That's just, like, your opinion, man.... by Eric Beetner

Business: I just found out that Publishers Weekly has let go of some its reviewers and is reviewing fewer mysteries. PW is one of the top reviewers. Which reviewers will take their place? Kirkus? Booklist? Library Journal? Or maybe some of the private reviewers. Do reviews matter to you? Do you think they influence readers? Who do you count on for reviews and why? 

Reviews are great if you trust the reviewer. These days it seems everyone is a critic. Some outlets have more caché, like Publisher’s Weekly and the news that they are cutting back on staff and reviewing fewer mysteries is not good news, but their audience is also industry-focused. Sure, a great review will likely end up on the cover of a book as endorsement to potential readers who have never seen a copy of PW, but I know I’ve bought far more books from recommendations of a select group of people I know and trust than I ever have off a PW review.

Any large publication – the NY Times, Kirkus (also industry-centric) Wall St Journal – adds a certain weight behind their reviews, just as a big-name author blurb adds the weight of their own work to a new book or author. But I think most people take that extra step of buying a book based off a tip from someone they know personally. The old word-of-mouth.

The more a book is being talked about in circles where I know I trust the opinions of the people talking, the more likely I am to pick up a book. I often find myself at odds with many mainstream reviewers or other endorsements, for example the Edgar Awards. I haven’t enjoyed very many Edgar nominees. They usually aren’t to my personal taste. So while that gold star on a book will move many people to check it out, it doesn’t influence me.

The rise of social media influencers has made a huge impact on book sales, though it seems like much of the biggest numbers come from fantasy, YA, romance or romantic suspense over traditional crime/mystery/thrillers. Certain groups just tend to use social media differently. 

The magic bullet for coverage on a book is that tipping point of when the conversation is less about the book and becomes about the fact that everyone is talking about the book. Because if everyone is talking about it, there must be something there, right? Phenomena like Gone Girl, Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Twilight all had that moment when the discussion about the book was about how popular it had become, not whether or not it was a good book. I can’t tell you how many people said to me that “the first 100 pages was really dull, but then it picked up” when discussing the Stieg Larsson books. That wasn’t an endorsement for me and I never bothered to read them. I knew it wasn’t for me. But it didn’t stop millions from checking out the book on everyone’s lips.

Reviews are important, but who you trust with your reviews makes all the difference. With a scale-back of PW it means fewer mystery titles will get in front of librarians and booksellers, which can be an issue. If your book isn’t on a shelf then no amount of social media chatter about it can help you. But in this world of global influence coming from someone’s bedroom, the bigger review outlets are less relevant than before. The same thing has happened to movies where once a thumbs up or down from only two guys in Chicago could make or break a film’s release, now the internet is overflowing with armchair Siskels and Eberts more than willing to shove their unsolicited two cents about a film into your ear. 

Like anything online, you have to find your trusted sources. But I think anything that gets people talking about books more is a good thing.