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Mystery: A Seduction, A Strategy, A Solution
New York Times bestselling author Jonah Lehrer “unravels the mystery of mysteries” in this “absolute delight” (Malcolm Gladwell) of a book that blends psychology, neuroscience, and anthropology to shine a new light on everything from the formulas of our favorite detective shows to the tricks of successful advertising campaigns and the calculated risks of the stock market.Why is mystery so compelling? What draws us to the unknown? Jonah Lehrer sets out to answer these questions in a vividly entertaining and surprisingly profound journey through the science of suspense. He finds that nothing can capture a person’s attention as strongly as mystery, and that mystery is the key principle in how humans view and understand the world. Whenever patterns are broken, we are hard-wired to find out why. Without our curiosity driving us to pursue new discoveries and solve stubborn problems, we would never have achieved the breakthroughs that have revolutionized human medicine, technology—and culture. From Shakespeare’s plays to the earliest works of the detective genre, our entertainment and media have continually reinvented successful forms of mystery to hook audiences. Here, Lehrer interviews individuals in unconventional fields—from dedicated small-business owners to innovative schoolteachers—who use mystery to challenge themselves and to motivate others to reach to new heights. He also examines the indelible role of mystery in our culture, revealing how the magical world of Harry Potter triggers the magic of dopamine in our brains, why the baseball season is ten times longer than the football season, and when the suspect is introduced in each episode of Law & Order. Fascinating, illuminating, and fun, Mystery explores the many surprising ways in which embracing a sense of awe and curiosity can enrich our lives.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2021
32 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 15, 2022
Mystery by Jonah Lehrer is a 2021 Avid Reader Press publication.
This book grabbed by attention right away by repeating the tale of Agatha Christie’s well-calculated disappearance, with a segue to Edgar Allan Poe’s detective novel, which are topics I have always been intrigued by.
Once he had my attention, I was under the impression we were going to mainly examine mysteries as a genre, instead the book moves on to examine what it is about a mystery that is so appealing…
After the strong opening, the book maintained my attention by examining our love of unpredictability – such as in sports- when a favored team loses to the underdog. While the odds are against such an event, the small chance it might happen, is part of the thrill.
I enjoyed the segment on Law & Order SVU- one of the longest running shows on television and how the writers work to keep the audience in suspense, because knowing too much, too soon, ruins the experience.
I felt vindicated by this as I am occasionally chided for complaining about the ability to puzzle out the villain too early on in a novel. Very interesting, since the information came straight from the writers.
Many other aspects of mysteries are given a cursory examination- magic tricks, optical illusions, etc., which was somewhat interesting, but I didn’t find everything here presented in an entertaining manner and felt it was a too dry and more philosophical than factual.
This book was not exactly what I was expecting, but it is a short book, mainly just surface material, but does make some interesting points. I skimmed some segments, I’ll admit, but I was engaged in most of the material, overall.
3 stars
*Note: I found out after I had finished reading this book that the author was involved in some controversy at one time, which did give me pause. But, as I said in my review, I didn't take everything in this book too seriously. So this book gets a 'for entertainment purposes only' stamp from me.
This book grabbed by attention right away by repeating the tale of Agatha Christie’s well-calculated disappearance, with a segue to Edgar Allan Poe’s detective novel, which are topics I have always been intrigued by.
Once he had my attention, I was under the impression we were going to mainly examine mysteries as a genre, instead the book moves on to examine what it is about a mystery that is so appealing…
After the strong opening, the book maintained my attention by examining our love of unpredictability – such as in sports- when a favored team loses to the underdog. While the odds are against such an event, the small chance it might happen, is part of the thrill.
I enjoyed the segment on Law & Order SVU- one of the longest running shows on television and how the writers work to keep the audience in suspense, because knowing too much, too soon, ruins the experience.
I felt vindicated by this as I am occasionally chided for complaining about the ability to puzzle out the villain too early on in a novel. Very interesting, since the information came straight from the writers.
Many other aspects of mysteries are given a cursory examination- magic tricks, optical illusions, etc., which was somewhat interesting, but I didn’t find everything here presented in an entertaining manner and felt it was a too dry and more philosophical than factual.
This book was not exactly what I was expecting, but it is a short book, mainly just surface material, but does make some interesting points. I skimmed some segments, I’ll admit, but I was engaged in most of the material, overall.
3 stars
*Note: I found out after I had finished reading this book that the author was involved in some controversy at one time, which did give me pause. But, as I said in my review, I didn't take everything in this book too seriously. So this book gets a 'for entertainment purposes only' stamp from me.
July 18, 2021
I can’t believe I’m the first person reviewing this book. It should be more popular. Mysteries are popular. Ubiquitous, really. I know, I read tons of them. I don’t need to be sold on their appeal. By a lifelong interest in social psychology propelled me to find out more and reading this book covered all I wanted to know and more.
Mind you, this isn’t just a book plaining the appeal of mystery as a genre, it covers all aspects of mystery, in daily life, in art, in music and more, there is proper brainscience to go with the explanations, but the basic fact is this…we like mysteries, we are wired to like them. We want to be intrigued, surprised, fooled even, so long as it’s exciting, so long as its unpredictable and fresh.
The author gallops from lowbrow fun like Law and Order and sports and popular music to the decidedly highbrow things like Bach to Mona Lisa and public education innovations, and, of course, there’s a lot about books too. And at every turn there’s a trick from the mystery box (which itself in a narrative trick) being utilized.
It’s about a certain way of living, the wanting of immaterial treasures and intangible pleasures of the mysterious world.
Einstein said it best, but then, of course, he was a genius,
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.
And so this book is a fascinating, edifying and entertaining journey to be taken on. Pop science at its best. And an absolute delight to read. I sincerely hope my review will inspire more readership for this book, it certainly deserves a wider audience. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Mind you, this isn’t just a book plaining the appeal of mystery as a genre, it covers all aspects of mystery, in daily life, in art, in music and more, there is proper brainscience to go with the explanations, but the basic fact is this…we like mysteries, we are wired to like them. We want to be intrigued, surprised, fooled even, so long as it’s exciting, so long as its unpredictable and fresh.
The author gallops from lowbrow fun like Law and Order and sports and popular music to the decidedly highbrow things like Bach to Mona Lisa and public education innovations, and, of course, there’s a lot about books too. And at every turn there’s a trick from the mystery box (which itself in a narrative trick) being utilized.
It’s about a certain way of living, the wanting of immaterial treasures and intangible pleasures of the mysterious world.
Einstein said it best, but then, of course, he was a genius,
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.
And so this book is a fascinating, edifying and entertaining journey to be taken on. Pop science at its best. And an absolute delight to read. I sincerely hope my review will inspire more readership for this book, it certainly deserves a wider audience. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
January 26, 2022
Well I picked this book out from a false understanding. I thought it was a book analyzing what differentiates a good mystery book from an average mystery book. It’s not about Detective mysteries at all.
This is a psychology book about the value of the mysteries that we encounter in our daily lives. “To deal with the hard problems of life, we have to accept the mystery. We have to embrace our doubts.“
There is a lot of Good logic here, and proof so to speak that curiosity and mindfulness are good things. It’s not the most engaging book I’ve ever read. But it is a good book and definitely got me thinking.
This is a psychology book about the value of the mysteries that we encounter in our daily lives. “To deal with the hard problems of life, we have to accept the mystery. We have to embrace our doubts.“
There is a lot of Good logic here, and proof so to speak that curiosity and mindfulness are good things. It’s not the most engaging book I’ve ever read. But it is a good book and definitely got me thinking.
March 16, 2022
3.5 stars
A collection of interesting facts and anecdotes, Mystery: A Seduction, A Strategy, A Solution dissects the enticing nature of mystery through vastly different perspectives, from mystery fiction to education system. Due to the nature of its widely-cast net, interest for each chapter will fluctuate per a reader's preference to the subject matter. The book doesn't dive as deep into the topic as what I would've liked; I was anticipating its content to become more 'task-driven' (how to utilize mystery), but instead it remained entirely research-based, and didn't come to a meaningful, overarching closure at the end. Still, overall I appreciate it as a one-stop shop of thought-provoking case studies.
A collection of interesting facts and anecdotes, Mystery: A Seduction, A Strategy, A Solution dissects the enticing nature of mystery through vastly different perspectives, from mystery fiction to education system. Due to the nature of its widely-cast net, interest for each chapter will fluctuate per a reader's preference to the subject matter. The book doesn't dive as deep into the topic as what I would've liked; I was anticipating its content to become more 'task-driven' (how to utilize mystery), but instead it remained entirely research-based, and didn't come to a meaningful, overarching closure at the end. Still, overall I appreciate it as a one-stop shop of thought-provoking case studies.
May 20, 2025
It started off good and had really interesting concepts, but as it went on, some of the points and links to the opening topic felt a bit forced. It felt like one of my essays from high school where I was desperately trying to show how my idea was relatable to the source (spoiler: it wasn’t). Then by the end it felt very finance-bro-ish which was the true mystery lol. I also had to skip the chapter about HP/JK 🤮
2.75 stars
2.75 stars
August 28, 2021
I was expecting it to be informative, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so inspiring.
July 22, 2021
When I received an early copy of this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Jonah Lehrer is an awesome writer, and I enjoy mysteries and puzzles, so I thought the book sounded interesting. As per usual, Lehrer didn’t disappoint. I love to learn about human behavior, and something most of us love (even if we don’t realize it) is a good mystery. In this book, Lehrer discusses the psychology behind why we like stories with a good mystery and so much more. If you’re someone who loves books, movies, or TV shows with a good mystery, this book will help you understand why. As someone who writes content and works in marketing, I enjoyed the chapters discussing how to use mystery to get people engaged with your content.
Finally, something I loved the most about the book was it helped me understand why am the way I am. I’m always so curious and love to learn about so many different subjects, and it’s because I like to solve that sort of “mystery”. And why do I work so hard on problems that seem as though they can’t be solved? It’s just a mystery waiting to be solved. What’s really cool is Jonah Lehrer explains how schools can use mystery to help kids become more engaged in learning and develop better thinking skills, and it’s something I can definitely use as the father of a 12-year-old. So, when this book comes out on August 17th, I highly recommend you grab a copy.
Finally, something I loved the most about the book was it helped me understand why am the way I am. I’m always so curious and love to learn about so many different subjects, and it’s because I like to solve that sort of “mystery”. And why do I work so hard on problems that seem as though they can’t be solved? It’s just a mystery waiting to be solved. What’s really cool is Jonah Lehrer explains how schools can use mystery to help kids become more engaged in learning and develop better thinking skills, and it’s something I can definitely use as the father of a 12-year-old. So, when this book comes out on August 17th, I highly recommend you grab a copy.
July 17, 2021
Illuminating and fascinating, Mystery: A Seduction, A Strategy, a Solution blends together pop culture, neuroscience, and history into a seamlessly entertaining story. Applicable to everyone from writers of whodunnits to baseball coaches, the lesson of Mystery is indelible: predictability is boring (p 32).
September 9, 2021
This is a clever subject for a book. Lehrer asks why we are interested in mysteries. His basic answer is that brain scans and psychological testing show that we are hardwired to get a shot of dopamine and pay attention when we are presented with unusual or unexplained things in our environment and we get psychic relief when we resolve or solve a mystery.
But this is not a science book. He uses the hook of answering the psychological question as a way to tell interesting stories about intriguing mysteries.
Lehrer explains how the business success of a sport is correlated to the mystery of who will win. Track and Field was never a big success because everyone knew who the winners were probably going to be. We know Usain bolt will win. No mystery. In baseball even the best team loses allot of games and the best hitter loses two out of three times. He shows how baseball has tweaked the rules over the years to keep that unpredictability. There is a reason that the NFL keeps preaching, "on any given Sunday..."
He has a wonderful chapter on the mystery of magic. The pleasure is not just an intellectual challenge of how he did it. There is the pleasure of marveling at what we saw. It is why great magicians are actors as much as technicians. Lehrer also reveals how a very clever trick is done.
Lehrer has chapters on the mystery of complex fictional characters like Hamlet or Tony Soprano. He shows how advertisers use the tricks of mystery to sell product. He profiles a school based on the pleasure of mystery solving.
In his discussion of mystery in music he makes an interesting point. We tend to pay attention and enjoy music when there is a different note or tempo then we expect. We do not have that reaction if the music seems random. We react positively to changes in our expectation but not to anarchy.
This is a fun collection of good stories. The psychological underpinning clearly has evolutionarily value. It is useful when walking through the jungle to react with attention and a jolt of energy to something that doesn't make sense or seem right and it is a relief to figure out that it is not a threat.
I would be interested on Lehrer's thoughts on comparing and contrasting our reaction to mystery and horror.
But this is not a science book. He uses the hook of answering the psychological question as a way to tell interesting stories about intriguing mysteries.
Lehrer explains how the business success of a sport is correlated to the mystery of who will win. Track and Field was never a big success because everyone knew who the winners were probably going to be. We know Usain bolt will win. No mystery. In baseball even the best team loses allot of games and the best hitter loses two out of three times. He shows how baseball has tweaked the rules over the years to keep that unpredictability. There is a reason that the NFL keeps preaching, "on any given Sunday..."
He has a wonderful chapter on the mystery of magic. The pleasure is not just an intellectual challenge of how he did it. There is the pleasure of marveling at what we saw. It is why great magicians are actors as much as technicians. Lehrer also reveals how a very clever trick is done.
Lehrer has chapters on the mystery of complex fictional characters like Hamlet or Tony Soprano. He shows how advertisers use the tricks of mystery to sell product. He profiles a school based on the pleasure of mystery solving.
In his discussion of mystery in music he makes an interesting point. We tend to pay attention and enjoy music when there is a different note or tempo then we expect. We do not have that reaction if the music seems random. We react positively to changes in our expectation but not to anarchy.
This is a fun collection of good stories. The psychological underpinning clearly has evolutionarily value. It is useful when walking through the jungle to react with attention and a jolt of energy to something that doesn't make sense or seem right and it is a relief to figure out that it is not a threat.
I would be interested on Lehrer's thoughts on comparing and contrasting our reaction to mystery and horror.
October 6, 2021
It's kind of difficult to describe this book. It's about mystery, ambiguity, the unexplainable, yes, but it does sort of wander all over. We also read about the power of curiosity and how that extends t issues with "self-driving" cars and magic tricks and a whole lot else. The author thanks someone at the back for helping him figure out how to organize all of this info together, but it's still jumbled. On the positive side, though, it's all very interesting. There are two quotes from the book that I want to include here because they really struck a chord with me.
1) "The ironic power of fiction is that it features pretend people who teach us how to deal with real ones". Not to mention fiction also teaches us about ourselves, too.
2) This quote is regarding the self-driving car technology:The problem with technology that promises answers is that it often leads people to stop asking questions. Instead of paying attention to the route, we just obey the machine. The technology encourages our mindlessness, allowing us to pretend we know where we're going even when we don't." and "Machines don't know their own shortcomings." My husband and I have had debates on the self-driving car technology on more than one occasion. I am going to remember this book the next time we do.
1) "The ironic power of fiction is that it features pretend people who teach us how to deal with real ones". Not to mention fiction also teaches us about ourselves, too.
2) This quote is regarding the self-driving car technology:The problem with technology that promises answers is that it often leads people to stop asking questions. Instead of paying attention to the route, we just obey the machine. The technology encourages our mindlessness, allowing us to pretend we know where we're going even when we don't." and "Machines don't know their own shortcomings." My husband and I have had debates on the self-driving car technology on more than one occasion. I am going to remember this book the next time we do.
November 13, 2021
A tough one to rate. It was between a 4 & a 5. I couldn't decide to round up or down. The basic premise was eye opening. It was well written and very well researched. Nothing can hold our attention like a mystery. It is also physically pleasurable releasing dopamine in our brain. The search for the truth is more exciting than being told the truth of the mystery first.
Some of the anecdotes were fascinating and very enjoyable ( I particularly like the Beatles "I am the Walrus" and Paul is Dead conspiracy theory. The magic tricks, mystery in great art and music were fascinating and made sense when you thought about it). Some were exciting when you see were they could lead you, like code breaking. Some did not hold my interest at all. I do not care much for poetry. It forces you to take your time and focus and think about it and some people find that sublime. I think it is too much work for little reward.
Overall I enjoyed reading it but in the end decided to round it down.
Some of the anecdotes were fascinating and very enjoyable ( I particularly like the Beatles "I am the Walrus" and Paul is Dead conspiracy theory. The magic tricks, mystery in great art and music were fascinating and made sense when you thought about it). Some were exciting when you see were they could lead you, like code breaking. Some did not hold my interest at all. I do not care much for poetry. It forces you to take your time and focus and think about it and some people find that sublime. I think it is too much work for little reward.
Overall I enjoyed reading it but in the end decided to round it down.
November 9, 2021
This brilliant meditation on the role of mystery in all aspects of life, art, relationships, scientific discoveries is a delight. It takes the concept of the force that mystery has on driving human consciousness, art and discovery, illustrated in breezy digestible anecdotes; i.e. murder mysteries themselves, code breaking that led to the Allies victory in WWII, a successful education philosophy for underprivileged students in Chicago, Shakespeare's unknowable and hence unforgettable characters, and tons more.
'Mystery' is just over 200 pages and is an easy read. Jonah Lehrer has a conversational, humorous and fluid writing style. The book's ideas have stuck with me in a deeper way than such a light and modest book would normally. Strongly recommended and it can be devoured in a couple of pleasant hours.
'Mystery' is just over 200 pages and is an easy read. Jonah Lehrer has a conversational, humorous and fluid writing style. The book's ideas have stuck with me in a deeper way than such a light and modest book would normally. Strongly recommended and it can be devoured in a couple of pleasant hours.
January 11, 2022
I picked this up at the library on a whim and overall enjoyed it. I love mystery novels, tv shows, movies… and now I know why! Mystery (or generally the unknown) keeps us interested and engaged in the world around us, and that is what this book unpacks with various anecdotes and studies. I agree that it felt similar in style to Malcolm Gladwell, with similar format and similar blind spots. There were a few examples he used that I felt were a stretch or at least would rouse hearty debate, and a few I just had no interest in whatsoever. But other than that, the author was preaching to the choir with me. The book helped me understand why certain things appeal to me and why we have to learn to be more comfortable with questions, changes, and uncertainties. It wasn’t exactly a page turner, but I am happy I read to the end.
March 19, 2024
Jonah Leher loves mysteries, and it's always enjoyable to read something that the author clearly enjoys talking about. What keeps this book from getting a higher score from me is that it never seems to go anywhere - the anecdotes are fascinating and even useful, but don't tie together into anything besides the general idea that we, as humans, thrive in the unknown. That's a great truth, something I cherish, but neither I or, I think, most people need it proven to them. If Leher had shone some sort of new light on the idea, that might be different, but since he didn't, the book felt a little too "pop-sciencey" for me. Still, there were a couple really interesting pieces from the stories he tells in here; I've already found myself repeating them to friends.
October 15, 2021
Not sure what I actually learned from this one. It also spouts that tired argument that knowing spoilers doesn't affect and could make your experience better. Sorry but no that's just stupid. The surprise is it's whole separate entertainment from the main work, that is just erased once something is spoiled. Besides that, I really am sick of this writing style. He would say a little anecdote, then explain a study of that phenomenon and then conclude tying it back into the anecdote. They pattern just gets old, especially explaining the study. I would put the study details in notes at the end because it is just so cumbersome to read over and over.
December 7, 2021
In the vein of authors like Malcolm Gladwell and Johnann Hari, Lehrer uses anecdotes, statistics and studies to investigate the "why" behind what humans are captivated by, and it turns out the answer is often Mystery.
From the life of Agatha Christie to the changing rules of baseball to the code breakers of World War II, Lehrer uncovers the mechanisms at work that keep us fascinated. Told in an easy, conversational manner, I feel like this book is deeper than it initially appears... think I'm going to turn back to page one and read it again.
From the life of Agatha Christie to the changing rules of baseball to the code breakers of World War II, Lehrer uncovers the mechanisms at work that keep us fascinated. Told in an easy, conversational manner, I feel like this book is deeper than it initially appears... think I'm going to turn back to page one and read it again.
February 21, 2022
This book was not what I expected but I was pleasantly surprised by the end of reading it. I won't lie, I wasn't hooked on the studies and findings until he mentioned Faul (Fake Paul McCartney) and from that point on, the book was great and full of interesting study findings. I originally thought it was about mystery books alone but it was actually about why humans are hooked to the idea of mysteries (Faul, conspiracies, magic, etc.). It could've been shortened but other than that it was a good read.
November 18, 2021
Lehrer doesn't really succeed in pulling together a bunch of essay ideas and turning them into a book. This is really just some tenuously related non-fiction pieces collected into one volume. It wasn't memorable. I read it less than a month ago and I can't even remember any of the interesting points. Something about how we are intrigued by stuff we don't know. Um, yeah. I dunno. pass.
March 2, 2023
Engaging collection of stories and studies explaining a bit of what makes humans different and how we deal with not knowing everything. My question I didn’t feel was addressed well was what makes one person more curious than another.
I’d like to read more from the author. It also reminded me I still want to read Thinking Fast and Slow.
I’d like to read more from the author. It also reminded me I still want to read Thinking Fast and Slow.
July 31, 2025
I listened to this book on CD, and I'll need to read it at some point to take notes on the ideas and figure out which I think are helpful and which I will leave on the shelf, at least for now. It happened to come up on my hold list just as I was starting to try to figure out how my next novel is going to work, and I think it helped.
October 1, 2021
Be curious and be more concerned with asking good questions. Pondering the ineffable is worthwhile...as is understanding how slot machines, magicians and novelists hook our attention with little mysteries we can't wait to unravel. That's my takeaway from this book.
December 23, 2021
This book is a Malcolm Gladwellish set of chapters surrounding the mystery of mystery. It started off great but then sadly became increasingly sludge-like. I would love to know what "Pythagoras's Constant" is (p. 203) or why the author thought it important to repeat the mechanic's profanities.
December 27, 2021
This is a great read. Lehrer uses relatable examples from his extensive research to draw in the reader and make a solid point. It will make you rethink your responses to everyday things because of how mystery is used to manipulate us daily.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for an ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for an ARC.
January 2, 2022
Interesting concepts that are connected through the ideas of ambiguity and the quest to find out more. I try to promote curiosity in my kids by asking questions that make them think beyond the surface level. This book explores those processes of delving deeper and why we feel that need.
January 5, 2022
This book about the psychological appeal of mystery makes some fascinating points about the learning process.
The vast breadth of disciplines from which the story pulls makes the book itself feel like unwrapping a gift.
The vast breadth of disciplines from which the story pulls makes the book itself feel like unwrapping a gift.
January 16, 2022
So many fun and interesting anecdotes displaying the benefits of wonder. A lot of take aways for creatives. At times I was wishing it was written in a more How-To structure. Carving a path with these foundations to live a more engaged and fruitful life.
February 5, 2022
So intriguing! I’ve always been a fan of solving problems and working through difficult puzzles. Computer issues are my favorite. I loved how the author uses hard science to back up his explanation of why mysteries are so exciting for some people and not for others.
February 13, 2022
2.5 Started out intriguing but got stale after a few chapters. Tl;dr: mystery = "ooh shiny!" and humans like "ooh shiny", the thrill is the chase, etc. etc. I want Malcolm Gladwell to rewrite this book and give it more nuance.
December 31, 2022
This good book explains why mystery works, practically everywhere be it music, sports or books. Explains well the reason why our minds seek what we don't see rather than what we see, this holds the key in understanding our ambitions, endeavors and nature.
September 16, 2021
2.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews