One of my favorite genres is the cozy paranormal mystery. Like all cozy mysteries, these usually feature a female amateur sleuth seeking to create a new life for herself in a new community, when she is faced with a sudden death that somehow requires her involvement in order to bring the criminals to justice.

What makes the paranormal cozy mystery different is that, unlike the cozy genre in general, the protagonist is usually in her mid-life.

I have a theory about this. I think it is because for many of us, mid-life is when our bodies and minds undergo dramatic changes. Our children are reaching adulthood and our roles with them are changing. We can see our futures in our aging parents and it terrifies us. We become conscious of how little time we have left and how much of ourselves we have given away for decades. The bottom of the hourglass holds more sand than the top, and yet those grains keep trickling relentlessly downward. Exhaustion, anger, and resentment are our constant companions, as well as that little voice that keeps asking, “Is this all there is?”

I think the fact so many protagonists in cozy paranormal mysteries are witches coming into their power in mid-life embraces all these concepts and more. Mid-life is a time when we take stock of our lives and wonder what is the best use of our remaining time. We’re less inclined to be people-pleasers. We’re tired of being taken for granted, for solving all the problems without getting any of the recognition. To paraphrase the great Nora Roberts, “our field of f*cks is fallow.”

I also believe it is a time when many of us, if we’re lucky, recognize the power we’ve always held. We come into our own for perhaps the first time in our lives. Not as someone’s daughter or wife, not as mother or reliable employee. But for who we are as ourselves. Or maybe we sense that power is there, but we’re unable or afraid to tap into it. Perhaps the appeal of the mid-life witch is the desire to uncover our power but we don’t know how. The middle-aged protagonist who suddenly is able to start fires with her mind or inexplicably can understand the thoughts of her cat appeals to those of us who feel powerless, or worry that we’ve squandered our power. The mid-life witch coming into her own strength and magic is an allegory many of us–at a time in our lives when we may feel used up and without value–wish to embrace in our escapist reading.

I find older protagonists more interesting as characters. They’ve lived, they’ve loved, they’ve lost. They have back stories that provide depth to their characterization. I also relate to them more than I can with a twenty-something who hasn’t necessarily faced some of the toughest curve balls life can throw at them. And I adore stories about women coming into their power–perhaps because I’m hoping one day I will fully do the same.

That’s probably why I’ve taken a short detour from my usual cozy mystery fare and returned to my paranormal roots to write Hexes, Lies, and Alibis. Categorizing it has been challenging. Witches and ghosts + a murder = paranormal cozy mystery. Angels, demons, and mythological beasts = cozy fantasy. But the fact that it takes place in a alternate reality makes it a portal fantasy.

Regardless of what genre it falls into, it features a middle-aged woman discovering both her legacy and her power after a lifetime of never fitting in, and ultimately, that was what made it so fun to write. Well, that and the harpies.

When Morgan Frost inherits property from her grandmother, she discovers the derelict farm is actually a portal to a universe where technology fails and magic rules. In a world where people use magic for everything from heating water to battling mythological creatures, Morgan faces a steep learning curve for survival. Especially since her grandmother was murdered by someone wishing to take over The Grange, granting them access to our world of science and technology. It’s up to Morgan and her new friends to see that this doesn’t happen.

Hexes, Lies, and Alibis (The Myth Element Series) by M.K. Dean is now available for pre-order on your favorite platforms. Release date June 30, 2026.

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