Cozy mysteries (also referred to as cozies ), are a sub-genre of crime fiction in which sex and violence occur offstage, the detective is an amateur sleuth, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community. Cozies thus stand in contrast to hardboiled fiction , in which more violence and explicit sexuality are central to the plot. The term "cozy" was first coined in the late 20th century when various writers produced work in an attempt to re-create the Golden Age of Detective Fiction .
18-630: The Madame Blanc Mysteries is a cosy crime comedy drama television series, produced by Saffron Cherry Productions, which is broadcast on Channel 5 and Acorn TV . The series, written by and starring Sally Lindsay and Sue Vincent , concerns a Cheshire antiques dealer, Jean White, who helps solve an array of mysteries and deaths in the fictional village of Sainte Victoire in the South of France . The series premiered on 16 October 2021, and boasts Robin Askwith , Steve Edge and Sue Holderness amongst
36-476: A Nero Award for The Corpse in Oozak's Pond in 1987, which was also nominated for an Edgar Award . MacLeod began writing at 6 a.m. each day, continued through the morning, then used the afternoon for rewrites . She only started new books on Sundays. Although described as a "true lady" and often seen with hat and white gloves, while writing she would stay dressed in a bathrobe to avoid the temptation of leaving
54-622: A recurring character in Series 3. The series was officially announced in January 2021 under the title The Reluctant Madame Blanc with casting released later in the year. Although set in the South of France, the series was actually filmed in Gozo . Cozy mystery The detectives in such stories are nearly always amateurs, and are frequently women. Village policeman Hamish Macbeth , featured in
72-464: A series of novels by M. C. Beaton , is a notable exception. These characters are typically well educated and intuitive, and hold jobs that bring them into constant contact with other residents of their community and the surrounding region (e.g., caterer, innkeeper, librarian, teacher, dog trainer, shop owner, reporter). Like other amateur detectives, they typically have a contact on the police force who can give them access to important information about
90-520: A sleepy village in Cheshire , England, but own a cottage in the village of Sainte Victoire in the South of France . When Rory is killed in a car crash in Sainte Victoire, Jean realises all her assets have been pawned off, leaving her penniless. She then travels to France to unravel the mystery of her husband's death, his missing valuable ring, and the identity of the woman with whom her husband
108-408: A small town, and a focus on a hobby or occupation are characteristic elements of cozy mysteries, the boundaries of the subgenre remain vague. The radio adaptations of A Charles Paris Mystery have been characterised as "cosy crime". Charlotte MacLeod Charlotte MacLeod (November 12, 1922 – January 14, 2005) was a Canadian-American mystery fiction writer. Charlotte Matilda MacLeod
126-504: A stock company of eccentrics , among whom the detective stands out as the most, perhaps only, truly sane person. One subtle joke in such series is how the main character constantly becomes embroiled in so many high-profile cases, often by accident. A long-running joke about the series Murder, She Wrote was how the main character/detective (Jessica Fletcher) had to be the actual murderer in every case, because, "No matter where she goes, somebody dies!" Cozy mysteries do not employ any but
144-429: A town, village, or other community small (or otherwise insular) enough to make it believable that all the principal characters know, and may well have long-standing social relationships with, each other. The amateur detective is usually a gregarious, well-liked individual who is able to get the community members to talk freely about each other. There is usually at least one very knowledgeable, nosy, yet reliable character in
162-605: The pen name Alisa Craig. MacLeod tailored her books to fit into the cozy mystery genre, i.e. avoiding too much violence, gore, or sex while featuring a humorous and literate-yet-light style, likable protagonists , and eccentric casts of secondary characters . Her work sold over one million copies in the United States as well as Canada and Japan. MacLeod was co-founder of the American Crime Writers League and served as president. She received
180-649: The book who is intimately familiar with the personal history and interrelationships of everyone in the town, and whose ability to fill in the blanks of the puzzle enables the amateur detective to solve the case. Cozy mystery series frequently have a prominent thematic element introduced by the detective's job, pet or hobby. Diane Mott Davidson 's cozies, for example, revolve around cooking, Parnell Hall 's around crossword puzzles, and Charlotte MacLeod 's "Sarah Kelling" series around art. Other series focus on topics including fishing, golfing, hiking, fashion, antiques, and interior decoration. Cat-lovers are well represented among
198-400: The case at hand, but the contact is typically a spouse, lover, friend, or family member rather than a former colleague. Dismissed by the authorities in general as nosy busybodies, particularly if they are middle-aged or elderly women, the detectives in cozy mysteries are thus left free to eavesdrop, gather clues, and use their native intelligence and intuitive "feel" for the social dynamics of
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#1732797745813216-770: The community to solve the crime. The murderers in cozies are typically neither psychopaths nor serial killers, and, once unmasked, are usually taken into custody without violence. They are generally members of the community where the murder occurs and able to hide in plain sight, and their motives— greed , jealousy , revenge —are often rooted in events years, or even generations, old. The murderers are typically rational and often highly articulate, enabling them to explain, or elaborate on, their motives after their unmasking. The supporting characters in cozy mysteries are often very broadly drawn and used as comic relief. The accumulation of such characters in long-running cozy mystery series, such as those of Charlotte MacLeod , frequently creates
234-546: The level of vice president ; she retired in 1982. While continuing to work at the advertising company during the day, MacLeod began writing mystery fiction, eventually publishing over 30 novels. Many of her books are set in New England , including a series featuring university professor Peter Shandy, and another about Beacon Hill couple Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn. Other mysteries, set in Canada, were published under
252-442: The mildest profanity . The murders take place off stage, frequently involving relatively bloodless methods such as poisoning and falls from great heights. The wounds inflicted on the victim are never dwelt on and are seldom used as clues. Sexual activity, even between married characters, is only ever gently implied and never directly addressed, and the subject is frequently avoided altogether. The cozy mystery usually takes place in
270-401: The ranks of cozy-mystery detectives, notably in the work of Lilian Jackson Braun and Rita Mae Brown ; herbalists appear frequently (of whom the best known is Ellis Peters ' medieval sleuth Brother Cadfael ). There are also cozy mystery series with themes of Christmas, Easter, and other holidays. While de-emphasis on sex and violence, emphasis on puzzle-solving over suspense, the setting of
288-455: The supporting cast. Following broadcast, the series became one of the most popular new shows on Channel 5, with episodes averaging around 2.5 million viewers. The first series was also released on DVD on 13 December 2021. The series' signature theme, "Passing Through", was written specifically for the show by Lindsay's husband Steve White . Successful antiques dealer husband and wife Jean and Rory White ( Sally Lindsay and Peter Gaynor) live in
306-584: Was born in 1922 in Bath , New Brunswick , Canada, but emigrated to the United States in 1923 and became a naturalized US citizen in 1951. She attended the Art Institute of Boston . During the late 1940s and early 1950s, she worked as a copywriter for Stop & Shop Supermarkets in Boston . She eventually moved on to join the staff of N. H. Miller & Company, an advertising agency , where she rose to
324-416: Was having an affair; solving other mysteries along the way with the help of local taxi driver Dom ( Steve Edge ), local chateau owners Judith and Jeremy ( Sue Holderness and Robin Askwith ) and the local Chief of Police, Caron ( Alex Gaumond ). Each episode features its own individual mystery; and several guest stars, such as Paul O'Grady and Les Dennis appearing in one-off roles and Tony Robinson as
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