In books, the word “cozy” has traditionally been used to describe mysteries and even romances that do not contain language, overt violence, or sexual content. They are often character-driven, have a whimsical or idyllic setting and lower stakes.
If you've been to a bookstore this fall or winter, you may have noticed a table filled with cozy books like Joss Richard's. This time it's different or Thursday Murder Club Richard Osman.
These “cozy” stories are marketed as ideal for the fall and winter months, and have become increasingly popular in recent years.
While cozy mysteries and cozy romances are nothing new, the word “cozy” has become a descriptor for a number of other genres, from cozy fantasylike BookTok phenomenon Travis Baldry Legends and latteand an even more illogical combination, cozy horror movielike Silvia Moreno-Garcia Enchanting.
IN Legends and latteA humanoid monster called an orc leaves the battlefield and opens the city's first coffee shop.
IN EnchantingThree generations of women battle a terrifying and deadly witchcraft in the picturesque surroundings of a New England college town and the Mexican countryside.
CBC Books producer Lucy Mann said she loves the fact that “cozy” touches on different genres. Mann, a cozy book lover herself, says their appeal lies in escapism and comfort.
“I read books for different reasons—to learn, to escape, to be transported to other worlds,” she said.
“There’s nothing better than reading a book that feels like a warm hug.”
But how can a book, for example, about murder, be comforting? For some it's the atmosphere, tone and setting of the book, and for others it's where you read it.
“I think it's convenient if you're not the one getting killed,” joked Vancouver writer Iona Whishaw in an interview with CBC Books.
Cozy book continuum
Known for her bestselling The Lane Winslow Mysteries, Whishaw says she sees cozy books as existing on a continuum where readers can enjoy a good detective story without the more suspenseful elements of crime fiction.
“On the one hand they are very light, extremely character-driven books that take place in fictional cities and include recipes at the end, and on the other hand they are very literary, true crime novels with an atmospheric setting,” she says.
Her novels are somewhere in the middle. While their pages do not contain sex or graphic violence, they still address crime and difficult topics within a compassionate framework.
The books have a strong sense of place, endearing characters and a lighter tone, with moments of humor mixed in.
Whishaw says she's not going to write notes; rather, the stories she wants to write lead her in that direction.
In fact, a cozy group of readers who invited her to talk about her first novel once told her that her books weren't cozy enough.
“They wanted something further, on the other end, where everything was really sweet and there were recipes,” Whishaw said.
Therefore, she emphasizes a wide selection of cozy books.
“I don’t mind my book being called cozy, but I resist the idea that all cozy things are the same and can be put in one basket.”
Uptrend
Indigo's Rachel Lowe, who, among other things, helps oversee book classification and distribution in stores and online, said that while cozy books have always existed, it has definitely become a trend in recent years.
“It’s gotten big enough that we can start selling in the spring of 2024,” Lowe said.
This iteration of the cozy book trend began with Japanese and Korean cozy fictionand then, she says, it moved more broadly into the detective, romance and fantasy genres.
In-store sales of cozy books are up 110 percent, with romance and cozy coloring books the leading subgenres, she said.
Online searches including the word “cozy” on Indigo's website were also up 128 percent from last year, she said.
But as Whishaw explained, defining the “cozy” category isn't an exact science.
Some books, which feature cozy lists or tables, depart from the traditional understanding of the genre. For example, Laurie Gilmore. Pumpkin Spice Cafe, brings the signature small town romance, but doesn't shy away from the sex scenes.
For Lo and her team, deciding which books are convenient is a controversial subject.
“We often have conversations like, 'Is this book too dark to be cozy?' Discuss,” she said.
Next chapter with Antonio Michael Downing13:19The appeal of cozy books
The appeal of cozy books
Ultimately, Lowe says cozy books provide a distraction from the “tiresome” news cycle and remind us of the positive things happening in the world. She guesses that's why people like them so much.
“Reading the notes helps us remember that there are a lot of great things going on. People are doing so much good, but it's quiet and individual and maybe we don't notice it as much,” Lowe said.
“Immersion in comfort allows you to reconnect with the idea… [that] everyone is just trying to do the best they can and trying to do good in their own world with the people around them when they can.”
Mann has a similar opinion and notes that their current popularity is probably no coincidence.
“Cozy books have always had a place at the table, even before they became a subgenre in the publishing world,” she said. “I definitely appreciate them now more than ever, when our world outside of books seems especially chaotic and unsettling.”
