Cozy Mystery Corner discussion

Oh me oh my...

There is a cozy theme for any interest or hobby one might have, and it seems that cozy readers are often drawn to particular authors/series because of the featured theme.

Which themes get you excited about a cozy series? Are there any cozy themes that you have avoided altogether?

I like grumpy old women, paranormal and historical - while I am willing to suspend belief, I don't like being taken for a fool. I need to be entertained while having my mind stretched. I don't mind a bit of romance thrown in.

What I don't like is descriptive blood and guts - which is why I like cosies :)

I love cozy mysteries that take place in a library or book store. I also enjoy food-related, small-business-related, and hotel/B&B themed cozies.

Stephanie wrote: "I love cozy mysteries that take place in a library or book store. I also enjoy food-related, small-business-related, and hotel/B&B themed cozies."

I think my "like" list is pretty much the same type as yours. Most important to me, though, is having a character that I like, even if they are grumpy or whatever.

I'm least interested in paranormal stories or the like, though I'll try some occasionally.

I like cozies that revolve around knitting/yarn stores (as well as book stores). I also like cozies with an animal sidekick - pet cat or dog who seems to have a hand in solving the mystery.

LynnB wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "I love cozy mysteries that take place in a library or book store. I also enjoy food-related, small-business-related, and hotel/B&B themed cozies."

I think my "like" list is pret..."

AGREED!
Because the plots of cozies are so light and fluffy, I think liking the character, the setting, and the theme are much more important than what is actually happening in the book. Such an interesting thing to consider when reading - normally, for other genres, it is a mix of ALL of that.

Hmm, pretty much everything Stephanie said :)

I'm drawn to series that involve animals, especially dogs! But if I really like the character, I can enjoy almost any setting.

Dogs and ghosts! :)

Cats, dogs & ghosts!

I like paranormal themes--ghosts, psychics and the like--and I like small town settings. I like a great ensamble cast of quirky characters. I dislike southern settings for some reason, and I won't read traditional religious stuff.

Candy wrote: "I like paranormal themes--ghosts, psychics and the like--and I like small town settings. I like a great ensamble cast of quirky characters. I dislike southern settings for some reason, and I won'..."

I also like the paranormal themed ones. I also like ones that have quirky or sassy characters and ensembles are even better. I also like ones that have a bit of humor to them. I have not read any with animal themes.

I like mysteries that involve cats, ghosts, bookstores or libraries and mysteries that make me laugh. Grin.

Food, ghost, witches anything funny I love too!

Jeannie wrote: "I like mysteries that involve cats, ghosts, bookstores or libraries and mysteries that make me laugh. Grin."
I agree with you Melinda! I also like bookstores. No Whiners please....LOL

I like mysteries that include knitting, tea, herbs (especially Lavender), and books.

Tammy wrote: "I like mysteries that include knitting, tea, herbs (especially Lavender), and books."

I want to try and grow lavender this year, and learn how to use it in various ways.

Do you ever use lavender oil? I LOVE it and use it often.

No, at least not yet. I've set a goal for myself this year to learn about and use lavender.

Essential oils are great. Lavender is a good one to start with. :)

What do you use Lavender oil for?

I use it like this: add it to my homemade cleaning sprays, it's part of a homemade flea/tick repellant spray i make for the dogs, I use it on skin conditions (burns, bug bites, rashes, etc), spray on pillows for helping with sleep, it helps with headaches and just diffusing in the air. I'm not an expert by any means, i just like learning about and using oils because i believe they really work. If you are starting to dabble in oils, lavendar is a good one to start with. It has a lot of good properties.

A good site where I buy my oils is called Ananda Apothocary. Google ananda essential oils and you will find it.

Here's the site:

http://www.anandaapothecary.com/aroma...

Lavender is really easy to grow. I put in a small plant years ago and it keeps spreading and getting bigger every year.

I would love to plant a few this year. Do they prefer sun? Shade?

Tammy wrote: "What do you use Lavender oil for?"

Thank you for the website information for Ananda Apothocary. I am going to check it out.

Your welcome! I hope you have fun exploring over there. :)

I love that site. I used to buy my oils from a large (quality) MLM company and looked around for something cheaper, but still quality, and think ananda does the job. I've been happy with their stuff, but then again, I'm not an expert just a lover of oils. If I had to recommend an oil it would be the Super Immune. When sickness comes through my house, I make sure to burn it and it really seems to help.

I read a lot of different kinds of books, but for cozy mysteries, I like zany characters who aren't over-the-top but have unusual quirks. Also, I like unlikely sleuths or detectives, such as the household employees putting their heads together to solve mysteries in the Mrs. Jeffries series.

Tasha wrote: "Your welcome! I hope you have fun exploring over there. :)

I love that site. I used to buy my oils from a large (quality) MLM company and looked around for something cheaper, but still quality, an..."

I've been having fun exploring Ananda's site. The trouble is narrowing down what to try! I bought a small lavender plant yesterday. Hope it survives. I lost most of my oregano to frost this week.

Alyson wrote: "I read a lot of different kinds of books, but for cozy mysteries, I like zany characters who aren't over-the-top but have unusual quirks. Also, I like unlikely sleuths or detectives, such as the h..."

Zany is definitely good. I like when their ocupation is interesting and they share information about it. Or there's something that sets them apart, like seeing spirits or having visions. Unlikely sleuths can be fun too, I once read a mystery where the sleuth was a flock of sheep.

jaxnsmom, that wouldn't by any chance be one of Susan Wittig Albert's Beatrix Potter mysteries, would it? In one of those, a flock of sheep found a body.

Which brings me to one of my favorite subsubgenres - mysteries that feature a famous author as sleuth. I started with Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen series (although I am seriously way, way behind in that one, and have had a couple on my TBR shelf for a long time). Since then, I have read mysteries featuring Beatrix Potter, Charlotte Bronte, Louisa May Alcott, and Josephine Tey. I also have a TBR featuring Dashiell Hammett, although I don't expect that to be a cozy!

Not quite the same, but related, I adore Carrie Bebris' Mr. and Mrs. Darcy series. She weaves together the characters from the different novels so well. I have read the first five, and am waiting for the sixth (related to my favorite Austen novel, Persuasion) to be released in the edition I want. I'm assuming that will be it, since Austen only wrote the six major novels.

I also love quirky characters and something that makes me laugh. Little villages and house parties at great estates are among my favorite settings.

I'm pretty attached to librarians or bookstore owners/workers, as well as regular village-people (Miss Marple and sundry). I like my cozies to be low on the silly and quirky, as others have said.

I hadn't realized there was a niche for mysteries featuring famous authors as sleuths! I need to get in on this.

Denise wrote: "jaxnsmom, that wouldn't by any chance be one of Susan Wittig Albert's Beatrix Potter mysteries, would it? In one of those, a flock of sheep found a body.

Which brings me to one of my favorite sub..."

No, the book was . It was fun seeing how the sheep worked together to solve the crime and had to find ways to check things out and get the humans attention when they needed it.

I haven't tried any of the author as sleuth series, although I've looked at them a few times.

A flock of sheep. Are the sleuths.

I am half-terrified and half-thrilled. It seems like it was fun, so I think I might read it.

Yep. And they have no magical powers, can't do anything out of the ordinary, just ordinary sheep.

jaxnsmom wrote: "Yep. And they have no magical powers, can't do anything out of the ordinary, just ordinary sheep."

I DEFINITELY need to read this. People these days. Coming up with crazy ideas like sheep solving a crime. (Is it set in Wales?)

Settings that I like: Airplane, train, bus, subway (most transportation, really), road trips (other types of traveling would do too), bookstore, library, school, coffee shop, that's all I can think of right now.

Like a few posters have previously mentioned, unlikely sleuths would certain pique my interest in a cozy. Preferably a chic girl doing a fun job who has a small group of wacky friends.Someone that I can relate to.

Shona wrote: "jaxnsmom wrote: "Yep. And they have no magical powers, can't do anything out of the ordinary, just ordinary sheep."

I DEFINITELY need to read this. People these days. Coming up with crazy ideas..."

It takes place in the cozy Irish village of Glennkill.

Oh Goodness...let's see: animals, libraries, old women/men, small towns...

I like it all!!!

I tend to gravitate to small towns with quirky characters. Although I personally dislike cooking and knitting, I find myself reading mysteries with these cozy themes.

scrapbooking, arts and crafts, cooking and B&B s

Nancy wrote: "I tend to gravitate to small towns with quirky characters. Although I personally dislike cooking and knitting, I find myself reading mysteries with these cozy themes."

Ditto small towns and quirky characters. I like the 'everyone knows everyone else' vibe.

As long as the author has a sense of humor and the character is likeable to me, and nothing too gruesome is described, I'll read most any cozy. I like learning about new places, so ones set in areas I've never visited are interesting to me. Barbara

I started out reading foodie cozies-Diane Mott Davidson,Joanne Fluke.Then i moved to beverages-Laura Child, Cleo Coyle.
then it was herb,library, animal,vets,dog.
I find my favorite cozies are written by women and have strong independent characters.
I enjoy series with characters like China,Goldie, Hannah and Agatha Raisin. You get to follow their lives and romances. When
i read a series cozy i feel like i'm reconnecting with an old friend.
Linda S.







then

I have been trying to read a variety to see what I like and don't like. I have been picking up books here and there that get my attention. So far I have been pretty lucky about picking some interesting reads.

I too love cozies that include cats or dog and herbal remedies! The other theme I've found that I enjoy is vintage clothing shops! I actually surprised myself with that one, and of course, the ghost theme has always been a favorite of mine!

I like locked room or seemingly impossible mysteries along the lines John Dickson Carr's books.

I've written a cozy. But not to worry; I'm new here and I won't try to promote my book. :) Not every cozy is "cozy," if you know what I mean. Think of Sue Grafton, Nevada Barr, Janet Evanovich. They're considered cozies (as opposed to thrillers). I like cozies with that kind of edge, but I also like to read the "tea" series. I ordered the "coffee" one you're reading starting July 1. On my website, I have several cozy links; I'll add this Goodreads one too.

I tend to be a "moody" reader. It needs to fill the need of the moment. I usually go for the very witty/humourous cozies. Even if the story etc. may be a little lacking in some, if it makes me laugh, I'm sold. I also tend to like the cozies with sisters. I know that comes from me having 3 sisters of my own. But one with a Hobby theme that suprised me was the bibliophile series. I would have NEVER guessed that I would have found it that interesting.

Linda wrote: "I started out reading foodie cozies-Diane Mott Davidson,Joanne Fluke.Then i moved to beverages-Laura Child, Cleo Coyle.
then it was herb,library, animal,vets,dog.
I find my favorite cozies are wr..."

If you haven't tried it yet Linda, you might enjoy Buying Time. I think Aspen Moore would fit into "your type of lady sleuth".