WHO PUT THE COZY IN MYSTERIES? BY: KIMBERLY R. THORN

Who Put the Cozy in Mysteries?                            By: Kimberly R. Thorn

Some people credit ‘Golden Age’ authors like Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers with writing some of the very first considered cozy mysteries.  Others credit the genre as being more of a modern return to stories like these Golden Age writers wrote.  Ones with the murder not being as deep, dark and bloodthirsty.  Where the writers present the mystery as more of a puzzle for the reader to solve in real time with the sleuth.

What Ingredients Are Needed for a Cozy?

~ Includes an amateur sleuth.  It helps is they at least are considered a suspect at least first, as the actual police or detective do not like our sleuth meddling in their work.

~ Usually takes place in a small town, with a very tight knit community.  Everyone knows everyone.  Sometimes a small business is included.

~ Can include specific interests, hobbies or businesses.  Many include cooking, bookshops, knitting or even wine clubs.

~ There can be a character that includes the sleuth’s pet.

~ There is no violence or blood thirstiness.  The murder is usually revealed when the body is found so the reader is not privy to the actual violent death.

~ The characters are likable, so much so that this is why there are so many books in one series.  Readers generally want to learn more about the characters as they grow and develop along through the course of the series.

~ There’s usually a short timeline that the sleuth has to solve the murder before a big event happens.  For instance, a festival, a book launch, or a restaurant’s grand opening.

Have You Noticed? 

A couple of observations that I have made are as follows:

1)      Have you noticed that while the amateur sleuth seems intelligent, they never actually seem to figure out who the culprit is?  Not until they get themselves into a predicament and are left stranded with the murderer or are threatened directly, only then it starts to make sense to the sleuth.

2)      Have you noticed that the main police officer or detective of the story never seems to ever have a weapon on them?  Some television shows that come to mind for me are: Columbo, Midsomer Murders, Father Brown, Sister Boniface. 

Maybe these observations need to be added as a requirement in addition to the above ones to be a cozy mystery.

First Cozy Mystery   

My first cozy mystery series that I read and fell in love with is the Desiree Shapiro series by Selma Eichler.  Desiree is a New York PI that is not what Hollywood would consider a female PI to be.  She’s a later in life widow who loves her food and cooking.  But she always gets to the bottom of a case (like she gets to the bottom of her food bowl) and gets her man, or woman, whoever is the guilty person.  Desiree takes you on a wild ride with her hilarious mishaps, funny failures and well… her day-to-day life.  If you haven’t checked out this cozy mystery series, please, please do yourself a favor and do so.  I promise you that you will NOT be disappointed! 

What are some of the things that you notice in cozy mysteries?  What are some of your favorites?  Have you read Selma Eichler’s Desiree Shapiro series?  What did you think?  Let me know in the comments.  I am always looking for new books to go on my North American sized TBR pile!

Resources:

The History of Cozy Mysteries.  By Sam Parker.  December 18, 2024.

https://www.pinereadsreview.com/blog/the-history-of-cozy-mysteries/

A Brief History of Cozy Mysteries By: Emily Martin.

https://www.novelsuspects.com/articles/novel-investigations-a-brief-history-of-cozy-mysteries/

VALENTINES DAY IN VALENTINES, VIRGINIA by Teresa Inge

In the early days of my relationship with AJ—who would later become my husband—he made an annual trek to Valentines, Virginia to mail a Valentine’s Day card to me bearing the distinctive Valentines, Virginia postmark. Back then, I lived in North Carolina while he was in Virginia, making each card a cherished memory.  

Because Virginia is famously known for its “Virginia is for Lovers” slogan, nowhere does the spirit of Valentine’s Day shine brighter than in Valentines, Virginia. As February arrives, this charming small-town transforms into a celebration of romance with a scenic backdrop for the holiday. With its friendly atmosphere and unique traditions, Valentines welcomes both locals and visitors to join in the festivities. 

WHAT ORGANIZING TYPE ARE YOU? by Yvonne Saxon

Beware of online quizzes! There you are, minding your own business, staying out of the cold by surfing the Internet, and there it is in big bold letters “What type of organizer are you?” You’ve heard of personality types, but did you know you have a distinct organizing type? Well, of course you need to know what yours is, don’t you? You’re in luck—I took a deep dive into organizing types so you wouldn’t have to.

Now I thought I already knew mine, but I typed “How to find your organizing type” in the search box anyway. First, I found the quizzes. Numerous sites assured me that I could take their quiz and by understanding my own organizing style get my house in order and it could stay that way! I couldn’t wait, so I dove right in.