10 Best Mysteries Ever Written...

According to bestselling author Thomas H. Cook via PW [list also attached below].

As I am beginning to prepare to run the ARRT 2014-15 Genre Study on Crime Fiction, this list caught my eye.  Have a nice weekend.

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Original is here

Thomas H. Cook, one of the best at what he does, has done it again with 2013's Sandrine's Case, which is just as intricate and surprising as you'd expect from the Edgar winner. A veteran thriller and mystery writer of over 20 books, Cook shared his favorite mystery novels.

I went to the Alabama public schools at a time when my English teachers, all but one of whom was a woman, taught nothing but the classics. They revered the great British and American writers. As a high school student, I read Shakespeare and Dickens, Hemingway and Fitzgerald. As a result, my reading taste has always been guided by the sense that a novel should be a complete work of art, that action, alone, is not enough, and that it is moral dilemma that ups the ante in crime fiction just as it does in all other literary forms. For these reasons, the 10 books listed below are all novels that skew toward the literary. Their plots are character-driven and their action is organic. They have distinct narrative voices and the sense of place is, as they say, palpable. That said, they are extraordinarily different in time, place, style, voice and probably in every other way one novel can be technically different from another. In the end, of course, the relationship between a novel and a reader is one in which one subjectivity confronts another. My choices are admittedly subjective, with plenty of room for disagreement, but in my view they remain if not the 10 best mysteries every written, certainly my favorites.

1. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - This is still a wonderfully mysterious novel. It is large and sweeping, with skillfully drawn characters, lovely passages and absolutely haunting scenes, a fully formed 19th century novel with all the trimmings. The story is complicated, but it was originally written in serial form, so the story moves forward in carefully measured steps. Much of what became standard in crime fiction was first done here, so it is not only an engaging read, but a fundamentally instructive one.

2. A Crime in the Neighborhood by Suzanne Berne - I have recommended this book many times to all kinds of readers. For me, it is a novel that uses suspense in the best possible way, not by having a character confront one contrived obstacle after another in a mindless stream of action, but by creating an atmosphere of deep moral peril in which the culminating tragedy seems as inevitable as it is, well…tragic. It is also one of those books in which the title become completely apt, and very moving, after one has completed the book. In this case, the “crime in the neighborhood” turns out to be far more profound and long lasting than any single act of violence could be.

3. A Dark-Adapted Eye by Ruth Rendell - I confess that this is one of the most beautiful titles in mystery fiction. The good news is that the book lives up to the title. It is intricate, with genuinely surprising revelations, and the depth of the characterizations makes a major contribution to the novel’s suspense. This is psychological suspense for adults, with real people confronting real, and very dark problems.

4. A Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler - “It is not who fired the shot but who paid for the bullet.” It is a line that has since become famous, but it is only one of the many literary beauties of the book. Dimitrios, in life and death, is a figure of surpassing fascination, his life a tale of struggle and fierce intrigue that I have never forgotten. The secondary characters are wonderfully drawn. From the moment Charles Latimer meets Colonel Haki and hears of the mysterious Dimitrios, the reader is returned to the lost Balkan world that flourished between the two world wars, a boiling cauldron of expediency and deceit that Ambler renders in exquisite detail.

5. True Confessions by John Gregory Dunne - The novel begins with a crime based on the Black Dahlia murder, and from there steadily deepens into a work of great emotional power, complete with an unforgettable portrait of Los Angeles in the '40s. It is a story of two brothers, one a cop, the other a priest, and by following their relationship along the trail of a gruesome crime, it ultimately becomes one of the most movingly redemptive novels I have ever read. 

6. The Eye of the Beholder by Marc Behm - I read this novel years and years ago, and have never been able to get it out of my mind. It is a story of obsession, with a private detective called only The Eye who follows a nameless female serial killer for more than a decade. The Eye is the classically damaged PI, not just solitary, but deeply lonely, and the woman he pursues is a heartless--yet in some sense comprehensible--hater of men. The macabre dance of death that becomes their lives is one of the strangest and most intriguing relationships in mystery fiction.

7. A Simple Plan by Scott Smith - In this wholly realistic novel, two brothers and a friend come upon a crashed plane in whose shattered ruins they find an enormous sum of money. Before that moment, none of these men has ever needed to concoct a simple plan to keep and conceal a fortune that quite obviously does not belong them. In the midst of doing just that, they become criminals, as well as victims of crime. The story builds steadily as the wages of sin become more and more costly. Here is a classic cautionary tale about the penalty dishonesty may exact upon ordinary, and largely innocent, human beings.

8. Sneaky People by Thomas Berger - This is arguably one of the funniest crime novels ever written. It is set in the 1930s, and its main character is Buddy Sandifer, a used car dealer who wants one very simple thing: his wife dead. The reason is no less simple. He yearns to live the rest of his days with Laverne, a woman who on occasion dimly realizes that sleeping with men for money adds up to prostitution. Buddy’s efforts to plot his wife’s murder creates one of the most hilarious tales of misadventure you will ever read.

9. The Quiet American by Graham Greene - Published in 1955,The Quiet American provides an intensely observed portrait of Vietnam on the eve of French defeat. Fowler, the world-weary British journalist whose observations enrich this fiercely observed novel, provides just the right counterpoint to Alden Pyle, the idealist “quiet American” whose mysterious death provides the narrative heart of the story. Part novel of intrigue, part mystery, part love story, The Quiet American remains as powerful today as when it was first written.

10. Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg - Hailed by the New York Times as the best novel of its kind in 10 years, Cutter and Bone is the story story of one man’s obsession with another man’s crime, in this case, a murder. What makes Thornburg’s story unique is that the “murderer,” a big money man by the name of J.J. Wolfe, may not have committed the crime at all. For that reason, it is Cutter’s mad pursuit of Wolfe, rather that the justice of that pursuit, that gives the book its passionate momentum.

Instagram in Libraries?

This week I have been putting the finishing touches on my brand new Bridging the Physical Virtual Divide talk.

It used to be a 45-60 minute training, but I have turned it into a 2+ hour Keynote talk.  I will be debuting it at the Southeast Pennsylvania Library Association Annual Conference/Meeting in King of Prussia, PA on Tuesday 11/12. That’s right, I’m taking my show on the road.

Interestingly, I have been doing many more webinars or Skype talks [from home] due to my busy schedule and to help libraries save money, but this was an opportunity I could not turn down since it coincides with my grandmother’s 93rd birthday and she lives only 20 minutes away from the meeting site.

I was a bit nervous about turning this shorter talk into a longer address, but over the last month as I have been putting the final touches on the talk, I have to say, it’s been a long time since I have been this excited about a new talk.  It is really coming together well and it has forced me to sit down and think about the choices I have made in my professional career as I branched out to provide virtual RA here on the blog.

Some of you may have noticed that I was getting a bit nostalgic back in August when I had this post.  But no, it was not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, rather it was research for this talk. I normally to not sit back and look at my own success, but I have to say, it was extremely useful that I had to do it for this presentation.

So thanks to SEPLA for forcing me to spend the last couple of months looking inside myself so that I could better serve all of you out there.

One of the areas of virtual RA I looked at was how and if Instagram could be used efficiently and effectively as an RA tool.  Instagram began as just a way to share pictures, but has become a popular social media tool.

I will have a slide talking about Instagram, but just in case that is the only current virtual RA trend you are interested in, rather than make you wade through the entire presentation next week, here are 2 very interesting articles I found on the topic of Instagram in Libraries:

• 10 ways to use Instagram for your library
• The (un)uses of Instagram in public libraries

If you are already using Instagram at your library, let me know.  I would love to include you in my presentation. There are so few libraries doing it this right now, that highlighting those using Instagram will help us all.

I will have the slides for the entire Bridging the Physical Virtual Divide program up on RA for ALL by Monday night for everyone to see.

Most Underrated Book of 2013

As part of their ongoing coverage of the best books of the year, Publisher’s Weekly released this essay on the most underrated book of 2013.

As the Year End lists now begin to come at us fast and furious, a mention of an underrated book serves as a remind to us all to not get caught up in all the “BEST” hype and remember that there are hundreds, of good books out there.  Books that given to the correct reader, will become that person’s personal “best."

My LJ Horror Column

Better late then never.  Library Journal finally posted my annual Horror guest column on Neal Wyatt's Readers’ Shelf.  Here is the link, and the column is below.  Don’t forget, just because Halloween is over, that doesn’t mean people stop wanting to read horror.

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Horror Gems for the Haunting Season

It’s that time of the year again, when other­wise mild-mannered readers turn into ravenous fiends searching for a terrifying fix. Instead of just turning to old standbys like the works of Anne Rice, Stephen King, or Peter Straub, why not try one of these 21st-­century options that will deeply satisfy horror-hungry readers but that have a much higher chance of being on the shelves come Halloween time.

David Zeltserman’s The Caretaker of Lorne Field(Overlook. 2011. ISBN 9781590205792. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9781590205389) has an imaginative frame that should please readers looking for the unsettling feeling of horror without all the gore. Jack Durkin is the current caretaker of Lorne Field, but he is merely one in a 300-year line of Durkin men who have held the job. From spring until first frost, Jack’s life is dedicated to pulling the weeds that grow in Lorne Field. Why? Because the weeds are vicious monsters, and if not weeded, they will grow to their full form, leave the ground, and destroy the world! Then again…they might just be weeds. The only way to know for sure is to stop taking care of the field.

Alden Bell offers an original, captivating, and different take on the zombie craze in The Reapers Are the Angels (Holt. 2010. ISBN 9780805092431. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9781429929677). Temple, a 15-year-old girl, is struggling to survive after the zombie apocalypse. The Southern landscape through which she wanders alone is desolate, menacing, and eerie. This is not an action-based thriller, however. Yes, Temple is running away from killers, both human and the undead, but Bell’s narrative is focused more on the people and places along Temple’s route. The mashup of Southern Gothic and psychological suspense set in a zombie wasteland creates a heartbreaking, atmospheric, and terrifying treat of a novel.

In his historically accurate retelling of Sir John Franklin’s doomed search for the elusive Northwest Passage, The Terror (Back Bay: Little, Brown. 2007. ISBN 9780316017459. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9780316003889), Dan Simmons supposes, after the ships became trapped in the ice, that it was a monster that finally did in the crew. This intricately plotted story comes equipped with its own menacing, and historically predetermined, atmosphere—a trapped crew with no way out, no communication with the outside world, depleted food stores, cannibalism—but the addition of some supernatural bite makes it a nice Halloween pick, especially for readers interested in learning history while being ­frightened.

David Wong serves up a side of the giggles along with a large helping of scare in John Dies at the End (Thomas Dunne: St. Martin’s. 2012. ISBN 9781250035950. pap. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781429956789). The fictional character named David Wong talks directly to the reader as he relates the fate of his friend John. After trying a new drug, “soy sauce,” David and John realize that what they thought was a bad trip is ­really a newly opened portal to Hell, and now a deluge of murderous monsters are flowing into the world. This spoof is written with tongue firmly planted in cheek, and readers will find themselves alternating their smiles and cringes as they compulsively turn the pages. Have no fear, although the title gives away the ending, David and John manage to return for the equally engaging sequel, This Book Is Full of Spiders.

One of the most critically acclaimed genre novels in recent years, Toby Barlow’s Sharp Teeth(HarperPerennial. 2009. ISBN 9780061430244. pap. $14.99; ebk. ISBN 9780061843471) is a gritty story of underground crime and urban werewolves who can morph at will. Told in visually arresting free verse—the text creates a jagged right-hand margin on the page that mimics the shape of sharp teeth—the novel’s style boldly echoes its unnerving tone. With competing packs of modern lycanthropes, romance, violence, and a complex story line, Barlow treats readers to a fearsome and gory ride.

A great hidden horror gem is Leopoldo Gout’s illustrated novel, Ghost Radio (Morrow. 2009. ISBN 9780061787829. pap. $12.99; ebk. ISBN 9780061981678). Joaquin is the host of a popular paranormal call-in radio show in Mexico, but as he prepares to bring the show to America, the ghosts of his past begin asserting themselves quite literally into Joaquin’s life. He tries to confront the specters before he goes completely mad, but, unfortunately for him (but great for readers), that choice may be making things worse. Gout puts readers directly into Joaquin’s head, resulting in an absorbing and unsettling read as they follow Joaquin’s descent into madness. Audio buffs take note: with its radio setting, Ghost Radio is particularly creepy in audio format.

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This column was contributed by Becky Spratford, a Readers’ Advisory and Teen Librarian at the Berwyn Public Library, IL. She is the author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, 2d ed. (ALA Editions, 2012) and a proud member of the Horror Writers Association. For more horror suggestions from Spratford, visit raforallhorror.blogspot.com

Monday Discussion: What Do You Want To Know

Last week, I attended my first Unconference.  It was sponsored by ARRT so it was all RA based.

The unconference concept is pretty easy. Instead of a conference of planned events and meetings, you gather first and then come up with the topics together and share ideas more spontaneously.  If you want to know more about Unconferences in general click here.

I brought back a good deal of information, ideas, and contacts from the ARRT Unconference that will help me to serve my patrons better. Here is some of what was talked about over on Twitter.

But, the experience also made me think about this blog. I thought this might me a good time to ask all of you, what topics you want to know more about.

So for today's Monday Discussion, I am asking you to tell me what you want me to write about, what you want me to look into more, and what you want me to expand upon as it relates to current RA issues and trends.

Be as specific or as general as you want. If your library is struggling with something, there is a good chance someone else is too.

I may answer some of you privately or put you in touch with someone who could better assist you.

I may use your questions as a future Monday Discussion. Or I may write a post or create a new program all about it.

The point is, I want to know what you want to know about. So bring it on in the comments below.

For past Monday Discussions, click here.

PW’s Best Books of 2013

Publisher’s Weekly released their Top 10 Books of 2013 today.  Click here for the list.

And so the march of year end “best" lists begins.....

USA Today’s Report on 20 Year’s of Bestsellers

Earlier this week, The USA Today released a long, comprehensive, and very interesting report on what their 20 years of bestseller lists say about us as readers.

Click here for the full series of reports.

They broke down the data and have very interesting analysis on what it means for book selling and reading habits.

I will be taking my time to go through this over the next few days.  It provides the perspective that I sometimes feel like I am missing as we are constantly bombarded with information about the newest books and trends.

Happy Halloween from RA for All

It is RA for All's favorite holiday today, not only because I am a horror expert, but also because today marks the end of my 31 Days of  Horror Blog-a-Thon over on the horror blog.  Phew!

Seriously though, the third time really was a charm. This was my least stressful 31 Days of Horror.

Today, I am directing you to RA for All: Horror to see what has been going on there.

Specifically, today's final post of the 2013 edition is an original spooky story written by my 11 year old daughter.

But I also have each year's blog-a-thon indexed in my Features Archive:

• October 2011
• October 2012
• October 2013

If you missed following the fun this month or during October's past, you can check it anytime throughout the year. There is a LOT of horror in libraries information at RA for All: Horror available and clearly indexed all the year through!

Remember, you can suggest scary books to patrons any time of the year and RA for All: Horror is standing by -- always-- to help you.

Happy Halloween!

Interview with Ernest Cline for Berwyn Reads!

EDITORS NOTE: At Ernest Cline’s Request, the video has been removed (12/2014)

Hot off the presses, it’s my 56 minute interview with Ernie Cline.  Click here or watch the embedded version below.

Published on Oct 30, 2013

Ernest Cline, author of the novel "Ready Player One," is interviewed by Becky Spratford of the Berwyn Public Library. The City of Berwyn read Ready Player One as their "2013 Berwyn Reads!," a One Book, One Community initiative. Questions were provided by students from J. Sterling Morton West High School.

November/December Issue of NoveList RA News

Tis the season for family feasts, so NoveList has focused their newest RA News issue on food related reading.

Click here to access it.

There are articles on food focused historical fiction, food mysteries, a roundup of all the food writing awards, and food microhistories.

This is an issue that will help a wide range of patrons.