My experience with mystery writer Patrick Quentin, the pseudonym of . . . oh, so many people, but mostly Hugh Wheeler and Rickie Webb, is sketchy. Many years ago, Avon published six catchy paperbacks comprising the first six cases for Peter and Iris Duluth, who had perhaps the most fraught marriage of any romantic sleuthing team in … Continue reading THAT’S WHAT FIENDS ARE FOR: A Puzzle for Fiends by Patrick Quentin
My Book Club
BOOK CLUB FLIES SOLO, PART ONE: Ten Favorite Stand-Alone Mysteries
Every once in a while, my Book Club eschews the single Title-of-the-Month format and opts for a more general discussion. We select a topic – say, our favorite mysteries of the 1920’s or the best debut novels by a mystery author – craft our separate lists, and pool them together at our meeting - and … Continue reading BOOK CLUB FLIES SOLO, PART ONE: Ten Favorite Stand-Alone Mysteries
BOOK CLUB GOES ON THE LAM: Beware the Curves by A.A. Fair
Due to some scheduling glitches, for the first time my Book Club will be discussing not one but two mystery novels at this month’s meeting. The first is The Dead Can Tell (1940) by Helen Reilly, and the new edition by Woodside Press beautifully reconstructs the old Dell Mapback cover on front and back, as well as the cast … Continue reading BOOK CLUB GOES ON THE LAM: Beware the Curves by A.A. Fair
BOOK CLUB READS AN EALING COMEDY: The Wooden Overcoat
Today would have been my dad’s ninety-seventh birthday. In the Jewish faith, we believe that those who have passed never leave us – everything we ever loved about them stays in our hearts. I know my father is nearby, nudging me remember to water the plants. He was a brilliant gardener, something I could never … Continue reading BOOK CLUB READS AN EALING COMEDY: The Wooden Overcoat
BOOK CLUB TAKES ON THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
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 … Continue reading BOOK CLUB TAKES ON THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
SIX SKIDOO: My Favorite Mysteries of the 1920’s
The real fun with my Book Club occurs when we toss aside the traditional “Read-of-the-Month” format and talk about books in general. When we read something together, we make quick work of our discussion: if we all loved it, we cover that love in twenty minutes; ditto if we all despised it. And if we … Continue reading SIX SKIDOO: My Favorite Mysteries of the 1920’s
“. . . OF COURSE, OF COURSE”: The Deadly Percheron
My Book Club’s recent discussion about our favorite 1940’s mysteries is the gift that keeps on giving. That our lists displayed such marvelous variety, with very few crossover titles, is a testament to our voracious reading habits and differing tastes; it may also explain why we have such trouble agreeing on what to read each … Continue reading “. . . OF COURSE, OF COURSE”: The Deadly Percheron
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
“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
BOOK CLUB TACKLES ITS INNER DEMONS: The Noh Mask Murder
The ever-increasing availability of Japanese honkaku and shin honkaku mystery stories translated into English is one of the greatest perks of the classic mystery revival. I used to talk about each review as “this year’s book,” but now I can’t keep up with the new titles. I’ve got books on my shelf that I haven’t read yet, another Kosuke … Continue reading BOOK CLUB TACKLES ITS INNER DEMONS: The Noh Mask Murder
Ah Sweet Mystery! 