A cozy mystery adjacent series may fall into one of two categories – either it is a mystery that gives off a cozy vibe when you see the main character (and in some cases, the supporting cast of characters) in their “regular” lives, but the series has elements that may exclude it from truly being considered a cozy mystery. These books may have graphic violence, on-page sex scenes, grisly crime scene details, or foul language which would “disqualify” them from being considered cozy mysteries.
The second category is series’ that are cozy but that do not include a mystery element. At the moment, I can only think of one or two series I’ve read that fall into this category, but there’s no telling when I might run into another one!
So, let’s dive right in with a series that I’ve been reading for awhile, and I am currently reading the thirteenth book in the series. This is the Bruno, Chief of Police series by Martin Walker.
This series features Benoit Courreges, Bruno to his friends. Bruno is the only policeman in a small French village in the Perigord region, and one of the things that makes this series feel cozy is Bruno’s relationships with the other villagers and how he approaches crime fighting. Bruno has a good understanding of human nature, and the reasons someone might commit a crime, and he prefers to work with his fellow villagers to find solutions to problems rather than simply arresting people.
Another thing that makes this series feel cozy is the descriptions of Bruno’s normal life. He lives in a restored shepherd’s cottage which sounds super cozy; he has no family, but throughout the series, he develops a found-family through his close friendships with some of his fellow villagers; he has a dog who goes everywhere with him; and his Saturday routine is one that sounds so wonderful it makes me want to run to France so I can do the same – he spends his morning having a coffee & croissant at a local cafe, then walking through the open-air market. Y’all… have you ever been to a French open-air market? They are absolutely wonderful! I was very fortunate that I was able to travel to France on a group trip when I was in college, and we had a chance to walk through one of these markets while we were there, and I think that was one of my favorite memories from the trip. I’m sure that sounds crazy – it was Paris, I was surrounded by ancient architecture, art, amazing food; but that market felt like the glue that held the neighborhood together and it was the only time that I felt a sense of community and connection between the people in any given place. Cities can be very isolating, but at the market, all were welcome.
You get the picture, yes? All of this feels very cozy, doesn’t it?
Despite these cozy details, though, this series is not a cozy mystery series. There is some swearing, some on-page sex, graphic detail of crime scenes, and there are often political aspects to the crimes that go beyond what you would find in a typical cozy mystery.
However, if you are someone who enjoys both thrillers and cozies, I think you will love the Bruno series. If you’ve read it, let me know in the comments what you think of it.
If you know other series that could be considered cozy mystery adjacent, please share those in the comments!
Melissa L. Freeman - Author 