SDG Reading Challenge – September

Mystery 101 

Ah, the mystery; the challenge of figuring out “whodunnit” before the final reveal.  Whether you’re a die-hard mystery reader or unsure where to start in this richly populated genre, we’ve got you covered at SDG Library for this month’s reading challenge.  

First, the basics. Mystery fiction isn't always about a dead body, but it does need a question, a crime, or puzzle to solve. The main character may be an enthusiastic, or sometimes reluctant, amateur sleuth, like Agatha Christie’s, iconic Miss Marple, or hard-boiled but idealistic, like Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe. False leads, called red herrings, are used to mislead the detective and eliminate suspects, but all potential suspects must be introduced into the story.  The plot may twist and turn, but the ending cannot be a complete surprise.  Mystery writers often create whole series based on one detective, but you don’t need to start at the very beginning. Most titles have a short recap of background information.  

Mystery sub-genres have evolved to suit every taste. Cozy, or gentle mysteries do not contain gory details and may feature puns in the title like Lorna Barrett’s Booktown mysteries.  Classic cozies include M.C Beaton’s Agatha Raisin or Hamish Macbeth series and Alan Bradley’s engaging  Flavia de Luce series. Some feature animal sleuths like Rita Mae Brown’s series co-authored by her cat Sneaky Pie, or come complete with recipes like Joanne Fluke’s food-based series.  

Detective “noir” mysteries may be darker and more violent.  Try Dennis Lehane, Stuart MacBride, or Lisa Jewell’s psychological thrillers if this is your taste.    

If you don’t mind dead bodies, excellent forensic mysteries include Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta series or Kathy Reichs' Temperence Brennan series. 

If you crave a change of locale, Tana French has been dubbed “The First Lady of Irish Crime”. Val Mcdermid writes crime thrillers set in Scotland, which are informally known as Tartan Noir. Scandinavian Noir writers like Lars Kepler, Stieg Larsson, Jo Nesbo and Asa Larsson are also consistently popular. Even Alexander McCall Smith, of the enormously popular No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency has a new series set in Sweden called The Department of Sensitive Crimes which features his trademark gentle humour. 

I enjoy mysteries with a dash of humour, preferably Canadian. Outstanding writers in this mystery sub-genre include Thomas King’s Dreadfulwater Mysteries featuring the reluctant indigenous sleuth, Thumps Dreadfulwater; Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series with its cast of colourful characters set in fictional Three Pines, Quebec; and Nita Prowse’s The Maid featuring the naive, but curious Molly, who gets caught up in mysteries at the posh Regency Grand Hotel. Bury the Lead by Kate Hilton is set in fictional Port Ellis, Ontario during theatre season and has topical references like the struggle of small-town news outlets and the verbal abuse of female street reporters.

This is the briefest of introductions to the mystery genre. There are hundreds more mystery authors to try. For more specific reading suggestions, try NoveList + available on the SDG website. Describe what you like to read and instantly get a list of suggestions curated by expert readers and librarians with a handy link to the library catalogue. We've also put together a list of popular titles that will help you get started! Click here to find your next read.

Happy sleuthing! 

Dawn K.

CSA, District 3