So, you say you’re a cozy mystery reader. As someone who enjoys cozy mysteries, then I take it for granted that you enjoy the twist and turns that most cozy mystery authors provide in their mysteries. And, I also assume that you enjoy making your way through all of the red herrings, discarding those you don’t need and keeping only the important facts. Let’s face it, that’s part of the fun!
BUT>>> Do you enjoy getting important facts that help solve the mystery at the very end of the novel, when the culprit is being announced?!? I don’t! And, when that happens while I am reading a mystery, I quickly discard that particular author from my personal list of favorites. I simply find that a cheap shot, and I don’t care for it!
I hate it when I am reading a cozy mystery and two or more of the characters go off to discuss something that is really important to them, without letting me know about the facts. This is usually accomplished with such dialogue as:
“Miffy told Biffy about what she had seen, and they decided they couldn’t tell anyone about ‘IT’ since they would be in grave danger.”
OR>>> “Ziffy and Jiffy went into the kitchen and could not believe it when they compared notes and found that the murderer had left the glasses (with fingerprints) by the victim.”
OR>>> “Diffy could simply not believe her ears when she accidentally picked up the phone to hear the speaker acknowledge being at the dock.”
I don’t know why this irritates me so much. I guess it’s because I like to solve the mystery along with the sleuth, and don’t like to have important clues (that the sleuth is aware of) kept from me.
Unfortunately, I have found that this happens a lot more often than I would have guessed. I don’t mind if two characters go off and discuss all of the details that have been presented to the readers. I truly don’t need for the author to have to itemize all of the facts. Just don’t spring any new ones on me at the very end of the novel!
Heather says
That also bothers me. But what absolutely drives me crazy is when the sleuth continually makes the same mistakes. Not to pick on Lucy Stone here, but in EVERY book (that I have read at least) she almost gets killed at the end by the murder. Seriously?!?! You would think after the first 4 or 5 times she would get smarter and not go off with someone that she barely knows when there is a murderer afoot!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Heather,
You make a very good point! I think that I’ve seen Jessica Fletcher also pull that a few times…
Margot Kinberg says
I agree completely about taking the reader along, so to speak, when clues are found and discussed. Come to think of it, that used to happen on “Matlock,” too… When I read a mystery, I like to have access to all of the clues and make my own deductions. When there are important clues and events that the reader isn’t aware of, it’s almost like cheating the reader out of the chance to solve the mystery.
When I write mystery novels, I try to keep that in mind, too. For instance, in my new novel, Publish or Perish – http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/PublishOrPerish.html – the clues are given to the reader. Of course, they’re not always obvious, but they’re there. In Publish or Perish, the sleuth solves the mystery of how and why a graduate student is killed, and who killed him. The clues are given to the reader as they come up; the sleuth doesn’t keep them to himself.
Stash Empress says
I agree that its very frustrating when they tell you they have clues — that they’re not sharing with you — drives me nuts!
The scenario I particularly hate is, “Spiffy checked out one detail and then she knew who the murderer was. And then she went out to lunch, had her hair & nails done, did some shopping, went back to work, etc… blah.. blah.. blah… yackedy shmackedy…..” (And then some time the following day she finds herself alone with the murderer [totally unexpectedly, of course] & almost gets killed…. )