As you read this, I will be learning how to catch a murderer at the Writer’s Police Academy. This year it’s called Murder Con. 🙂 I’ll share details Tuesday!
I mostly read inspirational fiction, but because there aren’t too many inspirational cozies, I generally read the ones in general fiction, especially since most of them are clean. Fat Cat Spreads Out by Janet Cantrell is one such story. Here’s the back cover copy:
Butterscotch tabby Quincy is back and hungrier than ever in this frisky follow-up to Fat Cat at Large…
A booth at the Bunyan County Harvest Fair seems like the perfect opportunity for Charity “Chase” Oliver and Anna Larson to promote their Bar None bakery business. Unfortunately, plus-sized pussycat Quincy has plans for their delicious dessert bars other than selling them to customers. After tearing through their inventory, Quincy goes roaming the fairgrounds in search of more delights.
But what he finds is murder. One of the top contenders in a butter-sculpting contest has been killed, and Chase is churning on the inside when she sees Quincy’s handsome veterinarian, Dr. Mike Ramos, being led away by the police. With a little help from a kitty with butter on his whiskers, Chase needs to find the real killer and clear the doctor’s good name…
Since I’m writing a cozy, I’ve been reading several to get a feel for the genre, and I really enjoyed Fat Cat Spreads Out. This is the second book in the series (I missed the first one, Fat Cat at Large) I liked this second book so well, I bought and read book three! Now I want to go back and read book one.
Cantrell provides plenty of clues and red herrings in the story. Chase is an interesting character and her romance with Dr. Michael Ramos, Quincy’s vet, is sweet but doesn’t take over the story. Quincy, by the way, is Chase’s butterscotch tabby, who is an escape artist. This time his antics get Dr. Ramos arrested for murder at the harvest festival after he discovers a body in the butter sculpture building. Chase is out to find out who the real killer is.
Chase has a strong sense of right and wrong and determination to see justice done. But she’s compassionate as well, even when it cost her. It’s easy to see that Chase gets her moral compass from Anna, the woman who raised her after her parents’ death when Chase was four.
Did you know Christian publishers were reluctant to buy cozy mysteries because readers don’t buy Christian cozies? Do you think that’s because most cozies are clean, the number one reason most people buy fiction from Christian publishers? What say you? Leave a comment and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library.
Summer of Suspense releases next Tuesday, August 6th! If you haven’t preordered Summer of Suspense, don’t forget to pick up now while it’s $.99!
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Comments 26
I’ve noticed that Christian publishers often have cozy mysteries listed in their “not interested in seeing” list, but I never thought about why. I just assumed the market in general wasn’t out there. But I love the cozy mystery. Maybe people are more into the shock appeal of more graphic murders and suspects, like in NICIS and Law and Order.
Author
Probably so, Sally Jo. Cozy readers are more genteel. 🙂
I particularly enjoy Christian fiction because it has the appeal of romance without the vulgarity of the graphic details and possible immoral behavior. I love the inspirational element of Christian fiction.
Author
So agree, Suzanne. Thanks for commenting.
I’m sure you enjoyed that book and can just see your brain percolating all kinds of directions. Have fun and stay safe.
Author
Thank you, Delores. And I’m about to board a bus to Sirchie—a forensic research center and they manufacture a lot of the forensic supplies.
I to think readers pie Christian fiction to avoid graphic material and immoral behaviors. Unfortunately there is a very large audience out there that does not seek this out, but instead seeks out the opposite. I also think cozy Mysteries are not widely promoted for some reason. I have been a Christian reader for a long time, and did not even know what they were until recently.
Author
I agree, Linda. Also, my publisher didn’t want the cozy because they don’t believe a suspense author’s readers will follow them to another genre. 🙂
Believe it or not, I had to look up “cozy fiction” to make sure I really understood what it was. So yes, I do enjoy that as well as the more “hard” Christian fiction where there is serious crime. What I don’t like is the cozy stories that are just too sugary. I read one by an author I really like, and I’m sure you folks do, too. It even had “cozy” in the title. I got about 1/3 of the way through, and just couldn’t force myself to go further. It seemed every cliche imaginable was used. I could see the humor, but it just wasn’t for me. Maybe it’s a guy thing.
Author
Tim, I don’t like the sugary ones, either. And I won’t be writing a sugary one. I prefer cozy’s like Agatha Christie. Thanks for stopping by.
Author
I forgot to choose the winner for July…will do that next Friday! 🙂
I had to do some checking to clarify in my mind what qualifies as a cozy mystery. The article I scanned started by talking about Jessica Fletcher, so it clicked since I used to enjoy watching Murder She Wrote. I’m not sure why there would be a lack of buyers for Christian cozies, unless it’s due to the ones in the general market being mostly clean and some of those authors have been writing for a long time and gained a following. I suppose it can be difficult to compete with a well-established market if there is not a lot of difference in a Christian cozy and a general market cozy. Has anyone written a cozy mystery with a pastor (maybe a female pastor) as the amateur sleuth? I wonder how that would work out?
Author
Edward, I think the Father Brown mysteries feature a priest. And of course there’s the Mitford series, but I’m not sure those are cozy’s. Mine is set on a steamboat cruising down the Mississippi from Memphis to New Orleans, set in contemporary times. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
There are some authors who write Christian fiction and cozies. Amy Lillard, Amanda Flower (Amish stories) and now Heather Gilbert are a few I can think of off the top of my head. (Now Patricia Bradley, ;-)) I enjoy mysteries of all types as long as they are clean.
Author
I like all of these authors, Gloria. I think a couple of them have switched over to the general market now for their cozies. 🙂
I love to read mysteries, and yes only if they are clean. I love, love forensics, how exciting for you Patricia, I surely do want to find out more about it next Tues. I will be looking forward to that! The book Fat Cat Spreads Out sounds like a very good book. Thanks for describing what “Cozy ” means or stands for. Have a Great weekend. God Bless you all.
Author
Alicia, I’m having a blast! Learn a lot about guns today and finding remains buried for a while…thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I enjoy inspirational fiction primarily for the God and Jesus factors, I have tried a few cozies, sadly, those were the ones with way too much sugar, they made my teeth hurt. If I can find some clean cozies without the extreme sweetness I’d be willing to read them.
PS Have fun with the dead bodies
Author
I did, Phyllis! The class was so cool. And Fat Cat Spread His Wings Isn’t too sweet so I think you would enjoy it. It’s also clean. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Well, what do you know? I was looking through a drawer just now, and found a cozy book my late wife bought some years ago. It’s “The Cat Who Lived High” by Lilian Jackson Braun. Apparently, it’s part of a series. It seems to be about a journalist and his crime-solving cats who attempt to solve the mystery of a glamorous art dealer who met an untimely fate. I guess I’ll be trying out a cozy book sooner than I thought.
Author
Great, Tim. Let me know what you think of it. 🙂
This is interesting that they wouldn’t want to publish cozy mysteries, and the main reason I buy from Christian publishers is because they are clean. Maybe suspense sales better than cozy mysteries. On that note though, alot of historial romance have a that cozy mystery factor.
Author
Jessica, I don’t think it’s that they don’t want to, but they’ve tried it and sales weren’t good. I really believe most readers go with the general market cozies because there are so many to choose from and they’re clean. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a cozy mystery myself. I know they are clean and not graphic when it comes to murder descriptions and they contain some kind of quirky animal…a cat or dog or I’ve seen one with a pig too. There is a Christian cozy mystery novella collection called “The Coffee Club Mysteries” written by Darlene Franklin, Cynthia Hickey, Elizabeth Ludwig, Dana Mentink, Candice Prentice and Janice Thompson. I enjoyed that one so much! Check it out if you get a chance Patricia.
I would not pick up a General Market suspense though because those would contain more graphic descriptions and questionable content.
I have read some cozy mysteries that I like, but only a few. If it’s written by an author I like & follow, I’m probably going to give their books a try, even if they are labeled ‘cozy’. 😉 Heather Gilbert is one. And if I spot a Patricia Bradley cozy mystery, I will be sure and read that one, too. Overall, though, the cozy mysteries do not have enough of the suspense/mystery element that I really like…and yes, like mentioned above, tend to be too sweet/sugary, which is why I typically pass them by. Thanks for sharing about this, I have to say the book you mentioned does sound like a good read! 🙂
Author
You know what, Rosalyn? I’m having a hard time not putting suspense in the cozy! Only time will tell if I enjoy writing them. lol.