# Cozy Mysteries



## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

I notice that amazon has three options under Cozy Mysteries

Culinary
Animals
Crafts and Hobbies

Anyone care to share what the heck any of those have to do with cozy mysteries? It thought it was about a murder not what a person ate, pet they had or if they like cricket lol


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## cwashburn (May 20, 2013)

I think it's because there are a quite a few cozy mysteries in those sub-categories.  For example, one of mine makes it under 'animals' because llamas figure prominently.  There are also a lot of cat cozy mysteries.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

That is easy.  One of those three categories usually fits the book.  Crafting, cooking or animals (sometimes helping) are prominent in cozy mysteries.


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

cinisajoy said:


> That is easy. One of those three categories usually fits the book. Crafting, cooking or animals (sometimes helping) are prominent in cozy mysteries.


I get flack on my cozies because I do none of that and I tackle harder crimes, like rape and child trafficking. I follow almost none of the rules of writing cozies and that drives some people nuts.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

YodaRead said:


> I get flack on my cozies because I do none of that and I tackle harder crimes, like rape and child trafficking. I follow almost none of the rules of writing cozies and that drives some people nuts.


The rules of writing cozies sprang up very recently so I don't consider them to be hard and fast anyway.


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## joyceharmon (May 21, 2012)

kalel said:


> I notice that amazon has three options under Cozy Mysteries
> 
> Culinary
> Animals
> ...


Simple. Cozy mysteries tend to be series and they occur in a specific setting. There are a lot of cozies where the recurring heroine is a cook or a crafter or involved with animals. Amateur sleuths with dogs, amateur sleuths who are caterers, amateur sleuths who knit. People who like those particular settings will read all the dog cozies or craft cozies.

I wrote two cozy mysteries before I switched to Regency romance, and they were set in a rural winery. I think there are a few other winery cozy series as well.


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## joyceharmon (May 21, 2012)

YodaRead said:


> I get flack on my cozies because I do none of that and I tackle harder crimes, like rape and child trafficking. I follow almost none of the rules of writing cozies and that drives some people nuts.


If you label your mysteries 'cozies' and then write non-cozy mysteries, of course you get flack for it. It's false advertising.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

YodaRead said:


> I get flack on my cozies because I do none of that and I tackle harder crimes, like rape and child trafficking. I follow almost none of the rules of writing cozies and that drives some people nuts.


I guess I should find and read one of your mysteries.


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2015)

I'm so glad someone started a thread on this. Back in the day (and you can look this up), anytime you had an amateur sleuth it was considered a cozy. Now more and more cozies are themed based. This result is that readers out there have very different interpretations on what a cozy is.

The problem for writers is that if your cozy is more in the old tradition, you can really outrage some readers and they are not shy about telling you that in their reviews. However, if you don't call your books cozies, others will make comments about the book being a cozy, but not being labeled as such.

I ended up, on Amazon, taking my books out of the cozy category entirely. However, I know I'm missing some potential readers by doing so. On other platforms, my books are still labeled as cozies, and few if any readers complain.

I wish Amazon would come up with another subcategory, like edgy cozy. It would help the reader avoid books they would find objectionable, and the writer in pinpointing her market.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

R.Marquez said:


> I'm so glad someone started a thread on this. Back in the day (and you can look this up), anytime you had an amateur sleuth it was considered a cozy. Now more and more cozies are themed based. This result is that readers out there have very different interpretations on what a cozy is.


Yes, it's only been in the last ten or fifteen years that the whole theme thing has sprung up. I'm not keen on it myself, but obviously a lot of people like it.


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Well, which category would this one go into if it was published today?

http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Caper-Chocoholic-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B005XT36D6

FYI, looks like the current category is "women sleuths."


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## Anna Drake (Sep 22, 2014)

HSh said:


> Well, which category would this one go into if it was published today?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Caper-Chocoholic-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B005XT36D6
> 
> FYI, looks like the current category is "women sleuths."


Just looking at the cover, I think the category culinary or animals might apply. That's without reading the book first.

You can put your book in one category and then use keywords to mention others.


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2015)

HSh said:


> Well, which category would this one go into if it was published today?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Caper-Chocoholic-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B005XT36D6
> 
> FYI, looks like the current category is "women sleuths."


I would think culinary--but since I don't read those kinds of cozies, I may be wrong.


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## 10105 (Feb 16, 2010)

YodaRead said:


> I get flack on my cozies because I do none of that and I tackle harder crimes, like rape and child trafficking. I follow almost none of the rules of writing cozies and that drives some people nuts.


How true. And how odd. A review of my cozy said it didn't qualify as a cozy because whodunnit was revealed in a courtroom rather than in a public area with all the suspects gathered and the amateur detective explaining the clues and exposing the culprit.


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

joyceharmon said:


> If you label your mysteries 'cozies' and then write non-cozy mysteries, of course you get flack for it. It's false advertising.


Except they are cozy mysteries. They just don't involve knitting. They don't have cats on the covers. Cozies have traditionally been amateur sleuths. All mine do that, and they sell very well. Thanks. The people I tend to get flack from are other authors mostly. There have been a few random readers, but it's mostly been authors on other forums telling people how to write cozies and I just happen to disagree.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

A cosy mystery in its purest form usually involves an amateur sleuth, but even that's not necessarily the case.


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

YodaRead said:


> Except they are cozy mysteries. They just don't involve knitting. They don't have cats on the covers. Cozies have traditionally been amateur sleuths. All mine do that, and they sell very well. Thanks. The people I tend to get flack from are other authors mostly. There have been a few random readers, but it's mostly been authors on other forums telling people how to write cozies and I just happen to disagree.


Maybe they're just amateur sleuth mysteries? I mean, they can be that and not be cozies, right? What else makes them cozies in your mind?


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

Monique said:


> Maybe they're just amateur sleuth mysteries? I mean, they can be that and not be cozies, right? What else makes them cozies in your mind?


1. Female amateur sleuths.
2. Humorous.
3. Small settings with a cast of offbeat characters.
4. No graphic sex.

Just the normal stuff. I just happen to refuse to make them bakers and put cats on the covers.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

HSh said:


> Well, which category would this one go into if it was published today?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Caper-Chocoholic-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B005XT36D6
> 
> FYI, looks like the current category is "women sleuths."


That seems to fall in the culinary category, since it involves the chocolate industry. It's not animal/pet, as the cat on the cover (apparently) only has a tangential role in this one story, and unless the book is different from the blurb, the cat won't appear in future books.

I sometimes have to shake my head at all the different sorts of cozies I see at the library. Knitting... quilting... a LOT of cooking/baking/catering ones... antiques... even a crossword puzzle series. I've read a few here and there, but they're not generally my cup of tea. (Tea--that's another one!)  (I wonder if the Cat Who... series is considered a "grandfather" of the subgenre??  )


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

YodaRead said:


> 1. Female amateur sleuths.
> 2. Humorous.
> 3. Small settings with a cast of offbeat characters.
> 4. No graphic sex.
> ...


LOL, well, as far as I know, they don't have to bakers or cats to be cozies. From your earlier post, it sounded like you were breaking all the rules. It looks like you're just not including a few common tropes.


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

Monique said:


> LOL, well, as far as I know, they don't have to bakers or cats to be cozies. From your earlier post, it sounded like you were breaking all the rules. It looks like you're just not including a few common tropes.


I did break the rules on the crimes. I follow the "no graphic descriptions" but I have used gang rape and child trafficking as cases. I just get bored with all the straight out murder sometimes.


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## eleanorberesford (Dec 22, 2014)

Surely the theming isn't necessary to be part of the genre? It never used to be. YodaRead's books sound more like the cozies I have always enjoyed; I find animals and handicrafts distract from what I actually enjoy. And I think as long as the crime themes are not graphically described,, it's no different to murder as the crime.

This is of interest to me as I have what I thought was a cozy in the country house party style percolating, but there's no cat detectives or cooking.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

I read what I would consider to be cosy mysteries. Usually a murder mystery that is solved by some nosy girl who can't leave it alone instead of by the official police.  The ones I enjoy are either the paranormal ones (the girl gets a message from a ghost or a vision from an clue) or I do also quite like the foodie ones, which are SO cosy that sometimes they even have recipes for muffins at the back of the book.

To me the term "cosy" in this genre means gentle and pretty non-violent or distressing. And yes, they often feature cats or bit of antique kitchen equipment


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## Evan of the R. (Oct 15, 2013)

YodaRead said:


> 1. Female amateur sleuths.
> 2. Humorous.
> 3. Small settings with a cast of offbeat characters.
> 4. No graphic sex.
> ...


Just think about how well you might sell if you put a cat on the cover.

Oh well...


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## joyceharmon (May 21, 2012)

YodaRead said:


> 1. Female amateur sleuths.
> 2. Humorous.
> 3. Small settings with a cast of offbeat characters.
> 4. No graphic sex.


Okay, with a further explanation, it does sound as if your books fit solidly in the cozy category. I'm guessing the complainers are not the majority of reviewers? Because 'grittier' crimes wouldn't turn off a cozy reader unless you really lingered over the gory details.


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## JB Rowley (Jan 29, 2012)

R.Marquez said:


> ...I wish Amazon would come up with another subcategory, like edgy cozy. It would help the reader avoid books they would find objectionable, and the writer in pinpointing her market.


Or take the 'fairy floss' mysteries (the light hearted ones focusing on pets/knitting/food etc) out of the cosy/cozy category (amateur sleuth, small community, sex and violence downplayed) and put them in another category e.g. lightweight, merry, fluffy or even... rosy.


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

joyceharmon said:


> Okay, with a further explanation, it does sound as if your books fit solidly in the cozy category. I'm guessing the complainers are not the majority of reviewers? Because 'grittier' crimes wouldn't turn off a cozy reader unless you really lingered over the gory details.


Most of the complainers are other cozy authors, not readers. There are some readers who don't like the sarcasm, but I have a large fan base. It's the other authors who don't like it.


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## eleanorberesford (Dec 22, 2014)

I wouldn't worry about authors. 

Personally, I love real cats, but cozy style pets tend to be a bit twee for me, as do the arts and crafts. They are never crafts I'm interested in, either--where are the customizers of Asian ball-jointed dolls, or the cosplayers? It's all candles and baking.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

I heard about a cozy mystery about gourd decorating once.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

CoraBuhlert said:


> I heard about a cozy mystery about gourd decorating once.


Ha, now that is niche.


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## My Dog&#039;s Servant (Jun 2, 2013)

Does Hercule Poirot qualify as "amateur" sleuth?  of course, Jane Marple knits, bless her cynical little heart.

I've always thought of cozies as being 1) sleuth is not a detective, PI, or policeman (Poirot bills himself as a consultant, if I recall); 2) murders tend to be slightly tidier affairs (a nice little cup of cyanide as opposed to torture and dismemberment described in graphic detail....though if the murder must be nasty, it's at least off stage);  and 3) the series tends to stick to a "type" (Poirot may be on the Nile, in Mesopotamia, or quietly buried in Surrey, but he's always among the dignified English with only an occasional uncouth American or highly suspicious "foreigner" thrown into the mix).

The more examples I think of, the more I think that point 1, "not a professional" is the primary requirement, with point 2 almost as important.  Cats and knitting optional.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

I think the term "cosy" was adopted to distinguish it from its counterpart "hard-boiled." Mysteries used to be informally classed as one of the two.


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## joyceharmon (May 21, 2012)

My Dog's Servant said:


> Does Hercule Poirot qualify as "amateur" sleuth? of course, Jane Marple knits, bless her cynical little heart.
> 
> I've always thought of cozies as being 1) sleuth is not a detective, PI, or policeman (Poirot bills himself as a consultant, if I recall); 2) murders tend to be slightly tidier affairs (a nice little cup of cyanide as opposed to torture and dismemberment described in graphic detail....though if the murder must be nasty, it's at least off stage); and 3) the series tends to stick to a "type" (Poirot may be on the Nile, in Mesopotamia, or quietly buried in Surrey, but he's always among the dignified English with only an occasional uncouth American or highly suspicious "foreigner" thrown into the mix).
> 
> The more examples I think of, the more I think that point 1, "not a professional" is the primary requirement, with point 2 almost as important. Cats and knitting optional.


I don't agree that cozies must have an amateur sleuth. I think the sleuth can be professional, so long as we learn about them personally and so long as the solving of the murder involves the sleuth's ingenious brain power rather than a raft of crime scene professionals test-tubing the site. To me, the Poirot mysteries are as much cozies as the Marples are, even though Poirot is a private detective (and retired from the Belgian police).

Another example of a cozy professional is Patricia Moyes' Henry Tibbett mysteries. Henry is a Chief Inspector from Scotland Yard, but the murders are 'cozy', and his wife is often involved in the mystery solving. I'd also call the Madoc Rhys mysteries cozies (Charlotte MacLeod, writing as Alisa Craig), even though Madoc is a Mountie. Elizabeth George, on the other hand, is not cozy, despite how involved we get in the personal lives of her Inspector and Sergeant - her books are just too dark to be cozy.


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## Nic (Nov 17, 2013)

My Dog's Servant said:


> Does Hercule Poirot qualify as "amateur" sleuth? of course, Jane Marple knits, bless her cynical little heart.
> 
> I've always thought of cozies as being 1) sleuth is not a detective, PI, or policeman (Poirot bills himself as a consultant, if I recall); 2) murders tend to be slightly tidier affairs (a nice little cup of cyanide as opposed to torture and dismemberment described in graphic detail....though if the murder must be nasty, it's at least off stage); and 3) the series tends to stick to a "type" (Poirot may be on the Nile, in Mesopotamia, or quietly buried in Surrey, but he's always among the dignified English with only an occasional uncouth American or highly suspicious "foreigner" thrown into the mix).
> 
> The more examples I think of, the more I think that point 1, "not a professional" is the primary requirement, with point 2 almost as important. Cats and knitting optional.


That's also what I thought cozy mysteries are.


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## cecilia_writer (Dec 28, 2010)

Lydniz said:


> I think the term "cosy" was adopted to distinguish it from its counterpart "hard-boiled." Mysteries used to be informally classed as one of the two.


Yes, I agree - I started to write mine as a reaction against the 'tartan noir' genre, just to prove we can have cosiness here in Scotland as well.
(incidentally, I have found the sub-genres quite helpful as I've classified a few of mine as 'culinary' and 'crafts and hobbies' even when the crafts etc are only a small aspect of the plot, and then at least they are visible somewhere even once they sink out of the main cosy list - ps this only happens on Amazon UK as they are more or less invisible on Amazon.com)


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## Nic (Nov 17, 2013)

cecilia_writer said:


> Yes, I agree - I started to write mine as a reaction against the 'tartan noir' genre, just to prove we can have cosiness here in Scotland as well.


Val McDermid?


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

I think it is a niche, but hey, nothing wrong with bending the rules, plus if it is just other authors who are saying that there are rules then I would absolutely ignore them (us, me), if the fans like it then that's all that really matters.

I think the most important thing for me is that I think about this genre / niche a lot as I would dearly like to be able to write it. I've read an awful lot of these (within the paranormal and the cooking category) and studied which sell best, yet I have discovered that I am completely incapable of plotting a murder mystery! I've tried several times to write out a plot with twists and cliff hangers and suspense but, well it's an epic fail! Hats off to any of you who can, I'm jealous


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Evenstar said:


> I think the most important thing for me is that I think about this genre / niche a lot as I would dearly like to be able to write it. I've read an awful lot of these (within the paranormal and the cooking category) and studied which sell best, yet I have discovered that I am completely incapable of plotting a murder mystery! I've tried several times to write out a plot with twists and cliff hangers and suspense but, well it's an epic fail! Hats off to any of you who can, I'm jealous


I say give it a try. I write them and I can't plot either. A lot of my reviews say things like "I spotted the murderer on page 1 but it didn't matter as it was a nice story."


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## N. Gemini Sasson (Jul 5, 2010)

Evan of the R. said:


> Just think about how well you might sell if you put a cat on the cover.
> 
> Oh well...


Or a dog.


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## My Dog&#039;s Servant (Jun 2, 2013)

joyceharmon said:


> Another example of a cozy professional is Patricia Moyes' Henry Tibbett mysteries. Henry is a Chief Inspector from Scotland Yard, but the murders are 'cozy', and his wife is often involved in the mystery solving. I'd also call the Madoc Rhys mysteries cozies (Charlotte MacLeod, writing as Alisa Craig), even though Madoc is a Mountie. Elizabeth George, on the other hand, is not cozy, despite how involved we get in the personal lives of her Inspector and Sergeant - her books are just too dark to be cozy.


Well, that shoots that theory in the head. And now you mention it, I can now think of two or three series that also have professional sleuths, yet are definitely cozies. Mostly English writers, though. And now I just remembered Louise Penny's books. But they're Canadian (does that almost count as English? Except he's Quebecois...apologies to those of French antecedents!  ) I knew Poirot was a retired Belgian detective, but maybe he called himself a private detective (as opposed to a PI). In any case point no. 1 drinks the arsenic-laced tea and quietly expires as an argument.

Dick Francis books would all fit the three points (except not so many actual murders), yet I wouldn't call them cozies. Elizabeth George definitely not cozy. Cadfael and Marcus Didius Falco (two of my all time favorites)...cozies? But we have the historical mystery category we can tuck those into.

The kinds of murders Yoda's covered would kill point point number two (though not graphic, right?) The couple I've read didn't strike me as "cozy", yet I can't argue with the classification, either, and they do fit point 1 and 3. But we just killed 1.

Shoot. Looks like I'm stuck with the useless standard of "I knows 'em when I sees 'em."


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## My Dog&#039;s Servant (Jun 2, 2013)

Hmmm.... The more I think about all the mysteries I've read and the definitions I might have applied to them, the more confused I get.  I think I usually think of them on a spectrum from "sweet" (yuck! terrible description! I mean cozy, but now I don't know what that is) and hard-edged. And then I thought about Dick Francis again and that I'd say they were "mysteries" but not necessarily "murder mysteries." And that's the first time I've ever consciously considered you might have a mystery without a murder included. Can you even do that? Now I'm really confused. 

This thinking business is hard work.  I think I'll give up on it and go do something else.


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## KGGiarratano (Aug 14, 2013)

I've been waiting for a cozy thread! I'm in the planning stages of a cozy, humor series. I read cozies. I don't care about crafts or hobbies, just the narrator's voice. I've given up on a lot of cozies because of that.


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

I consider the Hamish Macbeth stories cozy, but I'm not sure if they fit all the definitions of it, however you want to define it.  Sometimes there is gruesome stuff, and the hero works for the police force.


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## DaniO (Oct 22, 2012)

I'd definitely consider the Hamish Macbeth books cosy too. I went to a talk by MC Beaton at Oxford last week and she was fab. I had a picture taken with her, too.  
For me, the difference between cosy and straight crime fiction is the feeling you get from reading the books. There is usually some humour and the books make me feel good after I have finished reading them, unlike Scandinavian crime fiction which is huge in the UK at the moment but leaves me feeling quite depressed.
I have read and enjoyed some of Yoda's main series and I would classify her books as cosy. 
Agatha Christie is often considered Queen of the Cosy and she has a child murdered in one of her books. In fact, some of the themes are very dark, but to me they are still cosy. I remember at least one of Poirot's cases involved a serial killer.
I really want to read one of your books now Lydniz to see if I can guess the murderer


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## Charmaine (Jul 20, 2012)

Cozy mystery to me more than anything feels cozy.
More than any set rules, Cozy mysteries usually bring something light or humorous.

But, Cozies have created a niche within a sub genre with animals, hobbies, or cooking.
While I like cozies, I don't particularly like any of the popular sub genres. I tend to read Cozies without any of those hooks.


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

My new book has a cat in it and a cat on the cover, but it's not a cat cozy per se.  It's romantic comedy with a cozy-like mystery. Will be terrifying interesting to see how people respond to it.


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## Annabel Chant (Feb 24, 2015)

I'm no expert, by a long way, but I also think it's more about the authorial voice, or the tone of the book. One way I'd differentiate it (though, obviously, this is not always true), is that cozies tend to take place in a pretty idyllic setting, or at least one which the reader might wish they lived in, whereas more gritty mysteries are often in less appealing localities. If not, at least the main character's life comes across as appealing.

Of course, now I'm thinking of RD Wingfield's Frost books, which take place in Denton, which is far from idyllic. I always find them quite cozy though, and I think that's because I love Frost. RD Wingfield hales from my area so I don't find the location idyllic at all!


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## joyceharmon (May 21, 2012)

I think of cozy mysteries, at least the female sleuth ones, as 'chick lit, with murder'. There are series that I'll read even though the mystery part is kind of lame, because I want to know how things are turning out in the main character's life, will she get together with the hunky deputy she's always arguing with, what's going on with her wacky sidekick, and so on.


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## DaniO (Oct 22, 2012)

Annabel Chant said:


> Of course, now I'm thinking of RD Wingfield's Frost books, which take place in Denton, which is far from idyllic. I always find them quite cozy though, and I think that's because I love Frost. RD Wingfield hales from my area so I don't find the location idyllic at all!


I love Jack Frost  I always thought Denton was a fictional place. I'd agree with you though, there is something cozy about the series. I love how he always gets into trouble with the superintendent. The TV series was fantastic too. David Jason is an awesome actor. I find it so hard to believe that the same actor is Jack Frost and Del Boy.

Cozy mysteries always seem to be hugely popular on TV in the UK. Death in Paradise is a relatively new show (the creator released a spin off book recently) and Midsomer Murders has been successful for years (based on a fantastic series by Caroline Graham). Both are actually based police officers but they really have that cozy feel IMO.


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## 10105 (Feb 16, 2010)

I recall reading somewhere a list of guidelines for cozy mysteries. This is what I remember, although my memory isn't all that reliable.

1. The sleuth is an amateur.
2. The police are either inept or heading in the wrong direction.
3. The cops think the sleuth is always in the way, a PITA.
4. The vic is someone that nobody likes.
5. The murder occurs off-stage and well into the story.
6. The cops mistakenly like an innocent person for the deed.
7. No violence, explicit sex, or profanity.
8. A seemingly innocuous and unrelated event is a clue not explained to the reader up front, but that gives the sleuth the necessary a-ha moment.

Come to think of it, that pretty much describes all the _Murder She Wrote_ episodes.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

Al Stevens said:


> I recall reading somewhere a list of guidelines for cozy mysteries. This is what I remember, although my memory isn't all that reliable.
> 
> 1. The sleuth is an amateur.
> 2. The police are either inept or heading in the wrong direction.
> ...


Haha, I was totally thinking of Jessica Fletcher when I read this list.  And by the way, I've read a number of the Murder, She Wrote books (which came _after_ the TV series began). Normally I'm not a fan of first-person narration, but these are written from Jessica's POV, and I actually kind of like them.


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## AshRonin (May 5, 2013)

Al Stevens said:


> I recall reading somewhere a list of guidelines for cozy mysteries. This is what I remember, although my memory isn't all that reliable.
> 
> 1. The sleuth is an amateur.
> 2. The police are either inept or heading in the wrong direction.
> ...


Comes pretty close to describing Veronica Mars as well but I never really thought of that as Cozy Mystery Story.


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Some older hardboiled mysteries fit a lot of those things on the list, too, just because of the dictates of the era.  (You couldn't show a lot of details re: sex violence and bad language.)  But the atmosphere could be totally non-cozy even without really explicit content.  IDK, maybe part of it is a worldview.  Cozy mysteries feel like it's a safe village, a family sort of place where everyone sort of knows each other, and some peril has happened, coming into this world and stirring up trouble.  The hero or heroine helps set things right, sometimes through sheer nosiness.  A hard-boiled or darker mystery, it feels like the whole world is evil and the hero or heroine is just a little raft or leaf floating down this stream of evil in this world, trying to find some answers for hurting people or themselves, some small consolation against the tide.    Dang, now I'm depressing myself.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Al Stevens said:


> Come to think of it, that pretty much describes all the _Murder She Wrote_ episodes.


I adore cozies, and _Murder She Wrote_ is a perfect example of cozy mysteries on the small screen


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## eleanorberesford (Dec 22, 2014)

Looking at the cozies selling well on Amazon now, though, they seem less Murder She Wrote and more cat with magical powers saving a kitten from evil (actual example).

Does the British country house/village mystery genre still survive?


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

joyceharmon said:


> I think of cozy mysteries, at least the female sleuth ones, as 'chick lit, with murder'. There are series that I'll read even though the mystery part is kind of lame, because I want to know how things are turning out in the main character's life, will she get together with the hunky deputy she's always arguing with, what's going on with her wacky sidekick, and so on.


Yes, this ^ I've read loads of paranormal mysteries where I could tell who the murderer was but I was enjoying the side line romance, lol


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## DaniO (Oct 22, 2012)

eleanorberesford said:


> Does the British country house/village mystery genre still survive?


As well as the Hamish Macbeth series, MC Beaton writes the Agatha Raisin series which is set in a small Cotswold village. I read an article where she was described as the third most borrowed author in British libraries. Her books do well in the Kindle UK store too. 
Agatha Raisin does have cats  They don't solve the crime though


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## eleanorberesford (Dec 22, 2014)

As long as it isn't written from their POV--definitely not my cup of tea--I'll give it a go.

I love the Dandy Gilver books, which have the villages and country house thing going on, but they are definitely not cozies, I think. Dark to the point of triggering at times.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

Anne Victory said:


> I adore cozies, and _Murder She Wrote_ is a perfect example of cozy mysteries on the small screen


And they have books, too.


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## KGGiarratano (Aug 14, 2013)

Veronica Mars is considered detective noir. 

Of those who write cozies, how's the indie market for them?


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah--I think that list is unduly restrictive and certainly not what the publishers state in their guidelines for cozy mysteries, thank goodness. Someone else in this thread listed what I've seen as the guidelines, which kind of boil down to a lighter tone, no violence "on screen" and little/no bad language or explicit sex. Most of them take place in a "hometown" kind of place and are solved by an amateur.

I love cozies--although not the kinds listed by Amazon as cozy (go figure). ha, ha. Most of Agatha Christie's mysteries are actually cozies, particularly Miss Marple and Poirot ones. I'm hooked on the Mrs. Bradley ones which I would class as Cozy. In fact, I've been buying a lot of the older mysteries from the early years of the 20th century as many really come across as cozies and I love the ambience. And they tend to fit my budget, too. I'm reading the Van Dine series of Philo Vance mysteries right now. What fun.

Oh, if you like cozies and live in the Northern Virginia/MD/DC area, the first week of May there is a "cozy mystery" conference called Malice Domestic. I go with my sister every year. They give you a bag full of free books (I actually wish I could get them on my Kindle, though) and you get to meet a lot of authors and hear them talk about a wide range of things at various sessions. It's a lot of fun and sometimes you can find new authors. Not everything is cozy, but that is okay. It gives you a wider assortment.



kalel said:


> I notice that amazon has three options under Cozy Mysteries
> 
> Culinary
> Animals
> ...


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

KGGiarratano said:


> Veronica Mars is considered detective noir.
> 
> Of those who write cozies, how's the indie market for them?


Jana DeLeon seems to do pretty well with them. I think her stuff is considered cosy.


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## eleanorberesford (Dec 22, 2014)

I have to say this thread made me actually give some of the culinary and hobby--and pets!--cozies a chance on ScribD and I am glad I did. Just the light reading I need when my entire little family is ill. Teach me to prejudge.

Amy, any suggestions in the more trad line?


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## Guest (Apr 6, 2015)

Regarding this: 
Of those who write cozies, how's the indie market for them?

1) Huge demand for cozy mysteries. Very few indie authors doing it.

2) Even more demand for CLEAN cozy mysteries.


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## Pnjw (Apr 24, 2011)

YodaRead said:


> I did break the rules on the crimes. I follow the "no graphic descriptions" but I have used gang rape and child trafficking as cases. I just get bored with all the straight out murder sometimes.


I think the problem might be that cozy readers expect the reading experience to be on the lighter side. Gang rape and child trafficking are heavy topics. So there might be some genre bending going on here.


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## Pnjw (Apr 24, 2011)

Indie Cozy writers doing well:
Jana DeLeon
Denise Grover Swank
Angela Pepper (aka Mimi Strong)
Angie Fox
and myself (I just launched a spinoff to my Bourbon Street series that is cozy paranormal) It's going pretty well.

There are more but these are the ones I personally know.


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## Pnjw (Apr 24, 2011)

Jena H said:


> I sometimes have to shake my head at all the different sorts of cozies I see at the library. Knitting... quilting... a LOT of cooking/baking/catering ones... antiques... even a crossword puzzle series. I've read a few here and there, but they're not generally my cup of tea. (Tea--that's another one!)  (I wonder if the Cat Who... series is considered a "grandfather" of the subgenre??  )


I have to wonder why you shake your head at that? There's a clear market for those kinds of books. I'm asking seriously. Because they aren't your type of read? Or...?


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## hardnutt (Nov 19, 2010)

I don't read any of the cat cozies (or knitting etc), I just enjoy the humour.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

Deanna Chase said:


> I have to wonder why you shake your head at that? There's a clear market for those kinds of books. I'm asking seriously. Because they aren't your type of read? Or...?


There's no negative connotation to my remark. It just intrigues me (and boggles my mind) that all sorts of hobbies and/or activities can be used as a backdrop for cozy mysteries. Thirty years ago would anyone have imagined that a whole series could be centered around a coin collector who solves murders, or a grandmother who investigates while juggling babysitting duties?  Perhaps some specific areas of the cozy mystery world are very small niches, and would not exist without the advent of ebooks and indie publishing, since the market would be too narrow for traditional publishers.


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## Pnjw (Apr 24, 2011)

Jena H said:


> There's no negative connotation to my remark. It just intrigues me (and boggles my mind) that all sorts of hobbies and/or activities can be used as a backdrop for cozy mysteries. Thirty years ago would anyone have imagined that a whole series could be centered around a coin collector who solves murders, or a grandmother who investigates while juggling babysitting duties?  Perhaps some specific areas of the cozy mystery world are very small niches, and would not exist without the advent of ebooks and indie publishing, since the market would be too narrow for traditional publishers.


I see. Actually there is quite a large market for cozies in the traditional world. Stephanie Plum novels are cozies. I'd also put Carl Hiaasen's books there, Joanne Fluke, Diana Mott Davidson, and about a billion others. Mysteries are a huge, huge market.


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

I'm enjoying this series:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=series_rw_dp_labf?_encoding=UTF8&field-collection=A%20Black%20Cat%20Bookshop%20Mystery&url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text

The cat is an ol' grouch, too.  

Wish I could write cozies.


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## 10105 (Feb 16, 2010)

My one cozy, Nursing Home Ninjas, did well the first year it was out. It earned out the advance and then some. But the publisher markets mainly to libraries and publishes e-books as an afterthought. I do a lot better with my self-pubbed mysteries.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Jena H said:


> I sometimes have to shake my head at all the different sorts of cozies I see at the library. Knitting... quilting...


Quilting? *runs off to check*


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## Maria Romana (Jun 7, 2010)

ireaderreview said:


> Regarding this:
> Of those who write cozies, how's the indie market for them?
> 
> 1) Huge demand for cozy mysteries. Very few indie authors doing it.
> ...


Interesting remarks. I've been heading more in that direction--but stopping short of cats or knitting--with my new series, because that's what I _want_ to write (and want to read), but I've been concerned that the market wouldn't be there for it. I was feeling like the whole reading world, save myself and a few random grandmothers, was wanting dark, edgy stuff. So can you elaborate a bit on the term "clean"? Do you mean clean in terms of violence, sex, language, or all three?

Thanks,
Maria


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## Victoria LK (Jan 31, 2014)

Anne Victory said:


> I adore cozies, and _Murder She Wrote_ is a perfect example of cozy mysteries on the small screen


I just "gifted" myself the complete DVD set! Since there is little on TV during the summer months, I figured I would reward myself with 1 episode a night, IF I got my writing time in. Oh, heck, lets just call it was it is=I'm bribing myself with rewards!


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## eleanorberesford (Dec 22, 2014)

I'm curious as to what "clean" means, too. Specifically, are lesbians okay?


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## 鬼 (Sep 30, 2012)

Maria Romana said:


> Interesting remarks. I've been heading more in that direction--but stopping short of cats or knitting--with my new series, because that's what I _want_ to write (and want to read), but I've been concerned that the market wouldn't be there for it. I was feeling like the whole reading world, save myself and a few random grandmothers, was wanting dark, edgy stuff. So can you elaborate a bit on the term "clean"? Do you mean clean in terms of violence, sex, language, or all three?
> 
> Thanks,
> Maria


Clean to me means all three. If there is violence or sex, it happens off stage. Meaning it could be referred to but nothing is explicitly written about it or is it described in detail.


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## Chinese Writer (Mar 25, 2014)

eleanorberesford said:


> I'm curious as to what "clean" means, too. Specifically, are lesbians okay?


I highly doubt lesbians are okay in a cozy mystery. Mostly, because I haven't seen any series featuring a gay/lesbian in the cozy genre. If you go this route, consider putting this info in the description or you might get one starred by readers of the genre.


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## Chance (Jul 2, 2014)

artan said:


> I highly doubt lesbians are okay in a cozy mystery. Mostly, because I haven't seen any series featuring a gay/lesbian in the cozy genre. If you go this route, consider putting this info in the description or you might get one starred by readers of the genre.


While it's not conventional, it also isn't a major rule (as far as I know). There are cozies that referenced a gay or lesbian couple as one-time minor characters, as in ones that are specific to one story. But as major protagonists or likewise, I haven't seen one yet. Whether you choose to feature protagonist(s) that are gay or lesbian is up to you. These days, there are a handful of cozies that do push SOME of the boundaries of a traditional cozy, and it could be a good thing considering that too many, in my opinion, follow the same (rather lukewarm) format. Amateur sleuth that is female, who falls in love with detective or police official, murders-only mysteries, in very small town settings, etc.

As long as you're not going too far out to a point where it shouldn't be classified as a cozy, then you should be fine. And even that can be arguable, depending on what content you choose to put into your story.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Quilting? *runs off to check*


Definitely, Betsy! I think Earlene Fowler has the best long-running quilting cozy series. They've been around well before Kindle. Here's the first.


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## My Dog&#039;s Servant (Jun 2, 2013)

The whole question of "cozy" has been teasing me since this thread started. I originally posted my crude definition that included that most of the sleuths were amateurs and was quickly shot down on that one.  Since then, I happened to stumble on Martha Grimes in the library. It had been a loooong time since I'd last read her books, so, since the first two of the Richard Jury/Melrose Plant pub name mysteries were on the shelves, I happily trotted home with them.

That made me want to add another possible description:  cozies, to me, tend to be shorter mysteries.  Certainly they used to be, though I was interested to note that Grimes' more recent books are all much heftier hardbacks than her earlier titles.  But thinking about the paperback versions I used to see on the bookstore shelves (when we still had a bookstore), they all tended to be thinner books than, say, a thriller or suspense.

I can't say that's true of the genre in general right now, but it does seem generally to be true of the e-cozies I've bought over the last few years. And re-reading the Grimes novels, I realized that was one of the things I enjoy about them. They don't require a lot of my time in exchange for an entertaining story.


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## AshRonin (May 5, 2013)

KGGiarratano said:


> Veronica Mars is considered detective noir.
> 
> Of those who write cozies, how's the indie market for them?


That's really interesting. I can see it as detective noir as well. It's crossover appeal is prolly why it's my favorite series pretty much ever.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

I'd be totally OK with lesbian cosy, but I take a wider definition of cosy than some readers.


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## Seleya (Feb 25, 2011)

I 've always wondered at the high body-count in cozies, after reading a few one realizes why those idyllic small towns _stay_ small.

One of my favorite series is the n.1 Ladies' Detective Agency (which, I believe, gets filed as 'ethnic cozy') and one element of its appeal for me is that there are no murders, Mma Ramotswe tackles all sort of trouble but not violent crimes (another of my favorites is Father Brown, is there such a thing as 'ecclesiastical cozies'?).


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

Seleya said:


> I 've always wondered at the high body-count in cozies, after reading a few one realizes why those idyllic small towns _stay_ small.
> 
> One of my favorite series is the n.1 Ladies' Detective Agency (which, I believe, gets filed as 'ethnic cozy') and one element of its appeal for me is that there are no murders, Mma Ramotswe tackles all sort of trouble but not violent crimes (another of my favorites is Father Brown, is there such a thing as 'ecclesiastical cozies'?).


After thoroughly enjoying the Father Brown series on BBC, I made it a point to pick up a book of the Chesterton stories on which the character is based. I have to admit I was disappointed because the stories I read (at least three or four of them) were nothing like the TV series. And I see now why the series specifies that it's "based on the character" (or whatever words they used) and not based on the actual stories themselves. The bucolic setting of the on-screen series is (to ME, at least) much preferable to the life lived by Father Brown in the stories. (Since I didn't read _all_ of the stories, I don't know if circumstances change eventually, to the point where he does settle down in a nice small village with a nosy housekeeper, a wealthy, eccentric neighbor, etc.)


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Seleya said:


> One of my favorite series is the n.1 Ladies' Detective Agency (which, I believe, gets filed as 'ethnic cozy') and one element of its appeal for me is that there are no murders, Mma Ramotswe tackles all sort of trouble but not violent crimes (another of my favorites is Father Brown, is there such a thing as 'ecclesiastical cozies'?).


Yes!!

I think if a lesbian was unlucky in love she'd have more appeal to "mainstream" sadly. Most cozy heroines seem to be unlucky in love or have really, really slow relationship growth, IMO.


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## cecilia_writer (Dec 28, 2010)

I don't think there would be any problem with including gay characters in a cosy mystery as long as any sex they had was carried out behind closed doors (as it is for everyone in my cosies, and not all that often either!).


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## appletree (Aug 1, 2011)

I have some minor gay characters in my cozy mystery series about a woman of a 'certain age.' Interestingly, I've never gotten any flack about any gay characters, but I have gotten negative comments about my main character having sex with her boyfriend--even though it was never overtly described. 

I've also  gotten negative comments about her and her best friend joking about sex. Again nothing graphic--but I've since toned it down. 
But then again I've also gotten flack for the fact that she eats too many sweets--so who knows?


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Corrupting society with all that sugar!    *quietly eats a truffle*  ;-)


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## appletree (Aug 1, 2011)

Exactly! Unfortunately my character takes after me in that regard.


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## Not Here Anymore (May 16, 2012)

A cozy mystery thread! Yay! Just read through the posts and I have to chime in...

I think the trend in narrowly focused cozies grew when publishers realized they could market to niche groups with certain cozies. It's an instant hook. I think it began with Monica Ferris' Needlecraft Mysteries. The books included a needlepoint pattern. Giving away something for free and making it craft/cooking themed made it a little easier for readers to justify a purchase. "Well, it includes a needlepoint pattern/recipes/tips, too..." I pitched my first series about a professional organizer with tips included in each book because of the trend. I do miss the days when an amateur sleuth mystery that didn't *have* to have a hobby/theme element. 

Do cozies sell? 
My English village cozy series is doing pretty good and there are only two books out in it so far. 

Does the British country house/village mystery genre still survive?
A few off the top of my head: Murder at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison, Under an English Heaven by Alice K. Boatwright, The Angela Marchmont series by Clara Benson, Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver, and the Flavia books by Alan Bradley.

If you're considering writing a cozy, there are still a few hobbies that haven't been written about: 

Ice-fishing
Extreme ironing
Yodeling


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Honestly if you like the characters even a little, sometimes you just get hooked.  I started reading the Hamish MacBeth books because they were at the library, and before long I was anxiously awaiting each new one.  Now I'm into a series about scrapbooking because I like the main character.  Scrapbooking!  I wouldn't know how to scrap a book if it bit me.


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## Not Here Anymore (May 16, 2012)

HSh said:


> Honestly if you like the characters even a little, sometimes you just get hooked.


I hear you. It's not about the hook (pun intended) but about the characters for me too. There's a cupcake series by Jenn McKinlay that I read more for the characters than the cupcake recipies. I do find some of the hobbies/themes/professions interesting. i really enjoyed the series about the antiquarian book dealer by Marianne MacDonald. It's been awhile since they were out. Don't think they're out in a Kindle version.


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## meowbiscuit (Jul 17, 2014)

artan said:


> I highly doubt lesbians are okay in a cozy mystery. Mostly, because I haven't seen any series featuring a gay/lesbian in the cozy genre. If you go this route, consider putting this info in the description or you might get one starred by readers of the genre.


Getting one-starred by homophobes. Who'da thunk it.

I love cozies, but with all the cats and knitting and such taking front and center, it's become difficult to find stuff that I like. I was over the moon when I read Jana Deleon's stuff. All the cozy elements were there along with all the fun stuff. THAT'S the kind of story I want when I go for cozy. Not someone talking to their cat for 90 pages.

I also like the ones with a bit of supernatural such as the witch ones.


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## eleanorberesford (Dec 22, 2014)

I wasn't really asking if it was okay to include lesbians in cozies. Telling me it's not will only make me more stubborn.  Seriously, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and Josephine Tey all had gay characters. I tend to completely discount one stars motivated by homophobia, racism, transphobia or bigotry against religious groups anyway, and I figure most readers are smart enough to do the same.

I was just asking about the term "clean". I mean, in practice, no on screen sex stands regardless of orientation, but I am genuinely unsure whether it actually means that or is code for a narrow world view.

The plot bunny hopping around in my head involves best friends, one straight, one lesbian. And, on the basis that you should write what you know, tea blending.  No idea if I'll do anything with it yet.

Oh, I love the Father Brown books, too. Such a lovely way with language. I love the TV show for  different reasons. Sort of like Poirot's Miss Lemon is entirely different on page or on screen, but I love them both.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

eleanorberesford said:


> I was just asking about the term "clean". I mean, in practice, no on screen sex stands regardless of orientation, but I am genuinely unsure whether it actually means that or is code for a narrow world view.


I can't speak for others, but to my mind one of the defining characteristics of cosies is that they are _gentle_ stories which are not really intended to get your heart racing - or at least, nothing more than a mild flutter. In that sense, two characters of whatever orientation going at it up against a wall will probably be a bit more than readers are expecting.  I don't see why a sweet, non-explicit love scene should be a problem, but as people have mentioned, you can't please everybody, so whatever you write you're always going to offend somebody with something. You can but try.


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## eleanorberesford (Dec 22, 2014)

That sounds about right, Lyndiz!

I'm noting down my ideas for if I ever get burned out on teen angst.


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## Chinese Writer (Mar 25, 2014)

appletree said:


> I've also gotten negative comments about her and her best friend joking about sex. Again nothing graphic--but I've since toned it down.


I've also gotten negative comments about the same thing. There's no pleasing everyone. 
I think if we really follow the cozy definitions by pubs, mine would probably fall more in the traditional mystery or British mystery (like Nancy Drew). The whole knitting and cat cozies are mostly from one prolific imprint in the niche.


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## joyceharmon (May 21, 2012)

eleanorberesford said:


> I was just asking about the term "clean". I mean, in practice, no on screen sex stands regardless of orientation, but I am genuinely unsure whether it actually means that or is code for a narrow world view.


I sure hope clean isn't 'code for a narrow world view'! I have a gay character in my latest Regency and I keyworded it 'clean'.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

artan said:


> I've also gotten negative comments about the same thing. There's no pleasing everyone.
> I think if we really follow the cozy definitions by pubs, mine would probably fall more in the traditional mystery or *British mystery (like Nancy Drew).* The whole knitting and cat cozies are mostly from one prolific imprint in the niche.


What?? Nancy Drew a "British mystery"? I'm gonna jump in my roadster and drive to the malt shop to find Bess & George. They'll be keen to find out they're all British.


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## Pnjw (Apr 24, 2011)

I don't think "clean" means narrow view at all. Gemma Halliday's books are cozies. I know at least one of her books has drag queens and transvestites. My books have a side character who is a lesbian. I know others I've read have people from all walks of life. Clean just means no on screen sex and mild language.


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## eleanorberesford (Dec 22, 2014)

Deanna Chase said:


> I don't think "clean" means narrow view at all. Gemma Halliday's books are cozies. I know at least one of her books has drag queens and transvestites. My books have a side character who is a lesbian. I know other's I've read have people from all walks of life. Clean just means no one screen sex and mild language.


Thank you! That's exactly what I wanted to know.


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## Victoria LK (Jan 31, 2014)

Jena H said:


> What?? Nancy Drew a "British mystery"? I'm gonna jump in my roadster and drive to the malt shop to find Bess & George. They'll be keen to find out they're all British.


HaHa, I caught that too!


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## Chinese Writer (Mar 25, 2014)

Jena H said:


> What?? Nancy Drew a "British mystery"? I'm gonna jump in my roadster and drive to the malt shop to find Bess & George. They'll be keen to find out they're all British.


Nancy fits the traditional mystery, which is also call a British mystery by the pub like Agatha Christie. Yes, I know the characters are Americans. I'm just using the genre division as listed in mystery craft books and thrown around by agents. A British mystery doesn't necessarily means it has to take place in England.


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## Tricia O&#039; (Feb 19, 2013)

So, would you say that a defining line between cozy mystery and romantic suspense is the level of steam on the romance part?


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Tricia O' said:


> So, would you say that a defining line between cozy mystery and romantic suspense is the level of steam on the romance part?


I would say that with romantic suspense the mystery is there to add spice to the romance, or at the very least the romance is an important part of the whole thing. With a cosy mystery you don't need a romance at all, and if you do have one then it's unlikely to be instrumental to the plot. There are probably exceptions, of course.


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## Tricia O&#039; (Feb 19, 2013)

I really like this thread. I have not ventured far into the cozy mystery world but have now downloaded several authors mentioned here.


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## Not Here Anymore (May 16, 2012)

I agree with Lydniz. With romantic suspense, the romance is primary. With a cozy mystery, the mystery (the puzzle) is primary. If your cozy mystery doesn't have a strong mystery element, readers will be disappointed.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Maria Romana said:


> So can you elaborate a bit on the term "clean"? Do you mean clean in terms of violence, sex, language, or all three?


Maria--this is going to be a case where you really need to examine your market. But for the series I edited for Annie's Publishing (cozy mysteries with a craft shop theme, and they also have knitting, quilting, and now a crochet-themed series) there were fairly strict guidelines:

1) Main characters should not tattoos, have done jail time, etc.
2) No profanity
3) There was light romance but it was NOT to become a major plot point and any romantic interaction would not go past kissing--basically if you wouldn't do it in front of your grandma, the characters won't be doing it in the book. I think the guideline for authors stipulated no PDA (Public Displays of Affection).
4) Violence was not graphic nor on-screen
5) NOTHING paranormal--no talking cats, ghosts (though it's okay if characters *think* a place is haunted, a la Scooby Doo). Pets can have heightened instincts / be superprotective, but that's about it. No vampires, fairies, etc.
6) No touching upon sensitive subjects: teen pregnancy, unwed mothers, alcoholism, spousal abuse, drug abuse, adultery, foul language, etc. Other areas like prison time, etc., can be included but should never be glorified.

Note: Annie's as a company promotes Christian values and that's who they market to. So the above is not applicable to the whole cozy genre by any stretch. But I would REALLY advise taking a few hours to look into your target market. If they're the type who reads the Annie's mysteries, for instance, they're not going to like references to sex toys and lingerie, no matter how tongue in cheek.

Anyway, hope that helps.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Tricia O' said:


> So, would you say that a defining line between cozy mystery and romantic suspense is the level of steam on the romance part?


No. Romantic Suspense is a subgenre of Romance. That means it follows the rules of Romance--the romantic relationship is the primary plot / focus and there must be a HEA. Romantic Suspense can still be clean / sweet, though, and often is.


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