Author Spotlight: Dianne Freeman

Bestselling & Award-Winning Mystery Author

Dianne Freeman is the author of the Countess of Harleigh Mysteries. Image credit: Dianne Freeman

Dianne Freeman is the bestselling author of the Agatha and Lefty award-winning Countess of Harleigh Mystery Series. This lighthearted historical cozy mystery series is set in Victorian England. The amateur sleuth is Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, who spends her time solving mysteries and navigating the quirks and traditions of the British aristocracy.

Read more about the Countess of Harleigh Mystery Series.

Cozy Crime Reads Interview with Dianne Freeman

What attracted you to the cozy mystery genre?

I didn’t know I had written a cozy mystery until my agent told me. I’ve always thought of this type of mystery as traditional; in the vein of Agatha Christie. I have always loved mysteries but for a while in the 90s they just became too gruesome for me and I switched to reading historical fiction. About ten years later, I read my first historical mystery, which tend to have similar elements to cozy mystery, and realized that was my happy place.

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

While many people will say they must take place in a small town, I think the real element is community, which can exist even in a large city like London. One thing I like to keep in mind, that isn’t often stated, is that the victim and the killer know each other, which puts a very different slant on the term ‘cozy’.

Do you have a favorite amateur sleuth?

I’m a big fan of Miss Marple.

What inspired your first cozy mystery?

I was inspired by the marriages that took place between American heiresses and British aristocrats during the last quarter of the 19th century. I’d first heard about it reading Edith Wharton then again when Downton Abbey came out. Once I started researching, I knew my protagonist would be a former American heiress and that her marriage would not have been a good one. Then I just had to imagine what she would do once she was a widow and could finally make decisions for herself.

Countess of Harleigh Mystery Books 1-8

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

My favorite thing to do is travel to the location. Sometimes it’s London, the English countryside, or even Paris. It’s hard to have a sense of a place without going there. One wonderful thing about Paris is that the river, the bridges, the buildings that I experienced are the same ones my characters would have experienced over 100 years ago. The past is right there and it’s very inspiring.

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

Any story has to have three things: character, conflict, and consequences. If I have an idea and I can write a paragraph about it that includes those three elements, I know I can write the book.

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

You really must love writing and story-telling. If you aren’t getting joy out of writing and sharing your story, neither will your readers.

How can readers connect with you online?

Visit my website at DiFreeman.com and sign up for my newsletter (on my website) if you’d like to hear from me once a month.

Dianne Freeman Mystery Bookshelf

The following image gallery features books in Dianne Freeman’s Countess of Harleigh Mystery Series. Use the arrows on each side of the book to cycle through the images. Click on the book to see a description and reviews on Amazon.