by Marlyn Beebe
When Istoria Books Editor Libby
Sternberg asked me if I could discuss what I look for when I review a mystery, I initially
thought there was no way for me to do that, because my decision depends on how
I feel about a book.
So, let me
try to take you through my process and see what happens.
When I
receive a book (from a publisher/author/PR firm), the first thing I do is
decide whether I want to read it. If
it’s a mystery, chances are good that I will.
Of course
it’s important that the book be well-written: if the book is filled with
grammatical errors, I’m probably not going to get past the first chapter.
Another thing
that turns me off is a large number of characters, especially if they are
similar. Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile or Murder on the Orient Express each have a
dozen or more passengers who figure in the story, but their names and
occupations vary enough that there’s minimal confusion. If a story requires a large number of
characters that could be mixed up, a cast list at the beginning or end of the
book helps a lot. I have not reviewed
(and sometimes not even finished) books in which I couldn’t keep track of who
was whom.
Too much
technical detail is another problem. I’m
a librarian, and if I don’t know something, I know how to find out about
it. But I’m not going to enjoy a book if
I have to keep looking stuff up. Medical
and legal mysteries that focus on a complex procedure rather than how they
affect characters, relationships or plot don’t hold my attention.
Some
reviewers love writing scathing reviews, and I must admit that constructing these
can be sort of fun and cathartic. My
thinking is that I’d rather not alienate those who provide me with the material
I work with. People send me books
because they believe I’m skilled at what I do, and that my opinions might be
helpful, and I certainly don’t want them to stop because they’re afraid I’ll
rip them to shreds.
At the same
time, I’m not a sycophant. I do try to
make my reviews positive, but if there’s a little thing that bothers me, I will
mention it, along with the fact that it is just my opinion.
Because, in
the end, a review is nothing more than one individual’s reaction.
My thanks to
Libby and Istoria Books blog for having me as their guest.
Marlyn Beebe grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where
she graduated from the University of Alberta with a degree in Library and
Information Studies. Not
being a fan of frozen water falling from the sky, she now lives in Southern
California, with her husband, Tod.
She works part-time at multiple libraries, and spends the rest of her
time reading, reviewing, blogging, and watching hockey games. Marlyn reviews books for VOYA magazine
(www.voya.com) as well as Crime
Fiction Collective (www.crimefictioncollective.
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Istoria Books's "Mysterious Monday" program features posts about mystery writing, reading, bookselling and more by writers from beyond the Istoria stable. Stop back on Mondays for insightful posts on the mystery genre. Check out Istoria Books's mystery offerings here.
Mysterious Monday posts from the past:
- Whither the Hit Person by Gary Alexander
- A President's Day Mystery
- Mystery writers' and readers' mystery pet peeves, part deux
- Mystery writers and readers' mystery pet peeves, part one
- Carola Dunn writes about her experiences with a mysterious bookstore display: Downton Abbey, Barnes & Noble, and Carola Dunn
- JennyMilchman writes about "Putting the MIST in mystery: obscuring facts"
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