Reading Mysteries: Short Hello from Beth

Cupcake with Louise Penny's first title (edible!) decorating it.

Beth Kanell here, Waterford book lover and also writer. One of my "wordsmith" hats involves reviewing mysteries as they are published, so I read a lot of them! This week I'm reading one set in Ghana, and just finished another set in Hollywood. Sounds like I need something British to round things out!

For a mystery authors' event I'm helping with next month, I had to answer a question about the must-reads of mysteries, for writing them. Here's what I think -- and I'm interested in knowing your "must read" mystery authors or titles, too. Send them along to Jen at the library e-mail davieslibraryvt@gmail.com.

Today's cozy mysteries are rooted in Agatha Christie's puzzle mysteries; the hard-boiled ones emerged from Raymond Chandler; and the art of the espionage mystery was refined by Helen MacInnes. Those are the musts -- but their mysteries can feel out of date! The modern classics now include the mysteries by Sara Paretsky, Nancy Pickard, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and Laura Lippman -- and emphatically, the Gamache series from Louise Penny. As a reader, I'm always eager for the newest Lee Child, Donna Leon, and Charles Todd mysteries, and the Vermont series from Archer Mayor. What about you?