Mystery Scene

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Features

 

Mark Billingham

A good sense of humor, strong empathy for victims, and some righteous country music keep the ever-evolving Inspector Tom Thorne at the top of his game. .
by Oline Cogdill

 

Boileau-Narcejac: The Ellery Queen of France

Little known outside France today, this wildly successful duo inspired two classic films, Les Diaboliques and Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
by Michael Mallory

Triple Threat: Ingrid Thoft, Sara Gran & Lisa Brackmann

The future of the private-eye novel looks bright with terrific new writers like these.
by Kevin Burton Smith

Hidden Gems: 5 Writers You Should Be Reading

You may not know their names—but you should.
by Tom Nolan

Margaret Maron: Tales from the Tar Heel State

Her Deborah Knott novels revitalized the regional mystery—and continue to enchant.
by Art Taylor

Why Elmore Leonard Matters

His influence as a great American stylist extended far beyond the boundaries of crime writing.
by Laura Miller

Gormania

Gun Crazy, What Doesn’t Kill Her by Max Allan Collins, Shell Scott, Stephen Marlowe, Charlie Stella
by Ed Gorman

The Hook

First Lines That Caught Our Attention

“Wolfe Pack” Crossword

by Verna Suit

Departments


At the Scene

by Kate Stine

MS Online

Mystery Miscellany

by Louis Phillips

Hints & Allegations

Thriller and Ned Kelly Awards, Harper Lee Prize, CWA Daggers

New Books

The Ambitious Card
by John Gaspard

Serial Thriller
by Reece Hirsch


Reviews


Small Press Reviews: Covering the Independents

by Betty Webb & Sharon Magee

Very Original: Paperback Originals Reviewed

by Lynne Maxwell & Hank Wagner

What About Murder? Reference Books Reviewed

by Jon L. Breen

Sounds of Suspense: Audiobooks Reviewed

by Dick Lochte

Short & Sweet: Short Stories Considered

by Bill Crider

Mystery Scene Reviews

Miscellaneous


The Docket

Letters

Our Readers Recommend

Advertiser Info

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Peter Swanson on Reading for the Season
Wednesday, 15 September 2021

Naomi Hirahara’s powerful new book, Clark and Division, follows the Ito family in 1944.

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Naomi Hirahara on "Clark and Division"
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Jane Stanton Hitchcock on Giving Voice to Great Reads
Thursday, 18 October 2018

"For me, the books I read were the call—the call to adventure, to thinking, to acknowledging other points of view. But to complete the ritual, I needed to respond."

kareem-abdul-jabbar-on-reading-a-call-and-response
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Reading: A Call and Response
Saturday, 16 June 2018

Cynthia RiggsI am surrounded by books. Every room, every space in my large, sprawling 1750s house is full of books...

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Cynthia Riggs on Living in a House of Books
Monday, 30 April 2018

Our history and experiences can define us, inspire our actions, and as writers impact our words and stories. Mine most definitely has: my father was a small-time gangster. Really.

my-book-the-gangster-s-daughter
My Book: The Gangster’s Daughter
Thursday, 12 April 2018

"My ah-ha moment came when I read The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.... That was it for me – I was off to the races."

jacqueline-winspear-on-the-great-gatsby-2
Jacqueline Winspear on The Great Gatsby
Sunday, 01 April 2018

Nietzsche once wrote, “There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.”

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My Book: Head Wounds
Thursday, 15 February 2018

"Mystery books were daring and exciting, firing up my imagination and making me yearn to become a girl detective or even a secret agent. They also empowered me to make up impromptu ghost stories around the campfire for my Girl Scout troop and sneak into the cemetery at night on a dare."

laura-childs-on-growing-up-reading
Laura Childs on Growing Up Reading
Thursday, 27 July 2017

vietselaineCR CristianaPecheanuFire and Ashes, the latest Angela Richman Death Investigator mystery, is an exploration of a fatal fire. To research this novel, Viets delved into the devastating consequences of junk science and arson investigations.

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Fire and Ashes and Arson