Books as Comfort Food (Guest Post by Tammy Kaehler)

We all know the idea of comfort food, right? Chocolate, soup, grits, a steak—whatever your pleasure. I’m talking about foods that make us feel happy, safe, and ready to face the world or else remind us of a specific happy time in our lives.

Well, I think all readers also have comfort books, as well. They might be any author or genre. They might be new books in a series or old favorites reread endlessly. But whether we can’t get enough of Jack Reacher extricating himself from another awful situation, Hercule Poirot’s “little grey cells” solving another crime, or the charm and witticism of Jane Austen’s world, I’m guessing we can each name books that make us feel happy, invigorated, or reassured that all is right with the world.

Dick Francis is the name at the top of my list—and in terms of influences on my own writing, he’s almost the only name on the list. His mysteries set in the world of horse racing gave me the idea to write mysteries set in the auto racing world—though I added the twist of a female racecar driver. I turn to his books when I want to remind myself what I’m striving for with my own work. So as I approach a focused period of work writing my second Kate Reilly Racing Mystery, I decided it was time to revisit the master again.

Click here to order Comeback

What I plucked off the shelf was Comeback, one of my favorites. It’s the story of Peter Darwin, a British diplomat who gets involved with the deaths of multiple racehorses, the sabotage of a veterinary practice, and murder, all happening in the area of England where he grew up. As Peter untangles motivations and uncovers crimes, echoes of his own past point him to the killer in a creepy, suspenseful conclusion.

What I like about this book is what I like about all of Francis’ stories. His protagonist is intelligent and clever, as well as skilled at his job—in this case, navigating tricky social and political situations. The reader learns just enough about the worlds of diplomacy, horse racing, and large-animal veterinary practice to feel smarter at the end of the book—but the education doesn’t get in the way of a compelling and layered puzzle encountered by interesting characters.

My only difficulty will be not mindlessly reaching for the next Dick Francis mystery, then the next one, then the next … but at least comfort books are lower calorie than comfort foods.

What’s the last comfort book you read?

Before trying her hand at fiction, Tammy Kaehler(http://www.tammykaehler.com) established a career writing marketing materials, feature articles, executive speeches, and technical documentation. A fateful stint in corporate hospitality introduced her to the racing world, which inspired the first Kate Reilly racing mystery. Tammy works as a technical writer in the Los Angeles area, where she lives with her husband and many cars.

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