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Six Shooter Mystery Reading Challenge 2026

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

Vincent Starrett

writer of the Walter Ghose mystery series.

Click Lavender Owl to see
Who?
is targeting this author !

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). 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:
updated May 31: Avid Series Reader (New Mexico) carves her seventh notch with target Beverly Connor!
updated May 31: Linda B (Kentucky) carves her second notch with target Carole Jefferson!
May 28: YalondaReads (Germany) carves her third notch with target J.D. Robb!
 

Review previous challenges: 2019202020212022202320242025

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

SHOOTING GALLERY updated SUN MAY 31 2026 @ 7.30 PM EDT
Gunslingers
2 5
Shots
4 2 2
Notches
6 0
TCP
chart
+ bonus = score Targets FMI
updated Avid Series Reader
New Mexico
21 7 2.000 0.600 2.600 Goodreads profile tracker page
Karen A
Arkansas
32 7 1.312 0.600 1.912 Goodreads profile
Traci L.
Illinois
45 8 1.066 0.700 1.766 Goodreads profile tracker page
Erika Morris
California
12 3 1.500 0.200 1.700 Goodreads profile Instagram
Tina Hilbert
Ohio
51 7 0.823 0.600 1.423 Goodreads profile tracker page
SueC
Utah
15 3 1.200 0.200 1.400 Goodreads profile tracker page Blog
YalondaReads
Germany
15 3 1.200 0.200 1.400 Goodreads profile tracker page
Beth M
North Carolina
10 2 1.200 0.100 1.300 Goodreads profile
OutsmartYourShelf
The United Kingdom
31 4 0.774 0.300 1.074 Goodreads profile
updated Goodreads librarian Rick Mills
Maine
33 4 0.727
0.300 1.027 Goodreads profile tracker page
Gunslinger Shots Notches TCP + bonus = score Targets FMI
Sanacrow
Tennessee
6 1 1.000 0 1.000 Goodreads profile tracker page Blog
JenneB
Pennsylvania
6 1 1.000 0 1.000 Goodreads profile Storygraph profile Instagram
Goodreads librarian Colleen
Illinois
23 3 0.782 0.200 0.982 Goodreads profile
moved up updated Linda B
Kentucky
17 2 0.705 0.100 0.805 Goodreads profile
Shannon
The Netherlands
21 2 0.571 0.100 0.671 Goodreads profile Instagram
Goodreads librarian Bev "Annie Oakley" Hankins
Indiana
9 1 0.666 0 0.666 Goodreads profile My Reader's Block All Covered Up Storygraph profile
Jjean
Texas
11 1 0.545 0 0.545 Goodreads profile
Vallery
Louisiana
30 1 0.200 0 0.200 Goodreads profile
batkat
West Virginia
19 0 0 0 0 Goodreads profile tracker page
Dianne Lebold
Ontario
10 0 0 0 0
Gunslinger Shots Notches TCP + bonus = score Targets FMI
Lynn
Pennsylvania
2 0 0 0 0 Goodreads profile
Jace Boyer
2 0 0 0 0 Goodreads profile
Tari Hann
Ohio
1 0 0 0 0 Goodreads profile
Karen Baroness
Texas
0 0 0 0 0 Goodreads profile tracker page Blog Instagram
Jen McFarren
Texas
0 0 0 0 0 Goodreads profile
Gunslinger Shots Notches TCP + bonus = score Targets 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
Blog
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