What’s a Cozy Mystery?

When you think of a cozy mystery, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

How about:
– A setting that’s far from city life; typically, along or near the coast
– Small town characters who are easy to relate to
– A protagonist who makes friends easily but is also independent
– Solving local crimes
– A quiet, laid-back tone that allows readers to take it slow – not too fast paced or confusing

I discovered cozies about ten years ago and it quickly became my favorite genre for a relaxing read. Six years ago, I published my first cozy mystery, The Prickly Pear Murder staring Oscar the Doxie Detective. I’ve been writing and publishing them ever since.

Here’s what I discovered about cozy mysteries:

A cozy mystery is a fast-paced book genre set in a small town or city where the main character is mysteriously drawn into events they don’t understand.

The goal of most cozy mysteries is to keep the reader guessing as to what will happen next.

Cozy mysteries are usually read for entertainment, with characters who make the reader feel like you could be friends with them. It is a great way to spend some time by yourself reading a book that isn’t too serious yet still keeps you interested.

There are many different things that can lead to an atmosphere of mystery in a book, including detective work, possible supernatural occurrences, and documents that have been lost or have been misfiled.

Most cozy mysteries feature an amateur sleuth as the main character and the focus of each book/story. Cozies also feature many other characters – including other police officers, private investigators, lawyers, doctors, professors and more – who help out with the investigation.

There are some cozy mysteries where the amateur sleuth is the only character involved in the case; however, these books tend to have a different feel than traditional cozy mysteries.

For me…

the best part of reading a cozy mystery is the combination of the entertainment and relaxation factors. The story keeps me guessing, but it is not an on the edge of your seat scary.

I write what I like to read, and that’s a fun mystery with lots of twists and turns and a surprise ending.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Happy reading!

Amazon bestselling author Sharon Michaels loves writing cozy mysteries filled with suspense, mature characters, smart animals, a bit of paranormal and, later in life romance. Her short reads are sweet, clean, and fun.

You can find fun books to read on this page:
https://sharonmichaelsauthor.com/cozy-fiction/