Author Spotlight: Darci Hannah

Darci Hannah is an internationally acclaimed author of historical fiction and mystery books. She writes several cozy mystery series inspired by her love for small towns and Lake Michigan.

Darci Hannah's cozy mysteries include the:

• Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries: This cozy mystery series, set in the small beachfront village of Beacon Harbor, Michigan, features a pastry chef with a lighthouse bakery, a faithful dog named Wellington, and a habit of solving mysteries.

• Food & Spirits Mysteries: This cozy mystery series features Chef Bridget “Bunny” MacBride who teams up with ghost hunter Brett Bloom and psychic medium Giff McGrady to make a television show called Food & Spirits. They visit haunted locales around the world, attempt to lure spirits back to the table with a beloved meal, and solve mysteries involving unscripted murder.

• Very Cherry Mysteries: In this cozy mystery series, Cherry enthusiast Whitney Bloom rushes home when things go sour at the family orchard in Wisconsin. She ends up mixed up in mysteries and pitted against killers.

Darci Hannah's books often include recipes like this one for Delightful Lemon Scones, which appeared at the end of Murder at the Lemonberry Tea (Book 6 in the Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries). See a review for Murder at the Lemonberry Tea.

You can learn more about Darci Hannah's books, get recipes, and join her mailing list on her website, DarciHannah.com.

Cozy Crime Reads Interview with Darci Hannah

What attracted you to the cozy mystery genre?

A happy little accident! I began my writing career in historical fiction. I thought I’d always write historical fiction… until the day no one was buying what I was writing. My agent suggested I write a mystery. I thought about it for a while, then realized that I really enjoyed reading mysteries, so why not write one? That was how it started. It wasn’t until I presented my first mystery manuscript to my agent that I was told I had written a cozy mystery! Imagine my surprise. I’m still learning about the cozy mystery genre and loving every minute of it!

What essential elements make a cozy stand out to you as a reader?

For me it’s all about setting and characters. Good, interesting characters just pull you into the story and make it come to life. After all, there must be something compelling about the main character to keep you reading. I also regard setting like a character. For me as a reader, the setting is just as important to the story. I pay attention to the way it’s handled, the way the characters interact with it, and what advantages and challenges it might bring. I love to read about small, charming towns in parts of the country/world that I’d love to visit. In other words, it makes for great armchair traveling!

Do you have a favorite amateur sleuth?

The first amateur sleuth I ever encountered was Nancy Drew. My mom gave me a couple of her childhood books and I took them to summer camp when I was twelve. I remember staying up late at night in my bunk reading The Secret of the Old Clock. I don’t remember the story, but I remember loving it, and thinking Nancy Drew was the coolest. As an adult, I started reading M.C. Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth series and her Agatha Raisin series as well. I loved both her sleuths and the UK setting. I think I’ve read every one of her books. Now I read a lot of cozy mysteries and have so many favorite sleuths that it would take me a couple of pages to list them all.