What theme would you like to see a cozy series feature?

[Tracy]

❂ Jennifer (reviews on BookLikes) wrote: "Tracy wrote: "By the way, this may have already been mentioned but A Tiger's Tale revolves around a kidnapping, not a murder. I haven't read it yet, but I'm currently reading her f..."

Oh! Thanks for the clarification. I didn't know that. Sorry for spreading misinformation.

[❂ Murder by Death]

Tracy wrote: "❂ Jennifer (reviews on BookLikes) wrote: "Tracy wrote: "By the way, this may have already been mentioned but A Tiger's Tale revolves around a kidnapping, not a murder. I haven't re..."

No worries! You weren't wrong that the mystery itself revolves around a kidnapping, but I didn't know if the person originally asking the question wanted NO dead bodies, or just a mystery that concerns something else. Figured I'd mention it just to be on the safe side.

Either way, it's a great book and she's a very talented writer. :)

[Tracy]

❂ Jennifer (reviews on BookLikes) wrote: "Tracy wrote: "❂ Jennifer (reviews on BookLikes) wrote: "Tracy wrote: "By the way, this may have already been mentioned but A Tiger's Tale revolves around a kidnapping, not a murder...."

I've only read the first 30 or so pages of her first book, and you're right. VERY talented. I met her at Malice Domestic, and she has a lot of experience working at a zoo and for veterinarians. Her knowledge and empathy for animals is impressive. And that's shines in her writing.

[Jack]

I've thought and thought about this question, as a reader and a writer. I can't think of one more theme I'd like to see written about. Everything I, personally, love to read is covered. And I never get tired of more and more books with the themes I enjoy.

The plot, however, would be nice to see more variety of. "Woman lives away from her hometown and, through a business disaster or a failed relationship, she moves home again...." That's been done enough.

[Jack]

Anna wrote: "I like the foodie thing and use it in my own series I'm writing..."

"I also like character-driven stories, and stories that draw a lot on the setting in which murder & mayhem occur. "

Same here. I never tire of culinary cozies.

Again, same here. Character and setting are the most important to me. I'm a people person and, if I love the people and the town, I'll read a horrible story just to spend time there.

I've begun writing my own cozy, too. Chapter One just came to me and I started writing but then I slowed down because of how important setting and characters are. I want mine to be well-thought out. After all, the first book in a series sets the foundation for the rest.

The only thing I can't figure out is if I want mine to have a theme or not. I do and I don't. If I do, it will be understated more than they usually are and work into the mystery. No lengthy explanations and details about hobbies. I want to be fully character and story driven.

[Mark]

Christine wrote: "Mark wrote"I loved mysteries as a kid, and those didn't include murder. But it seems like most adult mysteries require a murder or people don't consider it a real mystery. It would be nice to have ..."

Christine, the only one that really springs to mind right now is Revenge of the Gypsy Queen by Kris Neri. The rest of the series does include a murder, but this one involves a kidnapping.

Some of Rhys Bowen's books have a murder as part of the intrigue and not the main focus, but they all do include at least one murder.

[Anna]

Jack wrote: "I've thought and thought about this question, as a reader and a writer. I can't think of one more theme I'd like to see written about. Everything I, personally, love to read is covered. And I ne..."

Well Jessica Huntington is 'home again' after disaster strikes...home for my beleaguered heroine is a desert modern estate in the tony resort town, Rancho Mirage. One of the themes I explore in the series is the idea that murder & mayhem, well mayhem, at least, strikes even the most privileged well-planned lives. The character-driven part has to do with how we respond to the unforeseen and unfortunate events. Fun, food, and a black AMEX card help, for sure, in the end it's about what the woman is made of-don't you think?

[Jack]

Anna wrote: "Well Jessica Huntington is 'home again' after disaster strikes...home for my beleaguered heroine is a desert modern estate in the tony resort town, Rancho Mirage. One of the themes I explore in the series is the idea that murder & mayhem, well mayhem, at least, strikes even the most privileged well-planned lives. The character-driven part has to do with how we respond to the unforeseen and unfortunate events. Fun, food, and a black AMEX card help, for sure, in the end it's about what the woman is made of-don't you think? "

That sounds original to me. At least I haven't heard of any cozies that are overly similar to that. It also sounds a bit like the motto I've lived by. I never cared what I did for a living, I cared more about who I was as a person.

[Anna]

Jack wrote: "Anna wrote: "Well Jessica Huntington is 'home again' after disaster strikes...home for my beleaguered heroine is a desert modern estate in the tony resort town, Rancho Mirage. One of the themes I e..."

Well I'd like to think that a lot people feel the way,Jack, you do--it's so easy to get overwhelmed by life events though and become less than you want to be.

[Heather]

I think that the M.C. Beaton novels, obviously Agatha Christie, Alan Bradley, Elizabeth Peters and Charlaine Harris with her Aurora Teagarden series show plain old good writing....they don't have anything propping them up. That does mean some themed mysteries aren't well written! Some of my favorite books of all times are cozy series with themes...I love the Coffeehouse Mysteries and the Tea Shop mysteries...those are great mysteries that are well written...I love the Laurien Berenson, dog show mysteries and their great depiction of dog showing and likable, relatable characters, and I love the Cookie Jar mysteries, because I love that they are wholesome and have awesome recipes....even though some people dislike the love triangle, and I'll agree it gets a little irksome, I have invested my time and energy in those characters, and now I care about what happens to them! Good luck on your mystery, Jack! I would love to read it one day!

[Heather]

That should say does not mean....

[jaxnsmom]

Lynn wrote: "Real Estate Agent theme would be fun, I think. The sleuth of course would find a dead body in a house for sale."

Charlaine Harris has a series with Aurora Teagarden, who starts out as a librarian, but by book three is considering becoming a real estate agent, and, well the title says it best - Three Bedrooms, One Corpse.

[jaxnsmom]

I deleted Jack as a member today. His reply to me was rude and clearly he didn't think he was subject to any restrictions. I think he started some very good topics, and had some interesting thoughts, but his attitude wasn't welcome.

We have other members who are authors, and I'm glad to say you've all been a joy! Your mentions of your books have been in the context of a discussion, and not self-promoting. It's such a fine line, you all take care to not cross it, and I really appreciate that! You've used the Author/Blogger folder to discuss/promote your books, and that is why that section is there. It's a good place for us to find out more about you and your work, and I think we've all added books to our tbr from there.

[jaxnsmom]

Nancy posted that she writes a cozy series with a realtor as the main character. Maybe she'll post about them in the Authors/Bloggers section.

[C.]

Heather wrote: "I love dog-themed mysteries, especially Laurien Berenson's dog-show mysteries, and I love food/coffee mysteries! I love the bonus of discovering a really good recipe. I have begun in the last few y..."

I think the Laurien Berenson, dog show cozy mysteries sound very interesting! :]

[AngryGreyCat]

Dianne wrote: "This is a great thread. Learned a lot! Thanks. Curious if anyone knows of a cozy that features a baby boomer and food?"

I don't know any where the sleuth (main character) is a baby boomer - they are usually younger, but quite a few have a prominent parent/mentor figure who is...avery Aames cheese shop series springs to mind. Connie Archer's soup mysteries, etc.

Maybe Miranda James Cat in the stacks? - there is food mentioned frequently but library/books is the theme. The sleuth is male but his love interest owns a diner. He may be a boomer,not sure.

That springs to mind, it is not a theme, but I do would like to see more 40 - 50 year old protagonist. Most seem to fall either side of that age range. This is a neglected age range in marketing/product placement in general (the high end of gen x) It is because it is the baby bust. There are significantly fewer of us than the Baby Boomers and the Millenials so there is not as much incentive to market to us.

For myself, I may have said it before but I would like to see some running/fitness themed cozy. ...trail runner stumbles across dead body while training... competitor dies in a race at first everyone thinks it is a heart attack then... I can picture it now :)

[C.]

Does anyone know if there are any cozy series with an old-fashioned ceramic hobby theme? Not pottery... but the 'ceramic home decor' we used to make with molds and fire them in a kiln?

I would love to read some good fiction featuring that hobby.

[Joe]

I'd like to see more gay/lesbian themed cozies.

[AngryGreyCat]

Joe wrote: "I'd like to see more gay/lesbian themed cozies."

Try the Simon Kirby-Jones series. The first one is Very funny, well written and the protagonist is gay

The Cat sitter series has 2 recurring characters who are gay and feature prominently Starts with

[Rebecca]

Fanficfan44 wrote: "Dianne wrote: "This is a great thread. Learned a lot! Thanks. Curious if anyone knows of a cozy that features a baby boomer and food?"

I don't know any where the sleuth (main character) is a baby ..."

I like your ideas. If I write one of them, I'll give you credit ;)

BTW, the protagonist of my mystery (and the sequel, within the year, I promise) is in her mid-40s. Since I sit at the top end of Gen X, it totally made sense to me to write a character in that age range.

[Ovidia]

Joe wrote: "I'd like to see more gay/lesbian themed cozies."

Have you tried Jessie Chandler? I've only got the first three but hoping to get the 4th soon!
Shay O'Hanlon (who runs the Rabbit Hole cafe) and JT Bordeaux her girlfriend (police officer) solve mysteries in the Pickle in the Middle Murder, The Hide and Snake Murder & the Chip off the Ice Block murder.

[Ovidia]

I'd like someone working with orchids. I think because of reading Nero Wolfe, the hours he Always spent upstairs with his orchids--but we seldom get to see what he is doing there, except sometimes Archie is allowed to give flowers away.
I'd like a series that shows how his flower knowledge helped solve the mysteries?

[Melodie]

Joe wrote: "I'd like to see more gay/lesbian themed cozies."

They're not cozies, but Randye Lordon wrote the Sydney Sloane series and Sandra Scoppettone wrote the excellent Lauren Laurano series. Someone else already mentioned the Simon Kirby-Jones series which is cozy and the fringe characters in the Dixie Hemingway books.

[jaxnsmom]

Ovidia wrote: "I'd like someone working with orchids. I think because of reading Nero Wolfe, the hours he Always spent upstairs with his orchids--but we seldom get to see what he is doing there, except sometimes ..."

A couple of years ago I checked out the tv series from my library. It starred Maury Chaykin and Timothy Hutton. Have you seen it? I loved it!

[Ovidia]

jaxnsmom wrote: "Ovidia wrote: "I'd like someone working with orchids. I think because of reading Nero Wolfe, the hours he Always spent upstairs with his orchids--but we seldom get to see what he is doing there, ex..."

No I haven't--didn't know about it till now--but now I'm going to hunt it down, Thank You!

[Tracy]

Ovidia wrote: "Joe wrote: "I'd like to see more gay/lesbian themed cozies."

Have you tried Jessie Chandler? I've only got the first three but hoping to get the 4th soon!
Shay O'Hanlon (who runs the Rabbit Hole c..."

Jessie is great! I highly recommend!