Bookshops and Dead Bodies
Cozy Mystery Author Samara Yew on twists, turns, and tying up loose ends
Five Cozy Questions with Author Samara Yew
1. What’s your favorite book from another cozy mystery author? I’m a huge fan of the Library Lover’s Mysteries by Jenn McKinlay! I just finished Hitting the Books, which is book nine of the series. This series hits all of my favorite aspects of a cozy mystery. I love the seaside small-town setting, close friendships, a touch of romance, humor, and a good puzzle to figure out alongside the likable sleuth.
2. What inspired you to start writing cozy mysteries? I’m not a writer who has always dreamed about being a writer. I started out by blogging and then wanted to try my hand at writing fiction. I was inspired to write a cozy mystery by TV shows such as “Psych” and “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries” because I loved trying to solve the interesting puzzles alongside the sleuths. I was drawn to the cozy mystery genre as it highlights the twists and turns of a mystery without needing to add in gore and violence. I love the touches of humor, interesting settings, and witty banter among friends that cozies are known for.
3. How do you balance writing time with other responsibilities? I’m a mom to a very energetic two-year-old, so my writing time is extremely limited. I make good use of it, though, and make sure I use his nap time as my designated writing time. Social media, housework, meal prep, etc all of that can wait. It’s not easy, and I try not to take on more than I can handle. I wouldn’t say I have quite figured out the balance yet, but I’m getting there.
4. How do you craft a satisfying conclusion to a mystery? A satisfying conclusion often takes several drafts, not just the last few chapters but the entire novel. With each draft, I need to note all of the different loose ends I’ve created to make sure they get neatly wrapped up at the end. It’s very important to me to make sure no question has been left unanswered, so it generally takes several passes to make sure I’ve got them all because I love to add in lots of twists and turns!
5. Do you have a favorite secondary character in your books? If so, why? I love Lucia Armenta in Murder by the Seashore. She’s best friend and roommate to the main character, Scarlett. Lucia loves movies and is always quoting her favorite film characters or sharing fun facts about them. She was a lot of fun to write! I enjoyed finding different fun facts about some of my favorite movies to include. She’s also a bit sassy and very loyal to Scarlett, and I think she added a lot of depth to Murder by the Seashore.
About the Author
Samara Yew is a cozy mystery author who writes about adorable bookshops and dead bodies. A full-time mom, full-time dog servant, and part-time writer, Samara lives in British Columbia, Canada, where she can often be found watching “Psych” reruns. Samara loves to travel, especially visiting her husband’s home country of Singapore or donning Mickey ears in Disneyland. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, including her local chapter SinC-Canada West, and International Thriller Writers. She also writes the Rose Shore Mysteries under the name Holly Yew. To keep up to date with all her bookish news, please visit her website at samarayew.com.
Author Links
- Website: samarayew.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/samara.yew.books
- Instagram: instagram.com/samara.yew.author
Featured Cozy Mystery: Murder by the Seashore
Scarlett Gardner’s dream was to open a bookshop in Southern California, but it soon becomes a nightmare when she finds the dead body of a customer — and becomes the prime suspect.
Southern California is where dreams come true — or so Scarlett Gardner thought. When she moved there and opened the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop, she thought her boyfriend and business partner would be part of the story. When he leaves her for a better job, Scarlett finds herself struggling to keep her new business afloat. That’s not the only thing she has to worry about — she discovers something underneath the pier by her bookshop that she didn’t outline for her life’s story: the dead body of a book-buying customer.
After Scarlett gives a statement to the police, she thinks her life can go back to business as usual. But when a lawyer, representing someone named Lorelai Knight, tells Scarlett that she now stands to inherit a small fortune, she’s left with more questions than answers. Before she can make sense of any of it, the police bring her in for questioning; the body she found was Lorelai Knight. And the evidence they have against Scarlett doesn’t look good. Business is booming as Scarlett returns to Palm Trees and Page Turners, but for all the wrong reasons — curious tourists don’t want books, they want a glimpse of the Bookshop Killer.
Who could really be behind all of this? And why frame Scarlett? To clear her name, she’s going to have to get creative — and hope she can remain one page ahead of the killer.
Click here to buy the book: azonlinks.com/B0BSKSHZF5
Contributions Welcome!
Here at Cozy, She Wrote, we’re always on the lookout for cozy mystery articles and authors’ answers to “Five Cozy Questions.” For submission information, visit cozyshewrote.com/submissions.
Questions or Comments?
Email Cozy, She Wrote editor @CielleKenner.
