Suggestions for April Feature at the Mystery Scene Forum?

[Becke Davis]

Okay, we kicked off the year with a Sherlock Holmes Birthday Feature in January, a cozy mystery feature in February and a focus on mysteries set in Ireland and Scotland in March. These give us a topic of discussions, a place to share your favorite books and authors, and a place for authors who write related books to share their news with us.

What would you like to see as an April feature?

[Becke Davis]

Quarantine reads? https://bookriot.com/2020/03/17/closed-space-books-for-quarantine-reading/

[Becke Davis]

Quiet around here this week. Anyone have books or authors you'd like to talk about?

I had an idea for April, but I'm not sure if there are enough books associated with it to get a discussion going. What do you think?

So, I was trying to think what mystery authors have birthdays in April. And then it hit me - April is when WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE was born! But...are there many/any mysteries with William Shakespeare connections?

I have found more than I expected (I should have known Janet Rudolph would have compiled a list already):

http://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com/2009/04/shakespearean-mysteries.html

https://www.goodreads.com/series/43038-shakespearean-murder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_at_the_Dolphin

http://www.murdermysteryparty.co.uk/game.asp?gid=32

https://www.amazon.com/Shakespearean-Whodunits-Murders-Mysteries-Shakespeares/dp/076072007X

https://www.amazon.com/Mask-Night-Shakespearean-Murder-Mystery/dp/0786713127

https://www.merrymurder.com/the-shakespeare-murder-mystery.html

Simon Dwyer and Rachel Franks

The Stage on the Page: William Shakespeare and Ngaio Marsh

Abstract: Crime is universal. So too, is crime fiction. This research looks at Ngaio Marsh, one of New Zealand’s most prolific crime writers and an ardent activist for the performing arts. Marsh’s ambitions to entertain, on the page and on the stage, can be seen in her murder mystery novels based upon the world of the theatre. Two examples of this, explored here, are the novels Final Curtain (1947) and Light Thickens (1982). Both of these books feature the policeman-hero Roderick Alleyn investigating homicides against the backdrop of references to William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, or “the Scottish play”.

[JRob]

I didn't know of any Shakespeare-themed mysteries beforehand. I'd like to say that I'd be able to read something in that vein for the month of April, but I'm going to busy trying to read my ARCs for reviews.

Probably starting with Ragnar Jonasson's THE MIST.

[Becke Davis]

I didn't know of any Shakespeare-themed mysteries beforehand. I'd like to say that I'd be able to read something in that vein for the month of April, but I'm going to busy trying to read my ARCs for reviews.

Probably starting with Ragnar Jonasson's THE MIST.

Let's make this easier. Instead of trying to read all these books we mention during a monthly feature, let's just make the feature a focus of conversation. That way we can add to our to-be-read piles without feeling pressured to read those books within the month.

All of you are welcome to suggest books you've already read and authors of featured books are invited to introduce themselves and tell us about their books, too.

How does that sound?

[JRob]

Hey, whatever works. I'm easy to get along with! LOL

I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands now. The state of Massachusetts announced all non-essential businesses have to shut down by noon tomorrow (March 24th).

I'll have to file for unemployment now. Looks like I'll have a bit of extra time on my hands, at least for the next couple of weeks.

[Becke Davis]

Hey, whatever works. I'm easy to get along with! LOL

I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands now. The state of Massachusetts announced all non-essential businesses have to shut down by noon tomorrow (March 24th).

I'll have to file for unemployment now. Looks like I'll have a bit of extra time on my hands, at least for the next couple of weeks.

Scary times! My daughter works at a boutique hotel - she loves the job, but she is exposed to a lot of people. They are almost always fully booked, but because of coronavirus there have been a lot of cancellations - and probably more to come, since sports and other events have been cancelled until at least the end of April. A lot of the staff has already been laid off. My daughter's hours have been slashed from 40 to 16. She - like a lot of other people - is going to have a hard time making her rent. I hope your unemployment payments come through quickly!

[Hannah Adams]

Are we supposed to vote on the April feature? I'm tempted to suggest an April Fool theme but it's April 2 now so I'll behave.

I don't think I've read any Shakespeare mysteries, so that might be interesting. No wait, I did read a Ngaio Marsh mystery about a glove that had Shakespearean connections. Can't remember what it was called.

I think I'll give my vote to that one. I'm getting sick of quarantine, not sure I want to read books about it.

[Becke Davis]

We're already a week into April and we still haven't picked a feature for this month. Maybe we should just skip April and go straight to a May feature?

There are several notable author birthdays in May, including:

Martha Grimes (May 2)

Peter Benchley (Jaws) (May

Richard Adams (Watership Down, The Plague Dogs) (May 9)

Leslie Charteris (The Saint mysteries) (May 12)

Daphne DuMaurier (May 13)

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (May 22)

Robert Ludlum (May 25)

Dashiell Hammett (May 27)

Tony Hillerman (May 27)

Ian Fleming (May 28)

What do you think? Should we still do an April feature? Any suggestions for May?

 

[JRob]

What do you think? Should we still do an April feature? Any suggestions for May?

With everything going on in real time, I think skipping April is probably a good idea. I've seen many authors and readers posting stuff about how it has been hard or even impossible to focus on their work. I've found reading hard the last week or so.

I had to read almost an entire book today so that I could do the review which was due today. So move to May is what I say.

Baseball season would be in full swing if things were going on. How about May being a sports mystery themed month?

I would suggest Nicole Asselin's Murder at First Pitch as one of the reads for people here. I loved the book myself.

[Becke Davis]

What do you think? Should we still do an April feature? Any suggestions for May?

With everything going on in real time, I think skipping April is probably a good idea. I've seen many authors and readers posting stuff about how it has been hard or even impossible to focus on their work. I've found reading hard the last week or so.

I had to read almost an entire book today so that I could do the review which was due today. So move to May is what I say.

Baseball season would be in full swing if things were going on. How about May being a sports mystery themed month?

I would suggest Nicole Asselin's Murder at First Pitch as one of the reads for people here. I loved the book myself.

That's a great idea. We could also include Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar books - https://www.novelsuspects.com/series-list/harlan-coben-myron-bolitar-books-in-order/

Dick Francis has a wonderful series of books about horse-racing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Francis

A quick search led me to more sports-themed mysteries:

MURDER ON THE IDITAROD TRAIL by Sue Henry
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-on-the-iditarod-trail-sue-henry/1018218373;jsessionid=20347ABC1B4EC6AADF30ED343101D4D3.prodny_store02-atgap06?ean=9780802123398

On Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18056607-game-set-and-murder

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25251757-you-will-know-me

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31161081-still-kicking

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40329.Metro_Girl

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31871496-marathon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29939066-one-perfect-lie

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29290.Time_of_Wonder

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20872263-figure-skating-mystery-series

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13498709-the-prophet

[JRob]

Wow, I never heard of most of these books so I guess it is a good place to start.

By the way, apparently it is Mystery/Thriller week over on Goodreads.com this week.

[Becke Davis]

Wow, I never heard of most of these books so I guess it is a good place to start.

By the way, apparently it is Mystery/Thriller week over on Goodreads.com this week.

Oh no - I have no will power (or should I say "won't" power) when it comes to books. My wish list has grown by leaps and bounds since I met you!

[JRob]

Oh no - I have no will power (or should I say "won't" power) when it comes to books. My wish list has grown by leaps and bounds since I met you!

Well if I'm going to be a bad influence, I guess that's the good kind of bad influence to be!

[Becke Davis]

Oh no - I have no will power (or should I say "won't" power) when it comes to books. My wish list has grown by leaps and bounds since I met you!

Well if I'm going to be a bad influence, I guess that's the good kind of bad influence to be!

Definitely!