SWEETHEART SLEUTHS

Here's my updated Short List of Sweetheart Sleuths for Valentine's Day! I'm sure I'm missing a few couples. Make a comment with author and sweetheart sleuths, and I'll add to the list. In the meantime, here's some more great reading for Valentine's Day!

Missed my list of mysteries that take place during Valentine's Day? Here's the link. 

SWEETHEART SLEUTHS 

Ace, Cathy: Cait Morgan and Bud Anderson
Alexander, Tasha: Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves
Allen, Conrad: Genevieve Masefield and George Dillman Porter

Allingham, Margery: Albert Campion and Amanda Fitton
Andrews, Donna: Meg Langslow and Michael Waterson
Armstrong, Kelley: Casey Duncan and Eric Dalton

Arnold, Margot: Tobias Glendower and Penelope Spring

Bell, Albert: Michael Harrington and Corie Foster; Pliny and Aurora

Berry, Connie: Kate Hamilton and DI Tom Mallory
Billheimer, John: Owen Allison and ex-wife Judith
Black, Lisa: Maggie Gardiner and Jack Renner

Borthwick, J. S.: Sarah Dean and Alex McKenzie
Bowen, Michael: Rep and Melissa Pennyworth
Bowen, Rhys: Molly Murphy and Daniel Sullivan; Lady Georgie and Darcy O'Mara
Burke, Jan: Irene Kelly and Frank Harriman
Carlson, P. M.: Maggie and Nick Ryan
Carner, John: John Fowler and Jessica Hammerstein
Casey, Donis: Alafair and Shaw Tucker
Chappell, Helen: Holly and Sam Westcott
Elaine Raco Chase: Roman Cantrell & Nikki Holden
Charles, Kate: Lucy Kingsley and David Middleton-Brown
Christie, Agatha: Tommy and Tuppence Beresford
Clark, Carol Higgins: Regan and Jack Reilly
Cleeland, Annie: Chief Inspector Michael Sinclair/Lord Acton and Detective Sergeant Kathleen Doyle
Cockey, Tim: Hitchcock Sewell and ex-wife Julia Finney
Craig, Alisa Dittany Henbit and Osbert Monk, Madoc and Jane Rhys
Crane, Frances: Pat and Jean Abbot
Crombie, Deborah: Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James
Curzon, Claire: Mike Yeadings and Rosemary Zyczynski
Cussler, Clive: Sam and Remi Fargo
Davis, Krista: Sophie Winston, domestic diva, and Detective Wolf

Dodge, David: Whit and Kitty Whitney

Edwards, Martin: Daniel Kind & DCI Hannah Scarlett

Evanovich, Janet: Stephanie Plum and Joe Morelli—or Ranger—or Diesel—or not
Finch, Charles: Charles Lennox and Lady Jane Grey
George, Elizabeth: Inspector Lynley and Sergeant Havers

Glatzer, Hal: Herman Korn and Teddie Sanderson
Gordon, Alan: Jester Feste and wife Viola, late of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”
Greenwood, Kerry: Corinna Chapman and Daniel Cohen
Granger, Ann: Alan Markby and Meredith Mitchell
Haddam, Jane: Gregor Demarkian and Bennis Hannaford (this one’s a stretch)
Ham, Lorie: Alexandra Waters and Stephen Carlucci
Hammett, Dashiell: Nick and Nora Charles
Handler, David: Mitch Berger and state policewoman Desiree Mitry
Harrington, Jonathan: C. J. and Bridge

Harris: C.S.: Sebastian St. Cyr and Hero (Jarvis) St. Cyr

Hart, Carolyn: Max and Annie Darling
Hays, Kim: Giuliana Linder and Renzo Donatelli
Haywood, Gar: Joe and Dottie Loudermilk 

Kay, Arlene: Eja Kane and Deming Swann
Iakovou, Takis: and Judy Nick and Julia Lambro

Jameson, Emma: Lord & Lady Hetheridge
Jarvis, Nancy Lynn: Regan McHenry and Tom Kiley
Kellerman, Faye: Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus
Kelly, Susan B.: Alison Hope and Nick Trevelyan
Kelner, Toni L. P.: Laurie Ann and Richard Fleming
Kenney, Susan: Roz Howard and Alan Stewart
Kincheloe, Jennifer: Police Matron Anna Blanc and Detective Joe Singer
King, Laurie R.: Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
Levinson, R. S.: Neil Gulliver and Stevie Marriner
Lindquist, N. J.: Paul Manziuk and Jacqueline Ryan
Liskow, Steve: "Woody" Guthrie & Megan Traine; Zach Barnes & Beth Shepard
Lockridge, Frances and Richard: Pam and Jerry North
Lupoff, Richard: Hobart Lindsay and Marvia Plum
MacLeod, Charlotte: Max and Sarah Kelling Bittersohn, Peter and Helen Shandy
McBride, Susan: Maggie Ryan and John Phillips
McCafferty, Barbara Taylor & Herald, Beverly: Bert & Nan Tatum
McDermid, Val: Tony Hill and Carol Jordan
McGown, Jill: Chief Inspector Danny Lloyd and Inspector Judy Hill
Maron, Margaret: Deborah Knott and Dwight Bryant
Marsh, Ngaio: Roderick Alleyn and Agatha Troy
Matthews, Alex: Cassidy McCabe, Zack
Maxwell, A. & E.: Fiora and Fiddler
Moyes, Patricia: Emmie and Henry Tibbetts
Munier, Paula: Mercy Carre and Troy Warner

Newman, Sharan: Catherine Levendeur and husband Edgar
Paige, Robin: Charles and Kate Sheridan
Palmer, Stuart: Hildegarde Withers and Inspector Piper
Parker, Robert: Spencer and Susan
Pears, Iain: Flavia Di Stefano and Jonathan Argyle
Perry, Anne: Thomas and Charlotte Pitt
Peters, Elizabeth: Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson; Ramses and Nefret;Vicky Bliss and John Smith
Pickard, Nancy: Jenny Cain and Geoffrey Bushfield
Pomidor, Bill: Drs. Calista and Plato Marley

Rafael, Lev: Nick and Stefan
Raybourn,  Deanna: Nicholas Brisbane and Lady Julia Grey; Veronica Speedwell and Stoker
Robb, J.D.: Eve Dallas and Roark
Roos, Kelley: Jeff and Haila Troy
Rozan, S. J.: Bill Smith and Lydia Chin
Rubino, Jane: Cat Austen and Victor Cardenas
Sale, Medora: John Sanders and Harriet Jeffries
Saulnier, Beth: Alex Bernier and Brian Cody
Sayers, Dorothy L.: Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane
Schumacher, Aileen: Tory Peters and David Alvarez
Simas, Ann: Chloe Faust and Marsh Fielding

Smith, Charles Merrill: Reverend Con Randollph and Samantha Stack
Spencer-Fleming, Julia: Claire Ferguson and Russ Van Alstyne
Stabenow, Dana: Kate Shugak and Jim Chopin

Sten, Viveca: Thomas Andreasson and Nora Linde
Thompson, Victoria: Sarah Brandt and Detective Frank Molloy
Whitney, Polly: Ike and Abby
Wilhelm, Kate: Charlie Meiklejohn and Constance Leidl
Wright, L. R.: Karl Alberg, RCMP, and Cassandra Mitchell

SWEETHEART SLEUTHS: A List for Valentine's Day

Here's my updated List of Sweetheart Sleuths for Valentine's Day! I'm sure I'm missing a few couples. Make a comment with author and sweetheart sleuths, and I'll add to the list. In the meantime, here's some great reading forValentine's Day!

Missed my list of mysteries that take place during Valentine's Day? Here's the link. 

SWEETHEART SLEUTHS 

Ace, Cathy: Cait Morgan and Bud Anderson
Alexander, Tasha: Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves
Allen, Conrad: Genevieve Masefield and George Dillman Porter
Allingham, Margery: Albert Campion and Amanda Fitton

Andrews, Donna: Meg Langslow and Michael Waterson
Arnold, Margot: Tobias Glendower and Penelope Spring
Bell, Albert: Michael Harrington and Corie Foster; Pliny and Aurora
Berry, Connie: Kate Hamilton and DI Tom Mallory

Billheimer, John: Owen Allison and ex-wife Judith
Borthwick, J. S.: Sarah Dean and Alex McKenzie
Bowen, Michael: Rep and Melissa Pennyworth
Bowen, Rhys: Molly Murphy and Daniel Sullivan; Lady Georgie and Darcy O'Mara
Burke, Jan: Irene Kelly and Frank Harriman
Carlson, P. M.: Maggie and Nick Ryan
Carner, John: John Fowler and Jessica Hammerstein
Casey, Donis: Alafair and Shaw Tucker
Chappell, Helen: Holly and Sam Westcott
Elaine Raco Chase: Roman Cantrell & Nikki Holden
Charles, Kate: Lucy Kingsley and David Middleton-Brown
Christie, Agatha: Tommy and Tuppence Beresford
Clark, Carol Higgins: Regan and Jack Reilly
Cleeland, Annie: Chief Inspector Michael Sinclair/Lord Acton and Detective Sergeant Kathleen Doyle
Cockey, Tim: Hitchcock Sewell and ex-wife Julia Finney
Craig, Alisa Dittany Henbit and Osbert Monk, Madoc and Jane Rhys
Crane, Frances: Pat and Jean Abbot
Crombie, Deborah: Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James
Curzon, Claire: Mike Yeadings and Rosemary Zyczynski
Cussler, Clive: Sam and Remi Fargo
Davis, Krista: Sophie Winston, domestic diva, and Detective Wolf

Dodge, David: Whit and Kitty Whitney
Evanovich, Janet: Stephanie Plum and Joe Morelli—or Ranger—or Diesel—or not
Finch, Charles: Charles Lennox and Lady Jane Grey
George, Elizabeth: Inspector Lynley and Sergeant Havers

Glatzer, Hal: Herman Korn and Teddie Sanderson
Gordon, Alan: Jester Feste and wife Viola, late of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”
Greenwood, Kerry: Corinna Chapman and Daniel Cohen
Granger, Ann: Alan Markby and Meredith Mitchell
Haddam, Jane: Gregor Demarkian and Bennis Hannaford (this one’s a stretch)
Ham, Lorie: Alexandra Waters and Stephen Carlucci
Hammett, Dashiell: Nick and Nora Charles
Handler, David: Mitch Berger and state policewoman Desiree Mitry
Harrington, Jonathan: C. J. and Bridge
Hart, Carolyn: Max and Annie Darling
Haywood, Gar: Joe and Dottie Loudermilk
Kay, Arlene: Eja Kane and Deming Swann
Iakovou, Takis: and Judy Nick and Julia Lambro

Jameson, Emma: Lord & Lady Hetheridge
Jarvis, Nancy Lynn: Regan McHenry and Tom Kiley
Kellerman, Faye: Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus
Kelly, Susan B.: Alison Hope and Nick Trevelyan
Kelner, Toni L. P.: Laurie Ann and Richard Fleming
Kenney, Susan: Roz Howard and Alan Stewart
Kincheloe, Jennifer: Police Matron Anna Blanc and Detective Joe Singer
King, Laurie R.: Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
Levinson, R. S.: Neil Gulliver and Stevie Marriner
Lindquist, N. J.: Paul Manziuk and Jacqueline Ryan
Liskow, Steve: "Woody" Guthrie & Megan Traine; Zach Barnes & Beth Shepard
Lockridge, Frances and Richard: Pam and Jerry North
Lupoff, Richard: Hobart Lindsay and Marvia Plum
MacLeod, Charlotte: Max and Sarah Kelling Bittersohn, Peter and Helen Shandy
McBride, Susan: Maggie Ryan and John Phillips
McCafferty, Barbara Taylor & Herald, Beverly: Bert & Nan Tatum
McDermid, Val: Tony Hill and Carol Jordan
McGown, Jill: Chief Inspector Danny Lloyd and Inspector Judy Hill
Maron, Margaret: Deborah Knott and Dwight Bryant
Marsh, Ngaio: Roderick Alleyn and Agatha Troy
Matthews, Alex: Cassidy McCabe, Zack
Maxwell, A. & E.: Fiora and Fiddler
Moyes, Patricia: Emmie and Henry Tibbetts
Newman, Sharan: Catherine Levendeur and husband Edgar
Paige, Robin: Charles and Kate Sheridan
Palmer, Stuart: Hildegarde Withers and Inspector Piper
Parker, Robert: Spencer and Susan
Pears, Iain: Flavia Di Stefano and Jonathan Argyle
Perry, Anne: Thomas and Charlotte Pitt
Peters, Elizabeth: Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson; Ramses and Nefret;Vicky Bliss and John Smith
Pickard, Nancy: Jenny Cain and Geoffrey Bushfield
Pomidor, Bill: Drs. Calista and Plato Marley

Rafael, Lev: Nick and Stefan
Raybourn,  Deanna: Nichloas Brisbane and Lady Julia Grey
Robb, J.D.: Eve Dallas and Roark
Roos, Kelley: Jeff and Haila Troy
Rozan, S. J.: Bill Smith and Lydia Chin
Rubino, Jane: Cat Austen and Victor Cardenas
Sale, Medora: John Sanders and Harriet Jeffries
Saulnier, Beth: Alex Bernier and Brian Cody
Sayers, Dorothy L.: Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane
Schumacher, Aileen: Tory Peters and David Alvarez
Simas, Ann: Chloe Faust and Marsh Fielding

Smith, Charles Merrill: Reverend Con Randollph and Samantha Stack
Spencer-Fleming, Julia: Claire Ferguson and Russ Van Alstyne
Sten, Viveca: Thomas Andreasson and Nora Linde
Thompson, Victoria: Sarah Brandt and Detective Frank Molloy
Whitney, Polly: Ike and Abby
Wilhelm, Kate: Charlie Meiklejohn and Constance Leidl
Wright, L. R.: Karl Alberg, RCMP, and Cassandra Mitchell

Mysteries Save the World: Guest Post by Stuart Gibbs

STUART GIBBS: MYSTERIES SAVE THE WORLD

Since I write mysteries for younger readers, I end up speaking to classrooms full of them more than I would have ever imagined. I always leave time for questions — because they always have questions. Many are clever and insightful; many are silly; a few are just plain weird. But there is one that comes up often: Why do I like mysteries so much? 

To be honest, when I was originally asked this question, I had no idea what the answer was. 

Which was odd, because I have loved reading mysteries my entire life. As a kid, my favorite books were Donald J. Sobel’s Encyclopedia Brown series and Ellen Raskin’s The Westing Game. As an adult, my favorite writers are primarily mystery writers as well. And I love writing mysteries. Books that I didn’t even intend to be mysteries turn into mysteries. (At first, I had thought that my Moon Base Alpha series would be about life at the first lunar colony, but before I knew it, there was a dead body involved.) 

So I realized that I ought to figure out the answer to this question. Why do I like mysteries? And after some serious cogitation and soul-searching, something clicked: 

A mystery is a story where the smartest person wins. 

In fiction, the greatest detectives are renowned for their intelligence above all else. They don’t save the day with superpowers or improbable skill with guns or martial arts. Instead, they put together the clues, deduce what the criminal has done — and then, quite often, figure out how to capture that criminal. And to top it off, they are generally respected — if not revered — by everyone around them for this skill. 

As a kid, the sleuths of literature provided me with great roles models: proof that working hard in school and honing your intelligence would ultimately bring you great esteem and success. But now, as an adult, there is another reason I appreciate mysteries placing intelligence on a pedestal; in much of the rest of our society, the opposite appears to be taking place. 

Consider the general pop culture image of the smart person: the nerdy, unpopular social misfit. (Exhibit A: The Big Bang Theory, the most popular comedy on TV at the end of its nine-year run, although it isn’t hard to conjure up many other instances.) In film and television, you are much more likely to find a genius portrayed in this way — or, perhaps even worse, as a maladapted evil mastermind — rather than the way that I have often found geniuses to be in real life: athletic, adventurous, dynamic and socially-adept. 

This has an unfortunate trickle-down effect: If society sees smart people as socially inept nerds who are the objects of ridicule or disdain, then people become ashamed of being smart. There is proof that this has tangible effects: fewer students study science, technology, engineering or math (and fewer women enter those fields than men); it becomes socially acceptable to say ‘I’m no good at math’ when really, it should be embarrassing; large sections of the population dismiss real scientific breakthroughs as conspiracies. And so on. 

Meanwhile, mysteries buck this trend. The mystery section of your local bookstore is chock-full of intriguing, engaging and admirable geniuses, while just about the only respectable intellectuals one sees in film or TV are detectives, many of whom who have sprung there from literature. 

I’m not saying that other genres are totally devoid of intelligent heroes. (As a kind, my favorite movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark, which put just as much emphasis on Indiana Jones’ problem-solving skills as his fighting ones — and had a solid mystery at the center: where was the ark?) But those heroes are few and far between. Imagine what might happen if other genres gave geniuses the same respect that mysteries do: the social stigma of intelligence might fall away; budding students might flock to science, technology, math and engineering in droves; more money might be earmarked for research; solutions for vexing problems like climate change and interstellar travel might come faster. 

 Only good can come from telling people that there is no shame in being smart. 

Therefore, mysteries are saving the world. 

And they’re also really fun to read. Which, of course, is the other reason I like them so much. 

***

Stuart Gibbs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Charlie Thorne series, the FunJungle series, Moon Base Alpha series, and Spy School series. He has written screenplays, worked on a whole bunch of animated films, developed TV shows, been a newspaper columnist, and researched capybaras (the world’s largest rodents). Stuart lives with his family in Los Angeles. You can learn more about what he’s up to at StuartGibbs.com. 

 

Around the World in 80 Sleuths

In relationship to my panel at Bouchercon in Baltimore, Round the World with Janet and Friends, you'll want to check out this article in the Independent entitled Around the world in 80 Sleuths. This is one of the best lists I've seen. It's not all inclusive (one mystery per country or city), but 80! Great choices, too. I found several mysteries, new to me. My TBR list keeps growing. This list will also keep Mystery Readers Journal themes going for a long time to come.

By the way, the entire program for Bouchercon has just come out. Programming starts at 8:30, October 9 and runs through Sunday, October 12 at 1:30. There's 5 track paneling, so making choices will be very, very hard. Guess that's the price we fans pay. Too much of a good thing?