If you look up Cozy Mystery on Wikipedia, you will see the following:
Cozy mysteries, also referred to as “cozies,” are a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence occur off stage, the detective is an amateur sleuth, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community. Cozies thus stand in contrast to hardboiled fiction, in which more violence and explicit sexuality are central to the plot. The term “cozy” was first coined in the late 20th century when various writers produced work in an attempt to re-create the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.
Cozy mysteries do not employ any but the mildest profanity. The murders take place off stage, frequently involving relatively bloodless methods such as poisoning and falls from great heights. The wounds inflicted on the victim are never dwelt on and are seldom used as clues. Sexual activity, even between married characters, is only ever gently implied and never directly addressed, and the subject is frequently avoided altogether.
The cozy mystery usually takes place in a town, village, or community small enough to make it believable that all the principal characters know, and may well have long-standing social relationships with each other. The amateur detective is usually a gregarious, well-liked individual who is able to get the community members to talk freely about each other. There is usually at least one very knowledgeable, nosy, yet reliable character in the book who is intimately familiar with the personal history and interrelationships of everyone in the town, and whose ability to fill in the blanks of the puzzle enables the amateur detective to solve the case.
Cozy mystery series frequently have a prominent thematic element introduced by the detective’s job, pet, or hobby. Diane Mott Davidson’s cozies, for example, revolve around cooking, Parnell Hall’s around crossword puzzles, and Charlotte MacLeod’s “Sarah Kelling” series around art. Cat-lovers are well represented among the ranks of cozy-mystery detectives, notably in the work of Lilian Jackson Braun and Rita Mae Brown. There are also cozy mystery series with themes of Christmas, Easter, and other holidays.
As I approach the launch of the first book in my cozy mystery series, the Clearwater Lake Mysteries, I will go into more detail regarding the tropes listed above as to how they pertain to my series. I’ll introduce you to the characters, tell you all about the small community of Clearwater Lake, and hint at some of the overarching plots that will be carried through the series.
And, of course, I’ll provide information regarding the publication of the books and any special offers associated with releases. I hope you’ll bookmark this blog site and check back often for updates. You can also follow me on my Amazon author page. If you find these blog posts interesting, or know someone who is a fan of “cozies,” please share the link so they can follow along as I launch my new series.