It’s been quite a long month of reading. Most of the books just rushed toward the middle with a slog of three stars, giving the month a sluggish feeling. With over 20 reviews this month, I feel like I really worked on cutting down my TBR this month.
Five Star Reviews: 2
The Santa Klaus Murder by Mavis Hay
Goodreads Synopsis:
When it comes to Christmas stories, one typically thinks of those that embody the spirit of the season, such as O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” and Charles Dickens’s ‘A Christmas Carol’.
The Yuletide-themed murder mystery is not usually the first thing that comes to mind. But in 1936, Mavis Doriel Hay wrote ‘The Santa Klaus Murder’, one of three detective novels she published in the 1930s.
A classic country-house murder mystery, ‘The Santa Klaus Murder’ begins with Aunt Mildred declaring that no good could come of the Melbury family Christmas gathering at their country residence Flaxmere. So when Sir Osmond Melbury, the family patriarch, is discovered — by a guest dressed as Santa Klaus —with a bullet in his head on Christmas Day, the festivities are plunged into chaos.
Nearly every member of the party stands to reap some sort of benefit from Sir Osmond’s death, but Santa Klaus, the one person who seems to have every opportunity to fire the shot, has no apparent motive.
My review here.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Goodreads Synopsis:
Roger Ackroyd knew too much. He knew that the woman he loved had poisoned her brutal first husband. He suspected also that someone had been blackmailing her. Then, tragically, came the news that she had taken her own life with an apparent drug overdose.
However, the evening post brought Roger one last fatal scrap of information, but before he could finish reading the letter, he was stabbed to death. Luckily one of Roger’s friends and the newest resident to retire to this normally quiet village takes over—none other than Monsieur Hercule Poirot .
My review here.
Four Star Reviews: 7
The Grell Mystery by Frank Froest
Goodreads Synopsis:
The latest in a new series of classic detective stories from the vaults of HarperCollins involves the murder of a notorious criminal in the home of a famous millionaire. But there are no clues, no evidence. The police are convinced that someone may have just committed the perfect crime.
“The Detective Story Club”, launched by Collins in 1929, was a clearing house for the best and most ingenious crime stories of the age, chosen by a select committee of experts. Now, almost 90 years later, these books are the classics of the Golden Age, republished at last with the same popular cover designs that appealed to their original readers.
The Grell Mystery was first published in 1913 and selected as one of the launch titles for the Detective Club in 1929. It was written by former Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Frank Froest, who had turned in retirement to writing successful and authentic crime novels.
My review here.
The Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side by Agatha Christie
Goodreads Synopsis:
The quaint village of St Mary Mead has been glamourized by the presence of screen queen Marina Gregg, who has taken up residence in preparation for her comeback. But when a local fan is poisoned, Marina finds herself starring in a real-life mystery—supported with scene-stealing aplomb by Jane Marple, who suspects that the lethal cocktail was intended for someone else. But who? If it was meant for Marina, then why? And before the final fade-out, who else from St Mary Mead’s cast of seemingly innocent characters is going to be eliminated?
My review here.
A Case of Blackmail in Belgravia by Clara Benson
Goodreads Synopsis:
It’s 1929, and Ticky Maltravers is the toast of London high society, adored by everyone—or so it seems, until somebody poisons him over dinner. Now it turns out that numerous people with secrets to hide had every reason to wish him dead. But which of them murdered him? For Freddy Pilkington-Soames, newspaper reporter and man-about-town, the question hits a little too close to home, thanks to an unfortunate drunken encounter with Ticky’s corpse which he’d much rather the police didn’t find out about—and thanks also to his exasperating mother Cynthia’s seeming determination to get herself arrested by tampering with the evidence. But a pretty girl with big blue eyes is demanding his help in solving the mystery, so what can he do but agree? Now all he has to do is hide the wrong clues, find the right ones, and unmask the murderer before the police discover what’s really been going on. That ought to be easy enough. If only people didn’t keep getting killed…
My review here.
The Theft of the Iron Dogs by Freeman Wills Crofts
Goodreads Synopsis:
It’s not long after the end of WWII, rationing is still in force in the UK, and Chief Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard is hot on the heels of a coupon racketeer, Gordon Ginner. Just then he gets a letter from Lancastrian farmer Giles Hoggett about some odd goings on recently in Lunesdale. Normally he’d pass on the letter to some subordinate, but the possibility that Giles’s suspicions might link to the Ginner investigation are just too tantalizing to leave alone, so off to Lancashire goes Chief Inspector Macdonald… soon to discover the murdered body of Gordon Ginner!
My review here.
Black Cypress by Frances Crane
Goodreads Synopsis:
A family gathering and a body on the beach keep the sleuthing couple busy in this tale of “ample suspense, and breathless conclusion” (Saturday Review).
Pat and Jean Abbott are in lovely Laguna Beach, invited to visit some distant relatives at the Black Cypress estate. But the invitation is more professional than personal, since Pat is a PI and family member Enid Ponsonby appears to be targeted by a killer. Whether her disagreeable personality has anything to do with it remains to be seen—but in the meanwhile, the Abbotts will have to untangle multiple mysteries involving a knife thrower, a dead New Orleans gangster, and a tidal wave of potential suspects . . .
“Skilled and sometimes scary.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“One of the more interesting married teams of detectives . . . A sort of globetrotting Nick and Nora.” —Thrilling Detective
My review here.
Top of the Heap by A. A. Fair
Goodreads Synopsis:
SHE PLAYED THE ODDS – AND LOST!
When the beautiful girlfriend of a notorious gangster vanishes, the last man to be seen with her needs an alibi – and fast. Enter Donald Lam of the Cool & Lam detective agency. Donald tracks down the two women with whom his client claims to have spent the night and the client declares the case closed.But it’s not. Something about his client’s story doesn’t add up, and Donald can’t resist the temptation to keep digging. Before he knows it, he’s dug up connections to a mining scam, an illegal casino, and a double homicide – plus an opportunity for an enterprising private eye to make a small fortune, if he can just stay alive long enough to cash in on it!
My review here.
The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie
Goodreads Synopsis:
Robbery and brutal murder aboard a luxury transport ensnares the ever-attentive Hercule Poirot in The Mystery of the Blue Train, from Queen of Mystery Agatha Christie
When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. But she will never wake again—for a heavy blow has killed her, disfiguring her features almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious rubies are missing.
The prime suspect is Ruth’s estranged husband, Derek. Yet Hercule Poirot is not convinced, so he stages an eerie reenactment of the journey, complete with the murderer on board. . . .
My review here.
Three Star Reviews: 8
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
Goodreads Synopsis:
Our first meeting with Sherlock Holmes. And John Watson’s too! The young doctor is astonished by Holmes’ many idiosyncrasies, including his talents on the violin.
But it’s not long before Sherlock Holmes, with Watson in tow, is working with Scotland Yard investigating the murder of two Americans whose deaths have some mysterious connection to sinister groups gathering power in both Britain and America.
Here’s where it all began, ‘A Study in Scarlet.’ Meet Sherlock Holmes, one of the world’s leading consulting detectives – fictional of course!
My review here.
The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
Goodreads Synopsis:
A dense yellow miasma swirls in the streets of London as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson accompany a beautiful young woman to a sinister assignation.
For Mary Marston has received several large pearls – one a year for the last six years – and now a mystery letter telling her she is a wronged woman. If she would seek justice she is to meet her unknown benefactor, bringing with her two companions.
But unbeknownst to them all, others stalk London’s fog-enshrouded streets: a one-legged ruffian with revenge on his mind – and his companion, who places no value on human life…
My review here.
Information Received by E. R. Punshon
Goodreads Synopsis:
In his London townhouse, city magnate Sir Christopher Clarke is found lying murdered. At the other end of the house his safe hangs open and rifled, and earlier in the day he had visited his solicitors in order to make a drastic change in his will. Later it is discovered that there has been fraud connected with the dead man, and this is but one of the many complications with which Superintendent Mitchell is faced. Fortunately he has the assistance of young Constable Owen, a talented young Oxford graduate who, finding all other careers closed to him by the ‘economic blizzard’ of the early thirties, has joined the London Police force.
Information Received is the first of E.R. Punshon’s acclaimed Bobby Owen mysteries, first published in 1933 and the start of a series which eventually spanned thirty-five novels.
This edition features a new introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.
My review here.
Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie
Goodreads Synopsis:
Six people sit down to a sumptuous meal at a table laid for seven. In front of the empty place is a sprig of rosemary- “rosemary for remembrance.” A strange sentiment considering no one is likely to forget the night, exactly a year ago, that Rosemary Barton died at exactly the same table, her beautiful face unrecognizable, convulsed with pain and horror.
But then Rosemary had always been memorable—she had the ability to arouse strong passions in most people she met. In one case, strong enough to kill…
My review here.
The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green
Goodreads Synopsis:
THIS DETECTIVE STORY CLUB CLASSIC is introduced by Dr John Curran, who looks at how Anna Katherine Green was a pioneer who inspired a new generation of crime writers, in particular a young woman named Agatha Christie.
When the retired merchant Horatio Leavenworth is found shot dead in his mansion library, suspicion falls on his nieces, Mary and Eleanore, who stand to inherit his vast fortune. Their lawyer, Everett Raymond, infatuated with one of the sisters, is determined that the official investigator, detective Ebenezer Gryce, widens the inquiry to less obvious suspects.
The Leavenworth Case, the first detective novel written by a woman, immortalised its author Anna Katharine Green as ‘The Mother of Detective Fiction’. Admired for her careful plotting and legal accuracy, the book enjoyed enormous success both in England and America, and was widely translated. It was republished by The Detective Story Club after Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, speaking at the 1928 Thanksgiving Day dinner of the American Society in London, remarked: ‘An American woman, a successor of Poe, Anna K. Green, gave us The Leavenworth Case, which I still think one of the best detective stories ever written.’
My review here.
Murder and Blueberry Pie by Frances and Richard Lockridge
Goodreads Synopsis:
Two murders lead NYC detective Nathan Shapiro out of the city and into the country in this mystery from the authors of the “excellent” Mr. and Mrs. North series (The New Yorker).
Nathan Shapiro might be the gloomiest member of Manhattan’s finest, but that doesn’t stop the dour detective from getting the job done when the going gets tough . . .
Lois Williams of Glenville, Connecticut, is going about her business when she’s abruptly asked to bear witness to the signing of a wealthy elderly woman’s will. She is just as quickly rushed out, and is disturbed when she learns that Abigail Montfort died less than thirty minutes after her departure.
Lois can’t get the strange incident out of her head and confides her suspicions in newspaperman Bob Oliver, who agrees that something strange is afoot. As they investigate a young woman who may have been posing as Abigail Montfort, their search takes them to New York City and into the path of Det. Nathan Shapiro.
While Shapiro doesn’t much like leaving Manhattan, a mugging death in town seems to be linked to the old woman’s death in the country. Soon, he finds himself chasing leads with the two amateur sleuths—and what they discover is a mystery that belongs on the front page . . .
Murder and Blueberry Pie is the 2nd book in the Nathan Shapiro Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
My review here.
The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey
Goodreads Synopsis:
Inspector Alan Grant searches for the identity of a man killed in the line at a theater and for the identity of the killer—whom no one saw.
A long line had formed for the standing-room-only section of the Woffington Theatre. London’s favorite musical comedy of the past two years was finishing its run at the end of the week. Suddenly, the line began to move, forming a wedge before the open doors as hopeful theatergoers nudged their way forward. But one man, his head sunk down upon his chest, slowly sank to his knees and then, still more slowly, keeled over on his face. Thinking he had fainted, a spectator moved to help, but recoiled in horror from what lay before him: the man in the queue had a small silver dagger neatly plunged into his back. With the wit and guile that have made Inspector Grant a favorite of mystery fans, the inspector sets about discovering just how a murder occurred among so many witnesses, none of whom saw a thing.
My review here.
Behind the Green Door by Mildred A. Wirt
Goodreads synopsis:
Penny visits a ski resort and stumbles upon several mysteries. Unknown enemies are trying to force the resort to close, and during her investigations, Penny discovers a mysterious green door in the resort that leads to a room that can only be entered by invitation. Meanwhile, a new acquaintance offers to sell Penny a fur coat inexpensively. Penny investigates, solving all of the mysteries, scoops a rival reporter, and is rewarded with a new car.
My review here.
Two Star Reviews: 3
An Unfortunate Christmas Murder by Hannah Hendy
Goodreads Synopsis:
‘Tis the season for gold, frankincense and murder…
It’s winter in the small town of Dewstow, and Margery is preparing for her first Christmas as Summerview school’s kitchen manager. She’s supported by her wife, Clementine, and is trying to stay focused on the task at hand.
The pair are determined to stay out of the way of the Christmas concert planning that has gripped the rest of the staff. However, they are caught in the crossfire when the stage lights collapse at the first practice, killing Mrs Large, the music teacher.
Mrs Smith, the Head of Drama, is the prime suspect and is desperate for the Dinner Lady Detectives to clear her name. Mrs Smith is convinced that it’s sabotage by her rival, Mrs Blossom, the drama teacher at Ittonvale Secondary, but there’s evidence that points to her own misdeeds. Can Margery and Clementine trust their friend? And when things start to heat up in the kitchen, will they make it out in time?
My review here.
Sicken and So Die by Simon Brett
Goodreads Synopsis:
Things are going suspiciously well for Charles Paris. He’s moved back in with his wife, Frances, and although he’s not yet a permanent fixture in her bed, he has hopes. What’s more, he’s got a proper part in a proper play: Sir Toby Belch in a festival production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Charles himself is a good old-fashioned actor, who wants to play Sir Toby in a traditional way. And it looks as if he’ll be able to do just that, until Gavin succumbs to a mysterious case of food poisoning and an avant-garde Romanian director steps in to take over the production.
My review here.
The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen
Goodreads Synopsis:
Things are going suspiciously well for Charles Paris. He’s moved back in with his wife, Frances, and although he’s not yet a permanent fixture in her bed, he has hopes. What’s more, he’s got a proper part in a proper play: Sir Toby Belch in a festival production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Charles himself is a good old-fashioned actor, who wants to play Sir Toby in a traditional way. And it looks as if he’ll be able to do just that, until Gavin succumbs to a mysterious case of food poisoning and an avant-garde Romanian director steps in to take over the production.
My review here.
One Star Reviews: 0
TV Shows
Colonel March of Scotland Yard” is a British television series that aired from 1956 to 1957. The show featured Boris Karloff in the role of Colonel March, a fictional investigator working for Scotland Yard. Each episode followed Colonel March as he solved various mysteries and crimes, employing his sharp intellect and deductive reasoning skills.
The character of Colonel March was created by John Dickson Carr, a renowned mystery writer, and the show was based on his short stories. Unlike many other detective shows of its time, “Colonel March of Scotland Yard” had a unique twist, with Colonel March being a specialist in the bizarre and the seemingly impossible cases that perplexed other investigators.
While “Colonel March of Scotland Yard” aired for only one season, it left a lasting impression on audiences, particularly those who enjoy classic detective dramas with a touch of the unusual. The show has since gained a cult following among fans of vintage television and mystery enthusiasts.
Movies
“The Great Mouse Detective” is a 1986 animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. The movie is a lively and inventive twist on the classic detective story, set in a world of anthropomorphic mice living in Victorian-era London.
The story follows the adventures of Basil of Baker Street, a brilliant and eccentric mouse who fashions himself after Sherlock Holmes. Basil is called upon to investigate the disappearance of a toymaker, Hiram Flaversham, and the kidnapping of his daughter, Olivia. With the help of his trusty assistant, Dr. Dawson, Basil uncovers a sinister plot orchestrated by the nefarious Professor Ratigan, a criminal mastermind and Basil’s arch-nemesis.
As Basil and Dawson pursue Ratigan, they encounter a variety of colorful characters and embark on thrilling chases through the streets and sewers of London. Along the way, they form an unlikely alliance with a resourceful young mouse named Olivia, who is determined to rescue her father.
Reading Down My March TBR:
Read
- An Unfortunate Christmas Murder by Hannah Hendy
- The Grell Mystery by Frank Froest
- The Theft of the Iron Dogs by E.C.R. Lorac
- The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green
- The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey
Golden Age of Detective Fiction 
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