What defines Cozy Mysteries, or Cozies, as they are more affectionately called?
In the broadest of terms this genre of books are mystery stories that all follow a few basic rules:
- An amateur sleuth
- Small town or village setting
- Death takes place off script
- Each series follows a theme, books, cooking, knitting, etc.
- Sex is only alluded to in most stories
- Eccentric cast of characters
- Usually comes with a full series of books
Click here for a more detailed description of what makes a book a Cozy.
What makes them so enjoyable?
For me there is something very comfortable about reading a book in a series. It's soothing to immerse yourself once again in the familiar setting and to get caught up with familiar characters, to see what the next caper will be and how it will be solved. There is typically a bigger mystery that arcs over the series which keeps me coming back as well. Don't think that because sex is not prevalent that romance is lacking, far from it. It is not unusual for the heroine to have two possible choices in romantic partners, part of the fun is seeing how the relationships progress during the series.
The series selections that I have read and enjoyed have had a heavy dose of humor to keep things light while never taking away from the mystery aspect. For me the most endearing quality is that they are filled with everyday people working together in solving the mystery while developing new friendships, nurturing old ones and embarking on new endeavors. I would love to visit these fictional villages, hang out and have drinks with these characters, or help to solve a mystery of two.
There are loads of choices when it comes to Cozy Mysteries, here are a few that I recommend.
- Psychic Eye Mysteries by Victoria Laurie
- Bibliophile Mysteries by Kate Carlisle
- Lady Julia Grey Mysteries by Deanna Raybourn
- Miss Fortune Mysteries by Jana DeLeon
- The Lady Sherlock Series by Sherry Thomas
A great website for all that is cozy is Cozy-Mystery.com
Happy Reading!
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