Other Mystery Sources

Here are mystery blogs and sites that I’ve reviewed, although I haven’t checked every link they offer; I’ll leave that pleasure to anyone who wants to spend the time. But I will point out a couple, from time to time, that strike me as a worthwhile read.

I’m providing links to the sites that were active at the time I visited them. Just go to the link I’ve provided here or put the name I’ve given into Google (or Bing or Safari or whatever) and you’ll go straight to them. At least I did. I can’t make any promises for the future, of course.

Murder by the book

This site is an independent full service mystery bookstore with a physical location in Denver, Colorado.  Through the wonders of modern technology, it doesn’t matter where you are, this bookstore is at your fingertips. It offers a bi-monthly newsletters with helpful information, including reviews. Check it out to see what it offers you at  http://www.murderbythebook.com/

Patricia Stoltey’s Blog

This is an excellent eponymous blog by a Colorado writer and blogger who blogs about writing, Colorado authors (there must be a bunch of ‘em by the number of blogs about them), social networking, and getting published. An interesting and useful place to stop in and learn something of value.                          http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com/

10Hashtags for writers

This is a technical help, one that I think many writers might find useful, since hashtags help get to a wider ranger of people on Twitter and other social media. Give it a try and see what you think. If you find it useful, I’d sure appreciate your letting me know that. Or if you don’t think it has anything of value for writers. http://www.publishingtalk.eu/social-media/twitter/10-twitter-hashtags-for-writers/

Murderby4

This is four fine writers in one spot. Can’t beat that, or the many links to other sites. Each of the four, Ron Adams, Marta Stephens, Kim Smith and Aaron Paul Lazar, writes on a different day of the week. They also have guest bloggers (It’s exciting and flattering to be asked; I was). It’s definitely a spot worth a look. htttp://murderby4.blogspot.com/

Cozy Mystery List

This a list–not surprisingly, given the name, of writers of cozies, The names are alphabetized and to get to your favorite writer, all you need to do is click on the name and you’ll find a description of the writer and his or her output. There are holiday book lists, a blog, author interviews, and notations of themes. All in all, this appeared to me to be extensive, and certainly valuable to someone who is a cozy fan. (For opera fans, Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte just came to mind. Wonder why?) Anyway, if you like cozies, don’t miss this site.  http://www.cozy-mystery.com/Authors-S.html/

Complete Review

Links to 250 book review sites, tagged by English and other languages. Also has specific categories including mystery, romance, science fiction, international, law, science and technology, and identifies places to find serious works. http://www.complete-review.com/links/links.html#linksb

The Mystery Reader

Reviews, reviews, reviews. Archives full of interesting things. Sister site is a romance site which might also interest a mystery fan; especially since the genres sometimes mix well. http://www.themysteryreader.com/

Kirkus Reviews

This site has been around almost as long as I have. If you go to the site, you’ll find out how long it’s been providing reviews for every genre of book. Click on mystery and you’ll find a host of good suggestions for your mystery reading pleasure. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/

Murder Ink Good Reads Mystery Reader

This is a site that any mystery fan of any stripe will want to look at. It has everything you would want–reviews, interviews, stuff for writers, stuff for readers, all genre from cozy through shoot-’em-up to thrillers. Take a look and I’m sure you’ll go back to it more than once. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/772791.Murder_Ink

Writer Beware Blogs

About schemes, scams, pitfalls that may befall writers. You’ll find material here that’s more for writers–not just mystery writers–than readers, but I found it not only a fascinating read, but a good source of information for the writers who on occasion visit my blog. It lists, in a dirty-dozen format, publishers which fail their clients in different ways–ways which are clearly identified for the writer looking for publication, or in my case, a mystery blogger wanting to provide good, meaty content of general interest. This definitely fits that description.

The blogs are part of the services of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and there is some connection with Mystery Writers of America also. Both of these organizations have fine websites that readers as well as writers should find worth a look. http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/

Fiction Beyond the Pulps

This is a mystery site I came across recently, but will go back to, I think, regularly. It lists dozens of mystery magazines, some with familiar names such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chan, along with ones new to me, such as Crimestalker Casebook, Crime Wave, Double Action Detective Stories, and a host more. I didn’t count them, but there are enough there, in enough different mystery-writing styles, to satisfy almost anyone.

I’ll be spending time looking over some of the material. I do love mystery short stories–actually I love short stories in general, and have shelves full of anthologies, mystery and non-mystery, right along with my novel collection.

You might check this out yourself. http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/digests2.html

The Thrilling Detective Website

This is another source for finding all sorts of different kinds of detective (obviously, from the name) stories  from film, television, books, what have you. It offers trivia, links to mysteries, and a blog. It’s worth checking out for readers and writers of detective fiction. http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/index.html

Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen–The Mystery Place

Watch these sites. I am a huge AH/EQ fan and have been a subscriber to their mags for more years than I can recall. Anyone who likes short stories will love these magazines; they cover the waterfront in terms of type of mystery, writing style, additional materials. They also run blog reviews and other ancillary material. Don’t miss them. http://www.themysteryplace.com/

Crime Culture

I don’t read a great deal of true crime books and stories, since they typically aren’t mysteries since the reader usually knows the ending and the victim and the villain before opening the book. I know there are many who do read true crime, though. This site does a good job of representing the best of true crime, and some other things, too. Take a look. www.crimeculture.com

Forensics4fiction

Good site for writers, offers information about the forensic side of mystery detection. What do various clues mean to an expert in the legal and medical issues of crime? I get a daily email from this site, and each time it covers something different. Frequently it touches on material that I have not yet seen in my extensive mystery reading. For example, today’s email involved the possibility of identifying an individual by an”ear-print.” Read it, it’s fascinating to see what kinds of clues mystery writers have available to add interest and complexity to their plots. It’s worthwhile also for readers, since it will give you as a reader a greater understanding of what your detective is going about and the forensic challenges he or she faces. I’ve spent time there often, and enjoyed it every time.  http://forensics4fiction.wordpress.com/links

Gather

This is one of several good mystery sites that, as sits name implies, gathers writers and links to writers so the reader can connect to other sites. I connected to this one because of Aaron P. Lazar, who is a fine writer and a fine person who has been giving me good advice on blog development. http://aplazar.gather.com/

Make a Website

This isn’t a mystery site, but I thought it might interest newbie writers of mystery or other genres who are thinking of starting their own blogs but aren’t sure what to do. This site might offer some insights into how to proceed. Of course, I am using WordPress.org, and think the world of it. Others use blogspot and love it as well. So there are many out there and doing research with an open mind is probably a good thing. Don’t interpret this as a recommendation of this site. I simply think it’s worth looking at. (Note: it came to me by spam, so who knows. That’s what makes the internet fun.) makeawebsitex.com

Mostly Fiction Book Review: Mystery/suspense

This site has an abundance of reviews of mysteries by a host of different authors. It’s well organized with photos of various books on one side of the home page and lists of authors on the other. That makes it easy to find either the book by name or the author by name. I’ve used it myself more than once. Good site. Look at it.

http://www.mostlyfiction.com/mystery.htm or MostlyFiction.com BOOK REVIEW: Mystery / Suspense

Lynette’s Bookworld

This site has one of the cutest graphics I’ve seen in years; it’s a closeup of a couple of shelves of books with a pair of corduroy-clad legs hanging down as if the owner were sitting atop the shelves. Go look at this just for the good humor in the front page of the site. It’s well organized and has a good deal of content. I recommend looking at it when you want something to read. (But then, that’s after you’ve exhausted what I offer you at  mkamysterylady.com) Just kidding!         http://lynnettesbookworld.blogspot.com/

The WritersSite

This site is exactly what its name implies: a long, long list of places to get–you guessed it–published or to get started on the way. If being published is one of your goals, along with reading what others have published, this is your place. It has categories that cover everything in the literary field, lots of mystery, sci-fi, horror among them.  http://www.thewriterssite.com/direct_pages/places_to_get_published.html

A Note from mkamysterylady

I’m going to be looking at these sites and many others from time to time, since there are so many out there in the ether that no one person could view–or review–them all without spending practically a lifetime doing it. Stop by here and see what I’ve been up to in my online browsing.

MKA