If you think mystery stories begin and end with stuffy British detectives making cold deductions in 19th-century drawing rooms, think again. The genre is one of the most popular in publishing, with stories that range from noir to romance to taut thriller. The genre also has some of the most devoted fans around. Mystery readers love to discuss their latest finds and swap titles with other fans, and the blogs on this list are only a few of the many that exist to let the mystery-loving community discover what’s out there. Add them to your bookmarks, blogroll, and RSS feeds, and you’ll always be up on the latest in the world of mysteries. Enjoy:

News, Reviews, and Publishing

These blogs come from authors and editors involved in the publishing business.

1. Murderati: Murderati examines trends in publishing and marketing through the eyes of mystery writers.
2. Mystery Fanfare: This blog is run by Janet Rudolph, editor of the Mystery Readers Journal, which makes it a great resource for official news.
3. The Rap Sheet: This is a great blog for news and reviews of new and old content in all forms.
4. Sons of Spade: With a name inspired by a classic mystery character, this blog offers valuable reviews of mystery titles as well as interviews with prominent authors.
5. Shots: The Crime & Thriller Ezine: The blog of the U.K. magazine Shots has plenty of news and reviews about mystery and other genre fiction. Great for British readers.
6. Mysteries in Paradise: In addition to coverage of new titles, this blog also highlights old and forgotten mystery titles that make for ideal hunting in used book stores.
7. Detectives Beyond Borders: Peter Rozovsky, whose day job is copy editing, runs this lively and interesting blog dedicated to happenings in the mystery-lit world.
8. Paper Cuts: The literary blog from The New York Times is a required blog for fans of mystery lit. The blog covers all genres, and it does so with typical quality and skill.
9. Euro Crime: This blog covers the latest in the British and European book worlds, and also has contests in which readers can win free books.
10. Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind: Sarah Weinman writes about mystery writing for The Los Angeles Times and the Barnes & Noble Review, and she’s also a short fiction author. Definitely one of the best mystery bloggers in the game.
11. Reading in Reykjav�k: The title’s no lie: this blog is based in Iceland, and it covers new releases, best-of lists, and questions about reading.
12. Mysterious Matters: Mystery Publishing Demystified: This blog aimed at readers and writers aims to give people the inside track on what it takes to publish a mystery book.
13. Art & Literature: This in-depth blog focuses primarily on Southern mystery literature, with great info on new books, interviews with authors, and smart reviews.
14. Sisters in Crime: Sisters in Crime is dedicated to promoting female mystery writers, and their entries range from advice on self-publishing to how to use social media to your advantage.
15. I Love a Good Mystery: Tania Hutchison’s blog is a great example of pro-level blogging from fans who just love reading.
16. Lesa’s Book Critiques: Arizona librarian Lesa Holstine blogs about mysteries and a few other topics at this stripped-down but informative site.
17. Hey, There’s a Dead Guy in the Living Room: In addition to having the best title on this list, this blog offers readers tons of useful insight into writing and publishing in the digital era.
18. Existentialist Man: This highbrow blog uses mystery fiction to explore the nature of life and existence. A wonderful find.

Book Stores

These blogs are maintained by mystery book store owners.

19. Murder by the Blog: Houston outlet Murder by the Book maintains this news and reviews blog at the Houston Chronicle. A great one for fans of indie mystery titles.
20. Seattle Mystery Bookshop: The popular Washington book store uses this blog to promote in-store events and get the word out about new titles.
21. Book Hampton: With three locations in the Hamptons, this book store has been a community institution since the 1960s. The blog offers reviews, staff picks, and handy links for ordering.
22. MBTB’s Mystery Book Blog: Another store called Murder by the Book (it’s a popular name in the field), this one in Portland, Oregon, uses this blog to let readers know what the staff is currently enjoying.

True Crime

Some of the best mystery stories are true. These blogs explore the world of true crime writing.

23. Crime Scraps: Real and fictional crimes committed in Europe are the focus of this compelling mystery blog.
24. True Crime Report: Tons of great news stories on this blog, sortable by category (the creepiest of which is easily “Unsolved”).
25. Women in Crime Ink: A collection of female authors and law enforcement professionals contribute to this blog about crime and the media.
26. The Malefactor’s Register: This fantastically researched blog covers crime from all eras of the 20th century. A wonderful read for mystery and history buffs.
27. CLEWS: Your Home for Historic True Crime: Historian Laura James maintains this blog, which highlights the best of true crime writing from around the world and the web.

Authors

These blogs come straight from the fingers of mystery and crime writers themselves.

28. Crime Always Pays: Declan Burke’s blog is a wonderful resource for his own work as well as his reviews of other major mysteries.
29. Jungle Red: This collective blog is the work of six authors who trade off writing about mystery fiction, life, relationships, and more.
30. Small Crimes: Crime author Dave Zelsterman also has a professional website, but this blog is where talks about his work, appearances, and other happenings in mystery writing.
31. Riordan’s Desk: Mark Coggins explores life and writing through the lens of August Riordan, his private-eye protagonist.
32. The Graveyard Shift: Lee Lofland, a former detective, writes for a variety of outlets about crime and murder, and his blog is a central hub for his work and more personal entries.
33. CrimeRant: Author Gregg Olsen’s true crime stories have focused on serial killers and twisted ministers, and his blog is an ideal resource for fans of his hard-boiled tales.
34. Anthony Rainone: Anthony Rainone’s short stories have appeared in a variety of magazines, and he also writes articles and essays for newspapers and mystery websites.
35. Dot Dead Diary: This is the personal blog of Keith Raffel, author of Dot Dead and Smasher, and it covers everything from work-related travels to his favorite music.
36. A Million Blogging Monkeys: Author Alan Orloff’s blog is a simple but entertaining collection of personal anecdotes. He also features guest posts from fellow mystery authors.
37. Babble ‘n Blog: Sue Ann Jaffarian, author of multiple mystery series, uses this blog to interact with the mystery community.
38. Kill Zone: Ten mystery authors collaborate on this blog that often uses news and current events as the starting point for interesting discussions on the art of storytelling.
39. Tess Gerritsen: Tess Gerritsen is the author of multiple books and series, including the Rizzoli & Isles books that have been turned into a TNT series. Her blog is full of informed commentary on the book world.
40. The Outfit: Billing itself as “a collection of Chicago crime writers,” this blog has 11 authors contributing posts on everything from politics to fiction writing.
41. Secret Dead Blog: This blog doesn’t always have as many new posts as other sites — the tagline says it’s been “updated in fits and starts since 2004″ — but Duane Swierczynski’s online home is a great way to know what’s next for this author of novels and comic books.

Online Fiction

Get your fix of short stories (and some longer ones) with these sites.

42. The Chill of Night: This blog offers regular updates with new short stories, all free.
43. Darkest Before the Dawn: These stories are kept between 2,500 and 10,000 words, making them perfect choices for reading on smartphones or tablets if you’re not tied to a desktop.
44. The Flash Fiction Offensive: This crime fiction blog is partnered with Out of the Gutter magazine, which focuses on darker crime stories.
45. Powder Burn Flash: These quick-read stories, all under 1,000 words, are a great way to get a pulp fix. Death, dames, and dirty deeds, all for the taking.
46. CrimeWAV: This podcast offers serialized installments of novellas and short stories. Perfect for mystery fans saddled with lengthy commutes.
47. A Twist of Noir: In addition to an extensive catalog of short stories, this blog offers dozens of great links to other online mystery resources.
48. Thrillers, Killers ‘n’ Chillers: The tales on this site weave together elements of mystery, horror, suspense, and other gut-punch genres to create unique experiences for readers. Submissions are capped at 2,500 words.
49. Fictional Musings: The short stories on this blog (700 words or less) are split up by topic and author, and the blog owners also welcome reader submissions.
50. Plots With Guns: This online fiction magazine publishes stories between 2,000 and 10,000 words that encourages writers and readers to push the rules of the genre.