So often I have thought about the works of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Dorothy Sayers, and, my personal favorite, Ross Macdonald and realized that I just don’t have the time to revisit their works.

Truthfully, I barely have the time to read new works.

So Art Taylor’s ultra-cool story titled Miss Jane Marple: Spinster Sleuth Extraordinaire was especially interesting to me. (The story’s in the Winter Issue, 2009; No. 108.)

While I left Agatha Christie off that list above, I hadn’t forgotten about her.

I cut my mystery teeth on Christie’s work and her novels always have a special place in my heart.

But with all the attention on new authors, I tend to forget:

* What a wry old bird Miss Jane Marple was. True, a bit creepy, always watching her neighbors, living vicariously in a sense. But she was the epitome of a sleuth – eagle-eyed, thoughtful, insightful and not swayed by personalities.

* What a complex personality Miss Marple was. She didn’t trust people, but at the same time she was never unkind to anyone.

* What a great plotter Christie was. Those stories were dense with clues and plot points and characterizations. Some readers might find the writing in those stories a bit dated but they are not.

* Contemporary issues abound in Christie’s work. Sure, these stories were written in another century, but issues of classism, fidelity, family secrets never go out of style.

* And talk about relevance….Christie’s books also have been released as graphic novels. Do you think that would happen if these stories were too old-fashioned?

* Senior sleuths are a group that is often overlooked. Christie may have been the first to give a voice to the often invisible senior citizen. With so many 30 to 40something sleuths dominating the genre, it is a refreshing change to have a 70something show her intelligences.

My knowledge of Christie and Miss Marple are scant next to Kate, who is a true Christie expert, and to Art, whose article makes some interesting observations.

But when I was 9 or 10, I discovered Christie’s novels and they lead me to so many more wonderful authors. For that, I am always grateful to Christie and her troupe of characters.

Tana French’s In the Woods was a favorite of Mystery Scene readers and won  the Edgar for Best First Novel of 2007. Now her second, The Likeness, has critics hailing a major new talent. Cheryl Solimini chats with this former actress who has taken a flair for the dramatic from the stage to the page.

Clyde Ford launches an intriguing new boating series set in the Pacific Northwest with an ex-Coast Guard officer as hero. Ford reports that he’s working with actor Morgan Freeman on a screenplay.

John J. Lamb’s popular mysteries combine two seemingly disparate worlds—the cozy milieu of teddy bear collecting and the gritty details of police procedure. Our reporter discovers striking similarities between Lamb’s work and life.

In the midst of this historic presidential election season, Art Taylor takes a look back at mystery fiction from the tumultuous Civil Rights era of the 1950s and ’60s.

Verna Suit explores fiction set in “Mysterious Maryland” with a special focus on Baltimore, where the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention will be taking place in October.

Our own Jon L. Breen, who won an Edgar Award for Novel Verdicts: A Guide to Courtroom Fiction, puts his expertise to work in a round-up of new legal thriller fiction. Following Jon’s glowing recommendation I’ve just read Justin Peacock’s debut, A Cure for Night. Don’t miss this book!

Best wishes,
Kate Stine
Editor-in-chief

The annual avalanche of fall books has arrived at our office and there are some real gems this year. Just out and already receiving great reviews is Walter Mosley’s latest, Blonde Ambition. No surprise there but as you read our interview, you may be taken aback by the number and dazzling variety of new projects Mosley has in the works. We won’t even comment on the rumor that this might be the last Easy Rawlins novel…

Another new book getting great reviews is Jonathon King’s Acts of Nature. In search of local color, our fearless Oline Cogdill ventures into the Everglades with King, a former colleague of hers at Fort Lauderdale’s Sun-Sentinel.

In the publishing world, writers are often dubbed “beloved.” In most cases, it’s simply marketing speak. But love is really the only word that does justice to how generations of readers feel about Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird.

First published in 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird won the Pulitzer Prize and has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. It is taught in the majority of American schools, and is regularly chosen for “One Book, One City” programs. Recently, librarians across the country voted it the best novel of the 20th century.

In this issue, Art Taylor considers the enduring impact of this tale of racial and class injustice in the Deep South of the 1930s.

Lee is one of those rare authors who lets her work speak for itself. It was news recently when she broke her customary public silence at a ceremony inducting new members into the Alabama Academy of Honor. The Academy’s chairman joked with Lee, saying he knew she had something she wanted to say to the crowd.

Lee responded “Well, it’s better to be silent than to be a fool.”

According to AP, the audience burst into laughter and gave Lee a standing ovation.

Donna Moore—whose novel …To Helena Handbasket was a recent winner of the Lefty Award for Funniest Mystery—has turned her talents to poetry. Be sure to read her clever ode to alphabetical annihilation in “A to Z Killing Spree: A Poem.”

Ever wanted your very own Batcave? Creative Home Engineering in Arizona can help you out. Hidden passageways, secret cubbyholes, and doors disguised as bookcases are their specialty. For the owner, it all started with that revolving fireplace scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Speaking of entertaining films, our latest guide offers a selection of great cop movies. The hidden treasure here, in my opinion, is Out of Sight. George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez steam up the screen like Bogie and Bacall in their heyday. Add to this a script by Scott Frank based on the Elmore Leonard novel, a first-rate cast of supporting players (Don Cheadle, Albert Brooks, Ving Rhames), and an outstanding shoot ’em up at the end. Honestly, I’ve never understood why this movie isn’t better known. Take a look, you’ll be happy you did.

Also in this issue, Gary Phillips makes his way through hordes of Star Wars Storm Troopers, elves, superheroes, and scantily clad barbarian women, all to bring us tidings of the 2007 Comic-Con. Ron Miller sorts through the new fall TV season and finds a number of mystery-themed shows with supernatural tinges. Ed Gorman tells us 15 things we should know about pulp writer Charles Williams, and Twist Phelan recounts her adventures in an outrigger canoe off the coast of Australia while researching her latest book.

Have you read something great lately? Whether it’s hot off the press or a classic that you’ve finally gotten around to, please drop us a line for the new feature “Our Readers Recommend” at info [at] mysteryscenemag.com

Kate Stine
Editor-in-chief