FROM: Rev. Felinius Sonnybear SUBJECT: Mantra Date: 23 August, at 15:07 TO: Bradley Friedman Your presence at our last Zoom Yogathon was troubling, kiddo. You continue to allow yourself to bear the weight of the world on your shoulders. Are you practicing your breathing exercise? Did you receive the packet of licorice beetroot tea I sent you. It must be sipped … Continue reading REGARDING THE APPEAL
Modern Crime Novels
UNRELIABLE ME: The Woman in the Window
As mysteries go, you may know that I'm an "old soul." The unfortunate side effect of this is that my relationship to modern crime novels is . . . er, problematic. I get especially angry when today's writers create or seek comparisons with past greats. Only today, I picked up the latest Ruth Ware novel … Continue reading UNRELIABLE ME: The Woman in the Window
ON AND ON AND ON (BUT BETTER): The Punishment She Deserves
It’s funny the things that pop into your head while you’re driving. For instance, I was cruising down the highway the other day, and I slid in Disc 17 of Elizabeth George’s latest opus, The Punishment She Deserves. And as the latest chapter of this 18 disc/690 page long mystery began to play, it struck … Continue reading ON AND ON AND ON (BUT BETTER): The Punishment She Deserves
FIVE BOOKS TO READ BEFORE THEY’RE SPOILED FOR YOU – The Random Edition
Summer is winding down, and the hallowed halls of education will soon be opening their doors. Except for me, who has been stuck in the classroom for nearly three weeks now. Whatever happened to the agrarian calendar? At the beginning of August, Ben, that scintillating John Dickson Carr enthusiast over at The Green Capsule, presented … Continue reading FIVE BOOKS TO READ BEFORE THEY’RE SPOILED FOR YOU – The Random Edition
ON THAT YOU CAN RELY
Under the deluded notion that I might be focusing too much of my time on classic GAD detective fiction, (“Don’t you ever read any living authors?” my mom asks frequently,) I recently attempted a return to modern crime stories, only to meet with one crushing defeat after another. As a result of the latest effort, … Continue reading ON THAT YOU CAN RELY
FAREWELL TO LYNLEY: This Endless Banquet Does Not Satisfy
Nearly a month ago, I parted company with Louise Penny, for the simple reason that she and I no longer get on together – literarily, that is. When I inaugurated a new era of Kindle reading, I read all her novels in one fell swoop and, despite a lingering affection for Armand Gamache and his … Continue reading FAREWELL TO LYNLEY: This Endless Banquet Does Not Satisfy
PICK YOUR POISON: Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle
“Merricat,” said Constance, “would you like a cup of tea?” “Oh, no,” said Merricat, “you’ll poison me.” “Merricat,” said Constance, “would you like to go to sleep?” “Down in the boneyard, ten feet deep.” July is the month that the Tuesday Night Bloggers have decided to focus on great books that center around poison. Here … Continue reading PICK YOUR POISON: Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle
TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE: SHOULD A WOULD-BE MYSTERY WRITER COZY UP?
A recent Buzzfeed post offered that, simply by typing in your name, you will be provided with a word that will define your coming year. The whole thing appeared random, but I thought, Why not give it a try? Some of my friends got “love”, while others got “wisdom”. For no special reason that I can see, … Continue reading TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE: SHOULD A WOULD-BE MYSTERY WRITER COZY UP?
Ah Sweet Mystery! 