Most cozies are set in small towns. Think Miss Marple's St. Mary Mead or Jessica Fletcher's Cabot Cove. Why? Well, because of the idea that everyone knows everyone else in a small town. Therefore, our amateur sleuth can use her knowledge of her neighbors to solve the crime.
And let's face it, New York gets enough ink. As does Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Paris, etc. Why not give small towns their due?
But why couldn't a cozy be set in a big city? Well, Cleo Coyle's coffee shop mysteries are set in New York. She confines the action mainly to Greenwich Village, and Clare does seem to know everyone in the vicinity of the shop.
Some of the historical cozies are set in New York or London. So it has been done, and rather successfully?
Do you have a preference for your cozies? Big city or rural village? Does it matter?
I once heard someone say (can't remember who...) that cities are just small communities strung together, so this makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI love how you're such a cozy expert--makes me want to delve in.
I like Fleur's comment.
ReplyDeleteMostly what bothers me is a small town that's based on a real town but goes by another name--when anyone familiar with the area would go: Why didn't you just call it _insert name of real small town_? As long as everything seems real and where it's supposed to be, I'm all for it. =)