What Makes a book a good ‘tiger’ book?

Today’s guest blogger is Elaine Faber, who lives in northern California with her husband and multiple feline companions. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, California Cat Writers, and Northern California Publishers and Authors.  She has two series going, one centered around cats (surprise, surprise) and one centered on an older lady who solves crimes in the 1940s.  If you like books where the cat seems to help solve the mystery, then grab one of her Black Cat mysteries. If you like a little history intertwined with a good mystery, then grab a Mrs. Odboddy mystery.  And if you just like any good mystery, any of Elaine’s books will work for you.  Here’s what she has to say about a good book.

A good book has an exciting beginning, a compelling middle, and a satisfying end.

Beginning-Whether a novel is about a lost puppy, a hard-boiled CIA agent, and a killer, a six-headed monster, or a romance with the boy next door, the first page must include an intriguing event, a mystery to solve, a romantic conflict or a specific goal to entice the reader to travel this particular journey with the main character. Mrs. Odboddy–And then There was a Tiger, begins when Mrs. Odboddy finds a ragged shoebox that smells of ‘rat’ on her front porch, her house trashed, and Ling-Ling, the cross-eyed Siamese cat chasing the rat up the living room curtains and out the front door! Right off the bat, the reader knows this is going to be a rollicking ride for the next 270+ pages.

Middle- The middle must not sag or lose momentum. It is the crux of the story, where the character struggles to overcome the obstacles, things go from bad to worse. Mrs. Odboddy is framed for burgling the local market, feels the sting of local gossip and accusations and tries to convince the town of her innocence. Disturbing events with friends and family continue to make life miserable in small town Newbury. The ‘tiger of war’ rages across Europe and we meet the carnival tiger, Shere Khan, who will play a major role in the story. The reader leaves laundry in the dryer and dishes in the sink, turning pages in a mad dash to see what happens next.

End-The ending must tie up all the loose strings, solve all the puzzles and make you wish the story wouldn’t end because you want to spend more time with the characters. Well, lucky you! If you haven’t yet read the first two books in this series, Mrs. Odboddy-Hometown Patriot and Mrs. Odboddy-Undercover Courier, you can order them at Amazon for just $3.99. Mrs. O will not disappoint as she pursues conspiracies and Nazi spies, or carries secret documents to President Roosevelt.

And the Satisfying Conclusion-In a novel’s satisfying conclusion, the hero gets the girl, the killer is captured, the interplanetary six-headed monster is vanquished, or the puppy finds a new home. In the conclusion of our story, due to her misguided and absurd actions, Mrs. Odboddy lands in a heap of trouble. She fears she just might not survive this time, but fate intervenes (as we know it must…This is a cozy mystery/adventure after all). All’s well that ends well…but not until Agnes is off and running toward her next adventure. With Mrs. Odboddy, there is always another ‘tiger.

So, here’s the deal. If a novel has an intriguing beginning, a compelling middle and a satisfying conclusion, our readers will be fans for life. All an author has to do is write another good book with another ‘tiger,’ …and that’s exactly what I’m doing!

Here’s a little blurb on her latest 1940s book:  And Then There Was a Tiger.

While the ‘tiger of war’ rages across the Pacific during WWII, eccentric, elderly Agnes Odboddy’s patriotic duties are interrupted when she finds a rat-filled shoebox on her porch, her home is trashed, and she becomes the prime suspect in the Wilkey’s Market burglary.

A traveling carnival with a live tiger joins the parishioners’ Harvest Fair at The First Church of the Evening Star and Everlasting Light. When counterfeit bills are discovered at the carnival, and the war bond money goes missing, Agnes’s attempts to restore her reputation and locate the money lead her into harm’s way. Then she stumbles upon a friend’s betrayal and discovers even more about carnival life than she bargained for. Join Mrs. Odboddy on her hysterical romp through pumpkins, war bonds, counterfeit money, and tigers. Filled with laughter and suspense, you will enjoy a bit of history along the way.

1 thought on “What Makes a book a good ‘tiger’ book?

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