Now Write! Mysteries

December 1, 2011

This is the newest in Ellis's "Now Write!" series; previous entries contain fiction, nonfiction, and screenwriting exercises. When Ellis passed away unexpectedly, Lamson, her niece and coeditor for Now Write! Screenplays, finished the book with a moving dedication to her aunt. While the other series volumes have a general scope, this title takes a more specific view. Topics include how to plot thrillers, create realistic detectives and villains, and write suspenseful crime scenes. The chapters are divided by subject; each is written by a published mystery and/or crime author (some concepts, such as "setting as character," are presented by multiple authors). Sections like Meg Gardiner's "Ratcheting Up the Suspense" focus on thrillers, while others, like Jane K. Cleland's "Avoiding Saggy Middles," can be applied to general fiction. Each chapter offers writing exercises to help readers put knowledge into practice. VERDICT The bulk of the content focuses on the craft of crime writing, and research strategies are mentioned in brief. Recommended for beginning writers of fiction.--Karen McCoy, Northern Arizona Univ. Lib., Flagstaff

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2011
The fourth installment in the Now Write! series (after books about writing fiction, nonfiction, and screenplays) focuses on the mystery genre. With chapters written by genre authorsincluding Simon Brett, Deborah Coonts, and Louise Pennythe book is a sort of from-the-horse's-mouth affair: writers telling other writers how to build characters, put together a solid plot, use forensics properly, create an engaging setting, manipulate suspense, and find something new to say in a genre that has seen pretty much every variation and nuance you could possibly imagine. You can read the book from beginning to end or select specific articles to help you zero in on a particular area. The articles follow a fairly strict format: a brief description of the subject under discussion, some helpful tips, and a creative exercise to give the reader some hands-on practice. Short of one-on-one training with each of the writers featured in the book, this is probably the best and most useful way to benefit from their expertise. A smartly constructed and very helpful writer's guide.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)