Trust No One. Sir Stafford Nye, a minor diplomat, encounters an irresistible call to adventure on a routine business trip. All his training and his common sense tell him to refuse. But he’s bored with his ordinary life, he’s curious, and he’s got a mischievous streak that he can’t help indulging. Impulsively, he takes the …
Review: Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie Read More »
Confession time: I’m an addict. Every morning, I have to scratch my mental itch. My coffee doesn’t taste right and I don’t feel properly awake until I’ve worked through the Sudoku in the newspaper. My family knows, and fortunately they’re supportive. My Mother’s Day gift was a book of Sudoku puzzles with a handy slot …
Why Sudoku is the Perfect Puzzle for Mystery Lovers Read More »
Mottley & Baker’s second adventure, Mister Mottley and the Dying Fall is set in October of 1932, six months after Book 1. My stories always have a lot of humor in them, but since his one was set just before Halloween, I wanted to bring in an element of spookiness, danger, a moody atmosphere and …
Death of a Ghost by Margery Allingham My rating: 5 of 5 stars This golden-age classic is the literary equivalent of Babe Ruth calling his shot in the 1932 World Series. She points out her target, squares up to the plate, and hits a soaring home run. With only a handful of mysteries under my …
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Along with Sirop de Cassis, cocoa at breakfast, and other drinks considered by Hastings to be “noxious”, Hercule Poirot is often seen drinking his tisane, to which he attributes health and the acuity of his “little gray cells”. This recurring theme led me to wonder, what flavor of tisane would Poirot like best? I often …
After Margery Allingham’s death in 1966, Agatha Christie lauded her fellow writer: How sad it is that there are not more of her stories to which we can look forward. Not only to enjoy on publication, but to read often and often again, enjoying them anew each time. For those who feel the same, [amazon …
Review: The Return of Mr. Campion (Uncollected Stories) Read More »
The Golden Age writers toyed with various sets of rules of “fair play.” The oath of the famous “Detection Club,” which boasted Christie and Sayers in its membership, was: Do you promise that your detectives shall well and truly detect the crimes presented to them using those wits which it may please you to bestow …