Re-reading The Mystery of the Blue Train proved to be a bit of a challenge, but not for the obvious reasons. My recent bout of COVID left a going-away present in the form of pneumonia; a kitchen remodel stretched out to months, and my 60-year-old Pocketbook copy of Train fell apart in my hands while … Continue reading THE POIROT PROJECT #2: The Mystery of the Blue Train
Agatha Christie
MORE FUN AND GAMES WITH BOOK CLUB: Five Great Mystery Debuts
My Book Club is full of fun and fascinating people, but our collective book selections have been a decidedly mixed bag. And so last month, we took a break from these doldrums (perhaps mystery lovers should call them “humdrums”), and did something a little different: each of us shared their ten favorite mysteries from the … Continue reading MORE FUN AND GAMES WITH BOOK CLUB: Five Great Mystery Debuts
CHRISTIE SWINGS LIKE A PENDULUM DO: My Personal Rankings of Agatha’s 60’s Novels
Recently, my friend Kemper Donovan hosted that Dynamic Duo (and fellow friends), Dr. Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown, on his podcast All About Agatha in order to compare rankings of the 1960’s Christie novels that have consumed Gray and Mark over the past year on their delightful podcast, The Swinging Christies. Actually, the guys have been loose … Continue reading CHRISTIE SWINGS LIKE A PENDULUM DO: My Personal Rankings of Agatha’s 60’s Novels
Ēkaṭi āgāthā krisṭi ḍābala bila mubhi nā’iṭa (Agatha Christie Bengali Double-Bill Movie Night)
My recent viewing of Chorabali, the Indian adaptation of Cards on the Table, had the added bonus of my getting to speak with a number of folks possessed of great knowledge about the sprawling Indian film industry. Turns out that, while we have all heard of “Bollywood,” there are actually over fifteen major film “industries” spread throughout the country, delivering a … Continue reading Ēkaṭi āgāthā krisṭi ḍābala bila mubhi nā’iṭa (Agatha Christie Bengali Double-Bill Movie Night)
CHORABALI: A Bengali Re-deal of Cards on the Table
I hope you had a chance to check out yesterday’s review of Cards on the Table. Since it’s an Hercule Poirot mystery, you would think if you wanted to find a decent film adaptation, you need look no further than the David Suchet series, Agatha Christie’s Poirot. The sad fact is, I would urge you to avoid the travesty … Continue reading CHORABALI: A Bengali Re-deal of Cards on the Table
THE POIROT PROJECT #1: Cards on the Table
Well, The Poirot Project is off to a furshlugginer start! As I informed you last month, I have identified fifteen Agatha Christie titles featuring Hercule Poirot for which I have so far failed to provide an in-depth article/review. I decided to review these in random order, using slips of paper in a mini-chocolate box as … Continue reading THE POIROT PROJECT #1: Cards on the Table
“I’ve got a little list . . . ” Part II: Ten Favorite Mysteries of the 1930’s
Back in May, my buddies Sergio and Nick and I pooled our heads together and came up with our own three lists of the best mysteries from the Golden Age of Detection. Our method of selection was very structured: we came up with thirteen general categories (i.e., “Best wartime” “best locked room” and “best twist ending”) and … Continue reading “I’ve got a little list . . . ” Part II: Ten Favorite Mysteries of the 1930’s
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: EXPERT ON WICKEDNESS by Dr. Mark Aldridge
What will the critics make of Dr. Mark Aldridge’s new book? You know, the folks who describe any novelist who tries their hand at a mystery in the classic style as “the next Agatha Christie?” They might say something like this: “An entertaining and informative dissertation on the world’s most famous and best-loved spinster sleuth … Continue reading AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: EXPERT ON WICKEDNESS by Dr. Mark Aldridge
AN ANNIVERSARY AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT: The Poirot Project
Can you believe it? Nine years ago, on this very day, I began my life as a blogger! I was young and wild, a snappy dresser, sure, but uncertain of how to put my feelings into words. And now, with time and patience, I have grown into myself as a writer and a man. In … Continue reading AN ANNIVERSARY AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT: The Poirot Project
THE FESTIVAL? THE FESTIVAL! THE QUEEN OF CRIME’S FESTIVAL!
It was a plan two years in the making, brought about by an invitation from detective fiction expert Tony Medawar, to travel to Torquay, England, in the County of Devon, the birthplace of Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller, the girl who grew up to become my favorite author, in order to speak about her. Really, though, … Continue reading THE FESTIVAL? THE FESTIVAL! THE QUEEN OF CRIME’S FESTIVAL!
Ah Sweet Mystery! 