Supper Sleuths


Cozy Mysteries

In the Cozy, the body is often offstage; and most of the time, the author does not explicitly describe death or any other violence. The sleuths are almost always amateurs who have stumbled on a murder or crime that needs to be solved. The sleuth is usually, but not always, a woman, who solves the mystery through intuition and her knowledge of human nature. Small-town settings and gossip are integral parts of these mysteries. Real forensic evidence or police work has less to do with the solving of the crime then in most mysteries, and more than likely the amateur sleuth annoys the police even more than she may help them. In many cases, the protagonist's significant other is on the police force. Cozies feature eccentric characters, a sense of community (small-town or enclosed communities like a college), and more than likely a humorous tone with witty dialogue. Cozies are usually fast-paced and shorter reads. Even the lightest of Cozies often offers a wry look at human nature and some exploration of social issues.

The following is a list of authors who fit into this category. It is not a definitive list, and Cozies travel across other genre lines like the Culinary and Pet mysteries. Either the first in a series is given, or the series by publication date order.


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