Five Cozy Questions with Author Nancy J. Cohen

Cielle Kenner

Published in

Cozy, She Wrote

5 min readJan 26, 2024

Today we welcome Nancy J. Cohen, who writes cozy mysteries with murder, mayhem, humor and suspense.

Nancy J. Cohen, author of the Bad Hair Day Mysteries

Five Cozy Questions

1. Why do you write cozy mysteries? I love the twists of the puzzle in a traditional whodunit. Cozies are special because you know these mysteries will always have a happy ending. The sleuth is never terribly hurt. She uses her wits and skills to hunt down a killer while engaged in various personal relationships with quirky secondary characters. There are no bad words, graphic sex or violence. The focus is on interrelationships and not forensic crime scene details. And the crook receives his just rewards. Justice is served, and the victim can finally be put to rest. A touch of humor and romance are popular in this genre as are crafts, cooking, and pets. The unique setting and occupation of the sleuth are part of the scene.

2. What’s your strong suit? Where do you think you shine as a writer? I like to weave a rather complex plot, which is especially evident in my sci-fi/fantasy romances but also in my cozies. And since I like to learn something new for each book, little factoids of information are sprinkled throughout my Bad Hair Day Mysteries. I’ve been to many of the locations in my books so can present them as vividly as possible. Readers know they’re getting a meaty story when they pick up one of my books.

3. How do you keep your storylines fresh and engaging for returning readers? The key is for the main characters to evolve like they do in real life. None of us has static relationships and our heroine shouldn’t, either. Her love interests, friends and family will have their own issues so that things are always changing. Then I’ll also pick an interesting setting or an angle I want to research to spice things up. For example, in my latest title Star Tangled Murder, the story takes place at a living history village modeled after one I’d visited in Delray Beach. I learned about tea production as one item of research that interested me. A series won’t get stale if you keep the momentum going, either with new characters, a fresh setting, or a relationship change.

4. How do you think the cozy mystery genre has evolved over the years? When I started reading and writing cozies, they were light, fun stories with a sleuth who had an interesting life before she got involved in solving crimes. Today, cozies can be edgier. They can include paranormal elements, or they can involve social issues. The important thing is not to cross the line. You must continue to meet reader expectations. You can go over the line with a traditional mystery but not with a cozy. Readers still want that element of fantasy wherein children and pets are never hurt, nobody curses, violence is off scene, and all is well with a happy ending.

5. What’s one thing you wish more readers knew about cozy mysteries? People who are unfamiliar with cozy tropes criticize them without realizing these are part of reader expectations. One big example is the handsome detective and the female sleuth who flirt with each other while solving crimes. Of course, this wouldn’t happen in real life, but it happens all the time in these stories. Another critique is that the heroine is too nosy. Well, if she weren’t a snoop, there would not be a story. She shouldn’t be too pushy or TSTL (too stupid to live), but she has to be innately curious and willing to stick her nose where no one else with a sane mind would go. You need to read the books and enjoy them to understand the genre.

About the Author

Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. These books have won numerous awards along with her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook.

Active in the writing community, Nancy is a past president of Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. She’s currently serving as vice president of Citrus Crime Writers. When not busy writing, Nancy enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.

Featured Cozy Mystery: Star Tangled Murder

Star Tangled Murder: A Bad Hair Day Mystery

Hairstylist Marla Vail and her detective husband Dalton are having a blast visiting a Florida living history village over Fourth of July weekend. But when a battle reenactment turns up a real dead body, it sets off fireworks among the villagers. One of the cast members has gone off script to murder the town marshal. As Dalton takes charge of the investigation, Marla determines to help him solve the case. Soon it becomes apparent that every one of the villagers is a suspect. Instead of spending the holiday chilling and grilling, somebody’s mind is on killing. Marla needs to find the culprit fast before she becomes the next victim.

Praise for the Silver Medal Winner in the FAPA President’s Book Awards

“Star Tangled Murder shines with excellent plotting, lots of twists and turns, and a satisfying ending. Highly recommended.” — Suspense Magazine

“Another delightful installment brought to life, Star Tangled Murder finds Marla facing more changes in her life as she investigates a murder that connects to history while she balances motherhood, the salon, and sleuthing.” Readers’ Favorite

Click here to buy the book: books2read.com/StarTangledMurder

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.