Welcome to the Reader's Nook!

Welcome Readers

This is our new Reader's Page. Please explore, enjoy, and suggest new features! This page is intended to serve the Sisters in Crime reader in all of us. After all, without you, the writers have no audience for their work! Check back for regular updates and book discussions and events for both local and global reading fans.

Mystery Subgenres

Mysteries come in many varieties. Most of us have already seen it just browsing the local bookstore or library. That broad category, “Mystery,” can be divided into subgenres based on the type of crime and how it is solved. Here are some of the main subgenres waiting for you to discover.

Top 100 Mysteries and Thrillers

TIME Magazine recently put together a panel of celebrated authors—Megan Abbott, Harlan Coben, S.A. Cosby, Gillian Flynn, Tana French, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Sujata Massey—to present “the most gripping, twist-filled, satisfying, and influential mystery and thriller books.” We'll feature a few of these every month for you.

A Reader's Links

Here are some useful local links for readers: the library system and nearby bookstores. Check them out!

Book of the Month

Check out this page once a month to see which novel we've chosen to be our Book of the Month!

Top 100 Mysteries and Thrillers

TIME Magazine recently put together a panel of celebrated authors—Megan Abbott, Harlan Coben, S.A. Cosby, Gillian Flynn, Tana French, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Sujata Massey—to present “the most gripping, twist-filled, satisfying, and influential mystery and thriller books.” We’ll feature a few of these every month for you.

Mohammed Moulessehoul originally published Morituri under the pseudonym Yasmina Khadra because he was a high-ranking official in the Algerian army. Now one of Algeria’s preeminent authors, with over 40 novels to his name, he offers a thriller that shows the Arab world.

Killing Floor, published in 1997, became an instant hit, garnering countless awards and launching Lee Child’s career as a successful commercial thriller author. the Jack Reacher series now numbers 28 novels and still counting.

book cover lady joker

In her native Japan, Kaoru Takamura has won almost every major mystery award and sold over a million copies of her works. But it wasn’t until 2021 that Lady Joker, her magnum opus, was translated into English. The novel is based on a real-life kidnapping case and the English version spans two volumes.

Natsuo Kirino, a pen name used by Mariko Hashioka, won the 51st Mystery Writers of Japan Award for Best Novel and the English translation of Out was nominated for the 2004 Edgar Award for Best Novel. A film adaptation was released in 2002. 

Mystery Subgenres

A typewriter typing the word "murder."

There are roughly 15 basic subgenres in the Mystery category of fiction. Are you familiar with all of them? Do you have a favorite?
Click the button to explore more mystery subgenres.

Book of the Month

The Book of the Month for November is:

Hollow Beasts

by Alisa Lynn Valdés

The Washington Post has this to say about Hollow Beasts: “When her husband suddenly dies, Boston academic Jodi Luna moves back to the rugged New Mexico wilderness where she was raised, and trains to become a game warden. Jodi’s first case involves an extremist group, operating out of the nearby mountains, that kidnaps young minority women to torture and kill them as a political statement.”

 

Valdés, a native New Mexican, “delivers a suspenseful tale highlighting issues of racism and white supremacy.” She is a bestselling American author whose novels have “consistently soared to the top of bestseller lists.” Several of your books have been or are being adapted for the screen and/or stage. “An avid hiker, Alisa lives in rural New Mexico, where her maternal family has roots going back at least thirteen generations.”

book cover for hollow beasts by alisa lynn valdés

Would you like to join us?

We would love to have you as a member of Sisters in Crime of Upstate SC.  If you’d like to join a fun-loving, adventuresome chapter, contact Treasurer Rosa Seay at [email protected]!

A brown paper wrapper torn to reveal the word mystery

Five Editing Tips

The thing to keep in mind about writing and editing is to keep them separated in your mind. When you’re writing, just write. When you’re editing, just edit. In this way, you’ll develop two different types of skills.

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