The Best Mystery Book
What makes the best mystery book? Ask ten people and you’ll likely get some overlap, but I’d be willing to bet you’d get at least 7 different opinions.
Some might say it’s the dialogue that keeps them turning pages; others would swear it’s the character development; while a few may proclaim it to be the mystery itself—the plot, and trying to figure out who did what.
But no matter what interests the readers, there is one thing that’s imperative—the ending.
The Difference Between Best Mystery Book and Bestselling Mystery Book
I need to clarify that statement. Having your mystery book land on the best-sellers list, no matter the position, does not make it the best mystery book. Not even the best mystery book that month, or week, or day.
There are many books that achieve bestselling status that should have never gotten the credit. For one reason or another, they fell apart (usually the ending) and, for that reason should have never gotten on the best-selling list.
But it’s not just my opinion, look at the reviews. If they are like any of the other bestsellers, the reviews will be peppered with one- and two-star reviews—often as many as twenty percent of the total. Take a look at the screenshot below. It is of one of the recent bestsellers. As you can see, of more than 48,000 reviews, 16 percent were either one- or two-star. That’s about 7,680 people who did not like the book. And we can safely assume that number is probably ten times that, because most people do not leave reviews.
Remember, just because a book is a mystery book is a bestseller, doesn’t mean it is the best mystery book.
We’ve all seen the differences in many other items:
- the restaurant that is always busy, but the food isn’t as good as the one where there is never a wait to be seated.
- The movie that wins the Academy Award, but it pales in comparison to the independent film you just saw.
- Or how about the old Tucker cars which were supposedly superior in most respects but the company failed.
Books Are No Different Than Food
Finding the best mystery book is no different than finding a good meal. You can’t just search for one thing; it has to be a combination of things. The sauce that is used to make lasagna is critical, but it isn’t everything. If the noodles are cooked too much, or if the cheese isn’t the right kind or in the right quantity, or if the layers aren’t done properly—the food isn’t good.
The sauce may be great, but it would be no different than a book with a good plot but poor character development. It may have had promise, but it didn’t deliver.
The next time someone asks you what the best mystery book is, think hard, then think again. It may not be the title perched at the top of the best-seller list’ it may be one closer to the bottom that no one has heard of yet. But don’t be afraid to recommend it, as you could be doing the person a favor. Perhaps they’ll like it as much as you did.
And if you want to read some really good mystery books, check mine out here, or here, or just look me up wherever you buy your books. (Yes, that was a shameless plug for my books, but somebody’s got to do it.)
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Giacomo Giammatteo is the author of gritty crime dramas about murder, mystery, and family. And he also writes nonfiction books including the No Mistakes Careers series as well as books about grammar and publishing.
When Giacomo isn’t writing, he’s helping his wife take care of the animals on their sanctuary. At last count, they had forty animals—seven dogs, one horse, six cats, and twenty-five pigs.
Oh, and one crazy—and very large—wild boar, who takes walks with Giacomo every day and happens to also be his best buddy.
He lives in Texas where he and his wife have an animal sanctuary with forty-five loving “friends.”
Mike Landis
Giacomo Giammatteo
Mona Curington
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