The Mystery Readers' Advisory: The Librarian's Clues to Murder and Mayhem

Whodunit? Taking the ""mystery"" out of serving mystery fans in the library, authors and avid mystery fans John Charles, Joanna Morrison, and Candace Clark uncover the evidence in this comprehensive and fun readers' advisory. Covering the popular mystery genre from collection development to programming and marketing tips, this is the one-stop source for librarians and mystery readers alike. In this handy reference, you'll find an introduction to the world of mystery, a step-by-step guide on how to interview readers in order to match their tastes with stories (""Do you like noir or cozy?""), programming ideas, marketing strategies, and collection development tips on the sticky issues of weeding, paperbacks, and obtaining out-of-print titles. The second half of the book presents two winning booklists organized by themes (e.g., Classic, Ecclesiastical, Cozy) and subgenres (e.g., Private Investigator, Legal Thrillers, True Crime). And a where-to-go guide for more specifics includes reference information, review literature, specialty publishers, and Websites. Packed with information, this user-friendly book will help you to: Develop your understanding of the mystery world - its awards (Edgar and Dagger), popular publications (The Drood Review and Mystery Review), hot authors, and more; Build an enticing mystery collection; Make insightful mystery recommendations to curious readers; Organize discussion groups and author programs; Market the library and its mystery center; This latest installment in the popular ALA Readers' Advisory series offers a crash course in the world of mystery. If you'd like to create a dynamic mystery center in your library but don't know where to start, solve the puzzle using the clues in The Mystery Readers' Advisory.