Cozy Mysteries discussion

I've been meaning to ask. How do you write your book review for this particular genre. Do you have a different criteria when you review a Cozy mystery type of book, as opposed to say a fantasy or a young adult contemporary novel? How do you approach your book review? Please feel free to share your comments here.

When I read a cozy, I'm looking for writing that engages me-fluent, accessible. I want a character I can identify with or at least like being in the presence of (sometimes, as with M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin, of even Christie's Poirot, I may not exactly like the character so much as find her endearing & hilarious). I want relationships that are not so cliched I can't bear it and a fairly interesting plot. I hate if I guess the ending really early in the read. But the most important thing to me is decent writing & good characters. Usually I give 3 stars for enjoyable and 4 stars for outstanding. I'm prejudiced-I rarely give genre writing 5 stars unless it stands as an outstanding novel as well as excellent genre.

I review all books roughly the same. The only difference to me when it comes to reviewing mysteries is how well the mystery was written. Could I figure out who did it too easily? Half-way through? Or was I guessing til the end? Some authors can write very well, but don't necessarily write mysteries well. Others are great.

I read a lot of classics and history books. I review within the individual genre. I don't think it is fair to judge a book like War and Peace with an Agatha Christie. This way, I can judge War and Peace with A Tale of Two Cities and Emma. I will then give stars from 1 to 5 within the genre. For instance, Moby Dick got 1 star, while Pride and Prejudice got 5 stars.

I do the same thing with mysteries. Many Agatha Christie books will get a 4 or 5 because I think she is the standard for most mysteries. I compare her writing with Rex Stout, Rinehart, Sayers and most cozy writers. However, do I think a 5 star Christie book is at the same level as Jane Austen or Tolstoy? No.

I am a pretty informal reviewer, try and highlight what I did/did not enjoy about a book. I rate 1-5 based on my enjoyment of the book overall (as opposed to copmaring against other books/genres) Do I love it? Hate it? find it average?

I review each book individually. You can't really compare a cozy with a thriller, romance, historical, etc. They're all different genres and would be written differently. I review on how well the book is written, if the characters engage me, the descriptions, and the story itself. If it's excessively wordy (of course, not applying to something like War and Peace or Rebecca), that's going to count. I hate it when the author drones on and on about something that could have been described in a lot less pages (you can describe a town square without going into detail about every single shop and shop owner unless they're crucial to the story). I always try to be fair (I rate 1-5, like most people), and take into consideration whether it is a first novel or not. Sometimes a first novel has the author 'finding their way'. I guess there are many things to take into consideration when reviewing the book, but the bottom line for me is, did I enjoy this? Did it bring a sense of satisfaction when I was finished? Did it make me feel emotion (happiness, sadness, comfort, etc.). If I feel that the book 'leaves me hanging', that there was no resolution, well.....(just like that, lol).....

I actually agree with the idea of evaluating a book on its own merits. For me, though, 5 stars means something pretty close to life-changing & I have rarely read a mystery about which I would say that it was that amazing. Which is not to belittle a genre I love & with which I spend lots of time.

When I review cozies, in addition to the plot/characters/writing that I usually review, I also review how well the mystery itself is executed. Like another poster said, if I can figure out whodunit well before the MC, that's a problem (at least for me). I hate watching the sleuth bumble around when everything's crystal clear to me.

Ah, but there are some 5-star cozies out there. You just have to connect with them, as a reader to author. What you perceive as a 4-star cozy, someone else will see as a 1, 2, 3, or 5. There are several I relish reading, and can't wait for the next in the series. And, of course, there are others that make me wonder why anyone would even deem it as a cozy. Just like anything else, reading is all individual and we're all going to see books differently. It's like food. For me, macaroni and cheese is not a food group and has no place in my house. Yet for others, it's wildly popular. Books are the same way.

What constitutes a 5-star cozy for me (and I have rated quite a few 5-stars), is quite different from what constitutes a 5-star UF or YA, or even a hardboiled mystery.

I write my reviews (and I'm not really great at writing reviews) as if I'm telling a friend about a book. I don't rehash the plot, but I talk about whether or not I like the characters, the setting, and the plot. I tend to guess the whodunit in a lot of my mysteries, but great characters and setting can make up for that (for me). Bad characters can ruin a perfectly written plot - if I'm shouting at the characters for being TSTL, or if I don't actually care whether they live or die, what's the point?

As far as ratings go - 4 and 5 stars for me are books I will read again. 5 star books are the ones I'll go to again and again, for whatever it is they offer me: humour, intense characterisations or situations, fabulous setting, or characters that feel like friends.

I'm sort of genre specific, although I read a lot of UF and some YA and I think I tend to review those the same way in general.

ETA: I'll also say that for me a 1 star rating is a book I found to be so infuriating, or so badly written that I consider it complete rubbish. 3 star is "It was ok"; 2 star "bad, but had potential"

To me, 1 star is something that I couldn't finish or was absolutely terrible. 5 stars made me cry and something I'd definetly both recommend and read again. 3 stars falls in the middle. 2 stars meant I finished the book, it was okay, but I didn't like it. To me, any book I read fits into the same 5 star rating, doesn't matter if it's a mystery or a classic. That way, my ratings are consistent on everything I review so even if I read it 5 years ago, I know by what rating I gave it wether I liked it or not, etc.

When I review a book I don't want to rehash the story. I find so many reviews that do that. Not necessary. If you want to know what the book is about just look it up. There is always a description.

What I say in a review is if it was good and why I thought so/or didn't think so as the case may be.

Most of my reviews are short, sweet and to the point.

I haven't figured out the best way to write a review. I see some very good detailed reviews. Mine are kind of short. I don't think I'm very good at it. I try LOL

Jamielynn wrote: "I haven't figured out the best way to write a review. I see some very good detailed reviews. Mine are kind of short. I don't think I'm very good at it. I try LOL"

I started out the same way. I'd read a book and think "what am I supposed to say? I liked it!". So they'd be short. But the more I wrote reviews, the more what I read stuck with me - something I'd particularly like, or something that irritated me, or themes that started becoming obvious to me. It became easier to include those when I wrote the reviews.

I don't write very good reviews, but they are longer and more detailed than they used to be. :)

❂ Jennifer wrote: "Jamielynn wrote: "I haven't figured out the best way to write a review. I see some very good detailed reviews. Mine are kind of short. I don't think I'm very good at it. I try LOL"

I started out t..."

Thank you Jennifer. That makes me feel better.

I have to write reviews from a personal point of view, otherwise I start second-guessing myself and feeling completely unqualified to have an opinion. So if it's a book I really, really loved, I'll give it five stars, even if it's something light and silly and not possibly ever considered "good literature." Then there are other books that are great classics, that I disliked, that I will give fewer stars to, even though that goes against the common opinion. (For example, I finally managed to read all of Anna Karenina, and while I don't think I reviewed it here, if I did I would probably only give it three stars, because despite being THE classic novel, it alternately bored and depressed ME, and it took me four attempts in six years to get through it all.)

And like Jennifer, I find the more reviews I write, the more fluently they flow.

Jamielynn wrote: "I haven't figured out the best way to write a review. I see some very good detailed reviews. Mine are kind of short. I don't think I'm very good at it. I try LOL"

That's how I feel as well. I don't give a plot synopsis but more an brief explanation of why I rated the book as I did (hated the ending for example). For 3 star books I often don't have much to say...

Leslie wrote: "Jamielynn wrote: "I haven't figured out the best way to write a review. I see some very good detailed reviews. Mine are kind of short. I don't think I'm very good at it. I try LOL"

That's how I fe..."

Sometimes I flounder when I write a review. I'm sure practice will help.

I like to mention things that I liked and if anything stood out that I really didn't like. I don't like the reviews that rehash the story, I can get that off the back of the book. I usually keep mine pretty short too, I would hate to give anything away.

I have a different rating system for classics. For one thing, I don't have to like the book or the characters. Who likes Holden Caufield or the kids in Lord of the Flies? A classic gets graded on how much I learn and how skilled the writing is.

All other books get graded first on how well the story is told and character development. Can I relate to the main character? (Sometimes, like with Agatha Raisin, I consider wanting to strangle her as "relating to her.") Like Bird, I rate on how well the mystery is executed. I despise books that get to the last chapter with everyone being a good suspect and then, bang, someone off the wall turns out to have done it without any explanation of why the person known to be "in the library with the knife" didn't commit the crime. I stopped reading Martha Grimes for that very reason.

I also take at least one star off for books that have grammar and syntax errors. There is no excuse for that...well, except for first novels on Amazon. I cut some of them a little slack if the writing is good. Gee, did I say I was an English teacher?

When it comes to my comfort read books, I have to have a smile on my face when I pick up the book, knowing that I am going to be among friends.

When I review a book I like to point out what I liked about it, how it was entertaining and how the author was able to get their story across to the reader. From writing I know how hard it is to convey the message and I guess when I review a story what I'm trying to do is to tell the author that I got it!

I had a hard time with my last book review because it was an odd book. I wanted to give it 3.5 stars but that can't be done but I gave it a 4 thinking it should maybe be a 3. It really is in between a 3 and a 4. I never ran into that problem til now.

I wish GR allowed half stars too. I have several books that needed that little extra half star but I'm never sure if I should round up or down because neither seems a good fit.

I agree. I gave my last book 4 stars but I think that's too high. On the other hand it's too good for a 3. Frustrating.

I never used to think about half stars at all until I started writing all my reviews on BookLikes, which does allow 1/2 stars. Now I wonder how I ever got along without them. I don't use them much, but when they're needed, they sure are handy!

I review each book on its own merits and don't compare to other books/genres - not even other books by the same author! There was one book I read that I just didn't like but I read another book and enjoyed that one.

I think keeping it simple and to the point is always best. I try to highlight some things I liked about it, what I thought about the characters, etc.

I agree on the half stars....sometimes a book was ok but maybe more than a 3 but not quite a 4. I will round down but note I would give it 3 1/2 stars. 5 star books are ones that I really connected with - laughed or cried or had a strong emotional tie. It isn't necessarily a book I would read again, I can love a book but my thought is that there are so many books out there, to re-read something is a bit crazy to me...even though I have books that I read many times before I found book swap sites!

I take in account the book. A new one I would more on the story and characters. A series of a long run and sure to many reviews I try to let readers know what the characters are doing without giving the plot away. I read a lot and I do check out reviews before I order the book. I keep reviews to what I like to see about the book.

I've never reviewed where there are 1/2 stars, but I sure wished for that often enough. I tend to give stars based on my personal opinion of the book as to what I like to read and may give it an extra boost if I realize I've chosen one I don't particularly like, but realize it would be considered great by someone more into that subject.

I must also admit that if I have one I got for free or a reduced price, and I'm close to a 4 or 5 star review, I'll give it that.

Mostly, I try to be fair. I like to review every book I read, both on Goodreads and where I got it, usually Amazon, but sometimes Barnes & Noblel

There's a lot of interesting criteria for individual book reviewing here. Thanks for the time sharing your thoughts everyone.

I'm reading a book as part of a monthly discussion group. The book's genre is one I typically would not select on my own. I've read about 30%. Were it not for wanting to participate in the discussion, I would stop reading it now and give it 1 star. I'm not sure though if that is fair. It's not the authors fault that the discussion group picked a genre I typically would not read. I'm learning toward rating it on other criteria, i.e. character development, pace, plot, etc. Any suggestions?

My book reviews are basically my thoughts and feelings I had about a book. I don't factor them for different genres.

M.D. wrote: "I'm reading a book as part of a monthly discussion group. The book's genre is one I typically would not select on my own. I've read about 30%. Were it not for wanting to participate in the discussi..."

If you are decided on reading to the end, try to focus on the writing style, how well the author weaves the plot line through, how well developed (or not) the characters are. Does he or she draw a vivid world/setting? When all else fails - was it well edited and proofread? :)

I've just recently reviewed a book that wasn't my cup of tea - I was very very close to putting it down and walking away from it about page 35. But I read the whole thing through and then looked at it objectively, and said "I didn't like it, but it was a well written book".

Sometimes thats the best you can do. :)

❂ Jennifer (reviews on BookLikes) wrote: "M.D. wrote: "I'm reading a book as part of a monthly discussion group. The book's genre is one I typically would not select on my own. I've read about 30%. Were it not for wanting to participate in..."

That's exactly how I felt about THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. I should have put the book down and not finished it, but I read the whole thing. In the end for me, I knew it was beautifully written and I understood why people loved it, it was just a book I shouldn't have read.

I went searching for this discussion. I have a real problem with reviewing--on both sides! As a writer, I've been puzzled by a glowing review topped by a 3-star rating. As a reader, I cannot imagine giving a book a low-star rating just because I don't like a particular genre/story or vice versa. I just finished a cozy mystery with a great little story line that had loads of problems with grammar and punctuation. If I were to review it, I would have to say in the review something about wanting to give it a 5 for the story but a 2 for the grammar and punctuation--which would end up being a 3.5 stars.

After reading the posts in this discussion and asking a few other folks, I think I now know why I get so confused! Ratings do not have set meanings for anyone! A writer/book doesn't get so many points for style, so many for story, so many for grammar, so many because he or she is a new author, etc. The system is totally individual to the reviewer!

That may be why, as a reader, I've become far more interested in the review itself than in the stars. Is the book written reasonably well? Is the mystery too easy to solve? Does the author help the reader suspend disbelief? The review tells me as much about the reviewer as it does the book. Whether or not the person reads that particular genre routinely. What biases he or she might have. How closely he or she reads.

As a writer, I try to take every review as a learning opportunity. What did I do well? What did I do poorly? What can I improve? What should Ia never change?

But that isn't always easy. For example, on my newest release, I have three reviews, all of which say pretty much the same thing. Two have 5 stars; one has 4 stars. But there is nothing to tell me why the star difference. So I'm assuming one reader simply didn't enjoy it as much as the other two--which may not be the case at all!

Anyway, thanks for all these posts. It gives me a better idea about how to approach reviewing from both sides!

Sylvia - I think it's natural to assume that ratings have a standard meaning across the board, and it can come as quite a surprise to find out just how differently people use them. Unless I know the reader that's rating the book, I consider the # of stars meaningless. Some readers just will not give 5 star ratings unless they consider what they've read to be a great work of literature. Some people won't give a low rating no matter how much they disliked the book or how poorly it was written, for fear of hurting the author's feelings. There are a handful who don't even use the stars to rate: they use them as an internal system for ranking their TBR pile.

Personally, I depend upon written reviews before deciding whether or not to pick up a book. Friend reviews first; then community reviews. If it's a new genre to me, I'll go looking for spoilers. :)

When rating, I start mentally with 5 stars before opening the book. Stars (or half stars, since they accommodate them on BookLikes and LeafMarks) are deducted based on overall story, plot structure, characterisations, writing quality and editing. I use 3 stars as "average read" - although GR defines it as "liked it". I'm pretty picky about the books I read so my ratings are usually 3 stars and above. Rarely do I get a book I rate lower (although more often, it seems, lately).

But I can almost guarantee that whomever responds to this thread will share a completely different method than mine. :)

Thanks, Jennifer. The more reviews I read, the more I'm beginning to understand that.

Sylvia, reviewing IS so subjective. I give a lot of 3 star reviews...because I liked the books...that's not a bad rating for me. I rarely rate something 5 stars.

Wow. If I see a 3, I assume the reader found something wrong or didn't like the book. And I rarely even rate or review a book if I can't give it at least a 4. I'm beginning to think the actual review is less subjective than the star ratings! Thanks for sharing this. It's very helpful.

Greetings, all! This thread is so very interesting! I have never written a review (and don't intend to start), but I've certainly read plenty, including many left for my audiobooks on Audible.

I wish that all reviewers gave such thoughtful consideration to the review process!

I think authors might agree with some of the points I want to share with you.

I look at reviews for 2 primary reasons:
1) to prepare for an audition of a book I'd like to narrate
2) after my audiobook is released so that I improve my performance in future books

If I'm reading the reviews for the print editions before an audition, I look for comments about:
* grammar
* spelling
* typos
* correct word usage
* amount of graphic sexual or violent scenes
* amount of foul language
* plot and character development

Helpful comments include things like comparisons to TV shows and movies, where if you liked the other medium, you'd probably like this book as it has similar character development.

I also like to know that the reviewer reads/listens in the genre for the review. Some people who have never read/heard a cozy mystery JUST DON'T GET IT! They think all mysteries are full of violence and fast action. They leave negative reviews and ratings for books that don't meet that expectation.

The review is also not the place to complain about the price of the book/audiobook, though many people write one for that very reason.

Whether the review is left for a print edition or the audiobook, it doesn't help anyone if it doesn't offer constructive criticism. With an audiobook, if the reviewer doesn't like the story, s/he will usually trash the narrator, too, and vice versa.

Those types of reviews usually have 1-star ratings and don't offer anything helpful to either the author or narrator. They usually just say something generically mean that could have come from a MadLibs, like: "The [story or narrator] was [negative adjective like horrible, atrocious, terrible, awful]! Don't waste your money!"

It's like the reviewer is completely outraged that they spent money and then didn't enjoy the audiobook for whatever reason. They feel it their sworn duty to warn off other people from making the same tragic mistake, yet they can't articulate the reason the audiobook didn't meet their expectations.

I hope these thoughts are helpful. Thanks for the terrific topic!


Cordially,
Karen Commins
My audiobooks on Audible , including the best-selling DIXIE DIVAS cozy mystery series

I love your suggestions list!

For me, if I rate a book 3-stars it's generally pretty so-so. Lots of people won't rate a book 5-stars unless they think it's "great literature" or the next "great American novel". I don't agree with that. I've rated books in all kinds of genres 5-stars, from general fiction to cozies. Just because a book isn't "deep" doesn't mean it can't be a great read! A lot of stuff that people would consider "great" literature I consider pretentious claptrap! Lots of $50.00 words thrown around do not a great book make!! If a book is nearly impossible for me to put down and it sticks with me for awhile I consider that a 5-star read!

Karen - I'm going to say this, and please know that I say it with total and utter friendliness and respect for you and for how other people choose to rate and review. (I'm afraid the following might sound grumpy or aggressive and it's not meant that way.)

I (speaking only for myself, of course) do not rate books or write reviews for the sake of the authors. I view writing my reviews as having a chat with friends - what would I say to them if they asked me what I thought after reading a book?

I try to always write thoughtful comments on characters, setting and plot. I always include what I did like, as well as if I didn't like something. I try to include examples if I can (quotes, etc.).

But sometimes, I just don't like a book and I can't say why. Sometimes I finish a book and the best I've got is "meh". When that happens, that's what I'm going to end up saying in my review, and I'm not going to fret about whether or not it's helpful to the author. Truly, the author isn't even on my mind when I write; just the book. If something I write ends up being helpful to the author in the future, that's just a fortunate stroke of serendipity.

If I had to rate books/write reviews for authors, I wouldn't do it at all.

I rate my books like Melodie. 3 star is average. I also keep them short. There are enough reviews that cover plot line to remind me of the book's content & yeah I write them for me.
Constructive criticism is great..but at the moment my reviews aren't that high quality.
Key, key factor: is it hard to put the book down because the tale &/or characters are so fascinating ?
?

❂ Jennifer (reviews on BookLikes) wrote: "Karen - I'm going to say this, and please know that I say it with total and utter friendliness and respect for you and for how other people choose to rate and review. (I'm afraid the following mig..."

Jennifer, I don't think any author would expect you to do that. The review is for the reader to decide whether or not he or she wants to buy the book. That said, as an author, I still find the reviews helpful to me. If several readers come up with the same idea, then I know that's something I need to work on or continuing to do. And if that helps me improve, it still ends up being for the reader.

As a reader, with so many different "systems," reading the content rather than looking at the stars is much more helpful.

Sylvia wrote: "Jennifer, I don't think any author would expect you to do that. ..."

Unfortunately, you'd be surprised how many authors do expect that. There are some very Jerry Springer moments going on between readers and authors in some corners of the web. Fortunately, NONE of them are (afaik) cozy authors. :D

When I rate a book the first question is how much did I enjoy it. That can be very subjective. Every reader is going to have a slightly different reaction to any book. Even what is going on in their life at the time can change the level on enjoyment.

When I write the review it is still at least in part about my reaction to the book. I try explain why I liked or did not like a book. But in the end it is still a matter of taste.

Melodie wrote: "For me, if I rate a book 3-stars it's generally pretty so-so. Lots of people won't rate a book 5-stars unless they think it's "great literature" or the next "great American novel". I don't agree ..."
Melodie - I agree with you! If I enjoy a book, it gets four stars and if I loved it - five. This whole thing about a book or a movie having to be "deep" to be good, is nonsense. But how often do you see a comedy win an academy award?

I mostly pick stars same as others and review as if a friend asked me what I thought of the book. When I'm reading reviews from others, not to offend anyone here but....I have to admit I dislike when they give a preview of the story line rather than a review. I can look up the book online or read the back of the cover. What I'm looking for is what others like or dislike about the book to see if it's something I'll be interested in.

Recently, a few mystery writers got into a discussion about reviews after a new author received several reviews which appeared to contradict each other. Some said, for example, they knew immediately who the villain was, while others said they guessed about half-way through, and still others said they had no idea until the end. And they were all reviewing the same book!

It's possible the disparity stems from a reader's familiarity with mystery plots, and/or perhaps their experience reading for clues. We're just guessing, though, and would love to hear others' perspectives.