Over at Past Offenses, Rich is gathering mystery fans from far and wide to honor the year 1950. It just so happens that during this year, two of my favorite authors published mysteries set in small villages. Agatha Christie, writing her fiftieth novel, created a masterpiece. Ellery Queen, however, wrote a lesser Wrightsville tale that, … Continue reading TWO VILLAGE MYSTERIES FROM 1950
CURTIS MADE ME DO IT PART III: A New Queen for Your Consideration
Continuing my examination of three classic but forgotten mysteries recommended to me by Curtis Evans at The Passing Tramp, I have saved the best for last! And in doing so, I have both good, incredible, wonderful news to share, as well as bad, horrible, terrible news. The good news is that, based on reading only … Continue reading CURTIS MADE ME DO IT PART III: A New Queen for Your Consideration
CURTIS MADE ME DO IT, PART II: A Mystery by Annie Haynes
“’Beastly mess the place seems to be in,’ grumbled Sir Arthur Penn-Moreton, looking round the room with a disgusted air. “’Well, if you will give balls you have to put up with the aftermath,’ said Dicky, his younger brother, screwing his monocle in his left eye as he spoke. “Dicky was already seated at the … Continue reading CURTIS MADE ME DO IT, PART II: A Mystery by Annie Haynes
CURTIS MADE ME DO IT, PART I: My first E.R. Punshon
Happy New Year, everybody! A little over a year as a member of the Golden Age Detection group on Facebook, and my life has changed for the better. I have (virtually) met dozens of erudite and charming people whose passion for mystery fiction matches mine even as their knowledge far exceeds my own. As a … Continue reading CURTIS MADE ME DO IT, PART I: My first E.R. Punshon
1950: A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR NOIR
Over at Past Offences, Rich has designated January as a celebration of the year 1950 and all the great mysterious books and films that came out of that year. To join up, simply go here: https://pastoffences.wordpress.com/2015/12/28/1950book-sign-up-page/ Turns out that 1950 was a great year for film noir. Wikipedia lists fifty-four titles, including In a Lonely … Continue reading 1950: A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR NOIR
The Curious Incident of the Doggerel in the Nighttime
My fellow blogger, Helen Szamuely, posted a fascinating article about the nature of clueing in classic mysteries, much of which is lost to modern writers and readers due to the rising technology of our times. Read her post here: http://conservativehistory.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/some-idle-thoughts.html It inspired me to scribble a silly poem - something I do way too often … Continue reading The Curious Incident of the Doggerel in the Nighttime
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE PALE HORSE
“Of course I often have a master criminal in my stories – people like it – but really he gets harder and harder to do. So long as one doesn’t know who he is, I can keep him impressive. But when it all comes out, he seems, somehow, so inadequate. A kind of anticlimax. It’s … Continue reading AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE PALE HORSE
DO YOU SWEAR TO TELL . . . ?:Helen McCloy’s The Deadly Truth
The year is 1941, and the shadow of war encroaches on our nation from both sides. Paris has fallen, and in a few short months the Japanese will bomb Pearl Harbor. You wouldn’t know this, however, if you peeked into the windows at Blessingbourne, the Long Island estate where society hostess Claudia Bethune and her … Continue reading DO YOU SWEAR TO TELL . . . ?:Helen McCloy’s The Deadly Truth
THE TWELVE FAMILIES OF CHRISTIE-MAS – PART II
Continuing my investigation of the twelve family tales one finds scattered throughout Agatha Christie’s novels, today I examine the second half dozen: On the seventh day of Christie-mas my true love sent to me: Seven family members strapped for cash. 1948’s Taken at … Continue reading THE TWELVE FAMILIES OF CHRISTIE-MAS – PART II
THE TWELVE FAMILIES OF CHRISTIE-MAS – PART I
Ah, the holidays! A time when families come together to decorate the tree, light the candles, exchange gifts, and spike the eggnog with just enough cyanide to ensure the reading of the will by New Year’s Eve! Well, that’s the way it is if your clan is featured in an Agatha Christie novel. Actually, out … Continue reading THE TWELVE FAMILIES OF CHRISTIE-MAS – PART I
Ah Sweet Mystery! 