Where mystery lovers meet and greet

The annual festival run by Mary Alice Gorman and Richard Goldman of the Mystery Lovers Bookshop (concluding the “unofficial trifecta” that began with the Edgars and continued with Malice Domestic) takes place today in the Pittsburgh area, and the Tribune Review’s Rege Behe finds out why this little festival has become so incredibly popular: 

“What makes the place so special, and it is special, is how Mary Alice

and Richard know each of their customers, and the way they reach out to

writers,” Ephron says. “What you end up with is a great sense of

community, of readers and writers connecting with one another in person

and then through the pages of the books, mediated by these two

matchmakers.”

One of the only drawbacks to the festival is that it can’t

accommodate all the writers who want to participate. Gorman no longer

has to recruit writers — they call her. She gives credit to the

readers who pack St. Irenaeus for the festival and attend other events

throughout the year at the store.

“Pittsburgh mystery readers are a different kind of person,” she says. “They thank

writers for writing, and I guess nobody else does that, which I find

kind of interesting. That’s the kind of relationship readers (here)

have with writers, and writers find that refreshing.”

Ephron agrees the festival has a “stellar reputation” among

writers, some who have gone on to best-selling status. Michael

Connelly, Sarah Strohmeyer and Lippman are among the best-selling

mystery writers who have participated at previous festivals.

If you’re in and around the area, check it out between 4 and 9 PM today and meet some of the best veteran and new mystery writers around.