Author Spotlight: Anne Armistead

Anne Armistead is the author of A Very Mistletoe Murder, the first book in the Starfire Cozy Mystery Series. In this Christmas mystery, retired realtor Lottie Harper, her dog Escrow, and her cul-de-sac gal pals try to solve a murder in their 55+ community in the mountain town of Starfire, Georgia.

Cozy Crime Reads Interview with Anne Armistead

What attracted you to the cozy mystery genre?

I love the community of cozies, the quirkier the characters the better. And I love mysteries, solving them along with the sleuth on the case. Having the push-pull, slow burn between the sleuth and the police (chief, sheriff, detective) appeals to my love of the romance genre, so putting it all together, the cozy hits all those marks for me.

What are a few of the essential elements that make a cozy stand out to you as a reader?

First, the main character has to have that spiky personality that makes it believable she’d delve into mystery solving, including facing any dangers it brings. Second, a tight-knit community filled with all sorts of interesting people with whom she interacts makes the cozy the “cozy.” Third, the introduction of the mystery with the victim and his/her eventual murder needs to pop quickly for me, within the first three chapters for sure. By then, I’m caught up in the story and have to follow all the red herrings to the final reveal!‍

Do you have a favorite amateur sleuth?

The prickly and bossy Agatha Raisin comes immediately to mind. I enjoy both M.C. Beaton’s books and the TV series based on them and especially love listening to the audiobooks on my walks. My broad grins and laughs-out-louds garner strange looks from my neighbors I pass, but I just point to my headphones and keep smiling. The narrator, Dame Penelope Keith, voiced her, and sadly she passed away June 2026.

What inspired your first cozy mystery?

I grew up watching Murder, She Wrote with my mom. It was “appointment TV” for us back in the day. Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher imprinted on my brain. My favorite episodes are the Cabot Cove ones because I adored the little Maine town. I also watch Hallmark Mysteries adaptations of cozies, including Hannah Swenson, Aurora Teagarden, and Garage Sale Mysteries, among others. I realized I always had the mystery solved early on, which inspired me to try my hand at writing my own cozy. It was much harder than I expected it to be, but I enjoyed plotting in all the red herrings.

How do you research and create the "cozy" elements in your books, like the settings and community?

I am a Georgia native and enjoy trips to the little North Georgia mountain towns of Blue Ridge, Helen, Dahlonega and others. I decided to create my own little Blue Ridge Mountain “dark sky” town of Starfire with its own Observatory that is the town’s main tourist attraction, and have my main character, a retired Atlanta realtor, relocate there to its 55+ community. I based the layout of the town on the ones I visit, and I filled it with memorable characters, each with his/her own quirkiness. I also knew I wanted my main character to be a rescue dog owner based on my own experiences of being the mama of rescue pups and have her relationship with her dog be significant to the story.

What is one key step in your writing process that helps you transform an idea into a finished book?

I am a visual learner and thinker, so I write by visualizing the scenes cinematically in my head and transcribe them onto the page. That’s key for me to be able to write a book!

What advice would you give aspiring cozy mystery authors who want to start writing their first novel?

I think it’s helpful to read a few cozies and watch cozies in order to get the feel of this mystery subgenre. There are many different categories, too, so it’s good to see which appeals the most to you. Then create your amateur sleuth, her foil (the police detective who orders her not to get involved but eventually comes to respect her detecting abilities), and her setting (her community). Then, the fun begins – who will be killed, how, and by whom? Enjoy!