Curated and verified by British TV Hub · Checked August 2026 · 10 minute read
From the Page to the Screen
Several of the shows already covered on this site started life as novels. Here's where to go if you'd rather read the mystery first — or if you've finished the show and want more.
Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
The best-selling novelist of all time, whose two most famous detectives, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, have been adapted for television more times than almost any other literary characters.
Read the guide to Best British Cozy Mysteries →M.C. Beaton
M.C. Beaton
Pen name of Marion Chesney (1936–2019), who created two of cozy fiction's favourite series, Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth, both continued since her death under the M.C. Beaton name by R.W. Green.
Ann Cleeves
Ann Cleeves
Creator of DCI Vera Stanhope and the Shetland series, both adapted into long-running, widely loved British crime dramas grounded in real, atmospheric places.
Read the complete Vera guide →Richard Osman
Richard Osman
TV presenter turned novelist whose Thursday Murder Club series — four retirees in a retirement village solving cold cases — became a publishing phenomenon and a 2025 feature film.
Rhys Bowen
Rhys Bowen
A British-born, award-winning novelist best known for two long-running historical mystery series: Her Royal Spyness, following a penniless minor royal in 1930s London, and the Molly Murphy Mysteries, about an Irish immigrant detective in turn-of-the-century New York.
G.M. Malliet
G.M. Malliet
An Agatha Award-winning American author whose Max Tudor mysteries feature a former MI5 agent turned Anglican vicar in the fictional village of Nether Monkslip, a natural next read for Father Brown or Grantchester fans.
Robert Thorogood
Robert Thorogood
Creator of the BBC's Death in Paradise (and its spin-offs) before turning novelist with The Marlow Murder Club, later adapted into its own TV series on PBS Masterpiece.
See the Marlow Murder Club guide →Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander McCall Smith
A Scottish author born in Zimbabwe, best known for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, following Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's first female private detective.
Dorothy L. Sayers
Dorothy L. Sayers
A towering figure of the Golden Age of detective fiction alongside Christie, best known for her aristocratic amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey.
S.J. Bennett
S.J. Bennett
Author of the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series, which imagines Queen Elizabeth II as a sharp, quietly brilliant amateur detective solving mysteries behind palace walls.
Which Cozy Mystery Author Is Your Favorite?
Share yours in the comments — and see what everyone else picked.
What Readers Ask Most
Who are some notable cozy mystery authors?
Agatha Christie, M.C. Beaton, Ann Cleeves, and Richard Osman are among the most widely read, with Rhys Bowen, G.M. Malliet, Robert Thorogood, and Alexander McCall Smith close behind for readers who've worked through the classics.
Which of these authors have TV adaptations?
Agatha Christie, Ann Cleeves, M.C. Beaton, and Robert Thorogood have all had their books adapted for television.
What's a good starting point for someone new to cozy mystery novels?
Agatha Christie's Miss Marple novels are the genre's foundation, and Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club is the most talked-about modern entry point.
Is Robert Thorogood the same person who created Death in Paradise?
Yes. Thorogood created Death in Paradise for the BBC before writing The Marlow Murder Club novels, which were later adapted into their own TV series.
Are M.C. Beaton's books still being written?
M.C. Beaton (Marion Chesney) died in 2019, but both the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series have continued under the M.C. Beaton name, written by R.W. Green.
Affiliate disclosure: British TV Hub is a participant in the Amazon Associates program and earns from qualifying purchases.
Explore More
Join the British TV Hub Community
Thousands of British TV fans trading recommendations, debating favourite episodes, and spotting new premieres together.
British TV Dramas and Mysteries
Classics & New Favourites — the main page. Thousands of followers.
Follow the Page →The Ultimate British Bookshelf
The novels behind your favourite British dramas, plus hidden gems and new releases.
Follow the Page →Monthly British TV Viewer Guide
New premieres, returning favourites, streaming updates and picks worth watching, delivered monthly. Just $2.99 a month — less than a cup of tea.
Subscribe on Facebook →Hosted on Facebook. Tap above to join in seconds.
Five British TV Picks. Every Sunday.
Your weekly guide to what to watch next, plus what’s new on BritBox and Acorn TV.