A couple of days ago I posted the latest Free and Cheap Kindle (and Nook) Mystery Books entry. When I make up these lists, I always go to the author’s page on the Cozy Mystery site, and then, with the use of Notepad, I go through each of the author’s mysteries. Each time I go through this process, I wonder why publishers/authors don’t do what Leslie mentioned in her comment:
“… If I were a cozy mystery author (or publisher) I would make the first one of a series FREE or very affordable with the idea that I could “hook” new readers to the series. I have found several series that way and now have to keep a personal list by author so I keep up with the latest editions of my favorites and avoid reading out of sequence…”
Going over the latest of these entry, I can see that either Deb Baker (aka Hannah Reed) or her publisher has done just that. Both of the first books in both of her mystery series (Gertie Johnson Murder Mystery Series and Dolls to Die For Mystery Series) are FREE. Another author (or her publisher) who has done this is L.L. Bartlett (aka Lorraine Bartlett & Lorna Barrett). The first mystery in her Jeff Resnick Mystery Series is FREE.
Leslie O’Kane (aka Leslie Cane) is another mystery author who offered the first in her Molly Masters Mystery Series FREE. And although not FREE, Kerry Greenwood (or her publisher) greatly reduced the price of the first mystery in her Phryne Fisher Mystery Series. When was the last time you paid only 99¢ for a mystery novel by a best-selling author?
What a great way for an author to introduce potential future fans to his/her mysteries! These Kindles (and Nooks) make it so easy for this >>> since there are no shipping and handling hassles involved.
Having said all this, I’d like to know if you all take advantage of the FREE first mysteries or not. What I mean is, when you see a Kindle/Nook mystery novel is FREE, are you more apt to try an author who you may not have thought about trying?
(P.S. I am!)
