The Cozy Mystery Craze

I have written a number of police procedurals, or murder mysteries, but I decided to try my hand at writing a cozy mystery.

How does a cozy mystery differ from a regular mystery? Usually, the death isn't overly graphic. The setting is primarily a small town in a business owned by the main character – most often a coffee shop or a book store. The protagonist is not a cop, but somehow becomes embroiled in the crime through either her own snooping or circumstances beyond her control.

Why are they so popular right now? My belief is people want escape, they want character development, and they want a quick easy read. To me, these types of books are for the person waiting for a kid at a soccer game, sitting in the doctor's office, or those few minutes of downtime just before going to sleep at night.

In an increasingly busy world, these sorts of novels fit the need for entertainment in bite sized moments, which provide some much needed relief from the stress of our daily lives.

So, dear readers, here's my contribution to this exciting genre!