The classic term of cozy used to be defined by a mystery set in a small town, with no swear words, sex, or violence, and the amateur sleuth worked with a theme: coffee shop, quilting bee, sewing circle, delicious cupcakery. A slice of the mystery genre, cozies appealed to the Murder, She Wrote viewer/reader, and didn’t much stray into other slices of the mystery cake: hard-boiled, traditional, noir, paranormal (did that even exist?) – plus suspense, crime, thriller and all their sub-genres.
But has cozy evolved? I’m wondering if the popularity of humorous mysteries changed the recipe, or at least the portion size of that decadent dessert. We laugh and cry and cheer on our amateur sleuths, and while they add some spice with romantic romps and use a little salty language, they don’t deal with the bitter dark side: no serial killers or vicious torture or anything that requires one to sleep with their lights on.
My sleuth, Elliott Lisbon, is mostly an amateur (only 4,000 hours from getting her PI license!), she doesn’t have a cat or a dog or a hobby and she doesn’t cook. She’s more of An eat cereal for dinner kinda gal. And every now and then, when the situation prompts her, she blurts out a swear word or gets caught up in the moment with the sexy lieutenant.
Does this disqualify her for the cozy label, is there a more appropriate one, or maybe we just need a new one, and evolved one? Contemporary cozy? Or maybe I’m just overthinking it. Let me know your thoughts, people.
Thank you, Melissa, for having me. I love your blog and am so happy you let me join you, even though I don’t drink coffee or have a cat…
ABOUT KENDEL LYNN
Kendel Lynn is a Southern California native who now parks her flip-flops in Dallas, Texas. She read her first Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators at the age of seven and has loved mysteries ever since. Her debut novel, BOARD STIFF, won several literary competitions, including the Zola Award for Mystery/Suspense. Along with writing and reading, she spends her time as the managing editor of Henery Press where she acquires, edits, and figures out ways to avoid the gym but still eat cupcakes for dinner.
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ABOUT BOARD STIFF
As director of the Ballantyne Foundation on Sea Pine Island, SC, Elliott Lisbon scratches her detective itch by performing discreet inquiries for Foundation donors. Usually nothing more serious than retrieving a pilfered Pomeranian. Until Jane Hatting, Ballantyne board chair, is accused of murder. The Ballantyne’s reputation tanks, Jane’s headed to a jail cell, and Elliott’s sexy ex is the new lieutenant in town.
Armed with moxie and her Mini Coop, Elliott uncovers a trail of blackmail schemes, gambling debts, illicit affairs, and investment scams. But the deeper she digs to clear Jane’s name, the guiltier Jane looks. The closer she gets to the truth, the more treacherous her investigation becomes. With victims piling up faster than shells at a clambake, Elliott realizes she’s next on the killer’s list.
Kendel Lynn is a Southern California native who now parks her flip-flops in Dallas, Texas. She read her first Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators at the age of seven and has loved mysteries ever since. Her debut novel, BOARD STIFF, won several literary competitions, including the Zola Award for Mystery/Suspense. Along with writing and reading, she spends her time as the managing editor of Henery Press where she acquires, edits, and figures out ways to avoid the gym but still eat cupcakes for dinner.
.jpg)
ABOUT BOARD STIFF
As director of the Ballantyne Foundation on Sea Pine Island, SC, Elliott Lisbon scratches her detective itch by performing discreet inquiries for Foundation donors. Usually nothing more serious than retrieving a pilfered Pomeranian. Until Jane Hatting, Ballantyne board chair, is accused of murder. The Ballantyne’s reputation tanks, Jane’s headed to a jail cell, and Elliott’s sexy ex is the new lieutenant in town.
Armed with moxie and her Mini Coop, Elliott uncovers a trail of blackmail schemes, gambling debts, illicit affairs, and investment scams. But the deeper she digs to clear Jane’s name, the guiltier Jane looks. The closer she gets to the truth, the more treacherous her investigation becomes. With victims piling up faster than shells at a clambake, Elliott realizes she’s next on the killer’s list.
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