Every once in a while, my Book Club likes to shake things up a bit. Instead of a “book of the month” format, we delve into things thematically. In truth, it’s really an extension of the conversations we enjoy once discussion of our monthly title has extinguished itself; plus, it gives us a chance to explore our shared love of mysteries in a way that avoids the inevitable squawking when one particular book engenders a lot of disagreement, as it invariably does. 

So far, these special conversations have centered around time periods, such as our favorite novels of the 1920’s, 1930’s, and 1940’s. This month, we are trying something different: every member was asked to come up with five favorite mystery novels that base much of their effect on a mode of transportation. Who doesn’t love a good story where a monstrous killer stalks the denizens of a luxury cruise or a first-class train? Such settings allow an author to add a little location spice to the proceedings, and the sense of motion moves a story along – even if the train hits a snowbank or the ocean liner a sandbar! 

We started our ruminations, as always, with one rule: any author we select can only appear once on the list. Can you imagine how hard this must be for a Christie fan?!? Here’s the other thing: while we decided that we would not limit the appearance of any particular mode of transportation (you could populate your list with nothing but train mysteries if you wanted!), I think we all walked away determined to not repeat any MoT within our lists.

To make things a bit easier, we limited our lists to five titles. However, I took up this challenge aware that I would be presenting my findings to you, and I wanted to make things a bit harder for myself. Therefore, the following is my list of ten transportation mysteries, each by a different author, each from a different year (spanning eighty-five years), and each featuring a basically different mode of transport. 

Now put on your goggles, fetch your passports, hand over your luggage . . . and we’re on our way . . . 

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ONE – The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886) by Fergus Hume

I’m not one to spend much time on Pre-1900 Crime Fiction That Isn’t Doyle or Poe, but this one has a lot to recommend it. First, it’s set in Melbourne, Australia, which gets our travelling blood racing and is well-described here. Next, it’s not as old and stuffy as the publication date might suggest: it moves at a pace and has a plethora of interesting characters, some humor, and a great deal of social criticism about class. And then there’s the bonus, that murder discovered in a hansom cab that starts things off. It was a best-seller in its time – not too shabby for a self-published novel!

TWO – The Tragedy of X (1932) by Barnaby Ross/Ellery Queen

This first of the quartet of novels about Shakespearean actor Drury Lane, who has retired from the stage due to his deafness and now lounges about his most unusual estate solving bizarre cases. This is also my least favorite of the four, but it’s important here as it includes not one, not two, but three modes of transportation! The first murder occurs aboard a crowded New York City streetcar, and the second on a ferry bound for Weehauken, and the third on the Weehauken-Newburgh local train. (Clearly, Fred Dannay and Manny Lee wrote this with my Book Club homework in mind!) Despite all the hopping aboard this, that and the other, the pacing of this novel can be somewhat molasses-like, and the solution hinges on a trope much-used by the cousins (but not much liked by yours truly.)

THREE – S. S. Murder (1933) by Q. Patrick

The luxury ocean liner may even leave the train behind as a favored mode of transport in the Golden Age. I could have picked sooooo many, and you might be asking yourself right this minute . . . “why not Death on the Nile!?!” The reason has to do with the rules of this game: Christie has so many applicable titles to choose from, but I wanted to choose wisely and include as many different forms of transport as I could. I opted for this one instead of one of the Ngaio Marsh floating mysteries or Charlie Chan Carries On, Earl Derr Biggers fifth Chan mystery. It’s just a bit rarer a title, although the fairly recent American Mystery Classics reprint has helped boost its popularity. But I also wanted to include it because it deals with the game of bridge rather well, and we bridge players have to boost that game wherever and whenever we can!

FOUR – The Flying Boat Mystery (1935) by Franco Vailati

This was published the same year as Christie’s Death in the Clouds and C. Daly King’s Obelists Fly High. More than one author was thinking of the possibilities for an impossible crime set aboard an airplane. It contains an impossible crime which I’m still not sure is possible, and it devolves into a crime thriller, due to the presence of the Mafia; still, it’s eminently readable. By far, I enjoy Christie’s book the most and King’s the least. I opted to feature this one because it gives me another chance to thank Locked Room International and the late John Pugmire for making these rare European titles available. 

FIVE – Fatal Descent (aka Drop to His Death – 1939) by John D. Carr and John Rhode 

I have a lovely vintage copy of this one sitting on my shelf unread because I seem to have a bit of an allergy to John Rhode. All my friends who have read this one seem to agree that Rhode’s contribution makes this title far more challenging of a read. Still, it does feature a murder in a moving elevator – and so it belongs right here in the middle of the list!

SIX – Great Black Kanba (1944) by Constance and Gwenyth Little

Another Australian mystery and a truly enjoyable romp across the Bullarbor Plain. No, it’s not as clever as Murder on the Orient Express or even Benjamin Stevenson’s Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, but the Little sisters deserve whatever attention we can give them, and the train here keeps moving, making the ride as much of a delight as the awful things that happen to these Down Under folks! 

SEVEN – The Red Right Hand (1945) by Joel Townsley Rogers

One of my favorite noir mysteries that can best be described as an hallucinatory ride into terror – and part of that takes place in a car. (And wait till you find that missing hand!!!) Honestly, the less said about this one going in, the better. You may ask yourself “What the hell – ???” and then be unable to complete the question. Just keep going, for all will eventually be made . . . if not clear, then clearer!! It may make you avoid those tricky side roads forever more. 

EIGHT – Brat Farrar (1949) by Josephine Tey 

Yes, this novel is about wills and identities and troubled families – but it’s also about horses. More than one person loses life and/or limb due to a horse in this one. My only attempts to ride a horse – at the age of eight or nine as a member of the Indian Guides – was a rousing failure, and so this novel terrifies me more than it does most people!

NINE – Dead Men Don’t Ski (1959) by Patricia Moyes

I’m grateful to Moyes for getting me through the realization that I had read all of Christie, Brand, and Marsh and was desperate for another female mystery author. Among her other attributes, Moyes was an avid skier and wrote two books set amongst the slopes. In fact, my favorite of her books is – not this one, but the other ski-centered novel, Season of Snows and Sins. This one, her first mystery, suffers a bit from first-time clunkiness, but it does include a murder on a ski lift, and so I had to include it here. 

Nine and counting and still no Christie, you ask? Well, the train, boat, and plane were already taken, you see, and then I remembered another travel mystery by the Queen of Crime, and so, for my final pick, I give you . . . 

TEN – Nemesis (1971) by Agatha Christie

Miss Marple is sent on a mission of justice by her late friend, Jason Rafiel. To send her on her way, the old man arranges a bus tour of the great houses and gardens of England. It’s an ironically plebeian setting for one of her oddest and most extraordinary cases. To this day, whenever I hop aboard a bus, I wonder at the dark secrets that may burden my fellow passengers.

Hopefully, my fellow Book Club members will share their own lists with you. (Take a look at Kate Jackson’s and John Harrison’s lists.) Next year, we will resume our meetings in a traditional way, with a different title each month. (In case you’d like to read along, our January title is The Wooden Overcoat by Pamela Branch. My copy has a lovely old car on the cover!!!) But I look forward to taking more detours like this one; these “thematic” topics lead to the most lively discussions, as well as some excellent suggestions for new purchases!!

Let me know in the comments below some of your favorite transportation-themed mysteries!! There are so many of them, and sharing our favorites is like buying a ticket to ride for other lucky readers! And since this is the holiday season, I wish you – safe travels!