The multi-talented, Sam Cheever discusses cozy mysteries with us today. Discover what she thinks makes one and check out her latest release!
And now here's Sam Cheever
Cozy mysteries feature amateur sleuths of all kinds. For
example, some of the most popular contemporary cozy series feature flower shop
owners, chefs, caterers, accountants, book store owners, writers, and dog
trainers. These unlikely sleuths find themselves repeatedly embroiled in murder
most foul and struggling to figure out whodunit. The mystery is made more
interesting by the quirkiness of the people involved, their tendency to lie and
cover, and the misconceptions that come from knowing someone for years. It’s a
fun formula fraught with opportunities for both the reader and the sleuth to go
awry and lose their way.
Which brings me to the reason I love a good cozy mystery. I
love the challenge and journey of figuring out whodunit in a light, fun
environment. No guts, no gore, no over-the-top sensuality. Just a big, fun
puzzle.
My own cozy mystery series is centered on an antiques store
owner and has an additional fun twist. Filled with lots of great, old things,
Yesterday’s Antiques is a hotbed of paranormal activity,
giving Yesterday Mysteries a paranormal edge. This aspect
adds an extra element of fun to the already enjoyable mystery. Anna Yesterday
is a kind, attractive young woman trying to make a living doing what she loves
in a small town in Southern Indiana. When Anna opened Yesterday’s
Antiques, she inherited two spirits, who are tied to objects that
were once buried under the store.
Joss is a cowboy from pre-Civil war times, whose gun belt
and holster were uncovered behind the store when Anna was having some
improvements made. Joss is sexy, protective, and obviously in love with Anna,
and she feels pretty much the same about him. The second specter, Bess was a
saloon girl who sometimes cleaned the floors in the inn that was located where
Yesterday’s now exists. She lived in the mid to late 1800s
and Anna isn’t sure what her transference object is. Bess and Anna butt heads
on a regular basis, mostly due to the fact that Bess is jealous of Anna’s
relationship with Joss, but also because…well…Bess is kind of a crank. #:0)
To make things even more interesting, Anna has a sexy, flesh
and blood assistant who’s an ex-cop to help her with her sleuthing. Her growing
feelings for Pratt are confusing and cause no end of tension between the two
men in her life. All in all, it’s a fun series with likeable characters and I’m
really enjoying being on the creation side of the cozy mystery genre for a
change! I hope you’ll check these books out.
~~*~~
[caption id="attachment_1008" align="alignleft"
width="200"]
Book 1: Yesterday
Mysteries[/caption]
Book 1: Yesterday
Mysteries[/caption]
~~*~~
[caption id="attachment_1017"
align="alignright" width="200"]
Book 2:
Yesterday's Mysteries - April 2013[/caption]
Book 2:
Yesterday's Mysteries - April 2013[/caption]
A deadly secret is
tangled up in Yesterday’s Threads, and Anna is racing the clock
to get it unraveled.
In 1859, Elisabeth Margaret Nelson traveled to Crocker,
Indiana to meet her new husband and start a new life. Her family never saw her
again. The story of her death and a heartbroken husband who grieves his entire
life is a sad tale for sure. But is it true?
When Anna Yesterday receives some vintage dresses from the
local museum, she’s excited about highlighting them at Crocker’s annual Apple
Blossom Festival. But someone wants the dresses back, and they’ll apparently
stop at nothing to get them—leaving a trail of murder and destruction in their
wake.
As Anna and Pratt work to uncover the deadly intrigue behind
the vintage dresses, interference of another kind is working its way to the
surface. All too soon, Anna and Pratt find themselves neck deep in trouble from
more than one dimension—and wondering which will get them first!
5 comments:
There's nothing like a warm and fuzzy murder mystery to get your heart pounding! Love the concept of your new series, Sam! Cheers and best wishes!
Your new series is awesome, Sam, and sure to be a huge favorite.
Thanks so much ladies! I'm really enjoying this series. I've been a mystery lover for years.
Great explanation of a cozy. I had a vague idea, but I can put it into words. Your new series sounds great, Sam!
Love love love cozies. It's the characterization that counts, I think. The more glib thriller books out there often concentrate more on clever plotting and less on the characters - sometimes making one wonder why on earth such-and-such would want to maim another person, or why the ended up in a particular city.
Post a Comment