The term
cozy has been around for a while in the book business. Originally associated with crime fiction (the “cozy mystery”), it refers to a variety of mystery story where the tone is relatively light and the violence is kept off-page, as it were.
The cozy designation has expanded in recent years to other genres as well. While there’s no strict definition, the cross-genre cozy story usually means a minimum of on-page sex and swearing, a focus on plot and character development, and a preference for humor and the proverbial happy ending.
For today’s collection, we've waded into the stacks to find 81 (fairly) recent cozies in various genres: mystery, romance, fantasy, science fiction, romantasy, and even horror. (Yes, cozy horror can be done. And
artfully, too.) The
new Laura Lippman novel, for instance, is a classic cozy mystery, while
Julie Leong’s
The Teller of Small Fortunes is a good example of cozy fantasy. As an extra, we’ve included a bonus section on
cats and libraries, two of cozy’s coziest tropes.
Click on the cover art images for more information about each book. If you find any interesting leads, you can use the
Want to Read button to add the book to your digital shelf. Grab a blanket. Get comfortable.
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