Daphney Silver: A Cozy Journey through Crime, History, and Humor

Daphney Silver, the mastermind behind the award-nominated cozy mystery series featuring rare books librarian turned amateur sleuth, Juniper Blume. Drawing from her own experiences and love for history, Daphney crafts engaging tales set against the backdrop of Rose Mallow, a charming fictional town on the Chesapeake Bay. With humor, wit, and a touch of nostalgia, Daphney invites readers on a delightful journey filled with intrigue, family bonds, and the occasional misadventure.

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

Thank you for having me! I write the rare books cozy mystery series. Rare books librarian Juniper Blume finds books and bodies where they don't belong. Crime and Parchment, the first book, is nominated for the Agatha Award for Best First Mystery Novel. The second in the series will come out in November from Level Best Books.

About me -- when I'm not writing, I'm the Director of Development for the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. I have the great fortune of being married to a librarian. I live in Maryland with my family. Although like Juniper, I'm not much of a baker, I won’t ever turn down a sweet lokshen kugel.

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

Juniper is very much who I wish I could be. I based her upon my experiences working in museums and other cultural institutions. She’s smart, independent, and willing to do anything for her family and history. Her curiosity is both her superpower and her failing. She also gets to wear all the amazing vintage clothes I wish I could sport.

I have a brother, but I didn’t have a sister growing up, so I gave one to Juniper. While Juniper is jumping into adventures feet-first, her sister Azalea is more grounded. She turned their late grandmother’s historic home into the Wildflower Inn. Unlike Juniper (or me), she’s really great at baking, especially their family’s East European Jewish goodies like kugel, tzimmes cake, and other baked goods.

While Juniper is the mom of the rescue dog Clover, Azalea is raising a nearly four-year-old daughter Violet. I’m a mom of a now 7-year-old and used to be a dog mom (can’t wait until I can be again!).

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?

Rose Mallow is a fictional town on the west side of the Chesapeake Bay. It’s based upon some actual places, especially Chesapeake Beach and North Beach, Maryland. Former resort towns, these places combine historic homes, charming stores, and beautiful vistas of the Bay from their joint boardwalk. Although they’re only about 90 minutes from Washington, DC, they feel like a world away. That seemed perfect for a location that combined history, art, and nature.

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

For my mysteries, they not only have a murder but a book-related mystery in them, which can present an extra challenge for me. Juniper is involved not just because she has a personal connection to the crime but because of her expertise with old and rare books. That can definitely be a challenge to figure out! I draw on my decades of experience in museums, talking with my librarian husband, connecting with other mystery writers, and lots of research. Sometimes I just play with an idea and see where it takes me.

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

I love including humor and wit in my cozies. To me, cozies are about puzzles, family, and restoring order in an unordered world. So it’s important to me to include humor because we need to find the light in difficult times. There’s a part in Crime and Parchment when Juniper finds her car tires flat. Someone sprayed the message "GO HOME!" across her windshield. Juniper’s reaction is to say, “Well, that’s not smart. How can I go home if the tires are slashed?” Using humor helps Juniper stay calm and focused so she can continue investigating.

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

While there’s a lot of history in my story - about Maryland, the Book of Kells, Jewish life - the thing I enjoyed researching the most was my childhood amusement park. Being a former resort town, Rose Mallow has an abandoned amusement park. I grew up near Memphis, Tennessee and went to Libertyland as a kid. One of the most famous rides at the park was the Zippin Pippin, Elvis’s favorite roller coaster. I discovered that after the park closed, the roller coaster was bought and reassembled in Green Bay, Wisconsin! I actually found a YouTube video that took me on a ride at its new venue. There were lots of other fun facts to research, but that one was a big surprise to me.

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

Yes, Juniper is the dog mom of the rescued 20lb white mutt named Clover. My last dog, Echo, inspired Clover. He was also a 20lb white mutt. Unfortunately, Echo had a tough life before we adopted him, and as a result, he always faced difficulties with new people or other animals. In writing Clover, I tried to give Echo the life and happiness he always deserved.

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

Sign up for my newsletter to get the free short story ‘A Midsummer’s Night Scheme’ at www.daphnesilver.com!

In addition to my cozy mysteries, I also write non-fiction under my legal name of Lauren R. Silberman including Wild Women of Maryland (History Press, 2015), Wicked Baltimore (History Press, 2011), and The Jewish Community of Baltimore (Arcadia Publishing, 2008).

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

Don’t give up! Writing anything isn’t easy, and creating a cozy mystery can be a difficult juggling act. Make sure to not only read extensively in the genre, but read it with your writing hat on. Look for when the body is introduced, how the villain is revealed, and how order is restored. I also highly recommend meeting other cozy mystery writers. I’ve found that belonging to Sisters in Crime is invaluable - not only the national organization but the Guppies (Great UnPublished) and my local Chesapeake Chapter. Having a community of writers has been very powerful and rewarding for me! I also love going to Malice Domestic, the convention for traditional mysteries.