never read them,should I?

[RadUnschooler]

If i LOVED the Da Vinci Code and other books by Dan Brown, do you think i will like mysteries?

[neetling]

Depends. There are a ton of different types. But I read Dan Brown's books and I LOVE mysteries.

[LemonPie]

Never mind. . . misread the OP

[Collinsky]

I think it entirely depends on the writer. I love mysteries, and wasn't so keen on The Da Vinci Code... Brown's style of writing just didn't do it for me.

What about it did you like? Finding books with a similar theme or style might be a good place to start.

Oh, but to answer your question, I think YES! Broadening the reading horizons, finding new authors and a whole unexplored genre - what's not to love? Go for it!

[fivi2]

I guess I am alone here, but I think of Dan Brown's as more suspense/thriller books, not traditional mysteries. But there is a lot of overlap between genres in general. I agree with the pp - what aspect of the books did you like?

Was it the fast-paced world in-peril race-against-time aspect? then I'd go thriller/suspense. If it was figuring out the puzzles, then maybe mysteries are more your style. If it was the Templars, etc - there are probably tons of books on the subject, but all I can come up with is Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco.

I guess I'd go to the library and pick a couple mysteries, some thrillers, maybe a historical mystery or 2, and try them all out!

[crittersmum]

[QUOTE=fivi2;11974643]I guess I am alone here, but I think of Dan Brown's as more suspense/thriller books, not traditional mysteries. [QUOTE]

Nope, not alone.

[zinemama]

"Mysteries" is a huge umbrella.

There are historical mysteries, contemporary mysteries, hard-boiled police procedurals, cozy village mysteries, gritty noir mysteries, puzzle/logic mysteries.

There are series about mothers who solve mysteries (Ayelet Waldman's A Playdate With Death and others).

There's a series in which Jane Austen solves mysteries (by Stephanie Woolrich, very entertaining)

There's the Benjamin January series, in which a free black doctor in early 1800's New Orleans solves mysteries (first one is A Free Man of Color)

You want a mystery in which a female ex-army helicopter pilot turned Episcopal priest finds a baby abandoned on the church steps? You got it in In the Bleak Midwinter, the series opener.

Or maybe you want to find out what would happen when retired Sherlock Holmes meets up with his intellectual equal and she happens to be a fifteen-year-old girl? Then pick up The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie King.

Perhaps what would really intrigue you is the idea of a medieval coroner, who happens to be an Italian woman, summoned to England to solve the murders of Christian children. (Are the Jews to blame?). If you want a fascinating look at Jewish/Christian/Muslim relations, the crusades, and Cambridge waaaaay back in the day, plus a grumpy heroine and a suspensful story, you might want to check out Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin.

Etc.!

[RadUnschooler]

See,i never knew there were many kinds of mysteries. This does help. I like puzzles/logic and finding out secrets!

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by fivi2

I guess I am alone here, but I think of Dan Brown's as more suspense/thriller books, not traditional mysteries.

I agree. I never read his books trying to figure them out. I read them because they were amazing and thrilling and I couldn't put them down!

Mysteries are more of a solving/thinking book. Trying to figure out what will happen and why before it does.

[RadUnschooler]

so what kind of mysteries are puzzle/logic? What authors?