Discovering the Charm of Dominique Daoust’s Cozies

Dominique Daoust blends history and the paranormal in her two captivating series, The Deadly Exclusives Trilogy and The Silver Screen Coven Series. Set in the 1930’s, her mysteries take readers on thrilling adventures with characters like reporter Rita Larose and Hollywood assistant Annabelle Stonewood. Daoust’s meticulous plotting and vibrant character development bring a delightful balance of humor and mystery to her stories, making them a must-read for cozy mystery fans.

Could you share a little about yourself and the cozy mysteries you write?

I’m a French-Canadian gal who loves cheese and margaritas. I’m an administrative assistant by day and an indie author by night. I currently have two cozy mystery series available (The Deadly Exclusives Trilogy and The Silver Screen Coven Series) which are both a combination of historical and paranormal cozies.

The Deadly Exclusive Trilogy is centered around newbie reporter Rita Larose in 1930s Montreal. She keeps getting assigned the boring fluff pieces at the local newspaper, but once she stumbles upon a disappearance at a fancy hotel, she takes it upon herself to go undercover to solve the mystery. She ends up finding out way more than she bargained for!

The Silver Screen Coven series is set in Hollywood in 1932, specifically at the renowned MGM studios. Annabelle Stonewood is a new assistant for the publicity department and she is asked to play chaperone on a soundstage. But after coming into contact with a prop spellbook and witnessing a murder, she must find the culprit while dealing with the new power brewing within her.

How do you develop your characters, particularly your amateur sleuth?

I do spend a lot of time brainstorming the characters and the plot until it feels like a good fit prior to writing anything. I want to make sure the main character’s actions make sense in the context of the story and I don’t think I could achieve that if I just winged it.

Cozy mysteries often feature unique settings or themes. Can you tell us about the setting/theme of your latest book and what drew you to it?

Mischief Nightmares (Book 4 in the Silver Screen Coven series) comes out on October 1st and is obviously going to be spooky. The main characters are assistants at various departments at MGM studios in Hollywood and I wanted the entire story to take place at a Halloween party at the studio. Things go wrong and the studio gates are locked, creating an urgency the gals haven’t faced up until now.

I adore Halloween and I was really excited to create a whodunit scenario centered around a spooky party!

What do you find most challenging about writing cozy mysteries, and how do you overcome it?

I think it comes down to plotting everything perfectly, from the various clues, red herrings and reveals. If none of it makes sense, then you don’t have a good story. Luckily, my brain likes being organized, so by plotting everything out prior to writing, I avoid any of those frustrations.

Cozy mysteries often incorporate humor and wit. How do you balance the lighter elements with the seriousness of the mystery?

I think it’s best to focus on solving the mystery instead of the nature of the crime itself. So by focusing on the puzzle of it all, the serious undertone of the plot can take a backseat. My series are also set in the 1930s, so the slang adds some levity to the situation!

Can you share any interesting research experiences or fun facts you discovered while researching for your books?

I’m already a big fan of Old Hollywood movies, which allowed me to have a decent understanding of how life was back then. But I often have to look up random things to make sure they were around in the 1930s (ex: what candies existed, what kind of telephones were used, etc.).

For my upcoming October 1st release of Mischief Nightmares, I had a fun time looking up vintage Halloween costumes for the characters. But have you ever seen what the original Mickey and Minnie Mouse costumes looked like? It’s quite scary!

Do pets play a role in your cozy mysteries, and do they reflect any real-life pets or experiences?

With the Silver Screen Coven series, it was natural to give my witchy gals some familiars (I won’t go into detail here since they pop up later in the series and I don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun). I had a great time coming up with the specific animals and their personalities!

I have a black cat (Chandler) and a husky mix (Harlow) at home, and let’s just say one is a scaredy cat and the other thinks she’s in charge of the house (and it’s not the one you’d think)! I definitely was inspired by their shenanigans for the Silver Screen Coven’s familiars.

Is there anything else you’d like to share that I haven’t covered in the interview?

My books are available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. I also have a monthly newsletter where I share updates and giveaways. And if you sign up (www.dominiquedaoustauthor.com) you’ll get a free cozy mystery novella!

Finally, what advice do you have for aspiring cozy mystery writers?

This is probably really corny, but you can do anything you set your mind to. There’s a multitude of resources online to teach you anything and everything about publishing books (and I’ve used a lot of them myself). It’s a journey, but you learn a lot!

What’s also important is to write something you’d love to read. The more you enjoyed writing it, the more that will come across to the reader.