Tag: Fiction
Chapter by Chapter: The Mystery of Edwin Drood VIII
What has happened to Edwin Drood? “He is not to be found.” Chapter Fifteen begins with a seemingly blissfully unaware Neville Landless–having set off on a journey–stopping at The Tilted Wagon tavern to refresh himself. Resuming his travels, he encounters four men. “Their manner was very curious.” They accost Neville. A reader’s first thought might… Read More ›
By Its Cover: The Cocktail Waitress
Hard Case Crime has been issuing–or should I say, reissuing–novels with a retro pulp fiction look. This particular book, released in 2012, is touted as a lost final novel by James M. Cain, author of The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, and Mildred Pierce. Cain’s name should be well-known to mystery fans and film… Read More ›
Chapter by Chapter: The Mystery of Edwin Drood VII
“WHEN SHALL THESE THREE MEET AGAIN?” The title of Chapter Fourteen asks a curious question. To which three characters is it referring? Christmas Eve has come to Cloisterham. “Lavish profusion is in the shops” and elsewhere, as Dickens describes the Yuletide scene in Cloisterham before turning to the matter at hand. “Three are to meet… Read More ›
By Its Cover: Wait For Signs
An owl perched in front of a full moon was the very first thing that caught my eye. Then I say the author’s name: Craig Johnson, and that this was part of the Longmire series. From the inside jacket description: “Sheriff Walt Lonmire, first knocked readers dead in the Hillerman award-winning short story “Old Indian… Read More ›
Chapter by Chapter: The Mystery of Edwin Drood VI
Chapters Twelve and Thirteen bring us an evening with Durdles and a meeting with Rosa Bud. “When Mr. Sapsea has nothing better to do … He likes to pass the churchyard with a swelling air of proprietorship, and to encourage in his breast a sort of benignant-landlord feeling, in that he has been bountiful towards… Read More ›
Demise in Denim
The novel begins with Reagan Summerside in a little trouble. “It was a perfect spring night except that my palms were seating, my heart was rocketing around in my chest, I shook so bad it was hard to keep the car on the road, and there were one, two, make that four police cars on… Read More ›
Chapter by Chapter: The Mystery of Edwin Drood V
“It has been often enough remarked that women have a curious power of divining the characters of men, which would seem to be innate and instinctive…” So begins the tenth chapter of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Mrs. Crisparkle having learned of Neville’s transgression in quarreling with Drood at Jasper’s residence believes Neville “may come… Read More ›
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 ›
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 ›
The Poisoned Martini 