Mysteries are a hit with many library patrons, and May is the month to celebrate this popular genre. Let’s explore Novelist Plus in GoWYLD.net for some great resources.
How about a look at Historical Mystery? In the post “Subgenre Specialties: Historical Mysteries” by Bethany Latham, she talks about the early writers, such as Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, referring to them as “gamechangers” representing two of the most recognizable branches of historical mystery: procedural and traditional/cozy.
Find this under the Especially For tab at the top left on the Novelist Plus main page. Select Reader’s Advisory and scroll to Learning about Genres: subgenre specialties. Use Latham’s post as a jumping off point to get up to speed on historical mystery. In her article, she links to a webpage, Detection Club: 10 Rules for Writing Mystery (formed by Christie, Dorothy Sayers, G.K. Chesterton, and others in 1930). Take a look!
On the main page of Novelist Plus, use the drop down menu at the top left, Browse by and select mysteries. The results page has the following categories: Forthcoming, Cozy, Historical, Hardboiled, and Police Procedurals. On the right side of this page, there are additional RA tools. Lists for Police Procedurals, Getting Cozy, Locked Room Mysteries Standalone Mysteries, and Vacation Interrupted. Also linked, Getting up to Speed in Mysteries, Getting up to Speed in Cozy Mysteries, Getting Up to Speed in Police Procedurals,
In addition to the above mentioned article by Bethany Latham, find these readers advisory tools: Crime, Mysteries, & Thriller Starter Pack, plus Quick Links to Genre Outline-Mystery and a webinar, Crash Course in Crimes, Mysteries, and Thrillers.
Find Novelist Plus on GoWYLD.net under Recommended Reading. This resource is available in your local library, school, or remotely from home using your Wyoming library card number and PIN, For more information contact your local library or Chris Van Burgh, Wyoming State Library Database Instruction Librarian, chris.vanburgh@wyo.gov.