In Defense of Cozy, Clean Reads ❤️

Keeping the "cozy" in cozy stories

There’s a quiet rebellion brewing in the world of literature, and it’s happening over a cup of tea, a knitted afghan, and stories that don’t require blood to be spilled on the page. I’m talking about cozy mysteries—and, by extension, the cozy life they reflect.

These stories, with their quirky characters, small-town charm, and crimes solved by wit rather than grit, are my literary home. And lately, I’ve noticed a creepy trend: the genre is getting a makeover, one that’s stitching in rougher threads—profanity, explicit romance, and violence that feels more suited to a crime thriller than a fireside read.

I’m here to plant my flag in the pan of cinnamon rolls and say: let’s keep cozy mysteries cozy. Life throws enough sharp edges.

I’ll admit, I’m not a saint. When the Green Bay Packers fumble a lead in the fourth quarter, a choice word might slip past my lips. But that’s the point—real life is messy enough. We’ve all got daily dramas: the bills piling up, crazy Illinois drivers, and news stories that get wackier by the hour. Why should our escapist reading come with a side of obscenities or a gruesome violence?

Cozy mysteries have always been a refuge, a place where the stakes are high enough to keep readers turning pages but low enough so they’re not having nightmares. A stolen heirloom or a poisoned scone can carry the tension without four-letter words or a chalk outline.

Don’t get me wrong—cozy doesn’t mean conflict-free. I’m not writing about a world where everyone’s sipping chamomile and agreeing the Chicago Bears need a running back. In cozy stories, there’s still betrayal, jealousy, and the occasional dead body found on a pontoon boat.

The difference is, I don’t feel the need to spell it out in Technicolor gore or locker-room language. Let the reader’s imagination do the heavy lifting. When the vicar discovers the gardener is having an affair with the baker, I’d rather hint at the confrontation than transcribe every shout. When the amateur sleuth stumbles onto a dead body, I don’t need to pair it with a steamy subplot to keep things interesting.

The charm of cozy mysteries lies in what’s left unsaid—it’s a dance of subtlety, not a sledgehammer.

And that’s where the cozy life comes in. It’s not about pretending the world’s perfect; it’s about choosing to focus on what’s pleasant amid the storm. A good cozy delivers that: a cast of oddballs you’d love to have over for dinner, a small town you’d move to in a heartbeat, and a resolution that leaves you smiling instead of fearful. I write for readers who want to laugh and escape, not wince at a graphic dismemberment. There’s a reason these cozies come with recipes and companion animals—they’re about savoring the good stuff, not wallowing in the grime.

The push to “modernize” cozy mysteries with edgier content feels like a misstep to me. Sure, some argue it makes the genre more “realistic” or “relevant.” But isn’t the whole point of fiction to take us somewhere else? If I want realism, I’ll watch the Packers lose to the Bears at Lambeau.

I don’t need my knitting-circle detective swearing like a sailor or my quaint village turned into a blood-soaked battleground. There’s a whole bookshelf of hard-boiled thrillers for that. Cozy mysteries are a lane of their own, and I’m proud to stay in it—writing stories that invite readers to curl up, chuckle, and forget the chaos for a while.

So here’s my plea: let’s keep cozy mysteries a safe harbor. Let them be the literary equivalent of a warm sweater on a chilly day. Life’s already got plenty of harshness—I’d rather craft a world where the worst crime is a missing library book, and the biggest thrill is figuring out whodunit before the tea gets cold.

For those of us who love to escape with a smile, that’s more than enough.

Thought Bubbles:

Cozy Mystery Party: I had a fabulous chat with new cozy book-loving friends with the Cozy Mystery Party group on Facebook.

Model Suspect is .99 cents on Amazon right now.

The Wisconsin Writers Association has some fantastic events coming up. Writing workshops, a fall conference, monthly interviews, a podcast, and a contest. Consider joining to find your writing voice.

Do you like Supper Clubs? I had questions about them during a recent book event. If you like local spots with great food, check out this list of Wisconsin Supper Clubs.

Thanks for reading. See you soon!