Today’s title is a phrase my friend Stephanie coined as a definition for “Cozy” Mystery. Thanks for that, Steph! That’s exactly what I’m aiming for.
You never see “Cozy” listed as the genre classification printed on the back of a book, but I’m betting most of us really enjoy reading such novels. In fact, I’m betting my own novel on it!
A Cozy often takes place in a small, picturesque town (check!), with a likeable and interesting female protagonist (check!), a set of amusing minor characters (check!) a simmering love interest (check!) and a conclusion that leaves the readers wanting more (check, check, check!)
I absolutely adore Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, Murder She Wrote’s Jessica Fletcher, and… dare I say it?… Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. It was the Stephanie Plum novels that started me thinking about writing my own novel series.
I got to wondering how the story would read if a Stephanie Plum character was all grown up, lived on the southwest Washington coast, and was still finding herself enmeshed in murder and mayhem at retirement age.
The idea sprouted, grew into a full-length mystery cozy, and is just waiting for the right agent, then publisher, to hit the bookstore shelves. Another serving of mental comfort food… I know I’m looking forward to it!