Myra here.
We are delighted to join the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge 2015 hosted by Alyson Beecher @ Kid Lit Frenzy. We would also be linking our nonfiction choices with our reading themes throughout the year, as well as reading challenges that we have pledged to join this year.
Our reading theme for November – December: The Butler Did It! MysteREADventure!
Apologies to the NFPB regulars as this is far from being a picturebook, but I simply couldn’t resist sharing this title which called out to me from our library bookshelves and is perfect for our current reading theme.
Books To Die For: The World’s Greatest Mystery Writers On The World’s Greatest Mystery Novels
Edited by: John Connolly and Declan Burke Editorial Assistant: Ellen Clair Lamb
Published by: Hodder & Stoughton, 2012
Borrowed from the Jurong West Public Library. Book photos taken by me.
I absolutely enjoyed the entire concept of this collection of essays. There are 121 essays in all written by top mystery writers (Ian Rankin, Kathy Reichs, Eoin Colfer, Lee Child just to cite a few of the more bestselling, popular ones) about the one mystery novel that they would like to recommend to this book’s readers. Think of it as a definitive book about mystery books – which includes insightful critique, reflections about the creative process, ruminations about the writing craft as shared by mystery novelists. In the Introduction of the Editors, they have this to say (I took a photo of the page and edited it using an iPhone app):
I borrowed this book with the intention of discovering more titles about the mystery genre that I may not be familiar with. This book has made me realize just how little I do know about mystery, plus I loved going over a few of the essays. I was especially taken by Tana French’s thoughts about Donna Tartt’s The Secret History – which I have been meaning to read for the longest time now, after falling in love with The Goldfinch.
The editors also went on to describe what their intention is with this collection of essays:
Aside from Eoin Colfer, though, very few YA or middle grade novelists – which made me think that we should have a kidlit version of this book.
Gathering Books 
Not necessarily the same but i love anthologies to give me different tastes of authors’ styles.
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I love a well-done mystery. I’ve read a lot that are fun mysteries, but are missing the clues that fit together so perfectly. It’s hard to write, I’m sure!
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Oh this was a fun post. now I need to find this book. Thank you for linking up with the challenge.
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