What is Historical Mystery Day?
Historical Mystery Day:
- celebrates the genre of historical mystery (novels written by contemporary authors with a mystery plot that are set in the past)
- honors authors who popularized the genre, including Elizabeth Peters, Ellis Peters, and Peter Lovesey
- promotes literacy and encourages readers to share their favorite historical mysteries
What date is Historical Mystery Day Celebrated?
Historical Mystery Day is celebrated on September 29th, the birthday of Elizabeth Peters, who helped popularize the genre. Her Amelia Peabody series features an intrepid Victorian lady who solves mysteries while exploring Egypt.
What is a Historical Mystery?
Historical mysteries are novels written by contemporary authors with a mystery plot that are set in the past. The genre has grown tremendously since Agatha Christie wrote Death Comes as the End (1944), which was set in ancient Egypt. Christie wasn’t the first to write a mystery set in the past, but she was the most well-known of the early historical mystery writers. In the 1970s, the genre gained popularity as authors Ellis Peters, Elizabeth Peters, and Peter Lovesey launched long-running series that were set in the past.
The genre continues to grow in popularity with readers as well as critics. A Publishers Weekly article published March 3, 2010 declared, “Never before have so many historical mysteries been published, by so many gifted writers, and covering such a wide range of times and places.” Mystery organizations such as the Crime Writers Association, Mystery Readers International, Malice Domestic, and Left Coast Crime have added the category of Historical Mystery to their award lists to recognize excellence in the genre.
Who created Historical Mystery Day?
USA Today bestselling mystery author Sara Rosett is the founder of Historical Mystery Day. First published in 2006, Sara has written 30 mysteries. Besides being a fan of the genre, she is also the author of the High Society Lady Detective series, which is set in 1920s England and features a lady sleuth. In late 2020, Sara was researching bookish days to share with her readers during the upcoming year. As she noted the dates on her brand new 2021 calendar she realized that there wasn’t a day to celebrate historical mysteries. She decided this gap in the bookish holiday calendar should be filled! Historical mysteries deserved their own day on the literary calendar.
Why did Sara Rosett create Historical Mystery Day?
After discovering the joys of locked rooms, isolated country estates, and quirky detectives, Sara was hooked on the genre as both a reader and a writer. She created Historical Mystery Day to spread the word about the genre, to support her fellow historical mystery authors, and to encourage readers to share about their favorite historical mysteries.
Does Historical Mystery Day have a hashtag?
Yes, it does! The official hashtag is #HistoricalMysteryDay.
How can you get involved in Historical Mystery Day?
Readers:
- Share your favorite historical mysteries
- Take the Historical Mystery Day survey
- Try a historical mystery, if you’ve never read one
- Use the hashtag #HistoricalMysteryDay
- Create a Reading Challenge focused on historical mysteries (link)
Libraries and Bookstores:
- Create book displays with historical mysteries (spreadsheet with a sampling of authors/subgenres)
- Newsletter and/or website mention (downloadable social media graphics available)
- Share on social media with the hashtag #HistoricalMysteryDay
- Share one of the pre-made historical mystery Reading Challenges (downloadable social media graphics available) or create your own
- Host a local historical mystery author. Find authors through these organizations:
Bookstagrammers/BookTubers/Bloggers:
- Share your favorite historical mysteries
- Try a historical mystery, if you’ve never read one
- Use the hashtag #HistoricalMysteryDay
- Create a Reading Challenge focused on historical mysteries (downloadable social media graphics available)
- Share the Historical Mystery Day survey
Authors:
- Share your favorite historical mysteries
- Use the hashtag #HistoricalMysteryDay
- Create a Reading Challenge focused on historical mysteries (link) or create your own
- Host a giveaway of your historical mystery books in print, ebook, or audio
- Share the Historical Mystery Day survey
- Add your book to Historical Mysteries by Time Period spreadsheet through this form (link)
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