There were also some self-published titles (22). Not of all of the titles I looked at were by recognized authors or authors published by recognized houses. Seventy-three percent were 3+ stars or better. I randomly chose several dozen titles and tabulated the aggregate review numbers. The only criteria I used in making my list was that the book had to have 20 or more reviews. Yes, there are one-star reviews, but these tend to be outliers, some by those with an obvious ax to grind. My highly unscientific conclusion is that reviews on Amazon and web retailers of that ilk tend to be more positive than not. How reliable are reviews on social media and websites? So I did a bit of poking around. Everyone else is left to scramble - and hope at winning the review lottery.Īs last week progressed, my thinking about my post continued.
That’s logical, right? But getting your book in the hands of one of these people remains a significant issue, unless you’re a best-selling authors. It’s common knowledge that reviews make or break books, and getting reviewed by someone influential or in an influential publication, are the best kind. My post last week dealt with getting reviews for one’s book. What do you think is the best definition of a historical mystery? Does anyone know what the Agatha Awards uses for its definition? I couldn’t find it on the Malice Domestic website. But, I can see why they could be considered historical for those born in the current century. Others, such as ones set in the 1970s, are, for me, not historical since I was alive then. Some mysteries are clearly historical to me. I could probably make a case for any of these. A mystery is historical if it takes place in any era other than the one it is written in. A mystery is historical if it takes place in a time clearly distinct from our own.ĥ. A mystery is considered historical if it’s set before World War II.Ĥ. I’ve heard 50 years, but I’m sure there are other numbers that people have put in here.ģ. A mystery is considered historical if it’s set X years in the past. You’d have to know how old the author is.Ģ. I rather like this definition, but I can see where it would be confusing when it comes to awards and deciding if a book fits into the historical category. So, if a mystery is set in the 1960s, say, it would be considered historical if the author was born in the 1970s or later, but not if they were born in the 1950s. A mystery is considered historical if the author was not alive when the story takes place. I’ve heard a number of different definitions of a historical mystery.ġ. Mysteries that were contemporary when written, such as ones by Agatha Christie, even though they’re set in, say, the 1920s are not considered historical. But it did start me thinking about what qualifies as a historical mystery. So far I’ve just been doing some outlining and research. I’ve been working on a historical mystery lately, one set in the 1850s.
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