Monday Mystery - The Cozy Mystery

A perfect example of a cozy mystery is Jessica Fletcher of  "Murder She Wrote". Most cozy mysteries have a female protagonist who lives or works in a community where their friends and neighbors are either a suspect or victim of a murder.

While the "amateur" sleuth isn't usually in a medical or law profession they have a friend or significant other that is. And they use this secondary character to help them navigate the law and have more knowledge than they would as a "citizen".

Cozy sleuths are usually intelligent, well-traveled, and knowledgeable women, but not always. They may or may not have a career that gives them access to a variety of people, but it's a given they always find murder and a person who needs vindicated.

While most cozies take place in a small community where the protagonists is well integrated, respected,  and in the know of all the gossip, there are a few exceptions.

Cozy books are considered "gentler". The murder usually takes place off stage or is quick. The victim is usually a person that most of the community didn't like. But there have been some exceptions.

Sex in most cozies is all behind closed doors, but lately there have been more explicit scenes in some of the cozies.

Cozies are fast paced with twists and turns in the plot that keeps the reader turning the pages and wondering if they have picked the wrong character as the murderer.  Plot and character development of a mainstay of the cozy. With the well-built communities the sleuths live in they have to have a fully developed secondary characters to bring the reader back time and again to see what happens next.

What is your favorite cozy character?

Here is a great place to learn all about cozies and see a large list.http://www.cozy-mystery.com/Definition-of-a-Cozy-Mystery.html