Why I Read Cozies


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I try to read a book a week. I spend a lot of time on the bus going to and from work, so it’s a very doable goal. Usually you’ll find me reading the same genre – mystery. And not just any mysteries, but cozy, or traditional, mysteries. These are stories with murder at the heart of the plot, but without any goriness or overt sexiness. The settings are usually small towns and the heroines are women like me who just happen to stumble across a murder. These are the stories I love to get lost in and could read over and over again. The question is: Why?

There are so many reasons why I love the cozies of today. I think the main reason is because this style harkens back to the golden age of the mystery novel and writers like Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh. These stories are classics and the plots are intricate. Cozy mysteries have an innate sense of nostalgia because of these connections and many readers feel at home as soon as they open the book.

Cozy mysteries are also comforting to read in this day and age. Justice and a fair world complete any mystery story. We like to see the bad guys punished and the good guys rewarded. You know when you sit down with a good mystery that the bad guy will be caught, no matter how ingenious his plot was, and that justice will prevail in the end.

There is also a strong sense of kinship in the mystery community. There are so many conferences and events involving your favorite authors. Not to mention various blogs and social media like Facebook and twitter. Nowadays it’s easier than ever to connect with authors and even track the progress of their work. Having this insight helps to draw you in to the world they create.

Cozy mysteries also give you the chance to learn something new. The protagonist’s job usually plays a role in solving the murder and there are series’ built around many themes. It’s easy to combine your favorite genre with other interests. Authors research their books so much that not only the characters, but also their jobs come alive.

I guess it all boils down to the fact that cozies make for a great escape. Many are published every year and readers always know they can fall back into a small town that they know as well as their own and get hooked on a good mystery.

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