We haven’t read many mysteries in the Boozy Book Club over the last 7+ years – so I suppose we are rounding out the collection. And, we have a couple of members now who are big fans of mysteries, especially so-called “cozy mysteries” who have lobbied for them.

One we chose was distilling or spirit-related, and one was seasonal. The third was neither of those, but is beloved by the recommender. In September, it was Single Malt Murder by Melinda Mullet. In October, we read Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie. And, we rounded out the series for November by reading Still Life by Louise Penny.

“Cozy Mystery”

In September, we had a lengthy discussion about the term “cozy mystery” and what does and does not qualify. It seems the term has evolved over time, and some would argue about what is and is not considered a cozy mystery today. In general, they are characterized by involving a mystery to be solved (obviously), usually a murder. However, the details of the murder are not described in detail – there is no graphic violence in the novel. Typically, if there is romance, there is no graphic sex, and not really any cursing or foul language, nor drug use, etc.. The mystery is solved at the end, and you won’t be afraid to sleep after reading the book.

Some other criteria often applied include that the main character/protagonist is not a police officer/detective and is a likeable character; there is often a loveable animal character, and the setting is a small town or event where there is a limited number of suspects. Some familiar examples from television series of my youth include Murder She Wrote, Matlock and such. Heck, even Scooby Doo might be seen as a cozy mystery series.

If you’re looking for something to escape from your everyday troubles and read that is enjoyable, engaging, and PG rated, you should check out a cozy mystery. Of the three we read, I think I’d suggest Still Life by Louise Penny as the best one to start with – and bonus, if you like it, there’s a whole series of books after that one.