Recently, my friend Kate at Cross Examining Crime re-read and reviewed Five Little Pigs here. I loved many of the things she said and disagreed with others. Mostly, it made me hungry to set down some of my own thoughts about one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels and how it stands apart from the … Continue reading WHAT I DID FOR LOVE: Matters of the Heart in Christie’s Five Little Pigs
CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER: The Best Short Adventure of Ellery Queen
“There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it, and then talking over its head. … Continue reading CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER: The Best Short Adventure of Ellery Queen
THE CAPE AND THE COWL: The Ultimate Costumed Detective
Murder at Mystery Castle has everything you could desire in a Golden Age detective story. Take one exotic setting: an ancient medieval castle that has been taken apart and reassembled, brick by brick, on island cliffs overlooking a modern American city. Add a powerful victim, one James Barham, munitions manufacturer, who has invited four guests … Continue reading THE CAPE AND THE COWL: The Ultimate Costumed Detective
THE CASE OF THE PERILOUS POLITICIAN
I am not a political writer, so tackling this business of Donald Trump through my perferred métier of murder mysteries and musicals seems apt. In my lifetime, I have never seen so bizarre a drama unfold in the top echelons of politics, and I survived George W. Bush! America is essentially run by a two-party … Continue reading THE CASE OF THE PERILOUS POLITICIAN
COSTUME IN CRIME: The Cinema Version
As the Tuesday Night Bloggers devote the month of October to the subject of Costume in Crime, it would be remiss of me not to discuss some of the great costumed characters in the world of cinematic mysteries, many of them based on literary heroes and villains. I mentioned last week how unbelievable it might … Continue reading COSTUME IN CRIME: The Cinema Version
DEVIL IN DISGUISE – Christie’s Costumed Criminals . . . AND a Quiz!
When the Tuesday Night Bloggers selected October’s topic – Costume in Crime – I made straight for Agatha Christie, as is my wont. It only took me a moment to cover an entire page with titles that concern criminals in disguise. Christie’s use of this trick is frequent enough and varied enough that I’m sure … Continue reading DEVIL IN DISGUISE – Christie’s Costumed Criminals . . . AND a Quiz!
NOW APPEARING IN YOUR KINDLE 99¢ BIN
I had planned to title this post, “One Cranky Voice Among Many,” because today is my one-year anniversary as a blogger. But then I thought, “Okay, you made a small hoopla about your 100th post only a couple of weeks ago, so enough is enough! Plus, you’re not really cranky, just opinionated.” What has one … Continue reading NOW APPEARING IN YOUR KINDLE 99¢ BIN
YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR FIRST CARR
When I saw that Rich Westwood was celebrating all things mysterious from 1930 all month at his blog, Past Offenses, I quickly checked out the literary scene at the time. Folks, this year was golden! Nearly every member of the Detection Club seemed to churn one out that year, and some of them created landmarks … Continue reading YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR FIRST CARR
TELL ME WHY YOU CRIED (And Why You Died on Me)*
What’s this? Two posts in one day?!? My adoring fans will grow tired of me – both of them! But after all, it is Agatha Christie’s birthday, and the blogosphere is lit up with celebrations and personal confessions over why Christie means so much to mystery fans. Author Margot Kinberg really got into the swing of the … Continue reading TELL ME WHY YOU CRIED (And Why You Died on Me)*
CHRISTIE FIRSTS: Another Blogger’s Take
Happy 126th birthday to you, Happy 126th birthday to you! Happy 126th birthday, Dame Agatha . . . I can’t believe it has been a year since all the fuss occurred in Torquay over Agatha Christie’s 125th birthday! The panels, the performances, the men and women dressed up as Countess Vera Russakoff . . . … Continue reading CHRISTIE FIRSTS: Another Blogger’s Take
Ah Sweet Mystery! 