I adore cozy mysteries, unequivocally. I worked in a bookstore for two years, and I by default was the expert on cozies. What is a cozy, you ask? A cozy mystery is known for two specific traits: 1) There is little to no sex, and 2) there is minimal violence- it will happen off the page, or will be a non-violent death, like poison.
No one ever believes me when I say this, but there is a cozy for everyone. (Unless you like violence in your mysteries, then no dice.) You like knitting and/or sewing? Try Anne Cannadeo, Mary Kruger, or Monica Ferris. Tea/coffee fiend? Laura Childs’ Tea Shop Mystery Series or Cleo Coyle’s Coffeehouse Mystery Series are for you. Do you like medieval mysteries? Amanda Carmack, Fiona Buckley, or Roberta Gellis can help with that. And the list goes on!
My one recommendation for reading cozies? Try to borrow them from the library. If you are anything like me, you will probably not re-read a cozy, and if you do, it will most likely not be for another 2-3 years when you have forgotten the whodunnit part. I have a few series that I love and do buy, but those are few and far between. Cozies are typically the same price for an ebook and a physical book, so that doesn’t leave any room to save money. They usually are under $10, but that gets expensive to not read again.
My favourite series?
Kate Carlisle, Bibliophile Mysteries
Brooklyn restores antique books, which are usually linked to a murder. Carlisle develops Brooklyn’s friends and family, which is just as integral to the series as the mystery.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/272650.Kate_Carlisle?from_search=tru
Jenn McKinlay, Hat Shop Mysteries
London and millinery?? Two of the things that I love most! Scarlett is a lovable main character who escapes Florida to her cousin in England, where they run her late-grandmother’s millinery shop. The third in this series is due out in March!
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2992321.Jenn_McKinlay?from_search=true
Sheila Connolly, County Cork Mysteries
We all know I have a deep love for Ireland, so a cozy series set in Ireland checks all of the boxes for me! I will admit, the first book in the series was a tad slow-going, but the second really picks up. The third is being released early February, 2015!
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1178460.Sheila_Connolly?from_search=true
What cozies do you love? Do you have any favourite authors? Or are you just not feeling the cozy love?
Until tomorrow,
The historian!
