Month: March 2015
Chapter by Chapter: The Mystery of Edwin Drood IV
“Glaces cut like blade through bone, With daggers drawn I glare at you, There at you who dare presume To stare at whom I’d make my wife And share my life– I’d see you dead Before sweet Rosa wed.” – Neville and Drood, singing in unison, “No Good Can Come from Bad” from the musical… Read More ›
Chapter by Chapter: The Mystery of Edwin Drood III
So far, nothing truly mysterious has occurred. However, John “Jack” Jasper, choirmaster in the Cathedral town of Cloisterham, has expressed a morbid curiosity in the stonemason Durdles’ craft. More particularly in the crypts beneath the Cathedral. Jasper’s behavior and addiction to opium make him suspect. But is this set up for what is to come or might… Read More ›
Cocktail Special
Find your lucky clover with this cocktail special, the Shamrock. Looking for a little green in your cocktail today? Crème de Menthe is the perfect additive to turn your cocktail a little green with a hint of mint. There are a different recipes for a Shamrock cocktail, but this one is a bit more classic,… Read More ›
Chapter by Chapter: The Mystery of Edwin Drood II
The first two chapters of Charles Dickens’ last novel introduced a few key characters. Aside from the title character, the most important was Drood’s young uncle, John “Jack” Jasper, choirmaster in the Cathedral town of Cloisterham. In fact, that’s where Chapter Three begins. “For sufficient reasons which this narrative itself unfold as it advances, a… Read More ›
Live Read: That Thing at the Zoo
Today, The Poisoned Martini is reading James R. Tuck’s novella, That Thing at the Zoo. Monster slayer Deacon Chalk faces an unknown assailant or “whatever is leaving the Atlanta Zoo’s most dangerous predators bloodless, skinned, and hanging high in treetops.” Now with the zoo in lockdown, Deacon and a handful of zoo staffers must survive… Read More ›
Friday Cocktail
This Friday, in advance of St. Patrick’s Day parades and the actual celebratory day, try an Irish Whiskey Cocktail. It’s more than just whiskey. This cocktail with its unusual blend of liqueurs appears in the 1964 edition of Old Mr. Boston De Luxe Official Bartender’s Guide, but it’s likely far older because of its use… Read More ›
By Its Cover: The Martini Shot
How do we choose what we read? Reviews? Word of mouth? Familiarity? Or by its cover? I’ll admit the first thing that caught my eye about this book was its title: The Martini Shot. Then I noticed it said “a novella and stories” and that it was by George Pelecanos. Now, working in a library,… Read More ›
18 Scandinavian Crime Novels
Recommended Reads: Scandinavian Crime The success of the Steig Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy shined a light on Scandinavian crime. Translations of existing titles and newly imported authors rose in popularity and continue to be read by American audiences today. Here are 18 of the most notable Scandinavian authors who’ve made an… Read More ›
For Your Eyes Only
“M replaced the stamp and the ink pad in the drawer and closed the drawer. He turned the docket around and pushed it gently across the desk to Bond. The red sans-serif letters, still damp, said: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.” This meeting with M occurs in the title story featured in this collection of adventures… Read More ›
Chapter by Chapter: The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Read along with The Poisoned Martini each week and examine the the origins of mysteries in the earliest examples of the genre. In April 1870, Charles Dickens’ The Mystery of Edwin Drood began appearing in installments. It would be Dickens’ last novel and one left unfinished at the time of his death. Presumably this was… Read More ›
The Poisoned Martini 