Author Spotlight: Laurien Berenson
Author of the Senior Sleuths Mysteries and the Melanie Travis Canine Mysteries
PEG AND ROSE PLAY THE POINES is the third book in the Senior Sleuths Mystery series. PUMPKIN SPICE PUPPY is the 30th book in the Melanie Travis Canine Mystery series. Image credit: Laurien Berenson
Laurien Berenson is a bestselling author and four-time winner of the Maxwell Award for Fiction from the Dog Writers Association of America. Her books often revolve around dog shows, something her family has been involved in for several generations.
She writes two really fun, critically acclaimed cozy mystery series:
Melanie Travis Mysteries: This long-running cozy series features amateur sleuth Melanie Travis, a single mom with a knack for handling dogs and solving mysteries.
Senior Sleuth Mysteries: This spin-off of the Melanie Travis Mysteries features Melanie's aunts: feisty Peg Turnbull and sweet-natured Rose Donovan. The two senior sleuths stir up trouble and solve murder mysteries.
You can sign up for Laurien's Newsletter to read the news she sends out to fans.
Cozy Crime Reads Interview with Laurien Berenson
What attracted you to the cozy mystery genre?
Before I was a mystery writer, I was an avid mystery reader. So it was natural for me to want to write what I loved to read. When I began writing my first cozy (1990) the idea of “cozy mysteries” as a separate genre was just beginning to take off, thanks to talented authors like Nancy Pickard, Dorothy Cannell and Carolyn Hart. I was delighted to be able to join their ranks.
What essential elements make a cozy stand out to you as a reader?
I think great characters are the most important element in a good cozy. As a reader, I want to spend time with characters whose lives and problems are interesting and meaningful. I also love cozy mysteries with a sense of humor.
Do you have a favorite amateur sleuth?
It would be impossible to narrow that down to just one character, but I am a big fan of books by Jenn McKinlay, Donna Andrews, and David Rosenfelt.
The first three books in the Senior Sleuths Mystery series by Laurien Berenson.
What inspired you to write your first cozy mystery?
At the time I wrote my first cozy (A Pedigree to Die For) I was breeding and showing Standard Poodles. I realized the dog show world would make a perfect setting for a lighthearted mystery. Luckily, it worked out just the way I’d hoped.
How do you research and create the “cozy” elements in your books, like the settings and community?
My first cozy series (Melanie Travis canine mysteries) currently comprises 30 books, so by now I am so familiar with both the community of characters and the setting that I have to do much less research now than I did in the beginning.
The first ten books in the Melanie Travis Canine Mystery series by Laurien Berenson.
What is one key step in your writing process that helps you transform an idea into a finished book?
Allowing an idea to percolate. When inspiration strikes, I try not to rush the process. I let the idea sit in the back of my mind for several days without consciously trying to make it evolve. It’s amazing how often the good ideas will take wings on their own.
What advice would you give aspiring cozy mystery authors who want to start writing their first novel?
Keep reading and keep writing. Writing is like exercising a muscle. The more you do it, the stronger and better you become.
How can readers connect with you online?
I’m on Facebook and Twitter, and they can visit my website at LaurienBerenson.com.
Explore Laurien Berenson’s Cozy Mysteries
You can find Laurien Berenson’s books through many booksellers, including (but not limited to) Amazon, Bookshop, Books-A-Million, and Barnes and Noble.
Laurien Berenson Cozy Mystery Bookshelf
The following image gallery features book covers from Laurien Berenson’s two cozy mystery series. Use the arrows on either side of the image to cycle through all of the pictures in this digital bookshelf.
This page contains affiliate links. Affiliate links make it possible for partner sites like Cozy Crime Reads to earn nominal commissions if you click on a link and make a purchase. This happens at no extra cost to you. Cozy Crime Reads uses affiliate links to cover operating costs and keep the website relatively ad-free.