Tag: Fiction
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
This is a most unusual mystery novel. In reading about the mystery genre and the craft of writing detective stories, I’ve come across mentions of S. S. Van Dine and his detective Philo Vance. Van Dine, the pseudonym of critic and journalist Willard Huntington Wright (1888 – 1939), was an acquaintance of Burns and Allen,… Read More ›
Scones & Bones
Piratical legend features in this twelfth entry in the Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs. The Tea Shop Mysteries are like revisiting an old friend. Invariably the story begins with Theodosia Browning and company at a notable event in Charleston, South Carolina, and by the end of the first chapter, someone had been killed. It’s… Read More ›
Aunt Dimity’s Death
What constitutes a mystery? In this delightful tale, Lori Shepherd learns that her Aunt Dimity has died. “I was stunned. Not because she was dead, but because I had never known she’d been alive,” says Lori. Her mother used to tell her stories, featuring the indomitable Aunt Dimity. Recently, Lori’s life has been a downward spiral. She… Read More ›
A Taste of Murder
Enjoying a good book is always a treat. Having a treat along with your reading is even better. This Autumn, I’m hosting a mystery book discussion series, “A Taste of Murder,” at my Library. It’s an opportunity to read culinary murder mysteries and sample delectable treats! After all, isn’t the image of reading a book… Read More ›
Introducing The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Who killed Edwin Drood? Was he killed? We’ll never really know the answers because Charles Dickens died before finishing this, his last novel. Perhaps the Victorian Age’s most iconic author, Charles Dickens died on 9 June 1870. Only a scant two months prior, Dickens’ newest tale, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, began appearing in monthly… Read More ›
Death at La Fenice II
Having finished this Donna Leon mystery set in Venice, I’m a bit disappointed. This first Guido Brunetti story is marvelously written. The language, dialogue, characterizations are all superb. (See previous post here.) The mystery aspect of the story, however, is not up to par. A famous German conductor, Maestro Helmut Wellauer, is poisoned during a performance of… Read More ›
Death at La Fenice I
Normally I don’t like to review a book before I’ve finished reading it, but in the few chapters I’ve read so far, Death at La Fenice has thoroughly captured my attention. I don’t yet know how strongly the mystery aspect will play out, but the writing and characterizations are excellent. This first Guido Brunetti police… Read More ›
Achilles
A lyrical exploration of the Greek hero Achilles, this short novel by Elizabeth Cook reads like an epic poem. Just over a hundred pages in length, the story is told in three parts. The first deals directly with Achilles and his exploits. The second describes the aftermath of Achilles’ death and the fall of Troy. Finally, the short… Read More ›
The Clairvoyant Countess
I foresee a mystery in your future… The Clairvoyant Countess was one of the first mysteries (not by Agatha Christie) that I read. At the time, I was intrigued by the occult element in mystery stories, and the idea of a psychic detective was a “new” curiosity. Originally written circa 1975, I picked up a… Read More ›
An Expert in Murder
Using “real” people as the detective in fiction seems to be growing in popularity these days. Of course, this isn’t a new phenomenon. Eleanor Roosevelt solved political mysteries in a series by son Elliott Roosevelt. Benjamin Franklin finds adventure in the humor-filled pages of Robert Lee Hall’s books, and Jane Austen turns detective in Stephanie… Read More ›
The Poisoned Martini 