The origin of the mystery is uncertain, but it can be traced back to ancient times.  As long as there has been crime, there has been mystery.

The very first mystery was published in 1841 by Edgar Allan Poe.  The title of his book was The Murders in the Rue Morgue. He inspired many others to write mysteries, including the famous Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote about his well-known character, Sherlock Holmes.

In 1903, the first mystery movie was made based on a train robbery, called The Great Train Robbery.  The 1920's brought books we still read and enjoy today, including Agatha Christie's novels and The Hardy Boys, which were first published in 1927.  Three years later, Nancy Drew embarked on her numerous mystery adventures and Ellery Queen was introduced to the delight of many. That same year, the first radio show based on detectives began to air weekly. It was a popular show for all listeners. Comic books were soon showcasing Batman and Robin, which drew the younger crowd into the mystery scene.

In the 1950's, more people became exposed to mystery and detective stories when they aired as television shows.  Hitchcock, Perry Mason and Dragnet, were among the first. The first interactive mystery series called Unsolved Mysteries, provides viewers with scenarios about true life cases.  People are encouraged to help by giving authorities any information they have about the mysteries.

Although they continued to be popular, it wasn't until 1972 that the first bookstore opened that was dedicated entirely to mysteries. The first online mystery website was created in the year 1995; and in 1999, the only type of book that was more popular than the mystery was romance. Maybe together we can get mysteries back to Number One! So keep on reading them!

Who knows what the new Millennium will bring for mysteries.  We'll just have to wait and see!

It's up to you, gumshoe!