I want to share some behind-the-scenes insights into the first peek into plotting a cozy mystery story.
Plotting a cozy mystery is like solving a puzzle. We start with a few unrelated ideas. Then we gradually expand on them. Eventually, they fit nicely together to reveal the bigger picture. The elements of a plot are like puzzle pieces that are fit together to create a story that is in itself a puzzle to be solved.
Brainstorm Ideas for Plotting a Cozy Mystery
I start by brainstorming topics or themes that pique my curiosity at the time. This theme sets a solid foundation. Whether I’m passionate about horseback riding, historical trivia, or the medical field, I make a list of my interests at the time. Familiar elements allow me to add authenticity and depth to my storytelling. It’s easier to write about something I know than something I’m not familiar with. And choosing familiar subjects makes the writing project more enjoyable.
I draw from real life. I keep my eyes and ears open for interesting anecdotes, news stories, or quirky characters in my everyday life. Real-life events can serve as excellent inspiration for crafting believable and relatable plotlines. Although I make a list of them, I may not end up using everything on my list. These are just puzzle pieces. Some may not fit well with the others. On the other hand, the odd pieces may provide a good twist for the story.
Deciding on a Theme
Although this is a mystery story, I like to have a theme, too. A theme is a life statement, such as “It’s better to give than to receive” or “What goes around, comes around.” I’m not certain that a theme is expected in a cozy mystery, but I find it to be one of the things that can guide my story.
When my readers are done reading, they should have received the book’s basic, underlying message. In my free novella, The Sculptor’s Knife Cozy Mystery, the theme is that we can’t always judge other people correctly; we can be very wrong in our impressions of a person. Themes do not have to be earth-shattering or deeply profound. A theme can be a simple message, like we find in Aesop’s Fables or in wise phrases we use in everyday life.
Decide on a Crime for Your Plot
Next, I decide on the crime. Will there be a missing person? A murdered person? A valuable item that goes missing? How about all three in the same story? The crime should be clever enough to hook readers from the start but not so gruesome as to ruin the cozy atmosphere.
The crime must fit the puzzle we are putting together. Is this a crime that could be committed in the setting we want to use? Is it something that can happen in the main character’s environment?
The Sleuth Must Fit the Cozy Mystery Genre
So we need a sleuth who cares that someone has gone missing, that someone has been murdered, or a valuable item can’t be found. Whatever the main crime is, we need a character who cares that it happened—or who it happened to.
We rarely use professional detectives as main characters in cozy mysteries. Instead, it’s usually a female character or almost any age. She may have a male sidekick, but it’s the woman or girl who does the actual solving of the mystery.
She must have a personality that cares that the crime was committed:
- Why does the sleuth care?
- Why does it matter to her that the missing person is still missing?
- Why is she upset that the person got murdered?
- Why does she desperately need to find the missing item?
- What will happen to her life and emotional well-being if these mysteries are not solved?
Then There are the Suspects When Plotting a Cozy Mystery
There must be several of them so that the reader can’t guess who done it too quickly. After all, if there’s only one suspect… well, there’s no puzzle to solve. UNLESS!, the question is how he could have done it when he was on an ocean cruise at the time. Intriguing.
I make a list of suspects. I list the motive, opportunity, and means for each person. These notes are not detailed. They are just loose sketches of what could happen in the book. Then I pick the one who really committed the crime.
It all must fit together, like a tangled ball of yarn.
There Must be Clues and Red Herrings
Red herrings are nothing more than clues that are false. The reader thinks the neighbor did it because he was always asking about the murdered person’s jewelry, which is now missing. But actually, the really sweet nephew is the villain. He wanted the jewelry to win to the person of his dreams. Who knew? The clues that point to the nosy neighbor as the murderer are red herrings.
Then there is the scattering of true blue clues. These are subtle because, if they are not, the reader can guess who did the crime before the sleuth does. You don’t tell the reader that the nephew is desperate to impress the upper-class girl. You just give hints based on how he acts or the little things he lets slip.
The key is to strike the right balance between tantalizing clues and clever misdirection.
The Readers Want a Good Ending
And since they’ve hung around and read your book, they deserve to walk away happy. Your sleuth must outsmart the villain. She either eliminates all the other suspects from the list or finds that one special clue that points her to the right person. Either way, she is our hero, and we are as happy as she is that the mystery is solved and peace reigns in the world.
Also, tie up loose ends. Clues that were dead ends might need to be explained. Don’t leave the reader wondering why the neighbor kept asking about the jewelry. Give a plausible reason, and all will be well.
Try Plotting a Cozy Mystery
Once you have all the essential elements in place, it’s time to map out your plot. Outline the key events, twists, and turns that will drive your story forward.
These are the first sparks for plotting a cozy mystery story. Try it yourself.
- What are you passionate about? Write down a few things.
- What crime or crimes would you put into a cozy mystery? List them, too.
- Create a sleuth who cares deeply about the crime that has been committed. Determine why she could be anxious to get these crimes solved. Give as many reasons as you can think of.
- List your suspects. Give them all motive, opportunity, and means.
- List your true clues and red herrings. Keep the true clues as subtle as you can. The red herrings can be somewhat obvious, but not all.
- Give your readers a satisfactory ending. The hero gets her villain—and sometimes finds love.
So there you go. We bring together lots of puzzle pieces that eventually fit together to create a puzzle for your readers to solve.
Stay cozy and curious,
-Penny
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Read this to learn more about Why We Love to Read and Write Cozy Mysteries
To get a list of some great cozy mysteries you might like to read, look over this article about cozy mysteries.