With the abundance of super-sleuth characters out there, there’s no doubt we’re hooked on cozy mysteries. But why? What is it that draws us to this fun genre and keeps us coming back for more? Here are seven reasons we love cozy mysteries.
1. Cozy mysteries take place in small towns
Whether it’s a quaint village, a riverside town or a place in the Cotswolds, cozy mysteries occur in places we’d love to visit – even if there’s an over abundance of murder and crime. These small towns thrive on beauty, serenity, and intimate friendships. It’s a place where you feel like you belong. Who doesn’t want to live there?
2. There are cute animals in cozy mysteries
Cats, dogs, birds, and more cats. Most sleuths have a faithful companion by their side, whose presence adds to the coziness of the book. Sometimes pets help solve the mystery. Sometimes they’re there for comfort and charm. We love our animals, and we’re happy to read about them in our cozies.
3. Cozies have lots of tea, coffee and good food
Further to the small town feel, the sleuths often meet friends (and suspects) in coffee shops, tea rooms, or bakeries. We often sip our own hot beverage along with our sleuth, and more often than not, cozy mysteries include recipes for the delectable treats included in the story. A simple search for ‘cozy mystery recipes’ or ‘cozy mysteries with recipes’ will offer a plethora of options for hungry readers.
4. There’s usually a hint of romance in cozy mysteries
Most of the time, but not always, there is a secondary story line in cozy mysteries involving a hint of romance. It’s not the main story – we don’t want it to trump the mystery – but it exists to give us delight in the background. Our sleuths often have romantic dilemmas distracting them from solving the case, or in some cases, a romantic interest who saves them from harm. This secondary plot often gives us another reason to sigh in content as we read.
5. Cozy mysteries contain our favourite crafts and hobbies
Knitting? Scrapbooking? Baking? Reading? Birdwatching? Do you have a favourite hobby? Then there’s bound to be a cozy mystery with your hobby in it. Sleuths run a variety of stores and shops, or participate in a number of clubs. The hobby gives the book or series a theme, and we can’t get enough of reading about our favourite things to do.
6. Cozy mysteries are puzzles we love to solve
Cozy mysteries are written in a way that makes it fun for the reader to solve the crime along with the sleuth. Nothing is more satisfying than figuring out who the murderer is before, or at the same time, as our favourite crime-solving character. Cozy mysteries are big puzzles waiting to be solved.
7. Cozy mysteries have happy endings
Maybe it’s leftover from the fairy tale stories we loved as children, or maybe it’s just our hopeful human nature, but we love us a good, happy ending, and cozy mysteries deliver. The criminal never gets away with their crime in the end, and we love to see justice served. Our sleuth always succeeds, and our happy small town returns to normal… until the next murder.
Did you agree with these seven reasons we love cozy mysteries? It was hard to settle on just seven reasons – there are so many more. Enjoy your next sleuthing adventure, and if you’re looking for ideas, here’s a free report on 5 Christian Cozy Mysteries to Try. Check them out – you’ll be glad you did!
