An avid reader for most of my life, I find that my taste is
very eclectic. However, as far as I can remember mystery novels have been just
that one step ahead in my heart. Can it be that sense of fair play, or the fact
that in most cases the responsible party has to pay? I am not sure of the fascination,
but I am told that passion is worldwide. Having my own favorite mystery writers, based
on their own thoughts and stories, I have often wondered what it is that guides
them. Who were their own mentors and favorite authors?
In Books to Die For Edited by John Connolly and Declan
Burke, the mystery is solved (so to speak.) Filled with history and references
to the best works of mystery fiction, such as those of Edgar Allan Poe, Charles
Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, John Lecarre, and many
others, we not only learn more about these fascinating novels, but we are given
the opportunity of that view through the eyes of our favorite authors today.
Each chapter is dedicated to a particular novel, one
considered to be exceptional for many reasons, including those that have
changed the face of how works are written and accepted by the public. As we
delve into each of the books, we find them narrated by one of today’s mystery
writers.
What I find fascinating is that not only is the work broken
down and deciphered in a way that helps you to understand the thoughts behind
the scenes and characters, we are also give the opportunity to know more about
the person behind the book. Often that in itself is the great mystery.
Who would not want to know about the life of Poe or Dickens,
what is was that drove them and the realities of their lives outside of
writing. I some cases writing is the life of the author, but for most they were
a very well connected and busy group, with ties to many different types of
work. Some were tortured and tormented within their own mind, but each has a fascinating
story.
I was impressed at the depth of the knowledge and research
that went into each piece and really appreciated the spin that took me back
into the history of some of these all-time favorites. I would be remiss in
mentioning that the authors narrating and breaking down these world greatest
mystery novels are also considered the
most well-known and respected Mystery writers of today.
The list is varied and the author’s works are also
considered some of the best. Such greats as Karen Slaughter(apt name by the
way,) Jeffery Deaver, Joseph Wambaugh, Kathy Reichs, and Declan Burke to name a
few, put their spin on works that have withstood the test of time.
If you are a fan of mystery, this is a must have for your
library. One of a kind, this work is full of nuances and ciphers, brilliance and
mayhem, and it is all broken down in such a way that I find myself wanting to
go back and read the works described–with a different mindset.
This would be an excellent work for a reading group, and
even more for a discussion group. The information and background is
exceptional, and how this formed the writers and helped them to pen some of
these important and brilliant works would be great fodder for discussion.
Rating 5/5
This book was received free through the authors publicist. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
No comments:
Post a Comment