Developmental editing & manuscript assessment for cozy mystery fiction

Finished your draft, but unsure if it really works?
I provide thoughtful, story-level editorial guidance for fiction writers.

Editing is a hard enough task, let alone when you're editing a cosy crime. Not only do you have to keep in mind the structure, the flow, worldbuilding and character arcs, but on top of that you have to also keep in mind the clue placement.

Is it too easy to work out?
Is it too difficult to work out?
Does the whodunnit make sense?
Are the motives viable? And so on.

The tricky part is that you already know every clue and you know who did it. To you some clues might be obvious or might be deliberately difficult. That's why maintaining objectivity is even more difficult for a cosy mystery. This is where you need a fresh pair of eyes to help you look at the whole story, make sense of what’s happening and help you see where to go next.

Because a cosy mystery has its own rules

Ways I can help

Story Compass (Manuscript Assessment)

You’ve finished your manuscript, but something still isn’t quite clicking.

Story Compass gives you a clear, big-picture view of your cosy crime novel. I’ll look at the mystery, the clues, the suspects, characters, pacing and the overall reading experience, so you can see what’s working well, what needs another look and what to tackle first.

You’ll get thoughtful feedback and a clear route into your next revision.

Story Deep-Dive (Full Developmental Edit)

Sometimes you want to go deeper.

A full developmental edit takes a closer look at your manuscript, exploring how the different parts of your story are working together and where there are opportunities to make them stronger.

You’ll receive detailed editorial feedback throughout, alongside in-manuscript comments and guidance to help you approach your next draft with more clarity.

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Because a cosy mystery has its own rules

Writing a cosy mystery is a balancing act. The mystery needs to keep readers curious without losing the warmth that makes the genre so enjoyable. The clues need to be there for readers to find without pointing straight at the culprit and the suspects need believable motives. Add to this, the red herrings need to lead somewhere convincing, and then the final reveal needs to make sense of everything that came before.

However, all of that is just one part of it. Your readers also need to care about your sleuth, the people around them and the world they’re stepping into. Finding that balance between a satisfying mystery, and a world readers want to spend time in is what makes a cosy crime novel feel like a cosy crime novel.

That’s why genre matters when I read your manuscript and why I specialise in cosy crime & mystery. I’m not just looking at whether the story works in general but I’m also looking at whether it gives cosy crime readers the experience they were hoping to find when they picked up your book.

If you’ve taken your cosy crime manuscript as far as you can on your own, I’d love to help you see it from a new perspective.

Take a look at the editorial options and find the kind of support that feels right for where you are with your story.

Ready for a fresh pair of eyes?

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