Friday, February 17, 2023

Why Is That Funny?



HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: So–what’s funny to you? It’s a fascinating question, because it’s not the same for all of us, right? (For instance. Do you think the Three Stooges are funny? I don’t think so, not one bit. But I know I’m in the minority. Or am I?) 

 But author Charlotte Stuart has not only thought about humor in mystery, she’s studied it. And organized it!

Let’s let her explain.


Murder Lite: The Muse Within


By Charlotte Stuart

If you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn’t fit any of your containers.


Humor is universal, but we don’t all laugh at the same things. My inner muse thinks the above statement is hilarious, but I have more than one friend who would simply say, “Huh?” For instance, I love stand-up comedy, but I don’t love all stand-up comedians. When Nancy Pearl advises book clubs to avoid starting discussions with “I liked/didn’t like” a particular book, I think this is what she has in mind. It isn’t just about the writing; readers bring some innate attributes and preferences with them to their reading experience. Particularly when it comes to humor.

I was an organizational consultant for a number of years and became certified in a variety of assessment processes. Two stand out when analyzing an individual’s sense of humor: Ned Hermann’s dominant brain quadrant preference and Meyers Briggs personality indicator. Based on these two assessments, you can make a pretty good guess as to what will tickle someone’s funny bone. But, that isn’t helpful unless you’ve also categorized types of humor by author. That’s what I’ve done in the following matrix, using a few representative authors to illustrate
.

One Genre—Five Categories

KOOKY

COMIC

AMUSING

EDGY

DARK

·  Carl Hiaasen

·  Lisa Lutz

·  Laurence Shames

 

·  Most cozies and capers

·  Donald Westlake

 

·  Robert Crais (Evis Cole)

·  John Sandford (Virgil Flowers)

 

·  Janet Evanovich

·  Joe Ide

(Isaiah Quintabe)

·  Sue Grafton

·  Joseph Wambaugh

·  Caimh McDonnell (Dublin Trilogy)

Each category can be sliced and diced in a number of different ways, including the relationship between book titles and categories, but the basic definitions are as follows:

Kooky: Humor is key. Characterized by outrageous situations and very quirky characters.

Comic: Benign, non-offensive humor that is usually character driven.

Amusing: Less overtly humorous with light-hearted themes.

Edgy: Intermittent humor that is complex and nuanced. Often includes irony and cynical wordplay between characters.

Dark: Humor may not be obvious. Makes light of taboo topics. Tragicomedy.

This does not take into account that some people don’t like any humor in their mysteries unless it’s lightly dipped in dark ink. And, in fact, the humorous mystery market is quite small. That said, I didn’t start out to write humorous mysteries, but my inner muse is at times uncontrollable. And although I’m not a pet owner, cats and dogs seem to find a way into my stories. Perhaps as surrogate pets. So, even though my Discount Detective Mysteries feature a PI and violate many other cozy mystery rules as well, they are usually labeled as cozies. So far I haven’t been kicked out of the cozy club, but I have been taken to task for my treatment of goldfish. (Small bowls contribute to short life spans for goldfish—honestly, I didn’t know.)

Bottom line? I enjoy a good cozy and a cuppa, but I think of my own mysteries as more “mug of coffee” reads. Hence, I’ve spent many hours trying to redefine my type of humor to establish a brand: Cozy 2.0, Murder Lite, Mirthful Mayhem, or just plain old Humorous Mystery.

Next year I have a book coming out that is almost humorless. When I was writing it, I had to block my humor muse, wipe the smile off my face, let my lips sag at the corners and think dark thoughts. I’m proud of the final product, but it’s certainly a lot more fun to write for laughs.


HANK: SO fascinating. (And funny!) How about you, Reds and readers? Do you like humor in mysteries? I have laughed out loud at Anthony Horowitz, for instance. Elle Cosimano, another genius. And my own Prime Time mysteries are kinda funny. (I hope.)  Certainly  Jenn’s, and Rhys’s Georgie, and Lucy’s Haley. But they are all different. Let’s talk about humor in mystery….what’s YOUR opinion? And your favorites?

***********



Charlotte Stuart began her writing career with a PhD thesis that had the distinction of being stolen from the university library. Her current passion is for writing humorous mysteries with silent laugh tracks that encourage readers to smile, snicker and occasionally laugh out loud.
They have been recognized with a number of awards including a Global eBook gold, two NYC Big Book Distinguished Favorites, a Pinnacle Book Achievement Award and a Firebird Book Award for humor. Charlotte lives and writes on Vashon Island in the Pacific Northwest. https://www.charlottestuart.com

 


Moonlight Can Be Deadly is the fourth in the Discount Detective Mystery series. It is available March 14, 2023.  https://www.amazon.com/Moonlight-Deadly-Discount-Detective-Mystery/dp/1940442478?ref_=ast_sto_dp

 

MOONLIGHT CAN BE DEADLY

A full moon re-enactment of an ancient human sacrifice ritual turns deadly.

A young woman volunteers to play the role of a maiden to be sacrificed under a full moon while costumed participants chant and dance to celebrate the ritual. After the ceremony, the maiden vanishes and a man’s body is found on the rock altar, impaled by an antique dagger.

 

Single mom and Penny-wise investigator, Cameron Chandler is hired to find the missing woman. What begins as a straightforward assignment becomes a quagmire of motives and betrayals. As the full moon wanes, Cameron must choose between doing things by the book or saving herself from a murderer.

 


114 comments:

  1. This is so interesting, Charlotte [and congratulations on your new book] . . . I’ve never give much thought to the humor that shows up in a story, but I always enjoy it. I don’t know that I have a favorite, but a chuckle is always welcome . . . .

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    1. Yes, so agree..It's really hard to do and make it feel seamless!

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    2. Thank you, Joan. I am always pleased when a reader chuckles at something I've written.

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  2. I do appreciate humor in a mystery. One of my favorite mysteries of all time is The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. And I love the Hamish Macbeth series by M. C. Beaton (so sorry she is gone.) And Horowitz, yes. Congratulations to Charlotte on your new book. It sounds intriguing, to say the least.

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    1. I miss M.C.Beaton too. I loved her Agatha Raisin series. Agatha was definitely funny in a edgy, irreverent way. It was a British show as well and I highly recommend it. I think it was on Acorn TV. I love Lucy Burdette's Halley Snow. She isn't haha funny but definitely has a fun, ironic wit.

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    2. Yes, the line between ha ha funny and witty. Lord Peter Wimsey, for instance, was wonderful..so witty!

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    3. Thank you. I, too, love The Moonstone and the Hamish series!

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    4. The "anonymous reply" about The Moonstone and the Hamish series was from me, Charlotte.

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  3. I enjoy dogs in mysteries (e.g., Paula Munier), and once in a while the Chet and Bernie series tickles my funny bone. The stories are pretty predictable, which is OK by me, because Chet's point of view makes me smile.

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    1. SO agree--Chet's point of view is brilliant. And Spencer Quinn/Peter Abrahams is such a genius--you see the whole POV is from a dog's height!

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    2. Hmmm. What about cats in mysteries? I have one series that emphasizes a cat (Macavity) and Moonlight Can Be Deadly where Noname (a family dog) is a presence although not central to the plot. Love my surrogate pets!

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  4. Welcome and congratulations on your upcoming release. I love humor in mysteries. Many times I've laughed out-loud at the wrong time due to a book I was reading and enjoying.

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    1. Wait--that's laughing at the RIGHT time!

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    2. Laughing out loud at something is the ultimate compliment to a book!

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    3. Thanks, Dru Ann. I agree with Hank - that's laughing at the RIGHT time!

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    4. Not when you're supposed to be listening to a speaker but instead chose to read your book, but it was the "right" time.

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  5. Welcome Charlotte--what a great topic! I would have put Janet Evanovich in the kooky box though. What about Richard Osman? His group of retired sleuths is definitely some kind of funny. I would like to hear more about how you use those assessment tools to figure out what people will laugh at!

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    1. I have not read Richard Osman yet...but two are waiting!

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    2. I've actually done some blogs and presentations on specific assessment tools and humor, but unless someone has taken the assessment, I've found it's not too meaningful. If you have one you are interested in, let me know.

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  6. Yes, the humorous mystery is my jam! I am currently enjoying The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman. Going to put your books, Charlotte, on my goodreads right now.

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  7. CHARLOTTE: That is an interesting matrix of humourous mysteries.
    Donna Andrews, Ellen Byron, Janet Evanovich, Wendall Thomas have given me laugh-out-loud moments in each of their books. Richard Osman and Mick Herron are other authors that make me smile.
    But I also like the more sly humour of Robert Crais' Elvis Cole & Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (Bill Slider police procedurals).

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    1. Oh, so agree--Mick Herron is marvelous. SO dry and witty!

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    2. You are revealing your humor profile by your choices! Although I would place the authors you mention in different categories, so you are more eclectic than some readers.

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  8. Quite a bit of humor tickles my funnybone, Charlotte, so I'll definitely be searching out your Discount Detective series and congrats on the newest one. I like my humor any way I can get it, so really, any of your categories will do. An early fave was the cast of absurd characters and their shenanigans in Martha Grimes' Richard Jury mysteries. A book that can make me laugh out loud usually finds a place on my keepers' shelf.

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    1. Thank you, Flora. I hope you enjoy my series - they are fun to write.

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  9. I was watching a documentary about Truman Capote last night, and a clip from Murder by Death was included. It brought back how much I appreciate the use of humor in fiction. Dialogue between Christies' Thomas and Tuppance's to conversations with a cat (Kittens can Kill) I smile as the pages turn.
    For me, no humor all grim makes Coralee a sad reader. I just downloaded Moonlight can be Deadly. Looking forward to entering Cameron's world.

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    1. Coralee again. Hank I have the car rented and am looking at restaurants in Vero Beach. Wish I could treat you to some stone crab claws. Will see you soon.

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    2. OH, what documentary is that? LOVE to see it. And HURRAY! Cannot wait to see you! Aww...thank you!

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    3. Thanks, Coralee. Read it at midnight under a full moon for greatest impact . . . kidding.

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  10. Fascinating! Especially as I've found use in Meyer-Briggs, Gallup's Clifton Strengthsfinders, and Enneagram. I'm also thinking about potential marketing cues to suggest humor level, maybe like romance uses a "heat level" to cue readers as to how detailed scenes might go. Cover art and book description wording would work together along these lines. I'm totally geeking out on this. Thank you.

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    1. Fabulous! Will you write a blog for us about that? xx

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    2. I would love to hear more about this - especially how you might use wording and covers together. I geek out on this too.

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    3. I geek out too! Would love to see what you come up with relating description with covers.

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    4. I geek out too! I'll be interested in seeing how you connect descriptions to covers. Good idea.

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    5. Just seeing the replies morning after. :) Hank, I think you're kidding, but I might shock you and take that action later this year. ;)
      Charlotte, maybe after my own book is out. The book and packaging are done, but now I'm learning about business setup. #Eek #Yuck
      Meanwhile, Life just got lifey, just to make things interesting.
      I'm no marketing expert, just an author about to self-publish her first book and taking way too many pains with it. :)
      But, yeah, if you guys want to see me parse some cover art decisions, and I've already hit "publish" on the book, I'll do it. Thanks!

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  11. Congratulations on your new release! I'm currently reading the three Finlay Donovan books. Donna Andrews uses a deft touch of humor in her Meg Langslow mysteries. And I'm always up for Janet Evanovich's bawdy humor in her Stephanie Plum books.

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    1. The Finlay books are SO funny. When I read the first one, I would laugh just thinking about it!

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    2. I happen to enjoy all three of those authors. Each with a slightly different brand of humor.

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  12. It seems some Cozy mysteries have more serious main characters but funny secondary characters (best friends) such as Laura Childs' Cackleberry Club (Cozy) Mystery Series and Valerie Burns' Dog Club mysteries.

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    1. Oh, good point! The funny sidekick--that can really work.

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    2. I think that helps keep the plot more realistic.

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  13. Many of my favorite authors have already been mentioned here, as well as some others I’ve been planning to read. So I thank everyone who has listed their favorite authors!

    It’s interesting how some books that I think are hysterically funny don’t appeal at all to some people I know. A neighbor who is an avid reader of cozies told me that she stopped trying to read books by Donna Andrews, and that she doesn’t think they’re at all funny. When I read a book by Donna Andrews, I end up sore from laughing!

    DebRo

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    1. Yes, and that's what makes it such a juggle, right? The Three Stooges dilemma!

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    2. My original idea was to "warn" readers in advance what type of humor to expect in my books so they wouldn't be disappointed. Not sure it worked.

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    3. I'm in a mystery book club and I find the differences in humor both interesting, and at times frustrating.

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  14. I think my kind of humour is underrated dead-pan humour. We were on the road yesterday, and listening to Louise Penny’s latest “A World of Curiosities”, when in the middle of crime and chaos Robert Bathurst quiet voices Gamache saying under his breath about Jean Guy “he thinks one of the Marx brothers is named Karl”. That causes me to smirk!

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  15. I think John Latimer's Rumpole of the Bailey series (with his wife - "She Who Must Be Obeyed") is hysterical. I met a woman from England who knew John Latimer when he was practicing in the British Courts and she said he always had the jury in stitches.

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  16. Nearly all the examples you gave were male and from long ago. I find male and female humor very different. And British v American humor too. My Royal Spyness is deliberately humorous as in British quirky characters but humor creeps in to my more serious Molly zmurphy because there are moments of humor in everyone’s life, even at tense times. Rhys

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    1. That is another perfect blog! And we need to mention Deanna Raybourn, and Samantha Downing, and Megan Collins and Hannah Mary McKinnon--that whole range of truly dark mordant witty humor. LOVE their books!

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    2. I have a matrix I've been slowly building on that has a lot more females on it - good catch. The topic of male versus female humor is an interesting one. I haven't found enough research on it and would be delighted to know more.

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    3. My current matrix is quite lengthy. Would love to see more research on the difference between male/female humor.

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  17. Charlotte Stuart, welcome to JRW! It's funny because we had a high school teacher with the same name. I visited Vashon Island several times and it is beautiful there!

    Love humor in mysteries. Noticed recently that right now I am in the mood for humorous mysteries. There was the CONNOR WESTPHAL mysteries by Penny Warner that I thought was humorous. It was a cozy mystery series in the mid to late 1990s.

    Love the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Why did I think Carl Hiaasen was Satire? I am always laughing while reading his books too. The Horowitz books are hard for me to follow. Methinks I need a PhD to be able to follow his writing.

    There was a character in the Charles Lenox mysteries by Charles Finch who always made me laugh. I think that character was in two of the books.

    Queenie in Lady Georgie mysteries always made me laugh.

    John Mortimer's Rumpole of the Old Bailey was humorous, though I watched the tv adaptation and I have been meaning to read the books.

    Always enjoy punny humor where words are changed to make it sound funny. Ellie Alexander's Jules Capshaw cozy mysteries are humorous, especially with Lance providing comic relief.

    Hank, do not get me started on the Three Stooges. My father HATED that show because when I was a young child, some of my classmates were NOT verbal and they thought it was funny to act like the Three Stooges. Unfortunately, the end of Silent movies meant that Deaf people did not have access to the talkies unless they watched foreign movies with English subtitles.

    There are different types of humor. Great post this morning!

    Diana

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    1. Yes, I agree--it completely gave kids permission to act like the Stooges and pretend it was funny. When it was not-too-thinly disguised violence. Just my opinion...

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    2. Agreed that it is thinly disguised violence, Hank. Unfortunately, some bullies think that bullying or hurting others is funny. Just as bad as a comedian making a joke about someone with a disability like a comedian's tv show from the late 1970s. I have seen that comedian and her crony as actors in movies and tv shows. The minute I see either of them in a tv show or a movie, I change channels.

      Diana

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    3. Susan Nelson_HolmdahlFebruary 17, 2023 at 1:27 PM

      Hank, I completely agree with your opinion concerning The Three Stooges! Violence indeed, nothing funny in their actions. I’m always curious about people who don’t understand those implications.

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    4. Dark humor often includes violence. Like the wood chipper scene in Fargo. That said, I think you could also track changes in humor over time.

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    5. Dark humor is often violent - like the wood chipper scene in Fargo. It would be interesting to talk more about why so many of us dislike The Three Stooges.

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  18. Charlotte, welcome and congratulations on your latest book. I am going to look for your series right away. Laughter is welcome!

    I love humor in mysteries, in romance, in every genre. Sometimes humor is obvious, like Queenie's antics in Her Royal Spyness mysteries by JRW's Rhys, sometimes it's very subtle, like Alyssa sitting at the bar, wryly doing divorce math in Hank's most recent release, The House Guest.

    I like books that make me laugh out loud, think Janet Evanovich and Donna Andrews, and those that make me smile, Lucy Burdette's Key West Food Critic mysteries. I recently began to read Craig Johnson's Sheriff Walt Longmire series. Every time that "Dog" sits on someone's foot, I smile, my dog used to do that, too. I love Jenn McKinlay's books. Her humor is stock and trade! And, my husband and I both go wild for Deborah Crombie's "British-isms" in her Gemma and Duncan series.

    I rarely appreciate a character with no sense of humor, although I am pretty sure I have come across them. I much prefer to laugh.

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    1. That was me, Judy Singer above. My computer no longer identifies me to JRW. Blogger is such a brat!

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    2. Yes, Blogger can be a brat. Grr. xxx And aw, thank you. SO wonderful of you!

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    3. Thanks so muc, Judy! I'm always putting in little things I think are funny but have no idea if anyone else thinks so...

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    4. Thanks . . . I tried to create a "laugh meter" approach, from grins to snickers to chortles to laugh out loud but couldn't quite manage it.

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    5. One of my book club members argued with me about whether there is humor in the Jack Reacher series. I think there is; she didn't think so. I like humorous mysteries, and she isn't a fan. Hmmmm. There's a message here somewhere.

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  19. Thanks for your grid, Charlotte! Mysteries do not have to be cozies to be funny and have pets, and cozies can be serious. Louise Penny can be grim and humorous, Deborah Crombie, Donna Leon, Kellye Garrett have lots of sly humor, and Gabriel Valjean writes funny noir. So many variations!

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    1. SO true, funny noir is classic! Wry and dark...

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    2. Well put. I have a book coming out this year in which I describe the protagonist as "everyone's inner klutz." It's my attempt to get "beyond cozy." We shall see . . .

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  20. Charlotte, I love your category explanation, and I think it holds true for a lot of books! My favorite funny mystery writer is Jeff Cohen/EJ Copperman, whose prolific backlist never fails to entertain me.

    I think the reason there are relatively few funny mysteries is that humor is hard. Let's face it, it doesn't take much to be dark and angsty (and I should know.) But getting people to smile or laugh? That's not easy, and it continually chaps my you-know-what that humor gets overlooked by "serious" reviews and award committees.

    I've heard writing literary fiction versus writing crime fiction compared to the famous quote about Ginger Rogers: She did everything Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels. If we're talking about humorous mysteries, we can throw in, "while also tangoing with Groucho Marx."

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    1. Perfect! Very wise. And yes, it is SO hard. It has to feel as if you're not trying.

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    2. Julia, I agree with everything you said. Your subtle use of humor, especially when we are looking from Russ's point of view, is very much appreciated by fans! As for Jeff Cohen's humor, I laughed so hard when reading INHERIT THE SHOES, that I had to put it aside at night or I'd keep Irwin awake. Hah! Some people just always see "the funny" in every situation. I bet that Jeff is one of them!

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    3. Funny you should mention this . . . that was what my first rejection said: "Writing humor is hard." A not so subtle "no thanks."

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  21. Charlotte, thank you for this interesting essay. Myers Brigg? Haven't seen that since my working days, when it was part of some training programs. Funny mysteries are a gift to the reader and I look forward to getting to know yours. I love Osman's Thursday Murder club books- that dry Brit humor cracks me up - and I love Rhys' Lady Georgie books- they are perfect escape. Must mention Kerry Greenwood' s hilarious Phryne Fisher series. She's kind of a female James Bond, but a much nicer person, with a sense of humor. She has actual relationships...and she can do anything. My secret plan is to come back as her, next time around. AND I hated 3 Stooges even as a kid. Not funny.

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    1. I would come back as Phryne Fisher just to wear the clothes! Or maybe as Frankie Drake.

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    2. I would love to come back as Phryne Fisher just for her wardrobe. Or Frankie Drake.

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  22. I have a friend who loves mysteries, but hates humor in them (so no cozies for her). The funny thing is that she is very religious and somewhat “proper”, but her taste in mysteries run toward the violent type. I, on the other hand, very much appreciate humor - broad or subtle - in any book, regardless of the genre. I love Donna Andrews and Jenn’s senses of humor. And Julia’s wry asides from Clare make me smile.

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  23. Fascinating - and yes I absolutely agree, humor in a mystery novel is tricky. Ditto explicit sex. So important to know your audience. VERY important to know where your talent as a writer lies, as well. There's nothing worse than jokes that land with a thud.

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    1. You can target a particular audience, but you can't control who reads your books. A "thud" with one person may be a "laugh" to another. But if no one even smiles . . .ouch.

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  24. And then there are people like me. I will read what someone says is a humorous mystery, and I'll agree that parts were amusing, but I wasn't laughing out loud the entire way through like everyone else. I loved the book, but I didn't find it as funny as every one else.

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    1. I would be pleased if you found one of my books "amusing." No laugh out loud required.

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  25. If you found one of my books "amusing" I would be satisfied!

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  26. Had to weigh in today--I love humor in mysteries! One of my favorite absurd/funny writers is Christopher Fowler, with his Bryant and May series. I'm re-listening to White Corridor at the moment and just loving it. It's not so much that it's a jokey kind of thing, but more of an absurd slant on life. And who would name unit's cat Crippen? Which was great, until he had kittens. And poor Raymond Land, the head of the department, has been seeking a transfer since the mid-70s. -Melanie

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  27. I like a little humor, as long as it is appropriate to the situation. Like, don't make fun of a dying person - although that dying person can poke fun at herself. I tend to like "intelligent" humor, maybe what you classify as witty. Wordplay, banter, etc. Not that big a fan of outrageous slapstick or humor that goes over the top. For me it gets in the way of the story.

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    1. And that's the key, right? That is seems seamless...

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    2. I can guess your Myers-Briggs profile! I like "witty," but it's not easy to write.

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  28. Sorry for the duplicates--Charlotte hit the blogger spam wall, and I went in and restored what she's said, and sometimes that creates double posting! Technology is SO much fun! I am in the San Diego airport, about to take off for Washington DC...more to come later. xoxoo You all keep talking!

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  29. Oh, shoot, I commented earlier and it disappeared. Blogger seems to be having a bad hair day. Charlotte, your essary is so interesting! I never thought about categorizing the types of humor in mysteries. I like many of those mentioned and it's made me realize that most of my favorite books/series, the ones I read over and over, are funny in some way. I'm not a big fan of the kooky, but I love the sly and understated. I'm looking forward to your book!

    As for the Three Stooges, a definite no. I hated them as a kid. Wondering if there is a gender bias here, as most guys seem to find them funny.

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    1. Thanks, Deborah. The gender issue related to the Three Stooges is an interesting one. Don't really young kids also like physical humor?

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    2. Debs, I never cared for the Three Stooges either. They just seemed so stupid and Mo hitting the other two wasn't funny to me.

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  30. I'm with you, Hank. I don't find slapstick funny. It's physical. I like smart humor, meaning using your brain. That makes humor in writing thrillers all the more fascinating. And I love putting humor in my dark novels. It's human.

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  31. I do enjoy humor in mysteries, but I also enjoy dark mysteries. Variety is the spice of life, right? I will say that these days I need some humorous mysteries more, or I have since Covid arrived and our political scene became so toxic. I'm sure you can fit the types of humor I like most into your categories, Charlotte. First, I love wit, both edgy and light-hearted. The edgy side of wit as expressed sardonically and as a sub-genre of sardonic, sarcastically, appeals to me because it requires more thinking, or as you say, nuance. But, then I also appreciate the kooky humor of Carl Hiaasen, as I'm a big fan of quirky, and you don't get quirkier than Skink. Of course, most humorous books I read have more than one type of humor. I adore quirky characters and some series that have those are Wendall Thomas' Cyd Redondo, Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club, Catriona McPherson's Last Ditch Motel, Rhys' Her Royal Spyness, Lucy's Key West Food Critic, and Jen's many series.

    A book I want to mention that isn't a mystery but one of the time travel historians books by Connie Willis is To Say Nothing of the Dog. The juxtaposition of the first book in this series, the many-pages Doomsday Book to the slim volume that is To Say Nothing of the Dog is rather funny in itself. But, you can read To Say Nothing of the Dog without reading the first book or the ones that follow. The others are all serious stories, and I love them all, but this little book holds its own in the best of the series.

    A couple of series I plan on getting to that are funny are Findlay Donovan by Elle Cosimano and Darynda Jones' Sunshine Vicram series. The first in the Sunshine Vicram series is A Bad Day for Sunshine, with only two others following it. I was sold on this Darynda Jones series when I read the following introduction to the second book. "Running a small-town police force in the mountains of New Mexico should be a smooth, carefree kind of job. Sadly, full-time Sheriff--and even fuller-time coffee guzzler--Sunshine Vicram, didn't get that memo.

    All Sunshine really wants is one easy-going day. You know, the kind that starts with coffee and a donut (or three) and ends with take-out pizza and a glass of chardonnay (or seven). Turns out, that's about as easy as switching to decaf. (What kind of people do that? And who hurt them?)"

    And, of course, now I have your Discount Detective Mysteries to check out, Charlotte.

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    1. You are incredibly impressive! You just know everything! X

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    2. Thanks, Kathy. I'm going to check out Connie Willis - sounds intresting.

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    3. Wow, Kathy, that's a great list. I've screen shot your comment so I can check out a few of these. Thank you!

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  32. You've named many of my personal favorites. I just recently discovered the Donovan books. And you've given me a few new ones to pursue. Thank you.

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    1. Oh, hooray! Love love love those books!

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  33. What about Laura Levine, her main character Jane Austen and her cat Prozac. Not to mention the emails from mom (shoptillyoudrop) and dad (DaddyO) in Tampa Vistas , Florida. Absolutely hilarious.

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    1. oh, this is new to me! Thank you thank you thank you!

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  34. Charlotte, I love humor that flows as a character’s natural response to what is happening to or around them. Rhys Bowen’s Georgie, MC Beaton’s Hamish and Agatha, Peter Mayle’s Ernest in Hotel Pastis come immediately to mind, and I’ve chuckled while reading your Macavity series. In my own writing, I’m always surprised when one of my characters says something funny.

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