Human nature never ceases to amaze me. A new study shows that people with low self-esteem enjoy mysteries that confirm their suspicions in the end, while those with higher self-esteem prefer a surprise ending.

People with low self-esteem like to feel they knew all along who committed the crime, probably because it makes them feel smarter, said Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, who co-authored the study.

Armed with these results, some smart publisher is going to make a fortune, selling a series of “non-mystery mysteries,” so people with nothing going for them will have something to read. The solution will be painfully obvious on the first page - maybe even in the title - and critical acclaim will consist of “You’ll see this one coming a mile away.”

I have to go now. I’m working on an idea for crossword puzzles that already have the answers filled in, so people with low self-esteem have something to do at breakfast. Here’s the story:

British writer Agatha Christie’s belongings are displayed in a special exhibition in Istanbul January 27, 2006. REUTERS/Stringer