Getting Cozy with Cozies

Over the last several years, I have developed an extreme love for the cozy mystery.  It's my ultimate guilty pleasure read.

Now, you might be asking yourself, what on earth is a cozy mystery?

Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the subject:

"Cozy mysteries, also referred to simply as "cozies", are a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community."

Here are some elements you may encounter in a cozy mystery:

- A small town girl who has tried her luck in the big city and is now back in her hometown
- Professions such as librarian, cafe owner, peach farmer, dog walker, and retiree are common
- Did I mention that pets often play a role in the story?  Cats and dogs are the most popular and, sometimes, they are somewhat magical
- There is some sort of murder that needs to be solved and your heroine will probably get the whole town involved in solving it
- You will probably want to read these with a cup of tea, cookie, and a fuzzy throw for an ultimate reading experience

Cozies are the ultimate comfort reads.  They are light, fun, and often include recipes at the end.  I often wish that I was living the life of some of the heroines I encounter in the pages of certain cozies (Why yes, I would like to work at a magical pie shop.  Want to live in a beautiful picturesque small town?  Don't mind if I do.)  Do you remember the wonderful television show, Gilmore Girls?  Well imagine if the occasional suspicious death happened in Stars Hollow.  That right there is a cozy mystery.

Here are some series I would recommend if you are wanting to try your hand at the genre, or if you are already a cozy fan looking for that next great read.

Georgia Peach Mysteries by Susan Furlong (Book 1: Peaches & Scream)
Takes place in Cays Mill, Georgia, with Nola Harper returning home to help out on her families peach farm.  Things take an ugly turn when a body is discovered in the orchard with her brother-in-law as the prime suspect.

Book Retreat Mysteries by Ellery Adams (Book 1: Murder in the Mystery Suite)
Who wouldn't want to visit Storyton Hall, a resort in western Virginia that caters to book lovers?  However, things go wrong during a Murder Mystery event when the murder of one of the guests becomes the biggest mystery of all.

The Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries by Ellery Adams (Book 1: Pies & Prejudice)
When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LaFaye bakes pies.  And she's putting a magic touch little in her baked goods, literally.  In the small town of Havenwood, Georgia, magic and mischief are always on the menu.

Consignment Shop Mysteries by Duffy Brown (Book 1: Iced Chiffon)
Imagine Stephanie Plum, from Janet Evanovich's series, solving mysteries down south and you have Duffy Brown's novels.  Reagan Summerside runs a consignment shop called The Prissy Fox where the gossip always runs hot and murder often shows up uninvited.

Magical Cats Mysteries by Sofie Kelly (Book 1: Curiosity Thrilled the Cat)
Librarian Kathleen Paulson relocates to Mayville Heights, Minnesota where she discovers that not only does she have a talent for shelving books, but also solving murders.  Her two cats, Owen and Hercules, often get involved in the capers, and are, most importantly, MAGIC CATS.

Her Royal Spyness Mysteries by Rhys Bowen (Book 1: Her Royal Spyness)
If you want a historical cozy, then look no further.  Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie is 34th in line for the throne of England and is flat broke.  She gets into numerous hijinks trying to earn some cash, meets a dashing rogue, and helps solves a few murders along the way.

Do you read cozy mysteries?  And, if so, what series do you like?