Did you know you can do the majority of research for your writing projects in front of your computer screen? Hard to believe, but true. More and more writers are finding that they can research almost anything on the Internet, and in the comfort of their own homes at that. They can join online writing support and critique groups, brush up on their grammar skills, and even submit their work to online publishers.

In this article, we're going to concentrate on sites for mystery writers. Mystery writers will automatically love the Internet. It's like following one clue to the next, discovering one item of interest, then searching out another.

Most of the sites are on the World Wide Web, so point your browser to the addresses listed and get ready to be surprised at the wealth of information available.

At the Mystery Writers of America page, you'll find a Calendar of Crime, MWA Awards, and mystery links, as well as information about the MWA itself.

The Sisters in Crime site contains a listing of authors, local chapters, information on juvenile and young adult mystery writing, and book stores.

The Inkspot Writers' Forum: Mystery/Spy/Technothriller Writing is a spot for discussing mystery writing with other readers and writers.

The Mystery Zone contains author spotlights, mystery short stories and novel excerpts, and articles about mystery authors, books, and writing. Also included are links to other pages of interest to mystery writers.

The Case is a fun and challenging mystery site on the WWW. Every Monday, you can start the week with a little mystery "twist." On Wednesday, solve the weekly mystery, and see the mysterious photo on Friday. You can also write or read short mysteries at this site.

At the History of the Mystery site, you'll take an interactive journey through the history of mystery writing. The site contains a detailed evolution of the mystery from Poe to present day.

Alfred Hitchcock - The Master of Suspense. At this site, you'll find a biography and filmography of Hitchcock as well as some of his quotes and essays.

At Midnight Louie's Scratching Post-Intelligencer, you'll find information on mystery author Carole Nelson Douglas and her books.

The Baker Street Connection provides a collection of Sherlock Holmes related material, including the complete canon of fifty-six stories and four novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle between 1887 and 1925.

The Murderous Intent Homepage contains contests for mystery writers, writers' guidelines, sample fiction, and information on their publication.

MYSTERIOUS BYTES is an e-zine devoted to the study of mystery fiction. It's a mixture of long articles and notes about mysteries on the Internet. The editor is always looking for contributions. http://www.db.dk/dbaa/jbs/mystbyte.htm

The Mystery Connection provides information about The Magnifying Glass and Over My Dead Body!, as well as reviews, mystery event listings, information on authors, and links to other mysterious sites.

Mystery Magazines, Fanzines, and Newsletters features magazines and newsletters from many countries as well as fan newsletters from such mystery authors as Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Ed McBain.

At the Unsolved Mysteries Television Show homepage, you can obtain information and photographs on Special Bulletins, Wanted Fugitives, Missing Persons, and Lost Loves that they have recently profiled. This site is a wonderful source of ideas for the mystery writer.

Clive's Virtual Writing Workshop is a twelve-week course in creating classic crime fiction. This course is offered online for a fee.

The Poisoned Pen, is a mystery bookstore that contains recommending reading, a Criminal Calendar, book reviews, upcoming conference information, and reference materials.

Amazon.com is an online book store with an inventory of over one million titles, searchable by keyword, author, title, or subject. Almost all books are discounted.

Mailing Lists for Mystery Writers:

DorothyL is a mailing list dealing with all aspects of mysteries. To subscribe, send an e-mail to listserv@listserv.kent.edu with the message "subscribe Dorothyl (first name) (second name)" (with your name and without the brackets).

Gaslight is a mailing list devoted to early crime fiction. You can subscribe to Gaslight by sending e-mail to mailserv@mtroyal.ab.ca with the message "subscribe Gaslight."

MYSTERY is a mailing list focusing on reviews of mysteries. To subscribe, send an e-mail to mystery-request@lunch.engr.sgi.com with the message "subscribe mystery."

Shortmystery-L is a mailing list for readers and writers of short mystery fiction. Send an e-mail to majordomo@teleport.com with the message "subscribe shortmystery-l-digest."

Two newsgroups for mystery writers are:

Rec.arts.mystery and Alt.pulp.

I'm sure these sites will keep you busy for quite a while! If you have any questions or comments, you can reach me at robinnobles@robinsnest.com.

In the meantime, enjoy the Net!

Robin Nobles is a freelance writer who can be reached at robinnobles@robinsnest.com.

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