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Remember, heinous crimes can be committed out of love as well as hate.

Hiding your murderer effectively among your cast of characters in a cozy mystery is crucial for maintaining suspense and delivering a satisfying reveal.

Here are three strategic approaches to keep your readers guessing until the end:

The Likable Red Herring:Craft a character so charming and seemingly helpful that readers and the protagonist alike would never suspect them. This character can be involved in the investigation, offering crucial insights or helping to divert suspicion onto others. Their likability serves as the perfect cover, making their eventual unmasking as the murderer both shocking and compelling. Throughout the story, drop subtle hints of their guilt, careful not to make them too obvious until the pieces come together in the end.

The Background Presence:Introduce the murderer early on but keep them somewhat in the background—present enough so their eventual reveal doesn’t feel like a cheat, but not so involved that they attract much attention. They might be someone the community sees every day, like a mail carrier, a librarian, or a café owner, whose routine presence makes them blend into the fabric of the setting. Give them a solid alibi or an apparent lack of motive by carefully weaving their backstory and interactions with other characters to mislead both your protagonist and your readers.

The Sympathetic Motive:Design a character with a compelling, sympathetic backstory that seemingly distances them from any motive for murder. This could be a character who has suffered a great loss, someone who has been wronged in the past, or a person who is universally regarded as too kind or gentle to commit such a crime. The sympathy they garner serves as a natural deterrent against suspicion. As the story unfolds, reveal how their seemingly unrelated backstory directly motivates the crime, flipping the narrative in a way that is both surprising and believable, and showing how extreme circumstances can push even the most unlikely person to the edge.

In all these approaches, the key isbalance.

You want to provide just enough hints or discrepancies in the character’s story to allow for an “aha!” moment upon reveal, without giving the game away too early.

Effective use of misdirection, coupled with deep character development, ensures that when the murderer is finally revealed, readers experience the satisfaction of a mystery well solved, reflecting back on the clues you’ve artfully laid out.

This strategy not only keeps readers engaged and guessing but also deepens the complexity and enjoyment of your cozy mystery.

Be Still My Heart – Your Love Interest

Traditionally, the decision to include a romantic subplot in your cozy mystery series has been optional. In my opinion, in a gay cozy mystery series, the decision is not optional. You must eventually have some kind of happy, healthy romantic relationship.

Including a healthy, happy romantic relationship subplot for the protagonist in a gay cozy mystery series adds depth to the character, making them more relatable and multi-dimensional to readers. It also provides a contrasting backdrop of warmth and personal growth against the tension of the mystery, enriching the overall narrative with emotional layers and offering moments of reprieve and happiness amidst the intrigue.

But there are broader and more important societal implications.

I mean, is there really a lot of point to creating a gay main character if he’s going to live his life as a monk? Well, I mean, unless heisa monk. (Which is fine, too.)

Anyway, adding a healthy, happy romantic relationship for a gay protagonist in a cozy mystery series does more than just enrich the narrative; it carries broader societal implications. It normalizes LGBTQ+ relationships, presenting them as just as rich, complex, and deserving of happiness as any others.

This representation can foster greater acceptance and understanding in society, challenging stereotypes and prejudices—something particularly valuable at this moment in time. Moreover, for LGBTQ+ readers, it provides valuable visibility and affirmation, potentially offering comfort and a sense of belonging. Through such narratives, literature becomes a powerful tool for cultural change, subtly influencing perceptions and promoting inclusivity.

Get it? Got it? Good.

Far too often, the romantic interest in a cozy mystery series is simply a good-looking cipher. NOT THAT THERE’S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT. But actually, yes, there is. True, the star of our show is our protagonist, absolutely, and most of our page time will be spent in that character’s company, but a well-developed and attractive romantic foil can add a whole lot of dimension and excitement to our—er, your story.

In fact, very often, that romantic subplot provides the appeal of one cozy mystery series over another.

Who should this person be?

It’s helpful, but not mandatory, that the person be someone of help to our sleuth in his investigations. Perhaps this person is the main suspect in one of investigations. Perhaps they are a victim. Notthevictim, obviously—a romantic relationship with a ghost is a bit of a dead end—but a secondary victim.

However, a member of law enforcement, a former FBI agent, a computer whiz, or local historian—someone with connections, resources, or skills—could be a useful ally, and if the romantic partner has some involvement in the investigation, there’s less chance that they fade into the scenic background.

Whatever their background, give them something useful to do in the plot and series besides make our protag’s heart beat faster.

At the same time, regardless of expertise or resources, the romantic interest cannot swoop in and solve the crime for our protag. They cannot always be running to the rescue of the protagonist. The romantic interest isnotthe protagonist. Their primary role is just that: a character who provides romantic interest to the plot.

If you do it right, this character will wind up being as popular or even more popular than your protagonist.

If you do it wrong, readers will openly wish on book forums that you kill the character off.

Here are seven suggestions for a cozy mystery’s romantic interest’s occupation (remember, you want occupations that can either complement the protagonist’s sleuthing activities or add an interesting dynamic to the story):

1. Librarian, Historian, or Archivist:They have access to a wealth of information, and their skills in research and uncovering hidden gems in old texts could be invaluable for solving mysteries. Plus, there’s the romantic allure of quiet moments among the stacks of books or ancient archives. Sexy spectacles, people! Hear me now, believe me later.

2. Antique Dealer:They have a keen eye for the valuable and the fake, knowledge of historical objects, and a network of collectors and sellers. Their expertise could lead to uncovering clues hidden in plain sight or within the provenance of an item. Plus they often live in cool old mansions with secret passages.