Cozy or Creepy?

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I've been to enough book signings that I know most people don't know what a cozy mystery is. Truth be told, I didn't either until I started writing them. I knew that I liked a certain type of mystery in my twenties and thirties but then, in later years, didn't want as much graphic violence.

Part of my problem, with the heavy handed descriptions of murder, is that I read right before I fall asleep.  That's generally the only time I have when I don't feel guilty for sitting down and doing nothing else. It's MY time. I don't have to feed the cats, feed my partner, wash a dish, run a load of laundry, answer texts, scroll through Facebook, tweet or Instagram.  The only thing I need to focus on is turning the page.

Aside from the lack of nightmares, cozies still fulfill my love of a good mystery. It's fun to figure out who the killer is but I also enjoy a touch of romance and some humor. I like to say that I enjoy killing people while having a sense of humor.  I think life is hard enough for most people and reading should be an escape. Besides, if I want graphic violence I only have to turn on the television.

So the next time you see a book described as a cozy mystery, don't imagine you won't love it. The characters are still interesting, the plot fast paced and there is always a dead person. You just skip the bloody parts.

Happy Trails,

Leslie

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