In addition to a sophisticated appreciation of the crime and mystery genre, Mystery Scene has a particular interest in the literary life and the media industry. Writers have always had a strong presence in Mystery Scene, but fans love our "insider" information and, in fact, make up the majority of our devoted readership.
We publish a broad range of experienced writers—many of them mystery authors. We also receive contributions from editors, publishers, agents, TV & film folks, and booksellers. We are, however, very open to and appreciative of new writers and new viewpoints. Please be familiar with Mystery Scene before you contact us—we do not publish fiction, for example.
Types of Material
Please click here to read about the type of material we accept and how to write it.
How to Query and Submit Material
First, read this page in detail. Then, read a copy of Mystery Scene. Then contact the appropriate editor with your article ideas. Please be patient, this is a very busy office and a response may take a while.
Once an article is commissioned, email submissions are preferred. Include a one-sentence bio of yourself at the end of the article along with a postal mailing address and contact details. Artwork and photographs are very much welcome, please let us know if these are available.
When to Submit
Mystery Scene Magazine is published four times a year and is approximately 70-80 pages long. We like to work ahead, so please contact us as far in advance as feasible for time-sensitive articles. These dates are subject to the editor's discretion:
Spring Deadline December 1, Publication February 15
Summer Deadline March 1, Publication May 15
Fall Deadline June 1, Publication August 15
Winter Deadline September 1, Publication November 15
"For me, the books I read were the call—the call to adventure, to thinking, to acknowledging other points of view. But to complete the ritual, I needed to respond."
I am surrounded by books. Every room, every space in my large, sprawling 1750s house is full of books...
Our history and experiences can define us, inspire our actions, and as writers impact our words and stories. Mine most definitely has: my father was a small-time gangster. Really.
"My ah-ha moment came when I read The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.... That was it for me – I was off to the races."
Nietzsche once wrote, “There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.”
"Mystery books were daring and exciting, firing up my imagination and making me yearn to become a girl detective or even a secret agent. They also empowered me to make up impromptu ghost stories around the campfire for my Girl Scout troop and sneak into the cemetery at night on a dare."
Fire and Ashes, the latest Angela Richman Death Investigator mystery, is an exploration of a fatal fire. To research this novel, Viets delved into the devastating consequences of junk science and arson investigations.
