20 Engaging Whodunits and Mysteries: Light-hearted Fun without the Chills – Lifotravel

While some murder mysteries are terrifying and tragic, others are witty and lighthearted. A user on a popular online forum asked mystery lovers for suggestions of the best whodunits that aren’t too serious or scary. Fans replied with their top 20 recommendations in the comments. 

1. Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out is so funny, that you’ll want to have tissues with you for when you laugh so hard you cry! A detective investigates a well-to-do family, and the cast is perfection.

2. Glass Onion (2022)

Glass Onion is the highly anticipated second Knives Out story. If you enjoyed the first film, hop on over to Netflix to laugh hysterically and get your mystery-solving juices flowing. 

3. Only Murders in The Building (2021-)

An unlikely friendship begins between a Broadway director, an old TV show star, and a young artist living in the same apartment building when a young man tragically dies. The three friends believe the man was murdered, and they begin their own investigation, chronicled on their new true crime podcast.

4. Enola Holmes (2020)

When her mother goes missing, Enola Holmes uses her sharp wit to investigate what happened. While on the mission, she contends with her famous brother and discovers that her mother’s disappearance is only the tip of the iceberg.

5. Pushing Daisies (2007-2009)

With the ability to raise the dead, a man works with his local police’s homicide unit to solve murders in this mystery series. At the same time, he uses his powers to bring his beloved girlfriend back to life. But she will return to the grave forever if he ever touches her.

6. Clue (1985)

This classic murder mystery is about six unlucky guests blackmailed by a mysterious man determined to reveal the guests’ darkest secrets. But when the blackmailer turns up dead, the guests must discover the murderer’s identity before it’s too late.

7 . Murderville (2022-)

Murderville is a hilarious improvisational murder mystery comedy series starring Will Arnett as a wacky detective who teams up with a new celebrity guest each episode in order to solve a murder. As you can imagine, each episode’s crime-solving duo causes shenanigans that may interfere with their ability to solve the crime.

8. Murder Mystery (2019)

When a cop and his wife travel to Europe, they plan to relax and reconnect. But when they arrive, they’re soon framed for the murder of a billionaire that changes the course of their vacation — and their lives.

9. And Then There Were None (1945)

Based on the famous Agatha Cristie novel, And Then There Were None is about a group of strangers invited to an island where they’re murdered one by one. The remaining guests must do their best to uncover the identity of the murderer among them before they, too, perish.

10. Who’s Harry Crumb? (1989)

A detective who inherited the title from his father and his father before him doesn’t share the mystery-solving talents of his ancestors. His boss knows this well, so he assigns the detective to solve a case that the boss himself committed. But this time, the detective may actually crack the case.

11. The Pink Panther (2006)

When a soccer coach is murdered, and his valuable ring is stolen, a team of investigators goes on the hunt to find the murderer/burglar. The bumbling lead detective makes many mistakes on the case that surreptitiously lead him to uncover the killer’s identity.

12. The Trouble With Harry (1955)

After the mysterious death of a man, the townspeople wonder if they could have been responsible for his death. But as the police investigate the man’s death, they get closer and closer to solving the mystery.

13. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

A successful con man deceives guests to make a pretty penny at a high-end oceanside resort. But everything changes when another con man with even shadier tactics shows up at the resort, stealing many of the first con man’s customers. The two men create an all-or-nothing bet. Whoever can deceive their latest victim first gets to keep the resort as their hunting ground, while the other has to leave in shame.

14. The Cheap Detective (1978)

The Cheap Detective is a comedic mystery that follows a detective who was framed for his partner’s murder. On the mission to clear his name, he attempts to solve another case and rekindle a romance with a long-ago lover.

15. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021)

This hilarious sitcom is about a talented young cop who only follows the rules when they serve him. But when a new strict commanding officer takes charge, he must learn to listen to the laws to keep his spot as number one.

16. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)

This classic movie combines real-life actors and animated characters as a toon-hating detective is forced to help Roger Rabbit after he has been accused of a murder he didn’t commit.

17. Sleuth (1972)

Starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, this mystery movie centers around two men who are in love with the same woman. When one of the men goes missing, the police are wondering what happened to him and if he’s still alive.

18. Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022)

This satirical film makes fun of the typical horror genre as a group of young people play a game as a hurricane roles in. But when someone actually ends up dead, the group has to figure out who killed their friend before others end up dead.

19. The Last of Sheila (1973)

In this dramatic mystery movie, a man is still grieving the sudden death of his wife. But a year later, he invites all of his friends on his yacht so they can play a fun mystery game. But when the game turns deadly, they need to figure out who is behind all of this.

20. Keeping Mum (2005)

Keeping Mum is a fun movie about a local pastor who doesn’t realize his family life is kind of falling apart. His wife is cheating on him, his daughter is dating a series of horrible men, and his son is afraid to go to school because of a bully. But when the new housekeeper comes, she takes care of their problems in a very dark way.

Source: Reddit.