mysteries as inherently violent? (was: tame humourous stories by women)
Dates: 12/16/99,9:41 AM through 12/16/99,10:33 AM (2 postings)
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mysteries as inherently violent? (was: tame humourous stories by women)
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FROM: "Dennis K. Lien" <[removed]@tc.umn.edu>
REC'D: 12/16/99, 9:41 AM
But not all mysteries ARE "murder mysteries" (though admittedly the great
majority of them are--especially the majority of novel-length ones). There
is no murder, for instance, in Dorothy Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT or in some of
Donald Westlake's "Dortmunder" books (about an inept gang of thieves, so
these are technically comic crime/caper novels rather than "mysteries,"
but most folks don't make those distinctions). There are also many,
many short stories in the mystery/crime field which involve crimes other
than murder. Maybe someone could use a thread on mystery/crime books in
which nobody dies. . . .
Dennis Lien / U of Minnesota Libraries // [removed]@tc.umn.edu
FROM: "Jeanne Linn" <[removed]@libby.org>
REC'D: 12/16/99, 10:33 AM
-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis K. Lien <[removed]@tc.umn.edu>
To: [removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org <[removed]@maillist.nslsilus.org>
Date: Thursday, December 16, 1999 9:31 AM
Subject: mysteries as inherently violent? (was: tame humourous stories by
women)
>
>>Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1999 10:06:40 -0500 (EST)
>>From: "Karen A.K. Keller" <[removed]@tln.lib.mi.us>
>>Subject: Re: tame humourous stories by women
>>
>>> I don't think she'd mind a bit of mystery, but she doesn't want anything
>>> even remotely violent or sexual.
>>>
>>I'm going to play devil's advocate here but I'm at a loss as to how murder
>>mysteries can be recommended (no matter how light or "funny"). It's about
>>murder even if it is remote. I'm not an avid mystery reader (I do like to
>>listen to Nevada Barr's books) but I can only take so much of it-- the
>>basic premise is violence/murder.
>>
>>
>>
>>Karen Keller
>>Brighton (MI) District Library
>
>
>But not all mysteries ARE "murder mysteries" (though admittedly the great
>majority of them are--especially the majority of novel-length ones). There
>is no murder, for instance, in Dorothy Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT or in some of
>Donald Westlake's "Dortmunder" books (about an inept gang of thieves, so
>these are technically comic crime/caper novels rather than "mysteries,"
>but most folks don't make those distinctions). There are also many,
>many short stories in the mystery/crime field which involve crimes other
>than murder. Maybe someone could use a thread on mystery/crime books in
>which nobody dies. . . .
>
>Dennis Lien / U of Minnesota Libraries // [removed]@tc.umn.edu
>
>
>
>
>
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