Skipping to the End

How many of you are guilty of skipping to the last couple of pages of a book, peeking at the ending, and then going back and reading where you left off? I'm notorious for it, especially when reading mysteries.

I read a lot of mysteries and find that usually by the time I'm halfway through the book I have a strong suspicion on the culprit. Most of the time, if I reach this point, I'll go see if I'm right. Don't get me wrong, I still finish the book, but that sleuth in me loves to know if I'm right.

I have friends who do the same thing while others ask if it spoils the book. For me, it really doesn't. If I know the ending, I feel glee at having solved the case in advance. I still will go back and read it just to find out how long it takes the real sleuth in the novel to figure it out. Half the time I find myself annoyed that the hero/heroine isn't as perceptive.

I know others who will read the end of a romance to make sure it ends as they like it, otherwise they'll forgo reading the book and move onto something else.

Over the weekend, my mom informed me that she finished reading one mystery and was horrified with the ending. I'm not going to give the title or author away, but the book ends with the main character dying instead of the criminal. Now truthfully this is a stroke of brillance on the author's part because he/she is going against the norm and introducing a strong dose of reality. However, it also ticked off readers who are now certain they will not read a book by this author ever again. So in the end, I wonder if the author has done him/herself a favor or giving all future books a kiss of death? Only time will tell...