Customer Reviews

The Mystery Lover's Companion

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Art Bourgeau is clearly a mystery lover who has dome a lot of reading-- The Mystery Lover's Companion reviews and rates some 2500 books. The mini-reviews are typically 2-3 lines each and rate the book from one to five daggers. His definition of mystery is quite broad, encompassing thrillers and police procedurals. Some might say the reviews are too brief, but I don't think that's really a problem, as he's able to summarize the relative worth of the book fairly well. I don't really care for the way he has divided the book up into sections (The American Mystery, The English Mystery, The Thriller, The Police Procedural), as it makes it a bit annoying trying to look up an author you're unfamiliar with (the dust jacket says there are further sub-divisions, even though there are not-- a last-minute revision?). This book covers a lot of ground, but since it was written in 1986, it cries out for a revision or companion volume.

I found this book by accident several years ago, and continue to see it as the most usable and readable of the mystery anthologies I have seen. The authors sense of humor only adds to the enjoyment. Bourgeau's website promised a new addition, but I am still looking for it. Has the deluge of new mystery novels over the past twenty years made the job too difficult?