Email This Post HomeHumorWhat do you love in your mysteries/suspense novels? (plus a big 45+ PAPERBACK giveaway and more!) Amy Vansant May 16, 2018 Humor 19 Comments What are your favorite romantic suspense and mysteries about? I’m in the middle of finishing up my Pineapple Port story for the Summer Snoops & Cozy Crimes collection (only 99c on pre-order right now!! 12 novellas!) It’s called “Summer Teeth” …as in “Some’r here and some’r there.” As soon as I finish it, I’m going to write KILTY #3. I’m reading Kilty as Charged and Kilty Conscience now to remind myself where I was going with that series… BUT when I’m done THAT I’m going to get right to work on Pineapple Port Mysteries #7, which I hope to have out early fall. I’m in that sweet spot where both Kilty #3 and Pineapple #7 can be about just about anything. Both have story arcs that won’t change but there’s always a mystery or two to be unraveled as well. I find myself looking for trends and clues from Amazon’s marketing as to what readers like the most… And then I remembered I had about thirty thousand of you I could ask! So here’s my question: What elements do you love best in your romantic suspenses and/or mysteries? Are there themes you look for? For instance, for cozy mysteries, Amazon has sub-themes like culinary, animals and crafts & hobbies. I had a woman once tell me she couldn’t get enough of “woman trapped in a cabin with a potential love interest” which seemed wildly specific to me, but apparently it’s a thing! What themes and elements do you love most? I’ve made some polls below to take for a little direction but I can’t include every possibility, so feel free to tell me more things you like in the comments below! PS: I didn’t add “humor” to either one because I’m incapable of writing a book without jokes…so you’ll be getting that either way. Themes in mysteries animals/pets culinary/food crafts/hobbies romance murder police involvement super criminals (serial killers, criminal masterminds) travel View Results Loading ... What themes do you like in romantic suspense? hot romance fade-to-black romance travel ghosts or paranormal criminal masterminds dark and scary killers animals View Results Loading ... Win up to 45+ PAPERBACK Books! (1) Grand Prize “Gift Baskets” of ALL eBooks! (45+) Winners of Individual eBooks (randomly selected titles) Book Steals and Deals Start Date: 05-11-2018End Date: 06-15-2018 Perfect Haven By Alicia Best Usual Price: 2.99 Sale: .99 After a disastrous 26th birthday party, Olivia Donaldson flees a traumatic home life for Shady Piers, Maine. There she meets pub owner Brent Scott who help her out as love unfolds. . . Amazon Start Date: 05-12-2018End Date: 06-05-2018 The Dragons of Alsace Farm By Laurie Lewis Usual Price: 3.99 Sale: FREE Two young loners, Noah and Tayte, will learn about courage and love from a most unlikely teacher–an 84-y-o French WWII survivor with dementia. Amazon |Kobo Link|BN|Apple iBooks Start Date: 05-14-2018End Date: 05-20-2018 Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia By Jessica James Usual Price: 7.99+ Sale: .99 Award-Winning Clean and Wholesome Civil War Love Story It is a book that I think could have the impact of a Gone With the Wind. J. Noyalas, Assistant Professor of History The best Civil War fiction book since Cold Mountain. J. Bibb, SCV, Trimble Camp 1836 Amazon Start Date: 05-16-2018End Date: 05-31-2018 Strawberries and Strangers: A Cozy Murder Mystery (Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) By Leena Clover Usual Price: Free Sale: .99 Exclusive beach party takes a murderous turn.Dumped by her cheating husband, Jenny King is trying to build a new life in the small seaside town of Pelican Cove. Locals are lining up at the Boardwalk Cafe for her tasty cakes and muffins. But when her aunt, a local artist, is accused of killing a stranger, Jenny is forced to set her apron aside and put on her sleuthing cap.Jenny battles with the cranky local sheriff and quirky local characters to get to the truth. Aided by her new friends, she will move heaven and earth to find out who the dead stranger was and what he was doing in Pelican Cove.If you like cozy murder mysteries with friendly small towns, scenic settings, yummy food and a touch of romance, you will like Strawberries And Strangers.Buy now and get hooked on the brand new Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series. Amazon About Latest Posts Amy VansantAmy Vansant is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal Best-Selling author specializing in fun, funny fiction --- even the murder mysteries. Latest posts by Amy Vansant (see all) Teach Your Dog to Talk, Win a Kindle, Deals & Steals - November 7, 2019 Winners of the Name the Skull Contest, Book Giveaways & Deals - October 29, 2019 The Vultures Show Up, Cool Furniture – Book Giveaways and Deals - October 15, 2019 19 Responses Christie Evans May 16, 2018 And magic in the mystery story 2 likes Reply Linda Wesson May 16, 2018 Amy, I really don’t care murder mystery! A little suspense with romance is good. Thank you! 1 likes Reply Sharon May 16, 2018 Hi Amy, I want my books to be sweet, clean and wholesome. It’s even better if it’s a Christian read. Otherwise I don’t want it taking up space on my e-reader. 1 likes Reply Penny Harper May 16, 2018 What I like is humor, mystery and murder. I like if the character’s have pets especially if the pets are involved in the storyline. Also having a ghost in it can be really funny . I love a book with a great cover and a great storyline. I look for a book that will keep me hooked and wanting a series of them to read. 8 likes Reply Trish Egan May 16, 2018 I like cozy mysteries with either a ghostly friend/advisor such as “Granny Apple” series or a paranormal theme such as “Psychic Eye”. 3 likes Reply Amy Vansant May 17, 2018 Lucky for me that’s practically all I write! 😉 0 likes Reply Diana Amov May 19, 2018 I agree with Penny Harper. She said everything that I enjoy. Thank You Penny and Amy Vansant. Sincerely, Diana Amov 0 likes Reply Sherry May 16, 2018 For mysteries- How about missing people or kidnapped people? Romantic suspense- I like sweet romance and firemen. 0 likes Reply Tina May 16, 2018 Yes, a little magic or even a little psychic abilities ie…get close to someone and can tell if they are being honest or if they are in danger. 2 likes Reply Mary May 16, 2018 Great mystery with understory of romance, not too much suspense, no graphic sex…nice cozy reads with happy endings. 2 likes Reply Barbara May 16, 2018 Oddly, the most important thing for me is a well-edited standalone book with good grammar, correct sentence structure and punctuation, and a complete ending. A lot of reviewers agree with me. If an author can’t provide those things, I may struggle through a first book, but I won’t buy another one. To date, there have been only two books that I couldn’t complete. The poor editing and awkward sentences were just too disconcerting. I don’t understand how someone can give a poorly edited book four or five stars. Even a three-star book should have good editing. Other than that, I like strong, intelligent main characters who don’t do stupid things and who will not let misunderstandings get in their way. I like books that include magic, ghosts, and familiars who communicate with their people. If a main character finds out she’s a witch, the first thing she should do is thoroughly learn how to use her powers. I like good character development, dialog that is reasonably individual to each person, and a plot that doesn’t take me where I thought it would go. I don’t mind a little mild profanity, but I despise the f-word, the use of which implies that either the author has no class or thinks I don’t. I don’t mind a little mild violence, in the case of a murder mystery, but it better not involve a child or an animal–too evil. I don’t mind the occasional implication that sex has taken place, but I don’t want any detail. And I don’t want to spend any time in the killer’s head–too creepy. I like learning about other cultures and locations. Right now I think my favorite books are paranormal cozy mysteries, but they’re all kind of starting to sound the same. And a mystery doesn’t always have to involve a murder. Maybe someone is trying to find out about a letter from an ancestor or help a friend learn what happened to their Uncle Fred or help a familiar answer a question about its past. I think I’ve rattled on long enough. I hope it’s helpful. 4 likes Reply Brownies May 16, 2018 Well said Barbara. Couldn’t agree more. Especially about any evil towards kids or pets. 1 likes Reply Sam McCarthy May 17, 2018 Barbara, I couldn’t have said it better myself. I can’t tell you how many books I have read lately that makes me wonder if they were even proofread by anyone!! Calling a character by the wrong name, leaving out a keyword in a sentence, using a word with a completely different meaning, etc. How do I go about getting a job as a proofreader or editor???? 0 likes Reply Amy Vansant May 17, 2018 Great input Barbara! That bit about misunderstandings really struck a chord with me — I hate it when “complications” are created because people just won’t TALK. To me it’s just lazy writing. It happens so often the first time I had two characters talk out a misunderstanding immediately I was afraid readers would find it odd or too fast…then a bunch of people told me it was a relief! 1 likes Reply Brownies May 16, 2018 Well said Barbara 0 likes Reply Tara Brown May 16, 2018 Hello!! I love cozy mysteries! I’m a sucker for animals, vivid travel descriptions of real places (especially those involving Spanish-speaking countries b/c I’m a Spanish teacher!), and, if possible, the option to listen on audio. 🙂 Since you already fill the pages with humor, I think that sums it up for me! Thanks so much! 🙂 2 likes Reply Joni Reyes May 16, 2018 As for me I like paranormal romance books with shape shifters. 1 likes Reply Anita gomez May 17, 2018 I don’t like harm to children or pets. I love comedy/light mysteries. A little romance. No really filthy language and yes murder. 0 likes Reply carol morgan May 25, 2018 I like mystery , paranormal , bit on dark side , lot on the hot side , don’t like or fluff but apart from tha anything goes 🙂 0 likes Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Add me to Amy Vansant's Humor Newsletter!
Linda Wesson May 16, 2018 Amy, I really don’t care murder mystery! A little suspense with romance is good. Thank you! 1 likes Reply
Sharon May 16, 2018 Hi Amy, I want my books to be sweet, clean and wholesome. It’s even better if it’s a Christian read. Otherwise I don’t want it taking up space on my e-reader. 1 likes Reply
Penny Harper May 16, 2018 What I like is humor, mystery and murder. I like if the character’s have pets especially if the pets are involved in the storyline. Also having a ghost in it can be really funny . I love a book with a great cover and a great storyline. I look for a book that will keep me hooked and wanting a series of them to read. 8 likes Reply
Trish Egan May 16, 2018 I like cozy mysteries with either a ghostly friend/advisor such as “Granny Apple” series or a paranormal theme such as “Psychic Eye”. 3 likes Reply
Diana Amov May 19, 2018 I agree with Penny Harper. She said everything that I enjoy. Thank You Penny and Amy Vansant. Sincerely, Diana Amov 0 likes Reply
Sherry May 16, 2018 For mysteries- How about missing people or kidnapped people? Romantic suspense- I like sweet romance and firemen. 0 likes Reply
Tina May 16, 2018 Yes, a little magic or even a little psychic abilities ie…get close to someone and can tell if they are being honest or if they are in danger. 2 likes Reply
Mary May 16, 2018 Great mystery with understory of romance, not too much suspense, no graphic sex…nice cozy reads with happy endings. 2 likes Reply
Barbara May 16, 2018 Oddly, the most important thing for me is a well-edited standalone book with good grammar, correct sentence structure and punctuation, and a complete ending. A lot of reviewers agree with me. If an author can’t provide those things, I may struggle through a first book, but I won’t buy another one. To date, there have been only two books that I couldn’t complete. The poor editing and awkward sentences were just too disconcerting. I don’t understand how someone can give a poorly edited book four or five stars. Even a three-star book should have good editing. Other than that, I like strong, intelligent main characters who don’t do stupid things and who will not let misunderstandings get in their way. I like books that include magic, ghosts, and familiars who communicate with their people. If a main character finds out she’s a witch, the first thing she should do is thoroughly learn how to use her powers. I like good character development, dialog that is reasonably individual to each person, and a plot that doesn’t take me where I thought it would go. I don’t mind a little mild profanity, but I despise the f-word, the use of which implies that either the author has no class or thinks I don’t. I don’t mind a little mild violence, in the case of a murder mystery, but it better not involve a child or an animal–too evil. I don’t mind the occasional implication that sex has taken place, but I don’t want any detail. And I don’t want to spend any time in the killer’s head–too creepy. I like learning about other cultures and locations. Right now I think my favorite books are paranormal cozy mysteries, but they’re all kind of starting to sound the same. And a mystery doesn’t always have to involve a murder. Maybe someone is trying to find out about a letter from an ancestor or help a friend learn what happened to their Uncle Fred or help a familiar answer a question about its past. I think I’ve rattled on long enough. I hope it’s helpful. 4 likes Reply
Brownies May 16, 2018 Well said Barbara. Couldn’t agree more. Especially about any evil towards kids or pets. 1 likes Reply
Sam McCarthy May 17, 2018 Barbara, I couldn’t have said it better myself. I can’t tell you how many books I have read lately that makes me wonder if they were even proofread by anyone!! Calling a character by the wrong name, leaving out a keyword in a sentence, using a word with a completely different meaning, etc. How do I go about getting a job as a proofreader or editor???? 0 likes Reply
Amy Vansant May 17, 2018 Great input Barbara! That bit about misunderstandings really struck a chord with me — I hate it when “complications” are created because people just won’t TALK. To me it’s just lazy writing. It happens so often the first time I had two characters talk out a misunderstanding immediately I was afraid readers would find it odd or too fast…then a bunch of people told me it was a relief! 1 likes Reply
Tara Brown May 16, 2018 Hello!! I love cozy mysteries! I’m a sucker for animals, vivid travel descriptions of real places (especially those involving Spanish-speaking countries b/c I’m a Spanish teacher!), and, if possible, the option to listen on audio. 🙂 Since you already fill the pages with humor, I think that sums it up for me! Thanks so much! 🙂 2 likes Reply
Anita gomez May 17, 2018 I don’t like harm to children or pets. I love comedy/light mysteries. A little romance. No really filthy language and yes murder. 0 likes Reply
carol morgan May 25, 2018 I like mystery , paranormal , bit on dark side , lot on the hot side , don’t like or fluff but apart from tha anything goes 🙂 0 likes Reply
