I’m honored to join the fabulously talented and hard-working authors who are the Miss Demeanors, and I’m especially looking forward to meeting you, the blog’s readers. As a quick introduction, I write the Agatha Award-nominated Revolutionary War mysteries, which include The Turncoat’s Widow, The Counterfeit Wife, and The Paris Mistress.
I was working as a corporate attorney when I started writing my first mystery. But the truth is, I’d been making up stories my entire life. It was second nature to concoct a reason the couple in the diner looked so unhappy or imagine why a local librarian’s eyes lit up each time a certain patron walked through the door. (Is there a 12-step program for people like us? Asking for a friend.)
So why do I write mysteries? I’ve loved crime fiction ever since I swiped that first Agatha Christie novel from my mother’s night table. It took me years, though, to work up the courage to try writing the mysteries that kept me turning pages at night.
I failed over and over. I crafted terrible sentences. Wrote myself into corners. But amid the struggle to learn craft, there was such pleasure in discovering my story as I wrote it, enough pleasure to keep me going.
Given current events, however, some question whether dreaming up fictional crimes is a frivolous pursuit. I think the opposite is true. Fiction connects us, entertains us, and tells us the truth about issues that matter to us. Each of those missions seem even more important to me in these perilous times.
I’d love to know why writing and reading mysteries matters to you, especially now. I hope you’ll comment below. And since I’ve authored this post, I get the first comment!
Justice Matters
All of us are born for fairness, with some studies suggesting a genetic preference for justice over injustice. No wonder we love crime fiction. At its core, that’s what mysteries are about: the search for justice, whether or not its successful.
My favorite writers are canaries in the coal mine, authoring stories that shine a light on inequities and problems that have too often been left in the shadows. Whether a fictional investigator is successful or not, crime fiction reminds readers that justice matters, though the search is messy and the outcome far from certain.
Crime Fiction Connects Us All
“Only connect,” E.M. Forster wrote in Howard’s End. The arts in all their forms let us find common ground in a divided world. And fiction in particular—from the Perveen Mistry series by Sujata Massey to the Asperger mystery series by E.J. Copperman/Jeff Cohen and more—lets us step into the shoes of characters whose life experiences are different from ours. In these stories, we find threads that connect us all and insights into other viewpoints.
I started adding more mysteries here with protagonists who move and challenge me, but the list grew too long. Right now, though, I’m loving the first book in Delia Pitts’s series, Trouble in Queenstown. Just saying.
Entertainment Has Value
Call it downtime. Call it an escape hatch. We all need to step away from the chaos occasionally. Traditional mysteries and cozies can serve that purpose, providing the perfect antidote for overwhelm. Villains are foiled. Order is restored. Is it any surprise that sales of cozy mysteries are strong?
Some stories—Lori Robbins’s On Pointe dance mysteries come to mind—may be the right “medicine” for a reader who loves humor and craves a temporarily escape their real-world problems. Others, like The Turncoat’s Widow, literally take readers to another time and place.
These books are comforting. They’re entertaining. And we become attached to the characters and communities drawn by the author. These are not small things.
Fiction is Powerful
If stories didn’t matter, people wouldn’t work so hard to ban them, bestselling thriller writer Brad Meltzer wrote. Fiction doesn’t just entertain us, it changes us, he said, along with this:
“Jay Gatsby was the one who warned us of the dangers of our own excesses during the 1920s. Superman swooped to the rescue and gave America hope during the terrifying early days of World War II. Scout and Atticus showed us our racism, but also showed us the people who we aspire to be – who we want to be – and who we can be….”
Stories matter, which is what this post is all about. And, in particular, your stories matter. Book by book, crime fiction challenges our preconceptions, educates us, calls out injustice, and entertains us. Who wouldn’t want to contribute to that effort?
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Now it’s your turn. Where do you find meaning or comfort in writing your mysteries? What mysteries have challenged or entertained you lately?

Mally, first of all WELCOME! Miss Demeanors is delighted to have you onboard. I love that idea of humans having a bias toward justice. That’s what plays out in the mystery genre. The righting of wrongs. The reestablishment of justice.
Lovely blog.
Thanks for the welcome and the kind words, Connie! I think the bias toward fairness or justice is fascinating, too. The question scientists are asking is whether that’s purely a behavioral trait or whether there’s also a genetic component. The study I cited suggests there’s something genetic about it, which is intriguing.
Welcome to Miss Demeanors, Mally and congratulations to you and Connie and Marni for your recent Agatha nominations! I think mysteries matter to me because they are generally about flawed people trying to do the right thing, (solve a crime, help someone unfairly accused) and they usually prevail. So they inspire and comfort.
Thanks for the welcome and good wishes, Susan. And you make such a good point. I like to think that most of us are flawed people trying to do our best in a challenging world. Characters doing the same are so relatable…And their successes are both inspiring and comforting.
Great first piece. I never before connected my love of crime fiction to my self-righteousness but makes sense. I love seeing justice triumph but I also enjoy challenging myself with a puzzle.
Thanks, Dawn. Hold on to the sense of righteousness! As for a mystery’s puzzle pieces, I’m a “pantser.” Two-thirds of the way through each of my books, I’ve wondered whether I’ll be able to figure it all out myself!
Welcome aboard, Mally! I think I turned to crime fiction because my husband was a detective :-). Ready made fact checker. But I like it because I do like puzzles and I also like reading about people in trouble getting on top of that trouble. And CONGRATULATIONS to you and Connie for the Agatha nominations!
Hi Emilya, Thanks for your good wishes! I also like reading about characters who overcome their troubles, especially if I’ve had some of the same types of troubles in the past. (And now I know who to come to if I have questions about lawn enforcement protocols!)
Hi there, Mally! Of course, we know one another since we have the same publisher, and I’m so happy to be spending more time with you now on Miss Demeanors. You’re a pantser?? I’m a plotter with wiggle room. I wonder if I can convert you?
Welcome!
Lane
Hi, Lane, If there’s a trick to plotting a mystery, I’d love to know it. So do try to convert me! I’m looking forward to spending more time with you, too, on Miss Demeanors.
So much of this resonates with me, particularly the idea of justice animating both readers and writers of crime fiction. This post also provides a thoughtful answer to challenges over the value of the humanities.
And thanks for the shout-out! So happy to welcome you to Miss Demeanors!
Thanks for making me sound so erudite! I hadn’t thought that broadly. But here’s even more support for the humanities: Studies show that reading fiction increases empathy when readers feel “emotionally transported” into a story. That’s the whole enchilada, isn’t it? We’re all doing our best to draw readers into the world we create. And mentioning your series was a pleasure. I love it!
A heart welcome to Miss Demeanors, Mally!
I’m sure you have more thought-provoking posts in store for us.
I write mysteries for all the reasons you delineated— they are what I enjoy reading the most. I’m a Libra so my scales tip at injustice; the need to see justice restored is strong, or at least some kind of resolution that is satisfying, whether in historical or contemporary times.
I’ve just read—and enjoyed—Nicci French’s The Last Days of Kira Mullen, where a young chef recovering from a breakdown is the only one convinced her neighbor didn’t commit suicide. Out soon and heartily recommend ~
Thanks for the warm welcome and the book recommendation! I’ve made a note to pick up The Last Days of Kira Mullen when it comes out in a few weeks. You also made a great point about a reader’s satisfaction when a story ends with some kind of resolution. We love seeing order restored at the end of a mystery, don’t we?
I love your column! I read historical mysteries and historical fiction because I am especially drawn to lives much different than mine and as a writer I find it rewarding to research those lives to create a character that will both fascinate the reader and create a resonating connection.
I love your phrase, “a resonating connection.” The lives of historical characters may be very different from ours, but I think human emotions — love, grief, anger, joy — haven’t changed over time. And highlighting those characters’ emotions is a big part of creating that resonating connection with readers.