Historical Mysteries Settings Challenge (2023) - Rules and Questions

[Lauren]

Historical Mysteries Settings Challenge (2023)

Duration: January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023

The purpose of this challenge is to broaden our reading horizons to include mysteries written in historical settings that are both familiar and new.

GENERAL RULES:
Participants may join at any time during the challenge.

1) Definition of historical mystery for this challenge: Any book whose central plot involves a crime of any type (murder, robbery, fraud, etc.) and takes place at any point that is at least 50 years in the past. This includes works set in a time period that is historical from the author’s perspective (for example, The Cadfael Chronicles by Ellis Peters) as well as books written in the past from our perspective and set during the author’s lifetime (for example, Hercule Poirot by Agatha Christie).
*** Please note: A thriller focusing on espionage does not work for the challenge. A historical mystery must contain a crime that is investigated.
2) Setting is determined as 50% of the book taking place in the required time or place.
3) Categories can be completed in any order
4) Re-reads and audiobooks are acceptable
5) All books begun on January 1st count toward the challenge
6) Create a personal thread in the challenge folder to keep track of your books.

LEVELS & CATEGORIES:
Each participant should choose a level and complete the number of categories for that level.

LEVELS:

Level #1: Bachelor of History - 3 to 10 books in at least 3 categories
Level #2: Master of History - 10 to 15 books in at least 5 categories
Level #3: Doctor of History - 15 to 20 books in at least 10 categories
Level #4: History with Honors - 20+ books in all categories

CATEGORIES:

- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Greece
- Roman Empire
- Early Japan
- Shogunate Japan
- Medieval England
- Medieval Europe
- Tudor / Stuart England
- 16th-17th Century Europe
- Georgian England
- Regency England
- Victorian England
- Edwardian England
- Colonial America
- Antebellum America
- American Civil War
- Gilded Age America
- British Empire (any century, countries other than England)
- Pre 19th Century Asia (excluding the British Empire)
- 18th-19th Century Europe
- Early 20th Century

*Please ask any questions about the challenge in this thread*

[Lauren]

Reserved

[Sandy]

Excellent! There are so many of these time periods I haven't read.

[RachelG.]

This looks great! Can we have a thread for book suggestions? One of the things I enjoy most in this group is learning about books others have enjoyed.

[Teri-K]

I would like to participate, but I've not done a challenge here before. Do I post my progress in this thread?

[Lauren]

RachelG. wrote: "This looks great! Can we have a thread for book suggestions? One of the things I enjoy most in this group is learning about books others have enjoyed."

Yes, I will create one.

[Lauren]

Teri-K wrote: "I would like to participate, but I've not done a challenge here before. Do I post my progress in this thread?"

Welcome to the challenge, Teri!
Please create a thread of your own in the challenge folder to track your reading.

[Teri-K]

Lauren wrote: "Teri-K wrote: "I would like to participate, but I've not done a challenge here before. Do I post my progress in this thread?"

Welcome to the challenge, Teri!
Please create a thread of your own in ..."

OK. I'd also like to see suggestions of books, especially for the trickier categories.

Thanks!

[Helen]

Oh, very cool. Should be good with the English and Roman challenges, not so much with the others. I'll have to see about doing something about that! Edited to add I saw Teri-K's challenge thread and will set about doing up my own along that template.

[Alice]

Thank you wonderful challenge

[Michaela]

I´m tempted to do a challenge this year too. Thanks for the wonderful themes, Lauren, and the tips in your thread, Teri-K! :)

[Pamela]

This looks a great challenge Lauren, I’m amazed how you give us something different every year. I will be looking to the US members for some good recommendations in the American categories.

[Lauren]

Alice wrote: "Thank you wonderful challenge"

You are welcome! Hope you enjoy it!

[Lauren]

Michaela wrote: "I´m tempted to do a challenge this year too. Thanks for the wonderful themes, Lauren, and the tips in your thread, Teri-K! :)"

Give in to temptation, Michaela! 😉

[Lauren]

Pamela wrote: "This looks a great challenge Lauren, I’m amazed how you give us something different every year. I will be looking to the US members for some good recommendations in the American categories."

Thanks, Pamela.
I hope you enjoy it!

[Viji]

Great challenge, Lauren. I hope to complete the challenge this year.
Thanks for an interesting and informative challenge.

[Lauren]

Viji wrote: "Great challenge, Lauren. I hope to complete the challenge this year.
Thanks for an interesting and informative challenge."

Glad you are joining Viji!

[QNPoohBear]

Early 20th century setting? Any geographic region?

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Lauren; Thanks for setting up this new challenge for 2023!

[Lauren]

QNPoohBear wrote: "Early 20th century setting? Any geographic region?"

Anywhere in the world.

[Lauren]

Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Lauren; Thanks for setting up this new challenge for 2023!"

You are welcome! Enjoy!

[John]

Just a reminder that "historical" settings can be as recent as 1972!

[Sandy]

John wrote: "Just a reminder that "historical" settings can be as recent as 1972!"

Not sure I like being reminded I'm "historical".

[Lauren]

John wrote: "Just a reminder that "historical" settings can be as recent as 1972!"

Let's not talk about that!

[Robin H-R]

Question: Where would a book set in 19th century New Zealand go? Maybe change "England" to "British Empire"? That would bring in books set in Australia, New Zealand, India, and several others.

[Alice]

I have started a thread for our January Author, Gary Corby. His books are set in Ancient Greece.

Lauren 2023 settings challenge has 19 settings. I have an author for 12 of them (One for each month)

[Lauren]

Robin wrote: "Question: Where would a book set in 19th century New Zealand go? Maybe change "England" to "British Empire"? That would bring in books set in Australia, New Zealand, India, and several others."

I will add another category to fit these in

[Teri-K]

Lauren wrote: "I will add another category to fit these in."

So what do you mean by England? I assume only that country, not Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Is that what you intended, or is it the UK?

[Lauren]

Teri-K wrote: "Lauren wrote: "I will add another category to fit these in."

So what do you mean by England? I assume only that country, not Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Is that what you intended, or is ..."

England not UK.
I have added a category for the rest of the British Empire.

[Teri-K]

Lauren wrote: "Teri-K wrote: "Lauren wrote: "I will add another category to fit these in."

So what do you mean by England? I assume only that country, not Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Is that what you i..."

OK. Thanks for clarifying!

[RachelG.]

This may be a stupid question, but I want to make sure that I am understanding the History with Honors level. Because there are 20 categories to complete this level do we need to read at least 1 book in each category?

[Lauren]

RachelG. wrote: "Because there are 20 categories to complete this level do we need to read at least 1 book in each category?."

Yes, exactly.

[Robin H-R]

Lauren wrote: "RachelG. wrote: "Because there are 20 categories to complete this level do we need to read at least 1 book in each category?."

Yes, exactly."

So for the History w/Honors, you only have to read 20 books?

[Lauren]

Robin wrote: "So for the History w/Honors, you only have to read 20 books?.."

20+ books in all categories. So it's a minimum of one book per category but you can read more.

[Gretchen]

Just a general Asia category, perhaps? I'm thinking about books specifically set in China prior to the 20th Century.

Thanks!

[Lauren]

Gretchen wrote: "Just a general Asia category, perhaps? I'm thinking about books specifically set in China prior to the 20th Century.

Thanks!"

OK, I added a category for Pre-19th century Asia - excluding countries in the British Empire.

[RachelG.]

Of all the challenges I have next year this is the one I am most excited for. Thanks Lauren!

[Lauren]

RachelG. wrote: "Of all the challenges I have next year this is the one I am most excited for. Thanks Lauren!"

Hope you enjoy it, Rachel!

[Robin H-R]

Question:

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, "Shogunate Japan" was the period from 1192 to 1867. So "Early Japan" would be the period prior to 1192? Can't be too many books set in that period...

[Cynthia]

sugawara Akitada series by I.J. Parker Other suggestions may be in the book recommendation string or you can check other people's challenges and see what they have read.

[Maggie]

Would World War II mysteries fall in Early 20th Century?

[Lauren]

Maggie wrote: "Would World War II mysteries fall in Early 20th Century?"

Yes for this challenge

[Alice]

Susan Spann has another good Japan series set in 1500s

Claws of the Cat is book 1

[Barbara]

I second this recommendation. One thing I like about this series is the contrast between the European and Japanese values as shown by the Jesuit priest and the Japanese ninja.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Lauren; The Wolf and the Watchman: 1793 by Niklas Natt och Dag is set in 1793 Sweden. I dont see a category for 18th century Europe. Can I add this to 19th century Europe setting?

[Ruhani]

I've never done a Historical Mystery Challenge before and want to join since I love this genre. My Goodreads challenge for 2023 is 52 books. So for this I would like to aim for 'Level #3: Doctor of History - 15 to 20 books in at least 10 categories' (tough but doable)

[Lauren]

Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Lauren; The Wolf and the Watchman: 1793 by Niklas Natt och Dag is set in 1793 Sweden. I dont see a category for 18th century Europe. Can I add this to 19th century..."

Yes, that is fine. I will amend the category to include the 18th century.

[Lauren]

Ruhani wrote: "I've never done a Historical Mystery Challenge before and want to join since I love this genre. My Goodreads challenge for 2023 is 52 books. So for this I would like to aim for 'Level #3: Doctor of..."

Welcome!
Make sure to create your own thread in the challenge folder to track your books.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Lauren wrote: "Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Lauren; The Wolf and the Watchman: 1793 by Niklas Natt och Dag is set in 1793 Sweden. I dont see a category for 18th century Europe. Can ..."

Lauren; Thanks!

[Ruhani]

I read Candance Robb's Kate Clifford series sometime back. It is set in medieval England as is her Own Archer series. For this challenge I wanted to try her Margaret Kerr series and slotted it under the Medieval England category. While reading 'The Trust Betrayed' - the first book of the series I realized that it is set entirely in Scotland! Does this mean I can categorize it under 'Medieval Europe'?