Cozy Mysteries

I’m going to be speaking about cozy mysteries at an upcoming meeting of the California Writers Club, San Fernando Valley chapter.

I’ve said that I will discuss topics relating to cozy mysteries including how to come up with a theme that people will love, how to murder people the cozy way, and how to have amateur sleuths solve the crimes in a manner that readers will enjoy.

I’m curious, though. I’d love to incorporate into my talk what other people say. If you’re reading our Killer Hobbies blog, you may well enjoy themes including handcrafts and other hobbies. Pets, too--even though I’ve always maintained they’re family members, not hobbies.

Do you choose to read a new cozy mystery series because of its underlying background, theme or setting? If so, what kinds of backgrounds, themes or settings appeal to you the most? If not, what do you look for?

Then there’s the plot. Do you have any favorite murder weapons or methods for cozies? And in what way do you think an author can best justify having a cozy mystery protagonist keep stumbling over dead bodies and outwitting the cops in solving the crime? Not every character focuses on that situation--although Kendra Ballantyne, my pet-sitting protagonist, is rather frustrated by the fact that she has become a murder magnet.

Is there anything else you’d like to hear about, if you happened to be listening to my talk? And, my fellow Killer Hobbyists, do you have any suggestions???