Library Programs for Teens: Mystery Theater »

Library Programs for Teens: Mystery Theater provides readers with complete instructions to create a successful mystery theater program. This guide solves the ever puzzling programming issues of timing, setting clues, props, costumes, decorations, and food.

School Library Journal

This extensive guide provides a wealth of information on mystery-theater programs. This type of event combines a whodunit with performance, which attracts nontraditional patrons and allows teens to interact with adults in a fun setting. Part I focuses on the nuts and bolts of the program, explaining how to host a mystery and the steps to create your own script. The meat of the book is Part II, with its collection of library-themed and general mystery scripts that are lively and entertaining. Each one has a list of characters, interrogation questions, and suggestions for props and costumes. There are also examples of publicity pieces and handouts. The only drawback is the lack of a CD or Web site that would allow users to reproduce the materials or to use a template to create their own scripts. Still, this guide is invaluable for what it does.—Melissa Rabey, Frederick County Public Libraries, Frederick, MD