What mystery might be lurking between the covers of a book?  The possibilities are as infinite as the human imagination.

I’ve always enjoyed a good mystery.  As a child, I was drawn to The Boxcar Children, Sherlock Holmes, and others.  As an adult, my tastes fall more often into the suspense category – merely a shade away from solid mystery.  Terri Blackstock, Lynette Eason, and Dani Pettrey are currently some of my favorite suspense authors.  If you haven’t read anything of theirs, I would recommend you give them a try!

But mystery and suspense are not the only genres that contain an element of mystery or keep the readers in suspense.  Every well-written novel explores some element that is unknown to the reader at the beginning.  Is is a love story?  The question could be “Who is the heroine going to fall for?”  or better yet, “How is she going to fall for him and will he reciprocate?”  Again, the possibilities are endless.

Some items that you may spot in my suspense novel

Then you have the twists and turns, the challenges, the problems – the things that make a reader ask, “How is this character going to overcome this situation?”  “Is she going to give up, settle for second best?”  “Is he going to keep his integrity, even though it might cost him everything?”

The anticipation created by this exploration into the unknown, helps to keep a reader reading.  If a story is completely predictable, then why bother?  If the main character faces no challenge to his goals, then why should you be concerned with how he attains them?

With these things in mind, what are some of your favorite books?  What is it about them that keeps you reading?

Tea Review: Today is the day for a combination.  Vanilla Almond from The Republic of Tea mixed with Famous Edinburgh, a Brodies signature blend.  Vanilla Almond has a warm, sweet essence but is a bit overpowering – at least to my taste.  Mixing in a 1:3 ratio with Famous Edinburgh (an unflavored black), however, tones it down just enough to indulge in its sweet richness.  Another cup?  I think I will!