The Fine Art of Murder: The Mystery Reader's Indispensable Companion

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic volume of the mystery genre!
Review: This book is a one-volume look at mystery fiction in almost all of its forms. It is a compilation of interviews, essays, articles, and lists as presented by writers, editors, critics, and booksellers. There are ample photos, many taken from movies which were made from mystery stories. Remember the lurid and exotic book covers from the 50's? Well, there's photos of some of the more popular covers. Each chapter is begun with reproductions of archaic depictions of mayhem. There are articles about apparently well-known and well-regarded authors that I have never heard of, and I consider myself, not an authority, but at least well-read and as such, familiar with many of the less popular ones. I know I was very pleased to learn of several new authors that I plan to add to my ever-growing list. This is a fact-filled book and is a welcome addition to any mystery reader's library. It can provide hours of satisfying browsing. The articles and essays are excellent and informative, well written, and offer opinions on various aspects of mystery stories, writers, and the genre in general. For instance, the well-known mystery writer, Lawrence Block, offers a superlative dissertation on the definition of hard-boiled and cozy mystery stories. The introduction by Jon Breen is a veritable history of mystery stories. As you probably know, the origins of the modern detective story is usually traced back to Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1840's). Did you also know that the detective in that story, C. Auguste Dupin, appeared in another two tales by Poe? The school of romantic suspense owes its beginnings to gothic novelists like Ann Radcliffe with her "The Mysteries of Udolpho" (1794), Horace Walpole with "The Castle of Otranto" (1765), and Matthew Gregory Lewis with "The Monk" (1796). The chapter headings include American Mysteries which has Mysteries of New York, Mysteries of Los Angeles, Mysteries of Chicago, .......Small Towns, New England. Chapter 2 is entitled Traditional Mysteries and includes cozies, cat and dog stories, and an excellent essay on John Dickson Carr and the locked room mystery. Chapter 3 is about the Black detective, and Chapter 4 covers Religious Mysteries. In Chapter 5 the Private Eye Mysteries are discussed and Chapter 6 is about Gay Mysteries. Chapter 7 talks about British Mysteries and offers up the information that Jonathan Gash (Lovejoy series) and Mike Ripley (Angel series) just happen to live in the same small village in England. Chapter 8 is about Dark Suspense and Chapter 9 discusses Women's Suspense stories. Chapter 10 describes Police Procedurals while Chapter 11 outlines the Hard-Boiled Mysteries. Chapter 12 discusses Thrillers and other chapters cover Young Adult Mysteries, True Crime, Television Mysteries, Comic Books, Nostalgia, Organizations, and Mystery Bookstores Throughout the book are "Best of" lists compiled by various writers, editors, critics. I have visited a couple of these bookstores and if both are indicative of the others then any are worth a visit. I found comfortable, stuffed armchairs strategically located in small nooks, with a small table and lamp nearby, inviting the browser to sit awhile and skim a few lines. The pervading atmosphere was one of hominess and a warm hearth. Definitely inviting. So "The Fine Art of Murder" is heartily recommended as an addition to the reader's library, whether a mystery fan or not. It is entertaining as well as informative.