The Mysterious room
Are you tired of this rainy weather? Ready for something new to entertain your imagination?
Mendocino Community Library has a Mystery Room! It is not hidden or suddenly disappears, only to return on a random Tuesday. The entire room is devoted to the most popular genre: Mystery novels.
The Mystery Room is well-stocked with the latest crime fiction — Michael Connelly, Lee Child, and Tana French, to name a few. We also have selections from the Golden Age of Detective fiction—Rex Stout, Dorothy L. Sayers, Raymond Chandler, and a growing collection of paperbacks from the British Library of Crime Classics. Agatha Christie's works are well-represented. Her fans may be excited to discover that Christie's famously eccentric detective, Hercule Poirot, is the subject of a new series written in her style by Sophie Hannah. “The Monogram Murders” and ”Closed Casket “are set early in Poirot's career and dovetail neatly with Christie's work.
There are numerous Cozy Mysteries on the shelves. A genre that provides a respite from the gritty urban settings and graphic violence often portrayed in today's Crime Fiction, it is characterized by peaceful small-town settings with comfortable cafes, interesting shops, and relatable and familiar characters. Canadian author Louise Penny's “Three Pines” mystery series is set in a remote Quebec town. The local Bistro provides fabulous food and a comforting gathering place when Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his flawed but courageous detective, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, arrive to investigate the latest crime. The plots are tightly woven and sequential. Start with “Still Life.”
Also cozy are the “Thursday Murder Club” mysteries by British author Richard Osman.
These feature a group of septuagenarians who choose to solve old murder cases over the more mundane entertainments offered at their pleasant, if dull, retirement home. Intrepid leader Elizabeth's past may or may not include work for British Intelligence. Retired Nurse Joyce, who functions as narrator, is a down-toearth foil to Elizabeth's hi-jinks. Witty and fastpaced, the storylines are sometimes outrageous, yet the characters' emotions and responses are believable. Once again, good food and pleasant rural surroundings create a comfortable read.
The Charles Lennox novels, by American Author Charles Finch, are historical cozies set in mid-nineteenth century London. Detective Charles Lennox is of a wealthy background. Still, he has chosen to step outside the expected role of a gentleman to pursue a career that fascinates him despite the ridicule of his contemporaries and the disdain of Scotland Yard. His valet serves as his crime-solving partner. They share many adventures not unlike those of Holmes and Watson. Lennox is lucky to have a warm and loving family, including his childhood friend, Lady Jane Gray, who is the widow next door. Author Finch has done very thorough historical research: the descriptions of Lennox's home, social life, and London are richly detailed. He provides us with interesting historical tidbits relating to and defining colloquial expressions still in use today. There can be a waiting list for this series: it is entertaining.
The Library has many additional mystery authors who may not fit into these specific categories but are well worth your attention. Our well-read volunteer staff is happy to provide suggestions.
Library Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Come in and find a new author. We look forward to seeing you.