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A review by leandrathetbrzero
Murder By The Book: Mysteries For Bibliophiles by Martin Edwards
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
These Bibliomysteries Are To Die For
↓ Other Bibliomysteries ↓
1. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
2. Buried in a Good Book by Tamara Berry
3. Murder, She Wrote (obvi)
What is a bibliomystery?
A mystery that involves a literary element or theme. Perhaps the murder victim is a librarian, or the amateur sleuth is a bookseller or a writer; maybe a key clue is found inside a book, or the crime is stealing a valuable manuscript. You get the gist. It’s a bibliophile mystery reader’s dream!
As someone who loves her mysteries brimming with metafictional references, this anthology feels as though it was made for me! And even though these stories fit under the same mystery subgenre, that is where their similarities end. There is a great variety in locations, crimes, and story structures. This collection also includes many writers who are new to me which is always super fun because it increases my TBR wish list tenfold.
I was most impressed by how often the writers experimented with their twists at the end and their choice in perspectives. Sometimes we found ourselves following the killer’s movements, other times we discovered that one of the victims was not a victim at all. I loved this book so much that I bought myself a physical copy because it’s one that I will definitely be returning to time and time again.
My favorite stories (among SO many brilliant ones):
“Malice Domestic” by Philip MacDonald
“Chapter and Verse” by Ngaio Marsh
“A Question of Character” by Victor Canning
“Dear Mr. Editor…” by Christianna Brand
Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and #Netgalley for gifting me an ARC of Murder By The Book edited by Martin Edwards in exchange for this honest review!
↓ Other Bibliomysteries ↓
1. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
2. Buried in a Good Book by Tamara Berry
3. Murder, She Wrote (obvi)
What is a bibliomystery?
A mystery that involves a literary element or theme. Perhaps the murder victim is a librarian, or the amateur sleuth is a bookseller or a writer; maybe a key clue is found inside a book, or the crime is stealing a valuable manuscript. You get the gist. It’s a bibliophile mystery reader’s dream!
As someone who loves her mysteries brimming with metafictional references, this anthology feels as though it was made for me! And even though these stories fit under the same mystery subgenre, that is where their similarities end. There is a great variety in locations, crimes, and story structures. This collection also includes many writers who are new to me which is always super fun because it increases my TBR wish list tenfold.
I was most impressed by how often the writers experimented with their twists at the end and their choice in perspectives. Sometimes we found ourselves following the killer’s movements, other times we discovered that one of the victims was not a victim at all. I loved this book so much that I bought myself a physical copy because it’s one that I will definitely be returning to time and time again.
My favorite stories (among SO many brilliant ones):
“Malice Domestic” by Philip MacDonald
“Chapter and Verse” by Ngaio Marsh
“A Question of Character” by Victor Canning
“Dear Mr. Editor…” by Christianna Brand
Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and #Netgalley for gifting me an ARC of Murder By The Book edited by Martin Edwards in exchange for this honest review!