(Publisher’s note: As many of you know, I love a great cozy mystery and Berkley Prime Crime publishes some of my very favorites, and yours, too, I bet. So, here’s a little history for you.)
Twenty years ago, on March 3, 1994, Berkley Books introduced Berkley Prime Crime (BPC), a mass market mystery imprint that included five launch authors.
In its first year, the imprint published approximately 40 titles, all mass market. In 2013, the imprint published 150 titles, including mass market originals, trade paperbacks, and hardcovers.
Every year, BPC launches approximately 25-30 new series. In the past year, BPC debuted 16 titles on the New York Times Bestsellers List (printed and extended lists combined), which comes out to more than one per month.
“When we launched Berkley Prime Crime in March 1994 I believed that the audience for the traditional or ‘cozy’ mystery was still largely underserved and untapped. Twenty years later, I can say without reservation that this has proven to be correct and that Berkley Prime Crime has succeeded beyond my wildest expectations,” said Natalee Rosenstein, vice president and senior executive editor of Berkley in a press release.
Some of my favorite Prime Crime authors are: Julie Hyzy, Miranda James, Rebecca Hale, Margaret Coel, Carolyn Hart, Earlene Fowler, and Avery Aames.
You can find out more about Berkley Prime Crime titles and authors at The Crime Scene, our cozy mystery Facebook page at www.facebook.com/thecrimescenebooks.
