Several others were fun favorites I just didn’t even consider. I think hour-long cozies and dramas spring to mind first when I think of mystery shows. Thankfully, my hubs reminded me of the more fun and funny sides to mystery. Now I can correct the unjust omission of OMITB, Castle, and also Dead to Me. (I did remember that one before, but didn’t have time and space to squeeze it in.) Read on for a more nostalgic and comedic list of my favorites.

Only Murders in the Building

Location: Manhattan, New York City 

Original or Adaptation: Original 

Premise of Show: Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin star as Mabel Mora, Oliver Putnam, and Charles Haden Savage. The unlikely trio bond over their favorite true crime podcast All Is Not Ok In Oklahoma. When neighbor Tim Kono is found shot to death in their own building, the Arconia, their curiosity proves irresistible. They decide to solve the murder and record a podcast called Only Murders in the Building as they go along. As they bond and find clues, they also realize they are all keeping secrets. And some relate to the case. 

Verdict: I can’t believe this was one of the mystery shows I left off the first list. Seriously, I can’t. Only Murders is a delight on every level. The design, the actors, the dialogue, and the plots all merge into a smart, hilarious, addictive show. It can be confusing and plays a bit fast and loose with the “rules” of detective fiction. (I’m not sure it’s actually possible for audience members to figure out the solution before our intrepid trio do.) But it’s so well done you just don’t care. You are desperate to know the answers, you discuss it endlessly, and you keep watching.

Castle 

Location: Manhattan, New York City

Original or Adaptation: Original (Although books written by “Richard Castle” and inspired by the show now exist.)

Premise of show: Best-selling mystery writer Richard Castle is interviewed by the NYPD about a series of murders that copy ones in his books. While there, Detective Kate Beckett catches his eye and inspires a new series character, Nikki Heat. Through his friend the mayor, Castle gets permission to observe police officers as research. He shadows Det. Beckett and they discover they work well together.

Most of the episodes feel like a romantic caper with the inevitable sexual tension between Castle and Beckett and the lighthearted tone. However, there are several story arcs, including the mystery of Beckett’s mother’s murder, that add drama and depth. There is also a fun recurring Easter egg concerning Castle’s poker buddies, who are all real-life mystery writers – Stephen J. Cannell, Dennis Lehane, James Patterson, and Michael Connelly. 

Verdict: The plots, writing, and acting are great. The supporting cast gives strong performances and all capably handle both comedy and drama. My husband and I actually stayed up until 1 am catching up on it sometimes, even though we had a baby waking us up early the next morning. Once we caught up, Monday nights became all about red wine and Castle after the kiddo went to bed. I miss that. 

Mystery Woman

Location: California, United States

Original or Adaptation: Original

Premise: This is a series of TV movies rather than a TV series, but I watched them every single time they came on Hallmark back when we had cable, so they must go on my favorites list. Kellie Martin plays Samantha Kinsey, proprietor of the Mystery Woman bookstore. She inherited it from her uncle, who called it Mystery Man during his time running it.

Samantha, her old friend Philby (who definitely was never a spy and is played by the late Clarence Williams III of The Mod Squad), and her lawyer best friend Cassie, encounter many mysteries beyond the shelves and ably solve all. But not without some danger along the way. 

Verdict: Do I know these are implausible and cheesy? Yes. Do I care? No. Implausible and cheesy is a legitimate subtype of an amateur detective story. These mystery shows are delightful, re-watchable, and comforting. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I’d probably go with either Game Time or Mystery Weekend.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! 

Location: All over the US

Original or Adaptation: Original

Premise of Show: Scooby-Doo is a Great Dane who travels the country in a van called The Mystery Machine with his owner Shaggy and friends Fred, Daphne, and Velma. While there have been many iterations of Scooby since the show premiered in 1969, the basic formula stayed much the same. 

Scooby and the gang travel to a new place, someone tells them about something spooky nearby and the practical ones (Fred, Daphne, and Velma) vow to find a logical explanation and unmask the villain while Scooby and Shaggy shake with fear and eat huge sandwiches. They always solve the case and the criminal always grouses that he/she/they could have gotten away with it if it weren’t for those pesky kids! 

Verdict: This is one of the first mystery shows I ever loved. I still enjoy it. I remember watching it with my brother on my grandparents’ old TV, that was built into a console with sliding doors. From the goofy theme song to the triumph of the “pesky kids” we were always riveted. We weren’t alone. 

New Scooby movies continue to be made and several new incarnations of the show appeared after the original ended. (Including the Saturday morning prequel A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, which my brother and I also enjoyed.) There have been two live-action movies and pop culture references galore, one of the most famous being the dubbing of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her friends as the Scooby gang or Scoobies. Scooby just makes you smile. I wish I could rub his belly and give him a Scooby snack. (By the way, they make a version of those for people and they are so good.)

Dead to Me

Location: Laguna Beach, California, USA

Original or Adaptation: Original

Premise of Show: Jen Harding just lost her husband and is struggling to process her loss and raise her two sons as they grieve. She befriends Judy Hale at a group for people who have lost their partners. They become best friends very quickly. Jen even invites Judy to live in her guest house. But they both have secrets, which put their friendship and their lives in danger. 

Verdict: This is one of the mystery shows that hooked me and my husband immediately. We struggled to watch just one episode and our resolve crumbled most of the time. We even tried orange wine because of this show. (It’s pretty good.) Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini are a dynamite acting duo and the supporting cast is superb, including James Marsden, Diana Maria-Riva, Suzy Nakamura, Natalie Morales, and the late Ed Asner.

Search Party 

Location: New York City, parts of New England, a few episodes in Quebec 

Premise of Show: This is one of those mystery shows that resists encapsulation, but I’ll give it my best shot. It starts as an amateur detective dark comedy/thriller. Dory Sief sees a notice that college friend Chantal is missing. She tells her group of friends: boyfriend Drew and friends Portia and Elliott. They feign concern and then go back to their brunch discussion. Dory can’t stop thinking about it. She begins to investigate, running into and teaming up with a PI. Her friends try to tell her she’s out of control, but they get sucked in, too, leading to a big mess rather than resolution at the end of the first season. 

Verdict: Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) mesmerizes as Dory. Her character arc is huge, but she handles it masterfully, inhabiting every emotion and mental state completely. The rest of the cast were unknown to me before, but proved excellent. Meredith Hagner as Portia stands out. She is funny and clueless, at times even heartbreaking. 

The subsequent seasons, particularly three, four, and the fifth and final one, seem like completely different show genres. This mystery show starts as a thrilling mystery comedy and eventually morphs into a thrilling apocalyptic comedy. That may sound like an impossible leap, but the show makes it a completely natural progression for these characters in this world.

Brooklyn 9-9

Location: Brooklyn, New York City

Original or Adaptation: Original

Premise of Show: Now for something a little different. Brooklyn 9-9 was a half hour comedy on Fox and later on NBC. Many might not first think of it as a mystery show, but as an excellent sitcom starring Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Terry Crews, Chelsea Peretti, Joe Lo Truglio, Melissa Fumero, and Stephanie Beatriz. However, it’s set in the (fictional) 99th precinct of the NYPD in Brooklyn. 

Each episode shows them solving crimes while negotiating friendships and romantic relationships both in and out of the precinct. Being detectives, the job becomes time-consuming and absorbing at times, overshadowing and even jeopardizing their romantic relationships. 

Verdict: It is hilarious. The officers and criminals often act like goofballs, but there are moments of danger. These funny cops take their cases seriously and are good at the job they love. There are some recurring criminals like the Pontiac Bandit (I can’t tell you who plays him, because spoilers, but he is one of my favorites and so funny.), but most mysteries are wrapped up in one episode. The characters and the job itself are what you take with you from this show. 

I don’t usually do this, but I have two honorable mentions — After Party and Queens of Mystery. I didn’t have space to include them, and they aren’t enough for another column, but they are great. 

After Party involves a murder of a famous alumnus at a party he throws after his high school reunion. Queens of Mystery is about a detective who returns to the small town she was raised in by her three aunts after her mother died. Her aunts all write mystery novels and can’t help poking their noses into her cases. Of course, there is a mysterious backstory concerning her mother’s death.

If you love mystery shows like I do, it’s pure paradise on TV these days, so go forth and enjoy! Let me know what you watch!

Sara Farmer lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, three kids, and two cats. When she’s not chasing kids and cats, she reads and writes mysteries. You can find her at www.kittymomma.com and on Twitter @avonlea79.

The post Cozy to Cold-Blooded: Mystery Shows 2 appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter, especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for June is Young Adult, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode Michele Scott and I discuss:

• Why you need to be prepared to figure out a way to make it happen with your writing.
• Common characteristics of cozy mysteries and what keep readers coming back.
• How she uses outlines and character sketches without getting bogged down.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Michele Scott

Michele Scott is an American author and the CEO/owner of equestrian sports medicine company Professional’s Choice, Inc. She has written over forty novels in various genres including thrillers, mysteries, young adult mysteries, fantasy, and women’s fiction. Her thriller Daddy’s Home from her Holly Jennings’ series written under her pen name of AK Alexander has sold over one million copies and was the #1 bestselling book in the UK Amazon. Her thriller Mommy, May I? and was number 2 on the Amazon list.

Michele’s bestselling mystery series (The Wine Lover’s Mysteries) has gone into multiple printings and has been optioned by a Los Angeles based producer and production company.

Michele is a lifelong equestrian, having horses since she was five-years-old. If you don’t find her at her desk writing, you’re sure to find her at the barn!

You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Murder Uncorked: A Nikki Sands Mystery (A Wine Lover’s Mystery Book 1) 

When an entitled customer with a bad attitude gets Nikki fired from her job as a waitress, Nikki Sands finds herself caught in the sights of the wealthy and incredibly sexy Derek Malveaux. Impressed by her knowledge of wines – and embarrassed by his date – he offers her a job as a winery manager at his vineyard and she accepts because – well, a girl’s gotta eat. Where else would her wine expertise come in handy anyway? The eye candy was a nice bonus too.

On her first night at Malveaux Estate, Nikki finds something wrong with the fertilizer around the bushes by her cottage: there’s a dead body in it.

Smack in the middle of the investigation, new girl Nikki is questioned as the prime suspect and told to stay put in Napa Valley. Nikki puts her sleuthing skills to work as she navigates the dramatic dynamic of Malveaux Estate’s residents. As she gets closer to the truth, Nikki realizes she will have more than just a new job to worry about.

Murder Uncorked is the first book in the completed Wine Lover’s Mystery series. Uncork a bottle, pour yourself a glass of Nikki Sands, and get cozy this weekend.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link where, if you choose to purchase via the link, DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 415

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 415: Cozy Mystery as a Series, a Subgenre, and a Touchpoint of Joy – Interview with Michele Scott appeared first on DIY MFA.

It turned out I had a much longer list of auto-buys than I thought. I ended up dividing it into series and authors. You get part 1 of my auto-buy series today. You will get part 2 in a couple of weeks and the authors another time and will probably be surprised at the different types of books.

Here are some of my auto-buy series:

The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series by Vicki Delany 

Premise: Transplanted Londoner Gemma Doyle (no relation to Sir Arthur) partially owns and runs the Sherlock Bookshop and Emporium at 222 Baker St. in West London, Massachusetts. Her globe-trotting Uncle Arthur is her co-owner in that business as well as the one next door Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, run by Gemma’s best friend Jayne, who has a stake in the Tea Room along with Gemma and Arthur.  But like Cabot Cove, West London has more than its fair share of murders and Gemma is there to help the police, sometimes under protest. 

No. in Series: 7

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Sherlock Easter eggs and references abound. The store cat named Moriarty is probably my favorite one. The main character, Gemma, is intelligent, fun, and struggles with relationships somewhat due to neurodiversity. I sympathize with that and always appreciate seeing neurodiversity in books. Plus, this falls firmly in the cozy category, despite having a bit of bite to it, and returning to the world of a well-loved cozy is comforting. 

Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas

Premise: In this intriguing and complex series, Charlotte Holmes takes unusual steps to avoid being married off. She doesn’t quite reckon with the consequences, but luckily finds her Watson, a Mrs. Watson in her case. Together, they set up Charlotte’s “brother,” Sherlock Holmes, as a detective. But he is ill and unable to receive visitors, so Charlotte acts as “intermediary.” 

No. in the series: 6

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Thomas is an award-winning romance writer and you can see why when a romance develops for Charlotte. Also, the series is an ingenious reimagining of the Sherlock stories, but very much its own creation. The world is rich with beautiful descriptions and imagery, the dialogue witty, and the mysteries twisty. Each book has its own mystery while continuing the overarching saga of the truly chilling Moriarty, whose fiendish plot gradually infiltrates Charlotte’s life and threatens those she loves. 

Maggie Hope series by Susan Elia MacNeal 

Premise: British-born, American-raised Maggie finds herself in London at the beginning of World War II. Her grandmother has died and she moves into her old Victorian house while settling the estate. She discovers that she likes life in London and finds roommates to live with her in the house. She also finds a job at No. 10 as a typist through her friend David. Maggie, however, studied mathematics at MIT and soon discovers a coded message in a newspaper. After that, her life is never the same. 

No. in the series: 10

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Where do I begin? The meticulous without being overpowering historical detail? The intelligent, kick-ass main character? The well-plotted mysteries with WWII as the backdrop? Exciting, tension-filled denouements? You also get to learn about the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a team of undercover saboteurs Churchill sent to “set Europe ablaze!” 

Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear

Premise: After serving as a nurse in WWI, Maisie Dobbs turns to private investigation to support herself. Maisie has had both great luck and great pain in her life. She lost her mother and had to go out to service when she was a young teen. But her employer Lady Rowan Compton discovered her secretly reading books in the library at night and saw her potential, becoming her patron and friend. She hired Maisie’s tutor, Maurice Blanche, and paid for her college education. 

No. in the series: 17, plus one companion book

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Maisie is brilliant, kind, and empathetic, but unflinching about duty and responsibility. She has suffered and moves forward so bravely and determinedly. These books also really bring home the reality of the inter-war years in Britain. For instance, the treatment of the soldiers who came back with PTSD (known then as shell shock) and visible injuries was atrocious, with people anxious to hide away these living reminders of the war’s devastation. The two wars tend to overshadow this time and I never paid much attention to it before, but it is fascinating, heartrending, inspiring, and important. That, combined with Maisie’s epic journey, leaves me riveted every time. 

Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn

Premise: Veronica Speedwell is anything but the stereotypical Victorian lady. A spinster by choice and happy that way, she regularly takes lovers to satisfy what she considers to be natural needs. She is a scientist, a lepidopterist who travels the world studying butterflies. But her world is rocked when her aunt (who raised her) dies and a stranger attempts to kidnap her after the funeral. 

While on the run, Veronica takes refuge in a warehouse, the home of Stoker, a taxidermy artist and erstwhile gentleman. Sparks fly, but the forces pursuing Veronica haven’t given up. If they have any say in it, Veronica won’t live to see if she and Stoker will ever be anything but contentious allies. 

No. in the series: 6 (The next is due 2/15/22.)

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Veronica is a fascinating character with verve and courage to spare. The chemistry between her and Stoker sizzles, but doesn’t dominate the narrative. It adds to it in my opinion. As the series progresses, each book has its individual mystery with an overarching storyline about Veronica’s past and her identity. Reading these books is fun and absorbing. The pages fly by. 

Lady Hardcastle series by T.E. Kinsey 

Premise: Lady Emily Hardcastle and her companion and housekeeper Florence “Flo” Armstrong have decamped from London for a quiet life in the country. In fact, that’s the title of the first book. They retired from a mysterious career, the details of which come out over the run of the series. But Flo knows martial arts and Lady Hardcastle readily begins to investigate when a body is discovered in the woods near their new home. There is definitely more to these two ladies than meets the eye. 

No. in the series: 7, plus one novella (The next is due 6/7/22.) 

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: The relationship between Lady Hardcastle and Flo is an absolute joy. They tease and joke and seem much more like friends or even sisters than employer and employee. Their back and forth banter and seamless teamwork in dangerous situations is balanced by an obvious affection and deep bond between the two. 

The setting also has that charm peculiar to fictional English villages at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries. Like any good mystery series, that charm overlays a network of relationships and resentments sometimes going back generations. 

Perveen Mistry series by Sujata Massey

Premise: Perveen is based on the first woman lawyer in India. She works for her father’s law firm in Bombay and at first seems to be a spinster. But as her story unfolds through flashbacks, we discover her painful past and the risks it still poses to her happiness and independence. We also see her frustration at society’s reluctance to accept a female lawyer and her delight when she finds a niche helping women in purdah, who don’t leave their home or see strange men. The excitement and the mysteries start rolling from there. 

No. in the series: 3

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: I haven’t gotten to the third book yet, but it is next on my TBR. If it’s anything like the first two installments, it will be exciting and packed with fascinating details of 1920s India. The setting and characters in these books are so richly drawn and they navigate well-plotted narratives. I also loved exploring the social, political, and religious environment of the period. It was a whole aspect of the 1920s and the world that I never knew about before and I can’t get enough. 

Myrtle Hardcastle series by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Premise: Myrtle Hardcastle is a young girl living with her father and her governess, Miss Judson, in Victorian England. She loves science and is fascinated by crime. Starting with the first book, she gets plenty of opportunities to investigate the world around her. 

No. in the series: 3

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Myrtle is one of my very favorite characters. She despises the rules for Young Ladies of Quality (her capitals!) and is desperate to dig into every crime that occurs around her. These books are witty, funny, and have elements of a cozy feel with the comfort evoked by Myrtle’s lovely home and relationships with her father and governess. 

Miss Judson is an intriguing character, being a woman of color from French Guiana, living in England with an upper crust white family during the Victorian era. She is well educated and proper, but holds her own with Myrtle’s father and relishes investigating with Myrtle, despite her initial protestations. She is wistful for her home at times, but loves Myrtle (and perhaps Myrtle’s father) fiercely.

These mysteries are adult caliber, despite being written to be appropriate for children. They strongly remind me of Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce (another favorite series that is sadly now defunct). The plots, Myrtle’s arch narration, the dialogue, and the characters are all top notch. 

Tell us in the comments: Do you have any auto-buy series?

Sara Farmer lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, three kids, and two cats. When she’s not chasing kids and cats, she reads and writes mysteries. You can find her at www.kittymomma.com and on Twitter @avonlea79.

The post Cozy to Cold-Blooded: My Auto-Buy Series, Part 1 appeared first on DIY MFA.

A Writer’s Holiday Survival Guide by Bess (Cozby) McAllister

This two-part guide is all about being able to celebrate the holidays without “losing your writing muscles, your friends, or your life.” This advice still holds up today! There is so much going on in late December, so many people to see, things to wrap up, and so on that sometimes it’s easy to skip out on your writing time. This guide has advice on scaling back, carving out a little bit of time, and writing on the go—whatever works for you. Part 1 is linked above and here is part 2.

Flash Fiction as Holiday Therapy by Alicia Audrey

Whether you spend time this season with family or friends, the holidays are ripe for awkward situations and interesting drama. Use it! The great benefit of flash fiction is that it is manageable to write in a single sitting. This post helps you turn situations into stories. Even better? Alicia includes an example of a piece written from her own awkward holiday gathering.

#5onFri: Five of Winter’s Gifts to Every Writer by Stephanie Lucas Basile

Sometimes winter gets a bad rap. And I say this as a person who doesn’t do cold and who gets extremely anxious about it getting dark at 4:30 every afternoon for months on end. The point is we CAN find some good things about winter that can help us get to writing. This #5onFri elaborates on some of the “gifts” of the season and how they can translate into inspiration for our writing.

Why You Should Review Your Writing Year by Gabriela Pereira

While writing isn’t bound by a single calendar year, the calendar year makes a neat container for goals and marking progress. Thus, the end of the year makes a great time to stop and reflect on the goals you’ve set for yourself, how they went well, and what could have gone better, so that you can set new (and better) goals for the next year. In this post, Gabriela poses some reflection questions about where your writing journey has taken you and what you’ve learned and offers some guidelines for setting new goals in the future.

Episode 22: Five Lessons About Writing and Life (From Santa Claus)

This is a throwback to an early, early episode of the podcast. Gabriela does a solo show here where she talks about the Santa Claus story, why he is the master of creative motivation, and what we can learn from him about the creative process. She shares five lessons about creativity, writing, and life and a couple of important things to remember if you wind up getting coal. Don’t have time to listen to the full podcast? You can check out this post that shares (and expands upon) the same lessons.

Episode 285: Character-Driven Holiday Romance — Interview with Sarah Morgan

In this episode of DIY MFA Radio, Gabriela interviews Sarah Morgan, bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. It highlights her 2019 release, A Wedding in December. In the interview, Gabriela and Sarah discuss what makes holiday romances so popular, how to navigate stories where a HEA (happily ever after) ending is guaranteed, developing an authentic setting, and so much more.

Cozy Mysteries and the Holidays by Stacy Woodson

There’s just something about the height of winter that makes you want to curl up under a blanket with a book and a hot drink and get cozy (this is literally the only benefit to the cold and darkness, in my opinion). This post is a great introduction to cozy mysteries as a genre, including common elements within the genre, where to find cozy mysteries, and why they are so perfect to read during the holiday season.

Seven Cozy Poems of Winter by Angela Yeh

Continuing our theme of getting cozy, poetry reading columnist and Community Welcome Dragon Angela Yeh wrote this post with the best snow-themed poems. In it, she talks about the magic of winter and getting cozy to help you prepare for the experience of reading about the beauty and stillness of a snow-covered world.

However you use this holiday-themed round-up, we hope you have a happy holiday season!

Lori Walker is the Operations Maven at DIY MFA. Though she’s fallen off the wagon as a writer, she’s hoping to return to writing essays (perhaps even a novel!) through her involvement with DIY MFA. She is also Launch Manager, Web Editor, and Podcast Producer for DIY MFA and a Book Coach. She resides in Smalltown, Oklahoma, with her husband and their cat, Joan Didion. You can follow her on Instagram at @LoriTheWriter.

The post Holiday Themed Round-Up appeared first on DIY MFA.

Codi and I talked about spoiling pets (both fictional and non), Vikings, and what Bijou might be up to next. 

About Codi Schneider

Codi Schneider is the author of the debut cozy cat mystery: COLD SNAP. She was raised in the snowy mountains of Colorado on a steady diet of books. Schneider is a mystery-loving animal enthusiast who, when not writing, can be found traveling the world on horseback. She lives in Denver with her husband, two horses, and a cat who is not a Viking but a lover of REM sleep. 

You can find Codi on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Cold Snap

Tucked in the cold Colorado mountains lies the remote village of Gray Birch, a place where outsiders are frowned upon. In this village lives a cat named Bijou. But she’s no ordinary house cat; her ancestors were mousers on Viking longships, and their blood runs through her veins. Since her battle skills are hardly needed in this modern age, however, she spends her energies running the Fox Burrow Pet Inn with her human, Spencer, and her assistant, Skunk, a mentally negligible Pomeranian. Together, the happy trio has created a safe haven for their four-legged guests.

But when Eddy Line, a handsome baker from California, comes to the inn—along with his piglet and pit bull puppy—everything changes. Spencer falls for Eddy, Bijou is unhappy with the sudden changes to her clan, and the townspeople are anything but welcoming; in fact, threats are made against Eddy when he buys the town’s historic firehouse in order to open a bakery.

Then a shocking murder/dognapping occurs on the night of the bakery’s grand opening, and Bijou finds herself thrust into a tangled mystery. To solve it, she will have to summon her inner Viking—and fight tooth and claw for her new clan.

Interview with Codi Schneider

Sara Farmer: Bijou’s obsession with her Viking cat heritage is a unique touch. How did you come up with this idea? 

Codi Schneider: It all started when I read an article about real-life Viking cats. I knew immediately I wanted to base a character on one. These brave felines really did sail the world in longships, working as mousers for their human counterparts. Once the initial idea had cemented, it only seemed natural for Bijou to really cling to it as her key identity—only to figure out she didn’t know as much about being a Viking as she’d once thought. I’m definitely no expert on Viking lore, so it was a fun project to research.  

Sara: Bijou’s modes of expression and her humor are delightful. Verbs like a dog “pogo sticking” around a human’s legs are not the sort of thing you hear (or read) every day. Do you think you would use similar expressions if the narrator was human? Or do you feel these express a uniquely feline view of the world? 

Codi: Honestly, I’ve always been delighted by a unique “turn of phrase” as Dumbledore says. While Bijou’s voice is entirely her own, I really enjoy getting creative with my prose in general, including with some of my human characters. I suppose it’s just my oddball sense of humor showing itself. However, with Bijou being her wonderful feline self, I really felt like I could flex these expressions liberally—which made for some fun writing sessions.     

Sara: Do you read other types of cozies or mysteries? What are your favorites?  

Codi: While I’m a huge mystery fan, I had only read a couple of cozies before writing Cold Snap. Since then, I’ve definitely fallen in love with the amateur sleuth characters and small town quirks that cozies provide. Some of my favorite mysteries (cozy and not-so-cozy) are: Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, the Jeeves series by P.G. Wodehouse, Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie, The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. 

Sara: How long did it take you to write your first book? Do you have drawer novels?

Codi: I have two drawer novels and writing them taught me so much, including how to handle rejection, ignite my inner berserker, and keep going. Cold Snap took me about two years to write and the differences between draft one and draft eight (the final before querying) are pretty considerable.   

Sara: All of your character names seem very carefully chosen. Why were some obviously connected to the character’s profession or position in the community and some more subtle? For example, the police lieutenant named Lou Tennant and the character of Demelza Corn, who thinks she runs the town from her fancy house on the hill. (Demelza means “fort on a hill”, according to Google.)

Codi: You’re right, I did spend quite a bit of time choosing my character names! Some were tied to their professions or hobbies and some were more subtle. In the end, I chose the names I liked the best for how I pictured each character. It was pretty much just happenstance which ones were obvious and which ones were subtle.  

Sara: Can you give us any hints as to Bijou’s next adventure?

Codi: I’m in the process of concocting Bijou’s next adventure and while at times I feel like a supreme god, Bijou has a way of making her own decisions and then rapping my knuckles with them. That said, there will be horses in the next adventure. Possibly seventeen.     

Sara: I’m very curious about the nightcaps served to the guests at Spencer’s inn—catbernet, kittendel. What kind of drinks are those exactly?

Codi: These are actual drinks formulated for pets! Several companies, like Pet Winery, make beverages for dogs and cats (non-alcoholic, of course). The cat wine is made from catnip and salmon oil. The names of these wines are a play on human wines—catbernet, purrgundy, meowsling. I found them highly amusing, and when I bought some for my cat, I knew immediately that I had to incorporate them into my book.

Sara Farmer lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, three kids, and two cats. When she’s not chasing kids and cats, she reads and writes mysteries. You can find her at www.kittymomma.com and on Twitter @avonlea79.

The post Interview with Codi Schneider appeared first on DIY MFA.

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie, the bestselling author ever with sales of over 2 billion books, disappeared for eleven days in 1926. On December 3, she kissed her daughter Rosalind good night, then left her in the care of her nanny. The next morning Christie’s car was found abandoned near a lake: empty with headlights blazing. 

Shortly before these events, she learned of her husband Archie’s affair and his wish to divorce. After a nationwide search and media frenzy, (including fellow mystery authors Arthur Conan Doyle and Dorothy Sayers), she surfaced in a spa in Harrogate claiming no memory of where she had been and why. She never spoke about this subsequently and did not include the incident in either of her autobiographies. The two most popular theories are amnesia from a car crash and a fugue state brought on by stress. Although several authors concocted reconstructions of her missing days and motivation, the truth is still unknown.

Ann Rule

Ann Rule, the true crime writer credited with reinventing the genre, is best known for The Stranger Beside Me, the story of her friendship with a co-volunteer at a suicide hotline. His name was Ted Bundy. 

At the time, Rule, a former cop turned crime reporter, adored Bundy. But she was investigating the murders of young women in the area and found out one witness heard the killer referred to as “Ted.” He also fit the physical description. 

Although reluctant, Rule phoned in a tip. Despite the discovery that Bundy drove the same type of car as the killer, nothing came of Rule’s tip. 

Rule once asked him if he knew about the missing women, but he didn’t give a definite answer. She remained his friend, despite being unconvinced of his innocence. She didn’t free herself from his spell until a decade after his 1989 execution, when she wrote about his ability to fool her despite all her experience as a cop and a reporter. 

Lois Duncan

Lois Duncan was a pioneer of YA suspense, publishing over 50 books, including I Know What You Did Last Summer, which spawned the film franchise. She lost her daughter Kaitlyn (Kait) Arquette in July 1989. Driving near downtown Albuquerque late one night, Kait was shot twice in the head by someone in a passing car.

The case remains unsolved. The investigation first centered around Kait’s boyfriend Dung (pronounced YOON) Nguyen, who was involved in insurance fraud scams. Despite hints he knew something, he did not seem to be involved. He was questioned by Albuquerque PD about the gangs that ran the insurance fraud scheme, then left town. 

Duncan grew frustrated when the police seemed unwilling to follow up on the gang connection. They arrested two other men, but the charges didn’t stick. So, Duncan began investigating, even when it was risky to do so. 

Duncan, who died in 2016, believed there was deliberate obstruction by the Albuquerque PD. She stopped writing YA suspense, unable to bear creating stories with young women in danger anymore. But she did pen Who Killed My Daughter? (1992) and a follow-up One to the Wolves (2013) about the case. 

Ross Macdonald and Margaret Millar

Ross Macdonald and Margaret Millar were married crime novelists. Millar experienced success (once beating Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley for the best novel Edgar Award) first with Macdonald going on to become a crime writer many consider to be the finest.

But they were not successful parents. Their daughter Linda endured a strange life where expressions of love were withheld. Her parents also used her as fodder for their novels. 

As a teenager, Linda was involved in a serious car accident. She drove drunk and hit three boys who were walking home in the dark. One died. The second boy was injured, but survived. The third was hardly touched and ran for help. She left the scene, but was found after crashing into another car shortly after. 

She received eight years’ probation, lost her drivers’ license, was ordered to psychiatric care, and ordered to abstain from alcohol. The outcry over this sentence caused the Millar family to leave Santa Barbara for Northern California. 

One night, Linda didn’t return to her dorm before lock-in. This happened before, so the house mother didn’t raise the alarm until morning. 

Her father made public pleas for her return and personally followed up on tips. After missing a week and a half, Linda called her mother from a bar. She had violated probation, but after explaining the events (which included being held captive in a cabin in the woods and confused wandering) was given a suspended sentence and allowed to move to L.A., where she worked as a hospital aide and continued counseling. She married and had a son soon after, but suffered from trauma and needed sleep medication for the rest of her life. She died of a drug overdose when she was 31. 

Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, was involved in several real crimes. The first involved the murder of a wealthy woman named Marion Gilchrist and Oscar Slater’s conviction for the crime. Doyle worked to prove Slater’s innocence. He failed, but a police officer’s wife later provided proof of evidence suppression. Doyle’s fame proved useful in reopening the case. Slater was released, but Gilchrist’s murder remained unsolved. 

Doyle also fought for the release of an Indian man named George Edalji who was accused of animal cruelty. Despite weak evidence (The animals were attacked at night and Edalji had bad vision; another attack occurred after Edalji’s arrest.), Edalji was convicted, resulting in the loss of his law license and three years of hard labor. Doyle suspected racism. 

Doyle repeatedly spoke out about the case, despite death threats, making it a national story. The case was reopened and Edalji set free. The British government found this so embarrassing that the Court of Criminal Appeal was created in 1907. 

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe, one of the greatest horror writers and the father of modern detective fiction, vowed to solve the murder of a young woman named Mary Rogers. She worked in a New York City cigar shop frequented by famous writers. Her body turned up in the river and the media became obsessed with the case. Poe wrote the short story The Mystery of Marie Roget based on this case, claiming it contained the solution. But the story is vague and not based on any known evidence. A court case later claimed that Poe was paid to write the story by the real murderer as a coverup. But nothing was ever proven and the case never solved. 

I am indebted to several great articles for much of the above information. Any of them are excellent choices for further reading. Here are a few for extra reading:

Mystery Writers Who Got Mixed Up in Real-Life Crimes

Strangest Real-Life Mysteries in Literature

Sara Farmer lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, three kids, and two cats. When she’s not chasing kids and cats, she reads and writes mysteries. You can find her at www.kittymomma.com and on Twitter @avonlea79.

The post Cozy to Cold-Blooded: Crime Authors Caught Up in Real Crimes appeared first on DIY MFA.

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

I couldn’t wait to read this book. It has two storylines – one in 1902 at a girls’ boarding school called Brookhants School for Girls (It’s even pronounced “BrookHAUNTS.”) and the other in the present day mostly in Hollywood and then Brookhants. In 1902, sweethearts Clara Broward and Florence (Flo) Hartshorn die tragically in the school orchard (Which has Black Oxford apples! Creepy!), a copy of Mary MacLane’s book The Story of Mary MacLane next to their bodies. They were both obsessed with it. Subsequent strange happenings at the school are followed by the death of another student and talk of a curse. 

Decades later, It girl Harper Harper, former child star Audrey Wells, and author Merritt Emmons find themselves at Brookhants filming a movie of Merritt’s book about Clara and Flo. Once again, strange happenings point to ghosts and a curse. Is it movie magic or something more sinister?

The past, the present, two books, a movie, a curse, and ghosts? Not to mention the positive and complex portrayal of queer women and their relationships and the humor of the narration, particularly in the footnotes. (Yes, the footnotes! Make sure you read them.)  It’s 600+ pages, but it flies by. I know I haven’t fully captured its magic here, because it is such a sprawling, intricate, multigenerational/multi-location saga. It’s fantastical and mystical and weird. Just go read it. Seriously, right now. 

The Swallows by Lisa Lutz

This book is a deeply feminist exploration of extreme sexual harassment perpetrated by teenage boys and the group of their female classmates who work to take them down. Teacher Alex Witt arrives at Stonebridge Academy fleeing baggage of her own. (But there’s a reason it’s called baggage.) Alex discovers the Darkroom, a website run by a group of boys who call themselves editors. It’s full of chatrooms where the editors (the most popular senior boys) talk freely and filthily about their female sexual partners. In the innermost secret room, they rate their sexual conquests among the female students. The one with the highest ranking receives the Dulcinea Award. But the girls of Stonebridge don’t know about this contest until the current group of editors get careless. Then the current group of girls start getting even. Alex unwittingly pushes this rebellion to a whole new level. 

Even as this book made me angry, the ensuing gender war and the girls’ unwillingness to back down, their embrace of their rage, was so empowering. The ending was perfect and fit the story. Some might disagree with me or be horrified by that opinion, but it just seemed right. 

You might have guessed at one of the meanings of the book’s title. But it has several layers, both beautiful and grotesque, and it, too, is perfect. And, damn, the cover is gorgeous. 

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

This book centers around Hetty, Byatt, and Reese, students at an island boarding school called the Raxter School for Girls. (The island is also called Raxter.) Raxter’s inhabitants, both animal and human, are infected by a strange illness called the Tox. Many have died and only about sixty students, a teacher, and the headmistress are left. Those remaining are quarantined to the island as the government searches for a cure. The humans, animals, school building, and the island itself are all growing wild and disintegrating little by little. 

It’s a feminist Lord of the Flies, but also much more than that. The writing is swooningly beautiful in parts. The perils of puberty and womanhood in this world are pretty obvious subtext, but not in a bad way. (The Tox seems to appear at the onset of puberty.) It’s deeply satisfying, sad, and inspiring. The feminist ire, the sheer beauty of the writing, and the compelling plot set this book apart. That and the amazing cover art. 

Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is the one on this list that hews closest to a boarding school mystery. And what a twisty, twisted mystery it is. When we first see The Goode School and its students and staff, it is early morning and they are gathered around a grisly scene. A student hangs from the front gate. Who is she? Ellison promptly sends the reader months back to new girl Ash Carlisle’s arrival on campus. Ash is from Oxford, England, and just wants to blend in. But her height, style, and run-ins with queen bee Becca Curtis get her noticed and envied. 

Goode is a tough school housed in a very old (for America, as Ash once points out) building. Unsurprisingly, there are ghost stories, one of which is based on a true crime, the murder of a young girl whose dead body was found in the school arboretum. Ash doesn’t believe in ghosts, but how else to explain the whispers and the feelings of being watched?

This is another one I found hard to encapsulate, especially while still avoiding spoilers. Just trust me that the female rage and spookiness are there. Good Girls Lie is a page-turner I could hardly put down. The characters are compelling, the story fascinating, and the pace perfect. 

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

St. James is one of my new must-read authors. This work preceded this year’s The Sun Down Motel (which I loved and discussed in a previous column). Both of these books scared me to death (but in the most delightfully creepy way). This author knows how to ramp up the tension before she reveals her ghosts. The reveals live up to the anticipation. 

In 1950, four roommates at girls’ boarding school Idlewild Hall tangle with the resident ghost Mary Hand. Mary Hand supposedly perished back when the school grounds held a private home. She was accidentally locked outside one night in the freezing cold. She has spent the intervening decades trying to get a student to let her back in. When one of the four disappears, the remaining three are left to find out what really happened … and if they are next. 

In 2014, reporter Fiona Sheridan is trying to solve her sister Deb’s murder. In 1994, Deb was found on the sport field of abandoned, decrepit Idlewild Hall. Fiona is not certain the man serving time for the murder actually did it. When Fiona discovers that the school is being remodeled in preparation for reopening, she decides to write an article about it and gains unprecedented access for her investigation. She is right that there is more to the story, but it hits much closer to home than she expects. 

You can’t go wrong with a boarding school as a setup for mysteries and thrillers. Decades (or even centuries) of history combined with the intensity of teenagers and the pressures of school produce a spine-tingling brew. Just sit back, read, and be glad high school wasn’t this scary for you. (I hope.)

Sara Farmer lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, three kids, and two cats. When she’s not chasing kids and cats, she reads and writes mysteries. You can find her at www.kittymomma.com and on Twitter @avonlea79.

The post Cozy to Cold-blooded: Boarding School Mysteries appeared first on DIY MFA.

What is a Cozy Mystery?

“An amateur sleuth, an unsuspecting victim, a quirky supporting cast, and trail of clues and red herrings are the main ingredients of a cozy mystery,” says bestselling and Agatha Award winning mystery author Amanda Flower in an article she recently penned for Publishers Weekly. There is no graphic violence, no profanity, no explicit sex. The murder is either bloodless or occurs before the story begins. Books by Agatha Christie and the television show, Murder She Wrote, are often cited as classic examples.

Amateur Sleuths

The protagonist is a likable female heroine—generally a series character—who cares about people, likes puzzles, and has a hobby or job that she uses to solve a crime. Two examples of gutsy cozy mystery heroines are Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swenson who leverages her baking expertise to crack mysteries, and Dana Cameron’s Emma Fielding who uses her expertise as an archeologist to solve crimes.

Limited Setting

Cozy mysteries often take place in small towns where everyone knows each other. There is a limited suspect list which makes it realistic that the sleuth knows the killer. Towns in cozy mysteries are quaint, charming, and often feel like another character in a series. Lawrenceton, Georgia—the setting in Charlaine Harris’ Aurora Teagarden Mysteries—is one of my favorite fictional towns.

Likeable Villains

The villain in cozy mysteries isn’t a bad person at heart, but rather someone pushed to their limits who makes bad choices—choices that usually include murder. The amateur sleuth’s quest for the truth not only gives us insight into the villain, but offers universal lessons about our own humanity.

Secondary Characters

The role secondary characters play in cozy mysteries are often the same. Cozy protagonists are generally not taken seriously by the police. They usually have a sidekick—best friend, boyfriend—who is a detective, police officer, or law enforcement professional. Through this secondary character, the amateur sleuth gains access to information that normally would not be available. The protagonist is also not the only one who fights the crime or is in pursuit of the truth. The community of secondary characters come together to ensure justice is served.

Fair Play

In cozy mysteries there is “fair play,” meaning the puzzle of the story is solvable before the villain is revealed. Clues are sprinkled through the story—often buried in details and obscured by red herrings—and readers can solve the crime before or along with the sleuth.

Cute Covers with Punny Titles

Cozy mysteries are branded with cute covers and punny-titles that often relate to the mystery or the protagonist’s hobby or story locale. Donna Andrews titles—Gone Gull, Some Like it Hawk, and Toucan Keep a Secret—are some of my favorites.

Beyond the Story

Many cozy authors include bonus material for their readers (recipes, gardening tips, knitting patterns, special content sites, etc). Extras are often related to the protagonist’s job, hobby, or mystery in their stories. A wonderful touch, it’s also a way writers encourage readers to engage in their favorite past times while creating a connection with their fans that goes beyond the story.

Where to find cozy mysteries?

Cozy mysteries are carried in bookstores and the usual online retailers. But cozy mystery publishers also offer unique opportunities too. Kensington, a top publisher in the cozy mystery market, hosts mini-conventions for cozy mystery fans where they can purchase books and meet their favorite authors. The mystery fan convention, Malice Domestic, held annually in the Washington D.C. area, is another unique place to look for great cozy mysteries. And Hallmark publishing recently created their own paperback and e-book cozy mystery line. Reader blogs, like dru’s book musings, are another resource for information on the latest cozy mystery releases and fan favorites.

So, why are cozy mysteries so popular?

“The cozy lesson is an average person can make a difference,” says Amanda Flower. For me, this is an important message in today’s turbulent world. Cozy mysteries give us hope and make us feel that each of our contributions matter. They are also a wonderful reminder of the importance of family, friendship, community, and kindness which is the true spirit of the holiday season.

Do you read cozy mysteries? Which are your favorites?

Stacy Woodson writes crime fiction stories. She is a U.S. Army veteran and memories of her time in the military serve as an inspiration for her stories. A Daphne du Maurier winner and Publishers Weekly contributor, her story, “Duty, Honor, Hammett,” will appear in the Nov-Dec issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. You can find her at www.stacywoodson.com.

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