The best cozy books about characters older than fifty

Why am I passionate about this?

Older people have always been present and significant in my life. I read widely, and—perhaps because of my role models—I noticed there’s a lack of representation of older characters in books. I started to seek out stories with protagonists over the age of fifty, and the more I read, the more I felt like the collection was lacking. Even though I’m younger, I want to use my position as a romance editor and author to remind people that aging doesn’t have to be a bad thing and life is still complex and enjoyable when you’re older. Adventure and romance can continue in your golden years.


I wrote...

A Tale of Two Florists

By Brenna Bailey,

Book cover of A Tale of Two Florists

What is my book about?

When the petals stop flying, will broken hearts be all these two florists have left?

Minnie Thomas loves her life exactly the way it is. Which is why several sudden changes leave the septuagenarian feeling so out of sorts—but none so much as the rival florist setting up shop down the street. With her whole world off-kilter, will Minnie cling to the past so tightly that she misses out on what the present has to offer—love with Eleanor?

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Thursday Murder Club

Brenna Bailey Why did I love this book?

The Thursday Murder Club is a heartwarming mystery novel set in a retirement village, and the protagonists are in their late seventies.

Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron meet up weekly to investigate unsolved murders, and when a murder happens in their own community, it’s a chance to put their investigative skills to the test.

My spouse and I listened to this book on audio, and we were drawn in by the lovable characters, the sense of humor, and—of course—the mystery.

By Richard Osman,

Why should I read it?

21 authors picked The Thursday Murder Club as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A New York Times bestseller | Soon to be a major motion picture from Steven Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment

"Witty, endearing and greatly entertaining." -Wall Street Journal

"Don't trust anyone, including the four septuagenarian sleuths in Osman's own laugh-out-loud whodunit." -Parade

Four septuagenarians with a few tricks up their sleeves
A female cop with her first big case
A brutal murder
Welcome to...
THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves the Thursday Murder Club.

When a local developer is found dead…


Book cover of The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules

Brenna Bailey Why did I love this book?

The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules is a riot in the best possible way.

Martha Anderson is upset with the conditions of her care home, and she’s determined to escape and rob a bank. With the help of her four friends—known as the League of Pensioners—Martha rebels against the care home staff and stages a heist.

This story has a fantastic cast and a laugh-out-loud plot. When I finished this book, I wanted to hug it.

By Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg, Rod Bradbury (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 International Bestseller

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel meets The Italian Job in internationally-bestselling author Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg’s witty and insightful comedy of errors about a group of delinquent seniors whose desire for a better quality of life leads them to rob and ransom priceless artwork.

Martha Andersson may be seventy-nine-years-old and live in a retirement home, but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to stop enjoying life. So when the new management of Diamond House starts cutting corners to save money, Martha and her four closest friends—Brains, The Rake, Christina and Anna-Gretta (a.k.a. The League of Pensioners)—won’t stand for it. Fed…


Book cover of The Snow Child

Brenna Bailey Why did I love this book?

This book captured my heart with its magic.

In Alaska in the 1920s, Jack and Mabel struggle to build up their homestead while grieving the loss of their child. One snowy night, they reconnect and make a child out of snow together, and the next morning, the snow child is gone but there’s a little girl running through the trees.

The girl, Faina, seems to belong to the wilderness, but Jack and Mabel come to love her as their own. This beautifully atmospheric fairy tale about love and loss brought me to tears, both sad and happy.

It’s a perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter night.

By Eowyn Ivey,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked The Snow Child as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A bewitching tale of heartbreak and hope set in 1920s Alaska, Eowyn Ivey's THE SNOW CHILD was a top ten bestseller in hardback and paperback, and went on to be a Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Alaska, the 1920s. Jack and Mabel have staked everything on a fresh start in a remote homestead, but the wilderness is a stark place, and Mabel is haunted by the baby she lost many years before. When a little girl appears mysteriously on their land, each is filled with wonder, but also foreboding: is she what she seems, and can they find room in…


Book cover of Second Wind

Brenna Bailey Why did I love this book?

Second Wind is a short, delightful read about how you’re never too old to find love.

Seventy-one-year-old Martha Appleby is flying to Glasgow to scatter her husband’s ashes when she runs into her childhood sweetheart, Pamela Thornton. Their paths are more intertwined than they thought, and their journey gives them a second chance to be together.

I found this story when I was looking for comparison titles for my book, and I am so glad I picked it up! It had me smiling and gave me warm fuzzy feelings all the way through.

By Ceillie Simkiss,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Second Wind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

No matter how old you are, there’s always a chance for romance. After the death of her husband, 71-year-old homemaker Martha Appleby is taking her first long-distance trip alone. That loss has derailed many of her plans for her twilight years, and she hopes to come to peace with not knowing what will come next.70-year-old service dog trainer Pamela Thornton is hoping to take advantage of a well-timed work trip to figure out what to do next. Crouton is the last service dog of the litter, and she’s not sure she wants to keep raising dogs by herself.These two childhood…


Book cover of The Witches of Moonshyne Manor

Brenna Bailey Why did I love this book?

This is a cozy heist story about five octogenarian witches trying to save their beloved manor.

It features a lovable cast of characters, including a teen TikToker who aids the witches in unexpected ways. This is a found family story unlike any other; it’s funny and tender while addressing topics like sexism, power, and secrets.

It holds a special place in my heart, and I know I’ll be coming back to it for a hug in book form time and time again.

By Bianca Marais,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Witches of Moonshyne Manor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Bianca Marais is a genius” — Ann Patchett, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A coven of modern-day witches. A magical heist-gone-wrong. A looming threat.

Five octogenarian witches gather as an angry mob threatens to demolish Moonshyne Manor. All eyes turn to the witch in charge, Queenie, who confesses they’ve fallen far behind on their mortgage payments. Still, there’s hope, since the imminent return of Ruby—one of the sisterhood who’s been gone for thirty-three years—will surely be their salvation.

But the mob is only the start of their troubles. One man is hellbent on avenging his family for the theft…


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A House on Liberty Street

By Neil Turner,

Book cover of A House on Liberty Street

Neil Turner Author Of A House on Liberty Street

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Reader Traveler Inquisitive Family guy Writer

Neil's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Meet Tony Valenti. His high-flying corporate law career just cratered. His society marriage blew up in a bitter divorce. He's returned to the Chicago suburbs to lick his wounds and regroup in the haven of the Valenti family home. But time to heal isn't in the cards.

Tony's elderly father inexplicably shoots a sheriff's deputy on their front porch. Nobody knows why, and Papa isn't talking. Then their house becomes an unlikely target for condemnation and expropriation by corrupt local officials and their cronies.

With money and hope dwindling, Tony steps up to defend his father and take to city hall, and quickly finds himself in peril when he unearths sinister connections between the cases. The audacity of the plot against them fuels a gritty determination to get to the bottom of what really happened—regardless of the risks and ultimate cost to himself. To win, Tony must earn his father's trust and outwit his wily opponents.

A House on Liberty Street

By Neil Turner,

What is this book about?

A father. A son. A murder.

Meet Tony Valenti. His high-flying corporate law career just cratered. His society marriage blew up in a bitter divorce. He’s returned to the Chicago suburbs to lick his wounds and regroup in the haven of the Valenti family home. But time to heal isn’t in the cards.

Tony’s elderly father inexplicably shoots a sheriff’s deputy on their front porch. Nobody knows why, and Papa isn’t talking. Then their house becomes an unlikely target for condemnation and expropriation by corrupt local officials and their cronies.

With money and hope dwindling, Tony steps up to defend…


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