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Six Shooter Mystery Reading Challenge 2026

shooting gallery target logo highlighted author books Today's highlighted author:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

writer of the Sherlock Holmes mystery series.

Click Watson Owl to see
Who?
is targeting this author and read some of The Mystillery's erudite reviews !

Welcome to the Six Shooter Mystery Reading Challenge for 2026! Your goal is simple: shoot (read) six mysteries by the same target (author). That gives you a notch on your gun, and a perfect 1.000 score; and you can call it done. But wait, there's more! You get bonus points for each additional notch. However ... unlike most reading challenges, reading more books may not necessarily help your score. Scores are not based upon quantity, but rather focus in completing your target(s). Jump right in! No advance signup needed. This is a family friendly challenge - young series readers are encouraged to get some safe target practice here! Just read the General Information page and then take a shot to begin.
R I C O C H E T S from the S H O O T I N G   G A L L E R Y:
Aug 30: Trying out something new: For those in both Medical Examiner AND this challenge, a crosslink on your Six Shooter gallery directly to your M.E. Clipboard (and vice versa), a shortcut to allow you to compare the two easily. These links are being added as your pages are updated.
Aug 30: Linda B (Kentucky) carves notch #5 with target Agatha Christie!
Aug 29: Colleen (Illinois) carves notch #6 with target Lucinda Berry!
 

Review previous challenges: 2019202020212022202320242025

Who else took a shot at my book in 2026? Enter Author or Title:

SHOOTING GALLERY updated THU SEP 3 2026 @ 7.00 PM EDT
Gunslingers
2 5
Targets
1 1 1 9
Shots
6 8 6
Notches
8 4
TCP
chart
+ bonus = score Gallery FMI
updated Avid Series Reader
New Mexico
29 38 9 1.421 0.800 2.221 Goodreads profile tracker page
updated Karen A
Arkansas
70 65 11 1.015 1.000 2.015 Goodreads profile
Traci L.
Illinois
128 52 9 1.038 0.800 1.838 Goodreads profile tracker page
Erika Morris
California
15 13 3 1.384 0.200 1.584 Goodreads profile Instagram
SueC
Utah
7 27 5 1.111 0.400 1.511 Goodreads profile tracker page Blog
Goodreads librarian Colleen
Illinois
48 38 6 0.947 0.500 1.447 Goodreads profile
YalondaReads
Germany
4 16 3 1.125 0.200 1.325 Goodreads profile tracker page
Tina Hilbert
Ohio
326 63 7 0.666 0.600 1.266 Goodreads profile tracker page
Goodreads librarian Bev "Annie Oakley" Hankins
Indiana
0 18 3 1.000 0.200 1.200 Goodreads profile My Reader's Block All Covered Up Storygraph profile
Linda B
Kentucky
10 52 5 0.576 0.400 0.976 Goodreads profile
Gunslinger Targets Shots Notches TCP + bonus = score Gallery FMI
OutsmartYourShelf
The United Kingdom
24 36 4 0.666 0.300 0.966 Goodreads profile
Shannon
The Netherlands
9 27 3 0.666 0.200 0.866 Goodreads profile Instagram
updated Goodreads librarian Rick Mills
Maine
46 47 4 0.510
0.300 0.810 Goodreads profile tracker page
Sanacrow
Tennessee
7 17 2 0.705 0.100 0.805 Goodreads profile tracker page Blog
Beth M
North Carolina
54 32 3 0.562 0.200 0.762 Goodreads profile
Tari Hann
Ohio
19 8 1 0.750 0 0.750 Goodreads profile
Jjean
Texas
7 20 2 0.600 0.100 0.700 Goodreads profile
JenneB
Pennsylvania
5 9 1 0.666 0 0.666 Goodreads profile Storygraph profile Instagram
Karen Baroness
Texas
51 11 1 0.545 0 0.545 Goodreads profile tracker page Blog Instagram
moved up Vallery
Louisiana
143 30 1 0.200 0 0.200 Goodreads profile
Gunslinger Targets Shots Notches TCP + bonus = score Gallery FMI
updated batkat
West Virginia
28 36 1 0.166 0 0.166 Goodreads profile tracker page
Dianne Lebold
Ontario
21 11 0 0 0 0
Jen McFarren
Texas
63 15 0 0 0 0 Goodreads profile
Lynn
Pennsylvania
2 2 0 0 0 0 Goodreads profile
Jace Boyer
2 2 0 0 0 0 Goodreads profile
Gunslinger Targets Shots Notches TCP + bonus = score Gallery FMI

    Ambiguous instructions and arbitrary rules are found on the General Information page.

Key to symbols
Notch Sets of six books by one author completed
TCP Target Completion Percentage. This is similar to a baseball batting average. Ratio of notches achieved to the number of shots taken. The formula is (notches/shots)*6. See the chart (PDF). Shots which complete a target will increase your TCP. Shots which do not complete a target will decrease your TCP. A perfect TCP is 1.000 or any multiple.
Shots Number of books read
Bonus Each notch (beyond the first one) directly adds a 0.100 bonus
Score TCP + bonus
no_replace Moved up
no_replace New or updated today
no_replace Update pending
Goodreads librarian
Perfect (1.000 or multiple)
bullet Sharpshooter level (score 1.000+ at some point)
bulletbullet Booksniper level (score 2.000+ at some point)
bulletbulletbullet Ammonuensis level (score 3.000+ at some point)
  High column stat
  2nd place column stat
Shooting Gallery
tracker page Tracker page
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Goodreads profile Goodreads profile
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A Mystillery challenge
hosted by Goodreads librarian Rick Mills
rickmills9@gmail.com
The Mystillery Reading Challenge Addict Susan Jensen's reading challenges