I really enjoy your site. I am a voracious reader and become very disappointed when none of the mystery/thriller/suspense writers I enjoy reading have nothing new in print. Your site has led me to some terrific writers that I'm happy to add to my favorites list.

Although this book might fall through the cracks of mystery writing, I would like to recommend Killing Mr. Watson, by Peter Matthiessen. His characters are as real life as Florida crackers can be, his re-creation of history is fascinating, and even though you know that Mr. Watson is going to end up dead, you can't wait to read the accounts of the witnesses and near witnesses.

I also recommend Killing time by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. Once I into the cadence and lingo of the British characters, I felt every step a part of the solving of the murder mystery.

I have recommended this site to my reading compatriots and we all agree that it is one of the best.

Thanks!

I don't remember how I found your site - but I love it. I read the reviews, make my list, and off to Border's I go! (or Amazon.com) I haven't been disappointed at all - I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books that you have reviewed and pretty much agreed with your reviews/recommendations. I'm hooked! I just need to win the lottery to buy all the books I have written down (I'm up to three pages now)! Thank you very much!

(To the reader of Janet Evanovich's books - aren't they terrific! Try her website!)

I agree with your assessment, things have started to get a bit static in Crozet lately. Not that I didn't enjoy Ms. Brown's latest offering, but it is time for something dynamic to happen with her regulars. I got the feeling that she was headed in that direction when she hooked Blair into the land deal, but I think she needs to go further.

I also liked the idea that H. Vane and Sarah essentially got away with their crimes. Somehow it just seems true to life that sometimes the criminals get away with it (particularly the rich ones). One thing that I definitely did not like was the episode with our three furry friends driving the Porshe. I can deal with a whole lot of anthopomorphizing (being a pet owner and general "animal freak"), but that didn't stretch the threads of believability - it snapped them.

The series is much more enjoyable when the animals have to keep to the realm of the possible and sometimes be frustrated by their inabilities to function equally in the "human world". It leads to some of their most witty comments.

Hey, very cool website. I read a lot, and I'd say over two-thirds of it is mysteries. I read mostly police and/or crime books mostly. I like Michael Connelly and McBain (just 87th precinct, his other stuff usually disappoints). I was enthralled with Kyle Mill's debut acts, esp. his first book. That was probably my favorite mystery of the last couple of years. I warn people to ignore Cornwell's new book. Really bad. I enjoyed Elmore Leonard's new book, although not as much as the critics made it out to be.

I'm actually a romance reader more than a mystery reader (I found you through The Romance Reader) but you must read and review the Janet Evanovich Series. I actually started reading Janet Evanovich after reading an interview with Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Ms. Phillips recommended the books as what she has read and enjoyed lately. I have passed the recommendation on to family and friends and all have enjoyed the books. She has a great sense of humor in her writing. A rare treat!

I was so excited when I stumbled upon both your Romance and Mystery Reader sites. The first thing I did was to search for all the Five star books, and I have found some wonderful new authors to read. Thank you so much for the hard work and dedication that I know goes into both of these sites.

I wanted to pass along one that I just found this weekend. Kathy Reichs "Deja Dead" is a fabulous book. It was printed in 1997, and according to the book jacket there is a sequel scheduled to be released in March of this year.

I don't know how long The Mystery Reader has been in existence, or how you choose which books to review. Do you plan on going back to add reviews on books that were released prior to the start up of the site?

Can your web site helps those of us who like a certain type of mystery locate others of same ilk? I like Dana Stabenow's style, characters, and the fact that I learn about Alaska (any locale or learning will do!). DITTO Tony Hillerman and all The Cat Who......mysteries. I am trying on the Magotty(sp?) Mysteries but am NOT convinced yet.

Any cross-pollination available??

I am a member of a mystery book club that meets at Barnes & Noble in Richardson Square Mall in Richardson, Texas. We would like to know if there are any local authors that would come to our club and be with us when we talk about their book. We meet the first Wednesday each month at 7P.

Thank you,
Diann Glover

I loved the new Lord Peter/Harriet book, Thrones, Dominations. I hope the author continues the series as someone else did with Rex Stout.

I missed Bunter actually taking part in the mystery and didn't really care for the murder, but the characters of Harriet, Peter, Gerald, Helen, the mother-in-law, etc. were great. I thought she did a good job of explaining Harriet's fears of domination/obligation in marriage and showing what happened when there was too much obligation on one side. I would also like to know more about Mrs. Bunter.

The use of quotations was excellent, one of the joys of the original. However, I thought that Peter and Harriet's attitude about the man who would become the Duke of Windsor had changed from a previous book. Does anyone remember.

Finally, there was no mention of the short story "Tallboys," I think it's called, in which Peter and Harriet solve a mystery after honeymoon. I've read all the Whimsey books and even some of the Montegue Egg ones. I hope there will be more to read in the future.

I really liked this Monk book. I enjoy the Monk series anyway better than the Pitt series, because they seem to have more depth. The Pitt series is good, but is almost comparable to Harlequin Mysteries sometimes. A Breach of Promise flows even more than her other Monk books. My husband was surprised when I figured out who Melville was by page 176. My husband is also an avid Monk series reader.

As a part time bookseller, I come across a lot of new mysteries. The best one I have found in the last few months is AKA Jane by Maureen Tan. I could not put it down. Her main character, Jane, is unique. She works for MI-5, British Intelligence, and in her part time writes mystery novels about a hard-nosed male private eye. The story line is fasted paced with just the right amount of complexity to keep it from getting mundane. The book is published by Mysterious Press, part of Warner Books.

I have discovered a new writer who writes under a presumed name and would love your help in finding out what other names he or she writes under. The author's name is G.A. Mckeevet, he or she writes the Savanna Reid mysteries which are very good. They are along the same style as Janet Evanovich. Please help me in finding other names that this author writes under.

I agree with your judgement about the novels featuring Mr. Monk. I must say that I do not like Hester too much, but probably what I do not like is the continual reference to the Crimean War experience and the plight of the hospitals at that time. If I want to read an historical book I prefer to read a serious one on the matter, and not to have these subjects thrown on me while I am reading a mistery novel. However I like very much the Pitt series. What a pity I am not in England and cannot watch them on TV.

As you said I too have learned more about Victorian life in her books than in normal history books, and I really appreciate her research to supply exact information on the way of life, that is a kind of micro history in itself.

I love this series. I feel the characters are some of the most believable in mystery. I find her books uplifting.

I just read the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next book in the series. I'm not a book critic, therefore I probably don't notice some to the things a critic looks for in a book. I just know what I like & I liked everything about this book

I bought and read SKULL SESSION based on the 4-star rating. I must say I was very disappointed with the book and did not feel it warranted the four stars it was given. I did enjoy reading the book all the way until the end, which was ridiculous and unbelievable. I'm looking for thrillers or suspense novels that are more reality based, any suggestions? I am willing to give your website one more try.

We here at the office have just completed reading Mr. Grisham's latest product. Questions crossed our minds while reading is he going to develop any of these characters, or the plot for that matter. The ending was a great disappointment. We feel ripped off again. Why does he even bother to write anymore? Obviously he doesn't need the money.

He surely can't call himself a writer any more with the lame attempts hme makes. Maybe if he wasn't under contract with a publisher any longer, perhaps then he could really write and develop a real story. Everything he writes now is so weak. I for one will no longer be reading "John Grisham"! There are too many other really good "legal" writers out there to enjoy instead of wasting our time on John Grisham any longer!

Wake up John and smell the coffee!

This book is very good. I didn't read The Street Lawyer because I heard it sucked, but this book revived my interest in Grisham. I don't know if a guy just before he committed suicide would be considered sane even with a camcorder, but that was really my only complaint about the book.

Thank you Jean Mason for the superb review of CONSPIRACY IN DEATH by J.D. Robb. I just finished the book yesterday and I can't agree more with the 5 star rating. I appreciate Ms. Mason giving some background on the entire IN DEATH series. Hopefully, if there are people out there who haven't read any of the J.D. Robb books, maybe now they will (whether they are a Nora Roberts fan or not). I have to admit I didn't know J.D. Robb was a pseudonym for Nora Roberts until the second or third book.

All I can say is -- WOW. I couldn't believe how different the IN DEATH books were from Ms. Roberts normal romances, but I was also ecstatic. I'm a primarily a romance reader, however, I also read other genres, and the IN DEATH series is my absolute favorite. I wish I could write as well as Jean Mason in explaining how I feel about the books, but then she said it all so I don't have to say any more. Thank heavens a J.D. Robb book is supposed to come out twice a year.