2 BASIC REFERENCES (For Sep 2026-Aug 2027)
RESOURCE #1) THIS YEAR’S READING LIST AND MEETING CALENDAR: The first three links below all have the same information but in different formats.
- –> To get the reading list/calendar in the easiest online reading format: Click to top of the Welcome page. …OR…
- –> To get the same reading list/calendar in the best printing format (PDF): Just Click Here. Tip: (a) Print just page 1 for a quick reference sheet. AND/OR (b) Print pages 2-11 (perhaps, back-to-back) for complete details on each book.
RESOURCE #2) THE CLUB’S “GRADING FORM” WITH THIS YEAR’S BOOKS ALREADY LISTED AT THE TOP OF THE FORM:
- Learn more about our “Grading” form – also known as evaluation, rating, or scoring form – and download one of 3 versions here: GRADING FORM PAGE.
5 Resource TOOLS to Help You Find YOUR Perfect Crime Fiction Book
RESOURCE #3) A LIST OF OUR HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BOOKS: (Updated, Sep 19, 2026). Get our club’s highly recommended list by clicking here. The 13 pages includes:
- The 52 books that our club read and graded on average as 86 or better. [This is taken from the final table in Resource #4.]
- An additional 35 books recommended by individual club members during the past few years, but were not selected for an annual club reading list. We only have room for 12 books a year on the MBC reading list!
RESOURCE #4) A LIST OF ALL THE BOOKS THE CLUB HAS READ SINCE 2005: (Updated, Sep 1, 2026). If you haven’t read them, there could be something for you here. Click here to view, download, or print the 24 pages PDF – “All 270+ books we have read in the history of the club.” The books are listed four ways in the document:
- In the order we read them, by the year and month in which it was read;
- By the author (alphabetically);
- By the title (alphabetically); and
- By the average score given by the club’s participants – these scores have only recently been saved, although the group has used the grading/evaluation form for over fifteen years. All of the books with an average group score of 86 or above have been copied into Resource #3 above.
RESOURCE #5) “STOP YOU’RE KILLING ME.COM”: That’s the name of a fantastic crime fiction book website (SYKM, for short) where you can search for mystery books in many ways:
- By authors. Each author has it’s own page. Find it using the AUTHOR alphabet links at the top of every page (image at right).
- By series’ characters. Forgot the author but know the main character? Then use the CHARACTER alphabet links at the top of every page (image at above-right).
- By award winning books: Each year a dozen or so organizations in the English-speaking world give out prizes for the best crime fiction published during the year. Understanding the nature of these organizations can help you to look at awards for the type of mystery that interests you most. Perhaps this can help a little bit.
- By geographic settings: crime fiction “occurring” in any State or country you choose.
- By occupations of the book’s sleuth: whether professional law enforcement or amateur, take your pick.
- By many other categories! Historical periods, Diversity categories, and still more! Check carefully the menu on the top LEFT SIDE of every SYKM page.
RESOURCE #6) USE “IF YOU LIKE THAT, MAYBE YOU’LL ALSO LIKE THIS”: This “tool” is simply a list of 300+ authors listed under 21 different crime fiction sub-genres (or categories). The first page has directions on how to use the tool. To view, download, and/or print this PDF: Click here: “If You Like That, Maybe You’d Like This.”
RESOURCE #7) USE A SPECIALIZED LIST: All the links to lists are on a separate page, but the bullets below give you an idea of what you can find there. Examples…
• A list of cornerstone books in crime fiction history between 1748 and 1948. By cornerstone, we mean the crime fiction classics!
• Lists of award-winning books.
• All mysteries and thrillers associated with a specific holiday. Or specific geographical setting.
• Crime fiction books written by authors of color, by LGBTQ+ authors, and by native American authors.
• A list of some of Dick Goutal’s fav mystery authors.
CLICK HERE to see all the Specialized Lists to help you find the perfect book.
3 “TO-DO’s” for Maximizing Your Fun in the MBC!
HELP #1) MAKE USE OF THE POSTS UNDER THE “CRIME FICTION FUN TOPICS!” MENU TAB: How to get started:
- Click on the “Crime Fiction Fun Topics” menu-tab above.
- Click on the title of the first “post” you see, namely, “Let’s Share – Crime Fiction Fun Topics!” That will expand the post so you can see all of it.
- Scroll down through to see some past posts, to get an idea of some things we like sharing.
- Leave a reply to a recent post; start a conversation.
HELP #2) SOCIALIZE WITH US: Sometimes some members will go out to eat after a meeting- join in! Sometimes you may be invited during the week to join in a meal with a few others- join in! Invite another member to join you for coffee or… whatever. Sometimes we have a “field trip” to see a mystery movie, visit an area location that appears in a book we are reading, go for a walk, sail in the harbor, and more – join in!
HELP #3) USE OUR CHECKLIST TO REFLECT ON THINGS YOU REALLY DON’T WANT IN YOUR MYSTERY BOOK: This will help you understand that we mystery book fans are all different. We have specific likes and dislikes. The checklist has 74 things that at least someone has said – I’d rather not have that in a mystery book I read. Hey, we all like sandwiches – but there are some who would rather not eat one if it has onions. Same idea with our personal preferences in mysteries! Check out the list of 74 things that can annoy at least a few readers (maybe), but then tell the world (with anonymity) what YOU dislike in some crime fiction books. Do the survey called, “I Just Don’t Like a Book That Has…”. If you would like to print a hard copy of the 74 items Click here to get the PDF file..
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