This month we are featuring books from the mystery genre. I have to admit that I chose mysteries because they are what I read for pleasure. Each week there are different books in the display case – some of which are there because they are my favourites.
Mysteries focus on a crime, often murder. There is usually a detective-type whose job is to solve the crime or an amateur who believes she or he can do a better job than the professional. Mystery stories are great, in my opinion, because they have a concrete ending – the crime is solved and, usually, the perpetrator is found and will pay for their actions. The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins, is generally considered to be the first English language detective novel. It was published in 1868. The most famous mystery novelist is Agatha Christie. She wrote over 80 detective novels, short story collections, and plays. She is the best-selling novelist of all time – only outsold by Shakespeare and the Bible. She’s been translated into at least 103 languages.
We have The Moonstone, several Christie novels (including And Then There Were None in Mountain Reads) and lots of other detective and mystery novels and short stories. Come and try one for yourself from the cart near the circulation desk.