Pets: A Crime Writer’s Best Friend by V. M. Burns

If you look at the covers of the books in the cozy mystery section, you’ll notice a trend. Most of them will have a pet, food, or both. Other popular trends include bookstores or libraries, but even those will often have a friendly library cat or two that likes to hide in the stacks or curl up on a sunny bench. And when it comes to pets, there’s clearly a preference. Birds, reptiles, ferrets, and fish may be popular in real life, but dogs and cats hold the top spot in cozy mysteries.

Writers want to create characters that readers can relate to. One good place to start is with a pet. The bond between humans and their pets can be strong. A common phrase describes dogs as ‘man’s best friend.’ A study by the American Veterinary Medical Association confirms this and estimates that 38.4% (48 million) American households own dogs and 25.4% (31 million) own cats (https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/us-pet-ownership-statistics). Writers use pets in a variety of ways to connect with readers. In some cozies, the pet isn’t integral to solving the crime, but may be useful in showing character traits. A writer can TELL the reader that their big, burly, tough-as-nails cop has a sensitive side. Or, a writer can SHOW that same cop leaving tuna out for a stray neighborhood kitty and accomplish the same thing. However, in many cases, the pet can take a more active role in the investigation. Here’s where dogs truly shine and are extremely useful in crime fiction.

It's common knowledge that dogs have exceptional noses. With millions of olfactory receptors, canines have been used for sniffing out people, bombs, illegal drugs, and banned fruits, vegetables, and nuts (https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/dogs-sense-of-smell/). Have you ever wondered just how good are these dogs’ noses? A 2019 article in the New York Times reported that cadaver trained Search and Rescue dogs have helped archaeologist in Croatia find human remains buried more than 1,500 years ago (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/19/science/cadaver-dogs-archaeology.html). Can you imagine a cozy with an archaeologist and their trusty dog, sniffing out burial sites in ancient Egypt? Or maybe it’s just me.

Last year, I facilitated a panel discussion for Sisters in Crime, with authors who used working dogs in their mysteries. One of the panelists, Cat Warren, is a professor, author, and researcher. Her book, What the Dog Knows, highlights the varied ways that working dogs are being used by law enforcement. Crime fiction writers are well aware of the benefits of a good working dog, and you can find them in practically every subgenre of mystery from cozy to noir.

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is the author of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery series. Her first book, The Plot is Murder, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Debut Novel. She is the author of the Dog Club Mystery Series, the RJ Franklin Mysteries, a three-time finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and an Edgar Award-nominated short story. Her newest series, Baker Street Mysteries, will release in August 2022, and her Pet Detective Mystery series will release in 2023. Valerie is on the national board of Sisters in Crime and the Southeastern Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. She is also a member of Dog Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color, and International Thriller Writers. She is a manager at a Fortune 100 company and a mentor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie currently lives in the southeastern United States with her two poodles. Readers can learn more by visiting her website at vmburns.com.

 

Mysteries by V. M. Burns

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baker Street Mystery Series by Valerie Burns

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder coming August 30, 2022