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Detective and Mystery Fiction

Mystery Fiction in the BPCL

The Browne Popular Culture Library has rich collections in the detective and mystery fiction genre.  From pulp magazines to vintage paperbacks, from television scripts to manuscript collections, and many things in between, this guide will illustrate the significant collections available here at BGSU.

The works of all major authors of mystery/detective fiction, including classic sleuth stories, hardboiled private eye novels, police procedurals, and spy thrillers, among other genres are represented by some 50,000 volumes of cataloged hardbound and paperback books.

The Mystery Writers of America, Inc. has recognized the Browne Library's commitment to the mystery genre with a Raven Award that was presented on 29 April 2004.

Unique serial resources at the BPCL include dime novels, pulp magazines, and fan and collector publications.

The BPCL's holdings of juvenile series fiction - including the perennial mystery series featuring the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew - are also important resources.

How to Use the BPCL & What to Bring With You

  • BPCL's hours are more limited than the main floor, but we're open late on Monday and Tuesday.
  • We're an archive/repository, so most of our materials cannot be checked out.
  • Most of our collection is not open for browsing. You need to request materials at our reference desk with your university ID or a photo ID. 
  • The reference collection is open for browsing! It's one of the best places to get started with popular culture research.
  • We have a copier and a scanner available for copying/scanning materials that cannot be checked out.  There is a fee for copying, but scanning is free.