What is a Cozy Mystery?

Amanda Flower, one of my favorite cozy mystery writers, describes cozies this way – “An amateur sleuth, an unsuspecting victim, a quirky supporting cast, and trail of clues and red herrings ….”

What I love about cozies is that usually the amateur sleuth is a smart woman who takes on solving a crime accidentally. And the quirky part? Super fun! Lots of animals as sidekicks!

The hard part is following the clues and avoiding the red herrings.

Cozies are also clean and the “gore” happens off stage. Those are big wins for me!

Sound fun to you? Then you’ll probably love cozy mysteries.

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Cozy mystery sleuths

Remember Jessica Fletcher on Murder She Wrote? She’s a great example of a cozy sleuth. As a writer herself, she often “stumbled” upon mysteries that begged to be solved.

Cozy mystery sleuths are usually educated women who run a business or are in charge of something and who aren’t normally involved in solving crimes. There is a sidekick – often some kind of cute critter – and the amateur sleuth connects with someone in law enforcement – friend, former partner, family member.

What is a cozy mystery sidekick(s)?

Cats, dogs, rabbits, and more have appeared as sidekicks in many cozies. Cats seem to be the most popular. My cozy has a Weimaraner and a parakeet! Many authors use animals in their novels because…it’s fun! Animals provide a sidekick, but also they can offer humor in a serious situation.

Settings

Cozy mysteries are usually set in small towns or villages. A place where everyone knows everyone – a close knit community.

Don’t forget the hobbies

Cozy sleuths have some kind of hobby – writing, teaching, knitting, bird watching, librarian, etc. There is a theme that connects a cozy mystery series which attracts readers who love that subject or hobby also.

The “bad” stuff happens, but not on the page

One of my favorite things about cozies is they are clean. No graphic sex, violence, or harsh language.

The best part of cozies

“The cozy lesson is an average person can make a difference,” Amanda Flowers. I love this! I love that average people like you and I can make a difference.

So what is a cozy mystery to you?

What do you think of when you hear the term cozy mystery? I’d love to hear your favorite theme, author, series in the comments!

And keep an eye out for my cozy – Birds Alive! – coming February 2024!!

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About the author

Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married 37 years, have 5 amazing kids and 2 adorable grandkids and one on the way. I homeschooled our three youngest children. I used to blog about homeschooling and taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. **Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!