Creating an irresistible cozy murder mystery protagonist
Why Dolly Sunflower is the amateur sleuth you want to read about.
She might be burnt out, but Dr. Dolly Sunflower hasn’t lost her compassion, or wicked sense of humour. A perfect sleuth for fans who like their mysteries with emotional depth and dry wit.
1. Dolly’s an accidental sleuth with psychic gifts and she’s desperate for some peace and quiet.
Dolly doesn’t go looking for murder. Murder finds her. In fact it interrupts her much needed sabbatical at Honey Pot Cottage. All she wants is calm, and she’s made space for it, but the emotional residue of her old life and deep internal exhaustion won’t let her settle. Dolly’s journey isn’t just about solving the murder, it’s about reclaiming her voice, her rest, and her magic Psychic powers, reluctant heroine? Yes, please.
2. Dolly solves crimes whilst eating Jaffa Cakes and writing scenes for her (very unfinished) romance novel.
The only thing messier than a murder scene? Dolly’s attempts at romantic fiction. She’s a diehard romantic. Addicted to romcoms, she’s watched Pretty Woman more times than she’s been able to leave the comfort of her sofa to go on a date. Maybe that’s why things get awkward when she finds herself in a love triangle with Jack the Gardener (an old flame from school) and Dan the new Detective in town.
3. Dolly’s experience as a school counsellor makes her a ninja at people-reading.
Dolly doesn’t bulldoze her way through a mystery. Instead, she listens intently to people, to her gut and to the energy in the room. As a counsellor, she knows how to hold silence, how to observe, and how to read between the lines. She knows when you’re lying, deflecting, or trying to avoid your feelings. She’ll unravel your secrets with empathy whilst she scribbles unanswered questions in her journal. She’s almost meditative in the way she uses her dog walking time with Bear to slowly reveal the truth. Her power move is “the pause”, creating just enough uncomfortable silence to get even the most guarded suspects talking.
4. Dolly’s dead grandma won’t stop offering spiritual advice (and backhanded compliments).
Who wouldn’t want a sleuth with one foot in the real world and one in the afterlife? Gladys, affectionately known as Gladma may have crossed the rainbow bridge, but she’s still an active, wise and opinionated presence in Dolly’s life. Their connection goes beyond memory, defies grief and speaks to the soul. Whether Gladma’s sipping tea in sepia tones or offering fashion advice through a portal-mirror, her presence is equal parts grounding and delightful. She brings comic relief and grandmotherly wisdom, sometimes in the same sentence. In a world where Dolly is constantly giving to others, Gladma reminds her who she is. Her unconditional support is like an anchor for Dolly.
5. Dolly isn’t glamorous, but she’s raw, real and recovering.
While the glossy, image-obsessed residents of Poeshwick mask their stress with fillers and Botox, Dolly’s learning to breathe through hers. Her idea of self-care isn’t a yoga retreat to the Maldives. It’s dragging herself to Flawless in a dog-hair-covered sweater and oversized leggings to get her grey roots done.
Poeshwick’s elite wear designer labels. Dolly wears well-worn trainers and emotional fatigue. Glamour is the last thing on her mind. She reminds readers that what’s real matters most. And that true beauty looks a little messy, and a little tired, but is a lot more true.
Dolly is refreshingly self-aware, and sometimes insecure. She feels awkward and doubts herself, but she doesn’t hide it, and that’s what makes her easy to connect with. While the other Poeshwick women may turn heads, Dolly turns hearts. Her beauty comes from depth, not designer Botox. Emotionally intelligent, empathetic, and endlessly curious, her glow-up is internal.
6. Dolly’s solving murders and mysteries in a world of narcissistic reality starts and ego-driven TV celebrities.
Dolly sees Poeshwick for what it is: a town wrapped in privilege but riddled with pain. After all, Poeshwick isn’t your usual village mystery setting. It’s what would happen if Murder She Wrote and Real Housewives had a very scandalous baby. Dolly sees through the glossy surface of Poeshwick life: the wealth, the Range Rovers, the million pound mansions which reeks of emotional detachment, self-absorption, and a toxic sense of entitlement. Beneath the glitz and glamour, Dolly holds an unwavering empathy for the students of Twin Oaks Academy.
7. Dolly will do anything to protect the vulnerable, including a silent teen boy who might be the key to everything.
Unlike the rich residents of Poeshwick, Dolly isn’t in it for the money, she cares deeply about her young clients who are lost in a sea of materialism and rigid school rules. Unorthodox in her approach, she is prepared to muddy the waters if it means protecting the underdog. In Murder Most Mystic Dolly is trying to help Milo, a grief-stricken teen who is in the frame for his father’s murder. Think: Jessica Fletcher with tarot cards, a rose quartz necklace and trauma-informed care training.
8. Dolly blends intuition with intellect and isn’t afraid to trust her gut.
Dolly is psychic, but not in a gimmicky way. Whether it’s shuffling the Tarot, or noticing a nudge from the Universe, Dolly doesn’t dismiss her instinct, she leans into it. Her connection to Gladma in the spirit realms is heartfelt and always grounded in love.
9. Dolly’s a softie with big love for her bestie, Luna and Bear the cute yorkie
Luna and Dolly’s friendship sparkles with a rare mix of soulful connection, warm humour, and spiritual mischief. Who doesn’t want a friend who sends messages from the woods surrounded by fairy orbs whilst grounding her energy.
Dolly and Bear’s special bond is proof that soulmates don’t have to be human. From muddy paw washes to perfectly warmed water and aloe vera spritzes, Dolly doesn’t just care for Bear, she cherishes him. Their routine is sacred, even in the middle of chaos. Dolly understands Bear’s priorities. Food first, drama second.
10. Dolly reminds us that you can be a little lost and still uncover the truth.
Dolly Sunflower is a woman in that in-between space—emotionally, spiritually, and professionally. It feels uncertain and unnerving. Peace can’t fully bloom in the liminal. The sabbatical is technically happening, but part of Dolly is still gripping tightly to her old life. She is the Queen of Avoidance keeping herself busy to protect herself from emotional pain. She’s likely to solve the mystery, but will she ever be free of the Eldest Daughter’s Curse and write that unfinished romance novel?