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Detecting Women Pocket Guide: Checklist for Mystery Series Written by Women

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It's indicative of the size of the mystery market that the third edition of this book - restricted solely to female writers with active series - still contains more than 3,700 titles in 224 pages. Editor Willetta Heising has gone to great lengths to improve the readability of the third edition of this pocketbook-sized reference work. Each author is listed along with the name of the series character, the list of books, their publication dates, and small stars indicating titles which were nominated or winners of the various mystery-related awards. Check boxes are included as well as space for writing in new entries. Note that this pocket-book sized version is meant to be used as a tickler when shopping for your next mystery. Look for the reference book of the same name for the large-format version, which contains a mini-biography of each writer and an extensive index of author's names, aliases, mystery locations, occupations and time periods.

Following her magnificent "Detecting Women2" and "Detecting Men," Willetta Heising has written the third edition of Detecting Women. As of now, only the pocket guide is available. It lists living women authors of series in mystery fiction. The authors are alphabetical, the titles are chronological. It also has neat boxes for the owner of the book to check off books purchased and read to avoid those duplicate copies. Along with "Detecting Men", "Detecting Women" 3rd edition is a must-buy for all fans, librarians, book store owners, etc. Don't throw out "Detecting Women2" because that has deceased autors as well. If the mystery reading community were "in to" canonization, Ms. Heising would be St. Willetta.

I can't imagine not having the Detecting Women Pocket Guide in my library. To take that thought one step further, I can't imagine not having a copy in my purse at all times. Not only will it always come to my rescue when I find myself in the mystery section of the nearest bookstore without a clue as to which book in the series I should read next, it can help total strangers and store clerks. Too often past tiles are not listed in the front of the book and sometimes two books in the series were published in the same year. This handy pocket guide saves time and will save you money by keeping you from buying duplicates. When you have the book, check it off. Heard about the next to be published? Then write it in, space has been provided. Many times I have seen that puzzled look on the face of the person standing next to me, wondering which is the next in the series. Out comes the pocket guide to solve the puzzle.

The third edition of the Detecting Women Pocket Guide by Willetta Heising is now available. It is an essential purchase for any fan of the mystery genre, especially those who love series characters. The 3rd edition contains authors who are still living and writing...so do not throw away Detecting Women2. The name of the author, series characters and dates of publication are included, along with two boxes to check off as you read and/or purchase. The price of the book will easily be offset when you catch yourself ready to buy a book (or books) you already have. There is also the equally outstanding Detecting Men which serves the same purpose for male mystery writers. If mystery readers banned together to put some people in a higher realm of existence, Willetta would be one of the first canonized "saints" of mysterydom.

For avid readers of mystery series, this is a must have. Do you remember which letters of Sue Grafton's mysteries that you've read? Did you miss one of Lillian Braun's The Cat Who ... mysteries?


This handy guide is a checklist of mystery series that fits in your pocket on your way to the bookstore. It has room to add the latest to the series as well as a notepad in the back to capture new authors.

And not to be left behind, there is a companion guide for Detecting Men.Detecting Men Pocket Guide: Checklist

With these two guides in hand, you'll have a great time roaming book stores and not have to worry about trying to remember if you read a book or where you were in a series.

I was going to give this book to a friend who loves just this...mystery books written by women. I was disappointed to find out that the book is only a list. It lists a bunch of writers, and the books they have written, and includes little boxes to check off when you have read, or bought a title. You could find out the books these women have written at a mystery bookstore. You don't need this for useful info.