Cozy Mysteries discussion

I would agree with all of the above. It isn't just about the mystery itself, I especially like to know about the area and how people live. What affects their lives. I always try to start with Book 1 as I love seeing the sleuth develop. Don't like the hard guys, but like the Wallender's, Morses, although they don't all have to be unhappy. Any good American sleuths to recommend, who aren't just Supermen?

I read cozy because they are like comfort food for me. I like books set in small towns like the little town I live in. A good cozy makes me feel happy when I am blue.

LittleDeadRedGoddess wrote: "I read cozy because they are like comfort food for me. I like books set in small towns like the little town I live in. A good cozy makes me feel happy when I am blue."
I live in a Small VT town which is comforting knowing that is My Comfort Food..Reading certain Cozies give me that exact same feeling..When I am Blue..Was thrilled to find
A new Author for me...I must have a cozy to read to Balance out my other genres;)

Many times I just like hanging out with characters - kind of like they're old friends. Diane Mott Davidson books are a perfect example of this. I also like cozies in 1st person because I love to hear how a character thinks and when they have that "I figured it out!" moment.

I enjoy cozies for several reasons--watching the protag solve the murder, seeing justice done, learning about the protag's line of work or hobby and the setting. I am especially entertained by cozies featuring animals--either cats or dogs.

I enjoy the problem solving aspect. Sometimes I'll read it for the subjects (i.e. the protag's profession, the setting, etc). Other times I'll pick one up because I was the vicarious thrill of committing a crime.

Most often cozies are simply good, light reading for me. We learn better when we're entertained, and I've gleaned gads from cozies because they are plain fun.

Olivia wrote: "I enjoy cozies for several reasons--watching the protag solve the murder, seeing justice done, learning about the protag's line of work or hobby and the setting. I am especially entertained by cozi..."

I'm with you. I like cozies of all types, but particularly those with animals as a part of the plot.

Olivia wrote: "I enjoy cozies for several reasons--watching the protag solve the murder, seeing justice done, learning about the protag's line of work or hobby and the setting. I am especially entertained by cozi..."

Have you read the Joe Grey mysteries by Shirley Rousseau Murphy? I've fallen behind in that one and need to catch up.

And a great dog series is the Melanie Travis mystery series by Laurien Berenson. I just started Jingle Bell Barkand it looks great!

I lke cozy mysteries, because you get to know the community. Usually they happen in small towns so you get to know the town and people. the stories are easy to read but keep you guessing who dunnit.

They are fun to read. Many are not as easy to resolve as some other forum members think and so they offer a mystery, but without all the gore. And often without all the explicit sexual exploits. They still find bodies, people still fall in love, have happy lives and all that. (It can happen!)

And the ones I like the most are those that concentrate on activities I love; knitting, reading (bookstores and libraries), gardening, eating). It is great for others' interests as well.

Oh and for the cooking ones, the recipes!!!

Kathy wrote: "They are fun to read. Many are not as easy to resolve as some other forum members think and so they offer a mystery, but without all the gore. And often without all the explicit sexual exploits. ..."

I agree with you that many cozies include challenging puzzles. Perhaps the definition of "cozy" has stretched to include a wide range of writing styles. Some offer light, entertaining reading and some pull you into more complex situations.

Think about the difference, for example, between and . Each, I think, appeals to a specific audience, although there are probably quite a few of us who like to read all sorts of cozy mysteries!

I like learning about different areas, people and activities. The mystery is secondary, usually I can figure out the answer. They are a light easy read that I can relax.

I discovered that cozies were in fact cozies here on goodreads. Up to that point I just knew that I liked this type of book, easy to read, no blood and gore,my blood pressure remains normal, lots of fun animals and no heaving breasts.
I still read other venues including chic lit and main stream mysteries, but cozies are just that nice to cuddle up with.

I like reading cozys where the protagonist's job, that type of job's world is showcased in the book by the author (i.e. psychologist's world, baker's world, gardener's world, etc.)

NYKen wrote: "I like reading cozys where the protagonist's job, that type of job's world is showcased in the book by the author (i.e. psychologist's world, baker's world, gardener's world, etc.)"

I agree, NYKen. The type of job world that is showcased in the book. I think that is very important also. I didn't include that in my list earlier. I enjoy cozies of all kinds. I love the nurse's world, the baker's, the gardener's, etc.

Susan Bernhardt

I think the name says it. They are a comfort after a hard day. A world were right usually wins in the end. They often come in series form so its like visiting with old friends. There is humor and little that disturbs.

Jamie Lynn wrote: "I love the way a cozy makes you feel like the main character is a friend. I like ordinary people who run into extraordinary experiences and handle it in regular folk's ways. Ok that sentence was wr..."

Hi Jamie Lynn. I agree. I remember saying that I wanted to get back to the cozy I was reading to see what a certain character was up to. The protagonist does seem like a friend often times.

Susan Bernhardt

As a reader I enjoy trying to solve the mystery before the end of the novel. As an author I try to create a well crafted mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end!

A cozy mishap Down Under.
Did the birds do it or was it all just a big cultural misunderstanding?
Death Twitch by DT Bomba.
www.dtbomba.com

One gets to, in many cases, revisit a gentler time via the pages of a cozy mystery. There are whispers of maleficence, forbidden secrets, red herrings and blue. Dark passages, bumps in the night, dimly lit hallways, and clues to investigate. Rather than relying on slasher and gasher to bring chills in the night (or day), one gets to use their cunning and sleuthing abilities to solve WhoDunIt! Cozy mystery writers, Bring It! ;-)

There's too much drama in real life. I appreciate cozies because they entertain me and "take me away" for a while. I realize that in a good story there has to be at least some drama (we're dealing with mysteries), but at least in a cozy it's not overdone and graphic.

I like to be stumped and at a loss as to whodunit. I like to be completely way off course as to the culprit.

I love the atmosphere in cozies. The quirky characters and - many times - the quirky setting make them delightful. An additional reason is you return to this world again and again re-visiting these characters.

This is also why I return again and again to the In Death series of books.

I agree with all of the answers of what the reader wants from a cozy mystery, but writing murder/mysteries myself, I love to see how quickly I can solve it.

I think with a cozy you know everything will work out in the end and that isn't always the case for other genres.

Cozies are an awesome positive escape from a world that keeps insisting on being negative. :)

I read cozies because they present a mystery puzzle in an everyday setting. The puzzle is solved methodically without a boring or bloody chase.

I read cozies because they are light reads. They don't require a lot of thought generally and they are just fun. I read a lot and some of what I read is very angst ridden and hard on the heart so cozies provide a relaxing palate cleanser.

Cozies are relaxing to me. The story line are delightful...no violence and sometimes a little bit funny.

I grew up in the as a country girl and some cozies reminds me about my childhood.

Five years ago I used to read only historical romances but I always come back to mysteries. Mysteries keeps my interest up comparing to romances.

I like cozies where I get to go into a small village or community to escape into a simpler time and to get to know the people who live there.

I agree with Pat that cozies are relaxing. I need the HEA that are in cozies as the killer is always caught.

HEA? I think the fact that the killer is always caught and it isn't bloody and gory make for a very relaxing read with just the right amount of brain activity. I really enjoy also the books with a quirky characters. Since I don't watch a lot of tv, it is my comedy fix.

I think one thing that's nice in many cozies is a simpler life (albeit with crime). All the neighbors and merchants are quirky individuals and there's not a box store in sight.

For me, I love the settings, character development. I love that there is no sex, no gruesome details which could make me feel uneasy. Like many have said, cozies are relaxing.

Sometimes I find them to be a little repetitive but I also like that I know what I will get!

I can’t read intense/stressful books anymore. Cozies don’t make me feel like that but there is anticipation of “who did it?” and a mystery to try and solve

I appreciate all the different themes one can find, so many that I find interesting, plus that they avoid sex scenes, gore, and vulgarity.

Tara wrote: "For me, I love the settings, character development. I love that there is no sex, no gruesome details which could make me feel uneasy. Like many have said, cozies are relaxing.

Sometimes I find th..."

Tara wrote: "For me, I love the settings, character development. I love that there is no sex, no gruesome details which could make me feel uneasy. Like many have said, cozies are relaxing.

Sometimes I find th..."

I agree about not wanting to read stressful books anymore. Cozies are perfect for bedtime!

I like specific features in a cozy book. Some examples are elderly sleuths like Miss Marple. They have wisdom and insight into human nature. I very much like clerics such as nuns or ministers, and if they are elderly that's even better. I prefer a British or rural setting. I especially look for books that don't feature a murder, but have a missing item, or search for a long lost relative instead.

Another aspect is a magical component like a New Age or tarot shop owner, with information about those things. I look for places I would like to visit, and people I feel comfortable around. Once I find a series I like I will read every book in order.

I agree with just about everyone else here about the escapism and the light-heartedness and the stress-free reading.

Some people mentioned the settings, like Diane said, you get to "escape to a simpler time." Settings are a huge part of cozies for me. I know that, yes, a murder typically happens in the book but it's happening in an otherwise idyllic town, generally with beautiful scenery and a caring community. It's like that phrase "getting lost in a good book," where better to do that than in one of the many cozy settings these books offer?

Plus, I love that they're fun and the characters can be a little zany, which only makes the town more interesting.

Humor, relaxation, escapism. Real life is hard. It's pleasant to read books where people like each other and don't have dark and tragic pasts to overcome.

When I read a cozy I want to get a sense of place. I want to feel I am in the Scottish highlands or the tiny village in Maine. I want to get to know the characters as they grow through the series, I want to come to care about them. And I appreciate a logical reason why a civilian becomes involved in a crime investigation.

Comfort. That's what a cozy is to me. Comfort reading. They need to have a main character you like, lots of quirky characters, and a little light romance.

I want to be taken into another person's life, a life that is a tick safer and more pleasant than mine.. That's why I care for characters and settings. I also love a tick of magical realism, a glimpse of a world that might just be around the corner...