I think I’ve mentioned I love cozy mysteries, maybe one or two thousand times, but I love cozy mysteries. I read cozies. I write cozies. I even watch cozy mysteries on television. Yep, cozies on TV have been a rare treat when I can find them. But lately, it’s gotten easier for me to locate these delectable treats during my daily channel surfing exercises. In addition to my normal diet of Murder She Wrote reruns and PBS Masterpiece Mysteries like Sherlock, Poirot and Miss Marple (which I have seen hundreds of times and never tire of watching), the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel has added a new lineup of cozy mysteries. The Gourmet Detective, Murder She Baked, Garage Sale Mysteries and Real Murders are just a few of the newest additions.
The cozy mystery is a difficult concept to accept. Let’s face it, an amateur sleuth, be it an elderly spinster, baker, librarian or garage sale enthusiast is pushing the limits of believability. Can you really imagine your grandmother going around looking for clues, interrogating potential murderers, or working alongside the police to solve perplexing murders? My imagination doesn’t extend that far, and I’ve got a really active imagination. Besides that, shows like CSI, Forensic Files and Law and Order have shown us the gritty realities of murder and crime detecting. Twenty-first century mystery lovers have a lot more information than previous generations (God bless Google). Plus, I’m guessing their WTF barometer is set a lot lower than that of their parents and grandparents.
To Hallmark’s credit, these shows have first rate actors and actresses like Lori Loughlin, Candace Cameron Bure and Brooke Burns. Plus, several are television adaptations of books by highly successful mystery writers. The Real Murders: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery was written by Charlaine Harris. Murder She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery was written by Joanne Fluke. These are certainly no crime writing feather weights.
Book lovers are often disappointed when their beloved books are altered for movies and television. Things that work well on paper don’t always translate well onto the screen. Reluctantly, I’ve had to admit that I’m not in love with the new shows yet. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still watch them because, well…duh, they’re mysteries. But, the old classics will always have a prominent place in my heart and on my DVR. So, I recommend you don your deerstalker, put a plate of cookies by your side, pick up your knitting needles and turn on the Hallmark channel. These cozy mysteries might not be classics, but they will fill that empty spot in your soul that longs to figure out whodunit.