by Korina Moss
A theme, as it refers to cozy mysteries, is the topic or hook that sets your book apart from others. Cozy mysteries all have an amateur sleuth, a close-knit town or neighborhood, likable sidekick characters, and a murder to solve. The focus is on solving the “puzzle” of the mystery and allowing your readers to try to solve it along with your sleuth. The biggest distinguishing factor for a reader on first glance is a cozy’s theme. It might be their profession: librarian, postmistress, or in my case in the Cheese Shop Mystery series, a cheesemonger. It might be a hobby: knitting, doing crossword puzzles, or antiquing. It might be a specialty of your protagonist: fixing old clocks, knowledge of botany, or being a history buff. Your choices are varied, but they are not limitless. There are important factors to consider when deciding on your theme.
1. Does it interest me?
2. Can I make it central to each book?
3. Can readers relate to it and/or learn something new about it?
4. Do I know enough about it, or can I learn about it?
5. Are there cozy elements to it?
6. Is it a theme that’s already been done to death? (pun intended)
7. How can I market it?
1. Does it interest me?
Although I was your average cheese eater before beginning the Cheese Shop Mystery series, I loved cheese. And the more research I did on it and the more cheese shops I visited, the more I loved it. Sharing your authentic interest with your readers will shine through.
2. Can I make the theme central to each book?
The theme is not meant just to be a backdrop. It should almost be its own character. It should be important to your protagonist, perhaps even their passion. The theme should be incorporated into the plot of every book. When readers ask me what idea I come up with first when writing my Cheese Shop Mysteries, I tell them I think of how some aspect of cheese will be the focus of the plot. In the first book, it was the opening of the Curds and Whey shop itself. In another book, it was a very valuable stolen bleu cheese. Another took place at a dairy festival. It was very important to my publishing editor that I went all in on the theme of cheese.
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| My books go all in with the cheese theme. |
3. Can readers relate to it and/or learn something new about it?
Everybody knows cheese and most people have a strong opinion about it. With so many kinds of cheeses, its long history, and its international renown, there’s also so much the average cheese eater doesn’t know about cheese. It’s relatable but there are so many more interesting fun facts to know about it. Incorporating something others love to do or eat is a great way to connect with readers. Giving them some interesting insider information about it through your protagonist is also something readers look for in a cozy.
4. Do I know enough about it/are there ways to further learn about it?
You don't have to be an expert on your topic. However, you should consider the research aspect of it. How much time are you willing to put into the research? Are there ways to research your topic beyond online? (For example, I spent time with cheesemongers, cheesemakers, and cheese shop owners, as well as researching online.) You want your protagonist to feel authentic, so make sure you know as much as she or he is supposed to know.
5. Are there cozy elements to it?
Maybe the question to ask first is, what makes something cozy? Think about how your theme will fit into your book. Will it be a gathering place for members of your fictional community? Will the setting itself or the atmosphere give readers a sense of comfort or happiness? Will it offer your protagonist respite, joy, or time to reflect? It doesn’t have to be all of these things but if you can say yes to one or two, then it’s cozy.
6. Is it a theme that’s already been done to death?
If there are too many books already out there with your theme, you have to work harder to make it stand out. You may be thinking, it’s a different book with different characters; of course it stands out! But marketability relies on more immediate factors. You need to hook readers as quickly as possible, which means a striking theme or setting, an intriguing pitch, or an evocative cover. Preferably, all three if you can manage it. And if you can find a cozy theme that you haven't seen done before, all the better.
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| Andover's theme is unique, made doubly cozy by the literary-themed cocktails served at the lounge. And this cover brings the coziness home. |
7. How can I market it?
You may want to consider if the theme offers interesting marketing ideas or specific places that would carry your book. Lucy Burdette takes advantage of her Key West Food Critic theme by holding many popular events in Key West, where she lives half the year. When I was in the gift shop of one of the Newport, RI Mansions, I saw a display of Alyssa Maxwell’s The Gilded Newport Mysteries. I’ve done Cheese and Murder Mystery Pairing events in conjunction with a local cheese shop, where I talk about my Cheese Shop Mysteries and a cheesemonger gives a guided tasting of some of the cheeses mentioned in my books.
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| The cheesemongers at Spread Cheese prepare plates for one of our Cheese & Murder Mystery Pairing events. |
Choosing a cozy mystery theme isn’t like throwing a dart in the dark. It’s the foundation of your entire series. Your characters, setting, and plot are all determined by your theme. Before you start writing, ask yourself these seven questions. Choose wisely and have fun with it!
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