Wild Mood Swings
Steven Rigolosi, a resident of Northern New Jersey, is the author of the Tales from the Back Page mystery/suspense series. Each book takes a quirky advertisement on the back page of a New York City newspaper as its starting point, exploring who placed the ad and why, as well as who responded and what happened afterwards. Library Journal has called Rigolosi “a completely fresh voice in the mystery genre.” He can be reached at srigolosi@yahoo.com and followed on Twitter at twitter.com/srigolosi.
Steven Rigolosi
Bibliography:
Who Gets the Apartment? (2006)
Circle of Assassins (2007)
Androgynous Murder House Party (2009)
A character in Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock frequently complains that her mother is “in a mood”—by which, of course, she means a bad mood.
But moods need not be bad; in fact, they often determine what I will read and when. I came to this realization recently when a friend recommended the latest book by one of my favorite mystery novelists. I sighed (perhaps whined), “Oh God, I’m just not in the mood for him right now.”
And what did that mean? Well, things have been a bit stressful of late, what with the economy, and a long commute to and from work, and the holiday season. All of these elements have combined to make me feel the need for light, fun escapism with a happy ending—not the dark, moody, somewhat depressing books of the aforementioned author, who’s an amazing writer but not exactly an upper.
One of the things I like so much about writing in the mystery genre is that we do have a slew of different types of books, so no matter what your mood, there is a book to satisfy your appetite for a good story while giving you the reading experience you’re looking for. For example:
When feeling like I lead a boring life, I love a good mystery/thriller, like one by James Patterson, Iris Johansen, or Clive Cussler.
When feeling overwhelmed by the news and problems facing society, I can disappear into the past with the books of P.C. Doherty or Iain Pears.
When I feel like matching wits with a superior intellect, I can pit myself against Hercule Poirot or Lord Peter Wimsey. These Golden Age books are always good reminders to me of the importance of plot and of fooling your readers with a well-thought-out puzzle.
Androgynous Murder House Party
When I want to disappear into a world peopled by lovely folks, I can look to Alexander McCall Smith (and Precious Ramotswe) or M.C. Beaton (Agatha Raisin).
When I’m feeling analytical and puzzled by human motivations—or want to take a walk on the wilder side and explore the darker reaches of psychology—I can open up a James Ellroy, Michael Connelly, or Andrew Vachss book and feel happy that I don’t move in such circles, except fictionally.
I find, too, that the pendulum swings back and forth. After I’ve read and enjoyed a cozy, I say, “It’s time to get back to the real world,” which will put me in the mood to read something more hard-boiled. Then something I read in the hardboiled will remind me of a favorite author whose new book is waiting for me, or a new book that’s in the queue and must now jump to the front of the line.
So, what are you in the mood for? If you like a New York City setting, a twisting plot, and a large dollop of satire, I might recommend my own Androgynous Murder House Party, in which you need to figure out not only whodunit but also the gender of the six main characters, including the narrator, Robin Anders. However, it is not the book for you if you’re not in the mood for snarky, back-stabbing characters who view themselves as Manhattan’s culture elite!
December 29, 2009
Posted in: Guest Blogs
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One Response
To the point and an excellent article.
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