel Sunjata, and together they investigate a series of perplexing crimes.
Elsewhere, she dives into finding answers about her first husband, Roman, who had gone missing years before without much of a trace.
The cast also features Javicia Leslie, Deniz Akdeniz and Judy Reyes.
A synopsis reads: 'Morgan, a single mom with three kids and an exceptional mind, helps solve an unsolvable crime when she rearranges some evidence during her shift as a cleaner for the police department.
'When they discover she has a knack for putting things in order because of her high intellectual potential, she is brought on as a consultant to work with a by-the-book seasoned detective, Karadec.
'Together they form an unusual and unstoppable team.'
The Marlow Murder Club - U
The Marlow Murder Club is based on the bestselling novel by Robert Thorogood, and tells the story of Samantha Bond's Judith Potts as a retired archaeologist.
While living in Marlow, she witnesses the murder of a neighbour, Rufus Wright's Stefan Dunwoody - with the police struggling to get to the bottom of the case.
Losing faith in their ability to help, Judith teams up with local dog walker Suzie Harris, played by Joe Martin, and the new vicar’s wife, Becks (Cara Horgan).
Together they battle to uncover the truth, and when the bodies begin piling up, the trio find themselves involved in a tangled and twisting conspiracy.
The series first hit screens in 2024 and soon followed up with a second instalment, with a third now slated to premiere later this year.
The show's synopsis reads: 'Retired archaeologist and crossword setter Judith Potts believes that a brutal murder has taken place in the sleepy town of Marlow.
'When the police refuse to believe her story, she kicks off a private investigation with two unlikely friends.'
Ludwig - BBC
Ludwig first hit screens on the BBC in 2024 and was met with rave reviews from fans.
It stars David Mitchell as John 'Ludwig' Taylor, a man who loves quiet, solitude and puzzles and keeps himself away from his family and wider society.
However, when his twin brother DCI James Taylor mysteriously disappears, he's drafted in by his sister-in-law, Anna Maxwell Martin’s Lucy Betts-Taylor, to pretend to be his twin in order to find clues about his brother’s whereabouts.
John reluctantly resumes his brother’s identity and, in the process, begins impressing the Cambridge Police with his puzzle-solving ability.
John is tasked with infiltrating the Major Investigations Team to find out more details about his missing brother, all the while solving completely unconnected crimes.
A synopsis reads: 'John Taylor is a reclusive puzzle maker who publishes puzzle books under the pen name "Ludwig".
'His identical twin brother, James Taylor, is a successful detective chief inspector in the Cambridge police force. James has gone missing, and his wife Lucy, a childhood friend of both brothers, enlists John's help to solve the mystery.
'Pretending to be his brother, John infiltrates the local police station to investigate; inadvertently, he becomes embroiled in solving other cases.'
The Madame Blanc Mysteries - Netflix
Set in the stunning south of France, the Madame Blanc Mysteries, which are available on Netflix, follows Sally Lindsay as antiques dealer Jean White.
When she learns that her husband Rory has passed away while visiting the village of Sainte Victoire in a cottage they owned abroad, she soon jets to the French town in search of answers.
She begins looking into Rory's mysterious death with the help of a local taxi driver, Steve Edge's Dom, as well as the owners of a local chateau, Sue Holderness and robin Askwith's Judith and Jeremy.
Since it made its debut on screens in 2021, the series has continued through four seasons, with fans holding out for news on a fifth.
The show's synopsis reads: 'When Rory is killed in a car crash in Sainte Victoire, Jean realises all her assets have been pawned off, leaving her penniless.
'She then travels to France to unravel the mystery of her husband's death, his missing valuable ring, and the identity of the woman with whom her husband was having an affair.
'She solves other mysteries along the way with the help of local taxi driver Dom, local chateau owners Judith and Jeremy and local Chief of Police Caron.
'Each episode features its own individual mystery, and several guest stars, such as Paul O'Grady and Les Dennis appearing in one-off roles, and Tony Robinson as a recurring character in Series 3.'
Playing Nice - ITV
Playing Nice had everyone talking when it first hit screens on ITV in January 2025.
The family-based psychological thriller stars James Norton as Pete Riley, a father of a young son who is caught up in a horrifying dilemma.
Two families in Cornwall discover that their toddlers were switched at birth in a shock hospital mix-up, and the story, which is based on the best-selling novel by JP Delaney, follows the fall out of the discovery.
The synopsis reads: 'When Pete and Maddie find out something devastating about their son Theo, they soon meet another set of parents in the same situation.
'Lives unravel and loyalties are tested in this gripping thriller.'
The One That Got Away - BBC
The BBC's The One That Got Away is set in a small Welsh town and draws focus on a detective duo with a complicated romantic past.
After a local nurse is found dead in the seaside town, detectives DI Ffion Lloyd, played by Elen Rhys, and DS Rick Sheldon, played by Richard Harrington, are put on the case together.
However, their lives are soon turned upside down when they discover the murder features details that are scarily similar to a series of murders that took place more than a decade prior.
To make things even harder still, Ffion and Rick have their own romantic history between them, bringing a lot of tension along the way.
The synopsis teases: 'Following the murder of a nurse in the Welsh town of Pembroke Dock, old cases are being re-examined under the suspicion of a copycat killer.'
Murder Before Evensong - Channel 5
Murder Before Evensong is set in the fictional village of Champton in the 1980s and stars Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis as Canon Daniel Clement.
The local rector discovers the body of a local man, Anthony Bowness, in his church - and soon realises that the killer must be living in plain sight.
Daniel is soon determined to try and find out the identity of the killer himself, and ticks off each member of his parish as a suspect in the case, with no idea which of them he can trust for answers.
It also stars Amanda Redman, Tamzin Outhwaite, Adam James and Francis Magee.
The synopsis teases: 'Old secrets risk getting flushed out of a sleepy village with the church at its centre as a long-suffering priest investigates a murder spree.'