Composing a Life in Books speaks to everyone who appreciates mystery, detective and romance stories. In a series of twenty-two brief essays, the author reflects on these genres - why they matter, where they come from, how they work, when they help and what makes them relevant to modern life. This book is a tribute to the ability of old fashioned storytelling to sharpen our awareness of the human condition and lessons that are found not only in serious literature, but popular fiction as well.