Book Review: 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century     Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
Jim Huang
Class/Genre:   Mystery   [Short Stories]
Crum Creek, Dec 2000, $12.00, 160 pp.
Trade Paperback

The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association used a series of voting techniques based on agreed upon rules to decide what the group consensus is for 100 of their favorite mysteries of the twentieth century. This not being a presidential election, the discussion and voting was entirely electronic. The books include at least one novel per decade with approximately half the books published in the last two decades (bias as how many voters were in their thirties or forties at the century halfway point or just maturing of the genre as explained by the book's authors). Each selected title has a brief description and an accompanying criticque. Also included are comments by the various booksellers including an additional five more powerhouses as well as a list of bookstores.

I am a sucker for these types of lists. Last year I watched every episode of Biography's Millennium madness and selected Ruth over Jordan and Ali as the athlete of the century. So I played along and tried to guess (though anything before Ackroyd belongs with Ancient Greece and anything before Apollo belongs with William the Conqueror. The book is fun, entertaining, and tells readers where they can purchase a copy.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner