As a child, I couldn't read enough mystery books to satisfy my appetite for a good story. Nancy Drew's mystery books graced my mind first and became my first drug of choice. Thanks to those lovely school book drives, Mom started me on a habit that I still engage in today. That series haunted me, calling me, asking me to find more to give me that mystery fix. The Bungalow Mystery, The Mystery at Lilac Inn, the Haunted Bridge, it didn't matter which ones I had read, I just had to find another story to challenge my brain.
In my teen years my fixation of mysteries advanced to mystery/horror stories, or what I viewed as more mature mysteries in general. I still remember when my eighth grade teacher had us read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I thought that teacher was a goddess. Best of all, these books wouldn't let me sleep out of sheer terror, so I never went to bed before finishing the book I was reading that evening. I embraced these books, despite their insomniac qualities: The Mephisto Waltz, The Amytyville Horror, and even the Exorcist passed through my fingers at one time.
Mystery book hounds each have their own favorite author, but all will recognize the classics. Some recommend Agatha Christie books above all others, and then those who have just picked up the bug might direct you towards Sue Graton. Those who like those freaky medical mysteries will steer you in Mary Higgins Clark's direction or Jonathan Kellerman's way. And while I consider myself a true mystery junkie, my tastes have grown to appreciate the detective and crime books in the literary world as well. John Sanderford, Stephen King, and even Sydney Sheldon have put out some great books along with many other authors.
The mystery genre continues to grow. Thanks to mystery junkies like myself who recommend great mysteries to the unknowing and innocent readers in the world, mystery books will remain a solid genre for decades to come. New authors like Martin O'Brian, Craig Johnson, Melissa Swaim, Janet Evanovich, and Martha Grimes have made their names known in the mystery genre. Sites like MurderbytheBook.com also keep the genre alive by utilizing their independent sales skills to recommend great literature.
Since the inception of the mystery genre decades ago, the term "mystery" has grown in scope dramatically. It now includes those crime dramas and medial mysteries. Bilbiophiles will leave room for other types of books to leak into the mystery genre like suspense, thriller, and even suggestive works. Obviously in the end, the reader makes the final choice. It just depends on how much creepiness you can tolerate and sleepless nights you can endure.
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