We love fall (especially as we just dropped our new fall apparel collection, and it is as cute and cozy as you can get!) It’s time to put the kettle on (or grab a glass of cider), get cozy, and settle down with a mystery. Nothing beats a small town filled with suspicious neighbors, unexpected secrets, and one particularly determined amateur detective to get us in the mood. Welcome to cozy mystery season!

Cozy mysteries give us all the fun of a good whodunit, with plenty of clues to follow and suspects to investigate, but wrapped up in those settings we would happily move into ourselves. Yes, we’re thinking of charming villages, bookshops, bakeries, cups of tea, eccentric locals, and mysteries that keep us guessing without keeping us awake for entirely the wrong reasons. No guts and gore anywhere in sight!

Source: https://www.agathachristie.com/about-christie

National Cozy Mystery Day: Why September 15th Belongs to Agatha Christie

Mystery readers have a very good reason to circle September 15th on their calendars. National Cozy Mystery Day is celebrated on the birthday of the Queen of Mystery Writing, Agatha Christie. Her influence on this genre can never be overstated!

She is best known for her 66 detective novels, 14 short story collections, and The Mousetrap, the world’s longest-running play. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English, with another billion sold in translation. 

When it comes to cozy mystery readers in particular, Miss Marple feels right at home in the conversation. She may look like an unassuming resident of a quiet English village, but very little escapes her attention. 

Give her a suspicious death, a collection of secrets, and a handful of seemingly respectable neighbors, and she is soon noticing all the things everybody else has missed. Sound familiar? That combination of a close-knit community, an observant sleuth, and a mystery hiding beneath everyday life still sits at the heart of many cozy mysteries today.

You could celebrate National Cozy Mystery Day by picking up an Agatha Christie novel, revisiting a favorite Miss Marple mystery (we have just the phone case for you!), or starting an entirely new cozy series. Add a hot drink and something delicious to snack on, and September 15th is already looking considerably better.

Of course, we see no reason to limit ourselves to one day. We're planning on letting the cozy mystery celebrations continue all September long.

What Makes a Mystery Cozy?

Despite the occasional murder, cozy mysteries really are rather...well, cozy. There just isn’t another word for it. 

This genre usually focuses on solving the puzzle rather than the violence surrounding the crime. Yes, there may be a murder to solve, but the detailed violence around it is generally left off the page. Instead, we concentrate on the clues, suspects, motives, and that one tiny detail we are absolutely convinced will matter later.

Then there is the amateur sleuth.

One of the great joys of a cozy mystery is watching an ordinary person (just like ourselves) decide that they are suddenly perfectly qualified to investigate a murder. Bakers, booksellers, librarians, retirees, chefs, and residents of otherwise peaceful villages can all find themselves asking questions the local police would probably rather they didn't. And naturally, we join them.

By halfway through the book, we have our own suspect list, several theories, and at least one completely innocent character whom we have unfairly accused of everything.

Setting also plays a huge role in creating that cozy feeling. Small towns and villages are popular, but so are bookshops, libraries, bakeries, cafés, and other familiar spaces that create a strong sense of community. Depending on the cozy mystery sub-type, you might also find recipes, ghosts, witches, literary references, or a little magic mixed into the investigation.

That is what makes the genre so much fun. The murder may start the mystery, but the characters, community, humor, and irresistible need to discover whodunnit often keep us turning the pages.

The OUABC cozy mystery recommendations

One of the best things about cozy mysteries is just how much variety there is within the genre. You can head to a Greek wedding, settle into a seaside hotel, wander through postwar Paris, investigate a retirement village, or follow a tea shop owner who is absolutely convinced she can solve a murder better than the police.

Naturally, we have opinions. Whether you already have a shelf dedicated to cozy mysteries or you are simply looking for your next clever whodunit, these are the books our OUABC team recommends adding to your TBR.

The cozy mystery reading ritual

A mystery month wouldn’t be complete without the perfect reading ritual. As you know, here at OUABC, we’re all about the details, and you can even choose your bookish products by genre. Our Mystery Collection is packed with everything you need to add a little extra intrigue to your next reading session. If mystery and thriller books are permanently taking over your TBR, our Mystery and Thriller Reader's Guide to OUABC Products has even more bookish finds waiting for you.

It’s time to set the scene! Snuggle up in your favorite spot with a warm and cozy blanket. Make something warm to drink in the What the Actual Plot Twist Mug. Because let’s be honest, is there any other reaction when the character you trusted for 200 pages suddenly becomes your number one suspect?

Next, add a little mystery to your surroundings. Fill our Book-Shaped Ceramic Vase with fresh flowers and pop it beside your reading chair. With its very appropriate title, The Case of the Vanishing Violets, it practically belongs at the scene of a fictional investigation.

Now it is time to become the detective. Cozy mysteries are famous for taking perfectly ordinary people and turning them into amateur sleuths, so why should the characters have all the fun? Keep our Detective Notebook beside you and jot down suspicious behavior, motives, clues, and your increasingly elaborate theories as you read. 

Every great detective definitely needs to look the part, and we have just what you need. Think of it as a little bit of mystery-inspired beauty! You just have to try our Weapon of Retribution Lipstick for a rather dramatic touch, or paint your nails with Cloaked in Black Nail Polish before settling in for an evening of suspicious characters and questionable alibis.

Then there is only one thing left to do: open your book and start investigating.

So, whether you are the kind of reader who suspects every friendly neighbor by chapter three or you have never picked up a cozy mystery before, consider this your invitation to put your detecting skills to the test. Pick your mystery, pour the tea, grab your notebook, and see if you can solve the case before your fictional sleuth does. Happy sleuthing from all of us at OUABC!

If you enjoyed this blog and would like to find out more about other genres, check out our How to Get Into Romantasy: A Beginner's Reading and Product Guide!