Is my book a cozy mystery? That’s a question I hear often in writer groups as authors try to figure out which categories to select for their books at the online bookstores. However, I think it’s the wrong question.

A better question to ask is: Will cozy readers like my book? 

It’s a mindset shift. Instead of thinking about the book, think about the reader. 

Good category placement means the book is a perfect match with what the readers of that category want. Giving readers what they want is one part of an engine that fuels discoverability. This is particularly true on Amazon. 

You list your cozy book in the Cozy category. A cozy reader buys it and reads it. The reader loves it and looks for more of your books. If this happens again and again with many readers, the algorithms notice and begin recommending your books to other readers with similar purchasing habits (i.e. similar tastes and reading preferences).

So you can see that if you get the category right, you’re setting yourself up for success. But how can you know if you book will make cozy readers happy? You have to know their expectations, what they want when they pick up a cozy. 

Let’s delve into a short How to Tell if Your Book is a Cozy Checklist you can run your book through to see if it will appeal to a broad range of cozy readers. 

Does your book have a dead body? 

Most cozy readers expect a murder. Murder raises the stakes for the killer as well as for the sleuth—especially if the sleuth (or someone she cares about) is accused of the murder, which makes for a compelling read. Is a murder a requirement? No, not at all. Some books in the cozy mystery category don’t have a dead body, but if you want to appeal to the widest range of possible cozy readers, then a mystery that revolves around a murder is the way to do it.  

Is the main story question whodunnit? 

The murder propels the story and readers want to have all the clues and suspects so they can try and figure out who the murderer is. Of course there are other storylines, but they are subplots, not the main focus of the story. You might have a subplots about the protagonist’s love life or career or family, but these are less important than the main story question of who’s guilty of murder. 

Is the tone light? 

Cozy readers don’t want a dark and gritty book. They want light and fun. Cussing, gore, and sex are limited—very limited.

Is it a series? 

There aren’t many stand-alone cozies. In fact, I can’t think of any. Comment below if you know of a stand-alone cozy. Cozy readers love following the protagonist and her friends and family from book to book. If your book is a single self-contained story and doesn’t have the potential for continuing books, then it might do better in another category. Family and friendships are popular themes in cozies. Readers feel like they’re returning to visit with old friends with each book and enjoy tracing how the secondary characters lives develop as various subplots play out over the series.

So there you are, four quick questions to help you figure out if cozy readers will enjoy your book. 

Part I of this series looked at why there’s so much confusion around the definition of the cozy genre. Part III will look at why cozies are so popular.  

Want more info on cozy mysteries? Check out my How to Outline a Cozy Mystery course.