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Romantic Subplots:Your protagonist’s romantic escapades aren’t the only subplots of interest to your readers. Once a reader becomes invested in your cozy little world, they care about what happens toallthe people who live there. And, as in real life, there should be changes within that world. Characters will marry, divorce…fall in love, fall out of love…get suspected of murdering their ex… Normal life stuff.

Technology and Modern Elements:Unless you’re writing a historical cozy, technological advancements such as cell phones and streaming and even AI should have arrived in your village. Reflecting modern technology and contemporary issues can make your story more relatable and intriguing, especially if you find clever ways to incorporate them into the mystery or investigation. Not including technological advancements of the last century tends to stop readers cold.

Character Arcs and Growth:See above. Developing your characters over the course of the mystery and across your series—showing personal growth, revelations, or changes in relationships—can make your stories more compelling and satisfying. Your world will feel more real to the reader if there is movement within its borders.

Atmospheric Details:Cozy mysteries thrive on atmosphere, so detailed descriptions of settings, meals, décor, and clothing can help create a vivid, immersive world that readers love to keep visiting.

Ethical Dilemmas and Moral Questions:Introducing ethical dilemmas or moral questions—especially ones that resonate with contemporary social issues—can add depth to the narrative, challenging both your characters and your readers. That said, if you’re thinking of tackling some heavy issues like capital punishment, euthanasia, racism…these need to be handled delicately, subtly.

Inclusion of Pets or Mascots:Animals or pets can add charm, humor, and warmth to your stories. They can also play roles in the plot, such as providing clues or helping to break down the barriers between characters.

These additional elements not only enrich the storytelling but also allow you to explore a wider range of narrative possibilities and connect with readers on multiple levels. Crafting your cozy mysteries with these aspects in mind can enhance the uniqueness and appeal of your work.

The Hard and Fast Rules of Writing the Cozy Mystery – Gay or Otherwise

Remember, you can write anything you want. But if you’re going to try to market your work to cozy mystery readers, then you must adhere to genre expectations. If you submit a sonnet to a haiku contest, you’re not transcending genre, you’re being a dumbass.

So, yes. These are rules, not guidelines.

1. Never Kill a Cat.No pets or small children may die during the course of your story. In fact, I’d be very careful about killing offanyanimals or humans under college-age.

2. The Age of Consent.Your killer should be college-age or older. Your killer cannot be your protagonist’s love interest. Or an immediate family member. Your sleuth may not be the killer. The killer will also not be a serial killer or a hired assassin. And, while on this grim topic, parents may not kill their adult children. Adult children may not kill their parents. Under no circumstances kill off your protagonist’s love interest. In fact, dispatch any and all beloved series characters with caution. We’re not going for Greek tragedy here.

3. Close Your Eyes, Baby.Minimal violence. You can kill off your victims however you like, but no on-screen violence, no graphic or grisly descriptions of violence or death. The cozy mystery reader is not looking for a trip to the morgue or a peek at the autopsy table.

4. In Fact, No Graphic Anything.Explicit scenes, whether they’re violent or sexual, are off the table. Cozy mysteries shy away from graphic descriptions, maintaining a clean and gentle narrative that focuses on puzzles and people and their relationships rather than on shock value. There is a minimal amount of obscenity and swearing. Language is kept clean. Any necessary rough talk is often implied rather than explicit, keeping in line with the genre’s overall genteel approach. Should profanity occur, it ought to be for a damned good reason.

5. Murder is Not Funny.But seriously. Even though humor is a large element of these books, and even though murder drives the plot, the dead—even the unlikable dead—are treated with a certain amount of respect. They are not merely plot devices but catalysts for unraveling mysteries that often lead to deeper understandings or resolutions within the community.

5. True North.Your protagonist’s moral compass is in working order. Your sleuth does not agonize unduly over right and wrong. We all have our moments of weakness, but you’re writing about a good-hearted human trying to do the right thing, with no inclination toward promiscuity or morally dubious activities. Their personal life shouldn’t overshadow the mystery but can provide a refreshing subplot. It’s okay to make your protagonist human. Humans jump at footsteps in the night, have drinks with friends, get parking tickets, forget to pay a bill, have trouble quitting smoking, or maybe are afraid to fall in love again. Your protagonist can—should—be flawed, but don’t turn them into a vigilante or someone struggling with anger issues.

6. Be Nice. Play Fair.The crime can be as complicated as you can manage, however you must play fair with the reader. That means the actual murderer must come from within the “community,” and be known to both the protagonist and the reader early on—even if we have not actually met them yet on-page. The knowledge that the villain is hiding within this closed circle adds to the tension and keeps your readers guessing.

7. Justice Prevails:Unlike in real life, in cozy mysteries, bad people do get their comeuppance. These books typically have a positive resolution, with the mystery solved, the perpetrator caught, and order restored to the community. This reinforces the idea that no matter the chaos, normalcy (and safety) can be restored—which is something cozy readers look for in their fiction.

These rules collectively ensure that cozy mysteries remain a distinct and beloved genre, offering escapism, satisfaction, and a sense of justice, all wrapped up in a community-focused, amiable narrative. But as with any creative endeavor, there’s always room for innovation and bending the rules to fit your unique story.

2. The Star of Your Show – Protagonist

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The Star of Your Show – Protagonist

Sometimes it’s helpfulto refresh ourselves on the basics.

A protagonist is essentially the main character in a story, the one around whom the plot revolves. They are typically the character readers are meant to root for, often facing obstacles they must overcome throughout the narrative. This character’s actions, decisions, and development are central to driving the story forward and engaging the audience.

The cozy mystery protagonist is a little unique in fiction because the rules and restraints of the genre itself are also imposed upon the creation of these particular characters.

Does that mean you have less freedom in developing your cozy mystery protagonist than you would in developing the main character of a traditional mystery?

Yes. It does.

Logically, it must.

It would hardly make sense to create a charming cozy world peopled with delightful, quirky characters and then choose for our guide an embittered, struggling, alcoholic ex-cop.

I’m not saying that couldn’t be a brilliant dichotomy for a traditional (and possibly very funny) mystery, but it’s not going to fly in the cozy subgenre.