Mystery and suspense fiction remain as popular as ever for as many reasons as there are readers. "Those who wish for escape or respite read cozies, historicals, or romance crossovers," says Poisoned Pen editor Barbara Peters. "Those who want to stay on the cutting edge of society read thrillers [from authors] like Daniel Silva, Alex Berenson, or James Rollins." When she acquires manuscripts, Peters strives for the middle ground with an eye to long-term appeal, but as a bookseller she has a front-seat view of the genre's current direction, which she sees as going ever more global. In this article, the author discusses global crime fiction that tackles dark social issues and mystery backlists that go digital.