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October 1-15, 2004 Edition

Independent Mystery

Booksellers Launch

Killer Books Program

09/27/04—The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association, comprised of people who run mystery bookstores, has launched its own books-of-the-month list. According to The Drood Review of Mystery, more than 1200 mysteries are published each year. While many readers know the big names among mystery writers, the 60-member Association hopes to introduce authors who are exceptional and yet unknown.

The Killer Books program will be modeled after the popular Booksense program of the American Booksellers Association (ABA). Each month the individual stores submit titles to a rotating editor who then trims the list to five. The general rule is that the book must be published within a three month period. However, since mystery booksellers don’t really like rules, they created a category called “the one that nearly got away” to include books that fall outside that period.

IMBA decided to use a rotating editor to insure that the list reflects the individual quirkiness of the independent mystery bookstore.

The first five selections will be announced on October 7, 2004, at Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, to be held this year in Toronto.

Authorlink plans to carry the list on its site.