The mystery genre has been described in many places as offering fiction writers an excellent avenue for social commentary. Like sociologists, contemporary mystery writers explore the myriad facets of social behavior. William Edwards (University of San Francisco) has organized a panel of noted mystery writers to discuss the close relationship between their novels, the mystery genre, and the field of sociology. The panel includes: Michael Connelly, Barbara D’Amato, Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos, and Paula Woods. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind session!