Popular Mystery Subgenres
One of the most fun parts of my job is offering tips in Reader's Advisory to my coworkers. For those of you unsure what Reader's Advisory is, that's the process…
You’re the Detective!
Who doesn't enjoy playing detective? Whether you're trying to discover who stole your lunch from the staff fridge of what animal left those tracks in the snow, it's fun to…
Classics Challenge: Mysteries
Welcome to our next installment of Classics Challenge, as we branch into the ever-popular genre of mysteries! These books are known for their suspenseful tone, questionable characters, and page-turning plots. If…
Genre Journeys: Gothic Fiction
Huge, creepy houses; dangerous, controlling men; pale women with candelabras; dark secrets....these are all aspects of the gothic novel. If you're looking for an atmospheric blending of horror and mystery,…
Genre Journeys: Cozy Mysteries
♪♫ Its the most wonderful crime of the year! ♫♪ As the days get shorter and colder, and we're driven inside earlier and earlier in the day, I can't help…
Genre Journeys: Short Stories
Like Graphic Novels, this is a genre that isn't really a genre. Poetry, plays, comics, short stories, etc. are more formats than anything else, but here in our Genre Journeys…
Genre Journeys: Mysteries
Welcome to Genre Journeys, where we explore the wild world of the many, many genres and subgenres in publishing! Today, we'll be starting off with a genre that is so…
The Classic of the Month: The Chinese Orange Mystery
One of my favorite parts of the Classic of the Month series is finding classics that are perhaps a little less well-known, but still really good. That's why today we're…
The Classic of the Month: Manalive
Sometimes, the classics start at a leisurely pace, describing a beautiful piece of landscape--a farm perhaps--or the current lazy daydreams of a young protagonist. Other times, the classics start off…
Asadora!: A Historical Manga Mystery
Asa Asada's mother is going into labor, and poor, unnoticed, forgettable Asa is sent to track down a doctor. But, on her way home from the doctor's, two events happen…
I Can Hear Lies: Usotoki Rhetoric
If you're looking for a manga series with a really interesting "hook," then I can recommend about 12 of them just off the top of my head! But, today, we're…
C. Auguste Dupin: The Original Sherlock Holmes
Ironically, I think the title of this blog post would be considered somewhat offensive, both to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Allan Poe. But, I think it's eye-catching...after all,…
You Don’t Need to Be Psychic to Read These Books!
There's something both exciting and terrifying about psychic powers. To be able to see through walls, move things without touching them, read minds, hypnotize people...well, the list goes on and…
Six Graphic Novels You Can Read Right Now with Hoopla
Sometimes, there's nothing like a good graphic novel. If you enjoy graphic novels and hate having to deal with pesky holds lists, then these books just might be for you!…
Four Classic Vampire Stories (That Aren’t Dracula)
Count Dracula is probably the world's most recognizable vampire--and with good reason! This blood-sucking bad guy has been terrorizing generations of readers, ever since he first appeared on paper in…
Sherlock Holmes Meets the Monsters
A few days ago, I shared a list: Sherlock Holmes vs. the Vampire. Today, I wanted to look at Holmes' adventures against other monsters. Unless something squeaks by me, there…
Sherlock Holmes vs. the Vampire
Say what you will about Sherlock Holmes--there is no denying the universal appeal of this most famous of detectives! In addition to the 56 short stories and four novels penned…
Seaworthy Summer Stories
Rock the Boat by Beck Dorey-Stein is a coming of age tale that finds three thirty-somethings back for the summer season in their hometown of Sea Point, a quaint and…
When Life Gives You Lemons…
Or perhaps this should read "When a Librarian Gives You Lemon Books..." Regardless, the answer is very similar. In the first, you make lemonade. In the second, you make lemonade…
Sherlock Holmes: A Study in…
it's only logical that when someone is trying to write a parody or adaptation of a classic story, they will often try to write a title that is similar to…
The Sherlock Holmes Canon: A Celebration for Sherlock Holmes Day (May 22, 2022)
For the longest time, I've considered myself a Sherlock Holmes fan. But, until very recently (within the last two years or so) I would be forced to admit that I…
Beyond Sherlock Holmes: The Other Writings of Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes is easily the most famous detective of all time. And I absolutely love a good Holmes mystery. A couple of years ago, I decided to read all the…
Three Spooky Mysteries for Halloween
Halloween is the perfect time to delve into a spooky mystery. These books are 100% mysteries, but have supernatural or horror elements to them to make them more than a…