As a reader, I enjoy cozy mysteries. To me, there are just a few strict rules for the genre:

1. No graphic content. That includes no sex, gore or heavy profanity.
2. A safe ending. Justice prevails, a puzzle is solved, order is restored in some way. No lasting harm, especially for the good guys.
3. An “everyman” amateur sleuth. Often reluctantly pulled into a mystery, the main character isn’t in law enforcement.

Those are the only rules I take as sacred to the genre as an author and Tangled Roots certainly adheres. Still, I struggled and ultimately didn’t include the word “cozy” on the cover. Why?

First, it’s a spookier read set around Halloween and the climax is a bit intense. I didn’t want to advertise the word “cozy” front and center even though I don’t break the rules above. Second, the ghostly elements of Tangled Roots are more prominent than in Driftless Spirits. I put “Ghost Mystery” on the cover, and “Cozy Ghost Mystery” sounded wrong. One of the ghosts in the series is definitely not friendly.

Ironically, I’m two books into the series and I’ve yet to murder anyone in the present! I rely heavily on threatened stakes to provide tension in my stories. I consider my writing as having one foot in cozy mystery and the other in suspense. Each book features a present-day danger while uncovering more of the history of Casten’s Horn. In my mind, both sides have equal weight and play off each other as I tell the larger tale.

Some people think “cozy mystery” means a whimsical story with a crafty hobby hook, recipes in the back, a dog on the cover, and characters out of a Hallmark movie. I’ve read (and still read) my share that include those tropes.

My series is not that kind of cozy mystery. Sure, there’s a small town full of mostly kind people, and a few of them bake, but if you read any of the reviews linked on my homepage, you’ll see words like:

• Atmospheric
• Character-driven
• Introspective
• Intriguing
• Gradual revelations
• Emotional payoff

That all sounds pretty cozy to me. So, in addition to following the “sacred” rules for cozy mysteries, I’d argue my books ultimately have a cozy vibe. Tangled Roots is spookier than Driftless Spirits, but all the words above still apply.

If all this intrigues you as a reader, here are some links to find Book1, Driftless Spirits, still $0.99 as an ebook and also available in print:

If you’ve already read Driftless Spirits, thank you. I hope you’ll give Tangled Roots a go. You can read the Prologue to Tangled Roots here or find the book via the links below: