The Betel Nut Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu is a murder mystery set in Singapore during the 1930s. It features a plucky and resourceful female protagonist, Su Lin, who is hired as a nanny to the daughter of a British police officer. When a murder occurs in the household, Su Lin uses wit and intelligence to help solve the crime. The novel takes place against … Continue reading Book Review: The Betel Nut Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu (2018)
Author and lawyer Kerry Greenwood’s Miss Phryne Fisher has taken the world by storm in the popular TV show Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, a movie, Crypt of Tears, and the titular Phryne Fisher book series spanning 21 novels. In this review, we’re returning to the book that launched this massive phenomenon: Cocaine Blues, where Phryne’s glamour, guts, and keen intellect revitalized the historical private detective genre. … Continue reading Book Review: Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood (1989)
Nero Wolfe is one of the most iconic and influential characters in the mystery genre. Created by author Rex Stout in 1934, Nero Wolfe is a larger-than-life detective who, along with his assistant, Archie Goodwin, has solved numerous complex and fascinating cases over the years. In this essay, I will explore the impact that Nero Wolfe has had on the mystery genre and why his … Continue reading Nero Wolfe’s Impact on the Mystery Genre
Death Before Wicket is a mystery novel by Kerry Greenwood, featuring her iconic detective, Phryne Fisher. The novel was first published in 1999 and is the tenth book in the Phryne Fisher series. In Death Before Wicket, Phryne travels to Melbourne, Australia, to help a friend who is having trouble with her university research project. However, when she arrives, she discovers that her friend has … Continue reading Book Review: Death Before Wicket by Kerry Greenwood (1999)
Golden Age of Detective Fiction 