The genre of crime and mystery is exciting for all ages. Almost everyone enjoys a tale of things gone wrong. There are new stories surfacing daily from new murder mystery writers. Even early readers, just getting into chapter books, love to read these puzzles, as do adults. Even other genres often have elements of crime and mayhem in them.
Though authors who they have been depending on for years by publishers are their lifeblood, they also look for new talent. They constantly look for new talent to add to their stable of authors. Sometimes they launch new talent in connection with veteran authors. Using common themes, the new names are helped by the loyalty of the veteran's readers.
A relatively new type of novel in this category, though not actually entirely new, is the cozy crime novel. It is similar to the old British detective story, being basically a modern twist to that genre. These stories mostly feature women protagonists, are preferred by women, and are mostly written by women. The protagonist is the female sleuth who is great at figuring out a puzzle, often without much effort.
These Cozy novels have certain typical characteristics. Violence is only suggested, not written about directly. Though there is a killing, details are not given in detail. The suggestion is there and the reader fills in the details based on their experiences with crime stories. This makes them easy reading, thus the name cozy crime novels.
Additional traits that indicate a cozy is the sleuth, who is a woman, an amateur, and works independently. She is not affiliated with any organization, though may cooperate with local law enforcement to help solve crimes. There may even be a romantic involvement result, but no sexual content is included.
These stories are not plot-driven, but rather character-driven. The characters have strong profiles, especially the female sleuth. Settings are often exotic, such as on cruise ships or other settings where the action takes place. Sometimes the action takes place close to home, in the detective's own neighborhood. Either way, the setting needs to be meaningful for the sleuth.
Just because the characters are the main focus doesn't mean that plot is not significant. Many authors weave detailed plot lines throughout the story. It is just that characterization takes precedence. The female protagonist, or sleuth, is the most strongly developed character, and the reader follows her closely as she solves the puzzle. Romantic suspense novels and the dark Gothic novels are both variations of the cozy.
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