"Private Investigations: Mystery Writers on the Secrets, Riddles, and Wonders in Their Lives" by Victoria Zackheim is a captivating anthology that offers a unique glimpse into the lives and minds of mystery writers. Through personal essays, these authors share intriguing stories, mysteries, and moments of wonder from their own lives. The collection provides a delightful blend of introspection and storytelling, offering readers a deeper understanding of the creative minds behind some of their favorite mystery novels. Whether you're a fan of the genre or simply interested in the experiences that inspire writers, this book is a compelling and enjoyable read.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this.

This was so much fun to read.

Anyone that loves mysteries and thrillers will likely enjoy this. This was a very unique work where 20 writers tell their own mysteries. Never read anything like this. Highly recommended!

Private Investigations is an anthology of mystery writers who have mysteries in their own lives. The book was really interesting and a great way to 'find' new mystery writers. Personal favorite is Rhys Bowen, who writes about her interest in WWII and the impact its had on her life in 'The Long Shadow of War'. She discusses her family during and after WWII, like not meeting her father until she was 3 years old. And brings in impact of 911 - the differences between prior wars and modern warfare.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS is one of those books wonderful books that you can pick up and randomly choose a story to read. Though all of the author's chapters come together as a whole, I really enjoyed skipping around. The stories by Robert Dugoni, Lynn Cahoon, and Rhys Bowen were my favorites. What a great collection.

“Private Investigations: Mystery Writers on the Secrets, Riddles and Wonders in Their Lives” (2020) compiled and edited by Victoria Zackheim is an inviting and engaging compilation of the writing lives of 20 gifted and notable American and international NYT bestselling authors. With such a wide and vast availability of talent in the national and international literary scene this book is a welcome opportunity for readers and book critics to quickly identify unfamiliar authors and new books of interest.

The themes of these stories begin naturally with the writing life, the events in individual lives that matter: from childhood, coming-of-age, relationships, marriage, the despair of divorce and aftermath, aging, health, illness and wellness.
Another multi-theme in these stories covered the subject of War, Jacqueline Winspear observed the “grotesque dark beauty” of the haunting experience in writing about this genre.
Several author’s included stories of paranormal experiences and how their writing was influenced by the afterlife and spiritualist experiences. After the murder of a brother of a close friend, Hallie Ephron was assured that those like Jeffery Dahmer were not permitted to remain in spirit due to the forces of evil. In “A Trick of Light”: Kristen Lepionka encountered a ghostly presence after moving to a new apartment.
“We don’t receive wisdom. We must discover it for ourselves after a journey no one can take for us or spare us” (Marcel Proust) William Kent Krueger wrote of his mother’s mental illness in “Ordinary Grace”. The story began with his observations as a 6 year old, though he didn’t begin the book until after his mother’s death. Sulari Genthill wrote of her family secret: the existence of her older disabled brother who was a resident of the South Asian Angoda Asylum for over 30 years. Connie Mae Fowler revealed her young childhood suicide attempt.
Asuma Zehanat Khan recalled the profound effect of seeing a resettlement/refugee camp for the first time. When she asked her father about the identity of those contained: “Who are they?”- her father’s serious reply was: “They are your brother’s and sister’s.” Khan said it was impossible to trace the heritage of families like hers, with Pakistani Heritage linked to Pushtun Muslims from Afghanistan and Northern India. No official records were ever kept on such families.

Another fascinating story included was from Zackheim, who explained a paranormal experience; she is a featured conference speaker, and teaches creative non-fiction at the UCLA Extension Writers Program. Zackheim is the author of several notable books, anthologies and collected stories, including: “For Keeps: Women Tell The Truth About Their Bodies, Growing Older and Acceptance” (2007). Zackheim lives in Northern California.

Hi everyone!
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

I'm sorry I'm giving the book this rating and I want to clarify that it is just because I expected something very different.
I love the introduction that explains the concept behind this book. In fact this is a book about mysteries of 20 mystery writers. But I thought there where going to be actual mysteries such as people in their life disappearing or witnessing a murder and stuff like that, but to my surprise the concept of mystery was taken very differently.
Anyway I liked reading about these mysteries that shaped these writers.

Victoria Zackheim's book allows mystery writers to give us a peek into how they write their stories. Twenty authors describe what has influenced their writing over the years. The thread is thin, authors describe childhood stories, war stories, and even ghost stories. This was a hard book to read straight through. I would suggest it in small bits, perhaps when looking for inspiration for your great mystery novel.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in return for my review.

Private Investigations is a collection of essays/stories from various authors who share their own stories and experiences with mystery.
The investigations and the mysteries varied from one author to the other, what mystery meant to each of them and how they dealt with it.
Some stories were interesting, others not that much.
My favourites were by authors i already liked. I enjoyed very much reading Jeffery Deaver "Plot twists", Sulari Gentill "Extra Child" and Robert Dugoni "Nuns, Magic and Steven King". Another story that particularly touched me was by an author i was not familiar with, Rachel Howzell Hall "I don't know this word".
Overall it was an enjoyable boom to read.

Very interesting compilations of short stories by experienced writers on the idea of mystery- and what it means to them. Reading by good authors, even if I am not totally captivated by the subject matter is almost always a pleasure. Seeing how characters and story elements are created is illuminating.
What constitutes a mystery by different people is also fun to see.

Nice little bunch of stories, nice read.

This was a very interesting read. It is a compilation of essays by 20 different mystery writers who each chose a 'mystery' to write about. This mystery could be almost anything: a personal tragedy, a terrible romantic relationship, or a family history. Each writer brought their own voice and story, not that of the characters about whom they usually write, and this was an interesting look into them as people. I greatly enjoyed this collection and would recommend it to others.

I really enjoyed Private Investigations, by contributor Victoria Zackheim. This anthology of favorite mystery writers expounding on the various mysteries in their lives, leaves the reader with an increased knowledge on how broad the term and idea mystery is and how it means different things to different people.

The stories that I enjoyed the most are the ones that talked about how the mysteries in the authors lives directly affected their writing and their careers. Jeffrey Deaver in particular showcased this very well. By far my favorite anecdote was by William Krueger. He drew a direct line between the mystery of his mother and his troubled relationship with her to the influence it had on one of his most acclaimed novels, Ordinary Grace.

Each story was completely original and memorable in different ways. Some were humorous and others heartbreaking. Other standouts for me were- Hallie Ephron’s Ghosted, Sulari Gentill’s An Extra Child, Kristen Lepionka’s A Trick of the Light and Lynn Cahoon’s The Mystery of Deception.

Each writer’s voice is so clear and uniquely their own that each excerpt reads like a mini novel. The best ones let us see into the writers lives and how their own mysteries shape the books we all so dearly love.

The power and mystery of words on a page from those who write them

“Private Investigations” is a must-have anthology for every mystery reader, the ultimate book for fans. This collection is uniquely compelling because the stories and essays are from twenty renowned writers who “make up” things for a living. However, these are not “made up” stories. These are personal stories, written from the heart. They are thought provoking, personal glimpses into the lives of favorite writers.

Writers recount growing up, going to libraries, achieving success, and adjusting to trauma. They share the mystery and power of words and the importance of learning words. Through words on a page, they create worlds of place and time that extend beyond the printed page.

“Private Investigations” consists of personal stories, amusing stories, and stories that make readers think. I was given a copy of” Private Investigations” from Perseus Books, Seal Press, Hachette Book Group, and Victoria Zackheim, editor of the collection. Anthologies allow a reader to finish a quick and compelling story all in one sitting, but these stories will keep readers keep reading until the end

This was such a unique collection of essays. A group of mystery and suspense writers delve into their own lives to determine where these stories are formed and how someone comes to writing and formulating these ideas in their head. It was so intriguing and I loved seeing the “behind the scenes” process that these writers go through. Connie May Fowler’s essay about child abuse was particularly moving and gritty, and I loved seeing her perspective.

These were all engaging and I would recommend this book to anyone who loves nonfiction and essays. Incredibly well done!

Private Investigations is a collection of non-fiction stories from twenty mystery writers: stories of secrets, riddles and wonders of their lives. It is edited by Victoria Zackheim.

Many of the stories in this collection are the perfect length for reading in small bites. Highlights are the contributions by Robert Dugoni, Sulari Gentill, Caroline Leavitt, Steph Cha, William Kent Krueger, Kristen Lepionka, Martin Limon, Halie Ephron and Carole Nelson Douglas.

Hallie Ephron writes about a friend’s communication with her murdered brother.
Jeffery Deaver solves the mystery of being able to live a writer’s life.
Sulari Gentill describes the unexplained boy in family photos that fascinated during childhood.
Cara Black connects with Paris as a writing experience inspired by Maigret.
Connie May Fowler veers from a youthful suicide attempt to a Mexican operating theatre via a cruel mother.
Martin Limon ponders the mystery of life: food, clothing, love and the puzzle of language as a young soldier in post-war Korea, and the secret society that is the US military.
Willian Kent Krueger relates how writing Ordinary Grace helped unravel for him the mystery of his beautiful, talented, clairvoyant, alcoholic, mentally ill mother and his own habit of fabrication.
Ausma Zehanat Khan explains how the mysteries of her family’s past are incorporated into her writing.
Kristen Lepionka describes a series of eerie, unexplained incidents in a new apartment that could be a haunting.
Lynn Cahoon always wondered how women in bad relationships didn’t see the monster they were living with until she ended up there herself.
Rhys Bowen muses on how and why her fascination with wartimes became a significant part of her novels.
Rachel Howzell Hall describes how a diagnosis introduced a whole new, unwelcome vocabulary and resulted in her punching back with words in novels.
Steph Cha at twenty-one, a ground-floor apartment, a peeping tom in the alley, frozen: insight into failure to defend oneself and ever-present danger.
Jacqueline Winspear muses (at length) on how she came to write about the war and crime and mystery, influenced by her family’s wartime experience and her mother’s career.
Tasha Alexander asks “Can we live without mystery?” Short answer: no. Think Princes Diana’s death, Kennedy assassination, the Romanovs…
Carole Nelson Douglas’s father’s sudden and forever absence at a young age, and being an only child left to find answers for herself, gave her a lifelong need to solve life’s mysteries small and large. Career godfathers played a large part.
Caroline Leavitt mysteriously loses her voice. On the long path to recovery and a new voice, she becomes a pantser rather than a plotter, both in writing and life.
Charles Todd details the meticulous research undertaken to make his wartime mysteries authentic.
Robert Dugoni accidentally discovers at twelve years old that “It is the biggest mystery in writing— how to emotionally touch your reader with just your words.” But it takes many years and a non-renewal of a contract before he understands the way to do that is to write from the heart and not the brain.
Anne Perry says much the same, just not as well…
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Perseus Books

Review of uncorrected page proofs

In this anthology, twenty authors bring their own real-life mysteries and secrets to the written page. From heartwarming to captivating to heartbreaking, all offer insight into the thoughts of those who pen tales of mystery and intrigue for the enjoyment of readers everywhere.

Each writer offers thoughtful contemplation and commentary, some on the mystery and magic that is writing while others address the intricacies encountered along the road to publishing success. Still others offer heartbreaking accounts of child abuse or war or puzzling health issues. There are stories about a haunted apartment, a ghostly visitation, a stalker, a mystery child in a photograph as well as musings on the mysteries and surprises of motherhood, expectations, and relationships.

As a collective, the authors offer thought-provoking commentary on writing, on mystery, on life. Although a varied collection, readers will find much to ponder in each of these insightful and interesting contemplations.

Authors included:
Tasha Alexander, Cara Black, Rhys Bowen, Lynn Cahoon, Steph Cha, Jeffrey Deaver, Carole Nelson Douglas, Robert Dugoni, Hallie Ephron, Connie May Fowler, Sulari Gentill, Rachel Howzell Hall, Ausma Zehanat Khan, William Kent Krueger, Caroline Leavitt, Kristen Lepionka, Martin Limón, Anne Perry, Charles Todd, and Jacqueline Winspear

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Perseus Books, Basic Books / Seal Press and NetGalley
#PrivateInvestigations #NetGalley

This is an utterly fascinating book filled with stories that will keep you happily entertained. I loved all the perks into the author's lives and seeing things through their eyes. Pick up this winner of a book. Happy reading!

I received this book from Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book is a collection of essays on writing, gathered and edited by the author. Mystery writers are often asked where they got their inspiration. Each author selected for this book writes from personal experiences and belief systems which influence their story telling and character development. It gives us, the reader, clearer insight into the mystery writers we love and may well introduce you to a new favorite.
Themes, such as spirituality, love of libraries, importance of research, trauma of family violence, mental and other illnesses, family secrets, war and travel, social injustices, etc are among the backgrounds of these writers.
I highly recommend this book to all book clubs, libraries and those readers who enjoy knowing a little about the writers we read.

What a wonderful theme for a book of anthologies!!! I often wonder how the author came up with an idea for a story, because let's face it...some of the stories had to come from an alternate reality or a Ripley's believe or not article in the paper! I always kept a book of anthologies with me to read when doing those errand where you have to wait. These are some of my favorite authors and I get to see them as they flex their writing skills into another's comfort zone.

I love mysteries and thrillers.This is a great collection of essays by mystery authors.Its a mixed bag,definitely not predictable.The essays are short so it keeps your interest.
Thankyou Netgalley for this arc

Anthologies are the perfect antidote to a book reading rut. When you can't decide on one author or story an anthology can help you visit many places in one sitting. This anthology of stories is not as much fiction as other anthologies, but give mystery writers the chance to talk about secrets and suspense in their own lives. This was such a fun change of pace. It was also downright terrifying at times, but the creep factor only helped to lend authenticity to these stories. If you are anything like me you'll find yourself looking up these authors so you can dive into their other words when you are done.