Rebecca McKinnon, author of Die to Your Own Tune, an Octavia Fields mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us how to host the perfect cozy mystery party (murder not required).

Welcome, Rebecca. I’ll turn the floor over to you –

Hello, and thank you for having me! As a cozy mystery author, you might think what I’m about to say is strange, but here it is: It’s time to put down your book. Get out in the world and interact with real people. Throw a party. You can absolutely keep your cozy mystery vibe while you do!

Now, you’re probably thinking I mean the kind where someone gets “killed,” everyone gets a character card, and you spend three hours pretending to be a 1920s socialite with a secret gambling problem.

Those parties are fun, but I’m talking about something different.

This is a cozy mystery party. Which means no one dies (probably), everyone’s comfortable, and the biggest crime of the evening is someone eating the last lemon bar before you got one.

Here’s how to pull it off.

The Invitations

Keep them simple but themed. Handwritten notes are ideal, but let’s be honest—a group text works too. The key phrase to include: “Signature accessory required.”

This is non-negotiable. Everyone needs to show up wearing their coziest, most dramatic scarf, shawl, cardigan, or statement piece. If someone asks what that means, tell them to imagine they’re about to solve a crime at a farmer’s market. They’ll figure it out.

The Dress Code

Cozy. Comfortable. Layered. Think: oversized sweaters, soft pants, fuzzy socks. Pajamas, if they’re brave enough. This is not a heels-and-cocktail-dress situation. If someone shows up in anything remotely uncomfortable, you’ve failed.

And, of course, their signature accessory.

The Menu

Tea station: Set up at least three types of tea. Herbal, black, and something weird like lavender-earl-grey that makes people feel fancy. Provide honey, lemon, sugar, and those tiny spoons that are completely impractical but look adorable.

Coffee and/or Hot Chocolate and/or Spiced Cider (optional but recommended): Some people don’t do tea. Don’t alienate them. They might be your best alibi later.

Pie: At least one. Bonus points if it’s suspiciously good and you refuse to share the recipe. Let people wonder.

Cookies, scones, or other baked goods: Go for a variety. Chocolate chip. Oatmeal raisin. Maybe something fancy, with dried cranberries.

Savory option: Cheese and crackers, veggie tray, something so people don’t go into a sugar coma by 8 PM.

The goal here is abundance. Cozy mysteries always have too much food. Embrace it.

The Activities

Activity 1: The Town Scandal Game

Before the party, create a fake small-town scandal. Nothing too dark—think “someone’s been stealing garden gnomes” or “the town’s prized peach preserves recipe has gone missing.” Write up a few “clues” on index cards and hide them around your space. Guests have to find them and piece together what happened.

No one actually solves it. That’s not the point. The point is everyone wandering around with tea, dramatically pulling their scarves tighter, and accusing each other of crimes that don’t matter.

Activity 2: Signature Accessory Judging

Everyone votes on whose accessory is the most “amateur sleuth.” Categories might include: Most Dramatic, Most Likely to Hide Evidence, Most Comfortable, and Best for a Stakeout.

Prizes are optional. Bragging rights are not.

The Vibe

This is the most important part.

Soft lighting. Candles if you’re not worried about someone (or any pets) knocking them over. A playlist of music without distracting lyrics. Blankets available for anyone who wants one. The temperature should be just cool enough that people appreciate their layers.

The goal is for everyone to feel like they’ve stepped into a cozy mystery novel. Comfortable, slightly whimsical, and entirely safe from actual danger.

What Not to Do

Don’t make it stressful. No complicated games that require too much prep or brain power. No strict schedules. If someone just wants to sit on the couch with tea and pet your cat for two hours while everyone else solves the gnome mystery, that’s valid.

Also, don’t actually commit any crimes. Breaking and entering is only charming in fiction.

The End of the Night

Send everyone home with leftovers. A cookie in a napkin, an extra scone, whatever’s left of the pie. Cozy mysteries always end with the community coming together, and nothing says community like sending your friends home with baked goods.

And if someone asks when the next one is? You’ve succeeded.

Just maybe space them out. You don’t want your friend group developing the same murder rate as an actual cozy mystery town.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Rebecca, and good luck with Die to Your Own Tune, the latest book in the Octavia Fields mystery series. Readers can learn more about Rebecca McKinnon by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Bookbub, Instagram and Goodreads pages.

The book is available online at Amazon 

About Rebecca McKinnon: Rebecca enjoys playing with her imaginary friends and introducing them to others through her writing. She dreams of living in the middle of nowhere, but has been unable to find an acceptable location that wouldn’t require crossing an ocean.