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.
Barbara Neely is widely credited with creating one of the first mainstream mystery series to feature a Black female detective: maid and amateur sleuth Blanche White. Blanche Passes By, the fourth in the series, is often felt to be the best.
Paula L. Woods’ debut novel, Inner City Blues, centers on Charlotte Justice, a Black police officer in Los Angeles during the 1992 riots. Her current case, played out against the turmoil of the L.A. riots, involves a personal angle for Charlotte.
This posthumous novel, which took Toni Cade Bambara twelve years to research and write, has been called her “magnum opus.” by Toni Morrison, who edited the work to completion. The story details the horrific murders of over 40 Black children in 1980s Atlanta.
In A Place of Execution, a detective is haunted by a cold case that resurfaces in the present day. Val McDermid’s 1999 novel was nominated for an Edgar Award in 2001.
Mystery Subgenres
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.
Local Links for Readers
2nd and Charles (Greenville)
Angel’s Bookshoppe (Greenville)
As the Page Turns (Travelers Rest)
Barnes and Noble (chain)
Fiction Addiction (Greenville)
Hub City Bookshop (Spartanburg)
M. Judson Books (Greenville)
Mr. K’s Used Books (Greenville)
Pages on Pine (Spartanburg)
Book of the Month
The Book of the Month for December is:
The Villa
by Rachel Hawkins
In USA Today, we learn that “’The Villa’ is a suspenseful novel about lifelong friends Emily and Chess. As their relationship begins to fizzle in adulthood, the two decide to take a girl’s trip to Italy to reconnect. The two stay at a villa where rockstar Pierce Sheldon was brutally murdered in 1974. Emily decides to dig deeper and suspects that Pierce’s murder involved more than drugs. As secrets unravel, another guest’s life is put in danger.”
“Born in Virginia and raised in Alabama, Rachel Hawkins has been writing since Kindergarten when her first book, a tense thriller involving a unicorn, a witch, and a princess, was called, “very imaginative!” by her teacher and “a searing work of genius” by her mother. Rachel currently lives in Auburn, Alabama with her husband, son, and five cats. (Yes, five. She knows.). In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and picking up an assortment of creative hobbies she will give up on after a week or two.”
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]!
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.
Quick Tips: Making A First Impression
Tired of digging for a business card? Ready to make a better first impression at the next in-person event? We have a tip for you.
Avoid Book Marketing Burnout
Book marketing got expensive, and it was a lot of work, but you’re still not making near the sales you know you should. There is a reason for that.
Top Ten Writing Tips for Productivity
Do you need a fresh start, or a better way to manage your writing schedule with real life? Most of us do, so don’t be too hard on yourself!
Finding the Perfect Character Name
How do you find the perfect name to match your character, the one that readers will remember? Contributing member, EJ Murray has a few ideas about that.
Welcome to Sisters in Crime Upstate SC!
Welcome! Sisters in Crime Upstate South Carolina is 25 years old. Based in Greenville, SC, but with members all over the US and Canada. Come join us, today!