I was musing on mysteries yesterday, and chatting with my First Reader about our first detective stories (Encyclopedia Brown, for both of us) and it occurred to me that I have probably read more mystery than science fiction or fantasy. Sherlock Holmes, of course, Murder in the Rue Morgue, Margery Allingham, Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie… Ngaio Marsh. Then I was allowed to read my aunt’s boxes of books, stored when she moved to England. Dick Francis, bliss for a horse-mad teen, and it was in those same boxes that I discovered anthologies of Ýear’s Best Science Fiction edited by Gardner Dozois. And a bunch of Star Trek novels by James Blish, which were interesting, as I had seen a few, but not many, show before I started reading the books.
Back to the mysteries, however. I sometimes wonder just how much I imprinted on all those early British stories, detectives, and settings. I still have to watch myself, and warn my editors, that I will unconsciously switch back and forth from British to American spelling: heaven help them if grey (gray?) figures large in the tale. It wasn’t just mysteries, I read all the George MacDonald and Elizabeth Goudge I could get my hands on. I’d read MacDonald in the dialect, and then get funny looks at school because it affected my inflections, evidently. I have an odd accent to begin with.
Later on, I branched out. Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond. I recall enjoying his books as a teen, and recently picked up a couple of the original paperbacks when I ran across them for a very good price (and you know I’m a sucker for pulp fiction). I read You Only Live Twice while I was working on Trickster Noir, for flavor. Patricia Cornwell, who I enjoyed greatly as I also found The Body Farm and Kathy Reich’s books at the same time, and they all offered me a look into forensic pathology I found utterly fascinating. But Cornwell also taught me something else.
Taking a series too far leads to what we often call ‘jumping the shark’ and back when I first saw it happening in her books, I wasn’t sure what to call it, other than ‘becoming soap-opera-y.’It was a switch from the central theme being the mystery, and more important to me, the science involved in solving said mystery, to the personal lives of the characters. And such miserable, tawdry lives they were. I became disgusted, and stopped reading the series, unable to enjoy reading drivel about how awful life was in this book, and the perpetual dashing of any hope the characters might have for happiness. For heaven’s sake, I’m all for torturing your characters, but there comes a point when you just need to leave them alone!
Ahem, where was I? Ah, yes… I want to write a mystery. Part of it’s Sarah’s fault, I think. I do like her Elise Hyatt cozy mysteries, and there’s something comforting about the idea of delving into a genre I have read so long, and so deeply. I have dabbled in it a bit before, with one unpublished short (I’m debating putting a collection together soon, and will likely include it) and one novella which is… well, it’s unlike anything I’m like to ever write again, or had done before. If you’re curious, Memories of the Abyss is free through Sept. 16th.
But I have an idea, you know how that goes. Actually, I had a character march emphatically (shutting the door firmly behind her, and parking herself in the Queen Anne’s chair, her cane propped next to it, her bad leg up on the ottoman) into my mind a while back and start telling me her story. I’m putting her off, for now. She’s a starchy old broad, and understands duty, honor, and fulfilling one’s commitments. But in time, I will let her finish. I like her. And I like the idea of telling a tale with no magic, just people doing. After I tell the story with all the science, and the one with all the magic.
So how many of you also read mystery? There is, I know, mystery and magic mingled: the Lord Darcy series was quite excellent. I’ve read many more authors and titles than I care to attempt to list here. And I have stacks in the sitting room, waiting on me to assemble a shelf, put them away, and start reading them!
Mad Genius Club 
23 responses to “It’s a Mystery”
I love your list of the old English mystery writers. I too teethed on Marjory Allingham et al and occasionally find myself back in the fold. I was so addicted by the English mystery writers, that it took me some time to discover the native ones. Who knew?
I’ve been deeply enjoying the BBC mystery shows, discovering that I like Jane Marple onscreen far more than I ever did in a book. Or maybe it’s my age now versus being a teen girl reading about her.
I love Mystery, the old PBS show here, But now they’ve folded it into Masterpiece and its timing is not consistent. Very sad!
I love mysteries and read a lot of them. I have learned just about everything I know about creating memorable characters from Donald Westlake. I recently listened to “Dancing Aztecs” as an audiobook, some thirty-plus years since I first read it, and I was blown away all over again by how he manages to populate his books with dozens of minor characters and give each of them a unique voice.
Oddly enough, I usually don’t much care who-dun-it. You mentioned Dick Francis, I’ve devoured his books and reread my favorites–“Reflex”, “Proof”, and “Banker” come to mind–over and over again, even though I knew how it was going to turn out. It’s his live people I care about, not the dead ones.
I think mysteries–the good ones–teach an economy of style. As a poet I tend to get carried away with the beauty of language and the intricacy of my metaphors. Spending a few hours in the company of Phillip Marlowe or Archie Goodwin helps me get back on track. It’s the story, damnit.
Yes! I didn’t even mention the recent reading binge I’ve been on with the likes of Hammett, Chandler, MacDonald, and Spillane. They are slim books in the hand, but my word, the punch they pack.
Oh yeah. Spillane was just as beloved by the literati of his own day as Correia is today, for many of the same reasons. He wrote those early novels in a white heat, pounding them out in a few weeks. Sometimes there’s plotholes and sometimes there’s some amazingly strange sentences, but those books have *power*.
[…] see… I talk more about mystery authors I’ve enjoyed over at Mad Genius Club this morning. So if you’re looking for something to read, mosey on over […]
I read mysteries too – more then than now, though. Ellis Peters, especially the Brother Cadfael, although they did get awfully formulaic after a while. One of the ones that I really, really do like is Robert Barnard, who alas has passed on to that great library in the sky. He had a couple of series characters which were OK, but some of his stand-alone mysteries were absolutely terrific. Out of the Blackout and Skeleton in the Grass were absolutely top-rated, in my estimation.
I will have to look him up, I hadn’t heard of him before. One of my modern favorites is Dana Stabenow, although I know a good part of my fondness is her ability to make me homesick with how well she captures Alaska and the people of it.
I’ve never been to Alaska, but the character of Alaska in several of your novels makes it seem real to this Pennsylvania boy.
Everything I know about Australia I learned from Arthur Upfield. And then there’s Robert van Gulik’s Judge Dee stories.
There are very few writers that have been mentioned her, that I haven’t read. And that influence creeps into the SF/F as I write. I’ve tried writing mysteries on purpose, and it’s really hard for me. Which no doubt means I should try harder.
I have a Judge Dee collection high on the TBR stack, but Arthur Upfield I hadn’t heard of. Thanks 🙂
I owe TV one good turn as the advent of the show True Blood turned me on to Charlaine Harris only to find that in addition to her Sookie Stackhouse stories she had at least three other mystery series, all with just a hint of supernatural or paranormal in them. And she’s just started a new one about a strange little crossroad community with some very interesting inhabitants.
Charlotte MacLeod has a raft of cosy style mysteries told with a very wry sense of humor.
I was saddened by the passing of Robert B. Parker, but under agreement with his estate two co-authors are continuing his Spenser and Jesse Stone books. So far they have captured the feel quite nicely.
And then there are J.A.Jance, Faye and Jonathan Kellerman, Harry Kemelman, W.E.B. Griffin and more I’m sure I’m forgetting.
So I guess I does love me a good mystery book on occasion.
I read Encyclopedia Brown, and another sort of junior thriller detective book from the same author.
I read E.W. Hildick’s McGurk and Ghost Squad mysteries. Also, a book he wrote on writing for children.
Hmm, what else, lots of Boxcar Children, and the Babysitter Club mystery spin off series. The Three Investigators. Bobbsey Twins, Happy Hollisters, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys… Cam Jensen, maybe a few other such series.
I never got as deep into the adult mysteries. I guess I’m more heavily focused on Sci Fi/Fantasy due to a combination of Baen, an accident of personal history, and maybe personal taste.
I have some seeds for mystery stories, but I’m not yet really well read enough in the genre, and my writing/plotting skills for it are more deficient.
No one so far has mentioned Perry Mason Mysteries. About 7th grade I graduated from juvenile mysteries to the adult mysteries. And one thing I check in a new library card catalog is the number of Perry Mason Mysteries they have. Gardner was prolific, but almost all have the same 5-7 books. (For a better selection look in the Penn State Library – as I recall they had dozens, including some first editions in the not-for-lending stacks.
When I mentioned over at Sarah’s joint– I think; it could have been here, but anyways– that I was hard up for decent mysteries because I’d OD’ed on Miss Marple after the Elise series got gobbled up, and someone recommended Dorthy Sawyers.
Oh my stars and garters. (Yes, I have a pair of garters. Men’s. Navy uniform, I wore them on utilities for inspections…way back when the Navy had the post office worker uniforms…. I cannot imagine wanting to wear the female version.)
Hurry up and write your cozy. I need more series that don’t feel the need to spend a chapter or two polishing their GoodThink bona fides. (….is that a pun, or is the difference between GoodThink and good faith big enough to avoid it?)
I’ve never worn the garters like you’d toss at a wedding. I much prefer an old-fashioned garter belt and stockings. Old-school, sexy, and worlds more comfortable than pantyhose.
Yes, Dorothy Sayers is superb. I can only dream of attaining that sort of skill. I have all of them, and re-read from time to time.
Old-school, sexy, and worlds more comfortable than pantyhose.
Ohhh yes. Agree with all of the above…!
Dorothy L. Sayers, yay!
I’ve also read most of the above. I’ve still got forty zillion Trixie Belden books, which are good for boys and girls. Also practically all the Van Guliks. Lawrence Block’s Burglar books are very good, albeit Block’s characters have a fairly active sex life so don’t be giving them to the fourth graders, and ditto Van Gulik (except for the old old Scholastic Books short story collection aimed at kids).
I started with Nancy Drew in first or second grade, loved the a bunch of the other kids books mentioned, and read a whole lot of Elizabeth’s George’s books. I was shocked to learn she was American, kept reading, and decided she had the touch regardless. My writing buddy (Autumn Killingham, who just published her first book this year if you want to check out a good indie mystery) is a huge fan of “EG” as she calls her.
Terribly miss Nero Wolfe and Archie. Agatha Christie was also a childhood favorite.
I love mysteries! Have to admit though…I’ve only read one Sherlock Holmes, and I’m not sure which one it is. But Dorothy Sayers, Dorothy Woods, Agatha Christie, Dick Francis, Janet Evanovich… For mix of magic and mystery, definitely Jim Butcher. Heading out now to Amazon, while the book is still free….!
Oh, and Elizabeth Peters!