Why I Write Funny Mysteries

By Kelly Oliver

Using Humor is Serious Business

When I was in graduate school (a million years ago), a guy invited me over to his place for a dinner date and served Chardonnay and Captain Crunch cereal. To be fair, he was living on a grad student stipend and had to economize, and Captain Crunch did double duty as the entree and the dessert. Had he served Oat Bran or Shredded Wheat, he would have had to spring for dessert…and it just wouldn’t have been as funny…. 

Humor is tricky because sometimes it’s a matter of taste…. And not just when it comes to cereal. Some people get the joke, others don’t. Some people get it but think it’s stupid. And some people are just plain offended. Done well, humor is worth the risk. 

What makes a story funny? 

Funny words. 

I’ve read those words with “K” sounds (Captain Crunch) and hard consonant sounds are funny. Maybe that’s why when I was born, my parents named me Kelly. It’s true that some words are funnier than others. Colonoscopy is funny—unless you’ve ever had one—Endoscopy, not so much. Cucumber, Twinkie, and Okra are funnier than Bread, Butter or Jam.  

Oddball lists.

In a list, an oddball can be funny. She was well versed in the philosophies of Plato, Nietzsche and Winnie the Pooh. His favorite desserts are Black Forest Torte, Cherry Gateau Basque, and Pop Tarts.  Or the names of my cats, Mischief, Mayhem, and Flan.

Funny Comparisons.

Surprising comparisons, metaphors, and similes can be funny. “With cleavage so deep it could tutor philosophy” (Harlan Coben). She stuck to him like a tick on a rangy deer. She stuck to him like a sequin on a ball gown. He stuck to her like a Velcro on a training bra. 

In my latest Jessica James Mystery, COBRA, Jessica forms an unlikely alliance to catch a killer and art thief. The chemistry between the odd couple, former philosophy grad student Jessica James and Federal Marshal Lexington Colt, yields character development and humor.

Are there any issues that are off limits to comedy? 

A few years ago, I was pitching my first novel, WOLF in New York City, and when I told a group of young women authors about the subplot and themes of date rape, party rape, and rape drugs, and I said it was a humorous mystery, some of them were appalled.  They didn’t see how rape could ever be funny.  Obviously, I agree.  Rape can never be funny.  Books, on the other hand (even books that take on serious topics like rape), can be funny.  In fact, humor often helps us deal with difficult subjects that might be too hard to face without it.  Think of John’s Green’s treatment of cancer in The Fault in Our Stars.

Throughout the Jessica James Mysteries, I take ripped from the headline’s issues and deal with them through fiction, suspense, and humor. Sometimes you must laugh so you don’t cry.

Comedy = Tragedy + Time

Humor releases tension and anxiety, which can help the pacing of your suspense novel. Humor makes it easier to deal with difficult issues. Mark Twain says, “the secret source of humor is not joy but sorrow. There is no humor in heaven.” And self-deprecating humor can be some of the most cathartic to write. Having a sense of humor can help get through the darkest days. And the last few years have been desperately in need of something funny to take our minds off so much tragedy.

Use Humor to Tell the Truth

Mark Twain also calls humor “the good-natured side of truth.” Humor can lighten the mood of your story. It can help you modulate the pace. But it can also help you give the reader new insights. Funny anecdotes are most effective when they have a deeper meaning. 

My husband is from Puerto Rico. He likes to tell the story of his encounter with a giant rat in his college dorm. It was the middle of the night and he’d gotten up to pee. As he made his way down the hall to the bathroom, the huge rat ran across his path. He freaked out and called campus security. When the officer arrived, he asked, “How’d you get into Yale? Haven’t you seen a possum before?” In his telling, the possum takes on a deeper meaning and becomes a symbol for his own status as an outsider. 

You can see why I married him instead of Captain Crunch. 

Who needs drugs?

New studies show that laughter triggers endogenous opioid release in the brain.  Hey, endogenous opioid release, that sounds funny… even without a K sound. 

Use humor to add some fiber to your story!

—

Kelly Oliver is the award-winning, bestselling author of three mysteries series: The Jessica James Mysteries, the middle grade Kassy O’Roarke, Pet Detective Mysteries, and historical cozies The Fiona Fig Mysteries. When she’s not writing mysteries, Kelly is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. To learn more about Kelly and her books, please visit her website at kellyoliverbooks.com, and sign up for the newsletter to receive a free copy of WOLF, A Jessica James Mystery. 

Learn more about Kelly and her books at www.kellyoliverbooks.com

Free copy of Wolf 

COBRA

Jessica James is back in the saddle in this fast-paced and funny whodunnit.

Facing life as an unemployed philosopher, a pair of pocket rockets in Texas Hold ‘Em sends her to Italy where she takes a crash course in Art Crimes.

She lands an internship with the FBI. But wouldn’t you know it. Her new boss is Federal Marshal Lexington Colt.

Does sharing an old boyfriend count as a conflict of interest?

Jessica and Lexi once again have to team up to catch a killer and solve one of the biggest art heists in history.

Grab it now and start the fun.

LINKS TO PURCHASE Cobra 

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Cobra in Kelly Oliver Bookstore (save 25%)

Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips