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Organizing Crime: The Mystery Company's Guide to Series (4th Edition)

Introduction to the 4th edition

Nikki Phipps: This is now our sixth introduction and the sixth time explaining the premise to each other. Let’s start on a simple note: What is Organizing Crime?

Jim Huang: A detailed evolution of the international mafia through investigative reporting and testimonials.

Nikki: No, but I would read that. Write that down.

Jim: It’s in the introduction.

Austin Lugar: It’s an examination of the filing system of various cases in police departments over a large number of precincts. 

Nikki: I would open that article, leave the tab open all day and then probably close it without reading it. Seriously guys, Organizing Crime is the guide to life’s great mysteries.

Jim: I think this might be overselling it.

Nikki: The investigations of Harry Bosch, the secrets of Three Pines, the world of Kinsey Millhone. These are the mysteries that keep people up at night. We have the answers.

Austin: Wait, we’re spoiling thousands of mysteries? How long is this book?

Nikki: No, we’re letting you know that there are thousands upon thousands of mysteries to be solved. And we’re here to make you feel less anxious about that. What’s the first thing you do when you want to read a mystery series?

Jim: Read it.

Nikki: What’s the first thing you do when you want to read a mystery series in the right order so you have the clearest sense of how the character and story evolve over time?

Jim: I … read it. Why do I feel you guys do something different? 

Nikki: We’re so close guys. This is literally the fourth edition of this book. You consult Organizing Crime! We’ve gathered hundreds of mystery series and put them in order, so you always know what you’ve read and what to read next. We have all the essential information you need—

Austin: Like two pages of a weird meta introduction.

Nikki: Like two pages of a weird meta introduction, but also descriptions of all the series so you can see ones you’ve read and find new favorites. Also we are encouraging you to write in this book so you can fill out the boxes on what you’ve read or what you own or any notes you want to add.

Austin: No, don’t write in books.

Jim: It’s okay to write in this book.

Austin: It’s sacrilegious. 

Nikki: No, seriously, we are encouraging you to write in this book and make it your own. Look I can speak in underlines and we’re saying: It’s okay to write in this book.

Austin: How did she do that?

Jim: Clean living. 

Nikki: But this is not the end.

Austin: I can see the bottom of the page from here. It’s getting closer!

Nikki: This is the fourth edition and we’re going to keep going! Tell us who you want to add with an email to staff@organizingcrime.com. There will be new books and new series coming out! All the active ones are in here! Series with deceased authors are in Organizing Crime Classics!

Jim: Which you should buy at your local bookstore.

Nikki: For as long as the world keeps going, there will always be cops who haven’t gotten over their divorce, there will always be women who inherit adorable novelty shops, professional detectives, amateur detectives, cops, coroners, criminals and con artists. Our lives are richer knowing that no mystery is forever and that we are surrounded by those capable of solving the impossible. This is not a morbid book, but a hopeful one. It is a great thing that people keep getting murdered.

Austin: We can’t end on that note.

A sample page from Organizing Crime, not actual size: