I can’t read fast enough.

“So many books, so little time” is the story of my life, in a nutshell. I think part of my problem is that I like too many things. I like mysteries because I want to see if I am more clever than the detective (or the killer). I like historical fiction because I feel it’s an interesting way to learn about the past, especially how people lived in the past. I like science, and biographies, and history and the list goes on. Sometimes I envy people who only read one genre, but I just can’t hold myself to one type of book or genre or, heaven forbid, just one author!

I just said I liked mysteries, but here’s a mild pet peeve: so many mysteries are part of a series. I will pick up a book that looks great, only to find out it’s the 20th book in the series! Suddenly, I haven’t added one book to my “Gee I’d love to read this” list, I’ve added 20. You can see how this can lead to feeling overwhelmed. I have a hard time reading books out of order, too. I can do it, I just don’t like it.

When it comes to mystery series, one of my favorite websites is “Stop, You’re Killing Me”! The web address is www.stopyourekillingme.com and it’s a great place to research a book or series, or to find your next book to read.

Across the top of the page is an alphabetical search, allowing you to search either by author or by character. This is very handy. You may remember that you love Kinsey Millhone, but you may not recall that Sue Grafton is the author. But then, to the left, are more great ways to search. Say you want to read books that take place in West Virginia; go to the Location Index. Or you want to read mysteries involving newspaper editors; there’s a Job Index. What about mysteries set during World War II? Try the Historical Index. Or let’s get more detailed—with the Diversity Index, you can find mysteries about the Amish or Gypsies or the disabled. We can even break the mystery genre down into sub-genres, such as cozy mysteries or humorous mysteries. You can find mysteries that feature real people, or spies or pets. If you can think of a topic, SYKM can help you find a book about it!

Finally, the body of the page is full of links to various mystery awards. If you want to read the winners of the Agatha Award or the Edgar Award, it’s all right there for you to easily access.

They also offer a listing of Read-Alikes, either by author or by category. So, if you like P.D. James, you may like Elizabeth George, Martha Grimes or Laurie R. King. If you like female sleuths, try Sara Paretsky or J.A. Jance. If you like Tough Crime, look for Randy Wayne White or Michael McGarrity.

The only downside to all this is that your To Be Read pile is going to grow to incredible heights as you browse this site. You have been warned!