Do you want something suspenseful, but not too scary? A mystery that’s not murder-filled and gory? Something that you can read or listen to but not freak yourself out over? Then, let me welcome you into the world of cozy mystery books. 

A place where all of these things are true. Where you can enjoy the simple pleasures of a mystery book without the nightmares and astray thoughts. 

Elements of a cozy mystery

Protagonist

• Upstanding citizen (potentially no formal investigation experience).
• Jobs that entail frequent conversation with people in the town. 
• They are naturally curious.
• The key role for them is why they are involved in the mystery.

The Setting

• Typically set in small towns or communities. 
• Small enough where everyone knows each other’s dirty laundry. 

The Murder

• Cozy mysteries are meant to be “light”, meaning they do not typically involve gorey graphic details. 
• Poison is a popular form of bloodless death among these types of books.
• Motive for the murder is typically from human emotion: greed, heartbreak, pride, humiliation etc. 

Now that you have some of the staples that go into writing a cozy mystery, go ahead and can write one for yourself! Oh, and don’t forget to add some quirky characters! The protagonist would be nothing without a supporting character.

Here are some cozy mysteries we had the pleasure of turning into audiobooks! Browse for your favorite and enjoy! Happy Spooktober!