OK, first off, a confession: I recently published my second book, my first mystery called The Cardinal Divide: A Cole Blackwater Mystery. I'm trying really hard to respect the Goodreads rules and not be too ruthlessly self promoting. If I step over the line, I'm sorry.

I wrote the Cardinal Divide because I love to write, and because I love the earth, and all the creatures (that's you and me, bub) that scurry around on it. Its a good fit for me. Why do I think a mystery novel might save the world? Because LOTS of people read them. Only romance and sci-fi can compete in terms of volume of readers. My motto is: STORY FIRST. If the story sucks, nobody will read it. But if its a good story, and there is a message, BINGO.

What do you think? Have you read a mystery with a message? I'd like to know....add them to my Goodreads list....

Well, don't they all kind of have a message? They don't all hit you over the head with that message, though.

PS congrats on the SECOND book! WTG.

I'm not sure where to put this. I am in the process of writing a mystery of my own called "The Twelve Bloody Days of Christmas". I have posted 3 chapters so far on my profile. I would love to hear some feedback if any of you have the time to read it.It is a work in progress. I have 9 more chapters ready, but wanted to do some editing. Here is the link.. http://www.goodreads.com/profile/lovemyf... Let me know what you think.

Stephen wrote: "OK, first off, a confession: I recently published my second book, my first mystery called The Cardinal Divide: A Cole Blackwater Mystery. I'm trying really hard to respect the Goodreads rules and n..."
The first book that comes to my mind is Jon Evans. I've only read "Invisible Armies" but it does bring home the type of treatment and experimentation immoral corporations give to isolated and poor people, and is a roller coaster ride of a book as well.
Another with a message perhaps is Elizabeth George's "What Came Before He Shot Her" which is a follow-up to "With No One As Witness" telling what lead to that murder. It is a story told in patois of a dysfunctional "family", and the very poor. I think both these book reviews can be found at <http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1380729?page=1&shelf=read>

Congratulations. Your book sounds interesting, if it's not giving away too much, what category message does it have?

Betty wrote: "Stephen wrote: "OK, first off, a confession: I recently published my second book, my first mystery called The Cardinal Divide: A Cole Blackwater Mystery. I'm trying really hard to respect the Goodr..."
Now that I see better what type you are thinking of, I'll also mention Nevada Barr, Karin McQuillan, and Dana Stabenow; Marcia Simpson's "Sound Tracks"