Mystery fans, I just stumbled across a WAY cool website!

[scarletwoman]

Stop, You're Killing Me!

Have you ever tried to remember a book you read long ago? You can't remember the title or the author, but you're pretty sure the author was a man/woman/African American/Scottish, and you're pretty sure the action took place in Arizona/Ireland/New Zealand, that the protagonist was a police detective/PI/bookstore owner, and the time period was ancient/Victorian/modern, and you know it was a cozy/police procedural/gothic.

Well, this site is absolutely AMAZING! It has books sorted and listed by all kinds of categories: the country or state or province or city in which the story is set, the nationality or ethnic origin of the author, the time period in which the story takes place, the professions of the protagonists, and all the sub-genres that comprise the broad category of "mystery".

I had been feeling obsessed for a couple of days, trying to remember the author of a book I had read some years ago - all I could remember was a small bit about one of the characters in the story, and I was pretty sure that the action of the book had taken place in Arizona, and that both the author and protagonist were female.

In the midst of all my googling, trying one set of search terms after another, this site showed up in one set of search results. I went to take a look - and, WOW!

Not only did I find the author I was originally trying to remember, I found several others whose books I had read years ago and liked, but had long forgotten their names. A quick trip over to the ever-indispensible Fantastic Fiction site, and I could see if they had any more books out since I had last read them.

Anyway, I just had to share this discovery - what a fabulous resource for mystery fans!

[shenmue]

1. Thank you!

This is terrific! Bookmarking immediately.

[scarletwoman]

4. You're very welcome!

Such a fun site!

[OffWithTheirHeads]

2. J. A. Jance?

[scarletwoman]

3. Yes, it was! For the life of me, I just could NOT remember her name!

The book I was thinking of was part of her Joanna Brady series. I had read the entire series up to Damage Control, which came out in 2008. Since then I had moved on to literally dozens of other authors, and simply forgot about Jance. Now I see I have several books to catch up on, should I eventually tire of Scandinavia.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

5. She is the best female writer I've read. I just sent her an e-mail with a link to your post.

I think it will tickle her.

[Enthusiast]

17. I have read many books by J. A. Jance. She is a good one.

[fadedrose]

6. SYKM has been mentioned many times in Fiction...

Mostly by me. Got into it way back when Hillerman was still alive. So handy when you pick up a book somewhere on a table at some market, like it, and wonder if there are more by that author.

I've spent many hours at SYKM and have the monthly newsletter in my email now. Be sure to sign up for it. It has brand new hardbacks, soft covers, whether a book is a stand-alone or part of a series....

I love it.

And when you suggest some book they don't have, Stan will send a thank-you and adds it to the website.

Thanks for bringing it back to front and center. Hasn't been mentioned in here for ages, and there are always new mystery readers popping in.

Fantastic Fiction is also a good website - it has all genres....I think both sites should be in a sentence included in the pinned "What are you reading this week," as a Note somewhere on that email.

[scarletwoman]

8. I'm something of a latecomer to this group, so I missed your earlier mentions of SYKM.

I wish I HAD known about it sooner!

I've already spent several hours there myself since I came across it. Been busy adding a boatload of titles to my ongoing library wishlist.

I love your idea of adding the links to SYKM and Fantastic Fiction to the weekly "What are you reading..." post, they're both such fabulous resources for fiction fanatics.

Thanks!

[Enthusiast]

16. I remember checking that site out before.

Since then I had to get a new computer. My old bookmarks are difficult to access.

It's all good now.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. Wow. Thanks so much. Wonder how they built the database. nt

[scarletwoman]

9. You're welcome! I'd like to imagine that they built their database

by being utter mystery addicts (like me).

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. Funny

How do you describe "mystery" ? I immediately think a Columbo-esque novel - someone gets murdered and the case is solved.

I think I am a fan of something a bit different - a mystery of some sort - with a good courtroom piece - perhaps political (but not terrorism) - with intelligent investigative, analytical parts.

Any suggestions? Wish there was a dbase that I could plug in all my finicky
requirements. haha

I just finished Sycamore Row - and have to say it was what I call a perfect book.

First person, clean sentences (not endless run on description) - perfect !

Now reading a book which is great too - "The 500"
http://www.amazon.com/500-Novel-Matthew-Quirk/dp/B00CVDRYW6

[scarletwoman]

13. Defining "Mystery" - in the broadest sense, I think of it as any book in which there is a crime

to be solved.

I pretty much agree with the genre breakdown on SYKM: http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/GenreCats/index.html

Police Procedurals are my favorite by far, although I also enjoy certain "Cozy" type novels, and the very occasional "Historical" mystery. Not at all fond of "Thrillers" or "Supernatural" or "Spies & Secret Agent" stuff.

I'm good with either first or third person writing, as long as the story is compelling. I especially enjoy novels which are evocative of specific places - which is why I read so many foreign authors. I love hanging out in other countries and getting to know their cultural and societal mores and practices. Many of the foreign authors I've read also include varying degrees of political commentary woven into their plots.

Both John Grishom and Matthew Quirk show up in SYKM's author index - Grishom's books are labeled as "Legal Thrillers" but Quirk's books aren't labeled by any genre.

If you go to SYKM's "Job Index" you can find dozens of authors under "Legal & Law" (Grishom is listed there), and under "Politics and Government" (Quirk isn't listed there, surprisingly - but you can contact the site owners to request additions). Maybe you'll be able to find some other books of the type you prefer by using the Job Index.

I have no recommendations for you personally, since your preferred genres aren't the kind of books I've ever gotten into. Aren't we lucky that there are so many different kinds of books out there?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. Well ...love Michael Connelly and Lee Childs - think

I may have read every last one. Who else is like them?

My favorite author though has nothing to do with crime or mystery -
Ken Follett.

Thanks for all the tips !

[Paladin]

10. Very nice resource. Thanks for passing this on.

[scarletwoman]

11. It was new to me, but it has been posted here before by fadedrose (see her post above).

I just wasn't participating in this group back then.

In any case, I'm glad to know my post about SYKM has been useful to others like me who weren't aware of it.

[Enthusiast]

15. Thank you, scarletwoman.

I will make good use of this new resource.