Cozy Mysteries: An Underrated Genre
Hello Lovely Readers!
I hope you are all doing well. Early signs of autumn are here and, though I am a bit late on decorating and activities, I am embracing this wonderful season. Thank you to all who celebrated Lady Bookish’s one year birthday giveaway. As a result, we have quite a few new subscribers! I am so pleased to add more readers to the Bookish Family and I hope you stick around. Feel free to look back at old posts in the archives. Have a bookish topic you would like explored? Comment below and I’ll look into it!
*I had plans for a different post today but you know what they say about the best laid plans… I think I need to stop promising certain posts. In the last post, I promised some articles that are being worked on but not ready to be published. Thank you for your patience.*
In this cozy season, I have found myself drawn to cozy mysteries. Now, I have enjoyed this sub-genre before- one of my most recommended series is the Shady Hollow series by Juneau Black- but the slight chill and falling leaves has seemed to flip a switch for me. I am devouring such series left and right! Cozy mystery is a subgenre of the crime genre but what sets it apart? I thought I would do a deep dive into the cozy mystery genre- what it is, where it began, etc- to answer this question. Plus, I have some recommendations in case you want to read some cozy books too. Let’s learn!
Characteristics of a Cozy Mystery
There is not one all encompassing definition of a cozy mystery, but rather a set of characteristics found in such novels. Here are some I have found to be particularly important:
-An Amateur Sleuth (s)- this is probably THE most important aspect in terms of character. A seasoned detective or cop is often present but is not the protagonist. This allows the reader to step into the shoes of the inexperienced investigator; it also what distinguishes it from a traditional crime novel. I have noticed a trend in more contemporary novels that instead of one sleuth, a two or more work together to solve the mystery which is quite fun!
-Cozy setting- The setting is most often a small town/village/community, often centered in ‘cozy’ establishments such as a bakery or a bookshop. If it is not in a small town, it is often in a smaller community within that city, like a book club, knitting group, or church.
-No sex, violence, or gore- Though the cozy mystery is almost always tied to murder, you will not find language or disturbing descriptions of the murder; this is largely because the crime happens off page. For someone with an overactive imagination, I appreciate this (no need for extra nightmare fuel). The murders themselves rarely involve brutal physical action (usually poisons or an 'accidental' fall). There is often a romantic story (secondary to the main plot and written throughout a series), but no smut or sexual activities described. This allows me to not have to read a bunch of reviews before picking one up in fear of reading something unsavory.
-Quick paced
-Solved by the End
Bonus Characteristics:
-Solveable by Characters- though I have read a few where the answer came from left field
-Tangential learning- I have learned so much about knitting, books, beer brewing, and baking from these types of books- I love that!
-Quirky Sidekick (human or animal)
-Romance as a secondary focus (as mentioned above)
History of the Cozy Mystery Genre
The origins of the cozy mystery come from the writing era known as the ‘Golden Age of Detective Fiction’, which was in the interim of World Wars (1920 and 1930s). World War I had devastated the world with its violence that resulted in such large losses of life. Socially, it also broke trust and respect of the aristocracy. The people of Great Britain felt a strong need for escape. Authors like Agatha Christie, Gk Chesterson, and Dorothy L. Sayers answered this desire with their novels. Agatha Christie, in particular, became known as the queen of cozy mystery (fun fact: National Cozy Mystery Day is on her birthday, September 15…I’ll keep that in mind for next year!)Their characters were genteel, often of middle or upperclass, with a murder occuring in the early pages. These novels created the ‘whodunit’ type story, allowing the readers to solve along with the sleuth. Characters like Miss Marple and Father Brown became the faces of the cozy mystery genre, many who are still enjoyed today. As World War II began, crime novels took a darker turn; this is especially seen in the American hardboiled crime fiction. Despite the golden era ending, this genre has stuck around and become more popular as escape from cultural difficulties/tension and uncertain futures.
Recommendations
Now that we have a little background, here are a few personal recommendations:
-Anything by Agatha Christie but especially Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple (I have not read all of them but quite a few and hope to explore so much more!). If you want one with a real surprise ending, try The Murger of Roger Akroyd.
-Nancy Drew series- the first mystery series I ever read; great for preteens/teen
- Hannah Swenson series by Joanna Fluke- this was the first contemporary cozy mystery series I read as a young adult. Haven’t finished it but I read quite a few and they were lovely
-Shady Hollow series by Juneau Black
-Book Retreat Mystery series by Ellery Adams- reading this now and SOO GOOD, especially if you love books. The hotel setting is a book lovers’ dream come true! I wish it was real… minus the murders of course
-Sloan Krause series by Ellie Alexander - almost done with this series sadly because it is great. Beer brewing mysteries in Leavenworth WA
-Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murders by Jesse Q. Sutanto- Hilarious main character!
-The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert
-Murder at the Dog Show series by Karen Harbert (hello Karen! One of my lovely readers and a talented writer!)
In researching this article, I have found SO MANY MORE cozy mysteries I want to read both classic and contemporary. Is this my new favorite genre? Only time will tell…
Alright readers, that’s all I have for now! I want to hear from you- do you enjoy cozy murder mysteries? Why or why not? What would you recommend in this genre? Comment below!
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Happy Reading!
Lady Bookish
SOURCES:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/the-cozy-mystery-explained/#
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/books/2024/05/22/best-cozy-mystery-books/73209595007/
https://bookishbrews.com/diverse-cozy-mystery-books/
https://phdiva.blog/2023/08/14/cozy-mysteries-101-what-defines-the-genre/
https://www.novelsuspects.com/articles/what-makes-a-cozy-mystery/