What first drew you to the mystery genre?

[J.P. Farris]

When I was in second grade I wanted to be the world's greatest detective like Sherlock Hemlock on Sesame Street.  When I learned to read one of my favorite stories was The Adventure of the Speckled Band starring Sherlock Holmes.  Like every mystery lover I grew up reading the Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew mysteries.  I loved puzzles and cryptograms, but I think the thing that really solidified my love for mysteries came during my second semester in college when I helped my ex-girlfriend research the century old unsolved murder of Jennie Cramer who was found floating by the West Haven, Connecticut shoreline on August 6, 1881. 

 

I was trying to help my girlfriend pass her class and - although it wasn't my assignment - I spent hours doing research in the university library going through New York Times archives, digging up every detail that I could concerning the horrible crime.    I don't know how she was graded since we broke up at the end of the summer.  But the love of research and the love of mysteries and mystery writing stayed with me.

[Lydia Sadler]

The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, of course!
I have developed a taste for true crime over the years, but Agatha Christie has been a staple in my life for years. I find that her stories are always good for a re-read when I am between authors.

[Bill Baber]

The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley- still trying to find something better...

[Kemosabe]

Sarah Paretsky and her character VI Warshawski brought me to writing mysteries. I followed her up with Sue Grafton then PD James and I was hooked.