Customer Reviews

Detecting Women: A Reader's Guide and Checklist for Mystery Series Written by Women (Detecting Women: A Reader's Guide & Checklist for Mystery Series Written by Women)

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If you are a enthusiastic reader of mysteries, you really cannot afford to be without the new DETECTING WOMEN, 3rd edition. Everything you ever wanted to know about women who solve mysteries is within these pages. Just reading them through is a delightful way to spend some time. New authors are included, 225 of them. There is a Master List of all the living authors writing series with women as protagonists. Those books that were nominated or won a major award are distinguished so if you want to read all the winners, you can. But a list of writers and books is just the beginning. Next Heising has divided all the series into four basic groups, police procedurals, private eye novels, espionage and t traditional mysteries featuring amateur detectives. Every author in the book is listed in one of these categories, subdivided even further. If you know the character's name, but not the authors you can cross-reference that in this book. If you are interested in books in specific settings, you will find these authors divided into settings. There is still more, a chronological list of all the novels mentioned and an alphabetical list of titles. A discussion of pseudonyms follows and then a list of mystery book awards, nominees and winners.

It is simply a phenomenal book containing information cross-referenced in every possible way. If, like me, you prefer to read series in order, you don't have to beg your friends to find out; you just look it up in DETECTING WOMEN. If you are visiting someplace new and would like to either read some mysteries that are set in that place or take some with you to read while you are there, here is where you find that information. If you only want to read books about women army officers solving crimes in Thailand, you can find all the books written about that subject. Truly I do not see how anyone who loves mysteries can do without this extremely valuable reference!

At last mystery readers have a source of information regarding series. How many times have you found yourself wanting to read a series in order but you haven't a clue which book came first and neither does the book store clerk? You have found number 3 in the series but it has no listing of the previous titles? Are you taking a vacation to Greece and you want to read some mysteries set there? This is the book for you. As long as the series was written by a woman, all the information is at your fingertips in this book. Not only will it help with authors you already know about, it will introduce you to many new ones. No mystery reader should be without this volume as well as the Pocket Guides to both Detecting Women and Detecting Men and its Pocket Guide.

I can only emphatically agree with the other reviews here that Willetta Heising's work is a incredibly detailed and accurate labor of love no series mystery fan will want to be without. In addition to being an invaluable reference work, it is also just a fun book to browse in. For instance, it's perfect for those times when you're lookingfor a new series to begin reading. Not only are all the author's books listed, but some bibliographical information about her as well, along with a capsule description of the main characters and feel of the series. The appendices, which list authors/titles dropped from the previous edition and corrections to the pocket guide, are also very useful for record-keeping readers. All in all, an absolutely great book. How did I ever manage before I had it?

How many times have you discovered a new author and tried to unravel the sequence of the series? Publishers sometimes list previous books - provided they published those previous books. Or the author's work is neatly cited in alphabetical order. Great if you've picked up Sue Grafton, not so good if the author is Martha Grimes. Or only the books still in print appear.

I edit two mystery newsletters, one for a general bookstore. My readers want to know series order. Short of tracking all the mystery writers yourself (good luck!), DETECTING WOMEN-3rd Ed. is the very best thing. Willetta Heising also includes bibliographies to catch the fancy of the most fanatic fan - settings, characters, types, historical venue, pseudonyms, and award nominees/winners. The master list even has blank spaces to accommodate future titles.

There has never been a more comprehensive listing. I wouldn't/couldn't prepare a newsletter without it. This is definitely a keeper -- until DETECTING WOMEN 4 comes along!

This is an incredible resource for those who love mysteries. Heising takes all the information you need to decide which books you wish to read, then arranges it in several sections based on different ways of searching-i.e. author, subject matter, etc. This is an extremely well organized and written reference book. As a librarian, I am always handing it out to our serious mystery readers. It's also a great resource for public libraries or those trying to decide what books to give mystery readers for gifts. A rare reference book that is fun to read, as well as informative and useful.

Watching the Detectives
How far has Sue Grafton gotten in her alphabet mystery series? What's the first book in Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series? Who are writing books featuring bed & breakfasts?

As those who love reading mystery series know, it's difficult to keep track of the hundreds of writers past and present who have contributed to the mystery genre, which is why reading sleuths will love "Detecting Women," a guidebook to the distaff side of mysteries.

This handsome, large paper bound book lists more than 600 series and 3,400 books written by women. Each entry contains a biographical introduction with the title and year of each book, and notes if the book has been nominated for any awards. Editor Wiletta Heising has done an exceptional job of breaking down the information, providing extensive lists that break down series by year, occupation, geographic location and even pseudonym.

The brief biographies are gold mines of fascinating information that invites lengthy browsing. Here is where you can learn that Grafton's fictional P.I. Kinsey Millhone will celebrate her 40th birthday once "`Z' is for Zero" appears in 2009 (when Grafton will be 69); that Agatha Christie wrote 35 novels featuring Hercule Poirot, and 12 about Jane Marple; and that the largely forgotten Anne Katherine Green is considered the "mother of the detective story," and was a best-selling author nine years before Arthur Conan Doyle put pen to paper.

Purple Moon also publishes a pocket guide to help mystery fans track of their favorite series, and comes with a notepad useful for noting suspects, clues, and books desired. "Detecting Women" provides a welcome overview of the rapidly expanding mystery field, and can reintroduce readers to now-forgotten and obscure writers. It is nothing less than required, fascinating reading for mystery fans.

When I bought Willetta Heising's first edition of DETECTING WOMEN, I knew I had a treasure. Then Willetta published DETECTING WOMEN 2 and I was even more impressed. But now, Willetta has surpassed even herself with DETECTING WOMEN 3. A great reference book, but even more than that, it's a fun read for anyone who loves mysteries. Do yourself a favor and get a copy!

Ms. Heising has done it again! In addition to a useful tool for the mystery reader, this book is the very best source for the collector of first edition mysteries. Series are listed by date of publication, and indications are provided for those titles which have been nominated or have won major prizes in the mystery genre. No serious collector can be without this resource on their shelf for its thorough research capability (and no serious "book scout" can be without its counterpart Pocket Guide - available separately - for on-the-road portability). As a librarian and a collector, I believe that this is the very best work in the field. So if you are a reader who is thinking also of collecting, or a collector who also reads, don't even think about it - buy this book.

This is a wonderful tool to keep track of all those mystery books on your shelves. This book offers a comprehensive listing of women's fiction mysteries. Books are listed by author and title. It is great way to see the order of books written in a series. There is also a check list where you can check off the book once you purchase it, and then check it after you read it. I like to make notations next to the books once I finish the book. Books that have been nominated or received awards are designated with a star by the title.

Dectecting Women: A Reader's Guide And Checklist For Mystery Series Written By Women is simply spectacular! First, the weight and feel of it...the gloss of the cover as well as the colors and illustration. Spectacular! Then, you open it up for research or what-have-you and are blown away. I cannot imagine a more complete reference work. Open up Detecting Women and you will discover a new universe full of clever women. The authors and the bodies of work are fully detailed. One that you have to hold in your hands...for pleasure, research, or both. Much as you explore the intricacies of the most complex mystery, Detecting Women needs to be dove into and absorbed for full effect. Dectecting Women features 225 new authors. Mystery Reference, Paperbound Coffeetable, 480 pages, -- Leann Arndt, Reviewer