Transcript Adventures in Storytelling: Mystery

Adventures in Storytelling:
Mystery
Michele Leininger, State Library
of Iowa
Katie Dunneback, Southeastern
Library Services
Objectives for class:
Understand the history and evolution of the mystery genre
Recognize current trends in mystery publishing
Identify:
Sub-genres and genre-blends
Mystery publishers
Review outlets
Organizations and Awards
Indicate methods to analyze a mystery collection
Identify RA tools for mystery readers
Discover ways to market the mystery collection
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1440 B.C. (?): Cain and Abel
Cain is jealous of Abel; Cain kills Abel; Cain is accused of killing Abel but
denies it; Cain finally confesses; Cain is punished
1841 Edgar Allan Poe: Murders in the Rue Morgue
Introduced the first detective, C. Auguste Dupin. Influences Charles
Dickens (Bleak House and The Mystery of Edwin Drood) and Wilkie Collins
(The Woman in White and Moonstone).
Created standard for “locked room” mystery which is solved by a brilliant
but eccentric detective using reasoning, logic and rigorous examination of the
facts.
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
Edgar Allan Poe
Cain and Abel
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1887 Arthur Conan Doyle: A Study in Scarlet
Sherlock Holmes, the most renowned detective
Introduces the sidekick: Dr. Watson
Begins decades of the popularity of the short story format
1911 G.K. Chesterton: The Innocence of Father Brown
Father Brown, the non-detective, continued in Holmes footsteps
1920s The Golden Age of Mysteries
Novel as story form becomes popular again
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
G.K. Chesterton
Father Brown
Sherlock Holmes
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1920s Continued…
Perfected the form of locked rooms, red herrings and puzzles
Authors from this period:
Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1921)
Dorothy Sayers, Whose Body (1923)
John Dickson Carr, It Walks By Night (1930)
Era also introduced youth to mysteries: Hardy Boys (1927) and Nancy
Drew (1930) which also followed the same formula
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
Agatha Christie
Dorothy Sayers
John Dickson Carr
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1930s The Golden Age Continues and Expands
Brit publisher moves best selling mystery authors into paperback
Short format still popular: Ellery Queen (pseudonym of two cousins,
Manfred B. Lee and Frederic Dannay)
Legal mysteries make the scene with Erle Stanly Gardner’s Perry Mason
titles (1933)
Birth of the quirky and extremely eccentric detective, such as Rex Stout’s
Nero Wolf (1934)
1940s The Rise of the PI
Stories begin to reflect other parts of society
Not as cozy and aristocratic; rougher, more violent
Moves away from locked rooms and mysteries as puzzles
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
Manfred Lee +
Frederic Dannay =
Ellery Queen
Erle Stanley
Gardner
Rex Stout
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1940s Continued…
The era of the hard-boiled detective
Began with the pulps in ’20s but came into their own in ’40s
Detectives have many flaws and use violence as often as rational
thought and logic to solve mystery
Usually urban environment (most often NYC or LA), reflecting the
grimier and poor sides of society
Hard-Boiled Authors:
Dashiell Hammett, Sam Spade
Raymond Chandler, Philip Marlowe
Mickey Spillane, Mike Hammer
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1950s The Rise of the Police Procedural
Professional detectives come into their own
Shows the professional world of police
Distinct difference between amateur sleuths and cops
1960s The Rise of the Spy and the Woman in Peril
Beginning to see distinctions between men’s and women’s mysteries
Espionage stories become very popular, taking a large market share of the
mystery/detective sales ~ are largely read by men
Ian Fleming: James Bond
John LeCarre
Len Deighton
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1960s Continued…
Romantic suspense and gothic mysteries become very popular with
women: Phyllis Whitney, Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels
Stories begin to reflect more aspects of society, including their problems ~
diversity, generation conflicts, class differences
First real update of juvenile series since 1920s: Donald Sobol’s
Encyclopedia Brown, Phyllis Whitney
1970s The PI in Vogue Again
Hard-boiled has a softer edge: Robert Parker’s Spencer
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1960s Men’s Novels:
1960s Women’s Novels:
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1970s Continued…
Women writers develop their own brand of tough PI’s:
Marcia Muller: Sharon McCone
Sue Grafton: Kinsey Millhone
Sara Paretsky: V.I. Warshawski
Sleuths break out of past molds and expand into other places, times and
jobs:
Tony Hillerman: Indian cop on Navajo Reservation
Elizabeth Peters: archaeologist, 19th cent. Egypt
Ellis Peters: brother, 12th cent. British monastery
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1970s: The New PIs
1970s: The New Amateur Sleuths
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
1980s Women Writers Come Into Their Own
Number of women writers and characters proliferate
Cozies, mostly written by women, make a comeback:
Virginia Rich, Joan Hess, Carolyn Hart
Legal mysteries take the world by storm: John Grisham
1990s The New Golden Age of Mysteries
For the first time, multiple mystery titles begin showing up regularly on the
best seller lists
Women sleuths keep getting stronger:
Dana Stabenow, Nevada Barr, Jan Burke
It’s all about forensics: Patricia Cornwell
The rise of the author as celebrity: Patricia Cornwell
The History of the Mystery:
A Timeline:
2000s The Bend of the Genre
Mysteries become crime novels
Reflects the society which tolerates more violence, blood and gore
Mysteries/crime novels continue to bend and blend
Changes in publishing has strong influence on mystery genre
So, what’s going on now and what’s next?
Current Trends in Mysteries
Audio books: mysteries top of sales for most publishers and all about the
“long tail;” also more simultaneous releases.
More mid-list authors are showing up in newly revised formats of Large
Print.
Trend of foreign print best-selling mysteries continue to well with
American audiences ~ kicked off with Hoeg’s Smilla’s Sense of Snow
(1993).
Mysteries that follow TV show genres still popular, but may be waning:
CSI/forensic science, Ghost Whisperer/paranormal, Buffy and
Moonlight/vampires
Current Trends, cont.
Historicals keep growing ~ in all genres; also becoming more strongly focused on
a secondary sub-genre:
Forensic science: Franklin’s Mistress of the Art of Death and Knight’s Sir
John De Wolfe mysteries
Police procedural: Drake’s Nefertiti: Book of the Dead and Akunin’s Erast
Fandorin mysteries
Amateur sleuth: Downie’s Medicus and Stanley’s Nox Dormienda
Other classic sub-genres still doing well:
Cozies
Legal
Sleuths of all kinds: detectives, PIs, amateur
Culturally-diverse mysteries
Current Trends in Publishing
Less traditional “mid-list” authors ~ mostly publishing best-selling, or nearly bestselling authors
Less long-term relationships with publishing houses and authors
Most large publishing houses have disbanded their mystery imprints and are no
longer really supporting author tours (except the biggies)
More smaller publishing houses that specialize ~ particularly in the mystery and
crime area; “new talent” starts here
More self-published titles ~ which may become best-sellers and no longer the just
the unpublishable titles
Trend toward more “print on demand” titles
Move toward small publishers getting into audio
Big growth in author sites, blogs, podcasts, etc.
Online is where the reviews are going
A Few Publishing Tidbits:
In 2007, mystery/crime titles had 17% of the market share, followed by
romance with 11% and science fiction with 5.5%
Top publishers of mystery titles are St. Martin’s Minotaur, Poisoned Pen
Press and Berkley Prime Crime
Most major publishing houses do not have a mystery imprint
Many publishers have mystery e-mail newsletters:
Minotaur’s The Labyrinth
Random House Mystery Newsletter
Berkley Prime Crime Newsletter
Soho Press’ Crime Newsletter
So what are the new blends?
Continued importance of the series and the main characters
More distinct sub-genre blends where they get equal billing
A rise of the cross-genre blends, particularly in the areas where the authors
are cross-overs. These, too, get equal billing:
Fforde’s Thursday Next series: science fiction, classic literature and
mystery
Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series: romance, humor and mystery
Robb’s Eve Dallas series: science fiction, mystery and romance
T. Harris’ Silence of the Lambs: horror and mystery
C. Harris’ Southern Vampire series: mystery, humor,
and science fiction
Any new blends you’ve noticed?
Today’s Mystery Collection:
What does it look like?
A few classic benchmark authors: Allingham, Carr, Chesterton, Christie, Doyle,
Gardner, Hammett, McBain, Poe, Queen, Rinehart, Sayers, Spillane, Stewart,
Stout, Van Dine, Whitney
More contemporary benchmark authors: Barr, Higgins Clark, Cornwell, Grisham,
Grafton, Hillerman, James, Kemelman, Mosley, Paretsky, Perry, Peters, Rendell
Long-running popular authors: Block, Braun, Burke, Connelly, Elkins, Evanovich,
Francis, Hess, Jance, Kellerman, King, McCrumb, Parker, Robinson, Sandford,
Stabenow
And a few up-and-coming authors: Abbott, Blunt, Box, Child, Connolly, Lippman,
O’Connell,
Finally, some brand new ones: Bissell, Erickson, Krueger, Logue, Penney, Wolfe
What mix is your mystery collection?
Tomorrow’s Mystery Collection:
What should it look like?
Maintain balance among classic, contemporary, long-running, up-coming and
new authors/series.
Create a “core” collection of what you should have to help with the balance.
Check Resources on Web site for ideas.
Dollars and space reflective of circulation.
Weed what is no longer popular; replace old copies of what is. Recognize that
weeding mysteries is more difficult due to series.
Assess your community of mystery/crime readers to make sure your collection is
reflective of changing tastes and new readers.
Change buying habits to reflect any changes in space,
budget, community, readers, requests, etc.
Expand viewpoint of selection process.
Where is your collection heading?
Today’s Mystery Reader:
What does she look like?
What readers like about mysteries:
A morality play: good triumphs over evil and justice prevails; opposite from
“real” life where this doesn’t happen as often.
Structure: crime happens, it’s investigated, the guilty punished.
Resolution: a concrete, firm ending ~ nothing is vague.
Plot: a puzzle, a locked room, a challenge.
Character: series allows us to really get to know them and see them
change and grow in their lives
Setting: often adds spice and variety to the plot.
Something new: allows reader to learn something.
Variety: mysteries can be wildly different!
Today’s Mystery Reader:
How can we help him?
Look at the appeal factors of the main sub-genres:
Amateur Sleuths: ordinary citizens, no real authority, limited number of
suspects, learn about another field.
PIs: underdog, a little cynical, seamier side, social conscience, strong
characters of both genders, diversity, lone wolf.
Police Procedural: behind the scene, realistic methods, team work and
variety of characters, justice ~ catching a crook/killer.
Historical: no “modern” methods ~ employs logic and wits, variety of
sleuths/criminals/motives/ways to die, ambience, learn something.
Suspense/Thriller: its own genre? ~ how instead of who.
Legal/Medical: procedurals, behind-the-scenes.
Serial Killers: cat and mouse, realism.
True Crime: why ~ the psyche.
The Mystery Advisor:
What should we ask?
A interview checklist:
General appeal of mysteries: puzzle, relate to character, theme?
Sub-genre preference: only want the one or blend ok?
Other genre preferences: another genre that has mystery elements?
Elements of appeal: mood, setting, character, plot, action?
Realism: death, violence, blood and gore, language, sex?
Gender or occupation: male/female, police/PI/sleuth/criminal?
Author/Series: get involved with repeat characters?
Burnout: is it time to move to something new?
Helping the Mystery Browser:
Marketing the collection to those who don’t ask for help
Booklists and Pathfinders/Readers’ Maps:
Print only the sub-genres/authors that are really popular.
Move online: add lists to Web site.
Borrow: links to others, including Iread.
Annotate: pitch the books you love.
Displays: make general (Scene of the Crime) or specific (PIs to Love); also look
at displays in the stacks.
Programming:
Mystery Book Group
Author visit or “party”
Book talking to community groups
Resources for Readers and Advisors:
Reviews:
Library reviews: Library Journal, Booklist (print, EBSCO,
online)
Popular reviews: People, newspapers (print, online)
Web sites: ClueLass, Reviewing the Evidence
Bloggers: Detectives Beyond Borders, I Love a Good Mystery!
Booklists and recommendations: Iread, library Web sites, reader
Web sites
Print Sources: Make Mine a Mystery, Murder in Retrospect, Read
On…Crime
So, what did you read?
How do YOU define a mystery?
How do OTHERS define a mystery?
From Beneath the Cover (book industry blog):
Mystery: usually a murder to be solved, but could just be a crime
Crime fiction: a crime, who did it and who solved it
Detective: investigators/sleuths and the crimes they solve
From “The Mystery of the Thriller” by P. Cannon, published in PW:
Thrillers: heroes trying to save the world from villains
Mystery: murder solved by sleuth; reader tries to figure out
From Who Dunnit (review site):
Mystery: “mysterious, unresolved and unexplainable
circumstances with which the hero or heroine comes in
contact;” motive is critical to the story
How do OTHERS define a mystery?
From Make Mine a Mystery by Niebuhr:
Mystery: reader is asked to solve puzzle; includes crime and detection
Detective: mystery where character tries to solve before reader; inherent
concept that the author “plays fair” with the reader by providing clues; the central
idea is “who dunnit?”
Crime: “observes the undertaking of a criminal act, but does not necessarily
have a detective who pursues either the criminal or a sense of justice.”
Thriller: “designed to keep the reader interested through the use of a high
degree of action, intrigue adventure and suspense.” reader is emotionally
involved.
Suspense: keeps the reader waiting for outcomes, usually through putting the
narrator in danger; central question is “what is going to happen to who?”
Any new thoughts on definitions?
So, what’s next?
Create a mystery “core collection” list
Get to know your mystery collection
Use the class Web site for links to authors, reviews, awards,
organizations, bloggers and resources
Find one new way to market your collection to users
Make a review, book list and readers’ map for extra credit
Watch for the next announcement in June for the next Adventures in
Storytelling class, which will be Fantasy
Important Items:
Extra credit for Mystery class is due by 5:00 on
June 19.
The Fantasy class will be held on July 9, 15 and
29.
Registrations for Fantasy class will begin following
the last Mystery class (which is June 10).
Announcement will be to this group first.
Thanks!
Class Web site:
http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/ld/continuing-ed/genrestudy
Michele Leininger:
[email protected] or 800-248-4483
Katie Dunneback:
[email protected] or 800-397-0029