The simple formula for mystery novels revolves around the investigation and resolution of a crime. These ‘whodunits’ focus on solving a crime and pursuing justice, the reader following a series of clues along with the main character. Within this straightforward formula, a tangled web is then spun. Mysteries can be page-turners or slow-burning, gentle or gritty, sparsely written or richly descriptive. For most mysteries, the setting--either the physical location or time period--plays a crucial role in how the reader enjoys the story.

A very common request we get at the Library is for mystery books that allow for armchair travel and exploring crimes in other countries from the comfort of your reading nook. There are many amazing mysteries set around the world, written by authors from a wide variety of backgrounds. Slightly more challenging to find are books in translation, mysteries written by and about countries outside of the United States translated from other languages into English. If you’re interested in expanding your mystery reading outside of the U.S., here are some suggestions, tips, and tricks to try.

How to Find More:

• Pair these keywords with ‘mystery’ in your catalog search: international, world, translations/translated. Then, filter your results by content (fiction) and region.
• Check out the community and staff lists on the Library’s catalog that also include books you liked.
• Explore Novelist Plus for more suggestions. You can find specific lists such as “Scandinavian Crime Fiction” or search using similar keywords as your library catalog search (these terms can also be used in a search engine such as Google; your results will vary.)
• Follow mystery fiction resources online for armchair travel mysteries or specific translated mystery discoveries:
  • The Crime Writers’ Association’s annual Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger Award
  • Murder and Mayhem’s International Mystery and Thrillers lists
  • CrimeReads international crime fiction lists
• Use the BookMatch or Book-a-Librarian services to get individualized help, reading suggestions, or tutorials on navigating the library catalog.

Try These Next:

• Mrs. Mohr Goes Missing by Maryla Szymiczkowa (Europe)
• Lightseekers by Femi Kayode (Africa)
• The Final Curtain by Keigo Higashino (Asia)
• Don't Send Flowers by Martin Solares (North America)
• Portrait of An Unknown Lady by Maria Gainza (South America)
• Everyone on This Train Is A Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson (Australia)

You might be a fan of translated mysteries or armchair travel mysteries if you like these authors:

• Fred Vargas
• Andrea Camilleri
• Umberto Eco
• Deon Meyer
• Louise Penny
• Val McDermid
• Donna Leon
• Alexander McCall Smith
• Kwei Quartey
• Jean-Luc Bannalec
• Sujata Massey
• Phillip Kerr
• Colin Cotterill

Launched in 2016, the internship helps prepare young adults entering the workforce to find rewarding careers and access higher education.

Essential to the program is a project-based learning component that encourages interns to learn, explore, and get inspired, all while creating S.M.A.R.T.—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—goals to help them complete their projects.

Shelby Barnes, one of the program's first interns, now plays a pivotal role as a STEM and Learning Assistant. She fondly recalls, "I have always enjoyed going to the library since I was a kid. When I mentioned this love to my mentor, she suggested I intern at the library…I didn't expect that single decision to lead me to where I am now, but I am grateful it did."

Managing the program is Megan Burton, STEM and Learning Supervisor, who explains the most rewarding part about working with these students is "[it's] closing time, and the interns are walking with me around the outside of the library – there's laughter and joy as we check to make sure the doors are locked and say our goodbyes for the day. "Before I go, can I tell you something?" An intern asks.

We stop for a while and talk about their future goals and how things are going as they are working toward their dreams. And for many, their dreams are feeling more and more attainable because of the skills and experiences we can provide through the internship. The glimmer in someone's eyes, when they figure out how to solve a challenge they have been facing, the thrill of seeing them achieve their goals, and the meaningful heart-to-heart conversations shared with all my mentees, have been the greatest joy of my career."

After a three-year break, one intern who benefited from the return of the program was Andrew Parry, who was recruited alongside fellow intern Imogen Pederson from the Washington Youth Academy, and Alejandro Monterrey, a teen patron at the Downtown Bremerton branch.

Andrew's project pushed him to create an animated video explaining the rules of the popular card game Magic: The Gathering.

Megan explains, "Andrew worked diligently throughout the internship, graduated high school in June 2023, and applied to universities and scholarships. His goal was to complete the internship project before moving, and he set forth to create learning materials about Magic: The Gathering aimed at library audiences looking to try the game for the first time.

His animated short that explains the gameplay was not just his first time writing a script; it was also the first time he had ever animated. Andrew has a great talent for animation and a strong aptitude for technology and engineering that he will continue to explore in his new adventures in higher education."

Andrew shares, "The most rewarding part of my internship was the relationships that I forged with the people I worked with; while I learned a lot and enjoyed animating, it was amazing to be able to meet all these new people who all did things to support the library and work with Shelby and Megan the entire time."

After graduating from his internship, Andrew received a scholarship from Washington Youth Academy to further his studies at Western Washington University, where he plans to receive his bachelor's degree in computer science.

When reflecting on its impact, Megan says, "In many ways, the internship program has become my life's work, and my hope is to help every intern I can until the day I retire. This was exactly the kind of work I was dreaming about doing when I was in library school, and to be working for the same library where I attended Storytime as a child is a dream come true."

“Gentle Reads” can be found in all genres, including historical, mystery, literary, suspense, and relationship fiction. They are not all cheery, breezy stories, there may certainly be tragedy and struggle. The key is that characters overcome these challenges through positivity, kindness, love, strength, and compassion.

You might be a “Gentle Reads” fan if you like these authors:

• Alexander McCall Smith
• Andriana Trigiani
• Debbie Macomber
• Dorothea Benton Frank
• Elizabeth Berg
• Fannie Flagg
• Ivan Doig
• Jan Karon
• Jennifer Chiaverini
• Joanne Fluke
• Karen Kingsbury
• M.C. Beaton
• Maeve Binchy
• Richard Paul Evans
• Sarah Addison Allen
• Sheila Roberts
• Susan Wiggs

Try These Next:

• Arsenic and Adobo
• Ever Faithful
• Glory Be
• An Irish Country Welcome
• Love & Saffron
• Mrs Harris Goes to Paris
• The Travelling Cat Chronicles

How to Find More:

• Use keywords in your catalog search such as: heartwarming, inspiring, gentle, and cozy.
• Check out the community and staff lists on the library’s catalog that also include books you liked.
• Explore NovelistPlus for more suggestions and discussion of ‘gentle reads.’

The primary focus of this project has been the installation of a much-needed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, addressing the challenge of maintaining a comfortable environment for library visitors. The unique construction of this historic building presented significant challenges, but the City’s dedication to this project has been unwavering.

While the building was temporarily closed for these critical HVAC improvements, the Library took the opportunity to enhance the facility further. This included a comprehensive upgrade of the network cabling to support the growing demand for technology within the library. 

Our libraries play a critical role in their communities by providing shelter as warming and cooling centers in extreme weather. Previous to this closure, this branch has had a history of unscheduled closures in extreme weather due to the lack of heating and cooling support in the building. Now, our Bremerton - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. branch can also serve our community in this way.

Welcome back!

Original Post: We were inspired by a recent poll from our friends at Sno-Isle Libraries, so we polled our library staff, consulted our check-out records for most borrowed titles, and compiled lists by genres that our staff and patrons loved. Now it's your turn to vote for your favorite titles of the past year! View our list of 2023 Wrapped books below and vote for your top picks. The winning titles will be announced in late December, so check back soon to see if your favorite title made it to the top of the list.

View all 2023 Wrapped Fiction Picks

View all 2023 Wrapped Nonfiction Picks

View all 2023 Wrapped Mystery/Thriller/Horror Picks

View all 2023 Wrapped Historical Picks

View all 2023 Wrapped Romance/Relationship Picks

View all 2023 Wrapped Science Fiction/Fantasy Picks

Closing on July 17, Kitsap Regional Library has been working collaboratively with the building owner, the City of Bremerton, as they completed essential upgrades to the Downtown Bremerton branch.

The primary focus of this project has been the installation of a much-needed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, addressing the challenge of maintaining a comfortable environment for library visitors. The unique construction of this historic building presented significant challenges, but the City’s dedication to this project has been unwavering.

While the building was temporarily closed for these critical HVAC improvements, the Library took the opportunity to enhance the facility further. This included a comprehensive upgrade of the network cabling to support the growing demand for technology within the library. Additionally, we anticipate the reopening will bring a fresh look with new signage.

Previous to this closure, this branch has had a history of unscheduled closures in extreme weather due to the lack of heating and cooling support in the building. As we approach the winter months, we eagerly anticipate the reopening of the Downtown Bremerton branch.

Our libraries play a critical role in their communities by providing shelter as warming and cooling centers in extreme weather. Now, our Downtown Bremerton branch can also serve our community in this way.

Discover now!

Hailing from England, Gem has been a Kitsap County resident for 11 years. She began work in the area as an intern at the Northwest Film Forum, cataloging their film vault. In 2016, she joined the Library and currently serves as the Teen Services Librarian at the Bainbridge Island branch.

Outside of work, she has been a freelance entertainment journalist for 12 years. She crafts monthly articles for TechRadar and Regal Cinemas, alongside managing and writing for her blog, "Highway to Horror," which delves into the eerie locales featured in horror films.

Whether at work or out discovering spooky exhibits, Gem says she "likes to integrate her interests where possible and appropriate." Every week, during Teen Space, she facilitates a movie and discussion. She also co-hosted the Teen Writers Workshop for two years with local author Rayne Lacko. Gem says she "always tries to support teens wanting to participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)."

Recently, Gem co-authored "The Screen Traveler's Guide," which invites cinephiles to travel the globe, visiting the locations behind blockbuster movies and binge-worthy TV shows.

Described as the "essential travel guide for every screen lover," the opportunity to contribute to this remarkable work arose when a publishing company, impressed by her horror film blog, sought Gem out. She shares, "An editor approached me from Dorling Kindersley through my freelance writing site, which showcases my portfolio. Once I read the brief, I was given the option to choose from all of the films and TV shows they intended to cover and select a handful. After that, I received in-depth overviews of how to structure each piece, source, and cite and how the revision process would work. Following the first six entries I completed, I was approached to write additional lists that would appear throughout the book."

About the opportunity, Gem says, "Being approached to contribute was honestly a dream come true; I had to Google the editor as I thought someone was pulling my leg."

When asked what advice she would share with those interested in writing, she answers, "Spend time figuring out when you feel most creative and base a writing schedule around it. For me, I'm at my best first thing in the morning and then late at night. It varies for everyone, and it's worth taking a minute to find your sweet spot. Oh, and don't compare your output with other writers! Comparison is the thief of joy."

Congratulations, Gem! 

1. Online
   1. Visit KRL.org/remoteprint
   2. Upload your file and select your print settings
   3. Enter your library card or name and email address
   4. Instructions for retrieving your print will be emailed to you, along with a release code
2. Mobile App
   1. Download the ePRINTit SaaS mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
   2. Select the file type you would like to print
   3. A release code will be available in-app once the print job is ready

Retrieve your prints at any branch. Once at the print kiosk, scan your library card and enter the release code or the name you used to submit your files at the print kiosk. Pay any balance--library cardholders receive a $10 credit, which resets weekly as outlined in our Fee Schedule--and collect your prints.

In addition, we will continue to offer free printing and copying services to patrons, up to $10 per week, which will be credited to each patron’s library account and reset each week, as outlined in our Fee Schedule. If you would like to print or copy more than $10 a week, you will be able to insert cash or a credit card directly into the machine. Printing or copying in black and white is $.10 per page, and color is $.25 per page.

To receive free prints or copies, you will be required to use your library card. If you are using a guest pass, you are welcome to pay for copies or prints.