Mercer County Library Blog

Noir storytelling has an interesting history. The term “noir” is a French word that translates to “dark” or “black” and was, as a storytelling genre, first paired with the word “film” by French film critics in the 1950’s to describe a style of Hollywood filmmaking in the 1940’s and 1950’s of crime films that focused on the seamier (dark) side of life. The classic film noirs include The Maltese Falcon (widely considered the first film noir), Double Indemnity , Strangers on a Train and The Postman Always Rings Twice . The term noir was then retrograded to include the novels and fiction that were the basis for the films made in the classic film noir period. They included the works of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain, from the 1920’s and 1930’s. Noir fiction than became a subgenre of crime fiction that focused on dark, cynical and pessimistic tones, and gritty urban settings. These novels featured morally flawed characters, usually fighting against societal corruptio...

On September 12 th of this year (2025), we will be getting another Stephen King movie adaptation, The Long Walk. The Long Walk is based on King’s 1979 novel of the same name . Also, last year (2024) was the 50 th anniversary of Stephen King’s first novel, Carrie (though not his first published story, that would be the short story “The Glass Floor” in Startling Mystery Stories  in 1967). Carrie would be the start of a long and prolific career that continues to this day. However, Stephen is not the only person in the King family to write for a living. Both of Stephen King’s sons, Joe Hill and Owen King, have writing careers of their own, although neither has written as much as their father…yet. As mentioned, Stephen King’s first published novel was Carrie , a work he almost threw away after writing a few pages, but was rescued by his wife Tabitha, who encouraged him to finish the novel. The success of Carrie enabled King to quit his job as a high school English teacher and de...

A helpful way to understand a literary genre is as a set of reader expectations. Sci-fi readers expect that fictional worlds and technology will be consistent and have clear limits, so that readers can maintain a solid understanding of what’s possible within the book’s universe and what’s not. Similarly, readers of mysteries expect intrigue, a central character to unravel all the secrets, and clues to follow along the way. In the end, the mystery’s solution must fit with the established facts. So what happens when sci-fi and mysteries collide? Authors must juggle both sets of expectations effectively. If a sci-fi murder is finally explained by some previously unmentioned technology, readers are let down both by the lack of clear sci-fi worldbuilding and by the absence of any previous foundation for the mystery’s solution. The worst of both worlds! Successful sci-fi mysteries, on the other hand, use rules of their worlds not only to clarify the setting, but also to lay out all the piece...

Nice weather has arrived, which means it’s time for some deep house cleaning! Spring or summer, it doesn’t matter: It’s always the right time to take a fine-tooth comb (and some garbage bags!) to the basement, the attic, the back of closets, under beds, in the garage, around the yard, and maybe even a storage unit! But, before we clean, we need to remove stuff to make the task easier. Unfortunately, for many of us, getting rid of clutter, and saying goodbye to things, can be a challenge. We panic, and think: What if I need it again?; I spent a lot of money on that; Maybe someday I'll wear it; It’s sentimental; It’s cute; and a slew of other excuses for holding on to things. Can you feel the tension created by all the extra stuff around you? All the space you could use for something else? Have you ever just let go of some stuff, not missed it the next day, and felt a sense of relief when it was gone? It’s time to purge the clutter and clean your home! Below are a few books from ...

What is the first thing you think of when you hear about a book being a cozy mystery? A bake shop? A lighthouse? Cats and dogs on the book’s cover? Food and recipes along with a good story? All of those would be great answers. And you always get a happy ending with any cozy mystery. But for me, the first thing I think of when I hear a book is a cozy mystery is the awesome titles. Let’s face it, when it comes to creativity in writing there is nothing quite like the title of a cozy mystery. The play on words for every title is enough to grab your attention right away. Who could possibly stop themselves from taking a look at a book with a title like Death by Tart Attack ? You have to wonder what comes first for some of these awesome novels. Does the author come up with a title and then figure out a way to build a book around it? One day author Amy M. Reade thinks The Worst Noel , and from there a book idea is born. With all of this in mind, I’ve put together my top 10 list of the best...

We get our blog assignments early in the year and I like to plan things out in advance. This post was supposed to be all about making books and making things from books. The intention was to be a tie in with craft programs in July and August. It was a great plan. But … Things Change. So instead, let’s have a look at mysteries. Specifically mystery series that are available through our Virtual Branch. Donna Leon’s series about Commissario Brunetti of Venice is a particular favorite of mine. The plots are solid, the scenery is great and, well, these books are going to make you hungry because the food is bellissimo! This is a police procedural but the fact that it takes place in Venice gives it a unique twist — just think: no police cars, they use boats, and that really changes things. The first book in the series is Death at La Fenice . It is funny how books that you have read sink into your thoughts and surface in odd ways. When I saw in the news that all cruise ships were now banned ...

Merriam Webster defines the word genre as a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content. Since you’re reading a blog post written for the Mercer County Library System, chances are you’re a bibliophile. You have probably heard the term genre before, so why give you the definition? You know the basics. There’s mystery, sci-fi & fantasy, romance, suspense, and you could probably think of a few more if you tried. But did you know that there are around twenty-five different types? I didn’t know there were that many either! I tend to stay in the same three or four genres when I am picking things to read, though I do branch out sometimes. For the most part I read urban fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, and - just for some fun - I toss in the occasional romance. Since my personal reading preferences can be pretty narrow, I was surprised and a little bit delighted to find out there were so many different kinds of genre fiction out t...