Cozy Mystery Corner discussion
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What do you as a reader, feel like you get out of reading a Cozy mystery book?
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Rita
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May 03, 2012 08:26AM
For me it's a total escape without having to think too much. I thoroughly enjoy placing myself in the mystery. Plus I like being able to carry on the story. I alway miss characters of a book once I'm finished with it. This way, I get to be a part of the ongoing story.
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I agree that reading cozies is a way to escape. I have to use my noodle a lot for my job and I read every night before I go to bed, so I want to read something that I won't have to think too much about, which is why I used to read a lot of chick lit.
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I also like learning about some of the hobbies/jobs that are featured.
Ok, Ken, you asked the question, now it's your turn to answer it :)
Escaping is definitely a must. I like cozies that have themes that interest me because it is another way to learn about your hobbies.
I like the quirky characters and humor you find in a good cozy.
Fun, light, like a chicklit but also intelligent in its subject matter and plot delivery.
Sometimes we are limited to what we can experiance in our lifetimes and reading to me is a way to live vicariously through the characters in the books. I can always use a chuckle in my day and love the (almost always) "feel good" endings. Most of the characters that we get to know can actually help us grow as confident , courageous women that often make intellegent choices, and reminds us NOT to judge ourselves too harshly when our choices are not quite the best.
And so much serious in entertainment mixed with so much serious in real life is just TOO much serious. lol.That is why my reading genre of choice is the Cozy Mystery.
Cozies are a great escape and they usually have a few lol moments as well. You leave the story feeling a bit better.
It's fun and escapist, also sometimes when you find yourself having read way to many stories with a lot of romanic subplots it can be refreshing to read some cozys that focus more on mysteries than on romance.
I like to read cozies to unwind after a long day. As a lot of people have mentioned, it's a great chance to escape to a fun place. I find if I read a thriller, it actually gets me wound up, whereas cozies help me relax.
With my job being stressful, I like to read cozies as an escape. Cozies allow me to relax.
I agree with those of you who read to escape---isn't that the reason we all read.What's great about cozies is the soap opera feel to them. You get immersed into people's lives and, if they're well written, feel like you're part of the story, if not the protagonist.
I like solving the puzzle of the murders, looking for the clues the authors drop here and there. It makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something as I read.
I like that cozies are fun fast reads. I also like the cozies little towns where they take place and how close everyone is, nothing like the little town I grew up in, lol. I also like the trying to solve the case before the main character. They are something for me to read in between heavy books and I just plain love reading them.
I love mystery but hate blood guts and gore so cozy is the perfect fit. I also love getting into the towns and the people's lives. And there's the food. Always like reading about food.
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The food is fun, and calorie free - unless it makes you go get some! LOL
DonnaCarol wrote: "Sometimes we are limited to what we can experiance in our lifetimes and reading to me is a way to live vicariously through the characters in the books. I can always use a chuckle in my day and love..."I totally agree with. Vicarious living is better than not.
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I have to agree that escapism is my main reason for reading them. I always have one ready when I need a break from the other books I'm reading. They're just enjoyable, light reads.
I spent Friday watching my local mystery marathon on PBS. It got me to thinking. I like cozies because they are different. I am so sick of police procedurals. 24 hours a day, seven days I week I can see either Law and Order or CSI or both. I'm sick of reading or watching police detectives who want to blow their brains out or drink themselves to death. I do not feel relaxed or refreshed after reading or watching these. I feel drained. So I like cozies because they are relaxing. The mystery keeps my brain engaged and I get to learn something I might not know about like running an orchard.
With each nonfiction book in general I feel like I become more self aware of what I like and don't like. I enjoy seeing characters's reactions and motives behind them because that allows me to understand others around me more. I just feel like reading nonfiction books enhances life.
To me cozies allow me to "meet" a character, see how they react and interact with others in their life. I often get very attached to characters :). I also get to unravel a mystery and perhaps learn something about a particular topic. All that said, I still expect the writing to be good and the bounds of realism not to be stretched to the point of ridicule. For example, I have read books where things (legally) simply could not have happened that way and it irritated me no end. I don't have a comprehensive knowledge of law but these were basics. Cozies are for me an escape from drudgery of real life.
Fanficfan44 wrote: "To me cozies allow me to "meet" a character, see how they react and interact with others in their life. I often get very attached to characters :). I also get to unravel a mystery and perhaps lea..."
I've seen a couple cozies like that. And horror books are notorious for it. When you see thinks that are legally impossible I feel it detatches the reader
(when the society is supposed to be like your own)from the book.
I've seen a couple cozies like that. And horror books are notorious for it. When you see thinks that are legally impossible I feel it detatches the reader
(when the society is supposed to be like your own)from the book.
Moonlight wrote: "I spent Friday watching my local mystery marathon on PBS. It got me to thinking. I like cozies because they are different. I am so sick of police procedurals. 24 hours a day, seven days I week I..."I agree with the overkill of the police procedural in books and on tv. I assume that that is some of my attraction to the cozies. In a cozy mystery the focus is more on the complete character (you get to "know" them), while in the police procedural mystery it is more on the facts (what happened and the methodologies of discovery).
NYKen wrote: "Hi everyone. I am just curious, as a reader, what do you get out of reading a Cozy mystery book?I am asking this because I am curious what different things we get from reading these kinds of book..."
I like reading cozies, because they help me to just "escape" somewhere for a while.
The cozies that I usually read have a little bit of romance in them, and the family dynamics are always fun.
Great question!
Seems that most of us read cozies for pretty similar reasons; so much crap out there IRL, we don't need tons of it in our relaxing reading, too. For a cozy, I like knowing my protagonist is never in any real danger, the mystery is going to be solved and complete (none of this loose end, but he really got away with it after all stuff), justice will be served, the characters are ones you actually WANT to root for, instead of just the scum bag who is still good at his job, you get to try to figure out the pieces as you go along, and you feel good and feel satisfied once it's all over.All that being said, I haven't read any of these "theme series" that are so popular right now. My cozies are more of the Agatha Christie variety or in TV version, uber cheesy stuff like "Murder, She Wrote." Do the theme series enhance the experience, or does it just depend on whether you like the particular theme? (i.e. knitting or coffee or gardening, etc)?
Alana wrote: "Seems that most of us read cozies for pretty similar reasons; so much crap out there IRL, we don't need tons of it in our relaxing reading, too. For a cozy, I like knowing my protagonist is never i..."I started out with the non theme series - MC Beaton, Agatha Christie, Simon Brett and slowly moved into theme based ones - my first ones were the Ann Purser series because that is more like the non theme ones than the themed ones. I think the trick with the theme ones is to not have the theme take over the story. The theme should just add an interesting aspect into the story not be the main subject matter. I still want a well crafted mystery and a likable protagonist.
Fanficfan44 wrote: "Moonlight wrote: "I spent Friday watching my local mystery marathon on PBS. It got me to thinking. I like cozies because they are different. I am so sick of police procedurals. 24 hours a day, s..."I am not a big fan of police procedurals either. I will say I enjoy "soft boiled" like Elly Griffiths series.
Cozies present a world that is rich with information about other people's lives, both inner and outer. I've learned so much about other countries, professions, what goes on in other people's heads (without having to pry). As an older person with a dodgy hip and currently not in my home country, they bring hordes of new 'friends' into my life. B.Abby
Alana wrote: "...All that being said, I haven't read any of these "theme series" that are so popular right now. My cozies are more of the Agatha Christie variety or in TV version, uber cheesy stuff like "Murder, She Wrote." "Uber cheesy? Haha! I love Murder She Wrote. I wanted to be Jessica Fletcher when I grew up!
Barbara wrote: "Cozies present a world that is rich with information about other people's lives, both inner and outer. I've learned so much about other countries, professions, what goes on in other people's heads ..."I second this - especially when you buy into a series long term they become "friends" I really enjoy their development and relationships over time. I tend to be character-centric in my reading in any genre. If I don't like or relate to the characters I have a tough time with the book. I think that is why I am struggling with reading Stephen King again right now. I'm all about the characters :)
I like reading cozys where the protagonist's job, that type of job's world is showcased in the book by the author (i.e. psychologist's world, baker's world, gardener's world, etc.)
Like NYKen, I love having a unique insight into an arena that I'm curious about or never encountered before. But, I also like a world that is comforting and reassuring on some level.
NYKen wrote: "I like reading cozys where the protagonist's job, that type of job's world is showcased in the book by the author (i.e. psychologist's world, baker's world, gardener's world, etc.)"I agree with you Ken, i love when the protagonist has a craft or profession, i feel i learn a lot and the ones with the recipes are good too, as i have tried some recipes or gotten ideas for my own.
Jaxie wrote: "I agree with you Ken, i love when the protagonist has a craft or profession, i feel i learn a lot and the ones with the recipes are good too, as i have tried some recipes or gotten ideas for my own. "..."
That happened to me recently with a book called The Water Lily Cross. I enjoy plants and have some flowers in the yard, but generally know so little about flowers (I have to ask people "What is that called?"). This little mystery featuring a retired botanist was fun, though, and I learned a few interesting things about science and botany. I tip my hat to authors who can educate and entertain without being obvious about it!
Many enjoyable hours of reading. Isn't that way anyone reads for the enjoyment of a good book.
For a few hours I enter a world of my choosing where I get to interact with characters I like (or at least respect) and match wits with the author to unearth the murderer. It's pure entertainment, and I enjoy every single minute of it.
Jaxie wrote: "I agree with you Ken, i love when the protagonist has a craft or profession, i feel i learn a lot and the ones with the recipes are good too, as i have tried some recipes or gotten ideas for my own. ..."
That's exactly it. We also could see the world of that person's life in that profession.
That's exactly it. We also could see the world of that person's life in that profession.
Interesting opinions. I just wanted to bump up for the newer members to share their opinions about the topic. Thanks.
