Mysteries are one of the most popular literary genres. Maybe that\u2019s because, as writer David Baldacci says, \u201cCrime novels put the balance back in life\u2026evil is punished, and the good guys win, after solving the puzzle.\u201d Here are some of our staff\u2019s favorite mystery authors:<\/p>\n
Arthur Conan Doyle<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were created in 1887, and after more than a hundred years, still engage readers. And reading Sherlock Holmes is easy \u2013 many books are short novellas gathered together (many stories were originally published in newspapers) and can be read in one sitting. If you have only seen the movies (either the old Basil Rathbone or newer Robert Downey, Jr.) you are in for a treat \u2013 Holmes was the original forensic detective!<\/p>\n The Hound of the Baskervilles<\/em><\/strong> is one of Conan Doyle\u2019s most famous books. Holmes and Watson investigate a case inspired by the local legend of a fierce and mysterious hound. A true classic.\u00a0\u00a0 Linda G., Circulation Available on Libby<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Also available on Libby<\/em><\/strong> are collections of Sherlock Holmes\u2019 mysteries that you can dip your toe into, such as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (the first twelve short stories) or stand-alone stories such as The Sign of the Four<\/a><\/em><\/strong> and A Study in Scarlet<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Agatha Christie<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Agatha Christie wrote 74 mysteries in her career \u2013 and her characters were so engaging, they\u2019ve created a cottage industry in film and television! The books are also short and easy to read, and the mysteries are confounding. It\u2019s a good idea to read several and figure out your favorite detective \u2013 Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot (there are also stand-alone novels and another detective pair named Tommy and Tuppence).<\/p>\n My favorite Agatha Christie sleuth is Miss Marple \u2013 and to my mind she\u2019s at her best in The 4:50 to Paddington<\/em><\/strong> (available on Libby<\/a>)<\/em><\/strong>. Two trains run side by side \u2013 and in that moment Elspeth McGillicuddy sees a murder committed in the other train. Who, other than Jane Marple, would take her story seriously? There are no witnesses, no suspects, and no corpse. Stephanie C., Circulation<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re interested in viewing<\/em><\/strong> some great Agatha Christie mysteries, Acorn TV on RB Digital<\/em><\/strong> is the place to look \u2013 from The Agatha Christie Hour<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, Marple<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, and The Best of Agatha Christie.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Dan Brown<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Brown\u2019s The Da Vinci Code<\/em><\/strong> was a huge hit when it was published in 2003 and his professor\/detective Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks) went on to screen fame. If you haven\u2019t read the books, they are all page-turners! The rest of the Robert Langdon novels are Angels and Demons, The Lost Symbol, Inferno <\/strong>and Origin.<\/em><\/strong> Larry L., Reference<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 All available on Libby<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Stephen King<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Stephen King is an American voice in the thriller\/crime genre. Starting with Carrie<\/em><\/strong> in 1973, he has written at least 97 books and is still going strong. If you think King is just the king of horror, think again \u2013 he\u2019s a fantastic writer and storyteller, which may be the reason so many of his stories have been adapted as movies. Some favorites are the Mr. Mercedes<\/em><\/strong> trilogy, where retired policeman Bill Hodges solves the mystery of who plowed a stolen Mercedes through a crowd, The Shawshank Redemption<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, and The Green Mile<\/a>. Stephanie C., Circulation All available on Libby<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Two books that have stayed with me my entire life are Misery<\/a><\/em><\/strong> and The Dead Zone<\/a><\/em><\/strong>. While the former is a psychological horror thriller that could make one fearful of the \u201ckindness\u201d of strangers, the latter, a supernatural horror thriller, still resonates because of the reality of underlying, inexplicable cruelty of certain human beings. King\u2019s prose and perception into and about the human condition will haunt you for years to come. Victoria C., Reference<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Available on Libby<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Louise Penny<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Penny is a Canadian author who writes mystery novels set in Quebec and centered on the work of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Most are set in the fictional town of Three Pines (another town where a lot<\/em><\/strong> of murders happen!). These novels are fun to read in sequence, since they have continuing characters and story lines. The first two in the series, Still Life<\/a><\/em><\/strong> and A Fatal Grace<\/a><\/em><\/strong> are available on Libby. Stephanie C., Circulation<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Favorite Series \u2013 by Kristin G., Circulation<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Stephanie Blackmoore<\/em><\/strong> writes the Wedding Planner mystery series. It features Mallory Shepherd, a wedding planner in the small town of Port Quincy, Pennsylvania. The first in the series, Engaged in Death<\/em><\/strong>, is available on Hoopla<\/a> <\/em><\/strong>both in audiobook and ebook format.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Ellen Byron<\/em><\/strong> writes the Cajun Country series. Maggie Crozat is the manager of her family\u2019s plantation-turned-bed and breakfast in Louisiana. The debut novel in this series, Plantation Shudders<\/em><\/strong>, is available in Hoopla<\/a><\/em><\/strong> in both audio and ebook format.<\/p>\n If you are looking for tips on how to fix an old home, try the Home Repair is Homicide series by Sarah Graves<\/em><\/strong>. Jacobia \u201cJake\u201d Tiptree is a former financial advisor who escapes New York City for Eastport, Maine, where she purchases and repairs a centuries old house\u2026while solving a mystery, of course! The first novel, Dead Cat Bounce,<\/a><\/em><\/strong> is available on<\/em><\/strong> Libby.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mysteries are one of the most popular literary genres. Maybe that\u2019s because, as writer David Baldacci says, \u201cCrime novels put the balance back in life\u2026evil is punished, and the good guys win, after solving the puzzle.\u201d Here are some of our staff\u2019s favorite mystery authors: Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were created<\/p>\n