Messages

46

What I'm Reading / Re: BATS IN THE BELFRY, A London Mystery by E.C.R. Lorac

« on: January 15, 2021, 12:30:03 am »

I've found that when reading books that are set in the past, it is best to accept the fact that there are going to be lots of things that would offend how one thinks these days. You have to make the decision to either read it and move on or not read it at all. Simply because you know you are going to be upset with what was commonplace when the book was originally published and there is really nothing you can do to change that.

I know when I read Thomas Mullen's DARKTOWN I was constantly battling the urge to throw the book against the wall for all the racism that it was describing. This even as I knew that the author was simply telling a story set in a time when said racism was part and parcel of daily life. In the end, the captivating story won out and I ended up loving the book despite the aggravation.

That is a good point. I absolutely loved Nancy Drew books when I was young. When I read them now the subtle and not-so-subtle racism annoys me, but it went right over my head when I first read the books.

I wasn't surprised to find racist remarks in this book, but I was disappointed that this type of remark was repeated so often. You mentioned the captivating story of DARKTOWN winning you over in spite of everything. I have read some vintage books where I was able to overlook annoying things because the story was so good. Unfortunately - for me, anyway - that wasn't the case in this book. That is not to say others might disagree. Apparently this book was very popular in its day. Maybe others will be mermerized by the puzzles and twists, as I was not.

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What I'm Reading / BATS IN THE BELFRY, A London Mystery by E.C.R. Lorac

« on: January 14, 2021, 01:54:16 am »

E.C.R. Lorac was a pseudonym used by Edith Caroline Rivett. She also wrote as Carol Carnac.

I had high hopes for this book. It's a British Library Crime Classic, originally published in 1937. I like a lot of books written in mystery's "Golden Age," but I must admit this one was not a favorite. It took me forever to read, and it was only 231 pages long. It should have been intriguing, but it felt as if the author was trying too hard. Many characters vied for attention, with little to distinguish them but their beards or, in the case of the lead detective, his country of origin - Scotland.

I like a good twist, but this book had so many contrived puzzles and twists, almost every page contained a wordy explanation that didn't really clarify anything. Quoting one character, "The whole thing is so demented that its ingenuity staggers me!" I found it tedious rather than ingenious.

I was also put off by the number of racist and anti-Semitic comments.  I realize this is not uncommon in books of this period, but examples like this annoyed me: "Our researches revealed the appalling fact that he is a Jew."  There follows a discussion about whether to reveal this information to the woman who is planning to marry him, or leave her to find out after the fact since she is considered equally appalling. The speaker goes on to stress that "there is no room for prejudice" in his job.

Anyway. I don't like to leave negative comments but since this book is coming up to 100 years old (well, in the next 15 years or so), I assume most readers will expect the plot to be dated. I'd be interested to find out what any of you think of this book - if you should decide to give it a try. My copy was published by Poisoned Pen Press in 2018.

https://poisonedpenpress.com/authors/e-c-r-lorac/

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Welcome and General Discussion / Agatha Christie Website Announces New Screen Production

« on: January 11, 2021, 02:24:29 am »

I'm very excited about this: https://www.agathachristie.com/news/2020/introducing-agatha-christies-sven-hjerson?utm_source=Agatha+Christie+Newsletter+Master+List&utm_campaign=95ccc3ddb7-Agatha_Christie_Newsletter_January_2021&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e436c51fda-95ccc3ddb7-27816085

"There have been countless adaptations of Agatha Christie’s novels and stories over the years, but now for the first time we have an entirely new production set within the fictional universe created by the Queen of Crime. Never before has Sven Hjerson, the fictional detective of Agatha Christie’s fictional writer Ariadne Oliver, been committed to the screen; but now, for the first time, a production will bring this meta adaptation to life. Agatha Christie’s Sven Hjerson is a thrilling, playful whodunnit with a contemporary twist.

Ariadne Oliver is a mystery crime writer who appears in a number of Agatha Christie novels, and who, according to Agatha Christie, bears certain similarities to herself. Ariadne has her own master detective: Sven Hjerson who loves crudités, cold winter baths and solving murder mysteries. In this new series Sven Hjerson is played by none other than Johan Rheborg.

The TV series began shooting in Åland on December 8th. It comprises four classic whodunnit murder cases and will be broadcast as a TV series in Sweden and Germany in autumn 2021."

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What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: January 11, 2021, 02:21:01 am »

I'm reading BATS IN THE BELFRY by E.C.R. Lorac. I wish I had an edition with this cool cover, but mine is much more prosaic.

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What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: January 11, 2021, 02:18:27 am »

I finished MURDER AT HONEYCHURCH HALL by Hannah Dennison today. There are several other books in this series. I'll probably read more of them, if only I can find them in stores or - I live in hope! - at the library, when it finally opens again.

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What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: January 11, 2021, 02:16:27 am »

I'm looking forward to reading your review!

If only I can figure out how to write it. I submitted one review today and I'll work on that one tomorrow. Oh, and I've started reading the third of four books I got advance copies of. It's Donna Leon's Transient Desires. It should prove interesting because I've never read her books before.

I have a couple of her books in my waiting-to-be-read pile. I remember Kate Stine recommended them and I do plan to read them. I'm easily distracted these days, unfortunately.

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Top Ten Lists / Re: My Top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers of 2020!

« on: January 05, 2021, 02:51:38 am »

How exciting! Authors are my kind of celebrities. I get very excited when an author friends me on Facebook!

Oh, and I discovered the attached on Leonard Goldberg's Facebook page. It is the banner photo on the page and that's a line from my review.

How exciting! (That's the book I preordered.)

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Top Ten Lists / Re: My Top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers of 2020!

« on: January 04, 2021, 08:45:26 am »

And today I read Matthew Quirk's HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN. I agree with you - it's a knock out! I want to read more of his books but I'm torn whether to read THE NIGHT AGENT or a book from one of his other series, maybe COLD BARREL ZERO or one of the Mike Ford books (The 500 and THE DIRECTIVE). I know you liked THE NIGHT AGENT. Is that the one you'd recommend?

I would absolutely recommend THE NIGHT AGENT. It was my favorite book of 2019.

By the way, of the 13 authors that I spotlighted in my article for this year, I've heard from 11 of them either on Facebook or Twitter. They've said thanks, retweeted and/or shared the article and some have started following me on Twitter. One even said that I was going to be at the top of their list for an advance copy when their next book came out. So that was kind of cool.

I don't go looking for that kind of stuff but it is nice to be appreciated enough that they share an article that is clearly not from an established website or anything.

How exciting! Authors are my kind of celebrities. I get very excited when an author friends me on Facebook!

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What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: January 04, 2021, 08:41:08 am »

I'm looking forward to reading your review!

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Top Ten Lists / Re: My Top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers of 2020!

« on: January 03, 2021, 06:47:41 pm »

Thanks - it will make a change if I finish a book before you do! I think I will give this one a try.

I'm back to a book a day right now. Yesterday I read another Nancy Warren Vampire Knitting Club book, I think it was number 8. I only have two more to go but luckily she has written other books. I enjoy the way she writes so I think I'll like her other series, too.

And today I read Matthew Quirk's HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN. I agree with you - it's a knock out! I want to read more of his books but I'm torn whether to read THE NIGHT AGENT or a book from one of his other series, maybe COLD BARREL ZERO or one of the Mike Ford books (The 500 and THE DIRECTIVE). I know you liked THE NIGHT AGENT. Is that the one you'd recommend?

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What I'm Reading / Re: And now for something completely different - THE VAMPIRE KNITTING CLUB

« on: January 03, 2021, 01:19:10 pm »

I just finished Book 8 of this series, plus a print edition of a novella. Only two more books to go! I hope this series will continue. Luckily, Nancy Warren has several other series and those sound good, too. They are all fast reads, which I also like.

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Top Ten Lists / Re: (MYSTERY SCENE RELIEVE STRESS QUIZ

« on: January 01, 2021, 02:15:12 am »

Fun quiz! I knew some of these answers but had to Google several others. For instance, as a native Chicagoan, I thought "our" Loyola University was the only one, and was therefore surprised to find a New Orleans version of Loyola, too.

I recognized Helen MacInnes as the author of ASSIGNMENT IN BRITTANY and other mystery classics. She was one of the first mystery authors I discovered as a teenager. Luckily my mom liked her, too, so all her books were readily at hand.

I read Edmund Crispin's THE MOVING TOYSHOP years ago and treasure my old copy of it.

I recognized the name "Roger Thornhill" from one of my favorite movies, but I didn't remember the R.O.T. bit. Thanks for sharing it with us!

This just popped up, but I'm happy that it's at the top of the viewing list again. I have been fighting the urge to Google the answers. I knew - a very few - without looking, and looking at Kate's response, we've both seen the same movies and I'm sure we've read a lot of the same books. I love Charles Todd, and I love the Ian Rutledge books.

I've read (I think) all of P.D. James' books but I only remember the first half of her initials - I'm pretty sure it's Phyllis. I know Roger Thornhill was played by Cary Grant in NORTH BY NORTHWEST - it's one of my favorite movies. Can you remember another movie starring Cary Grant in which he played a character named Carson Dial? (I'm not sure if that's how the last name was spelled.)

As when I first read this, I was able to answer the Helen Macinnes question instantly. One of her most memorable books to me (and I read them all when I was a teenager) was set in Warsaw during the second World War, WHILE STILL WE LIVE. The descriptions have stayed with me after all these years.

What a fun way to kick off the new year!

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Top Ten Lists / Re: My Top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers of 2020!

« on: January 01, 2021, 01:47:56 am »

Well, I knew before I clicked on your post that it would be expensive for me. I've ordered a couple of your recommendations, and preordered another. I think I have Carlene O'Connor's book in my to-be-read pile, and, after reading your review of Matthew Quirk's book(s), I thought his name rang a bell. No wonder- I bought HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN when you mentioned it earlier in the year, and it's been buried in a bin of waiting-to-be-read books that I just upended this morning to see what I was missing. The only books on your list I've read were the ones by Maddie Day and Margaret Dumas.

Two of my favorite mysteries this year were Hank Phillippi Ryan's MURDER LIST and THE LAST FLIGHT by Julie Clark. THE SILENT PATIENT was a favorite, too, but that came out in 2019 and I was just slow to read it.

Authors I discovered this year and have since become hooked on:

Nancy Warren, particularly her Vampire Knitting Club series

Sulari Gentill - I've read two of her novels, and have two more waiting to be read

Maddie Day and Margaret Dumas (both mentioned above): I've read almost all of Maddie Day/Edith Maxwell's books now, and all of Margaret Dumas' movie palace mysteries. Two of Margaret Dumas' Charley Fairfax mysteries are in my waiting-to-be-read pile. If she has written anything else, I'll be adding those, too.

Hannah Dennison has written the Vicky Hill series and the Honeychurch Hall books. I've read one from each series and have more in my waiting to be read pile.

Michael Stanley - I've been familiar with his books for a long time but got hooked on his books this year.

Elly Griffiths - I had read one or two of her books, but after reading a feature about her in Mystery Scene, I started collected as many of her books as I could find. I've read several of them and really enjoyed them. I still have a few left in my waiting-to-be-read pile. I'm reading as fast as I can!

Now I have a question for any of you - I'm interested in a 2019 book called THE GHOST MANUSCRIPT by Kris Frieswick. It's a mystery with paranormal elements. The reviews I've read are so varied, I can't get a good feel for the book. I have so many books already in my waiting-to-be-read pile, it's not like I NEED to add another book to it. But I like King Arthur stories, I'm not averse to ghosts, and I like puzzles and quests. Have any of you read this book? I'd value your opinions. Thanks!

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What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: December 31, 2020, 02:22:59 pm »

It's hard to finish a book that isn't holding your interest. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood for a particular book, but then if I pick it up later, I feel differently about it. Right now I have a wealth of books I want to read and I keep starting different ones, and then jumping to another. I'm enjoying all of them but it's taking me longer than usual to actually finish a book right now.

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Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Happy Holiday Wishes to the authors we love

« on: December 31, 2020, 01:17:22 pm »