“I know all mothers rave about their babies, but I must say that, though I personally consider newborn babies definitely hideous, Rosalind actually was a nice-looking baby. She had a lot of dark hair, and she looked rather like a Red Indian; she had not that pink, bald look that is so depressing in babies, … Continue reading ALL MY DEADLY DAUGHTERS: Christie’s Children in Fact and Fiction
L’EXCROISSANCE or, Giving the (Moving) Finger to Christie
My buddy Kate over at Cross Examining Crime just wrote an interesting article on Agatha Christie’s The Moving Finger. While she’s not as fond of the novel as I am, she had a fascinating take on the character of Megan Hunter here. By an amazing coincidence, I happened to watch the TV adaptation of The … Continue reading L’EXCROISSANCE or, Giving the (Moving) Finger to Christie
THE CASE OF THE VANISHING VOLUMES: The Solution!
This month, the Tuesday Club Bloggers are talking about Children in Crime. Just in case you didn’t get a chance to read this newly discovered adventure starring my childhood detective heroes, The Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown, here’s the link. I was going to wait till Friday to post the solution, but WE HAVE A WINNER!!! … Continue reading THE CASE OF THE VANISHING VOLUMES: The Solution!
THE CASE OF THE VANISHING VOLUMES
Encyclopedia Brown As the sun shone brightly on Rover Avenue one beautiful Saturday morning, Leroy Brown, known to his friends as “Encyclopedia” galloped down the stairs and ran behind his mom to hug her as she flipped hotcakes on the griddle. “Morning, Mom, morning, Dad!” Encyclopedia plopped down at the breakfast table and finished his … Continue reading THE CASE OF THE VANISHING VOLUMES
A CENTENARY CELEBRATION (with special guests!)
Coming up just ahead of my first birthday as a blogger, I am excited to present my one hundredth post. A mere eleven and a half months ago, I was a mere shlub brimming with excitement to have discovered a community of readers, writers and thinkers who were just as obsessed with a love for … Continue reading A CENTENARY CELEBRATION (with special guests!)
THE SPINSTER’S DEBUT: The Murder At the Vicarage
“What are you doing this afternoon, Griselda?” “My duty,” said Griselda. “My duty as the Vicaress. Tea … Continue reading THE SPINSTER’S DEBUT: The Murder At the Vicarage
AGATHA CHRISTIE AND THE DEADLY DUO
I have received threefold inspiration to write the following post. First, as part of the 1930 celebration going on over at Past Offenses, I re-read The Murder at the Vicarage, which contains a prime example of a favorite murder motif of Agatha Christie’s that I have dubbed “the deadly duo.” Her variations on this theme form … Continue reading AGATHA CHRISTIE AND THE DEADLY DUO
DESTINATION UNKNOWN (a.k.a. “Taking a Bullet for Rich”)
“The travelers got out of the car. There was a big bell pull at the gate, but before they could touch it the gates swung slowly open. A white-robed figure with a black, smiling face bowed to them and bade them enter. They passed through the gate; at one side screened by a high fence … Continue reading DESTINATION UNKNOWN (a.k.a. “Taking a Bullet for Rich”)
KA-POOWW! KA-BOOOM! Holmes and Queen in Four Colors
In the early 1960’s, Dell’s Four Color Series experimented with giving some of the great detectives the Superman treatment by trying them out as comic books. The newsstands’ luster was raised by the appearance of original stories featuring Sherlock Holmes and Ellery Queen. Unfortunately, these experiments did not bear fruit, and neither detective earned enough … Continue reading KA-POOWW! KA-BOOOM! Holmes and Queen in Four Colors
HARRY POTTER AND THE CREATIVE CASH COW
The seven books of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter saga occupy a prominent position on my bookshelf (the downstairs one in the living room!) I read them all and listened to the audio versions read by the marvelous Jim Dale, he of a thousand voices, many times! I own the movies (except for the last one … Continue reading HARRY POTTER AND THE CREATIVE CASH COW
Ah Sweet Mystery! 