"We all start out with a concept of what we think will be the plot of the story. ... But if we breathe life into the characters, the characters dictate the story to you and then you find out that they're not going to do that." ~ Nancy Taylor Rosenberg
"It's been a great decade for mysteries. I don't think there's ever been a time in the history of mystery fiction when so many good writers have written so many good books." ~ Otto Pensler
"Crime fiction is coming out of genre and being read by a people who only a few years ago wouldn't dream of picking up a crime novel." ~Shawn Coyne
"This is basically a back list business, and even bookstores with good sections don't have every last P.D. James in stock." ~ Maureeen Donnelly
"Series work best for readers who prefer to live the lives of the main character. The reader checks into a character's life at different points and grows with them. Series gain a quiet following of loyal readers, while stand-alone titles potentially can reach a broader audience, and a cross-gender audience, larger and more diverse than the more literary crowd that follows series." ~ Francine Mathews
"Detectives make sense of the senseless, expose hypocrisy and evil, bring justice and restore order, however temporarily, to a world somehow askew." ~ Shelle Rosenfeld
"At its best, mystery is about complex characters drawn into a crisis set about a particular event. That this event is a crime is a defining point, but outside of that, this is not far from the definition of any novel." ~ Keith Kahla
"Human nature doesn't change. Our clothiers change, our technology changes, but the passions that drive people to commit a crime, which is what these books are all about, doesn't change, and that's endlessly fascinating." ~ Miner
"If you want real plots, stand-out characterizations, and honest writing, all of which have been bled out of mainstream fiction, mysteries are it." ~ Kate Birkel
"Mystery readers are as diverse as the books they love bound only by their lively minds and their fierce desire for more new titles." ~ Jim Huang
"The lines between mystery novels and serious literary fiction are becoming more and more unclear. And also, increasingly, crime fiction is being populated by very fine writers." ~George P. Pelecanos
"Why is a publisher like a felon behind bars? Because both may be
thinking
of a breakout." ~ Robert Dahlin
"A good mystery challenges the mind. It presents a set of clues,
some of which appear so contradictory they seem as tangled as the
mythological Gordian knot. The detective wields reason like knife,
slicing through the knot to the truth." ~ Laurence Yep
"When it comes to recurring characters, familiarity breeds content.
Stories about a beloved ongoing protagonist mean that, in terms of
emotional investment, it becomes easier for a reader to go down
familiar streets." ~ Joe Blades
"If a mystery is all about disrupting order and then reinstating it,
a series mystery is about how the characters who shape the plot not
only bring order to their world, but also about how they change and
grow because of what has just happened." ~ Kate Miciak
Bibliomysteries is
devoted to mysteries with settings, characters, or plots related to
books, writers, archives, and libraries. Author lists and guides to
short stories, detectives, series, and books for younger readers.
The Chesterfield County Public Library in Virginia provides Overbooked which includes mysteries reviewed in the major library review sources.
Crimeculture explores critical approaches to the study of crime literature and film. Includes reading lists.Historical Mystery Fiction includes access by time and by author name.
The Landscape of Crime contains essay on the settings of mysteries. Includes some interesting maps on the number of mysteries set in a particular place.The LII Subject Guide to Mysteries is an excellent place to begin. Good coverage of sites featuring reviews, bibliographies, interviews, and much more.
The MacGuffin Database of
Detective
Fiction provides access by name, category and description.
Mysteries in Print does a good job of providing information on new and forthcoming mysteries, including audio books. Arranged in a few categories, i.e. "amateur sleuths" or "private eyes."
dmoz.org Mystery Pages provide a solid list of links
The Mysterious Home Page: A Guide to Mysteries and Crime Fiction on the Internet is another notably comprehensive site.Mystery Guide provides access to a large number of quality reviews by sub genre. Excellent definitions and examples for each sub genre. Many links. Well organized.
Mystery Ink, the
"booklover's guide to mysteries and thrillers" has a useful
reference section featuring read-alikes, mysteries by place, series
characters, story types, secondary characters. Good selective guide to
mystery writers and their works. Browsable by some sub-genres. Good
award and top 10 lists.
Cluelass Home Page: Mystery Lover's
Notebook is the comprehensive site with a substantial number of
links. The Clue Lass includes a comprehensive list of awards.
Mystery Reader
provides
rated reviews for various sub genres, including a violence rating
guide. Does a good job with mysteries issued by small presses.
Mystery Women Authors
includes alphabetical lists of female mystery authors. Also includes
lists of mysteries featuring dogs and cats.
Reviewing the Evidence is another good source of reviews for mysteries and suspense. There is a search engine.
Sistersincrime furthers female mystery authors. Membership includes a large number of published authors.Stop, You're Killing Me is especially good for author/title information on suspense and espionage novels. The character index is especially useful. Many links to author pages.
Suspicious Women is a "list of mystery fiction featuring women who are private investigators, police officers, amateur detectives, and in one instance, a highly moral hit woman." Produced by the Chicago Public Library.
Thrilling Detective has a good list of fictional detectives as well as information on authors, radio and TV shows..
The
Ultimate Mystery/Detective Web Guide is another comprehensive site.
The two best known discussion groups devoted to mysteries are 4_Mystery_Addicts
and DorothyL. Both are high
traffic lists, but provide considerable useful information about the
genre.
Mystery book store
websites often contain much useful information, especially on what is
hot and interesting. Bookmarking a few good ones can be valuable.
Booklist reviews a reasonably large number of mystery
reviews in each
issue. Now and then, it also includes a special focus on mysteries. For
example, a recent issue included an annotated bibliography of "Music
and
Murder" novels. A "Mystery Showcase" issue appears once per year and
lists the best crime novels of the year.
Kirkus does not review as many titles, but reviews
tend to be a bit
more critical. Recall that Booklist only reviews good
stuff.
Mystery Scene Magazine is
an essential source.
"Mystery Scene is a must for every writer, reader and reviewer in the
field. I couldn't do without it."
--Elizabeth Peters aka Barbara Michaels, best-selling author and
MWA Grand Master.
The
Drood Review is especially good for its reviews of new books and
comprehensive coverage of new titles. Also includes essays.
The
Mystery News is another good source of thoughtful reviews as well
as comment on the mystery scene.
Mystery
Readers Journal is a quarterly thematic periodical. The current
issue is devoted to gardening mysteries. Essential for booklists and
programming ideas.
The Art of Detective Fiction edited by Warren Chernaik et al focuses on the "golden age of British detective stories and the "hard boiled" American stories. A series of academic essays.
Crime Fiction II: 1749-1990, A Comprehensive Bibliography by Allen Hubin covers about 81,000 books and short stories as well as nearly 5000 mystery films.
Willetta Heising has compiled two works that are models of their kind: Detecting Women: A Reader's Guide and Checklist for Mystery Series Written by Women and Detecting Men: A Reader's Guide and Checklist for Mystery Series Written by Men. Includes a master list of authors, strong in series characters and titles. Indexes of mystery types, characters, and settings.
Bruce F. Murphy's Encyclopedia of Murder and Mystery is a good recent introduction to the genre. Entries for authors, titles, characters, plot devices, sub genres, and murder techniques among others.
The Fine Art of Murder: The Mystery Reader's Indispensable Companion includes about 120 readable essays, most by mystery authors, on all types of mysteries.
Killer Books: A Reader's Guide to Exploring the Popular World of Mystery and Suspense. Well-organized survey.
Murder...by Category: A Subject Guide to Mystery Fiction by Tasha Mackler provides access via 90 subject categories. Useful for preparing theme reading lists and exhibits.
Mystery & Suspense Writers: The Literature of crime, Detection, and Espionage edited by Robin Winks and Maureen Corrigan. Articles on 68 mystery writers from Poe to Paretsky. Includes articles on some sub genres. Part of Scribner's "American Writers" series.
Mystery Readers' Advisory: the Librarian's Clues to Murder and Mayhem by John Charles, Joanna Morrison, and Candace Clark. Includes a variety of readers' advisory topics as well as book lists organized by themes and sub genres. There is a chapter on resources and one on collection development.
100 Masters of Mystery and Detective Fiction edited by Fiona Kelleghan is a collection of updated essays from Magill's Critical Survey of Mystery and Detective Fiction. Good, detailed analysis of the authors covered. Solid bibliographies accompany each article.
The Oxford Companion to Crime and Mystery Writing edited by Rosemary Herbert (former reference librarian). Includes a good history of the genre. Besides the biographical/critical articles, there are articles on forms, techniques, characters and the like. There are 230 expert contributors. Covers 149 authors and 85 characters. Very well received.
G.K. Hall issues a series of "Reader's Guides to Mystery Novels." Two Examples are A Reader's Guide to the Police Procedural and a Reader's Guide to the Spy and Thriller Novel.
A Reader's Guide to the American Novel of Detection by Marvin Lachman is useful for its extensive indexes for 1314 works by 166 U.S. authors of books featuring amateur detectives.
Reader's Guide to the Private Eye Novel by Gary Niebuhr contains extensive information on series and excellent indexes.
St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers focuses on English language mystery writers. The bibliographies and plot descriptions are helpful for the reader advisor.
In the "what do I read next series," Steven Stilwell's What Mystery Do I Read Next is a helpful resource.
Those who are tempted by the notion of writing a mystery novel or
would
like to know more about the process will enjoy You Can Write a
Mystery by Gillian Roberts. Roberts, the author of the Amanda
Pepper
mystery series, has produced a solid, practical handbook. A somewhat
similar work is James Frey's How To
Write A Damn Good Mystery: A practical Step-by-Step Guide From
Inspiration to Finished Manuscript.
The major award is the Edgar nominated and selected by the Mystery Writers of America. There are several awards, but we are most likely to be interested in the "best novel," "best first novel by an American author," and "best critical/biographical work." The Mystery Writers of America were established in 1945 and the Edgars (Edgar Allen Poe) date from 1944.
The Private Eye Writers of American award the Shamus Award to "honor excellent work in the Private Eye" sub genre."
At its heart, the mystery story involves a victim, a culprit, and a detective.
In 1936, S.S. Van Dine published an article titled "Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories." Some of these rules, paraphrased by Jeff Kreider appear below.
While mystery fiction, depending on one's definition has a long history, Edgar Allen Poe in the 1830s is the best known pioneer. In the 1850s and 1860s in Britain, "sensation novels" appeared. Woman in White by Wilkie Collins is a good example.
Late in the 19th Century, Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, probably the most famous fictional detective. This created a boom in mystery publishing, especially in short stories.
The "Golden Age" of mystery fiction lasted from the 1920s through the mid 1940s. Agatha Christie, John Dickson, Carr, S.S. Van Dine, and Ellery queen were notable examples with an emphasis on puzzling plots. At the same time, pulp periodicals flourished, often with an emphasis on hard-boiled detectives. Dashiell Hammett is a good example. "...Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and other 'hardboiled' writers moved crime out of the drawing room and into the streets...."
Some students of the genre argue that the 1990s through today constitute a new "Golden Age." They point to the diversity of plots, settings, and detectives and the increased quality (literary?) of the writing.
Detectives, amateur and professional, can be found in places near and far, large and small. Detectives vary in their sex, their ethnicity, their sexual preference, their interests, and their occupation.Marcia Muller, Sara Paretsky, and Sue Grafton are best known for establishing the hard-boiled female detective novel so popular in the 1990s. "These women are as strong and as tough as most male detectives, but they are also concerned about ethical and social issues."
Appeal elements will vary according to the sub genre. The appeal of
a "cozy" or a Christian detective story may be notably different than
that for a "hardboiled" story. "Escape" is a dominant appeal element in
each of the genres and that is true here. The reader can escape to a
small English village or a bleak city center. Readers are often quite
specific in what they want or do not want to read. We need to be
sensitive to that. There are many differences among the 1400 or so
mysteries published each year in the U.S. Mood, setting, pacing, plot,
amount and kind of violence, male or female lead character, historical
or contemporary, and characters
vary and have quite different appeals.
One of the major appeals of the mystery genre is the puzzle of
figuring out who did it. In a sense, most mysteries allow the reader to
"play" detective and help to solve the crime as the pages turn.
Sophisticated plotting can test even the experienced reader. Both clues
and RED HERRINGS (false clues) give readers the stimulus to deduce who
did what. One author uses the phrase "the thrill of the hunt" to
describe the process of finding the guilty one.
Conflict between individuals and organizations adds tension and
complicates the outcome. Besides the conflict between the perps and the
detective, there is often tension between the detective and the law
enforcement organization or other corporate bodies.
As Ed McBain says, mystery stories "reconfirm our faith that a
society of laws can work." Eventually, those who commit the crime are
punished. Good wins and evil loses. The transgressor is punished. Thus,
the mystery has a "moral purpose."
As is true of other genres, it is the character which attracts the reader. The character may be an especially well done stereotype or it may be quite different, e.g. a park ranger who becomes a detective. Vivid characters remain with the reader and spark interest in the next book in the series. "If you're going to spend the night with somebody, you want to like them [ Mary Alice Gorman]." Increasingly, mystery novels are character driven rather than plot driven and this makes series more popular.
Especially in stories about professional detectives or others associated with law enforcement, the reader can learn how an investigation is conducted, how the prosecution plans its arguments. "Procedurals" are especially good for providing insight into how the justice system works or does not.
Often, mystery authors write for a long time and readers have many titles by a favorite author. For example, Dashiell Hammett has been published for 70 years and Ruth Rendell has published 41 novels. Readers enjoy an author who has produced a body of work that may be read and reread. This also places a burden on libraries to insure that their collections of these notable authors are complete.
Works with strong regional settings remain popular. Tony Hillerman for the Southwest is a good example. Many readers enjoy writing with a strong sense of place. That place may be where they live or simply a place that is attractive to them. A well written mystery provides an opportunity to learn more about the world and culture where the crime took place. Regional mysteries set in the U.S. have been popular in recent years.
Although popularity varies over time, "cozies" remain popular and attract a wide audience. Many like the fact that they are usually gentle reads and enjoy the puzzle solving and the quaint characters.
Historical crime novels are also doing well. Often, these are strong cross-over candidates for those who enjoy historical fiction. Readers enjoy strong characters while appreciating the ability to learn more about times past.
Perhaps because many mystery novels are shorter than works in other genres, mystery readers tend to read a large number of books and quickly. A reasonable number of mystery readers can read through their favorite authors quickly. This makes read-alikes especially important.
From the 1860s, female authors have played a prominent role in writing mystery stories. Today, many of the most popular mystery authors are women. Agatha Christie is often mention as the greatest mystery author.
There appears to be a notable boom in mystery publishing. A large number of new works are being published, chain super stores stock many new and backlist titles, and independent mystery bookstores are doing well. Often, in a "boom" cycle, publishers rush some works to market and the over-all quality of publications may decline. With more than 1400 mysteries published in a year [just in the U.S.], it is difficult for librarians to keep up and even large collections will not be able to afford all of the better new titles.
Historically, mysteries and other genre fiction, have been the victim of boom and bust cycles. As Keith Kahla, St. Martins, said: "Being declared 'hot' is often the death knell for quality and growth in any genre. While the best books do usually rise to the top even during a boom cycle, they're often mired in a mass of not-so-very good books. The result is usually the same--unrealistic expectations in terms of sales are not ultimately met, industry wisdom declares the genre to be 'dead,' and they rush to get out of the genre just as fast as the rushed to get into it."
Publishers prefer writers who can produce at least three to four books with the same main character because the later works in a popular series are "pre-sold." Readers find characters that they enjoy and will commit to future stories with the same character. For example, there are more than fifty volumes in Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series. Some series and/or series characters have become legitimate brands. This can frustrate authors who want a change of pace, but publishers love the "pre-sold" books. This means that series will continue to be particularly important. Librarians need to work diligently to insure that they have all volumes in series, including early ones likely to appear in mass paper editions. Authors often prefer to create a "stand-alone" novel as a change and an opportunity to do something different. Readers often have considerable difficulty in discovering the order in which novels in a series appear. We need to help them with that both in the catalog and with finding aids.
There are fewer major publishers and they tend to focus on the same brand name authors. Midlist authors are often let go. This opens many opportunities for smaller publishers, but often they have difficulty in making new and backlist titles visible and in the distribution stream. Smaller publishers are able to issue works by notable authors and that is a problem for librarians since specialist publishers are less visible and may not be reviewed in standard, general sources. More authors are self-publishing their work and that also creates problems for selectors since "vanity" publishing may seem to apply.
It can be difficult for new authors to become visible. Libraries
can help by selecting and drawing attention to notable new authors,
especially those published by smaller publishing houses.
However, mystery novels published in Britain are popular and this
enlarges the number of publishers.
The Internet allows authors and publishers, especially smaller publishers, to become more visible and develop rich relationships with readers, but first the reader has to learn about the web site. More authors are now involved in promoting their work. Fans really enjoy the opportunity to learn more about their favorite authors and characters. Libraries need to assist by making it easy for readers to find these WWW sites.
Many books likely to interest readers are issued in a mass market paper edition. Historically, these have not been adequately reviewed in the library reviewing periodicals and libraries have not provided full intellectual access when they are purchased.
Many standard titles go out of print quickly. This is an advantage for libraries that maintain their collections, but a disadvantage in ordering replacement copies. Readers want to read everything by a favorite author and the library may be the only place to do that.
Bookstores have had considerable success with author signings and Crime Night reading programs. Libraries could certainly do the same if there were no conflicts with local book sellers. Mystery book clubs are also popular.
Anthologies of short stories remain popular although not as popular as novels. These are a good way for a reader to discover new authors and interesting characters. Since there are only two major print mystery periodicals, anthologies represent a major market for original short stories.
More mystery stories are being issued in audio book format and these
are often popular with library users. The selector needs to take note.
1. Mystery may be the most popular genre. Why?
2. Surveys of librarians often find that mystery is the most popular genre for this audience. Why?
3. Does it seem reasonable that those who enjoy mysteries would also enjoy true crime non-fiction? Why?
4. The puzzle -- who did it and why -- is at the heart of the mystery story. How important is the puzzle in comparison to the characterization and the setting?
5. Many notable mystery authors are women and some write relatively hard-boiled stories. Are female readers likely to look for different appeal elements in a mystery?
6. Some critics make a distinction between "mystery" stories and "crime" stories. Does this seem reasonable? What do you see as the differences?
7. Christian fiction is more likely to feature mystery stories today than in the past. Is this a good fit? Why?
8. Are those who like to read mystery stories likely to also enjoy
viewing mystery films?