Does Kindle Unlimited Make Sense for Mystery Readers?

I finally decided to bite on the Kindle Unlimited (KU) deal this weekend, at least for the free 30 day trial. If you haven't heard, Amazon, via its Kindle platform, is offering a new program where the reader gets "unlimited" access to more than 600,000 titles plus thousands of audiobooks for $9.99 per month. The first 30 days are free.

How Kindle Unlimited works
Once you subscribe to KU, you are able to hold up to ten KU titles on your Kindle at one time. These can be of any genre, from mysteries to cookbooks. As soon as you release one, you're able to pick up another. When you subscription ends, you lose access to those titles (so you can't load up your Kindle during the free trial period.) You are automatically charged each month until you tell Amazon to cancel your subscription.

Popular mystery authors on Kindle Unlimited
When you start looking through the catalog, you'll find quite a few classic and popular contemporary mystery authors. Among them are:

• Ed McBain
• Joanne Fluke
• Lawrence Sanders
• Lisa Jackson
• Ian Fleming (the James Bond books)
• Leslie Chartres ("The Saint" series)
• Dorothy Sayers
• Leon Uris
• Umberto Eco ("The Name of the Rose" and others)
• Ruth Rendell
• Patricia Wentworth

Advantages to Kindle Unlimited
The chief advantage to KU, in my opinion, is the 24/7 access to a vast array of authors. With this plan, you can try something new without having to buy a book or return a book to the library. If you don't like it, you can just move on. It's also a good way for mystery lovers to read the classics that can't always be found at the local library.

The downside
The primary disadvantages to KU is the lack of current releases. (Most major publishers aren't willing to work with Amazon on KU pricing.) In addition, the search function is limited to searching by name or by the most popular titles within a specific category. Since there are more than 200,000 categorized as mysteries, browsing can be a little tricky and time-consuming.

Does it make sense?
Back to the original question: does subscribing to Kindle Unlimited make sense? The answer really depends on your reading habits. If you only enjoy the newest, latest releases, than no, you won't find what you're looking for on KU. Also, I'd say you have to read around 8-10 novels per month to really get your money's worth out of the program. Still, if you're an avid reader, KU offers a chance to read the classics and sample authors you might not have tried otherwise, all for $9.99/month and no late fees.