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BOFH Mystery Book Reviews

In the computer room, with the crimper, by the Luser

Mystery
I read almost no mystery. Why? Because I read so much Sci-Fi. However, the one author I go out of my way to read is Robert B. Parker. He does the Spenser Novels. They're all great, and I love the crisp dialog and the action. He has also done some Raymond Chandler novels that are quite good.

I remember being home sick one day and seeing Parker on Oprah with about 5 well known female authors. Oprah asked how they wrote. Everyone gave flowery answers about how they "Became the character", and how "the words just seem to flow", and "the lived that life". Parker was last. His answer was something like:

"That's crap. It's work. I sit down and write a chapter, then I'm done for the day. I am not Spenser."

Everyone just sort of looked at him. I think that was the last question he got asked.

I've liked him even more since then.


I used to like Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but he annoys me how he always has Sherlock solve the crime with information he never gave you. Wasn't even really a mystery.