Rachel Brooks

Lastly, while I've detailed things I'm particularly keen to see, like pet cozies, that doesn't mean I won't love your cozy hook that has nothing to do with animals. Maybe you have a fun unique hook I haven't thought of that's not overdone. Query it! #MSWL QueryMe.Online/RachelBrooks

The bookshelves need more cozy authors of color. If you're a cozy mystery AOC I'd love to hear from you. Query form--> QueryMe.Online/RachelBrooks #MSWL

I love a cozy with humor or snark. Cozies, despite the murder and criminals, are not dark, and I want to feel like I can follow this fun sleuth and their voice for many books to come. #MSWL

I want cozies set in the same small small town for the whole series, not ones that travel or move. A big part of cozies is the cast of quirky small town secondary characters (think the Log Lady in Twin Peaks), and I want to see them in each book. #MSWL

I want red herrings in cozies as I attempt to figure out whodunnit, BUT once it's revealed who I need to be able to think back & realize clues were pointing me there. Not satisfying as a reader to have it be someone we never met/barely interacted/never would have suspected. #MSWL

Strong cozy hook examples with sleuth's job tied to hook --> she runs the pet hotel in Krista Davis’s Paws & Claws series, the library cat bookmobile in Laurie Cass’s Bookmobile series, and the cranberry farm/store in Peg Cochran’s Cranberry Cove series. #MSWL

In cozies I'm looking for strong series hook (look at Ellery Adams, Julia Buckley, Laura Bradford, etc.) The protagonist-turned-sleuth has to be tied to the hook with their unique and fun job #MSWL

I love cozy pun titles + grabs my attention immediately & clues me into the series hook (if you don't have fun title it's not a deal breaker- can be brainstormed later). Ex: Berry the Hatchet by Peg Cochran, Breach of Crust by Ellery Adams, Murder Most Howl by Krista Davis #MSWL

In cozy mysteries, I want to see recent crimes not cold cases. I also want a protagonist-turned sleuth who is active vs. passive. Should be eager to find clues, solve the case, rather than just reacting to things around them. #MSWL

While I'm a cat lady & love to see cozy mysteries with sleuths w/ cats, or even better a cat-centered series hook (unique pet-themed businesses like a pet treat bakery, etc) I'm not anti-dog. Cats just win gold, dogs silver. Send me your cute furry friend-themed cozies #MSWL

I would love to see cozy mysteries set in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Like a fictionalized version of Port Townsend, Friday Harbor, etc. #MSWL

Incoming thread about my #MSWL when it comes to cozy mysteries, and what I see working when I read published cozies. My @bookendslit query form--> QueryMe.Online/RachelBrooks

March #MSWLMadness continues today at BookEnds! My #MSWL post is live (check out the other agent posts too while you're there 😉) bookendsliterary.com/2018/03/19/rac…