Cozy Mysteries: The Gentlest Type of Crime Fiction

In cozy mysteries (or “cozies”), profanity, sex, and graphic violence do not exist in the story. If the narrative does demand these elements, they mostly are implied and happen off the page.

These types of stories offer readers the same amount of danger and suspense as hardcore crime fiction—just minus all the gristly details. While injustice and death are present in the narrative, the reader is always assured that the case will be solved, the culprit apprehended, and the community will be at peace again.

Elements of a Cozy Mystery

So what makes a mystery cozy? While writers incorporate their own style and voice into these stories, there are certain conventions that truly separate this subgenre from other crime stories.

Characters

It’s rare for a cozy mystery to feature a trained detective as the puzzle-solver of the story. In most cases, it’s an untrained sleuth (who’s also often a woman) with brilliant deduction and observation skills.

Sometimes they have a particular career that helps them solve the crime. For example, a protagonist who’s also a doctor might be able to identify the poison used to murder a victim.

They might also be friends or family with someone from the police, giving them access to information that’s normally hard to get. And the police often don’t take them seriously, making it easier for them to slip into crime scenes or conveniently overhear sensitive conversations.

In general, the characters in a cozy mystery are likable and the main cast is mostly well-educated, with respectful positions. The antagonists are also not as awful as those in other crime genres. In fact, they’re presented as sophisticated and are often someone the protagonist knows.

Setting

Cozies often take place in a community (usually a small town or village) that’s small enough for everyone to know everyone. The protagonist is usually well-liked and is capable of getting people to talk. There’s often one nosy person who knows things, which helps the protagonist make a breakthrough in the case.

The settings are often described in detail. Writers want to create a vivid image of it to ensure that readers feel the impact of the crime on the community.

Because they usually come as a series, richly detailed settings ensure that there’s a lot to explore with each story. While the focus of the first book may be a secluded mansion, the second can take place in a village just beyond its walls. So while the crimes are contained in a small area, they don’t feel repetitive.

And while most stories in this subgenre are set in a realistic setting, there are some who include bits of paranormal elements to the narrative. For example, the Aunt Dimity series follows a protagonist who regularly solves cases with the help of her deceased aunt.

Crimes

In cozy mysteries, the victim is rarely killed in an awful manner. In most cases, the method of murder is fairly bloodless, such as poison or a clean stab to the back.

The cause of death is also rarely dwelled upon. Once it’s established how the victim is murdered, the narrative quickly shifts to finding out who the murderer is.

In the course of investigating, the sleuth also faces danger, but it’s never abnormally dark. The villain mostly works on impeding the hero’s progress, rather than attempting to kill or injure them.

This softer approach to crime is because the suspense relies on the mystery of it rather than its violence. Cozies are then the direct contrast of hardboiled fiction, which usually has violence as part of its central themes. So a cozy mystery doesn’t solely revolve around a murder—blackmail, kidnappings, and theft are also reasonable substitutes.

The crime is also never senseless. While cozies don’t usually focus on the why’s of the crime, the reason behind it is always explained at the end. Characters don’t just go axe-crazy and kill someone.

Structure

Cozy mysteries closely follow the narrative format of whodunits. At the start of the story, the protagonist and the readers are presented with a puzzle (the crime) they need to solve.

Throughout the narrative, clues are gathered, people are interrogated, and hypotheses are made. Unlike other crime fiction subgenres, investigative work is done via common sense and logic. When enough information is gathered, a character is accused of being the culprit.

The crime is then explained in detail, ensuring that no loose ends are left untied. The method and reason for the crime are revealed and the culprit is taken away.

Of course, this is only a general outline of what a cozy mystery is. Writers have found countless ways to deconstruct and elevate this particular type of story.

Examples of a Cozy Mystery

Below are a few examples of novels that incorporate the elements of a cozy mystery.

1. Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien

Lana Lee finds herself back at her family’s restaurant after a break-up and career blow-up. At this point, waiting tables seems like the best way to get her act together—even if it means putting up with her nosy mother.

Then they find their restaurant’s property manager dead from food that’s been ordered from their restaurant. With the restaurant under suspicion from both the police and the media, it’s up to Lana to find who made the fatal order.

2. The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton

PR agent Agatha Raisin gives up the urban life and moves to quiet, rural Carsley. But the life of leisure she’s been dreaming about isn’t exactly all that.

Bored and lonely, she enters a local baking contest to ingratiate herself to her neighbors. But when her store-bought entry ends up killing one of the judges, she ends up being the enemy of the village. The clock’s ticking, and she needs to track down who’s behind the poisoned quiche before somebody decides on making her pay for it.

3. The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie

Colonel Lucius Protheroe is the most detested man in the village of St. Mary Mead. So it’s no surprise when he finally turns up dead.

What’s surprising though is he’s found inside the vicar’s office, with two different people already confessing to the crime. Not only that but there are seven total suspects to investigate. Seems like a case that only the unrelenting Miss Marple can untangle.

4. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun

Jim Qwilleran never expected his most recent assignment to take such a dark turn. As he enters the world of art journalism, the gallery he’s supposed to be covering becomes the location of a stabbing, vandalism, and a suspicious fall from scaffolding.

But Jim and his new feline sidekick are on the case. As they navigate the extremely competitive art scene, will more blood be spilled before they find the killer?

5. The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton

Delaney Nichols moves halfway across the world to start her dream job at The Cracked Spine, a rare book and manuscript shop. It’s got everything a book lover wants, and all the friends a book lover needs.

But before she can fully settle into her new life, an important artifact is stolen and her boss’s sister is murdered. Never did she think that her job in a bookshop would include tracking down a murderer.

What Makes a Good Cozy Mystery?

The most appealing part of a cozy mystery is its de-emphasis on profanity, violence, and sex. Readers can enjoy the reading experience without having to worry about the graphic details that are often found in much more hardcore works. It’s a relaxing escape from everyday life.

Cozies are also more about solving the puzzle of the crime rather than cross-examining its horrific details. To be enjoyable, it must present the reader with a mystery that’s challenging but also solvable.

As the reader follows the case, they’re able to solve it side-by-side with the protagonist, instead of being stuck in the sidelines. In the end, when their guess is proven right, they’re awarded with the satisfaction of knowing that they beat the mystery, or they can enjoy the satisfying twist of having their expectations turned upside down.