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- Column - From the Trenches - |
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March 9, 2000 The New Golden Age of MysteriesBy Susan McBride Author of And Then She Was Gone Like everything else in the world, mystery fiction is ever-changing and evolving. Though some may say the genre has never quite sparkled so brilliantly as it did in the hands of masters like Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Raymond Chandler, and Dashiell Hammett, many in the business today would argue otherwise, among them Molly Weston, the publisher of Meritorious Mysteries. Molly’s take on the subject: "I think we’re in the middle of a new ‘golden age of mystery.’ So many fine writers - such as yourself - are hitting the bookshelves now. It’s very exciting. Also, many of the mid-list authors who’ve been dropped from their publishers are making comebacks with small, independent publishers - often with a new series. That, too, is exciting to me." The down-sizing of author lists at the established publishing houses has become a reality in the business, which means that often talent is sacrificed when sales figures are less than Grisham-esque. Weston finds it disappointing that "so many peripheral mystery readers are keeping the mediocre writers on the best-seller lists. It always saddens me to see a really good writer with a solid following get dropped and a really lousy writer continue to get the numbers, simply because of their name." Sally Fellows, a reviewer for Mystery News and the Book Reporter.com, agrees that "there are some interesting trends in crime fiction today [and] the rise of the small press is one of the most fascinating, because it gives authors opportunities they never had before." Fellows notes the presence of e-books and print-on-demand as visible changes on the publishing landscape. The latter could prove especially useful to readers who discover a writer they enjoy, then find the backlist is out of print. Print-on-demand could virtually eliminate what Fellows describes as "finding a new author then realizing I cannot get the first in the series." The momentum of small houses such as Rainbow Books, Poisoned Pen Press, Perseverance Press, and Silver Dagger/Overmountain Press goes beyond the little engine that could. These Davids in an industry of Goliaths are the real deal. Rainbow’s Revenge of the Gypsy Queen by Kris Neri was recently nominated for an Agatha Award, and Poisoned Pen’s One for Sorrow by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer has been garnering incredible reviews, including a top rating of four daggers by The Mystery Review in its winter issue. Not to be outdone, Perseverance Press has recently published Guns and Roses, the first in a new series by Taffy Cannon, author of the Nan Robinson series for Fawcett. Booklist calls Guns and Roses an example of "a growing trend - the cozy procedural, in which elements of traditional cozies are melded with the carefully detailed police procedural." Fellows has noticed this blurring of lines between categories, which makes it harder for her to pigeonhole the books she reviews. Still, she describes this crossing of sub-genre lines as a good thing. She says, "Lines and boxes and categories tend to leave out more than they include. I hope this continues." Of interest among trends in the sub-genres, Fellows finds "more mysteries with supernatural elements these days," such as the Aunt Dimity books and Charlie’s Bones by LL Thrasher. She also sees a growing awareness of regional and ethnic mysteries. "There are more black writers today than ever before," she says, "thanks, I suspect, to Walter Mosley. Soon enough, the Latino writers will follow suit." Historical mysteries continue to be strong sellers, which pleases her. "As a historian, I cannot be anything but happy about this." She mentions Elizabeth Peters and Ellis Peters as long-standing favorites. Bob Hahn, a reviewer for Publisher’s Weekly, pegs historical mysteries as "the number one trend," though he lists "numerous small trends such as more senior sleuths, more ethnic sleuths, still more culinary mysteries, and an endless profusion of legal thrillers." As Hahn puts it, "‘Once upon a time’ used to introduce fairy tales, now it introduces more and more mysteries. And within historical mysteries, the trend is to turn historical figures into detectives, such as Mark Twain and Ben Franklin, and many others, such as Frank Lloyd Wright, have been turned into foils for other sleuths." Hahn has a particular fascination with books that use the time period in American history from the Civil War to World War I as a backdrop. "Both Ann McMillan and Michael Kilian have begun series that will follow the Civil War," he notes, "and James Brewer’s excellent series deals with the aftermath. Dianne Day’s series deals with turn-of-the-century San Francisco, Peter Heck looks at Mark Twain’s riverboat and ocean liner travels, and the late Douglas C. Jones did a masterful job melding history, mystery and the Western in his Oscar Schiller books." While much of Hahn’s reading is selected for him by Publisher’s Weekly, he says he always looks forward to new books by Laurie King, Michael Connelly, and Sharyn McCrumb among others. Cathy Gallagher of About.com Mysteries echoes Bob Hahn’s remark that legal thrillers remain popular with readers, and she comments that "a growing selection of talented new authors are giving John Grisham a run for his money and are taking over the sub-genre completely." She also sees "an increase in mysteries with cutting wit and humor, like Janet Evanovich and Carl Hiassen," as well as a surging interest in spy thrillers that are cropping up on best seller lists. Upcoming releases that Gallagher is eager to read include: Pluto Rising by Karen Irving, an April release from Polestar Press Dying to See You, a Charlie Plato mystery by Meg Chittenden Before I Say Goodbye by "the Queen" Mary Higgins Clark, due in April The Empty Chair by Jeffrey Deavers Hot Six by Janet Evanovich, coming out early this summer as a continuation of the much-talked about cliffhanger at the end of High Five. Gallagher has already received an advance copy of the Evanovich book, but won’t give us a clue. She says, "I’ve been sworn to secrecy about who was at the door." Among those on Fellows’ list of must-reads are Dennis Lehane, Val McDermid, Robert Crais, Deborah Crombie, Nevada Barr, Margaret Laurence and Troy Soos, although she loves the surprise of discovering titles by writers previously unknown to her. She says, "A year ago, I hadn’t heard of Mary Reed, C.J. Songer, Taffy Cannon or LL Thrasher. The most important thing of all is to stay open to the new talent and embrace it when it comes along, while not losing old friends." So it seems the mystery genre is alive and kicking in the New Millennium, moving into the mainstream and crossing all boundaries. Old favorites like Dick Francis, Mary Higgins Clark and Sue Grafton continue their high profiles on the best seller lists. New faces continually emerge on the scene, taking us to places we’ve never been before, showing us people whose lives are nothing like our own, and building reputations in the process. Mystery fiction continues to develop beyond any stereotype as writers become more diversified and willing to take risks. Sally Fellows sums up my feelings quite nicely with her opinion that "some of the best writing is in the mystery genre today." So, rejoice, mystery fans. The New Golden Age has arrived. As a bonus to this column about mystery trends, Brenda Weeaks, proprietor of Myshelf.com and reviewer for Mystery News, has provided a list of books to add to your TBR pile (some already out and others not-yet-published). According to Brenda, "mysteries are hotter than ever and there are more varieties to choose from." Here are her picks by category: Animal Cozies – Melissa Cleary’s In the Dog House, Leslie O’Kane’s Ruff Way To Go, Lillian Jackson Braun’s The Cat Who Robbed A Bank, and Rita Mae Brown’s Outfoxed. Culinary Mysteries – Selma Eichler’s Murder Can Spoil Your Appetite, Diane Mott Davidson’s Tough Cookie, and Tamar Myers’ The Hand That Rocks the Ladle. Old Favorites – Joan Hess’ Murder@Maggody.com, Penny Warner’s A Quiet Undertaking, Elizabeth Daniel Squires’ Forget About Murder, and Jill Churchill’s second Grace and Favor mystery. Academic Mysteries – J.S. Borthwick’s Coup de Grace. Futuristic - J.D. Robb’s Witness in Death. Paranormal - Sherry Gottlieb’s Worse Than Death. British Mysteries – Lauren Henderson’s risqué Freeze My Margarita and Paul Doherty’s The Horus Killings. Strictly Cozies – Barbara Taylor McCafferty and Beverly Taylor’s Double Dealer, Hazel Holt’s Mrs. Mallory and the Fatal Legacy, and Lee Harris’ The Mother’s Day Murder. Women Sleuths – Nancy Tesler’s Golden Eggs and Other Deadly Things Edie Claire’s Never Sorry and Never Preach Past Noon Sparkle Hayter’s The Chelsea Girl Murders Truly Donovan’s Chandler’s Daughter Jonnie Jacobs’ Murder Among Strangers Nancy Pickard’s The Whole Truth Janet Evanovich’s Hot Six Jane Rubino’s Plot Twist The next Kay Scarpetta mystery by Patricia Cornwell. Historical – Mary Reed and Eric Mayer’s Two for Joy Laurie R. King’s Night Work Sam McCarver’s The Case of Compartment 7 Robin Paige’s Death at Whitechapel Victoria Thompson’s Murder on St. Mark’s Place Dianne Day’s Beacon Street Mourning Elizabeth Peters’ He Shall Thunder the Sky. Here’s my list of "must-reads" for this year, beyond those mentioned above: Tulsa Time by Letha Albright (Oak Tree Press Award Winner, 07/00) - Reporter Viv Powers comes to the defense of her rock musician lover when he’s accused of murder. Murder With Puffins by Donna Andrews (St. Martin’s Minotaur, 05/00) - Meg and Michael find murder on a Maine island when trapped by a hurricane with a flock of fanatical birdwatchers. Killer Wedding by Jerrilyn Farmer (Avon Twilight, 03/00) - hip party planner Madeline Bean discovers the meaning of "death do us part" when a corpse in Cartier turns up at an L.A. wedding. Shakespeare’s Trollop by Charlaine Harris (St. Martin’s Minotaur, 08/00) - more in the wonderful Lily Bard series. Three Dirty Women and the Garden of Death by Julie Herman (Silver Dagger, 04/00 - -a trio of female landscapers unearth the body of a philandering husband under a client’s azaleas. A Misty Mourning by Rett MacPherson (St. Martin’s Minotaur, 09/00) - pregnant Torie O’Shea accompanies her grandmother to Appalachia and uses genealogy to tree a killer. Dem Bones’ Revenge by Kris Neri (Rainbow Books, Late 2000) - the second Tracy Eaton. Almost Night by Ann Prospero (Dutton, 03/00) - this debut by award-winning poet Prospero puts Miami homicide detective Susannah Cannon on the trail of a serial killer. Murder of a Small Town Honey by Denise Swanson (07/00) -When school psychologist Sky Denison’s brother is accused of murder, she must find out whodunit before he ends up in jail. Killing Kin by Chassie West (Avon Books, 07/00) - Leigh Ann Warren, a DC cop on disability, risks everything to learn the truth when her fiance, Detective Dillon Kennedy, disappears. Paid in Full by D.C. Brod (Five Star Press, 08/00) - the Quint McCauley series continues. And don’t forget And Then She Was Gone. Now get reading! |
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