New Mexico is a land of amazing sunrises and sunsets with a sky constantly changing colors and forms, mountains framing the background, and a desert that stretches across the mesa often giving the land a mystical feeling. Known as the land of enchantment, it still has its share of mysteries, ancient and new. As a mystery writer, I find it intriguing and exciting to involve this land as an important character in my new mystery. Place is often as important a character as the people in a novel.
But at a zoo? Well, yes, with much caution and caring for the animals. Please don’t worry about the animals in my stories. They are well-cared-for and loved. In Murder At The Zoo, two lion cubs are born: Imani (meaning faith) and Sabrina. They are “adorable and not the least bit camera shy.” Mom and Dad, Kamali and Kasi, are very proud and protective parents. A baby zebra is born and there is a contest to name him. In fact, after the two main characters in the book, the veterinarian and detective, watch the foal being born, Miranda, the veterinarian, tells Bryan, the detective, with a grin, “We just had a baby.” The poor guy is a bit freaked at that comment. Miranda and Bryan alternate between flirting and fighting off romantic feelings. Murder keeps getting in their way.
The zoo veterinarian and the charming police detective become romantically involved as they work toward solving a series of murders. Their romance certainly has a hefty fair share of friction and interruptions, since Miranda’s father is a gangster — even though he claims to be retired. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty! There are also a number of other interesting, crazy, and unusual characters, as well as a fair share of humor to encourage you to smile a bit.
Writing any murder mystery book is akin to putting together a puzzle with a thousand pieces. When the mystery begins with a murder at a popular zoo, there is bound to be a need to also add a lot of positive animal experiences. And I make sure to do that.
The good characters are interesting and appealing, so the question becomes, How does the author present the bad guys and surprise the reader? A good mystery tries to lead the reader astray a bit by placing suspicion and blame on various suspects. It’s important to have the reader involved and interested in your story, so they attempt to solve the crimes along with you. Don’t make it too easy. Still, murders at a zoo?
Excerpt:
“Miranda, get to the zoo! Visitors are pointing at a human arm in the lions’ enclosure.”
“Hmmm. This is intriguing. A body in the lions’ den. What are the facts?”
“Agatha, Raymond, facts if you please,” Sherlock demanded.
“All of you shut up!”
It was not the first time Miranda shouted to the voices in her head. Sometimes they seemed so real to her. She had read nearly every book of every famous mystery writer and had seen movies made from them many times. She was often absorbed and obsessed by the stories and the characters.
Miranda loved their ways of thinking, analyzing problems, finding solutions, and delving into the dark spaces hidden in humanity: Raymond Chandler’s tough Detective, Philip Marlowe, who always found a dame he could lust after and distrust and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and her Tommy and Tuppence. Their gossip and ways of finding clues and uncovering secrets swirled in her head, while the famous Sherlock Homes demanded facts and attention to the tiniest of details.
There were other geniuses of mysteries who stopped by to give Miranda their “two cents” at times, especially when Agatha, Raymond, and Sherlock were disagreeing with each other.
Miranda was sure they would have plenty to say about the murder at the zoo.
End of Excerpt
Why would I choose a zoo as a place for a murder mystery? Why would anyone? Well really, why murder anyone, anywhere for that matter? Even when the murders take place at a zoo, you eventually have to get the bad guys to talk or confess or have someone give them up. Along the way, you are also on the chase with your characters through conflict, danger, and mystery. In addition, this book provides an opportunity to give a positive voice to all the wonderful reasons for the existence of zoos.
In Agatha, Raymond, Sherlock & Me: Murder at the Zoo, these characters are often telling the veterinarian what to think or do. In Sherlock Holmes and the London Zoo Mystery (W. Lane; 1986), it is an entertaining story that recaptures the atmosphere of Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes’ tales and includes the familiar figures of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Inspector Lestrade. The book also features several real-life characters, including Abraham Bartlett (Superintendent of London Zoo, 1859–1897), the famous African elephant Jumbo, Matthew Scott (Jumbo’s keeper), and P.T. Barnum.
Ultimately, you want to be able to explain your characters’ motivations for their criminal behavior. Common sources are anger, hate, power, money, and, of course, revenge. Revealing truths, secrets, and lies with stories of betrayal and vengeance and surprise endings can leave your readers wanting more. Your first sentence, your first paragraph, should grab your reader . . . maybe even by the throat, like a good murder!
Many years ago, we had a lassie collie who thought she was a lap dog, and my son and she adored each other. It’s good for children to grow up with pets and learn to care for them. It’s also wonderful for adults to have the love of an animal who doesn’t judge them. Right?
Excerpt:
Bryan whispered to Isabella, walked out, and came back in with the most special gift of all. Handing Miranda the leash to an Australian Shepherd puppy he said, “Your new watch dog.” And giving her a big kiss, he whispered, “You know, I love you.”
The detective and the veterinarian were too busy to deal with the “I love you” issue for now but . . . eventually.
Of course, the voices had to have their say.
“Yes, you can trust him.” Agatha was such a romantic.
“Well, we agree!” chimed in Sherlock and Raymond.
“What are you going to name her?”
With a mischievous grin Miranda said, “Agatha.”
End of Excerpt
End Note
The main benefits of zoos include conservation, education, and research programs that are designed to preserve and protect wild populations of animals, as well as educate.
Some fun facts about zoos:
- There are more than 2,800 zoos and aquariums all over the world.
- Every year, more than a hundred million people visit zoos. This number exceeds the total attendance of all big-league basketball, football, and baseball games.
- There are 350 zoos in the United States.
- The first public zoo in the United States was opened in 1874 in New York and was called the Central Park Zoo.
- April 8th is National Zoo Lover’s Day.
A clever, intriguing, and gripping new cozy mystery filled with exciting twists and turns, bizarre murders, and fascinating characters, including several dead authors who seem to speak to Veterinarian Miranda Scott. A fan since childhood of Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler, and Sherlock Holmes, their voices seem to live in her head frequently telling her what to do . . . and not do. Especially when it comes to solving mysteries. Murders, deceit, revenge, a gangster father, and godfather also often get in the way of a fine romance!
Marcia Rosen (aka M. Glenda Rosen) is an award-winning author of eleven books including her newest one, An Agatha, Raymond, Sherlock and Me Mystery: Murder at the Zoo plus The Senior Sleuths, Dying To Be Beautiful Mystery Series, and The Gourmet Gangster: Mysteries and Menus (menus by her son Jory Rosen). She is also author of The Woman’s Business Therapist and award-winning My Memoir Workbook. For 25 years, she was owner of a successful national marketing and public relations agency. Marcia has frequently been a speaker or program moderator at organization meetings and conferences, bookstores, libraries, and Zoom programs. Topics she has taught and presented over the past twenty years include Encouraging the Writer Within You, Marketing for Authors, Writing Mysteries…Not A Mystery, Writing Your Memoir, and recently Anatomy of Writing a Murder. Many articles on these topics have been published on mystery reader blogs and in newsletters and magazines and her newest articles relating include Location, Location, Location: Murders Have Their Places; Hearing Voices of Past Famous Detectives: Their Impact and Influences; and Writing Mysteries at a Zoo: With Caution. She is a member of Sisters in Crime National and New Mexico (Croak & Dagger), Southwest Writers, New Mexico Book Association, Women Writing the West, Public Safety Writer’s Association, Women’s National book Association, and National Association of Independent Writers and Editors.
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