Marilyn's Mystery Reads

February 3, 2012

As I begin my third year writing this mystery blog, I want to thank you all for your support, your readership, and your comments.

I’ve written one hundred and thirty posts–Book Reviews, About Marilyn, Golden Oldies, and Past Masters and Mistresses.  I’ve tried to post one a week, and I’ve pretty much succeeded.

Truly, it’s a labor of love.  Like many other readers, my interest in mysteries started early, and my fascination with books featuring Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames, Beverly Gray, and others led me to find more adult, more sophisticated storytellers.  And, thanks to the encouragement (and pushing) of my son Rich, I decided in February 2010 to start writing this blog.

After I posted a few reviews, my husband Bob suggested that I e-mail the author of each book I was reviewing to let her/him know about the review. I fought this idea for quite a while, not being convinced that these men and women, either first-time authors or well-known writers, would care what I thought.  I’m not writing for a national publication, I told him; my first name is Marilyn, but my last name isn’t Stasio (crime reviewer for The New York Times).

But Bob, like Rich, didn’t give up his idea, and I finally agreed to write to the author whose book I was reviewing that week.  Much to my surprise, the author responded with a kind e-mail, thanking me for the review.  And I’ve been contacting each writer ever since.  I would say about three quarters of the time I receive a response from an author, a number which continues to surprise me to this day.  And to fill me with appreciation for the courtesy of others.  Some responses are a brief thank you, some are more personal, but I appreciate each one.

I plan to continue reading mysteries, of course, and to continue reviewing them.  I hope to introduce those who subscribe to this blog to writers who are unknown to them and to show that despite all the other things that conspire to take up our time, there’s nothing like a good mystery to keep us company.

Marilyn