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[Image from Pictures of Personality - Icons. If you interested in personality types as a background for character development this looks like it might be an interesting site to investigate.]

Here it is December and we've got a new issue out for you. We've got a pretty good mix of reviews this month -- thrillers, cozy, hard boiled, soft boiled, and some humorous. We even have a music review and a review of Reading CSI: Crime TV Under the Microscope edited by Michael Allen.

I also tried to put together a list of books with winter holidays themes or that take place around the winter holidays published in 2007. It's pretty pathetic at this point. What with the upcoming and past holidays, attending two conventions and preparing for the panels I was on, well, I didn't get much done on it. So, that's where you come in. If you know about a book that should be on my list use the feedback form and tell me about it. I'll be adding to the list throughout December. I'm saying winter holidays because it should include all the various religious and pagan winter holiday related mysteries. Hmm, wonder if I should ask about movies too...

Anyway, now for our usual announcements.

Reviewers Wanted:
While we're happy to have a core of great reviewers for Gumshoe, we'd like to have more. If you have a great desire to review mysteries for no pay but the glory of a by-line, write to us at editor(at)gumshoereview(dot)com telling us a bit about yourself and send a 500 word (or so) review of a mystery that you have recently read as a sample. We should be able to get back to you within the month.

Publishers Take Note:
Material sent to us will be listed in our books received column and may also be commented on or reviewed. With few exceptions, material not sent will not be listed or reviewed. Please send materials to Gumshoe c/o Gayle Surrette, 16440 Baden Westwood Road, Brandywine, MD 20613.

Gumshoe covers the entire spectrum of the mystery genre. If it seems that we are heavily leaning towards cozies it could be because we're receiving cozies. If it's mystery, mystery/thriller, noir, police procedural, whatever...send it along and well add it to our books received and maybe even review it.

Many have asked -- we do cover small press. So, if your book is a published by a small press make sure we get a copy to add to our books received column and list for our reviewers.

Media People Take Note:
We'd really like to have some reviews of newly released DVDs and other media but if we don't get copies we unlikely to review them. So send your copies to Gumshoe c/o Gayle Surrette, 16440 Baden Westwood Road, Brandywine, MD 20613.

Convention Calendar:
We'd like to add a convention calendar to our magazine. However, we don't have time to scour the internet looking for what's happening in the mystery arena. Please send us your convention listings. Send to: editor(at)gumshoereview(dot)com.

Letters to the Editor(s):
Putting out a monthly ezine is always entertaining and for us a learning experience -- however, without feedback we really don't know how we're doing. Write and let us know what you think of our zine and how we could make it better or what you thought of the books we reviewed. Send to: editor(at)gumshoereview(dot)com.