Autumn is the coziest season. Just cold enough to justify wearing boots and cardigans, drown ourselves in hot chocolate and burrow into a nest of blankies, but not too cold to be uncomfortable and make us hate leaving the house.
I love the changing colours, the golden sunsets, the fog and the crisp air in the morning, pumpkin spice latte, cinnamon tea, candles and cozying up with a book. Cat on the lap is optional.
Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Shanah @Bionic Bookworm, and thisweek’s topic was 5 cozy fall books.
I’m not exactly sure what cozy books are. I’m thinking about those fluffy books with a feel-good, heartwarming story. Cozy mysteries maybe? I’d bet none of you thought I will list anything like that here though, and you are right. My picks are a bit darker, but are nevertheless perfect for cozy autumn nights.
The Retreat by Mark Edwards
Spooky setting, allegedly haunted house, and a great mystery surrounding a tiny town in Wales.
Two years ago, Julia lost her family in a tragic accident. Her husband drowned trying to save their daughter, Lily, in the river near their rural home. But the little girl’s body was never found—and Julia believes Lily is somehow still alive.
Alone and broke, Julia opens her house as a writers’ retreat. One of the first guests is Lucas, a horror novelist, who becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Lily. But within days of his arrival, the peace of the retreat is shattered by a series of eerie events.
When Lucas’s investigation leads him and Julia into the woods, they discover a dark secret—a secret that someone will do anything to protect…
What really happened that day by the river? Why was Lily never found? And who, or what, is haunting the retreat?
The Silent Girls by Eric Rickstad
Steeped in atmosphere, this mystery has one of the most beuatiful autumn description I came across in a long time.
With the dead of a bitter Vermont winter closing in, evil is alive and well …
Frank Rath thought he was done with murder when he turned in his detective’s badge to become a private investigator and raise a daughter alone. Then the police in his remote rural community of Canaan find an ’89 Monte Carlo abandoned by the side of the road, and the beautiful teenage girl who owned the car seems to have disappeared without a trace.
Soon Rath’s investigation brings him face-to-face with the darkest abominations of the human soul.
With the consequences of his violent and painful past plaguing him, and young women with secrets vanishing one by one, he discovers once again that even in the smallest towns on the map, evil lurks everywhere-and no one is safe.
Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski
Another trip into the woods, and a 20 year old murder mystery. Written like a podcast, this immersive story is perfect to curl up with on cold evenings.
1997. Scarclaw Fell. The body of teenager Tom Jeffries is found at an Outward Bound center. Verdict? Misadventure. But not everyone is convinced. And the truth of what happened in the beautiful but eerie fell is locked in the memories of the tight-knit group of friends who embarked on that fateful trip, and the flimsy testimony of those living nearby.
2017. Enter elusive investigative journalist Scott King, whose podcast examinations of complicated cases have rivaled the success of Serial, with his concealed identity making him a cult internet figure. In a series of six interviews, King attempts to work out how the dynamics of a group of idle teenagers conspired with the sinister legends surrounding the fell to result in Jeffries’ mysterious death. As every interview unveils a new revelation, you’ll be forced to work out for yourself how Tom Jeffries died, and who is telling the truth.
All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth
Secret societies, decade old mysteries and an amateur teenage detective on a mission to find out what happened on the night her mother’s gone missing.
In the last day of summer, Grace Fairchild, the beautiful young wife of real estate mogul Allister Calloway, vanished from the family’s lake house without a trace, leaving behind her seven-year old daughter, Charlie, and a slew of unanswered questions.
Years later, seventeen-year-old Charlie still struggles with the dark legacy of her family name and the mystery surrounding her mother. Determined to finally let go of the past, she throws herself into life at Knollwood, the prestigious New Englandschool she attends. Charlie quickly becomes friends with Knollwood’s “it” crowd.
Charlie has also been tapped by the A’s—the school’s elite secret society well known for terrorizing the faculty, administration, and their enemies. To become a member of the A’s, Charlie must play The Game, a semester-long, diabolical high-stakes scavenger hunt that will jeopardize her friendships, her reputation, even her place at Knollwood.
As the dark events of past and present converge, Charlie begins to fear that she may not survive the terrible truth about her family, her school, and her own life.
The Glass Forest by Cynthia Swanson
Secrets, betrayal and family drama, set in the 60’s.
In the autumn of 1960, Angie Glass is living an idyllic life in her Wisconsin hometown. At twenty-one, she’s married to charming, handsome Paul, and has just given birth to a baby boy. But one phone call changes her life forever.
When Paul’s niece, Ruby, reports that her father, Henry, has committed suicide, and that her mother, Silja, is missing, Angie and Paul drop everything and fly to the small upstate town of Stonekill, New York to be by Ruby’s side.
Angie thinks they’re coming to the rescue of Paul’s grief-stricken young niece, but Ruby is a composed and enigmatic seventeen-year-old who resists Angie’s attempts to nurture her. As Angie learns more about the complicated Glass family, staying in Henry and Silja’s eerie and ultra-modern house on the edge of the woods, she begins to question the very fabric of her own marriage.
Through Silja’s flashbacks, Angie’s discovery of astonishing truths, and Ruby’s strategic dissection of her parents’ state of affairs, a story of love, secrets, and ultimate betrayal is revealed.
All the beautiful strangers 💝💙I loved this
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Yay 🙂 ❤
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I would love to try reading The Silent Girls! Even the cover has sent me some chills!
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🙂
It was pretty good! I hope you’ll manage to read it and enjoy it as much as i did!
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Thanks for the recommendations. I really liked The Retreat by Edwards. Just about to start reading his new book, In Her Shadow. I have heard good things about Six Stories. Off to get myself a copy of the book now.
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Yay!
I can’t wait for In Her Shadow. Will buddy read it with my friend.
Hope you’ll enjoy Six Stories too!
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Awesome list. I really want to read Six Stories. I love that it is written like a podcast. So original!!
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As i haven’t listened to too many podcasts it was hard to imagine how that will work, but i must say, it was really cool!
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OMG…You went into mysteries for this prompt… I love it…I’m familiar with all of these books but haven’t really checked them out, maybe this season I will, with Halloween coming and everything. 🙂 🙂
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Ooo, that would be the perfect excuse!
I’m almost exclusively reading from this genre, so i thought, if these aren’t cozy, then i’m in trouble cuz i dunno what else is 😀
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Haha… 😀😀 You’re right, 🙂 Enjoy the season Norrie..
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omg your description of fall and coziness and reading just made me so excited for the season ❤
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Yay 🙂 ❤
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Damn, I want every book on your list, which al sound like the perfect fall reads. I went with monsters and humour, but you chose a different kind of darker monster, the two legged human kind! Niccce.
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Haha, i’ll always go down the dark road 😀
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OooOOoOoOoohhh!!! We’ve got some cold fronts coming into Texas this week and this is JUST what I needed. AMAZING post!!!
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Best excuse ever! 😀
Enjoy the cozy time!
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Not quite Grimdark, but getting there. 😉 The books are on my list!
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Haven’t read any of those, but they sound interesting! I’m about to get Small Spaces, which sounded perfect for Halloween, but otherwise I don’t tend to stick to books that fit the season (probably because of where I live). Seasons don’t really exist in Florida—it’s basically just varying levels of hot with roughly two weeks of cold. But perhaps I should try reading something fall-ish and get the whole vicarious season effect. =)
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Oh nice, hope you’ll like it!
I could do with no-season if it was always warm 😀 Kinda like autumn, but wouldn’t miss winter and cold and snow for sure.
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I’m usually drawn to darker stories in the autumn, so I’m hoping to get to Six Stories soon! Great recommendations!
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Nice! I hope you’ll enjoy it! For me it was the perfect autumn story 🙂
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I’m intrigued by The Retreat! Brilliant list.
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Mark Edwards is my favorite suspense guy 😀 I can’t recommend the book enough!
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Wow you do love your mysteries Norrie! Excellent list 😉 I would rather go on warm feel good books for fall LOL
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You know, i thought those kinda books might be more cozy, but i don’t really know any like that 😀
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Oh, these are such great choices, Norrie! I own Six Stories and really need to read it, but the others, especially The Retreat, need to find their way to my reads soon. Maybe this fall? 😊 I’m happy you enjoyed The Glass Forest. Now that I think of it, I think I own that one, too! Perfect choices!
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Ooo, you need to read Six Stories! I think you’ll love it 🙂 It’s pretty short actually.
Mark Edwards is my fave suspense guy 🙂
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Mysteries are perfect cozy autumn reads! Putting The Retreat and Six Stories on my list. Thanks for the tip 🙂
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Oh yay 🙂 I hope you’ll love them when you read them 🙂
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OMG yes, Six Stories is definitely cosy up reading material, as is the sequel Hydra
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I have that on my kindle, gonna read it this weekend, if i manage to finish my current read by then. It’s going slowly, haha 😀
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Every year in autumn I try to read mostly horror and paranormal. This year I’ve added grimdark to the list. We’ll see how it plays out but I usually have a lot of fun.
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Horror and paranormal defo fits autumn!
I haven’t read a horror for a while. Maybe in October i will try and fit in one or two 😀
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That’s a great list! I am putting Retreat on my list!!
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❤
I hope you'll like it as much as i did!
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Grat list. The Retreat sounds really good
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It is a great suspense! All Mark Edwards’ books would be actually great for Autumn mood, but this, with the woods is just perfect 😀
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Hehe I love your interpretation of the prompt! And I LOVE pumpking spice latte but I don’t want to spend like 15 bucks each week on starbucks coffe, so I’ve been making my own at home, and it’s actually pretty good! 😀 And you reminded me I need to check out Six Stories at some point–immersive podcast story sounds perfect. 😀
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I rarely drink the Starbucks pumpkin spice. It has so much sugar!! 😀
I got last year some instant coffee that was flavoured as pumpkin spice and it was so yumm! Making your own is really cool ❤
I hope you'll enjoy Six Stories!! 🙂
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Oh what, I didn’t know instant pumpkin spice coffees existed! I’ve been going the hard route and using pumpkin puree 😂
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Yea, the instant one is less hassle, but i bet yours tastes awesome!
Dunno if you can find it where you are, but i got the Beanies Pumpkin Spice instant coffee on Amazon UK, and they also have their own website to shop from 🙂 (Called Beanies Flavour Coffee)
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Okay so I searched “Beanies Pumpkin Spice coffee” on amazon and it gave me this beanie HAT and now I kinda want it instead of the coffee.? THANKS, NORRIE 😛

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Hahaha… well, winter’s coming, so you can’t go wrong with a hat either 😆
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I really like how Six Stories Sound! Thank you for sharing this list!
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❤ 🙂
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Great list! I definitely like to read mystery/horror/thriller during autum
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I’m pretty much reading those genres all year around, but of course i had to have another excuse, hehe 😀
Haven’t read horror in a while, so will try and find one or two i like.
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Good luck finding some to read, it’s the best time of year for them!
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Ooo, all of these sound so eerie! Perfect picks for the autumn, Norrie!
I’ve had All These Beautiful Strangers on my TBR for awhile– can’t wait to read that one!
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I hope you’ll enjoy it! 🙂
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I totally feel like mystery and thrillers are perfect this time of the year, great selection Norrie! I wished I had read The Retreat when it was colder, cause I know it would’ve been more atmospheric. Six Stories is something I would love, and now it’s definitely on my TBR 😀
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Yay 🙂 I hope you’ll like Six Stories!
I was saving up the Retreat for this season 😀 It was hard to resist cuz i love Mark Edwards’ books!
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I also think mystery novels are perfect Autumn reads. The secrets and creepy settings just scream Autumn to me. Thank you for sharing this list. I’ve only read All These Beautiful Strangers (I wish the story had focused on a little bit more on the secret society), but I’m adding the other four to my wishlist.
Happy readings! 😉
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
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❤
Yay 🙂 I hope you get the chance to read & enjoy them soon.
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Defining cozy reads is so hard. I also think of books you can just easily curl up on the couch with, don’t require too much thinking and can be finished within one sitting.
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Oh, yes, that actually sounds cozier, than books that freak me out 😆
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Autumn is my favorite season! But wow, yeah, your picks ARE dark. I can’t handle dark reads this autumn, I’ve been going for upbeat, light and fluffy. And middle grade as well.
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Those actually sound cozier than my choices 😃😁
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OMG, all these sounds amazing – I’m one of those people whose definition of ‘cozy’ includes anything dark, mysterious and woodsy, haha. So these are perfect recommendations. Definitely adding The Silent Girls to my list – any synopsis that has “evil” in it has me sold. I don’t know what that says about me.
~ Aimal @ Bookshelves & Paperbacks
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Haha, that’s like me with “secrets and lies “. Can’t resist those!
Hope you’ll like Silent Girls once you get to it!
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Awesome post! 🙂 I’m so happy it’s fall now. Bring on the Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING! ❤
I'm really hoping to squeeze in some good horror reads throughout October.
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Yessss! Pumpkin spice everything sounds awesome!
Any fave horrors?
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This year I’m hoping to read some of Joe Hill’s actual novels (I’ve only read his graphic novels so far), but otherwise I think I’m just gonna wing it with different horror books/comics as they strike my fancy. 🙂
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Awesome picks, Norrie! I don’t usually let the season determine my book choices, but I do like to sometimes keep one Halloween’y book for around the 31st though! 😛
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I got Agatha Christie’s Halloween mystery today for that exact purpose. Wasn’t planning to, but it was on sale 😀 Plus i haven’t read it in english yet, so might as well…
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Ouuuh, what other language are you fluent in 😮
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Ah, it’s only English and Hungarian. I used to be the same with German, but i haven’t used it for like 15 year and forgot quite a lot
How about you? 🙂
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That’s pretty cool though! I have German cousins and have always wanted to learn the language. It sounded so dark and angry, I could have so much fun with it hahahah
My two main languages are French and English. I can also speak Tamil, but I can’t read it at all, and my skill level is pretty weak for that one hahaha 😛
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Ooo, French sounds super difficult! I’d love to be able to understand it but it’s so daunting, i never tried to learn 😀
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I love autumn! 😁🍁🎃 I want to read Six Stories too, but October is a Gothic/Horror month for me. 😊 I’m thinking thrillers/mysteries in November so I’ll check out your recommendations then! I do have Roanoke Girls on my shelf, have you read it?
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Ooo, gothic horror sounds pretty good! I’m never entirely certain what “gothic” actually is, so i just googled it. Haha.
Do you have any recommendation from this genre?
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Haha it’s my fave kind of horror. 😁 Well I’m not an expert either, but I guess creepyness set in 18-19 century? Haunted houses, Ghosts, madness, that sorta thing? 😁 Ooh yep I do, for the modern ones – The Miniaturist and The Silent Companions, and for the classics I loved The Woman in Black, We have always lived in a castle, Carmilla, I think Dracula and Frankenstein count too? 🤔 This month I’ll read The Haunting of Hill House, The Turn of the Screw and more. Most of Gothics are 100-200 pgs novellas so that’s cool. 😁
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Ah, ok i see. I loved The Woman in Black actually 😀 So i guess i can say i like this genre. Hehe 😀
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Me too, it was a very creepy experience for me. 😀 Hehe awesome, hope you read something great! 🙂
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I really want to read all these beautiful strangers!
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I really enjoyed it! ❤ Hope you'll like it too once you got the chance to read it 🙂
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Awesome! Thank you!
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