Fire Star Press: beach read

Cozy Night by Kim Parkhurst

I know of way too many people who are depressed, stressed, frightened, angry, or all of the above combined in one big ball of woe. Whether you look local— break-ins and vandalism—, national— political unrest—, or global— climate change and garbage in the ocean—, scary things abound, and unfortunately, there is only a limited amount we can do about them. This helplessness causes frustration and anxiety. Psychiatrists and therapists have seen an increase in their patients of late. Uncertainty abounds.

So what do people do to relieve this angst? Some garden or work out. Some read. There has been a revival of the good old cozy mystery of late, and I believe our dangerous times are responsible for it.

Who wouldn’t want to immerse themselves in a small British town a la Miss Marple or hang out with a sleuthing cat such as Joe Gray? Suddenly, instead of the disturbing thriller, many readers are choosing books they know will give them a happy ending. That doesn’t mean there won’t be mystery and mayhem along the way, but in a cozy, we won’t be inundated with graphic violence, foul language, or riotous sex. And we can be assured it will all work out in the end.

I grew up with cozy mysteries, my favorite author being the underappreciated Mary Stewart. When I discovered Lillian Jackson Braun’s Cat Who series, and found that cats could play a part in mystery stories, I was overjoyed. Since then I’ve been elated to find an abundance of cozy themes such as cooking, baking, gardening, quilting, scrapbooking, knitting, and antiquing— just about anything people like to do in their spare time. There are also more cerebral themes such as science, archeology, forensics, or world travel, and we mustn’t forget the paranormal themes of vampires, witches, hauntings, and hexes. (My personal favorites of course are the cat mysteries, a popular genre unto itself, though you can find many dog and other animal mysteries to suit all tastes.) Most cozies engage an amateur sleuth, often a woman, but there are also cozies featuring police, detectives, and private investigators. Something for every taste.

Cozies vary in technique, intensity, and quality. I’ve read everything from inspired and intelligent writing to formula style that’s as dull as a post. (I’ve also learned that just because it has a cat on the cover doesn’t mean it’s a cat mystery.) Some cozies are referred to as “beach reads” because they are the easy-to-read escapist fare that’s perfect for a costal or other vacation.

I both read and write cozy mysteries, because I’m just plain too burnt out on bad stuff to enjoy the violence of thrillers, the horror of horrors, or the fatalism of dystopian sci-fi. It’s not exclusive— there are lots of great books out there, and my to-be-read pile holds everything from memoir to Star Trek, but right now I tend to fall back on a gentler story, one that will paint a picture of green countrysides and pretty kitties while offering me a puzzle to solve, the mystery itself. Maybe if the real world becomes an easier place to live in, I’ll begin to long for the exhilaration of a more intense genre, but for now, it’s cozies all the way.