 Mystery: November 06, 2012 Issue [#5348] |
  Mystery
This week: All warm and cozy Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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Quote for the week: Every murderer is probably somebody's old friend.
~Agatha Christie |
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Do you like your mysteries served with a hot cup of tea in front of a warm fire? Are your favorite sleuths a bit quirky and unconventional? Do you like intricate puzzles without graphic sex or violence? If you answered yes to these questions, you may be a fan of the mystery subgenre known as the cozy mystery.
According to dictionary.com, one meaning for the word cozy is "snugly warm and comfortable". Cozy mysteries are associated with places normally considered warm and safe, such as idyllic country estates or quaint small towns. If a cozy mystery does take place in a big city, the plot is usually confined to a small neighborhood or group of aquaintances. Like most real small towns, the setting of this genre is seldom as innocent and peaceful as it seems.
Since Agatha Christie, the queen of cozy mysteries, was British, many people associate the subgenre with the British Isles, but many cozies are set in other areas. For example, Kathleen Taylor's Tory Bauer series takes place in the fictional South Dakota town of Delphi, and Lillian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who..." series takes place in the north woods of Michigan.
While violence and sexual relationships are an important part of cozy mysteries, they usually happen "off camera". The plot often hinges on relationships or resentments that have been hidden for years. Everyone has a secret, and some will kill to keep them. The murderer is often a well respected member of the community, and the victim is seldom as innocent as he or she appears.
Main characters of cozy mysteries are rarely actual police officers or detectives, although they may have a spouse, significant other, or friend who is associated with law enforcement. The main character often has an interesting job or hobby. Jim Qwilleran is a reporter, Jessica Fletcher of "Murder She Wrote" is a mystery writer, Melanie Cooper and Angie Delaura own a cupcake bakery, and Poppy Markham is a health inspector. Others have ordinary jobs that bring them in contact with many people. Tory Bauer is a waitress in her small town's only cafe, David Small is a rabbi, and Father Brown is a priest. Some don't have traditional jobs at all, which allows them more time for solving mysteries. Mary Higgins Clark's characters Alvirah and Willy Meehan are a former cleaning woman and plumber who struck it rich by winning the lottery.
Senior citizens are well represented among cozy mystery sleuths. The most famous protagonist of this subgenre, Agatha Christie's Miss Jane Marple, is an elderly spinster. Patricia Anne and Mary Alice of Anne George's "Southern Sisters" mysteries are both in their sixties. Since many YA mysteries are cozies, teens are also well represented. Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden were my heroines when I was growing up, and unlike me, they haven't aged! Other characters underestimate these nontraditional detectives, a fact they use to their advantage. Witnesses and criminals alike erroneously conclude that Miss Marple is feeble minded or silly and reveal more information than they intend.
Cozy mysteries appeal to readers because they happen to people just like us in places that seem familiar. In a cozy mystery, anyone can be a detective. The challenge to a writer of cozy mysteries is to bring the characters and setting to life. The plot of this type of mystery is driven by the characters and their relationships, so they must be realistic.
Something to try: Write a cozy mystery with a main character based on yourself.
Thanks for reading!
Arakun the twisted raccoon |
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| Question for next time: What is your favorite setting for a mystery story? |
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