Ninety years ago today, Archibald Christie argued with his wife and walked out of the house, revealing to her that he was leaving her for another woman. This sort of domestic tragedy happens all the time, but when it happens to the world’s most successful mystery writer, the repercussions are bound to affect the work … Continue reading OH YOU CAN GET A MAN WITH A GUN: Christie and the Cad
GIVE ‘EM A RIGHT HOOK: Carr vs. Christie on Roping In the Readers
Only yesterday my buddy JJ, on his insightful blog site, InsultingAgathaChri-, oops, I mean, The Invisible Event, celebrated the 110th birthday of his favorite author, John Dickson Carr - an author, I might add, whom I also count among my favorites. Among his many moments of praise for the Locked Room Master, JJ asserted the … Continue reading GIVE ‘EM A RIGHT HOOK: Carr vs. Christie on Roping In the Readers
A CELEBRATORY HODGEPODGE HONORING JOHN DICKSON CARR
Happy 110th birthday, John Dickson Carr. Two months ago, JJ at The Invisible Event invited everybody to share a post on this day of days for his favorite author, the Master of the Locked Room Mystery. We could write anything we wanted: a review, a poem, a celebration of the author. I had great intentions, … Continue reading A CELEBRATORY HODGEPODGE HONORING JOHN DICKSON CARR
MAGPIE MURDERS: The Silver Age and the Modern Era Collide
“It’s one thing reading about detectives, quite another trying to be one.” This brand new novel by Anthony Horowitz is making the rounds amongst the mystery blogging community. Already my buddies Kate at Cross Examining Crime and JJ at The Invisible Event have written about it. It hasn’t even hit America yet, so thank you, … Continue reading MAGPIE MURDERS: The Silver Age and the Modern Era Collide
COMING HOME: Two Examples From Agatha Christie’s Post-War England
Critics of classic mysteries complain that these tales lack any grounding in reality. People die horrible deaths - sometimes a great many people during the same country weekend - but nobody seems particularly put out, unless you count the irritation one feels about having to put off one’s golf game in order to be interrogated … Continue reading COMING HOME: Two Examples From Agatha Christie’s Post-War England
ELEGY FOR BEAU
“Someone who holds you too close/Someone who hurts you too deep/Someone who sits in your chair and ruins your sleep/And makes you aware of being alive . . . “ Animal lovers are unabashedly unapologetic about it. Too bad for you if you don't get it, we say. People measure their lives in significant chunks. … Continue reading ELEGY FOR BEAU
HISTORY CROSSES PATHS: The Picture From the Past
This month, the Tuesday Night Bloggers tackle a sprawling subject: the relationship between mystery and history. It’s a topic one can examine from many different angles. So far, members of the group have shared insights about mysteries set in specific historical eras, or examined how historical context plays into, or is revealed, in Golden Age … Continue reading HISTORY CROSSES PATHS: The Picture From the Past
A BIENTOT, POIROT: Agatha Christie’s Curtain
Every month, Rich Westwood at Past Offenses gathers mystery fans from all over the stratosphere to celebrate the mystery literature and films of a specific year, and for November he has chosen . . . 1975?!?!? After October’s foray into 1907, I thought Rich might take pity on us and choose a nice juicy year from … Continue reading A BIENTOT, POIROT: Agatha Christie’s Curtain
HERE I GO AGAIN: Looking for a Halter That Works
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” My blogging pal JJ from The Invisible Event reminded me of this bit of wisdom only the other day after I told him that I had purchased a new Paul Halter novel. You see, my relationship with Halter’s work has … Continue reading HERE I GO AGAIN: Looking for a Halter That Works
MYSTERY AND HISTORY: The First Classic Murder Case
It’s a new month, so the Tuesday Night Bloggers are changing the subject! Throughout November we will be discussing mysteries that have some connection to history. I would like to modestly boast that this was my idea, and I sold it as a topic broad enough to encompass a variety of perspectives. Yet, while my … Continue reading MYSTERY AND HISTORY: The First Classic Murder Case
Ah Sweet Mystery! 