''Mystery Scene'' is an American magazine, first published in 1985, that covers the crime and mystery genre with a mix of articles, profiles, criticism, and extensive reviews of books, films, TV, short stories, audiobooks, and reference works.

Editorial focus & contents

''Mystery Scene'' is pitched to mystery readers and fans, as opposed to writers or other industry professionals. Each issue contains commentary, several articles, author profiles, appreciations of particular subgenres or writers, letters to the editor, and 150+ reviews of new novels, audiobooks, reference works, kid’s mysteries, short stories, TV shows, films, paperback originals, and websites. News items, cartoons, jokes, quotes, and anecdotes round out its front-of-the book “Hints & Allegations” pages.

Features

:Profiles range from best-selling authors, including Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Charlaine Harris,

Laurie R. King Laurie R. King (born September 19, 1952) is an American author best known for her detective fiction. Life and career Born in Oakland, California, King earned a degree in comparative religion from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1977 ...

, Dennis Lehane, Sara Paretsky, and Ian Rankin, to the up-and-coming such as James R. Benn, Michael Koryta, Lisa Lutz,

G. M. Malliet G. M. Malliet is an American author of mystery novels and short stories. She is best known as the author of the award-winning Detective Chief Inspector St. Just mysteries and the Rev. Max Tudor mysteries. The first book in her US-based series, Aug ...

, and Stefanie Pintoff. :Articles focus on writers ( Daphne du Maurier,

Stuart Neville Stuart Neville (born 1972) is a Northern Irish author best known for his novel ''The Twelve'' or, as it is known in the United States, ''The Ghosts of Belfast''. He was born and grew up in Armagh, Northern Ireland. Works ''The Twelve'' was plac ...

, Edgar Allan Poe, Daphne du Maurier), characters ( Trixie Belden, Jack Reacher), films and TV shows (humorous mystery movies, David Simon, '' The Rockford Files'', ''The Three Maltese Falcons''), and subgenres ( legal thrillers, romantic suspense, crime novels of the Civil Rights era), among other topics.

Regular columns

:Eye Witness Critic Kevin Burton Smith
The Thrilling Detective Website
commentary on topics relevant to private-eye fiction. :Gormania Novelist (and ''Mystery Scene's'' former editor) Edward Gorman comments on the writing life and discusses films, books and TV shows. :Mystery Miscellany Louis Phillips tackles trivia, humor, and tongue-in-cheek teasers. :The Murders in Memory Lane Lawrence Block offers recollections of interesting crime writers he has met over the years. :New Books Essays Authors of upcoming books reveal real-life inspirations, unusual adventures in the name of research, or take a closer look at a story's locale or time period. :Beyond the Book A series by Dick Lochte about classic literary sleuths from

Sam Spade Sam Spade is a fictional character and the protagonist of Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel '' The Maltese Falcon''. Spade also appeared in four lesser-known short stories by Hammett. ''The Maltese Falcon'', first published as a serial in the pulp ...

The Saint The Saint may refer to: Fiction * Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the protagonist of a book series by Leslie Charteris and subsequent adaptations: ** ''The Saint'' (film series) (1938–43), starring Louis Hayward, George Sanders an ...

reappearing in other media formats.

Review columns

:What About Murder? Criti
Jon L. Breen
reviews mystery nonfiction & reference works. :Small Press Reviews''

assesses releases from small independent publishers. :Sounds of Suspense'
Dick Lochte
��s audio-book reviews. :Very Original Paperback original novels assessed b
Lynne F. Maxwell
an
Hank Wagner
:Short & Sweet A look at the latest in short stories by Benjamin Boulden, editor of the book blo
Gravetapping
:Mystery Scene Reviews Edited b
Teri Duerr
each issue offers 30-40 reviews of novels from major publishers, plus reviews of small press titles, mass market paperbacks, audio-book publishers, and nonfiction works. Reviews from 2002 onward are available in the searchable onlin
Mystery Scene Book Review Database

History

''Mystery Scene Magazine'' was conceived in a phone call between Ed Gorman, a writer and editor of mystery novels, short stories and anthologies, and Robert Randisi, the author of several mystery series, and later the founder and executive director of ''The Private Eye Writers of America''. Both men felt the need for a magazine that would be to the mystery field wha
Locus
was to the science fiction genre—news and views on the genre’s writers and the publishing business. (Over the years, ''Mystery Scene'' has evolved into a reader-centered consumer publication although crime writers still have a strong presence at the magazine.) The first issue, four pages long, was mailed with the October 1985 issue of ''Mystery & Detective Monthly'', a letterzine published by active mystery fan Robert “Cap’n Bob” Napier of Tacoma, Washington. By the 52-page third issue in 1986, the magazine was no longer distributed with the fanzine, and the now-standard mix of interviews, profiles, news notes, obituaries, reviews, letters columns, and opinion pieces was established. A feature in which first novelists introduced their works would eventually be extended to veteran writers who discussed their latest novels. The first 75 issues of the magazine form a documentary record of developments, concerns, and controversies in the field over this 17-year period. Short stories appeared occasionally as early as “On Guard” by John Lutz in #5 (September 1986), but they were never a regular feature. In 1990 Gorman’s business partner, anthologist Martin H. Greenberg, became a co-publisher, and by April 1991, Randisi, whose participation had gradually decreased, sold his stake in the magazine to Greenberg. In 2002, owners Ed Gorman and Martin H. Greenberg turned over the reins t
Kate Stine
a veteran book and magazine editor in the crime and mystery field, and her husband,Brian Skupin, a long-time mystery fan. Stine is editor-in-chief and handles day-to-day operations. Skupin edited the now retired column "What's Happening With" and oversees MysterySceneMag.com. Their first issue, Fall #76 in September 2002, featured a lengthy tribute to outgoing editor and publisher Ed Gorman, "Ed Gorman: Writer, Editor, Mentor," from his many friends in the mystery community.

Awards won by the magazine

2004 Anthony Award for Best Fan Publication presented at the 2004 Bouchercon World Mystery Convention. 2006 Ellery Queen Award for significant contributions to mystery publishing given by the Mystery Writers of America. 2009 Poirot Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Mystery at Malice Domestic XXI in Arlington, Va. 2011 Bouchercon Fan Guests of Honor, Kate Stine and Brian Skupin, 2010 Bouchercon Fan Guests of Honor.''Mystery Scene'' publishers Kate Stine and Brian Skupin were honored at the 2011 Bouchercon held in St. Louis.

Awards given by the magazine

The American Mystery Award is a major award given by ''Mystery Scene'' magazine in past years. For example, Richard Hoyt's book ''Siege'' (1987) won the American Mystery Award for Best Espionage Novel. The award has been discontinued.

References

{{Reflist, 30em

External links

Mystery Scene Magazine's official website

Mystery Scene Blog
1985 establishments in the United States Literary magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1985 Magazines published in Washington (state) Magazines published in Iowa Mass media in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Mystery fiction magazines