How to Handle the Stakes in a Cozy Mystery + Giveaway (Part 4 of 4)

by H.R. D’Costa, @scribesworld

Wow.

We’ve covered a lot of ground in this four-part blog series on how to handle the stakes in a cozy mystery. (By the way, although the illustrative examples are cozy-centric, many of the tips in this series can be applied to mysteries with a harder edge.)

Today, we’re wrapping things up and putting all the tips from Parts 1–3 of the blog series into action. For this post to make the most sense, you should really read the previous ones (if you haven’t already).

If you need to catch up, check out this list of all the posts in this blog series, with convenient links to Parts 1, 2, and 3:

1. In Part 1, we covered methods to bolster the stakes that emphasize the sleuth.
2. In Part 2, we covered methods to bolster the stakes that emphasize other storytelling elements that readers care about.
3. In Part 3, we discussed considerations to take into account when applying these story stake tips to cozy mysteries in a series.
4. In Part 4, you’ll see these considerations in action when I share a sample lineup of stakes for a hypothetical cozy-mystery series. (You’re reading Part 4 right now.)

All right. You’re properly oriented. You know that it’s a smart idea to map out the stakes in a cozy-mystery series in advance. That’s because doing so will help you avoid escalation problems in the long run.

When mapping out your stakes, there are three operating principles to keep in mind.

• Ideally, the novels in your series will be more emotionally intense, as your series goes along.
• However, the first book in your series should be engaging enough to lure readers into your series.
• Series loyalty can carry readers through books that might not be as exciting as previous books in a series.

With these principles in hand, you should be able to figure out how to maintain escalation across the books in your cozy-mystery series.

However, before you do this on your own, you might like to see these principles in action.

That’s why I’ve created a sample lineup of stakes to use over the course of a five-book cozy-mystery series. This lineup will give you a sense of the reasoning process you might go through when you map out the stakes in your own series.

Bear in mind, this lineup shouldn’t be treated as a cast-iron mold. It’s there to provide guidance on some considerations that are good to take into account when planning your own cozy-mystery series.

One more thing: unless otherwise indicated, the victim in these plots can be likeable or unlikeable.

In the case of an unlikeable victim, an extra set of stakes (or some other source) supplies the reason for readers to invest in the plot. Using these techniques (as described in Parts 1 and 2 of this blog series) is a must.

In the case of a likeable victim, it’s optional. You don’t need to compensate for the victim’s unlikeability—but, by applying the same techniques, you’ll enhance your readers’ experience.

Okay, here’s the sample lineup:

Story Stakes for Book #1 in a Hypothetical Cozy-Mystery Series

The sleuth’s best friend is the prime suspect, and the sleuth must solve the case to prevent her friend from going to jail.

This situation makes your series entry point an attractive option for readers, who’ll be drawn in by the high-stake situation.

At the same time, the stakes don’t quite reach the same level as when the sleuth herself is the prime suspect—so you’ve left yourself room to escalate.

Story Stakes for Book #2 in a Hypothetical Cozy-Mystery Series

Readers are emotionally invested in the plot because they want to see justice achieved on behalf of the likeable victim who was friends (or friendly) with the sleuth.

To deepen this investment, show your sleuth reminiscing about her interactions with the victim. To take it up a notch, show your sleuth reminiscing about interactions that you actually depicted in book #1.

As your sleuth recalls the details, your readers will remember them too, which’ll make your readers even more connected to the story. (It’s almost like an Easter egg for them.)

This is one example of why it can be advantageous to extensively outline the books in your cozy-mystery series. Doing so also enables you to identify (and fix) plot holes in advance—which’ll reduce your revision time.

If that’s something that interests you, check out Sparkling Story Drafts , which’ll show you what to do, step by step. (By the way, this writing guide is recommended by Elizabeth!)

Story Stakes for Book #3 in a Hypothetical Cozy-Mystery Series

Here, the case might not be the main attraction—an ongoing subplot is.

Hence, readers keep turning the pages due to their interest in a major subplot development that occurs in this series installment.

Story Stakes for Book #4 in a Hypothetical Cozy-Mystery Series

Although the victim is unlikeable, readers invest in the case because of their connection to a (likeable) family member of the victim.

Again, if you plan out your series in advance, you can further deepen readers’ emotional involvement. Think about the example with the resident troublemaker and his kindly grandmother (from Part 2 of this blog series).

If you show your sleuth commiserating with the grandmother about the troublemaker grandson over the course of the previous three books in the series, readers are going to care more about the grandmother’s plight in book #4.

If the mystery takes place in a small town, you could even associate the grandson with a refrain like, “If he carries on like that, he’s going to get himself killed one day.”

Now, in book #4, it actually happens, which can add another layer of appeal to your plot. (You might even use it as a lead-in to your book description.)

Although I really like this option, I’m going to suggest an alternative for the sake of illustration. Again, the victim is still unlikeable. However, this time, you’re relying on your series hook to keep readers invested in the story. (Refer back to Part 2 of this blog series for examples of what I mean.)

Despite taking compensatory measures, you might feel that readers’ connection to your plot is, nevertheless, still weak. (Maybe it is—which is why I’m using this as an example.) At this point, you could rely on series loyalty to carry readers through.

But to avoid the impression that you’re coasting and that your series is going downhill, you should really elevate the stakes in the next book, which brings me to…

Story Stakes for Book #5 in a Hypothetical Cozy-Mystery Series

The sleuth is the prime suspect.

Thus, you have saved the most intense situation for book #5.

However, at the same time, the books that precede it aren’t dull either, so your series, as a whole, escalates nicely.

A good balance has been achieved.

More Than 5 Books?

What if your series contains more than five books?

Just adapt this pattern—changing the order and switching out some of the components to avoid accusations of repetition.

For example, your sleuth won’t be the prime suspect again—at least not for a good long while. Instead, to drum up emotional involvement, you’ll make her the killer’s next target.

Moreover, you’re not going to save this intense situation for the last book in the second batch (as you did for the first batch). You’re going to use it in book #9.

Whatever you decide, as long as you keep the three operating principles in mind, you should be in good shape!

* * *

And there you have it. We’ve reached the end of this four-part blog series on how to handle the stakes in a cozy mystery.

You not only know about multiple techniques to keep readers emotionally invested in the plot (despite the unlikeability of the victim) but also how to apply these techniques to maintain escalation across the books in your cozy-mystery series.

I hope that by using these tips, you will build a base of fans who’ll be eager to click the buy button whenever they see you’ve put out a new release!

If you’d like to dig deeper into story stakes on your own, download this cheat sheet with 11 types of story stakes. It might (a) give you additional ideas for how to make readers emotionally invested in the outcome of the case as well as (b) help you generate a variety of motives to match your healthy list of suspects.

You can also check out my writing guide Story Stakes: Your #1 Writing Skills Strategy to Produce a Page-Turner That Transforms Readers into Raving Fans of Your Screenplay or Novel . See below for details on how you could win a paperback copy…

Win a Paperback Copy of Story Stakes

For every post in this blog series, you have a chance to win a paperback copy of Story Stakes  ($15.95).

Described as “a must-have in your top 10 books on writing” by one Amazon reviewer, it’ll show you how to use story stakes to elicit the maximum degree of emotion from readers as well as how to raise the stakes (even when they’re already high!).

For a chance to win today, answer this question in the comments: What are other benefits of outlining books in a series in advance?

Elizabeth will randomly select four lucky winners by Monday, August 19.

Note: This giveaway is only open to residents of North America, South America, and Europe.

Good luck and happy writing!

About H. R. D’Costa

A graduate of Brown University, H. R. D’Costa (a.k.a. HRD) is an author and writing coach who specializes in story structure and story stakes.

For practical, actionable writing tips designed to help you keep readers glued to your pages, visit her website scribemeetsworld.com, which is also home to the Ultimate Story Structure Worksheet (downloaded over 37,000 times by writers from around the world).

For practical, actionable writing tips designed to help you keep readers glued to your pages, visit her website scribemeetsworld.com, which is also home to the Ultimate Story Structure Worksheet (downloaded over 37,000 times by writers from around the world).

IMAGE CREDITS: Coffee & book by Amariei Mihai; Misty lake by Dominik Dombrowski; Sunset celebration by Levi Guzman; Elderly woman by Cristian Newman; Female sleuth by Sasha Nadelyaeva